Patent ID: 12188197

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.

After determining how the building or other structure needs to be lifted or supported, piles or pipes (hereinafter collectively referred to as a “pile” or “piles”) P attached to foundation piers or the like are set into the ground near the structure using known methods. The piers typically consist of a long shaft driven into the ground, upon which a lifting assembly is assembled. The shaft of the pier may include one or more lateral projections such as a helical auger to provide further support for the pier by providing a larger surface area. In some cases one or more extension pieces may be attached to the pier to extend it to the height of the building or to adapt a pile with a non-circular cross-section to a circular cross-section, as discussed below. The lifting assembly (FIGS.1A,1B) is then attached to the top end of pile P. If pile P is not long enough to allow the lifting assembly to interact properly with a foundation or other building structure B, one or more extension pieces (FIG.2A; described below) can be added to pile P to adjust it to the correct length. Alternatively, if pile P is too long to permit proper assembly of the lifting assembly as described herein, then part of pile P can be removed using methods including, but not limited to, conventional cutting techniques. As another alternative, if extension pieces have been employed, as described below, then switching to a different length extension piece can be used as a method to adjust pile P to an advantageous elevation.

Support piles can come in various cross-sections including square or circular, and each cross-section can come in different diameters. Where the piling has attached to it a helical auger at its lower end (FIG.2D), a large number of different pilings typically need to be kept in stock in order to have available every possible combination of cross-sectional shape and diameters with a variety of lengths as well as differing diameters of the helical auger portion. To eliminate this costly and burdensome practice, one embodiment of the present invention provides for a modular piling collar700, which consists of a sleeve710and a helical auger portion720that can be slid onto a piling shaft730and secured into place, for example with bolts. Helical auger portion720is firmly attached to sleeve710, preferably by welding. Modular piling collar700is made with sleeves of various cross sections and diameters and having helical augers with various diameters, pitches, and numbers of turns of the auger (FIGS.2E,2F). In one embodiment sleeve710has one or more pairs of holes740for attaching modular piling collar700onto piling shaft730, preferably with bolts. In a preferred embodiment there are two pairs of holes740which are aligned to accept orthogonally-disposed fasteners. To make a pier with a particular length one merely slides the appropriate modular piling collar onto a piling shaft of the desired length and affixes the modular piling collar in place. A preferred method for affixing the modular piling collar onto the piling shaft is by drilling mating holes in the piling shaft to match those on the sleeve and using fasteners such as bolts to hold the sleeve onto the piling shaft. In one embodiment the end of piling shaft730has a beveled tip750to better penetrate the ground during installation of the pier (FIG.2D).

In the case where a pier with a non-circular piling shaft is employed, this can nonetheless be adapted for use with the lift bracket of the present invention, the lift bracket being described in further detail below. To adapt from a non-circular (e.g. square) to a circular piling shaft, a circular piling PI with an inside diameter at least as large as the largest cross-sectional dimension of the non-circular shaft is slid over the non-circular shaft730A (FIG.2G). One or more sets of mating holes are drilled through the circular and non-circular shafts in the region where the shafts overlap and fasteners such as bolts B10are inserted through the holes to secure the shafts together. The lift bracket can then be slid onto the circular shaft as described further below.

The support pile extension piece10(FIG.2A) comprises a variable-length shaft or body portion20comprising a length of pipe or other similar material, which in one embodiment is made from a metal such as iron. The extension piece body portion20in a preferred embodiment is of the same dimensions as the support pile to which it is attached, which in one embodiment is an outside diameter of 3.5 inches. The cross-sectional shape of extension piece10can be circular, square, hexagonal, or any other shape, although in preferred embodiments it is circular or square. The extension piece body portion20can be made to different lengths as the application requires. The first end of the extension piece body portion20has one or more pairs of holes30in it to allow for joining of adjacent pieces. If there is more than one pair of holes, as is the case in the preferred embodiment, the pairs of holes30are offset from one another along the long axis of the extension piece body portion20. In one embodiment the pairs of holes30are two inches apart and the first pair is two inches from the first end. The two members of each pair are on opposite sides of the pile, such that a fastener extending through holes30will be generally perpendicular to the long axis of the extension piece and will enter and leave the extension piece body portion20approximately normal to the surface. In a preferred embodiment the first end has two pairs of holes30, which are preferably rotationally offset from one another by 90° such that fasteners45inserted into the holes are perpendicular to one another when extension piece10is viewed in cross-section (FIG.2B).

