BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the disclosure, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a front cross-sectional elevational view of the portable, ground stabilized, drop hammer assembly having the shock absorbing element affixed to the lower end of the support assembly;
FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional elevational view of the portable, ground stabilized, drop hammer assembly of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is plan view of the shock-absorbing element depicted in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a side view of the shock-absorbing element of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the drop weight;
FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the drop weight of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the support assembly; and
FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 7.
The drawings will be described further in connection with the following Detailed description.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding components throughout the several views, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a transportable drop hammer assembly, 10, along with its component parts. It will be appreciated that embodiment illustrated in the drawings and the components parts shown in the drawings merely are illustrative and not limitative of the apparatus disclosed. The major sub-assemblies of drop hammer assembly 10 are a drop weight, 12, a frame assembly, 14, and a power assembly, 16, for vertically reciprocatingly moving said drop weight to impact a ground surface, such as, for example, a concrete pad.
Frame assembly 14 (see FIGS. 7 and 8) includes a ground stabilizing assembly, 18, which rests on the ground surface when drop hammer assembly 10 is operated. The lower end, 20, of drop weight 12 confronts a, for example, concrete pad and breaks it up into chunks when drop weight 12 is reciprocating dropped onto the concrete pad. When drop weight 12 breaks up a concrete pad into chunks of concrete and thereafter the operator continues to impact the same broken up area with drop weight 12, a hole soon will develop and drop weight 12 may only impact air. At that time, drop weight end 20 can be laterally displaced into contact with the ground surface end of frame assembly 14. In order to protect frame assembly 14, a shock-absorbing element, 22, is affixed to frame assembly 14. Shock absorbing element 22 is further depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4 and may be, for example, annular in shape with an aperture, 24, accommodating drop weight 12. Shock absorbing element 22 can be made from a variety of elastomeric materials, including, for example, polyurethane, EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer), polyvinyl chloride, rubber, or the like. A variety of industrially rugged elastomers are known in the art and are suitable for use herein. The shape of shock absorbing element 22 also is unimportant for its function and can be designed to accommodate the other elements with which it functions.
Frame assembly 14 also has a host transport apparatus engagement assembly, 26, which can be secured by a transport apparatus, such as moveable arms for lifting, moving, and operating drop hammer assembly 10. Power assembly 16 can use hydraulic, pneumatic, electric, or other power for moving its endless chain assembly and reciprocatingly move drop weight 12 vertically up and down. Such power can be self-contained or can hook up to the host transport apparatus for accepting its power (e.g., hydraulic) via a line attachment. Such parasitic power for attachments is quite common and well known in the art. Other power assembly configurations for operating drop weight 12 also can be used as is necessary, desirable, or convenient. Also, other assemblies can be substituted for the endless chain assembly for reciprocatingly moving drop weight 12, as those skilled in this art will appreciate.
Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, drop weight 12 can have a narrower lower ground-confronting end, as illustrated, or can be of uniform width its entire extent. Additionally, lower drop weight end 20 can have a rounded end of the same or different material. The drop hammer assembly design illustrated in the drawings runs the risk of inadvertent contact with frame assembly 14 about the location where it tapers. Thus, a shock absorbing element, 28, also can be attached at such location to drop weight 12.
While the apparatus has been described with reference to various embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope and essence of the apparatus. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but that the apparatus disclosed will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims. Also, all citations referred herein are expressly incorporated herein by reference.
Patent Application
20080066938
