Machine and a method for making columns in ground

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9624638-B2
Application number	US-201514868504-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2015
Priority date	Oct 1, 2014
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

The invention relates to a machine ( 10 ) for making columns in ground, the machine comprising a carrier ( 12 ) having a mast ( 14 ) extending along a longitudinal direction; a movable carriage ( 16 ) mounted to slide along the mast ( 14 ); a ground perforation tool ( 20 ) extending along a longitudinal axis parallel to said longitudinal direction and secured to said movable carriage, presenting a top end connected to building material feed means, and a bottom end provided with an orifice ( 28 ) for injecting the first building material; a rotary drive system ( 18 ) for driving the perforation tool ( 20 ) in rotation; and a body ( 40 ) extending around the perforation tool ( 20 ) so that the perforation tool is suitable for sliding through said body. According to the invention, the machine has a coupling system ( 60 ) for coupling together the body ( 40 ) and the perforation tool ( 20 ) in translation and in rotation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A machine for making columns in ground, the machine comprising:
a carrier having a mast extending along a longitudinal direction;
a movable carriage mounted to slide along the mast;
a ground perforation tool extending along a longitudinal axis parallel to said longitudinal direction and secured to said movable carriage, presenting a top end connected to building material feed means, and a bottom end provided with an orifice for injecting building material;
a rotary drive system for driving the ground perforation tool in rotation;
a body extending around the ground perforation tool so that the ground perforation tool is suitable for sliding through said body; and
a coupling system for coupling together the body and the ground perforation tool, configured in such a manner that, in at least one configuration, moving the ground perforation tool in rotation entrains rotation of the body and moving the ground perforation tool in translation entrains the body in translation, and wherein the coupling system is a bayonet system.

2. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the body is not attached to the mast.

3. The machine according to claim 1 , further including a second rotary drive system mounted on the mast, and configured to drive the body in rotation.

4. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the ground perforation tool comprises a central core extending along the longitudinal axis and surrounded by a helical blade.

5. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a cylindrical outer shell for coming into contact with the ground and extending around the ground perforation tool.

6. The machine according to claim 5 , wherein the diameter of the outer shell is at least 1.2 times greater than the diameter of the ground perforation tool.

7. The machine according to claim 5 , wherein the outer shell carries a helical blade on its outside face.

8. The machine according to claim 5 , wherein the body further includes an inner wall arranged between the outer shell and the ground perforation tool.

9. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the body is for receiving a second building material, and is provided at its bottom end with an opening for discharging said second building material.

10. The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the ground perforation tool further includes a shutter suitable for shutting the orifice.

11. The machine according to claim 10 , wherein said shutter is arranged in such a manner that it shuts the orifice when the bottom end of the ground perforation tool comes into contact with the bottom end of the body.

12. A method of making a column in ground using the machine according to claim 1 , the method comprising the following steps:
a) rotating the ground perforation tool and the body while they are coupled together in rotation and in translation to cause them to penetrate into the ground to a first predetermined depth;
b) uncoupling the body and the ground perforation tool;
c) lowering the perforation tool to a second predetermined depth deeper than the first depth;
d) raising the ground perforation tool from said second predetermined depth while injecting a first building material into the ground through the orifice situated at the bottom end of the ground perforation tool; and
e) raising both the ground perforation tool and the body.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein, during step e), at least one second building material is discharged into the ground while raising the ground perforation tool and the body.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein during step e), said at least one second building material is discharged via the orifice of the ground perforation tool.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the body is for receiving the at least one second building material and is provided, at its bottom end, with an opening for discharging said second building material, and during step e), the second building material is discharged via said opening.

16. The method according to claim 12 , including, prior to step a), a step a0) in which the ground perforation tool is lowered for a first time into the ground at least down to the first predetermined depth and then raised.

17. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the machine includes a second rotary drive system mounted on the mast and configured to drive the body in rotation, and during step a), the body is driven in rotation by the first rotary drive system and by the second drive system.

18. The machine according to claim 6 , wherein the diameter of the outer shell is at least 1.5 times greater than the diameter of the ground perforation tool.

Assignees

• Soletanche Freyssinet

Inventors

• Lebreton Marie
• Masse Frédéric
• Mosser Jean-François

Classifications

• E02D15/04

  Placing concrete in mould-pipes, pile tubes, bore-holes or narrow shafts · CPC title

• E02D5/36

  making without use of mouldpipes or other moulds · CPC title

• E02D3/126

  and mixing by rotating blades · CPC title

• E02D3/08

  by inserting stones or lost bodies, e.g. compaction piles (sand drains for soil compaction E02D3/10; stressing soil while forming foundations E02D27/28) · CPC title

• E02D27/12

  Pile foundations · CPC title