Abstract:
An apparatus for placing auger type anchors into the earth includes a machine frame that supports an elongated housing. The housing has upper and lower end portions. An anchor holder is positioned at the lower end of a tubular member rotatably mounted in the housing for holding an anchor and rotating it during placement. A plurality of drive wheels carried by the frame transport the housing between upper and lower positions. The wheels are loaded with adjustable compression springs so that extensive pressure can be applied from the drive wheels to the housing for gripping and driving the housing during insertion. A gear train interconnects the driving wheels so that all of the driving wheels rotate at the same rotational speed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/820,121, filed Mar. 19, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,811,741 which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable 
     REFERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX” 
     Not applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the placement of auger type anchors into the earth and more particularly to an improved powered drive apparatus that partially or fully buries an auger type anchor into the earth. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for placing auger type anchors partially or fully below the earth&#39;s surface using a drive that both rotates and simultaneously is capable of pushing axially on, and guiding the anchor during installation. The drive uses a series of gear driven drive rollers that are each shaped to grip the outer surface of a square tubing with a rotary shaft inside the tubing and wherein a frame supports the gears and the drive rollers. 
     2. General Background of the Invention 
     Presently, a high torque drive mounted on a digger-derrick truck has been used to install auger type anchors in the utility industry. Auger type anchors are manually installed in remote areas (wetlands, swamps) using a handle or lever to rotate the anchor, since it is not possible to put very heavy equipment in such areas. This process is time consuming, labor intensive, and inefficient. 
     Some patents have issued that relate generally to a drilling apparatus, underground pipe or cable installation, vibratory earth boring systems, vibratory hammer/extractor devices, and methods of installing piling. 
     The Thiery et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,777,827 discloses an apparatus for drilling a bore hole with a drill tool driven in rotation by a motor suspended from the end of a drill column constituted by a flexible drill pipe. 
     The Gosselin U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,932 discloses a process that comprises progressively increasing the weight on the drill bit, determining the greatest value of the penetration rate of the drill bit during this period, progressively decreasing the weight on the drill bit when the penetration rate has reached a determined value and again progressively increasing the weight on the drill bit when the tension on the drill pipe has reached a fixed value. The passage from a period during which this weight decreased and vice-versa is achieved by varying the linear speed of the drill pipe at the ground surface, whereby the tension on the drill pipe is varied. 
     The Schosek U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,274 relates to a light weight underground pipe or cable installing device adapted to be used in a narrow and deep operating trench. The Rossfelder et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,603,748 discloses a vibrator system and a method for using a vibrator system to sink pipes or shape equipment. The prior art discussion contained in the &#39;748 patent cites numerous patents and publications that relate in general to earth drilling, the sinking of piles, and pile driving. 
     The Staron et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,048 discloses a method of locating on drill pipe and ground recordings elementary corresponding to one in the same depth level of the drilling tool, and grouping these elementary recordings in pairs, and then in intercorrelating said recordings of the pairs so as to produce in respect of each pair a correlated signal which is representative of the acoustic energy produced and of the difference in travel times of the waves received on sensors from which the pair of recordings have been obtained. 
     A vibratory hammer and extractor apparatus is disclosed in the Warrington U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,740. 
     The Andreasson U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,926 relates to a pile which is intended to take compressive as well as tensile loads or to serve as a reinforcement member in soils. A pile is driven from a roller shaping unit by means of pressure in arbitrary directions into a mass of an earth layer. Upon attainment of the desired depth of penetration and/or pile length the pile is severed at or close to the upper surface of the earth layer. 
     A pile driving and/or pulling vibratory assembly with counter weights is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,964 issued to John White. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for placing auger type anchors partially or fully beneath the surface of the earth. 
     The present invention can be mounted on various vehicles, including those that are less intrusive of delicate habitat such as a marsh or swamp habitat. Thus, the present invention can be mounted on an air boat, lightweight marsh buggy, or truck. 
     The apparatus provides a machine frame and an elongated torque tube and drive tube move between upper and lower portions. 
     A drive having a plurality of powered drive wheels are carried by the frame for transporting a square tubing member, and an inner rotary pipe between upper and lower positions. The drive includes opposed wheels for frictionally gripping the outer surface of the square tubing member. 
     A gear train interconnects and drives some of the wheels so that all of the driven wheels rotate at the same rotational speed and direction. 
     A spring loaded pusher arrangement applies lateral pressure to the drive wheels for producing a frictional drive by generating a compressive force in between the drive wheels and the square tubing member. 
