US-12623876-B1 - Geo-strap pulling apparatus for building mechanically stabilized earth walls

US12623876B1US 12623876 B1US12623876 B1US 12623876B1US-12623876-B1

Abstract

A geo-strap pulling apparatus for building mechanically stabilized earth walls includes a frame having a stationary lower section secured to a support surface, a dynamic upper section operably coupled to a stationary lower section, a drive wheel rotatably attached to the frame, a powered actuated implement removably and operably coupled to the drive wheel for spinning the drive wheel about a first fulcrum axis, a driven wheel rotatably attached to the frame and being selectively and operably engaged with the drive wheel for creating a wedge therebetween, and a top handle rotatably attached to a dynamic upper section and being coupled to the driven wheel. The top handle and the dynamic upper section are contemporaneously and selectively pivoted about a second fulcrum axis and configured to adjust a vertical position of the driven wheel relative to the drive wheel.

Inventors

Shaun Dunbar
Alejandro Estrella
Ian Dunbar

Assignees

Shaun Dunbar
Alejandro Estrella
Ian Dunbar

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20250402

Claims (20)

1 . A geo-strap pulling apparatus for building mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls, comprising: a frame having a stationary lower section secured to a support surface, said stationary lower section having a central longitudinal axis, a proximal end configured to receive a geo-strap from an exterior of said frame, and a distal end configured to discharge the geo-strap at an unwound configuration; and a dynamic upper section operably coupled to said stationary lower section; a drive wheel rotatably attached to said frame; a powered actuated implement removably and operably coupled to said drive wheel for spinning said drive wheel about a first fulcrum axis; a driven wheel rotatably attached to said frame and being selectively and operably engaged with said drive wheel for creating a wedge therebetween; and a top handle rotatably attached to said dynamic upper section and being directly coupled to said driven wheel, wherein said top handle and said dynamic upper section are contemporaneously and selectively pivoted about a second fulcrum axis and configured to adjust a vertical position of said driven wheel relative to said drive wheel; wherein said powered actuated implement is portable and hand-operated and located externally of said frame; wherein said top handle remains spaced from the geo-strap; wherein said second fulcrum axis is located approximately midway between said proximal end and said distal end of said frame.
2 . The geo-strap pulling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said dynamic upper section is configured to allow the geo-strap to be freely inserted and removed between said drive wheel and said driven wheel.
3 . The geo-strap pulling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said dynamic upper section is selectively locked in an operating position and configured to rotatably engage said driven wheel to said drive wheel and thereby create a frictional force for pulling the geo-strap from said proximal end to said distal end of said frame.
4 . The geo-strap pulling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said frame further includes a non-linear travel path beginning from said proximal end and terminating at said distal end, said non-linear travel path passing between said drive wheel and said driven wheel.
5 . The geo-strap pulling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said drive wheel comprises: a first shaft operably having a first coupling attached thereto, said power actuated implement having a second coupling attached thereto and being operably affixed to said first coupling for articulating said drive wheel in a desired rotational direction.
6 . The geo-strap pulling apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said stationary lower frame comprises: a guide connected to said proximal end and generally aligned with the central longitudinal axis of said frame.
7 . The geo-strap pulling apparatus of claim 5 , wherein said driven wheel comprises: a second shaft oriented perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of said frame and parallel to said first shaft.
8 . The geo-strap pulling apparatus of claim 7 , wherein said dynamic upper section comprises: a first support arm having a notch and being registered orthogonal to the central longitudinal axis and further being statically anchored to said stationary lower section; a second support arm rotatably engaged with said second shaft; and a third support arm rotatably engaged with said second shaft and said stationary lower section; wherein said top handle is connected to said second support arm and said third support arm.
9 . The geo-strap pulling apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said second shaft is received within said notch when said driven wheel is frictionally engaged with said drive wheel.
10 . The geo-strap pulling apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said second shaft is displaced away from said notch when said driven wheel is pivoted away from said drive wheel.
