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US-12624511-B2 - Pile driving system

US12624511B2US 12624511 B2US12624511 B2US 12624511B2US-12624511-B2

Abstract

The invention relates to a pile driver for driving piles into ground. The pile driver comprises a body, a vibrator unit, a primary first arm and a primary second arm, both being pivotable about a primary axis; and a secondary first arm and a secondary second arm, both being pivotable about a secondary axis, which is parallel with the primary axis. The pile driver comprises an actuator or actuator arrangement for pivoting the arms. A first part of the primary first arm is provided with a primary first attachment for attaching an adapter of an adapter arrangement. An adapter for use with the pile driver. An arrangement comprising the pile driver and two adapter arrangements each comprising at least an adapter.

Inventors

  • Janne EEROLA
  • Mikko Lindeman

Assignees

  • MOVAX OY

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20231020
Priority Date
20221020

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . An arrangement comprising: a pile driver for driving piles into ground, the pile driver comprising a body attachable to a power tool, a vibrator unit attached to the body, a primary first arm and a primary second arm, the primary first arm and the primary second arm being pivotable about a primary axis, the primary axis being arranged in a first direction, a secondary first arm and a secondary second arm, the secondary first arm and the secondary second arm being pivotable about a secondary axis, the secondary axis being parallel with the primary axis, an actuator or actuator arrangement for pivoting [a] at least one of the primary first arm and the primary second arm and [b] at least one of the secondary first arm and the secondary second arm, wherein a first part of the primary first arm is provided with a primary first attachment for attaching an adapter suitable for gripping an object to be driven with the pile driver the primary axis is arranged a first distance apart from the secondary axis, and a tip of the first part of the primary first arm is arranged a second distance apart from the primary axis such that a ratio of the second distance to the first distance is equal to or less than 1.5; the arrangement further comprising: a primary adapter arrangement for gripping a first object to be driven with the pile driver, the primary adapter arrangement being configured to be fixed both to the primary first attachment of the primary first arm and a primary second attachment of the primary second arm, a secondary adapter arrangement for gripping the first object such that at least a part of the first object is arranged in between the primary adapter arrangement and the secondary adapter arrangement, the secondary adapter arrangement being configured to be fixed both to a secondary first attachment of the secondary first arm and a secondary second attachment of the secondary second arm, a primary stiffener configured to couple the primary first arm and the primary second arm such that the primary first arm and the primary second arm pivot together, and a secondary stiffener configured to couple the secondary first arm and the secondary second arm such that the secondary first arm and the secondary second arm pivot together; wherein the primary adapter arrangement comprises: a first mount configured to be fixed to the primary first attachment, and a second mount configured to be fixed to the primary second attachment.
  2. 2 . The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the second distance is at least 15 cm.
  3. 3 . The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein a shape of an adapter of the secondary adapter arrangement is identical to a shape of an adapter of the primary adapter arrangement and/or a shape of an adapter of at least one of the adapter arrangements is symmetric about a plane.
  4. 4 . The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the primary adapter arrangement is configured such that when fixed to the to the primary first attachment of the primary first arm and the primary second attachment of the primary second arm, a first part of the primary adapter arrangement is arranged further away, or as far, from the primary axis than/as the tip of the first part of the primary first arm and a second part of the primary adapter arrangement is arranged further away, or as far, from the primary axis than/as a tip of a first part of the primary second arm, the first part of the primary second arm comprising the primary second attachment; and the secondary adapter arrangement is configured such that when fixed to the to the secondary first attachment of the secondary first arm and the secondary second attachment of the secondary second arm, a first part of the secondary adapter arrangement is arranged further away, or as far, from the secondary axis than/as a/the tip of a/the first part of the secondary first arm and a second part of the secondary adapter arrangement is arranged further away, or as far, from the secondary axis than/as a tip of a first part of the secondary second arm.
  5. 5 . The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the first mount comprises a primary first slot arranged between a first primary plate and a first secondary plate.
  6. 6 . The arrangement of claim 5 , wherein the first primary plate comprises a first primary first aperture such that the first primary first aperture is configured to operate in connection with a primary first primary hole of the primary first attachment of the primary first arm, a bottom of the primary first slot is provided with a first quaternary first aperture that is configured to operate in connection with a primary first secondary hole of the primary first attachment of the primary first arm, and the first secondary plate comprises a first secondary first aperture such that the first secondary first aperture is configured to operate in connection with a primary first primary hole or a primary first tertiary hole of the primary first attachment of the primary first arm.
  7. 7 . The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the primary adapter arrangement comprises a primary first stiffening member that is configured to stiffen an adapter of the primary adapter arrangement against bending about an axis that is parallel to the first direction and the secondary adapter arrangement comprises a secondary first stiffening member that is configured to stiffen an adapter of the secondary adapter arrangement against bending about an axis that is parallel to the first direction.
