Patent Abstract:
A device and method are provided for leveling and supporting a slab foundation on a column of piling sections. A vertical hole is bored through the slab foundation and an anchoring cylinder is inserted in the hole. An adhesive is used to adhere the outer surface of the anchoring cylinder to a portion of the foundation. The cylinder has a plurality of downward-facing load shoulders which are engaged by upward-facing shoulders of a reacting member positioned across and above the hole. Piling sections are inserted into the anchoring cylinder and forced into the earth with a driving device that reacts against the reacting member. The anchoring cylinder is then supported on the piling sections to maintain the desired level of the foundation.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to the leveling of a foundation and specifically relates to the leveling of a foundation using a column of piling sections located in a central portion of the foundation. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Columns of piling sections are installed under the interiors of buildings using several techniques. Tunnels can be dug under buildings for piling sections to be installed therein, or holes can be cut into the foundations for piling sections to be inserted into the holes from above. The holes must be large enough to permit the passage of piling sections and brackets for fastening the piling sections to the foundations and to provide for working room. To install a six-inch diameter concrete piling through an excavation typically requires a hole measuring 2 feet by 2 feet. When steel piling sections are installed through brackets, the piling sections are cut and welded to the brackets after a foundation is lifted to the desired level. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A device and method are provided for leveling and supporting a slab foundation on a column of piling sections. A vertical hole is bored through the slab foundation and an anchoring cylinder is inserted in the hole. An adhesive is used to adhere the outer surface of the anchoring cylinder to a portion of the foundation. The cylinder has a plurality of downward-facing load shoulders which are engaged by upward-facing shoulders of a reacting member positioned across and above the hole. Piling sections are inserted into the anchoring cylinder and forced into the earth with a driving device that reacts against the reacting member. The anchoring cylinder is then supported on the piling sections to maintain the desired level of the foundation. 
     Use of the present invention allows the size of excavations to be greatly reduced. The size of the hole bored in the foundation will be approximately equal to the piling diameter plus 3 inches, reducing the damage caused by interior excavations. Because the assembly for driving a piling section is attached within the anchoring cylinder, no external apparatus is required, reducing the size of the required bore. For steel or concrete piling sections, the present invention allows for piling sections to be adjusted after installation. 
     Additional objects, features, and advantages will be apparent in the written description that follows. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The novel features believed to be characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a partially-exploded perspective view of a driving assembly of a piling anchor constructed in accordance with this invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a support assembly of a piling anchor constructed in accordance with this invention. 
     FIGS. 3,  4 ,  6 , and  7  are sectional views showing successive steps in the method of installation of. 
     FIG. 5 is a top sectional view showing a piling anchor constructed in accordance with this invention and adhered to a beam of a foundation. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIGS. 1 and 2 show an apparatus for leveling and supporting a slab foundation on a column of piling sections. The apparatus can be secured to a slab or to the slab and a strengthening beam. The invention comprises two assemblies: a driving assembly, shown in FIG.  1  and used to drive the piling sections and to lift the foundation; and a support assembly, shown in FIG.  2  and used to permanently lock the foundation on the piling after being lifted. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the preferred embodiment of the driving assembly  11  comprises an anchoring cylinder  13 , two latching bars  15 , a reacting bar  17 , two connecting pins  19 , and a driving plate  21 . The anchoring cylinder  13  is a cylindrical tube. Two downward-facing load shoulders  23  are formed as the upper portion of rectangular, opposing hook slots  25  through the sidewall of the anchoring cylinder  13 . The hook slots  25  are located near an upper portion of the cylinder  13 . The anchoring cylinder  13  has two opposing shim stops  27  that have a rectangular cross-section and are affixed to an upper portion of the inner surface  29  of the anchoring cylinder  13 , the longitudinal axes of the shim stops  27  being parallel to the central axis of the anchoring cylinder  13 . The lower ends of the shim stops  27  and the lower ends of the hook slots  25  are located the same vertical distance from the top of the anchor cylinder  13 . 
     The latching bars  15  are part of a reacting member that also includes reacting bar  17 . Latching bars are formed from metal plates, and each has a hole  31  near an upper end and a hook  33  on a lower portion. The hole  31  is cylindrical and is perpendicular to a plane bisecting both latching bars  15  when the latching bars  15  are in their installed positions. Each hook  33  is a U-shaped member forming an upward-facing load shoulder  35  for engaging the hook slots  25  in the anchoring cylinder  13 . 
     The reacting bar  17  is a rectangular, metal bar having vertical slots  37  in the ends of the bar  17 , the bar also having a length sufficient for spanning the distance between the installed latching bars  15 . The vertical slots  37  are sized for receiving the upper ends of the latching bars  15  and give the reacting bar  17  an H-shape when viewed from above. Each slot  37  has a horizontal hole  39  having the same diameter and orientation as the holes  31  in the latching bars  15  and which extends through both sides of the slot  37 . The length of the connecting pins  19  is equal to the horizontal width of the reacting bar  17 , and the outer diameter of the pins  19  is equal to the inner diameter of the holes  31 ,  39  in the reacting bar  17  and the latching bars  15 . The driving plate  21  is a circular metal plate having four notches  40  in its periphery, the notches  40  being sized for receiving the cross-sectional shapes of the latching bars  15  and the shim stops  27 . A lifting or driving device  41 , which may be a hydraulic ram, can be placed between the reacting bar  17  and the driving plate  21 . 
