American Piledriving Equipment, Inc.

Other

Suver, Paul W.

Paul W Suver

Dan Miller

Joseph M Klekotka

Matthew E Fenwick

Gerald A Cors

A geoexchange system is provided which includes a ground source heat exchanger positioned in the ground and a distribution system coupled to the ground source heat exchanger to circulate water through the ground source heat exchanger during operation. The distribution system may include a supply line, a return line and a circulation pump to circulate water through the internal fluid cavity of the ground source heat exchanger via the supply and return lines. The distribution system may further include a purge valve to release gas from the distribution system and a fill circuit that is configured to automatically replenish the internal fluid cavity of the ground source heat exchanger with water upon leakage of water from the ground source heat exchanger or conversion of water from the ground source heat exchanger to gas. Other geoexchange systems and related methods are also provided.

Geoexchange systems including ground source heat exchangers and related methods

A pile assembly to be driven into the ground comprises an elongate member, a drive member, and a plurality of flight members. The drive member is supported by the elongate member to facilitate axial rotation of the elongate member. The plurality of flight members is supported by the elongate member. Axial rotation of the elongate member causes the plurality of flight members to auger the elongate member into the ground. The flight members are arranged to balance the loads on the elongate member as the elongate member is driven into the ground.

Split flight pile systems and methods

A pile system for permafrost comprising a pilot hole, at least one pile, and frozen slurry. The pilot hole is formed to a pilot hole depth. The at least one pile is arranged at least partly within the pilot hole and extends to a pile string depth. The frozen slurry is within the pilot hole and is at least partly around the at least one pile.

Systems and methods for installing pile structures in permafrost

A pipe assembly may have one or more pipe segments that are coupled together or coupled to a drive socket by a coupler. The bottom-most segment may have a body with a central axis, an exterior surface an upper end connectable to the pile assembly, a digging end, the digging end facilitating the creation of a borehole, and ports through which fluid is emittable. The bottom-most segment is designed to receive fluid introduced through the pipe assembly so that the fluid can facilitate the creation of a borehole and may be emitted through the ports during the driving of the pipe assembly into soil.

Apparatus and methods for soil penetration and facilitating delivery of fluids

Apparatus and methods for the installation of pipe pilings into the ground for use as structural building foundations, geothermal piles, or both, are disclosed. In addition to specialized fittings for pipe pile assemblies, the inventions include specialized drive mechanisms used in conjunction with rotary or vibratory motors. Methods of installing pipe pilings are further improved with the disclosure of methods of adding grout or similar materials during or after installation of the piles.

Apparatus and methods for the placement of pipe piling

A grouting assembly receives grout and delivers the grout to a pipe assembly for delivery to underground soil. The grouting assembly may have a drive shaft assembly with a rotary output shaft and a drive socket, a grout tube, a drivable coupler, and a grout plug assembly. The grout plug assembly inserts into the drivable coupler and accepts the grout tube in sealed engagement. The rotary output shaft, grout tube, and grout plug assembly define a conduit that provides an unobstructed flow path for the grout into the pipe assembly. The bottom-most pipe segment of the pipe assembly is designed to receive grout introduced through the pipe assembly so that the grout can be emitted through grout ports during the driving of the pile assembly into soil. The emitted grout forms a grout/soil mixture jacket within the disturbed soil along an exterior of the pipe pile assembly which adds appreciably to the overall stability, and particularly the lateral stability, of the pipe pile column created.

Grout plug assembly to facilitate grouting during pipe piling placement

A pipe assembly may have one or more pipe segments that are coupled together or coupled to a drive socket by a coupler. The bottom-most pipe segment being a bottom pile segment that may have a body with a central axis, an exterior surface an upper end connectable to the pipe pile assembly, and a bottom end, the bottom end inhibiting grout from passing through the bottom end, helical flights extending from the exterior surface of the body substantially perpendicular to the central axis, and grout ports through which the grout is emittable. The bottom pipe segment is designed to receive grout introduced through the pipe assembly so that the grout can be emitted the grout ports during the driving of the pile assembly into soil. The emitted grout forms a grout/soil mixture jacket within the disturbed soil along an exterior of the pipe pile assembly which adds appreciably to the overall stability, and particularly the lateral stability, of the pipe pile column created.