     In the preferred embodiment, there are two drive rollers and upper and lower sets of idler guide rollers. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the drive rollers have annular grooves that correspond in shape to and conform generally to the outer surface of the square tubing housing which is preferably smooth having uninterrupted outer surfaces along its length. 
     A motor drive has a shaft that carries one drive gear that is engaged with an upper and a lower gear. The upper and lower gears carry driven rollers that engage the square tubing housing. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEW OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a further understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are given like reference numerals, and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention shown in a stored position on a support vehicle; 
     FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating operating position prior to the placement of an auger type anchor; 
     FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention shown during placement of an auger type anchor; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an auger type anchor after installation using the apparatus of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a partial elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating the driver portion thereof; 
     FIG. 6 is a partial top view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating the driver portion thereof; 
     FIG. 7 is a partial view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention showing the drive portion thereof in sectional elevational view to illustrate engagement of the longitudinally extending housing by idler wheels and drive wheels of the drive; 
     FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along lines  8 — 8  of FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along lines  9 — 9  of FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 10 is a section view taken along lines  10 — 10  of FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective fragmentary view illustrating the idler wheel portions of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
     FIG. 12 is a fragmentary elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention showing a cutaway of the housing, tubular member, and motor drive portions thereof; and 
     FIG. 13 is a fragmentary elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating the drive portion thereof engaging the longitudinally extending housing. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIGS. 1-3 show the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention designated generally by the numeral  10  in FIGS. 1-3. Anchor setting apparatus  10  can be mounted on a vehicle  11  such as a truck, marine vessel, amphibious marsh vehicle or the like. The vehicle  11  typically provides a chassis  12  such as the portion of the truck body shown in FIG. 1 has a chassis  11  and a plurality of wheels  13 . 
     A superstructure  14  is provided on vehicle  11 , being a welded structural frame for example to which the apparatus  10  of the present invention is mounted. A telescoping cylinder  15  mounts upon frame  14  for moving elongated housing  24  in between the horizontal storage position of FIG.  1  and the inclined positions of FIG. 2 and 3. Plate  16  on superstructure  14  provides trunion or pivot  17  to which telescoping hydraulically powered cylinder  15  is anchored. The end of cylinder  15  opposite pivot  17  provides a telescoping pushrod  18  that extends and retracts responsive to hydraulic, controlled fluid, as shown by arrow  19  in FIG. 2, for raising elongated housing  24  as shown by curved arrow  23  in FIG.  2 . Pushrod  18  attaches to drive  20  at gusset slate  21  that pivotally connects to pushrod  18  as shown in FIGS. 1-3. 
     A linear drive  20  is provided for thrusting the elongated square tube housing  24  downwardly in the direction of arrow  35  as shown in FIG. 3. A rotary drive simultaneously rotates anchor  27 . The linear drive  20  can be comprised of a plurality of support rollers and driven sheaves with a gear mechanism such as the one shown and described herein or the one shown and described in prior co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/820,121, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     In FIGS. 1-3, housing  24  provides and upper end portion  25  and a lower end portion  26 . An auger or screw type anchor  27  is shown in FIGS. 2-4. The anchor  27  is thrust into the earth  30  using a combination of rotational force provided by rotary motor drive  37  and linear force applied by the downward movement in the direction of arrow  35  of elongated housing  24  driven by linear motor drive  20 . 
     Auger type anchor  27  has a square drive end  28 . It is connected to elongated housing  24  at square drive block  28  (see FIG.  12 ). The square drive block  28  provides a transverse opening  29  through which locking pin  33  can be placed. Before such an assembly of auger type anchor  27  to elongated housing  24 , the square drive block  28  portion of auger type anchor  27  must be place into a square shaped socket of square tubing  48  as shown in FIGS. 2 and 12. Once the square drive block  28  of auger type anchor  27  has been inserted into square tubing  48  as shown in FIG. 12, locking pin  33  can be placed through transverse openings  29 ,  49  respectively of the screw type anchor  27  and square tubing member  48  as shown in FIG. 12. A cotter pin can be used to retain locking pin  33  in its locked position. Arrow  32  in FIG. 2 illustrates the placement of locking pin  33  through the aligned openings of square drive block  28  and square tubing  48 . 
     During insertion, linear motion is imparted to screw type anchor  27  in the direction of arrow  35 , while rotary motion is imparted to screw anchor  13  as shown by arrow  34  in FIG.  3 . Rotary motion is imparted to screw type anchor  27  by rotary motor drive  37  so that the combination of the linear drive and rotary drive moves the auger into the earth  30  as shown by arrow  36  in FIG.  3 . 
