Abstract:
An apparatus for installing a workpiece such as an anchor at a location underneath a surface such as the surface of the earth comprising an elongate track member having a first end positionable proximate as on the surface and a second end positionable distal the surface, a carriage slidably mounted on the track member for reciprocal movement therealong, a hammer assembly mounted on the carriage and having a hammer head reciprocally movable relative to the carriage in a direction toward and away from the first end of the track member, an operator to effect reciprocation of the hammer head and an actuator to compressively urge the carriage toward the first end of the track member.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to an apparatus for installing a workpiece below a surface, e.g., in an underground location. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for installing an inground anchor, particularly a plate or wing-type anchor.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    There are occasions when it is necessary to install a workpiece in a substrate below a surface over the substrate; e.g., below the surface of a underground location. The two “substrate” as used herein is intended to mean any solid medium having a surface albeit that the materials forming the surface and the substrate may be different. The workpiece can take the form of an anchor which is used in a variety of uses in the utility, civil engineering and construction fields. For example such anchors can be used for guying utility poles, retaining walls, sheet piles, and seawalls; for buoyancy control of pipelines, for erosion control systems; and in underwater applications for anchoring moorings, docks and the like.  
           [0003]    Types of anchor commonly used for the above described application are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,969,854, 4,044,513, 4,096,673, 4,802,317 and 5,031,370 and are generally referred to as plate or wing-type anchors.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    In a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for installing a workpiece at a location below a surface. The apparatus includes an elongate track member having a first end positionable proximate, the surface, and a second end positionable distal the surface. A carriage is slidably mounted on the track member. A hammer assembly is mounted on the carriage, the hammer assembly having a hammer head which is reciprocally movable relative to the carriage in a direction toward and away from the first end of said track member. An operator effects reciprocation of the hammer head. There is also an actuator to compressively urge the carriage toward the first end of the track member.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]    [0005]FIG. 1 is a side, elevational view showing the apparatus of the present invention installing an anchor in an underground location.  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 2 is a side, elevational view of the apparatus of the present invention showing the apparatus being used to set the anchor which has been placed in an underground location.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 3 is a view taken along the lines  3 - 3  of FIG. 1.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 4 is a view taken along the lines  4 - 4  of FIG. 1.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines  5 - 5  of FIG. 3.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines  6 - 6  of FIG. 3.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0011]    Turning first to FIG. 1, the apparatus of the present invention shown generally as  10  is seen as being positioned on the surface S of the ground G at a desired location. Apparatus  10  comprises an elongate track member shown generally as  12 , a carriage, shown generally as  14 , slidably mounted on track member  12 , and a hammer assembly, shown generally as  16 , mounted on carriage  14 . In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, track member  12  is attached by means of a bracket  18  to a support assembly shown in phantom generally as  20  and comprised of a movable boom  22  and a piston/cylinder assembly  24 . Boom  22  and piston/cylinder assembly  24  are both pivotally attached to bracket  18  and accordingly can be used to move track member  12  and hence apparatus  10  to various desired attitudes or altitudes relative to the surface S of ground G. It will be understood that boom  22  and piston/cylinder assembly  24  can form part of a backhoe or other similar apparatus, commonly used in the construction field.  
         [0012]    A hydraulic cylinder/piston assembly, shown generally as  26 , is comprised of a cylinder  28  in which is disposed a piston (not shown) and a piston rod  30  and is operatively interconnected between track member  12  and carriage  14 . As is well known to those skilled in the art, connected to cylinder  28  are hydraulic hoses attached to a suitable hydraulic power source, none of which are shown. As will be seen hereafter, two such cylinder/piston assemblies  26  can be used. One end  32  of cylinder  28  is attached to a lower or first end  34  of track member  12  via a clevis arrangement  35  while the end  36  of piston rod  30  which extends from cylinder  28  is attached to carriage  14  via another clevis arrangement  15 . Pivotally attached to the lower end  34  of track member  12  is a footer  38  which rests on the surface S of the ground G. It will thus be seen that if the piston rod  30  is moved in the direction of arrow A, carriage  14  will move in the direction of arrow B, i.e., toward end  34  of track member  12 .  