  8. 8 . The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the primary adapter arrangement comprises a primary adapter comprising a primary second stiffening member that is configured to stiffen the primary adapter against bending about an axis that is parallel to a direction that is directed from the tip of the first part of the primary first arm to the primary axis, or the primary stiffener is fixed to the primary first arm and the primary second arm; and the secondary adapter arrangement comprises a secondary adapter comprising a secondary second stiffening member that is configured to stiffen the secondary adapter against bending about an axis that is parallel to a direction that is directed from a tip of the first part of the secondary first arm to the secondary axis or the secondary stiffener is fixed to the secondary first arm and the secondary second arm.
  9. 9 . The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein an adapter of the primary adapter arrangement is configured to be attached to the to the primary first attachment of the primary first arm by at least bolts, whereby the adapter of the primary adapter arrangement is configured to be detached from the primary first attachment by opening the bolts.
  10. 10 . The arrangement of claim 1 , comprising a tertiary adapter arrangement for gripping a second object to be driven with the pile driver, the tertiary adapter arrangement being configured to be fixed both to the primary first attachment of the primary first arm and the primary second attachment of the primary second arm, wherein a shape of an adapter of the tertiary adapter arrangement is different from a shape of an adapter of the primary adapter arrangement for gripping such a second object that is different from the first object, and only one of the tertiary adapter arrangement and the primary adapter arrangement at a time is configured to be fixed both to the primary first attachment and the primary second attachment.
  11. 11 . The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the primary first arm is configured to pivot about a primary first pivot, the primary second arm is configured to pivot about a primary second pivot, and the vibrator unit is arranged between a first plane and a second plane, wherein the first direction is normal to the first plane and the first plane intersects the primary first pivot and the first direction is normal to the second plane and the second plane intersects the primary second pivot.
  12. 12 . The arrangement of claim 11 , wherein the secondary first arm is configured to pivot about a secondary first pivot, the secondary second arm is configured to pivot about a secondary second pivot, and the vibrator unit is arranged between a third plane and a fourth plane, wherein, the first direction is normal to the third plane and the third plane intersects the secondary first pivot and the first direction is normal to the fourth plane and the fourth plane intersects the secondary second pivot.
  13. 13 . The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the primary first attachment of the primary first arm comprises a primary first primary hole extending into the primary first arm in a direction that forms a minimum angle of at most 15 degrees, with the first direction, and a primary first secondary hole extending into the primary first arm in a direction that forms a minimum angle of at least 75 degrees, with the first direction, and the primary second attachment of the primary second arm comprises a primary second primary hole extending into the primary second arm in a direction that forms a minimum angle of at most 15 degrees, with the first direction and a primary second secondary hole extending into the primary second arm in a direction that forms a minimum angle of at least 75 degrees, with the first direction.
  14. 14 . The arrangement of claim 13 , wherein [A] the primary first primary hole extends through the primary first arm or [B] the primary first attachment of the primary first arm comprises a primary first tertiary hole extending into the primary first arm in a direction that forms a minimum angle of at most 15 degrees, with the first direction such that the primary first primary hole and primary first tertiary hole are arranged on opposite sides of a first plane that intersects a primary first pivot, wherein the primary first arm is configured to pivot about the primary first pivot, and the first direction is normal to the first plane.
  15. 15 . The arrangement of claim 13 , wherein the direction to which the primary first secondary hole extends forms a minimum angle of at least 60 degrees with a direction that is directed from the primary first secondary hole to the primary axis and the direction to which the primary second secondary hole extends forms a minimum angle of at least 60 degrees with a direction that is directed from the primary second secondary hole to the primary axis.
  16. 16 . The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the primary first attachment of the primary first arm comprises a primary first primary hole extending into the primary first arm in a direction that forms a minimum angle of at most 15 degrees with the first direction or a primary first secondary hole extending into the primary first arm in a direction that forms a minimum angle of at least 75 degrees, with the first direction, and the primary second attachment of the primary second arm comprises a primary second primary hole extending into the primary second arm in a direction that forms a minimum angle of at most 15 degrees, with the first direction or a primary second secondary hole extending into the primary second arm in a direction that forms a minimum angle of at least 75 degrees, with the first direction.
  17. 17 . The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the primary adapter arrangement comprises an adaptor and a first part of the adapter is arranged further away from the primary axis than the tip of the first part of the primary first arm, the first part of the primary first arm comprising the primary first attachment.