     The motor drive  37  can be a hydraulic type motor, powered by hydraulic fluid that is pumped to the motor drive  37  under pressure. In FIG. 12, hydraulic flow lines  38 ,  39  are shown for conveying fluid to motor drive  37 . The motor drive  37  drives planetary gear  86 . The planetary gear output shaft  43  forms a connection with elongated tubular member  42  at upper coupling  40 . The connection between planetary gear output shaft  43  and elongated tubular member  42  is protectively surrounded by an angular shroud  41 . The shroud  41  forms a connection with upper end portion  25  of elongated housing  24  as shown in FIG.  12 . The lower end  26  of elongated housing  24  has a sleeve bearing  44  that conforms to the outer surface of elongated tubular member  42 . 
     A connection is formed between square tubing member  48  and elongated tubular member  42  with a pair of circular flanges  45 ,  46  as shown in FIG.  12 . The flanges  45  and  46  can be affixed together using bolted connections  47 . Square tubing member  48  can be provided with an open socket  49  sized and shaped to receive square drive block  28 . 
     FIGS. 7-11 show the construction of linear drive member  20  more particularly. The linear drive member  20  can be the drive member that is shown and described in prior co-pending patent application Ser. No. 08/820,121, filed Mar. 19, 1997. Another and preferred drive member  20  is shown in FIGS. 7-11. 
     In FIGS. 7-11 linear drive motor  20  includes a frame  51  that includes an upper plate  52 , lower plate  53  and side wall  54 . Upper opening  55  and upper plate  52  allows elongated housing  24  to pass through frame  51  as shown in FIG.  7 . Lower opening  56  in lower plate  53  likewise enables elongated housing  24  to pass through frame  51 . Frame  51  provides an interior that carries a plurality of rollers. In FIGS. 7-11, upper support rollers  57  engage elongated housing  24  at opening  55 . Lower support rollers  58  likewise support elongated housing  24  at opening  56 . Each of the plurality of rollers  57 ,  58  is mounted upon a support  59  as shown in FIGS. 7-8 and  10 - 11 . Transverse plate  65  extends across housing  51 , carrying a plurality of roller supports  59 . In FIGS.  7  and  8 - 11 , upper and lower plates  65  are provided for respectively supporting upper and lower pluralities of support rollers  57 ,  58 . Each of the roller supports  59  can be bolted to the respective plate  65  using bolts  66  for example. 
     Motor drive  60  can be a hydraulic motor, powered by pressurized hydraulic fluid conveyed to motor drive  60  with hydraulic flow lines  61 ,  62 . Motor drive  60  provides drive shaft  63  and drive gear  64  that rotates with shaft  63 . 
     In FIG. 7, sheaves  67 ,  68  are positioned above and below drive gear  64 . The upper sheave  67  is driven by and rotates with upper gear  69 . Lower sheave  68  is driven by and rotates with lower gear  70 . Each of the sheaves  67 ,  68  provides a pair of opposed frustoconical surfaces  71 ,  72  as shown in FIG. 9 for engaging elongated housing  24 . The upper sheave  67  is supported by upper shaft  73 . Lower sheave  68  is supported by lower shaft  74 . Within the confines of frame  51 , gear housing  75  can be provided for protectively covering the gears  64 ,  69 ,  70 . Gear housing  75  slides within frame  20  upon guide blocks  85 . 
     Pressure is applied to the sheaves  67 ,  68  with respective upper and lower springs  76 ,  77  that engage gear housing  75 . An upper spring carrier  78  carries upper spring  76 . A lower spring carrier  79  carries lower spring  77  as shown in FIG.  7 . Each of the springs  76 ,  77  is adjustable to vary the compression applied to gear housing and then to each sheave  67  or  68  to thus increase or decrease the frictional engagement between a sheave  67  or  68  and the elongated housing  24 . In FIG. 7, adjustment nuts  80  provide external threads  83  that engage the internal threads  82  of spring carriers  78 ,  79 . Thus, each of the spring carries  78 ,  79  provides and internally cylindrically shaped socket  81  for carrying an adjustment nut  80 . In FIG. 7, arrows  84  indicate the rotary movement of a selected nut  80  in order to adjust the springs  76 ,  77  during use. 
     The apparatus of the present invention can be used to insert auger or screw type anchors  27  into the earth  30 . 
     This design can carry very high torque of between 1,000 and 100,000 foot pounds, typically between 1,000 and 20,000 foot pounds. During operation, the apparatus is preliminarily stored in a transportation position as shown in FIG.  1 . When reaching a job site, the hydraulic cylinder  15  is actuated in order to move elongated housing  24  from the horizontal position shown in FIG. 1 (a storage position) to the inclined position of FIG.  2 . Once inclined the desired number of degrees, the screw type auger  27  is connected to square tubing  48  as shown in FIGS. 2-3 and  12 . The rotary drive motor  37  is then actuated in order to impart rotation to screw auger  27  that will be necessary to imbed the screw into the earth  30 . Once motor drive  37  is actuated in order to give rotation to screw auger  27 , motor drive  20  imparts linear motion by thrusting the elongated housing  24  downwardly in the direction of arrow  35  as shown in FIG.  3 . This combination of rotary and linear motion imparted to the screw anchor causes it to threadably engage earth  30  and it is embedded a desired depth. Once the screw anchor  27  is embedded a desired depth, the user simply disconnects locking pin  33  by removing the cotter pin portion thereof and pulling the locking pin  33  from openings  29 ,  49 . The anchor  27  is then oriented in a desired inclined position so that is can be rigged with cables or other tension members for supporting utility poles, mobile homes, cellular telephone towers, microwave towers, radio and television towers, winch anchors, fridge moorings, piling anchors, flood wall anchors, other tall structures and the like. 
     The following table lists the parts numbers and parts descriptions as used herein and in the drawings attached hereto. 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 PARTS LIST 
               
