Abstract:
A pre-assembled timber piling capable of being handled, transported and installed in the same manner as a single piece piling. The upper and lower wood members are connected with a metal plate(s) located on the exterior of the piling at the joint and may include additional components for alignment or reinforcement. Said timber piling may be pre-assembled with a specialized machine capable of aligning, shaping, connecting, inspecting and/or testing the piling.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of the Applicant&#39;s prior provisional application No. 62/064,889, filed on Oct. 16, 2014. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable. 
       THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
       [0003]    Not Applicable 
       INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM (EPS-WEB) 
       [0004]    Not Applicable. 
       STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR A JOINT INVENTOR 
       [0005]    Not Applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0007]    This invention relates to piling systems and more particularly to composite pilings and piling splices. 
         [0008]    2. Background 
         [0009]    Wood pilings have been used for centuries to construct sound foundations for all types of structures. Wood pilings typically consist of a single timber member driven into the ground to provide vertical support. Due to the limitations of the tree size and the variation in soil conditions it is often difficult to achieve the needed piling length. Modern construction uses steel, concrete and auger cast pilings to overcome the length limitations of timber pilings but at significant economic cost. 
         [0010]    Multiple inventions have been patented throughout the years to allow field splicing of timber pilings. The focus of many of these past inventions has been to splice the piling at the construction site at the time of driving the piling into the ground or to repair a damaged piling already driven into the ground. 
         [0011]    This approach necessitates additional skilled labor at the construction site and often produces construction problems. Most contractors prefer to buy a single piece piling rather than field splice the pilings. 
         [0012]    Another issue within the field is the dwindling availability of long southern yellow pine timber. Southern yellow pine is preferred for piling because of its superior ability to accept preservative treatments. Southern yellow pine pilings of 70, 80 and 90 feet while readily available 30 or 40 years ago are now difficult to source. 
         [0013]    The present invention addresses these issues by providing a pre-assembled spliced wood piling capable of being transported to the job site thereby eliminating issues with on-site connections. Because any transportable length may be pre-assembled, piling length is no longer controlled by available timbers. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
       [0014]    This invention encompasses a piling made from multiple wood pieces joined together by splice plates and fasteners. 
         [0015]    The fastening system is designed such that the resulting pre-assembled piling can be picked up by crane, forklift or other means in the same manner as an unspliced piling. The fastening system allows installation in the same manner as an unspliced piling. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  shows the joint detail of the pre-assembled piling consisting of two wood members  1  and  2  connected by two plates  3  which are formed to the approximate outside diameter (O.D.) of members  1  and  2 . The two pre-formed plates  3  are fastened through members  1  and  2  by bolts  4 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  shows a crossection from  FIG. 1  through bolt  4 . It can be seen that plates  3  do not have to completely enclose the O.D. of members  1  and  2  but only need to surround a portion of the outer surface. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  shows the assembly of  FIG. 2  prior to tightening bolts  4  with a gap present prior to tightening bolts  4 . The gap shown is in the center of plate  3  between plate  3  and member  2 . It is also possible to form plate(s)  3  such that the gap would be at the edges of plate(s)  3  instead of at the center. Furthermore, it is understood that while plate  3  is shown in a cylindrical shape, other complex shapes with different gap locations could be used to optimize the strength and improve the properties of the splice joint. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  shows another joint detail for a pre-assembled piling. This joint consists of two wood members  1  and  2  joined by plate(s)  6  which are not pre-formed but pulled into place around wood members  1  and  2  at the time of assembly on site. Plate(s)  6  are held in place by multiple fasteners  8  which could be nails, screws or similar fasteners. This joint also includes a central dowel rod  9  to aid in locating the members and increasing the shear strength. Dowel rod  9  may be omitted if not required for positioning or strength. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  shows a crossection through  FIG. 4 . It can be seen that plate(s)  6  are held to wood member  2  by multiple fasteners  8  which extend partially into but not through wood member  2 . Dowel rod  9  is located in the center of wood member  2 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  shows another possible variation of the pre-assembled piling joint where plate(s)  7  have multiple prongs  10  integrally formed into plate(s)  7 . Plate(s)  7  may be used in combination with multiple fasteners  8  and dowel rod  9  as shown or alone. 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is a crossection of  FIG. 6  showing plate(s)  7  with multiple prongs  10  pressed into wood member  2 . Optional multiple fasteners  8  and dowel rod  9  are shown in this view. 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is a crossection showing plate(s)  7  spirally wrapped around wood member  2  and fastened with multiple fasteners  8  and optional dowel rod  9 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  shows a machine for manufacturing pre-assembled pilings. Interchangeable heads as depicted in parts  4  through  8  are used to perform multiple assembly operations. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0025]    Referring to the drawings now in detail where  FIG. 1  shows a pre-assembled piling at the point of the wood joint. This pre-assembled piling incorporates the connector plate(s)  3  and associated fasteners which are designed to provide sufficient stiffness and strength for the piling to be handled as if it were a single piece piling. Handling could include manipulation by forklifts, wheeled loaders and the like in a horizontal position for stacking in piles or otherwise moving the pilings without the need to take special precautions. Handling could also include horizontal lifting by slings from cranes or other equipment for placing on trailers, railcars, containers or other shipping apparatus. 
         [0026]    The pre-assembled piling also allows installation in the field in the same manner as single piece pilings. Pilings are typically installed by attaching the drive leads to one end of the piling and lifting that piling by one end from a horizontal position to a vertical position. The subject piling can also be handled thus one time and then hammered into place. Earlier piling connection techniques have typically required the first piling (wood or other material) be driven into the ground in the first operation, a second piece is then field spliced on to that piece, then the third and final operation of driving the piling can be completed. Obviously these are time consuming and costly extra operations which are eliminated by using the pre-assembled piling of this application. 
