Foundation and deflection monitoring device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10808374-B2
Application number	US-201916401008-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 1, 2019
Priority date	May 3, 2018
Publication date	Oct 20, 2020
Grant date	Oct 20, 2020

Abstract

A foundation shift detection device includes a foundation portion attached to a foundation to be monitored, a base portion attached to a base adjacent to the foundation and supporting the same, and a rotary indicator attached to the base portion and adapted for rotation responsive to displacement of the foundation relative to the base. The rotary indicator is visible to a casual or walking inspection from a moderate distance, as by a human inspector making a walking inspection of a number of such devices.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. In a foundation prone to periodic shift or movement between the foundation and a fixed base or foundation and tower, a passive foundation shift detection device, comprising:
a biased displacement member, the biased displacement member having a force bias tending to dispose the displacement member against an interference member, the interference member adapted to permit incremental displacement of the biased displacement member based on movement of the foundation relative to the fixed base.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the displacement member is disposed by a greater magnitude than a movement of the foundation that resulted in the displacement.

3. The device of claim 2 further comprising a visual marker attached to the displacement member, the visual marker indicative of the movement based on an unmagnified visual inspection.

4. A foundation shift detection device, comprising:
a foundation portion attached to a foundation to be monitored;
a tower base portion attached to a base adjacent to the foundation;
a rotary indicator attached to the tower base portion and adapted for rotation responsive to displacement of the foundation relative to the base.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the rotary indicator is a cam responsive to rotational increments based on linear movement of the foundation portion.

6. The device of claim 4 wherein the rotary indicator has a plurality of radial sections, each radial section corresponding to a an incrementally increasing diameter portion of angular rotation of the rotary indicator.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein each radial section defines a portion of angular rotation of the rotary indicator.

8. The device of claim 4 further comprising an interference member attached to the foundation portion and in communication with the rotary indicator.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein each radial section is defined by a hollow wedge, the hollow wedge having a rigid portion for engaging the interference member and a void defining a separation between a rigid portion of an adjacent hollow wedge.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein each rigid portion has an incrementally greater radial extension, the radial extension engaging the interference member based on the displacement of the foundation.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the rotary indicator has a rotational bias in the direction of increasing radial extensions, the rigid portion engaged in an interference with the interference member for preventing biased rotation, each rigid portion responsive to release upon foundation displacement drawing the interference member out of interference with the rigid portion for permitting rotation of the rotary indicator and interference engagement of the rigid portion of a successive radial extension.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein each successive radial extension extends a displacement increment from a previous radial extension based on a detection granularity of the foundation shift detection device.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the displacement increment is between 1 mm and 2 mm.

14. The device of claim 9 wherein the rotation of the rotary indicator advances an outermost point on the rigid portion a greater distance than a movement of the interference member that resulted in the rotation.

15. The device of claim 14 further comprising a visual marker attached to the rotary indicator, the visual marker indicative of the movement based on an unmagnified visual inspection.

16. The device of claim 9 wherein the interference member is adapted for resistance by a set of wedges having a rigid portion for engaging the interference member, the rigid portions having increasing length and width for providing an indication of motion in both the horizontal and vertical directions using a single can indicator.

17. The device of claim 1 wherein the foundation supports heavy machinery and the fixed base is an industrial structure.

18. A method for measuring periodic and temporary foundation shifting, comprising:
disposing a foundation portion on a foundation to be monitored;
disposing a tower base portion on a base adjacent the foundation to be monitored, the tower base portion in communication with the foundation portion; and
measuring a maximum relative movement of the foundation relative to the base by displacement of a displacement member in interference with an interference member attached to the foundation, the foundation movement drawing the interference member out of interference with the displacement member for allowing incremental advance of the displacement member.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the displacement of the displacement member is greater than a movement of the interference member that resulted in the displacement.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising disposing a visual marker attached to the displacement member responsive to the movement of the tower base portion, the visual marker indicative of the movement based on an unmagnified visual inspection.

21. The method of claim 18 further comprising measuring foundation movement in one of either a horizontal or vertical direction.

Assignees

• Univ Massachusetts

Inventors

• Niezrecki Christopher

Classifications

• E02D33/00 Primary

  Testing foundations or foundation structures (testing methods and apparatus, see the relevant subclasses of class G01; testing structures or apparatus as regards function, in general, G01M; testing or determining chemical or physical properties, in general G01N) · CPC title

• E02D27/425 Primary

  specially adapted for wind motors masts (wind motors per se F03D1/00) · CPC title

• G01B21/10

  for measuring diameters · CPC title

• G01C15/10

  Plumb lines · CPC title