The second end of extension piece10comprises a coupler or connector piece40attached to the second end of the body portion20(FIG.2A). Connector piece40is preferably externally disposed (although internally-disposed connectors are also encompassed within the invention) with an inside diameter that is large enough to accommodate the outside diameter of the adjacent pile or extension piece to which it is attached. Connector piece40in this embodiment is preferably made from a piece of pipe having a larger diameter than the main body of the extension piece and is attached to the extension piece body portion20in a fixed manner, such as by welding. Connector piece40has one or more holes30that mate with those on the adjacent pile or extension piece, such as those described above for the first end of the extension piece. In a preferred embodiment there are two pairs of holes, offset from one another along the long axis of the connector piece and offset by 90° rotationally, as described above (FIG.2B). In one embodiment connector piece40is eight inches long and the pairs of holes30are two inches apart and one such pair is two inches from the end of connector piece40that is distal to body portion20itself. Extension piece10is joined to an adjacent extension piece or to a pile P by inserting fasteners, such as bolts, through the substantially mating pairs of holes of the adjoining components, as are described above (FIG.2B). Holes30at both ends of extension piece10are, in a preferred embodiment, 15/16ths inches in diameter. Holes of a similar size and location so as to mate with those on extension piece10must be made in pile P, either in advance or at the job site.

In one embodiment the extension piece(s) and/or pile are filled with what is preferably a non-metallic substance such as light concrete or chemical grout50(FIG.2C). The addition of filler to the extension pieces helps to strengthen the pieces and, by excluding water from the insides, makes them more rust-resistant. The piles and/or extension pieces can be filled ahead of time (leaving space open for the pieces to couple and for the fasteners to enter) or can be filled after assembly at the job site by inserting filler material into the piles or extension pieces, including into access hole60(FIG.2C). If the extension pieces have been prefilled except near the pairs of holes where the fasteners go through, then the remaining space can be filled after assembly by inserting additional filler material into access hole60(FIG.2C). Access hole60is situated on the side of connector piece40with a substantially mating access hole60being present at the end of extension piece10.

When support pile P, or a pile plus extension piece(s), has been assembled and adjusted to the correct height relative to the building or other structure, the lifting assembly can be slid onto the pile or extension piece P (for simplicity, hereinafter “pile P” refers to either the pile itself or any extension piece or pieces added onto the pile and to which the lifting assembly is attached, unless stated otherwise).

The lifting assembly (FIG.1A) in a preferred embodiment comprises a bracket body100, one or more bracket clamps200and accompanying fasteners, a slider block300, and one or more supporting bolts400(comprising allthread rods, for example) and accompanying hardware. In another embodiment (FIGS.1B,7) the lifting assembly includes all of the above components as well as a jacking block500and a jack600.

The bracket body100comprises a generally flat lift plate110, one or more optional gussets120, and a generally cylindrical housing130(FIG.3). The lift plate has a top surface and a bottom surface, where the top surface is inserted under and interacts with the building, foundation or other structure that is to be lifted or supported. Lift plate110includes a large hole140, preferably off-center, with which cylindrical housing130is aligned and to accommodate pile P. The corners150of lift plate110that are further from large hole140are preferably rounded or chamfered, to make it easier to rotate the bracket body into position under the building structure. Cylindrical housing130runs generally perpendicular to the surface of lift plate110and extends above and below the plane of lift plate110. In one embodiment cylindrical housing130extends eight inches above and eight inches below the plane of lift plate110. Cylindrical housing130can be made of either a single cylindrical piece of pipe or other material that extends through the lift plate, or alternatively can be made of two separate pieces that are attached to the top and bottom surfaces of lift plate110, respectively, and are aligned with large hole140.

In a preferred embodiment one or more gussets120are attached to the bottom surface of lift plate110as well as to the lower portion of cylindrical housing130, to increase the holding strength of lift plate110. In a preferred embodiment, gussets120are attached to cylindrical housing130by welding, although other secure means of attachment are encompassed within this invention.