11 . A geo-strap pulling apparatus for building mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls, comprising: a free-standing frame having a stationary lower section secured to a support surface, said stationary lower section having a central longitudinal axis, a proximal end configured to receive a geo-strap from an exterior of said frame, and a distal end configured to discharge the geo-strap at an unwound configuration; and a dynamic upper section operably coupled to said stationary lower section; a drive wheel rotatably attached to said frame; a powered actuated implement removably and operably coupled to said drive wheel for spinning said drive wheel about a first fulcrum axis; a driven wheel rotatably attached to said frame and being selectively and operably engaged with said drive wheel for creating a wedge therebetween; and a top handle rotatably attached to said dynamic upper section and being directly coupled to said driven wheel, wherein said top handle and said dynamic upper section are contemporaneously and selectively pivoted about a second fulcrum axis and configured to adjust a vertical position of said driven wheel relative to said drive wheel; wherein said powered actuated implement is portable and hand-operated and located externally of said frame; wherein said top handle remains spaced from the geo-strap; wherein said second fulcrum axis is located approximately midway between said proximal end and said distal end of said frame.
12 . The geo-strap pulling apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said dynamic upper section is configured to allow the geo-strap to be freely inserted and removed between said drive wheel and said driven wheel.
13 . The geo-strap pulling apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said dynamic upper section is selectively locked in an operating position and configured to rotatably engage said driven wheel to said drive wheel and thereby create a frictional force for pulling the geo-strap from said proximal end to said distal end of said frame.
14 . The geo-strap pulling apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said frame further includes a non-linear travel path beginning from said proximal end and terminating at said distal end, said non-linear travel path passing between said drive wheel and said driven wheel.
15 . The geo-strap pulling apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said drive wheel comprises: a first shaft operably having a first coupling attached thereto, said power actuated implement having a second coupling attached thereto and being operably affixed to said first coupling for articulating said drive wheel in a desired rotational direction.
16 . The geo-strap pulling apparatus of claim 11 , wherein said stationary lower frame comprises: a guide connected to said proximal end and generally aligned with the central longitudinal axis of said frame.
17 . The geo-strap pulling apparatus of claim 15 , wherein said driven wheel comprises: a second shaft oriented perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of said frame and parallel to said first shaft.
18 . The geo-strap pulling apparatus of claim 17 , wherein said dynamic upper section comprises: a first support arm having a notch and being registered orthogonal to the central longitudinal axis and further being statically anchored to said stationary lower section; a second support arm rotatably engaged with said second shaft; and a third support arm rotatably engaged with said second shaft and said stationary lower section; wherein said top handle is connected to said second support arm and said third support arm.
19 . The geo-strap pulling apparatus of claim 18 , wherein said second shaft is received within said notch when said driven wheel is frictionally engaged with said drive wheel; wherein said second shaft is displaced away from said notch when said driven wheel is pivoted away from said drive wheel.
20 . A geo-strap pulling apparatus for building mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls, comprising: a free-standing frame configured to be positioned on a support surface and having a stationary lower section secured to the support surface, said stationary lower section having a central longitudinal axis, a proximal end configured to receive a geo-strap from an exterior of said frame; and a distal end configured to discharge the geo-strap at an unwound configuration; and a dynamic upper section operably coupled to said stationary lower section; a drive wheel rotatably attached to said frame; a powered actuated implement removably and operably coupled to said drive wheel for spinning said drive wheel about a first fulcrum axis; a driven wheel rotatably attached to said frame and being selectively and operably engaged with said drive wheel for creating a wedge therebetween; and a top handle rotatably attached to said dynamic upper section and being directly coupled to said driven wheel, wherein said top handle and said dynamic upper section are contemporaneously and selectively pivoted about a second fulcrum axis and configured to adjust a vertical position of said driven wheel relative to said drive wheel; wherein said drive wheel and said driven wheel are elevated above the support surface; wherein said powered actuated implement is portable and hand-operated and located externally of said frame; wherein said top handle remains spaced from the geo-strap; wherein said second fulcrum axis is located approximately midway between said proximal end and said distal end of said frame.