Patent ID: 8612175
Filing Date: 2013-12-17
Classification: G01B

Abstract:
1. A measurement device for use with a pile installation machine, the measurement device for determining a depth of a pile being installed into a ground layer by measuring displacement of a working head of the pile installation machine, the measurement device comprising at least one encoder assembly having a support bracket fixably attachable to a first associated structural component of an associated pile installation machine, the support bracket having a mounting arrangement for the fixable attachment to the first structural component and a pivot joint coaxial with a load arm axis, the at least one encoder assembly further including a load arm rotatable about the load arm axis and having a base end near the load arm axis and a distal end spaced from the load arm axis, the load arm further including a wheel near the distal end that is rotatable about a wheel axis, the at least one encoder assembly further including an encoder joined to the wheel such that the wheel drives the encoder as the wheel rotates, the at least one encoder assembly further including a wheel force biasing assembly loaded between the support bracket and the load arm configured to urge the load arm and wheel about the load arm axis into an engaged condition relative to the associate pile installation machine such that the wheel frictionally engages a surface of a second associated structural component and the displacement of the first structural component relative to the surface of the second structural component rotates the wheel about the wheel axis and thus rotates the encoder, the measurement device further including a communication system to send encoder data to an associated computing system for receiving the encoder data to determine at least one of the displacement of the first structural component relative to the surface of the second structural component and the depth of an associate pile, wherein the measurement device is fixably attachable relative to an associated working head of the pile installation machine and the surface of the second associated structural component is a fixed surface on a frame section of the associated pile installation machine.