     FIG. 2 shows the preferred embodiment of the support assembly  43  which comprises the anchoring cylinder  13 , steel shims  45 , a locking bar  47  and two locking pins  49 . The shims  45  are 45 degree arcs and have a radial width equal to the distance that the shim stops  27  protrude into the anchoring cylinder  13 . The locking bar  47  is a rectangular metal bar having a length slightly longer than the outer diameter of the anchoring cylinder  13 . The horizontal width of the locking bar  47  is equal to the width of the hook slots  25 , and the vertical height is equal to ¾ of the height of the hook slots  25 . The locking pins  49  are also rectangular metal bars having a width equal to the width of the hook slots  25 , but their height is equal to ¼ the height of the hook slots  25 . The length of the locking pins  49  can be from ¼ to ⅓ of the outer diameter of the anchoring cylinder  13 . 
     FIGS. 3 through 7 show the steps in the preferred method for installation of the apparatus and the use thereof. Referring to FIG. 3, the anchoring cylinder  13  is installed by boring a hole  51  through the slab  53  of a foundation and into the earth  55  below, cleaning the inner surface of the hole  51 , coating the concrete portions of the inner surface of the hole  51  with a layer of adhesive  57 , and then inserting the anchoring cylinder  13  into the hole  51 . As seen in these figures, it may be necessary or desired to locate the hole  51  so that the hole  51  penetrates through a vertical side of a horizontal strengthening beam  59  of the foundation. As seen in FIG. 5, this encroachment creates in the beam  59  a concave recess  61  preferably having an arc of between 120 and 180 degrees. It is not necessary for all 360 degrees of the hole  51  to penetrate through a beam  59 , and it is desirable to avoid placing the hole  51  directly through a beam  59  to avoid cutting cables or reinforcing steel located in the beam  59 . After the anchoring cylinder  13  is installed, the hooks  33  on the latching bars  15  are inserted into the hook slots  25  of the anchoring cylinder  13 . 
     The steps for inserting the column of piling sections  63  are shown in FIGS. 4 and 6. Steel or concrete piling sections  63  are placed within the anchoring cylinder  13  and the driving plate  21  is placed on top of the uppermost piling section  63 . FIG. 5 shows the driving plate  21  placed with notches  40  aligned to receive the corresponding shim stops and latching bars. The reacting bar  17  is attached to the latching bars  15  by inserting the upper ends of the bars  15  into the slots  37  of the reacting bar  17  and inserting the connecting pins  19  into the aligned holes  31 ,  39 . The piling sections  63  are cylindrical and have an outer diameter less than the distance between the two latching bars  15 . The hydraulic ram  41  is placed between the reacting bar  17  and the driving plate  21 . 
     To install a column of piling sections  63 , hydraulic power is supplied to extend the ram  41 , as shown in FIG.  6 . The ram  41  applies a downward force to the driving plate  21  as the reacting bar  17  opposes the upward reaction force. This upward force is directed into the slab  53  and beam  59  by the driving assembly  11  and tends to lift the foundation. The downward force pushes the piling section  63  into the earth  55 . Once the ram  41  is fully extended, the ram  41  is retracted and removed, and the driving plate  21  is then removed. A second piling section  63  is placed in the anchoring cylinder  13 , the driving plate  21  is replaced, and the ram  41  is reinserted. The second piling section  63  is then driven into the earth  55 , and the process is repeated until the earth  55  below the piling sections  63  is compacted enough to resist further downward movement. 
     The top of the driving plate  21  must be located below the lower ends of the shim stops  27  to allow shims  45  to be placed between the shim stops  27  and the driving plate  21 . To achieve this, it may be necessary to remove the uppermost piling section  63  and replace it with a shorter piling section  63 . 
     After the column of piling sections  63  is installed, the ram  41  is used to lift the foundation to the desired level. With the ram  41  still extended and supporting the foundation at this level, shims  45  are used to fill the space between the lower ends of the shim stops  27  and the top of the driving plate  21 . 
     As seen in FIG. 7, the ram  41  is withdrawn and the driving assembly  11  is removed while the anchoring cylinder  13  is being supported by the shim stops  27  resting on the stacks of shims  45 . Additional shims  45  are used to fill the space from the top of the driving plate  21  to the bottoms of the hook slots  25 . If desired, additional shims  45  of various configurations can be placed near the center of the driving plate  21 . The locking bar  47  is then lowered into the anchoring cylinder  13  and the ends of the locking bar  47  are placed into the hook slots  25 . The locking pins  49  are placed on top of the locking bar  47  and driven into the hook slots  25  to secure the locking bar  47  in the hook slots  25 . 
     Several advantages are realized from the use of the present invention. The size of excavations are greatly reduced, reducing the damage caused by interior excavations. The assembly for driving the piling sections is attached within the anchoring cylinder, and no external apparatus is required, reducing the size of the required bore. For steel or concrete piling sections, piling sections can be adjusted after installation. 
     While the invention is shown in only one of its forms, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible to various changes without departing from the scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4