Abstract:
This invention relates to a system and method for supporting a building and to a system and method for connecting sections, such as pilings, pipes, conduits, and the like, in an end-to-end, abutting, relationship to form pilings for the support system. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure; and is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims under 37 CFR §1.72.

Description:
[0001]    This invention relates to a system and method for raising and supporting a building and to a system and method for connecting elongated sections, such as pilings, conduits, and the like, in an end-to-end, abutting, relationship for form pilings for the raising and support system. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0002]    FIGS.  1 - 3  are isometric views depicting the raising and supporting system of the present invention in various stages of operation; and  
         [0003]    [0003]FIGS. 4 and 5 are front elevational views of the system of FIGS.  1 - 3  showing additional stages of operation.  
         [0004]    [0004]FIG. 6 is an exploded, isometric view of the connecting system according to an embodiment of the present invention shown with two elongated piling sections to be connected.  
         [0005]    [0005]FIG. 7 is a partial, longitudinal sectional view of the system and sections of FIG. 6 shown in an assembled condition.  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  8 - 8  of FIG. 7.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 9 is a partial elevational view of a building foundation installation utilizing the system of FIGS.  6 - 8 .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0008]    Referring specifically to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the reference numeral  10  refers, in general, to the lifting assembly of the present invention which includes a lifting arm  12 , in the form of an I-beam, which extends under the foundation or slab to be lifted. A relatively long channel iron  14  is welded to one end of the lifting arm  12  and extends perpendicular thereto. A relatively short channel iron  16  is welded to the channel iron  14  along their respective corresponding longitudinal edges to define an opening for receiving a support sleeve  18 . A lip  20  is welded to the upper end portion of the sleeve  18  which engages the channel iron  16  to maintain the sleeve in the position shown with the upper end portion extending slightly above the channel irons  14  and  16 , for reasons to be explained.  
         [0009]    A pair of mounting plates  22   a  and  22   b  are welded to the respective corresponding welded edges of the channel irons  14  and  16  and each has an opening extending there through. A pair of threaded rods  24   a  and  24   b  are welded to the plates  22   a  and  22   b,  respectively and extend upwardly therefrom for reasons to be described.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 depicts the apparatus of FIG. 1 with a hydraulic drive assembly mounted thereon. The reference numeral  26  refers, in general, to a driving, or clamping, assembly, which includes a gripping sleeve  28 . Although not clear from the drawings, it is understood that the sleeve  28  is in the form of a conventional “slip bowl” for grabbing or clamping over a pipe and, as such, includes three inner arcuate inserts (not shown) which are tapered in a vertical direction so that they will grab, or clamp, a pipe segment of a predetermined diameter during downward movement, and slide over the pipe segment during upward movement, in a conventional manner. A pair of mounting plates  30   a  and  30   b  are connected to, and extend from, diametrically opposite portions of the sleeve  28  and each has an opening extending there through. This clamping assembly  26  is disclosed in more detail in applicant&#39;s U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,777, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.  
         [0011]    A pair of hydraulic ram units  32   a  and  32   b  are adapted for installation between the respective plates  22   a  and  30   a,  and the plates  22   b  and  30   b.  The ram units  32   a  and  32   b  include a pair of arms  34   a  and  34   b,  respectively, which are connected to pistons (not shown) which reciprocate in the ram units in response to actuation of the units, in a conventional manner. This reciprocal movement of the pistons causes corresponding movement of the arms  34   a  and  34   b  between the extended position shown in FIG. 2 and a retracted position.  
         [0012]    The ram units  32   a  and  32   b  include a pair of devises  36   a  and  36   b  respectively, which are connected to the respective ends of the arms  34   a  and  34   b.  The devises  36   a  and  36   b  extend over the plates  30   a  and  30   b,  respectively and are connected to the latter plates by a pair of bolts. In a similar manner, a pair of devises  38   a  and  38   b  are connected to the lower ends of the ram units  32   a  and  32   b,  respectively, extend over the plates  22   a  and  22   b,  and are connected to the latter plates by a pair of bolts.  
         [0013]    The sleeve  28  of the clamping assembly  26  extends around a piling, or pipe assembly, shown in general by the reference numeral  40  which comprises a plurality of pipe segments connected together in a conventional manner. Due to the tapered configuration of the above-described arcuate inserts, the clamping assembly  26  can be manually lifted upwardly on the piling assembly  40  without encountering substantial resistance. When the hydraulic ram units  32   a  and  32   b  are then retracted, the clamping assembly  26  moves downwardly over the piling assembly  40  and the inserts grab, or clamp, the outer surface of the pipe assembly and force it downwardly, as will be described in further detail later.  
         [0014]    To install the lifting assembly  10 , the area around the foundation to be lifted is initially excavated and the lifting assembly is placed in the excavated area with the lifting arm  12  extending underneath the house (not shown) and against the lower surface of the foundation. The sleeve  18  is inserted through the opening defined by the channel irons  14  and  16  and driven into the ground until the lip  20  engages the upper end of the channel iron  16 . The sleeve can be driven manually or by use of the hydraulic ram units  32   a  and  32   b  in the manner described herein.  