         [0013]    Hammer assembly  16  is provided with a hammer head  40  which engages the outermost end of a driving rod  42  of an anchor assembly, shown generally as  44 . Anchor assembly  44 , commonly referred to as a “plate” or “wing type” anchor, is described in one or more of U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,969,854, 4,044,513, 4,096,673, 4,802,317, and 5,031,370 (hereinafter Anchor Patents) incorporated hereinafter by reference for all purposes, and comprises an all-thread pull or setting rod  46  attached to the anchor  45 . It will be understood that while the apparatus  10  of the present invention is being described with reference to a particular anchor assembly, i.e., anchor assembly  44  as described in various of the Anchor Patents, the invention is not so limited and can be used to position a number of different types of workpieces, anchors or the like at a desired underground location. Thus, the term “workpiece” as used herein is intended to include any member or assemblage of members which has at least one end which can be forced, e.g., hammered, into a position in a substrate below a surface which overlies the substrate, and at least a second end which can be engaged by the hammer head  40  of the apparatus of the present invention. It is also to be understood that the term “surface” as used herein is intended to include the surface of materials such as asphalt, concrete and the like as will as referring to seabeds, lakebeds, riverbeds and the like. Further, the term “surface” or “ground surface” is not limited to generally horizontal surfaces but is intended to include any surface at any angle whether it be horizontal or at some angle to the horizontal.  
         [0014]    Hammer assembly  16  is conveniently of the hydraulic or air hammer type which effects percussive movement of hammer head  40  as indicated by multiple arrows C. As is well known, percussion, jack or air hammers are generally of a type which are activated by compressive engagement with the tool or surface to be struck. Accordingly, as hammer head  40  engages the end of drive rod  42  it acts to percussively drive rod  42  and hence anchor assembly  44  into the ground G. As hammer head  40  percussively drives drive rod  42  of anchor assembly  44  into the ground G, the compressive force exerted on carriage  14  by piston/cylinder assemblies  26  ensures that hammer head  40  stays in percussive driving engagement with drive rod  42 .  
         [0015]    As shown in FIG. 1, anchor assembly  44  has been driven to the desired depth into the ground G. At the commencement of installing the anchor assembly  44  into the ground G, the cruciform end portion  48  of the anchor  45  of anchor assembly  44  could be driven, manually if necessary, a short distance below the surface S for purposes of positioning it at the desired location and attitude relative to surface S. At this point, apparatus  10  could be positioned such that hammer head  40  was generally concentrically aligned with drive rod  42 . Piston/cylinder assembly  26  could then be actuated to compressively urge carriage  14  toward drive rod  42 , i.e., towards the end  34  of track member  12 , until hammer head  40  compressively engaged drive rod  42  whereupon hammer head  40  would begin its percussive striking of drive rod  42 . As disclosed in the Anchor Patents, successive sections of drive rod  42  can be secured together by couplings such that anchor assembly  44  can be driven to virtually any desired depth. As taught in at least some of the Anchor Patents, the drive rod  42  is removably attached to anchor assembly  44 . Accordingly, when the depth desired of anchor assembly  44  is reached, the drive rod(s)  42  can be removed.  
         [0016]    Turning now to FIG. 2, there is shown the apparatus  10  of the present invention used to set the anchor assembly  44 . As noted above, anchor assembly  44  includes an all thread setting rod  46  which, as shown in FIG. 2 can be extended to virtually any length by a series of threaded couplings  50  which can be used to secure excessive lengths of setting rod  46  together. In any event, the end of setting rod section  46  distal anchor  45  below ground is attached to a threaded eye  52 . A yoke or harness assembly  54  is attached to eye  52  and to carriage  14 . In effect, harness  54  is comprised of a section of cable  55  welded or otherwise secured on each end to an eye  56  which can be secured to carriage  14  by means of a nut/bolt combination  58  which extends through carriage  14 .  
