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FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to an apparatus for forcing members into and out of a material, and is more particularly directed to a vibratory apparatus for forcing members into and out of a material. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Use of vibratory apparatuses for forcing members into and out of the ground is well known in the art. For example, international patent application publication No. WO00/77308 filed by Expotech Limited on Jun. 12, 2000 and international patent application publication No. WO93/07341, filed by Raunisto on Sep. 30, 1992, both teach vibratory apparatuses suitable for connection to movable device arms of a driving or positioning device, such as the articulated arms found on booms, excavators or many other construction devices. Such apparatuses typically include jaws or grips for retaining the members, for example piles or the like therebetween. A vibration means connected to the jaws causes vibration of the jaws, which transfer the vibration to the members held therebetween. A conventional hinge attachment, well known in the art, having a hinge and a tilting hydraulic piston and cylinder combination connects the apparatus to the device arms, and provides lateral or sideways tilting of the apparatus and the members in the jaws relative the device arms. The hinge attachment may be connected to a housing for the jaws or vibration means. Alternatively, the hinge attachment may be connected to a rotator means, such as a motorized rotation means, well known in the art, connected to the housing or vibrator means, in which case the jaws and vibrator means are also rotatable around an axis defined by the rotatable cylinder. By use of the device arms, the apparatus, and notably the members, can be raised and lowered proximal a work surface or material, for example a cement or ground surface. The vibrator means connected to the jaws causes the members to vibrate and enables the members to penetrate the material or surface, allowing the members to be forced into or withdrawn from the material or surface. The members may be of any type, but are typically members used for construction and excavation work, such as round pipes, pipes, logs, planks, or H-shaped metal beams. 
         [0003]    Disadvantageously, such conventional apparatuses, specifically the jaws thereof, are poorly adapted to retaining round members, such as pipes, or wooden logs often used therewith. Thus, the conventional apparatuses present a risk that the members may break or become dislodged from the jaws during application of the member to the material. Further, for conventional apparatuses, the vibrator means does not contact directly contact any of the members, and the vibration generated by the vibrator means is therefore applied only indirectly via the jaws. Accordingly, significant amounts of energy are expended, unnecessarily, to obtain sufficient vibration of the members to break or penetrate the work surface or material. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, there is a need for an improved vibratory apparatus for forcing members into and out of a material. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an improved vibratory apparatus for forcing members into and out of a material. 
         [0006]    An advantage of the present invention is that the apparatus provides increased vibration of members held for penetrating the material with the member, by holding the members directly against the vibrating unit using the jaws. 
         [0007]    Another advantage of the present invention is that the apparatus provides a greater amount of vibration directly transferred to the members for penetrating the material therewith while losing less energy. 
         [0008]    A further advantage of the present invention is that the apparatus can hold cylindrically shaped members at three separate points of contact or gripping positions for improved, more stable and secure holding thereof. 
         [0009]    Still another advantage of the present invention is that the risk of breakage of the members or accidental disconnection of the members from the apparatus is reduced. 
         [0010]    Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the apparatus can be used to force a variety of different types of members into and out of the material, with or without the use of adaptor attachment components. 
         [0011]    According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vibratory apparatus for forcing members into and out of a material and for use with a device having at least one movable device arm movable towards and away from the material, the apparatus comprising:
       an outer housing connected to the device arms;   a vibratable inner housing mounted in the outer housing and extending outwardly therefrom; and   first and second outer jaws and an intermediate jaw, the outer jaws and the intermediate jaw being pivotally connected to the inner housing proximal opposed side walls thereof with the outer jaws and the intermediate jaw extending towards one another, the outer jaws and the intermediate jaw being configured for pivotal movement towards and away from each other for holding at least one member therebetween and in abutment therewith, the inner housing being selectively vibratable to cause the member to vibrate by abutment therewith and through contact with the outer and intermediate jaws to force the member into or out of the material.       
 
         [0015]    In an embodiment, the first outer, second outer and intermediate jaws have curved inner jaw walls, and preferably tapering down towards a respective gripping end thereof. 
         [0016]    In another embodiment, the apparatus further includes a first removable gripping attachment extending between tips of the first and second outer jaws. 
         [0017]    In another embodiment, the apparatus further includes a second removable gripping attachment extending along a tip of the intermediate jaw. 
         [0018]    In another embodiment, to enhance the controlled movement of the jaws, the first and second outer jaws are pivotable about a common outer jaw axle, the intermediate jaw is pivotable about an intermediate jaw axle, the intermediate jaw axle being positioned between the outer jaw axle and an outer extremity of the outer jaws, the apparatus further includes a cross-arm axle extending through the first and second outer jaws, and the cross-arm axle is connected by at least one cross arm to the intermediate jaw axle. 
