Patent EA-001267-B1 (EA)
Title: Pile driving
Inventor: JONES CLIVE
IPC: E02D13/04
Filed: 1998-08-27
Abstract: 1. A pile guide (1) for supporting a pile as it is driven into a substrate, comprising a guide member (3) comprising at least two parts (4) means (2), (10,11) for mounting the at least two parts (4) of the guide member (3) in an operative position for supporting a pile about to be driven into a substrate and means (14) for retaining the at least two pans (4) of the guide member (3) in the operative position, the at least two parts (4) being movable from the operative position into an inoperative position, clear of a pile driven into a substrate a predetermined extent, when the retaining means (14) is disengaged, characterized in that the retaining means (14) comprises latch means, the latch means being dieengagable by trigger means (8) which, in use, is on or associated with a pile as it is driven into a substrate, and, by further comprising biasing means (10,11) for urging the at least two parts (4) of the guide member (3) into the inoperative position, with the at least two pares being moved into the inoperative position by the biasing means upon disengagement of the latch means. 2. A pile guide (1) according to claim 1, in which the at least two parts (4) of the guide member (3) together form a hollow member for enclosing the pile. 3. A pile guide (1) according to claim 2, in which the at least two parts (4) are semi-cylindrical the hollow member having a circular cross-section. 4. A pile guide (1) according to any one of claim 1 to 3, in which the at least two parts (4) of the guide member (3) are hinged on the mounting means (2), to provide pivotable movement between the operative and inoperative positions. 5. A pile guide (1) according to claim 4, in which in use the at least two parts (4) are hanged at their bottom ends (12) so that they are pivotable away from a pile being driven into a substrate. 6. A pile guide (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which biasing means for urging the at least two parts into the inoperative position comprises counterweights which act under gravity. 7. A pile guide (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising lifting means (15,17) which also causes the guide member (3) to assume its operative position when lifted. 8. A pile guide (1) according to any preceding claim, in which the mounting means comprises a base frame (2) which, in use, rests on a substrate. 9. A pile guide (l) according to claim 8, in which the base frame (2) surrounds or substantially surrounds the guide member (3). 10. A pile guide (1) according to claim 9, in which the base frame (2) is provided with an aperture (31) extending from the guide member (3) to the base periphery, the aperture facilitating removal of the pile guide from rigging or a tether attached to a pile driven into the substrate. 11. A pile guide (1) according to claim 10, in which the guide member (3) is provided with groove means for receiving rigging or a. tether attached to a pile passing through the guide member. 12. A pile guide (1) according to any preceding claim, in which the trigger means (8) is a detent member which, in use, is attached to a pile being driven into a substrate. 13. A method of driving a pile (7) into a substrate (9) comprising providing a pile guide (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12 supporting the pile (7) with the pile guide (1) in the operative position, the trigger (8) means being on or associated with the pile (7) to disengage the latching means when the pile (7) is driven into the substrate (S) a predetermined extent and driving the pile (7) into the substrate (9) to an extend beyond the predetermined extent without removing the pile guide (1). 14. A method according to claim 13, in which the substrate is under water. 15. A method according to claim 13 or 14, in which the trigger means provided comprises a detent member (8) attached to the pile (7).