In addition to large hole140for accommodating pile P, lift plate110has one or more small holes160sized to accommodate support bolts400. Cylindrical housing130has one or more pairs of holes170to accommodate fasteners (not shown), as described below. The pairs of holes170in cylindrical housing130are on opposite sides of the housing and are oriented normal to the surface of the housing, such that a fastener extending through the holes is perpendicular to the long axis of cylindrical housing130and extends towards building structure B when lift plate110is inserted under building structure B.

Bracket clamps200(FIG.4), in one embodiment, comprise a generally L)-shaped piece having a center hole210at the apex of the “Li” to accommodate a fastener (not shown). The ends of the a-shaped bracket clamp have ears or lugs220preferably extending laterally, which themselves have holes230to accommodate fasteners (not shown). The fasteners extending through holes230in lugs220are attached to the building structure, while the fastener extending through center hole210at the apex of the “a” extends into one of holes170in cylindrical housing130. In one embodiment the fastener extending through center hole210in bracket clamp200and into cylindrical housing130further extends through pile P and into hole170on the opposite side of cylindrical housing130, and in one embodiment this fastener then anchors into the building structure. In embodiments where the fastener extends into pile P (with or without a bracket clamp), a hole or holes are made in pile P to accommodate the fastener, using known methods. In such cases, however, the fastener is not inserted through pile P until jacking or lifting has been completed, since bracket body100must be able to move relative to pile P in order to effect lifting of the building structure.

The lift assembly may have one or more of the above-described bracket clamps200. Bracket clamps200are attached above (FIG.1B) and/or below (FIGS.1A,7) lift plate110, depending on the structure to be lifted. Bracket clamps200are attached to cylindrical housing130at predetermined, nonadjustable points, where pairs of holes170have previously been made in cylindrical housing130.

Bracket body100is placed onto pile P with the larger portion of lift plate110facing away from the building structure. When bracket body100is at the desired elevation relative to the building structure, bracket body100is rotated until lift plate110is securely under the building structure. At this point one or more bracket clamps200, as described above, can be attached to bracket body100at the predetermined locations which are dictated by the locations of pairs of holes170in cylindrical housing130. Also at this time bracket clamps200are secured into building structure B, since it is desired that during the lifting process bracket body100should remain fixed relative to the building structure (FIGS.1A,1B).

After adjusting the position of bracket body100, slider block (or “t-cap”, or “cap”)300is placed on top of bracket body100(FIGS.1A,1B). Slider block300comprises one or more flat base plates310, one or more side plates320, one or more center plates330, a support pipe340, and one or more bolt support pieces350. In a preferred embodiment slider block300comprises one base plate310, two side plates320, one center plate330, one support pipe340, and two support pieces350(FIGS.5A-5C). Support pieces350are preferably square or rectangular and are large enough to overlap with both side plates320, when side plates320are configured as described below, and having a hole360sized to accommodate a support bolt400. Base plate310is preferably flat and rectangular and has one or more (preferably two) holes370for accommodating the support bolts (FIG.5C). Support pipe340is attached approximately in the center of the bottom surface of base plate310. Side plates320, which are preferably flat and rectangular, are oriented on their narrower edges with their long axes parallel to the long axis of base plate310. Center plate330, which is preferably the shape of a squat rectangular block, is disposed between side plates320and is in substantial contact with side plates320and base plate310, such that center plate330holds side plates320stably on their narrower edges. The long axis of center plate330is shorter than that of base plate310, so that center plate330does not obstruct any of holes370in base plate310. Holes370in base plate310are spaced to match the center-to-center distance(s) of holes160in bracket body100. All of the components of slider block300are preferably metal and, except for support pieces350, are rigidly attached to one another, for example by welding. Support pipe340extending from the bottom surface of base plate310of slider block300is sized to mate with the inside of cylindrical housing130of bracket body100and has generally the same outside diameter as that of pile P.

The length of pile P must be adjusted, as previously mentioned, so that the top end of pile P terminates within cylindrical housing130. When slider block300is placed on top of bracket body100, the end of support pipe340of slider block300should touch the top end of pile P. It is preferred that the respective ends of support pipe340and pile P meet squarely and with as much surface contact as possible, since it is the pushing of support pipe340against pile P that leads to lifting of the building structure. It is preferred that the distance between the bottom surface of base plate310of slider block300and the top of cylindrical housing130of bracket body100be greater than or equal to the total anticipated lifting distance required. When the bottom of base plate310of slider block300makes contact with the top of cylindrical housing130of bracket body100then no more lifting can occur since slider block300can no longer move relative to bracket body100.