         [0019]    Some objects, advantages and other features will become more apparent upon reading the following non-restrictive description of certain optional configurations, given for the purpose of exemplification only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0020]    Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the description in association with the following Figures, in which similar references used in different Figures denote similar components, wherein: 
           [0021]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a vibratory apparatus for forcing members into and out of a material, in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 1A  is a side view of a vibratory apparatus for forcing members into and out of a material, in accordance with a another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  is a partially cross-sectional top view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 , showing a single cylindrical member held in the jaws of the apparatus; 
           [0025]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the apparatus show in  FIG. 1 , showing an H shaped member held in jaws of the apparatus; 
           [0026]      FIG. 5  is a top view of an apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 , showing a plurality of cylindrical members held in jaws of the apparatus; 
           [0027]      FIG. 3A  is a partially cross-sectional top view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1A , showing a single cylindrical member held in the jaws of the apparatus; 
           [0028]      FIG. 4A  is a partially cross-sectional top view of the apparatus show in  FIG. 1A , showing an H shaped member held in jaws of the apparatus; 
           [0029]      FIG. 5A  is a partially cross-sectional top view of an apparatus shown in  FIG. 1A , showing a plurality of cylindrical members held in jaws of the apparatus; 
           [0030]      FIG. 6  is a front sectional view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0031]      FIG. 6   a  is a front sectional view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 , illustrating tilting of the apparatus relative a device arm to which the apparatus is connectable; 
           [0032]      FIG. 6B  is a front view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1A , without a gripping attachment; 
           [0033]      FIG. 6C  is a front view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1A , without a gripping attachment, illustrating tilting of the apparatus relative a device arm to which the apparatus is connectable; 
           [0034]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 1A , with a gripping attachment; 
           [0035]      FIG. 8  is a front view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0036]      FIG. 9  is a top view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0037]      FIG. 10  is a bottom view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0038]      FIG. 11  is a side view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0039]      FIG. 12  is an opposite side view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0040]      FIG. 13  is a front perspective view of the outer jaws and the intermediate jaw of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 7 ; and 
           [0041]      FIG. 14  is a rear perspective view of the outer jaws and the intermediate jaw of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 7 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0042]    In the following description, the same numerical references refer to similar elements. Furthermore, for the sake of simplicity and clarity, namely so as to not unduly burden the figures with several references numbers, not all figures contain references to all the components and features, and references to some components and features may be found in only one figure, and components and features of the present disclosure which are illustrated in other figures can be easily inferred therefrom. The embodiments, geometrical configurations, materials mentioned and/or dimensions shown in the figures are optional, and are given for exemplification purposes only. 
         [0043]    Furthermore, although the present invention may be used with a vibratory apparatus, for example, it is understood that it may be used with other types of vibratory apparatuses, for other purposes. For this reason, expressions such as “vibratory apparatus”, “construction and excavation work”, etc. as used herein should not be taken as to limit the scope of the present invention to being used with a vibratory apparatus in particular. These expressions encompass all other kinds of materials, objects and/or purposes with other types of vibratory apparatuses with which the present invention could be used and may be useful. 
         [0044]    In addition, although the optional configurations as illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprises various components and although the optional configurations of the vibratory apparatus as shown may consist of certain geometrical configurations as explained and illustrated herein, not all of these components and geometries are essential and thus should not be taken in their restrictive sense, i.e. should not be taken as to limit the scope of the present disclosure. It is to be understood that other suitable components and cooperations thereinbetween, as well as other suitable geometrical configurations may be used for the vibratory apparatus, and corresponding parts, as briefly explained and as can be easily inferred herefrom, without departing from the scope of the disclosure. 
         [0045]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 3  to  6 , according to an embodiment of the present invention, there is shown a vibratory apparatus  10  for forcing members, for example cylindrical members  22  or H-shaped members  22 ′, into and out of a surface or material  24 . 
         [0046]    As best shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  6 , and  6   a , the apparatus  10  includes an outer housing  26 , a vibratable inner housing  12  for providing vibrations, first and second outer jaws  14  and an intermediate jaw  16  pivotally connected to the vibratable inner housing  12 . A connection assembly  18  provides connection of the apparatus  10 , notably the outer housing  26 , to a preferably articulated device arm  20  of a, preferably hydraulic, driving or positioning device, not shown, such as a conventional hydraulic boom, excavator, or other construction device. The jaws  14 ,  16  are configured such that a cylindrically shaped member  22 , for example a log, pipe, or pile, may be gripped therebetween and held in abutment with the jaws  14 ,  16  and the vibratable inner housing  12 . The vibration provided by the vibratable inner housing  12  is transmitted to the cylindrical member  22  not only through the jaws  14 ,  16 , as is well known in the art, but also directly to the member  22  in contact with the inner housing  12 . Accordingly, the apparatus  10  provides improved transmission of the vibration to the cylindrical member  22  and enables the member  22  to be forced into and out of a material  24 , for example the ground  24 , with less effort and energy. The vibratable inner housing  12  is selectively vibratable by activation of a conventional vibratory force generator, not shown, connected thereto. The vibratory force generator is preferably based on a hydraulic motor, well known in the art, but may any type of vibratory force generator known in the art provided sufficient vibratory force to penetrate the material  24  may be generated thereby. 