         [0015]    A section of the piling assembly  40  is then placed in the sleeve A and the clamping assembly  26  is placed over the upper portion of the piling assembly. The hydraulic ram units  32   a  and  32   b,  in their extended positions shown in FIG. 2, are then installed between the respective plates  22   a  and  30   a  and the plates  22   b  and  30   b , respectively.  
         [0016]    The ram units  32   a  and  32   b  are then actuated simultaneously to cause a retracting motion of their corresponding pistons, and therefore the arms  34   a  and  34   b , to force the clamping assembly  26  downwardly. As a result, the sleeve  28  grabs the piling assembly  40  and forces it downwardly into the ground for a predetermined distance. The ram units  32   a  and  32   b  are then simultaneously actuated back to their expanded condition, moving the clamping assembly  26  upwardly to an upper portion of the piling assembly  40 , and the sequence is repeated. During this sequential driving of the piling assembly  40  into the ground, additional pipe segments may be added to the assembly  40  as needed.  
         [0017]    It is understood that a shim (not shown) can be inserted between the side wall of the foundation and the upper end portion of the channel iron  14  as needed to stabilize and align the system during the above operation.  
         [0018]    The above procedure is repeated until the lower end portion of the piling assembly  40  encounters resistance in the ground, which is usually in the form of bedrock or the like, in which case the aforementioned driving movement is terminated. After resistance is encountered the procedure depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4 is initiated. More particularly, the upper segment of the piling assembly  40  is cut off so that a few inches extend above the upper end of the sleeve  18 . A drive plate  42  having two sleeves  44   a  and  44   b  at its ends is positioned over the upper piling segment with its lower edge engaging the segment and with the sleeves  44   a  and  44   b  extending over the rods  24   a  and  24   b,  respectively. A drive pipe segment  46  is then placed over the plate  42 , with notches in the former extending over the upper edge of the latter.  
         [0019]    As shown in FIG. 4 the clamping assembly  26  and the hydraulic ram units  32   a  and  32   b  are installed in the manner described in connection with FIG. 2 with the sleeve  28  extending over the pipe segment  46 . The arms  34   a  and  34   b  are expanded to the extent needed for the sleeve  28  to grasp the upper end portion of the pipe segment  46 .  
         [0020]    The ram units  32   a  are then retracted to exert a vertical force against the piling assembly  40  and therefore the plate  42  and the pipe segment  46 . Since the piling assembly  40  can no longer be driven downwardly, the foundation will be lifted the desired amount causing the lifting arm  12 , the channel iron  14  and  16 , the plates  22   a  and  22   b,  and the rods  24   a  and  24   b  to move upwardly relative to the piling assembly  40 , the plate  42 , and the pipe segment  46  to the position shown in FIG. 5. Thus the plate  42  is spaced from its original position on the rods  24   a  and  24   b a  distance corresponding to the distance of the lift of the foundation.  
         [0021]    A pair of nuts  48   a  and  48   b  are then advanced downwardly over the rods  24   a  and  24   b,  respectively until they engage the plate  42  to secure the assembly in the position of FIG. 5. The hydraulic ram units  32   a  and  32   b  along with the clamping assembly  26  and the pipe segment  46  are then removed, and the area around the assembly is filed with dirt.  
         [0022]    Although only one lifting assembly  10  is shown in the drawing it is understood that, in actual practice, several will be used at once at different locations along the foundation depending on the extent of the damage, in which case, after all of the piling assemblies  40  have been driven into the ground until they encounter resistance, all of the ram units  32   a  and  32   b  associated with the piling assemblies are simultaneously actuated again in the manner described in connection with FIGS. 4 and 5 to raise the foundation, and therefore the house, a predetermined distance.  
         [0023]    With reference to FIGS.  6 - 8 , the connecting system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, in general, by the reference numeral  60  and is adapted for connecting the corresponding ends of two piling sections  62  and  64  of the piling  40 .  
         [0024]    As shown in FIG. 7, the system  60  comprises two hexagonal fasteners  70  and  72  which are sized to extend in the end portions  62   a  and  64   a  of the sections  62  and  64 , respectively. As shown in FIG. 8, the outer surface of each fastener  70  and  72  is hexagonal in shape, thus forming six planer surfaces and six angles, with the apexes of the angles between adjacent surfaces extending relative to the corresponding inner surfaces of the sections  62  and  64 , respectively, with minimal clearance, as shown in FIG. 8 in connection with the fastener  72  and the section  64 .  
         [0025]    The fasteners  70  and  72  can be secured in the sections  62  and  64 , respectively, by welding the outer planer surfaces of the fasteners to the corresponding inner surfaces of the sections. Due to the hexagonal outer surfaces of the fasteners  70  and  72 , a plurality of weldments  74  are thus formed between the latter surfaces and the corresponding inner surfaces of the sections and between the above-mentioned apexes. The respective outer faces of the fasteners  70  and  72  extend flush with the corresponding ends of the sections  62  and  64  respectively, as shown in FIG. 8.  