         [0017]    As described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,317, to set the anchor  45  of anchor assembly  44 , the pull or setting rod  46  is pulled by a suitable pulling tool in a direction generally along the axis of the pull rod  46 . This results in the cruciform end  48  of anchor assembly  44  being pulled to the position shown in FIG. 2, i.e., with the anchor  45  basically pulled to a traverse or flat position in the ground. The apparatus of the present invention serves not only to position the anchor assembly  44  at a desired location below the surface S, but performs the function of a pulling or setting tool. Thus, if piston rod  30  is extended to the position shown in FIG. 2, i.e., in the direction of arrow D, carriage  14  will move in the direction of arrow D and exert an upward force on pull or setting rod  46 , the upward force being transmitted through the harness assembly  54  and the eye  52  to pull setting rod  46  up and move anchor  45  to the set position shown in FIG. 2.  
         [0018]    Reference is now made to FIGS.  3 - 6  for a detailed description of the construction of the apparatus  10  of the present invention. With reference first to FIGS.  3 - 6 , it can be seen that track member  12  is comprised of an elongate box beam  60  having welded or otherwise secured thereto on opposite sides angle irons  62  and  64 . As can be seen, angle irons  62 ,  64  form flanges  66  and  68 , respectively, which extend laterally outwardly from opposite sides of box beam  60 .  
         [0019]    Carriage  14  as best seen in FIGS. 3, 5 and  6  comprises a pair of spaced side plates  70  and  72  which are held together by a series of nut and bolt assemblies  74  as described more fully hereafter. Welded or otherwise secured to the inside surface of side plate  70  are first and second spaced ribs  76  and  78 , ribs  76  and  78  projecting laterally inwardly from side plate  70  toward side plate  72 . As best seen in FIG. 3, a key plate  78  extends generally parallel to side plate  70  and is welded or otherwise secured to ribs  76  and  78 . Key plate  78  is provided with a dog  80  which projects laterally inwardly from key plate  78 , i.e., towards side plate  72 . In like fashion, side plate  72  is attached to spaced ribs  82  and  84  which project laterally from the inside surface of side plate  72  and are connected to a longitudinally extending second key plate  86 , key plate  86  carrying a dog  88  which projects laterally from key plate  86  toward side wall  70 . The purpose of dogs  80  and  86  will be described hereafter.  
         [0020]    Carriage  14  is provided with a first set of upper roller assemblies and a second set of lower roller assemblies, described hereafter. The upper set of roller assemblies, best seen with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, are comprised of a shaft  90  on which is rotatably mounted a sleeve  92 , sleeve  92  being attached at opposite ends to wheels  94  and  96 . Although not shown, there are bushings between side plates  70  and wheel  94  and side plate  72  and wheel  96  to maintain the roller assemblies in a predetermined position between the side plates  70 ,  72 . Shaft  90  is threaded at its opposite ends and extends through suitable holes in plates  70  and  72 , the threaded ends of shaft  90  being secured to the carriage  14  by means of nuts  98 . There are a series of three such upper roller assemblies spaced along the length of carriage  14  as best seen with reference to FIGS. 3 and 6. It will be appreciated that the upper roller assemblies described above also serve the purpose of urging side plates  70  and  72  together.  
         [0021]    In addition to the upper set of roller assemblies discussed above, there are a lower set of roller assemblies, which number  3 , and are also attached to carriage  14  and spaced along the length thereof. Two of the lower roller assemblies are as described above with respect to the upper roller assemblies. The third lower roller assembly differs in that they are not comprised of a shaft which extends through both the side plates  70  and  72 . Rather, as seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the third lower roller assembly comprises a mount  100  secured to leg  63  of angle iron  62 . Fixedly received in mount  100  is one end of a shaft  101 , shaft  101  extending through side plate  70  and being secured thereto by nut  106 . Rotatably mounted on shaft  101  is a sleeve  108 , sleeve  108  carrying a wheel  102  and being rotatable around shaft  101 . In a similar fashion, and as seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, a second such lower roller assembly is disposed between side plate  72  and one leg  65  of angle iron  64 .  