         [0047]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 ,  6 , and  6   a , the outer housing  26  extends below the connection assembly  18  and device arm  20 . The inner housing  12  is securely mounted in the outer housing  26  and has an end portion  28  extending outwardly therefrom, preferably substantially perpendicular or radially relative the device arm  20  and connection assembly  18 . Within the outer housing  26 , insulating rubber or foam insulating bands  42  extend from the inner side walls  40  of the outer housing  26  to the side walls  32  of the inner housing  12  to reduce vibration of the outer housing  26 . Optionally, there may also be insulating bands extending between the top and bottom walls  34  of the inner housing  12  and the outer housing  26 . 
         [0048]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  6 , and  6   a , the end portion  28  provides a jaw mounting bracket, in which jaws  14 ,  16  are pivotally mounted. More specifically, the mounting bracket is formed, on the end portion  28 , by the generally opposed horizontally extending top and bottom walls  34  of the inner housing  12  connected by the first and second side walls  32   a,    32   b  of the inner housing  12 . First and second outer jaws  14  are coaxially and pivotally mounted, proximal inner jaw ends  54   a,  on a first axle or shaft  36   a  which extends from the top wall  34  to the bottom wall  34  proximal first side wall  32   a.  The intermediate jaw  16  is mounted, proximal inner jaw end  54   b,  on a second axle or shaft  36   b  which extends from the top wall  34  to the bottom wall  34  proximal second side wall  32   b.    
         [0049]    The outer jaws  14  are pivoted back and forth, i.e. away from and towards the centre of the mounting bracket and the intermediate jaw  16 , by outer hydraulic rams  44 , one for each outer jaw  14 . The outer cylinder  46  for each outer hydraulic ram  44  is, preferably rotatably, mounted on the second shaft  36   b  with the outer ram shaft  48  connected to axle  58   a  mounted, preferably rotatably, through first and second jaws  14  proximally adjacent inner jaw ends  54   a.  The intermediate jaw  16  is pivoted back and forth, i.e. away from and towards the centre of the mounting bracket and the outer jaws  14 , by intermediate hydraulic ram  50 . The intermediate cylinder  56  for the intermediate hydraulic ram  50  is, preferably rotatably, mounted on the first shaft  36   a  with the intermediate ram shaft  52  connected to axle  58   b  mounted, preferably rotatably, through the intermediate jaw  16  proximally adjacent inner jaw end  54   b.  The shafts  36  and axles  58  are secured by nuts  62 , as is well known in the art. As the hydraulic rams  44 ,  50  selectively extend and retract ram shafts  48 ,  52 , the inner ends  54  connected to axles  58   a ,  58   b  are, respectively, moved outwardly and inwardly by pivoting of jaws  14 ,  16  on shafts  36 . Accordingly, as the hydraulic rams  44 ,  50  selectively extend and retract ram shafts  48 ,  52 , the tapered jaw tips  60 , or gripping ends, generally opposite jaw ends  54  move, respectively, towards and away from one another to, respectively, close and open jaws  14 ,  16  relative one another. 
         [0050]    The rams  44 ,  50  are configured to hydraulically (all connected in parallel) move jaws  14 ,  16  simultaneously during opening and closing thereof. However, to physically enhance the mechanical synchronization device controlling movements of jaws  14 ,  16 , an additional cross-arm axle  58   c  extending through outer jaws  14  relatively proximal the tips thereof  60  compared to shaft  36   a  and axle  58   a,  is connected by cross arms  64  to axle  58   b  for the intermediate jaw  16 . Thus, as soon as the outer jaws  14  begin to pivot, the cross arms  64  cause the intermediate jaw  16  to pivot as well, and vice-versa. For additional security, the cylinders  46 ,  56  may be equipped with an anti-slip or locking valve, well known in the art, which prevents unwanted backward movement and release of the members  22 ,  22 ′. 