         [0026]    Each fastener  70  and  72  has an internally threaded bore, and an externally threaded rod  80  is provided which is sized to threadedly engage the bores of the fasteners as shown in FIG. 7. The length of rod  80  is at least equal to, or greater than, the combined widths of the fasteners  70  and  72 . In the embodiment shown, in the assembled position of FIG. 7, the length of the rod  80  is greater than the combined widths of the fasteners  70  and  72 , so that the end portions  80   a  and  80   b  of the rod  80  extend outwardly from the corresponding inner faces of the fasteners  70  and  72 , respectively.  
         [0027]    To assemble the sections  62  and  64  in an end-to-end abutting relationship as shown in FIG. 7, the fasteners  70  and  72  are secured in their respective end portions  62   a  and  64   a,  of the sections, as described above. Then, one end portion of the rod  80  is threadedly engaged with the outer face of the fastener  70  in the section  62 , and the rod  80  is rotated relative to the fastener  70 , or visa versa, so that the rod is advanced to an axial position relative to the fastener until the end portion  80   a  of the rod extends completely within the bore of the fastener, or until the end portion  80   a  extends outwardly from the inner face of the fastener as shown.  
         [0028]    The other section  64 , with the fastener  72  secured therein, is then moved to a position where the other end portion  80   b  of the rod  80  threadedly engages the outer face of the fastener  72 . Then the rod  80  is rotated relative to the fastener  72 , or visa versa, so that the rod is advanced to an axial position relative to the fastener  72  until the corresponding end of the elongated  64  abuts the corresponding end of the elongated  62 . In this position, the end portion  80   b  of the rod  80  extends completely within the bore of the fastener  72 , or extends outwardly from the inner face of the fastener as shown. Of course, the sections  62  and  64  can also be assembled by initially engaging the rod  80  with the fastener  72  in the section  64  and then engaging the rod with the fastener  70  in the section  62  in the manner described above.  
         [0029]    It is understood that the connection system  60  can be used to connect pilings in other types of building raising and support systems. For example, in the arrangement of FIG. 9, the sections  62  and  64  are connected together by the system  60  in the manner described above, and at least one transversely-extending, load-bearing section, in the form of as a metallic helix section  88 , is secured, in any conventional manner, the elongated section  14  near its other end portion  14   b.  The sections  62  and  64  and helix section  88  form an elongated earth screw anchor assembly that can penetrate the ground G in a conventional manner and can be utilized in conjunction with other equipment to support and stabilize a building structure which has or may experienced settlement or movement.  
         [0030]    Still other examples of systems to raise and support buildings are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,206, U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,798, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,203, all assigned to the assignee of the present invention and all of which are hereby incorporated by reference. In this context, it is understood that in most installations of this type, multiple screw anchors, identical to the screw anchor described above, could also be used.  
       VARIATIONS  
       [0031]    It is understood that variations may be made in the foregoing without departing from the scope of the invention, and examples of the variations are as follows:  
         [0032]    The sections  62  and  64  of the piling  40  do not have to have a circular cross sections but can take other shapes such as rectangular, square, etc, in which case the outer surfaces of the fasteners  70  and  72  would be shaped accordingly.  
         [0033]    The fasteners  70  and  72  are not limited to those having a hexagonal outer surface and the fasteners can be fastened into the interior of the sections  62  and  64  by other techniques, such as by as threaded connection or by adhesives, pins, clips, etc.  
         [0034]    The outer surfaces of the fasteners  70  and  72  do not have to extend flush with the corresponding ends of the sections  62  and  64  respectively but rather can extend in the sections a predetermined distance.  
         [0035]    The rod  80  can be directly welded into the interior of the section  62  and the fastener  72  attached to the section  64  as described above; after which the section  64 /fastener  72  would be rotated relative to the rod  80 , and therefore the section  72 , until the corresponding end of the elongated  64  abuts the corresponding end of the elongated  72 .  
         [0036]    The length of the rod  80  can be varied so that, in the assembled condition of the sections  62  and  64 , the ends of the rod at least extend flush with the corresponding inner faces of the fasteners  70  and  72 , respectively, or outwardly from the latter faces a predetermined distance, including the distance shown in FIG. 7.  
         [0037]    The sections  62  and  64  are not limited to pilings sections, but could be in the form of any other type of tubular members such as pipes, conduits, etc. for transporting fluid, etc.  
         [0038]    The raising and supporting system  10  of the present invention can also be used in an identical manner to raise a concrete slab extending underneath the entire area of a building or a house. In the case of a concrete slab, the system  10  would be mounted on an outer wall of the slab.  
         [0039]    The clamping assembly  26  can be replaced with a block, or driving section that engages the upper end of the piling  40  and, when forced downwardly by the ram units  32   a  and  32   b,  drives the assembly into the ground.  
         [0040]    An external drive system can be provided to drive the sleeve  25  and then the piling  40  into the ground until a predetermined resistance is encountered, after which the ram units  32   a  and  32   b  can be installed and activated to raise the foundation or slab in the manner described above.  
         [0041]    Since other modifications, changes, and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.