Patent ID: 7080958

Claim:
Apparatus for driving and extracting piles using a vibratory and tension force, such apparatus comprising: (a) a housing adapted to be connected to a support that lifts and lowers the housing and having at least one wall portion; (b) a vibratory unit adapted to be connected to a pile and generating a vibratory force for driving and extracting a pile; (c) at least one first vibration/tension load absorbing element connected between the wall portion of the housing and the vibratory unit, such first vibration/tension load absorbing element being formed of an elastomeric material for absorbing vibration and tension loads by shear strain and being positioned to absorb by shear stain the vibration generated by the vibratory unit and tension load applied by the support; and (d) at least one second vibration/tension load absorbing compression element formed of an elastomeric material and positioned between the housing and the vibratory unit to be compressed between the housing and the vibratory unit to absorb vibration generated by the vibratory unit and to absorb the tension load generated by the support when the tension load generated by the support exceeds a predetermined level.