         [0051]    Referring now to  FIGS. 2 ,  3 , and  5 , the jaws have curved inner jaw walls  66   10  and, preferably, curved outer jaw walls  68  and are sized and shaped such that, when the jaw tips  60  are drawn towards one another during closing of the jaws  14 ,  16 , the tips of the outer jaws  14  can overlap the jaw tip  60  of the intermediate jaw  16 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . Further, the jaw walls  66 ,  68  preferably taper towards one another towards the jaw tips  60 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the curved inner walls  66  of jaws  14 ,  16  allow, not just one, but multiple cylindrical members  22 , generally organized in a triangular structure, to be held therebetween, for handling of these members  22 . Accordingly, as shown in  FIG. 3 , when only one member  22  is held within the jaws  14 ,  16  and in abutment with the vibratable inner housing  12 , the vibration is passed directly from the inner housing to the cylindrical members  22  abutting therewith, in addition to the jaws  14 ,  16  connected to the inner housing  12 . Thus, the advantages of the apparatus  10 , in terms of maximizing use of the vibrations provided by the vibratable inner housing  12  and vibratory force generator are conserved. Further, the curved inner walls  66  and tapered form of the jaws  14 ,  16 , as well as the capability of overlapping the tips  60 , ensures that the jaws  14 ,  16  can safely grip a wide variety of sizes of cylindrical members  22 . The curved inner walls  66  and tapered form of the jaws  14 ,  16  also ensure that the jaws  14 ,  16  and inner housing  12  can abut the cylindrical members  22  held therebetween at three gripping positions P, thus ensuring superior transmission of vibration and reducing risk of slippage of the members  22 ,  22 ′. To further reduce this risk, hard metal tracks or guides  74  may be deployed at gripping positions P, and notably equidistant the side walls  32 , to provide additional traction and reduce risk of slippage. The tracks  74 , made of a hard metal, covered with a hard facing welded onto it, preferably have carbide bits  100  or hard facing, extending therealong to provide additional grip and prevent sliding. 
         [0052]    Such carbide bits  100  can also be located at the tip  60  of the intermediate jaw  16  as well as along the gripping surface of the gripping attachment  80  (described herein below). 
         [0053]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 4 , and more specifically as shown in  FIG. 4 , the jaw tips  60  are preferably sized and shaped such that they may fit within the grooves of an H shaped member  22 ′, such as conventional H beam  22 ′ or any other flat surfaced members. Thus, by attaching a longitudinal gripping attachment  80  or adaptor piece to the tips  60  of the outer jaws  14 , with the attachment extending therebetween, the jaws  14 ,  16  may be closed such that the tip  60  of the intermediate jaw  16  and the gripping attachment  80  on the outer jaws  14  securely retain the H beam  22 ′. A second removable gripping attachment can be provided along the tip of the intermediate jaw  16  to reduce any wear due to repeated contact with the members  22 ′. Thus, the apparatus can be used to force the H Beam  22 ′, vibrated by the vibration form the inner housing  12  passed through the jaws  14 ,  16 , into and out of the material  24 . Changeout of the gripping attachment  80  can be accomplished quickly for different applications within minutes. For example, the gripping attachment can be modified in order to use the vibratory apparatus with sheet piles instead of H-beams. 
         [0054]    The jaws  14 ,  16  are also preferably generally “J-shaped”, instead of most prior art “C-shaped” jaws, to allow manipulation of cylindrical members ranging, for example, between 4″ and 12″ in diameter, without changing out equipment. However, the J-shape requires three gripping points, instead of two for a prior-art C-shaped jaw pair. 
         [0055]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  6 , and  6   a , the connection assembly  18  typically includes a conventional hinge attachment  82 , enabling attachment of the apparatus  10  to the device arm  20  apparatus using pins or rods  84 , as is well known in the art for conventional rapid attachment systems for hydraulic arms  20  of booms or excavators. A hydraulic ram  86  of the connection assembly  18  connects the apparatus  10  to the device arms  20 , and provides lateral or sideways tilting of the apparatus  10  and jaws  14 ,  16  relative the device arm  20 . The connection assembly  18  can also include a motorized rotation device  90 , such as a motorized rotatable drum  90 , well known in the art, connected to the outer housing  26  and hinge attachment  82 . In such case, the jaws  14 ,  16  and housings  12 ,  26  are rotatable around an axis A defined by the rotatable drum  90 . 
         [0056]      FIGS. 1A ,  3 A to  5 A,  6 B- 6 C and  7  to  14  illustrate another embodiment of the present invention including the arrangement of components that are described above in relation to  FIGS. 1 and 3  to  6 . 
         [0057]    Of course, numerous modifications could be made to the above-described configurations without departing from the scope of the disclosure.

Summary:
A vibratory apparatus providing increased vibration of members held for penetrating a material with the member, by holding the members directly against the vibrating unit using the jaws, thus providing a greater amount of vibration directly transferred to the members for penetrating the material therewith while losing less energy. The apparatus can hold cylindrically shaped members at three separate points of contact or gripping positions for improved, more stable and secure holding thereof. The apparatus can be used to force a variety of different types of members into and out of the material, with or without the use of adaptor attachment components.