After slider block300and bracket body100are in place, support bolts400are assembled (FIGS.1A,1B). At their top ends the support bolts extend through the holes in the slider block and are held in place by a mating nut410and an optional washer420. Nut410and washer420are held in place on top of slider block300by inserting therebetween on each bolt400a support piece350. Support piece350rests on the top edges of side plates320of slider block300. Support pieces350serve to keep nuts410above and out of the channel between side pieces320so that nuts410are accessible and can be turned more readily. The lower ends of support bolts400extend through small holes160in lift plate110of bracket body100and are held in place by mating nuts410and optional washers420attached on the ends of bolts400extending through the bottom surface of lift plate110.

Although the preferred embodiment described herein uses two supporting bolts400, the invention encompasses any number of such bolts.

In one embodiment bracket body100is raised by tightening nuts410attached to the top ends of supporting bolts400. In a preferred embodiment nuts410are tightened simultaneously, or alternately in succession in small increments with each step, so that the tension on bolts400is kept roughly equal throughout the lifting process. Use of this method allows the weight supported by bracket body100to be transferred equally between each of bolts400to prevent over-stressing one of bolts400. Also, maintaining equal tension assures that, in the preferred embodiment with two bolts400, bracket body100remains substantially level and does not cant or tilt during the lifting process. Such canting or tilting could cause support pipe340or pile P inside cylindrical housing130to bind, thereby inhibiting the sliding motion relative to cylindrical housing130that is required during the lifting process.

An alternative embodiment allows a jack to be used to effect lifting of bracket body100. In this embodiment longer support bolts400are provided and are configured to extend high enough above slider block300to accommodate: a jack600resting on slider block300, a jacking block500, plus the combined thickness of a support piece350along with a nut410and an optional washer420(FIG.7).

Jacking block500is similar to slider block300except that jacking block500does not have a support pipe extending from its underside (FIGS.6A-6C). Jacking block500has one or more holes510similar in size and location to those of slider block300and bracket body100to accommodate support bolts400(FIG.6C). To accommodate jacking block500an assembly is constructed as described above with bracket body100positioned on pile P, lift plate110inserted under the building structure, slider block300inserted on top of bracket body100, and support bolts400attached with a portion extending above slider block300. A jack600is then placed atop slider block300and jacking block500is thereafter positioned on top of jack600, with support bolts400extending through holes510of jacking block500. Support pieces520, nuts410, and optional washers420are then put onto the ends of bolts400and tightened with approximately equal tension placed on each nut420. As with the previous lifting embodiment, the distance between the bottom of slider block300and the top of cylindrical housing130must be at least the same as the distance that it is anticipated the building structure needs to be lifted.

When all of the components are in place and sufficiently tightened, jack600(of any type, although a hydraulic jack is preferred) is activated so as to lift jacking plate500. As jacking plate500is lifted, force is transferred from jacking plate500to support bolts400and in turn to lift plate110of bracket body100. When the building structure has been lifted to the desired elevation, nuts410immediately above slider block300(which are raised along with support bolts400during jacking) are tightened down, with approximately equal tension placed on each nut410. At this point jack600can then be lowered while bracket body100will be held at the correct elevation by the tightened nuts410on slider block300. Jacking block500can then be removed and reused. The extra support bolt material above nuts410at slider block300can be removed as well, using conventional cutting techniques.

To help solidify the structure one or more bracket clamps200can be attached, if this has not already been done, or additional bracket clamps200may added. Bracket clamps200are aligned with the pairs of holes170on the cylindrical housing130and are anchored into building structure B using fasteners inserted through the ears or lugs220. An additional fastener is then inserted into center hole210in the apex of the )-shaped portion of bracket clamp200. This fastener is optionally driven through pile P or support pipe340(depending on where the pairs of holes are situated and depending on how far into the cylindrical housing support pipe340runs) and into the opposite side of cylindrical housing130and optionally into the building structure. If necessary a hole is made in the portion of pile P or support pipe340that is inside cylindrical housing130to accommodate the fastener.

As various modifications could be made to the exemplary embodiments, as described above with reference to the corresponding illustrations, without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims appended hereto and their equivalents.