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a non-provisional patent application that claims priority to and benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 63/573,227, filed Apr. 2, 2024, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT Not Applicable. REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX Not Applicable. BACKGROUND Technical Field Exemplary embodiment(s) of the present disclosure relate to building constructions tools and, more particularly, to a specially configured power operated geo-strap pulling apparatus for building mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls. Prior Art A geo-strap includes closely packed high tenacity polyethylene terephthalate yarns encased in a linear low density polyethylene sheath (LLDPE) and manufactured through a co-extrusion process. A geo-strap is suitable for a large range of soil reinforcement applications, usually with concrete, steel or other material facing panels, such as MSE (mechanically stabilized earth) structures, steep slopes, reinforced embankments and more globally all kind of soil/structure interface systems involving such reinforcements for structures for an extended array of market segments: roads and motorways, environment, railways, hydraulic works, mining, industry, energy, commercial, housing or military. A wide range of physical, chemical, and biological conditions found in reinforced soil structures can be addressed by a geo-strap. Geo-straps are heavy. Currently, when building a MSE wall, a geo-strap must be manually pulled to a desired location. There are no known current devices to automatically perform this pulling function. Typically, five people are used to pull a geo-strap from one location to another location. Such a limitation increases labor costs and exposes workers to difficult working conditions. Accordingly, a need remains for a power operated geo-strap pulling apparatus in order to overcome at least one of the above-noted shortcomings. The exemplary embodiment(s) satisfy such a need by a specially configured power operated geo-strap pulling apparatus that is convenient and easy to use, lightweight yet durable in design, versatile in its applications, and configured for building mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls. BRIEF SUMMARY OF NON-LIMITING EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT(S) OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the non-limiting exemplary embodiment(s) to provide a specially configured power operated geo-strap pulling apparatus for building mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls. These and other objects, features, and advantages of the non-limiting exemplary embodiment(s) are provided by a power operated apparatus that pulls geo-straps used for constructing MSE walls. The apparatus includes a frame having a stationary lower section and a dynamic upper section; a drive (compression) wheel rotatably attached to the frame; a powered (mechanical or electrical) rotating implement preferably having an output of at least 3 amps; an idle (driven) wheel rotatably attached to the frame and selectively and operably engaged against the drive wheel for creating a frictional wedge therebetween; and a top handle attached to the dynamic upper section and operably coupled to the driven wheel, wherein the top handle is selectively pivoted to adjust a position of the driven wheel relative to the drive wheel. The dynamic upper section is configured to allow a geo-strap to be inserted and removed freely between the driven wheel and the drive wheel. The dynamic upper section is selectively locked in an operating position to rotatably engage the driven wheel to the drive wheel and thereby create a frictional force for the pulling the geo-strap therethrough. Advantageously, the frictional force propels the geo-strap from a proximal end of the frame to the distal end thereof when the power implement is operated. In a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the apparatus provides increased productivity by streamlining the geo-strap pulling process and allowing for faster completion of the MSE wall installation process. Improved safety is achieved because the apparatus reduces the need for excessive manual labor. Furthermore, the apparatus reduces the risk for labor injuries due to heavy lifting and pulling of these geo-straps. Enhanced ergonomics is realized by minimizing physical strain on the workers and reducing the likelihood of muscular strains and disorders. Versatility is also realized because the machine is adaptable to various construction settings and can accommodate different types and sizes of geo-straps. Referring generally to the figures, a geo-strap pulling apparatus for building MSE walls. The apparatus includes a frame having a stationary lower section secured to a support surface, wherein the stationary lower section has a central longitudinal axis, a proximal end for receiving a geo-strap, and a distal end for dischargi