         [0022]    As can be seen, the upper and lower roller assemblies are positioned on carriage  14  such that the flanges  66  and  68  are sandwiched between the wheels, flanges  66  and  68  effectively forming a rail or track for the wheels of the roller assemblies. Thus, carriage  14  via the roller assemblies and flanges  66  and  68 , can move reciprocally along the length of track member  12 . While carriage  14  has been described in connection with the use of roller assemblies to enable carriage  14  to move along track member  12 , it is to be understood that the use of rollers is not necessary and that provision could be made to slidably mount carriage  14  on track member  12 , i.e., the use of rollers could be dispensed with. To this end, carriage  14  could be provided with pads made of a low friction material which would slide on a suitable surface(s) forming part of track member  12 . It will be apparent that other assemblies can be used to permit the reciprocal movement of carriage  14  along track member  12 .  
         [0023]    Turning now to FIGS. 3 and 6, the hammer assembly  16  is shown in greater detail. Hammer assembly  16  includes a housing  110  which, as seen in FIG. 3, has a pair of slots or keyways  112  and  114  on opposite sides of housing  110 , keyway  112  opening in a direction toward side plate  70 , keyway  114  opening in a direction toward side plate  72 . Received in keyway  112  is dog  80  which acts as a key. As well, dog  88  acts as a key and is received in keyway  114 . It can be seen that this keyed relationship between carriage  14  and hammer assembly  16  prevents any relative longitudinal movement between carriage  14  and housing  110 . However, it can also be seen than when mounting hammer assembly  16  in carriage  14 , and prior to nut and bolt assemblies  74  being engaged, hammer assembly  16  can be effectively inserted into carriage  14  in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of carriage  14  so that the keys  80 ,  88  engage the keyways  112 ,  114 , respectively. Although not shown, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that when hammer assembly  16  is of the percussion type, e.g., a hydraulic or air hammer it would be supplied with suitable compressed fluid or air via a suitable source and hoses (not shown) to power hammer head  40  in its percussive movement. Preferably, hammer assembly  16  is of the hydraulic powered type which obviates the necessity for having a compressed air source for a pneumatic hammer and a hydraulic fluid source for the piston/cylinder assemblies  26 , i.e., both the hammer assembly  16  and the piston/cylinder assemblies  26  can utilize the same power source.  
         [0024]    As described above, apparatus  10  is provided with support assembly  20  which acts to hold the apparatus  10  in a predetermined position. As was also noted above, the support assembly  20  can be part of a backhoe or other motorized piece of construction equipment commonly used to hold and, if necessary or desired, to vary the position or angle of the member being held. However, it will be recognized that such a support assembly is not necessary. For example, apparatus  10  could be provided with a plurality of footers such that the apparatus could be moved to the desired location and placed there. Once the job of installing the workpiece was completed, the apparatus could then be picked up and moved to another location. However, it is more convenient, particularly when multiple workpieces, e.g., anchors, are being installed to have apparatus  10  mounted on a backhoe or the like to facilitate positioning it in a predetermined location and changing its attitude with respect to the surface into which the workpiece is being driven. A support such as support assembly  20  can be employed to maintain or exert a downward force on the apparatus  10  such that footer  38  is held firmly against the surface S. However, the apparatus could simply be made heavy enough such that, once placed in a desired location, the weight would be sufficient to withstand the reactive forces generated by compressively urging the carriage  14  in a generally downward direction coupled with the reactive forces generated by hammer assembly  16 . In this regard it is to be noted that while the actuator to compressively urge the carriage  14  and hence the hammer head  40  against the drive rod  42  is shown as a conventional hydraulic piston/cylinder arrangement, it is to be understood that the piston/cylinder assemblies could be dispensed with in favor of other mechanisms. For example, carriage  14  could be mounted on a rack and pinion mechanism, the pinion being rotatably attached to the carriage  14  and being driven in a suitable fashion. Additionally, a powered jack screw could be employed to compressively urge the carriage  14  against the workpiece. It is also to be understood that while far less desirable, a weight suspended from the boom of a crane or like could be positioned on and lifted off of carriage  14 , the weight serving as the actuator to compressively urge carriage  14  towards the first or lower end  34  of the track member number  12 .  
         [0025]    While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated in detail, it is apparent that modifications and adaptations of the preferred embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be expressly understood that such modifications and adaptations are within the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the following claims.