             
          
           
               
                 Part Number 
                 Description 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 10 
                 screw anchor setting apparatus 
               
               
                 11 
                 vehicle 
               
               
                 12 
                 chassis 
               
               
                 13 
                 wheel 
               
               
                 14 
                 superstructure 
               
               
                 15 
                 telescoping cylinder 
               
               
                 16 
                 plate 
               
               
                 17 
                 pivot pin 
               
               
                 18 
                 pushrod 
               
               
                 19 
                 arrow 
               
               
                 20 
                 linear drive 
               
               
                 21 
                 gusset 
               
               
                 22 
                 pivot 
               
               
                 23 
                 arrow 
               
               
                 24 
                 elongated housing 
               
               
                 25 
                 upper end 
               
               
                 26 
                 lower end 
               
               
                 27 
                 auger type anchor 
               
               
                 28 
                 square drive block 
               
               
                 29 
                 transverse opening 
               
               
                 30 
                 earth 
               
               
                 31 
                 arrow 
               
               
                 32 
                 arrow 
               
               
                 33 
                 locking pin 
               
               
                 34 
                 curved arrow 
               
               
                 35 
                 arrow 
               
               
                 36 
                 arrow 
               
               
                 37 
                 rotary motor drive 
               
               
                 38 
                 hydraulic flow line 
               
               
                 39 
                 hydraulic flow line 
               
               
                 40 
                 upper coupling 
               
               
                 41 
                 shroud 
               
               
                 42 
                 tubular member 
               
               
                 43 
                 planetary gear output shaft 
               
               
                 44 
                 sleeve bearing 
               
               
                 45 
                 flange 
               
               
                 46 
                 flange 
               
               
                 47 
                 bolted connection 
               
               
                 48 
                 square drive tube 
               
               
                 49 
                 open socket 
               
               
                 50 
                 transverse opening 
               
               
                 51 
                 frame 
               
               
                 52 
                 upper plate 
               
               
                 53 
                 lower plate 
               
               
                 54 
                 sidewall 
               
               
                 55 
                 upper opening 
               
               
                 56 
                 lower opening 
               
               
                 57 
                 upper support roller 
               
               
                 58 
                 lower support roller 
               
               
                 59 
                 wheel support 
               
               
                 60 
                 motor drive 
               
               
                 61 
                 hydraulic flow line 
               
               
                 62 
                 hydraulic flow line 
               
               
                 63 
                 drive shaft 
               
               
                 64 
                 drive gear 
               
               
                 65 
                 transverse plate 
               
               
                 66 
                 bolt 
               
               
                 67 
                 upper sheave 
               
               
                 68 
                 lower sheave 
               
               
                 69 
                 upper gear 
               
               
                 70 
                 lower gear 
               
               
                 71 
                 frustoconical surface 
               
               
                 72 
                 frustoconical surface 
               
               
                 73 
                 upper shaft 
               
               
                 74 
                 lower shaft 
               
               
                 75 
                 gear housing 
               
               
                 76 
                 upper spring 
               
               
                 77 
                 lower spring 
               
               
                 78 
                 upper spring carrier 
               
               
                 79 
                 lower spring carrier 
               
               
                 80 
                 adjustment nut 
               
               
                 81 
                 cylindrical socket 
               
               
                 82 
                 internal thread 
               
               
                 83 
                 external thread 
               
               
                 84 
                 curved arrow 
               
               
                 85 
                 guide 
               
               
                 86 
                 planetary gear box 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     Because many varying and different embodiments may be made within the scope of the active concept herein taught, and because many modifications may be made in the embodiments herein detailed in accordance with the descriptive requirement of the law, it is to be understood that the details herein are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.