         [0027]    The pre-assembled piling as shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  has two opposing plates  3  which are bolted together through the two wood members to be joined. It should be noted that a single split plate or multiple plates could also be used in the same manner. The split or space between plates in this configuration provides some flexibility for the plates to conform to the varying circumferences of the wood members. Plate(s)  3  provide the strength and stiffness necessary for handling as described above. Length and thickness of plate(s)  3  are adjusted in design for the particular diameter and length of the pre-assembled piling to be made. 
         [0028]    To construct the pre-assembled piling shown in  FIG. 1  the wood members  1  and  2  are first brought into axial alignment. The wood members will usually be of treated wood but other combinations incorporating untreated wood can be used. If the wood members are substantially different in diameter or shape from the plates they can be formed into an acceptable shape at this time. The plate(s)  3  are then placed on the wood members and the thru holes are drilled for the fasteners (this step is not required for some configurations). Next the fasteners are placed through the plate(s)  3  and the wood members and fastened into place. The pre-assembled piling can then be tested and inspected. Pre-assembled pilings thus assembled can then be handled, stored, transported, and installed just like a single piece timber piling. 
         [0029]    Plate  3  as shown in  FIG. 3  is deformed with additional space in the center of the plate. When the bolts  4  are tightened the plate will deform to close this space and provide additional reserve compression forces against the wood member  2 . The reserve compression forces (i.e. “spring”) between the member and plates allows for movement caused by transportation or swelling due to moisture without losing the tension in the bolts. It is obvious that plate(s)  3  could also use other deformed shapes such as a convex shape in lieu of the concave shape shown. Ridges, dimples and the like spaced radially or laterally could also be used to accomplish the described localized compression. 
         [0030]      FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5  show one alternate configuration which uses plates shaped to provide material savings and/or improve structural performance. These plates could be fastened by bolt(s)  4  as shown in  FIG. 1  or using multiple fasteners as shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5  also show an optional dowel pin  9  which can be added to improve strength or for alignment and positioning. Dowel pin  9  can also be added to improve the pre-assembled piling by maintaining the location of the piling center at the connection even if the two wood members are no longer angularly aligned along the axis. 
         [0031]      FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7  show a possible variation of the connection wherein the plate(s)  7  have prongs  10  punched into them which are pressed into wood members  1  and  2  at assembly. The plate(s) could optionally be further attached using the multiple fasteners  8  shown or bolts  4  as shown in  FIG. 1 . A center dowel pin  9  could also be incorporated with this combination. It should be noted that the prongs  10  could be pre-formed in plate(s)  7  and then pressed into the wood members or the prongs could be punched and pressed into the member in a single operation at assembly. 
         [0032]      FIG. 8  shows a possible variation of the connection wherein the plate(s)  7  is spirally wrapped one or more times around member(s)  2  and secured using multiple fasteners  8  or bolts  2  and  4  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ). This configuration could also include prongs  10  as shown in  FIG. 7 . The connection shown in  FIG. 8  has the added benefit of being easily adaptable to various wood member sizes as well as having the ability to vary the strength of the connection by adding additional wraps. 
         [0033]    From the preceding discussion it can be determined that a special machine will be advantageous for the pre-assembly of the timber pilings. The machine shown in  FIG. 9  incorporates a grasping device  10  to hold the wood members  1  and  2  in an axially aligned position for assembly. The grasping device  10  also has a means for rotating the wood member around the long axis to position it for assembly operations. The grasping device  9  has the same function as grasping device  10  but incorporates a hollow spindle thru which the wood member can pass thereby permitting the assembly of longer pilings and a means of moving along the Z axis. Grasping device  9  could also be constructed such that the device separates across the center of the spindle to allow removing the assembled piling without pulling it back thru the spindle hole. The movable supports  11  are movable along the axis of the piling and incorporate movement up and down to position the wood members in the correct axial alignment. Supports  11  can be made with a vee block top head or with two parallel rollers to self-center the wood members in the x direction. 
         [0034]    The carriage  3  is movable at least in the y direction but could also incorporate movement in the x and z directions. Changeable heads are placed on carriage  3  which can have multiple functions. Device  8  shows a head which is used to shape the outside of the wood members to a uniform size when the members have irregular dimensions. Device  4  shows a grasping device to place the plate(s) onto the wood members  1  and  2 . Device  5  shows a head use to drill the holes thru the plate(s) and/or the wood members. Device  6  shows a head used to place and secure multiple bolts or fasteners. Device  7  shows a head adapted to drilling holes along the z axis of the piling for dowel pins. 
         [0035]    Although not shown in  FIG. 9  it can be determined that many other devices can be used on the machine to position and clamp components in place, spirally wrap a thin plate around the wood members, shape the wood members via external shaping or drilling, press pre-formed plates into the wood members, perform a combination of punching and pressing prongs thru the plates into the wood members, and other similar type operations. 
         [0036]    The machine can also incorporate devices for inspection such as machine vision cameras, laser alignment devices, mechanical measuring devices, devices for scanning for the presence of embedded metal objects, moisture sensors, and hardness sensors. Testing of the wood members and assembled piling can also be performed on the machine by incorporating devices to measured deflection under load, fastener movement, and displacement after an applied load. Though not shown the machine can also incorporate mechanisms for staging the wood members and connection components and loading them into the machine as well as a mechanism for removing the assembled piling and stacking them.