1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to forming ground barriers in general and in particular to a method and apparatus for inserting a ground barrier panel into a soil formation.
2. Description of Related Art
In the field of geotechnical engineering, it is frequently necessary to physically isolate one area in a soil formation from an adjacent area for a variety of purposes. These purposes may include providing either a temporary or a permanent retaining wall, or may be for the purpose of isolating contaminants in one of those areas of soil from the other. One known method of providing such isolation is to insert successive panels into the soil formation between the two areas so as to form a continuous barrier therebetween. In the case of remediation work where the purpose is to contain and remove contaminants from the soil of one of the areas, it is frequently necessary to ensure that the barrier created by such panels does not have significant gaps therebetween which may allow the contaminants to escape.
One common method of inserting such panels into the ground is to vertically orient the panel above the surface of the soil formation and apply sufficient pressure to the top of the panel so as to forcibly insert the panel into the soil formation. Successive panels may be thereafter similarly inserted into the soil formation with a slidable interconnection between the two adjacent panels to assure continuity. Conventionally a mandrel formed of a plate of metal having a cross section corresponding to the panel is utilized to support the panel during the insertion process.
Previous methods of supporting the panel during insertion have not been satisfactory. In particular, Applicant is aware of U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,672 to Glass et al. including hinged flaps located proximate to a bottom end thereof which are operable to rotate into an upward orientation thereby protecting the bottom edge of a panel located against the apparatus.
However, as the flaps in the apparatus of Glass et al. are hinged from a single side of the mandrel, they may be prone to directing the bottom edge of the mandrel in one direction due to the angled surface the flaps present. Accordingly, the apparatus of Glass et al. may impair the ability of the panels to be inserted in a straight or vertical orientation.
According to a first embodiment of the present invention there is disclosed an apparatus for locating a barrier panel within a soil formation. The apparatus comprises a mandrel plate having front and rear surface extending between top and bottom ends and at least one leading blade located proximate to the bottom end of the mandrel plate. The apparatus further comprises at least one retainer plate pivotally supported from the mandrel plate between the bottom end of the mandrel plate and the leading blade, the at least one retainer plate being rotatable between an engaged position adapted to retain a plate barrier panel proximate to the front surface of the mandrel plate and a disengaged position.
The mandrel plate may include at least one support plate extending perpendicularly from the rear surface of the mandrel plate. Each of the at least one retainer plate may be pivotally supported from a corresponding at least one support plate. Each of the at least one retainer plate may include a slot adapted receive the corresponding at least one support plate therein. The at least one retainer plate may be pivotally supported by a pin extending through the corresponding at least one support plate to portions of the retainer plate to each side of the corresponding at least one support plate.
Each of the at least one retainer plate may extend between top and bottom surfaces. The top surfaces may be substantially planar. The top surfaces may include an upturned end lip. The end lip may include a retaining surface extending perpendicular to the top surface. The retaining surface may be located at a position adapted to correspond to the thickness of a barrier panel in the engaged position.
The bottom surfaces may be arcuate. The bottom surface may be cammed to displace the leading blade away from the mandrel plate as the at least one retainer plate is rotated from the engaged to the disengaged position.
Each of the at least one leading blade may be slidably supported by a corresponding one of the at least one support plate. Each of the at least one leading blade may be positioned below the mandrel plate.
Each of the at least one leading blade may have front and rear surfaces extending between top and bottom ends. The each of the front and rear surfaces may curve towards each other proximate to the bottom end to a tip of the at least one leading blade. The tip may be located midpoint of a thickness of the mandrel plate, retainer plate and leading blade. The tip may be located midpoint between the front and rear edges of the retainer plate when positioned at the engaged position. The top end may include an arcuate surface.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention there is disclosed a method of locating a barrier panel within a soil formation comprising locating a barrier panel against a front surface of a mandrel plate. The method further comprises displacing a leading blade from a position distal to the mandrel to a position adjacent to the mandrel so as to cause a retainer plate located between the mandrel plate and the leading blade to be rotated into an engaged position capturing a bottom edge of the barrier panel and pressing the mandrel plate and barrier panel into the soil formation.
Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.
In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention wherein similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in each view,
Referring to
The barrier panel 10 comprises a body having a substantially rectangular outline defined by top 12, bottom 14 and first and second side edges, 16 and 18, respectively. As illustrated in
The mandrel 22 comprises a sheet of material having a cross section selected to correspond to the barrier panel 10 which it is intended to insert into the ground. In particular, the mandrel 22 may be formed of a sufficiently strong material to prevent bending or buckling during such insertion, such as, by way of non-limiting example, steel, stainless steel or the like.
With reference to
As illustrated in
The leading blade 32 is located below the bottom 26 of the mandrel 22 with the support plates 80 within the slots 46 and the retaining blocks 86 within the void 41 such that the leading blade 32 is permitted to move between a penetrating position as illustrated in
The retainer plate 60 comprises a body pivotally supported from the support plate 80 adapted to retain a bottom edge 14 of the barrier panel 10 against the mandrel. The retainer plate 60 is formed of an arm portion 62 with a distal lip portion 64. The arm portion 62 has a substantially planar top surface 66 and a bottom curved or arcuate surface 68, the purpose and shape of which will be more fully described below. As illustrated in
With reference to
When the barrier panel has been inserted into the ground to a sufficient depth, the mandrel may be pulled upward, thereby unloading upward pressure on the leading blade 32. The pulling of the mandrel in an upward direction will pull the allow the leading blade 32 to be pulled away from the mandrel 22, thereby also permitting the retaining plate to rotate downward to the position illustrated in
As illustrated in
While specific embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, such embodiments should be considered illustrative of the invention only and not as limiting the invention as construed in accordance with the accompanying claims.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61986712 | Apr 2014 | US |