Patent ID: 8439604

Claim:
A method of positioning a pipe for pipe ramming into the ground comprising the steps of: placing the pipe to be driven into the ground onto a series of at least a first skid and a second skid that are spaced apart from one another, wherein each of the skids has an upwardly opening cradle thereon so that the pipe spans and is supported by each of the upwardly opening cradles, the first skid is positioned proximate to a front end of the pipe, the second skid is positioned proximate to a rear end of the pipe, and each of the skids includes a first frame, a second frame slidably mounted on the first frame, the second frame forms a rectangular trough having an open upper end, the upwardly opening cradle rests in the open upper end of the rectangular trough of the second frame, a first vertical jack mechanism attached to a first end of the first frame and a first end of the second frame, and a second vertical jack mechanism attached to a second end of the first frame and a second end of the second frame, wherein the first and second vertical jack mechanisms raise and lower the second frame and the upwardly opening cradle; and positioning the pipe in a position for ramming into the ground by operating the first and second vertical jack mechanisms of the first skid and the second skid as needed to raise or lower the front end of the pipe supported by the upwardly opening cradle of the first skid or the rear end of the pipe supported by the upwardly opening cradle of the second skid.