  18. 18 . The arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the primary adapter arrangement comprises an adapter comprising: the first mount comprising a primary first plate, the second mount is arranged a distance apart from the first mount in a primary direction, a second stiffening member that is configured to stiffen the adapter against bending about an axis that is parallel to the secondary direction, and a grip surface configured to grip the object to be driven with the pile driver, wherein the first mount extends in a secondary direction that is perpendicular to the primary direction.
  19. 19 . The arrangement of claim 18 , wherein the first mount comprises a first primary aperture extending through a part of the adapter in a direction that forms a minimum angle of at most 15 degrees with the first direction and a first tertiary aperture extending through a part of the adapter in a direction that forms a minimum angle of at least 75 degrees with the first direction and forms a minimum angle of at least 75 degrees with the first direction.
  20. 20 . The arrangement of claim 18 , wherein the second mount comprises a second primary aperture extending through a part of the adapter in a direction that in a direction that forms a minimum angle of at most 15 degrees with the primary direction and a second tertiary aperture extending through a part of the adapter in a direction that forms a minimum angle of at least 75 degrees with the primary direction and forms a minimum angle of at least 75 degrees with the secondary direction.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to pile driving equipment. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a vibratory side grip pile driver system. BACKGROUND Vibratory pile drivers are used in a plurality of applications to drive piles, such as sheet piles, pipes, I-beams, H-beams, tubes, and poles, into the ground. The pile driver may be mounted on an excavator for using the pile driver. The pile driver includes an articulating arm and side-gripping jaws to facilitate the pile driving process. Side grip vibratory pile drivers that are designed for driving only one type of piles, such as sheet piles, are known at least from the documents EP 2 419 569 and EP 2 003 252. Moreover, in such side grip vibratory pile drivers, the whole jaws, including the arms of the jaws, may be replaceable. Thus, the whole jaws may be changed corresponding to the shape of the object to be driven to ground. However, changing the jaws is a reasonably complex task. Moreover, it is known to use different kind of gripping profiles adapted for gripping a variety of different pile profiles. Such gripping profiles may be attached to a jaw of the pile driver system. However, in such systems the variety of the different objects to be driven is limited by the shape of the arms of the jaws, because such of gripping profiles are arranged on the arms of the jaws. SUMMARY It has been found that the variety of objects to be driven can be increased by gripping the object with adapters that are fixed to arms of the jaws of the pile driver. More specifically, the adapters themselves form an extension to the arms of the jaws. Thus, the arms themselves can be short. Therefore, the shape of the arms of the jaws do not limit the variety of the objects to be gripped. In an embodiment, this is achieved by having a pile driver that only has short arms, and the adapters then form extensions to the arms. Thus the shape of the adapter having arm extension can be designed according to needs. Moreover, the short arms as such make it easier to change the arms, if needed e.g. for maintenance. In an embodiment of an adapter as such, the adapter comprises a slot or slots configured to receive one or two arms of the pile driver. In an embodiment of the pile driver as such, the attachments of the arms of the pile driver are configured to be attached to such adapters. An embodiment of an arrangement comprises a pile driver and a pair of adapter arrangements; each adapter arrangement comprising one or two adapters. An embodiment of a pile driver comprises arms, e.g. short arms, provided with attachments for attaching the adapter of the adapter arrangements. An embodiment of an adapter comprises a mounts for fixing to an arm of the pile driver. An embodiment of an adapter comprises two mounts, each one for fixing to an arm of the pile driver. Moreover, the adapter comprises a stiffening member or stiffening members so that is may function as an extension of the jaw arms of the pile driver. It may also synchronize the pivoting of two arms. The invention is disclosed in more specific terms in the independent claims. Preferable embodiments are disclosed in dependent claims. These and other embodiments are disclosed in the description and the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1a shows a perspective view of a pile driver and some measures thereof, FIG. 1b shows the perspective view of the pile driver of FIG. 1a and some further measures thereof, FIG. 2a shows a top view of an actuator and arms of a pile driver, the actuator being arranged to open and close the arms, FIG. 2b shows a bottom view of the actuator and the arms of FIG. 2a, FIG. 3a shows a perspective view of an adapter, FIG. 3b shows another perspective view of the adapter of FIG. 3a, FIG. 3c shows a perspective view of an adapter, FIG. 4a shows a perspective view of an arrangement comprising the pile driver of FIG. 1a, and a primary adapter and a secondary adapter fixed to the arms of the pile driver, FIG. 4b shows a perspective view of an arrangement comprising the pile driver of FIG. 1a, and a primary adapter and a secondary adapter dismounted from the arms of the pile driver, FIG. 5a shows a primary adapter in a perspective view, FIG. 5b shows a secondary adapter in a perspective view, FIG. 5c shows the primary adapter of FIG. 5a in another perspective view, FIG. 6a shows a tertiary adapter in a perspective view, FIG. 6b shows a tertiary adapter in another perspective view, FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the pile driver of FIG. 1a and some planes defined by the structure of the pile driver, and FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of an arrangement comprising a pile driver, a primary adapter arrangement having two adapters, one for each arm on the left side, and a secondary adapter arrangement having two adapters, one for each arm on the right side. DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIGS. 1a and 1b show, in a perspective view of, a pile driver 10. The pile driver 10 comprises arms (Ar1