Apparatus and methods for pipe piling placement with continuous grouting

A pipe assembly may have one or more pipe segments that are coupled together or coupled to a drive socket by a coupler. The coupler may have a body with a generally tubular shape with an interior surface and an exterior surface. First and second flanges may extend outward from the exterior surface to engage the drive socket, thereby providing enhanced stability and coaxiality. The interior surface may have an upper receiving feature that can receive the bottom end of an overhead pipe segment, and a lower receiving feature that can receive the top end of a subtending pipe segment. The upper receiving feature may have an upper threaded bore with a lead-in portion that facilitates alignment of the overhead pipe segment with the upper threaded bore. The interior surface may also have a stop feature that prevents over-insertion of the top end and/or the bottom end into the coupler.

Apparatus and methods for pipe piling placement

An accessory mounting system a swivel assembly has a swivel member defining first and second swivel member connector portions, a swivel housing, and first and second bearings operatively arranged between the swivel member and the swivel housing. The accessory mounting system operatively connects a helical pile driving system having a rotational drive system and at least one clamp system to an accessory. The first swivel member connector portion is adapted to operatively connect the swivel member to the drive system. The second swivel member connector portion is adapted to operatively connect the swivel member to the accessory. The swivel housing is adapted to engage the at least one clamp system such that the clamp system may be operated to fix a position of the swivel housing relative to the drive system. The first and second bearings are configured to allow rotation of the swivel member relative to the swivel housing.

Accessory connection systems and methods for use with helical piledriving systems

A socket wrench attachment (SRA) is connected by a circular array of bolts () connecting the mounting flange () to the rotary output member () on a rotary output shaft (). The shaft () is a part of a rotary drive mechanism () which is mounted for longitudinal travel along a tower ().

Socket wrench attachment for rotary drive member

Apparatus for placing pipe piling (') in the ground including a support frame () and a motor () mounted on the support frame (). The motor () has a downwardly extending rotary output shaft () which extends into an opening () in a drive head (). Rotation of the output shaft () by the motor () will rotate the drive head () about a vertical axis. The drive head () is drivenly connectable to the upper end portion of the pipe piling (&#x2032;). A clamping apparatus is mounted on lower side portions of the support frame. The clamping apparatus includes a pair of horizontally disposed linear hydraulic actuators (). Each actuator comprises a fixed outer end portion () and a retractable/extendable/rotatable inner end portion (). A pair of pipe piling engaging clamps () are connected to the inner end portions () of the actuators (). The clamps () confront each other across space between them. The clamps () are adapted to receive between them a section of the pipe piling (&#x2032;). The actuators () can be retracted to move clamps () apart and provide between them a pipe piling receiving space. The actuators () can be extended to move the clamps () toward each other and into clamping engagement with a pipe piling (&#x2032;) that has been placed into space between the clamps ().

Rotary driver for pipe piling

A coupler assembly ( ) is suspended from a forward section ( ) of a boom ( ) that projects from a mobile base ( ). An upper end portion ( ) of a pipe piling (P) is gripped by a pair of clamp jaws ( ). The clamp jaws ( ) are movable together and apart and they are mounted for rotation around a common axis. This allows an end portion ( ) of a pipe piling (P) to be gripped by the clamp jaws ( ) while the pipe piling (P) is in a substantially horizontal or some other non vertical position. Then, the coupler assembly ( ) can be lifted to lift the gripped end portion ( ) of the pipe piling (P) upwardly. As end portion ( ) moves upwardly, the clamp jaws ( ) will rotate in position so as to enable the pipe piling (P) to swing upwardly while its lower end is on a support surface. The rotation of the clamp jaws ( ) will continue until the pipe piling (P) is suspended from the lifting boom section ( ) and is in a substantially vertical orientation.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Paul W Suver