Patent Application
20160298310
The present application relates to repairing structures, and more specifically to a method and apparatus wherein the structure is protected or strengthened by a shell or facing constructed on or assembled to the exterior of the structure, or by a substance applied to the exterior to form a layer thereon.
Concrete pilings and piers are utilized in industrial, bridge and marine construction projects due to their strength, corrosion resistance and ability to withstand long term exposure to adverse elements. However, over time these pilings and piers can deteriorate due to factors such as corrosion from salt intrusion, exposure to salt water, marine life and extreme weather conditions, or can become damaged from collisions with vehicles including ships and land vehicles. When a concrete pile or pier is damaged or deteriorated, it may be necessary to reinforce the outer surface of the pile or pier with new concrete, epoxy, or other structural repair material.
The process of repairing a pile or pier (collectively referred to hereafter as “pile”) typically involves the use of various pieces of custom built equipment and, in marine environments, the need for underwater divers to access the damaged area and to effectuate a repair. There are currently three major problems with the traditional repair process. First, the platform used to support the rebar and jacket (also known as a “form”) used to contain concrete, epoxy, or other repair material is very time-consuming to install. Second, concrete, epoxy, or other repair material can leak out from beneath the jacket due to platform-to-jacket alignment issues. Third, the clamping force between the platform and pile is not consistently applied which can result in slippage of the platform when the jacket is filled. As a result, there is a need in the industry for an improved and simplified apparatus and method for repairing pile that does not require difficult and time consuming labor.
The present invention solves the foregoing problems by providing a pile repair apparatus that can be pre-assembled on dry land and positioned easily around a pile to be repaired. For marine applications an additional flotation member can be added to achieve neutral buoyancy thereby enhancing underwater movement of the present invention.
One aspect of the invention is an apparatus, including a clamp made of metal or some other form of material, such as composites, sufficiently strong to sustain the required clamping forces; a friction member positioned along an inner surface of the clamp; and a platform connected to a top surface of the clamp. The apparatus may further include a means for providing neutral buoyancy to the apparatus.
A second aspect of the invention is an apparatus, including a clamp comprising left and right brackets connected by a hinge member; a friction member positioned along an inner surface of the clamp; a platform connected to a top surface of the clamp; and a means for providing neutral buoyancy to the pile repair apparatus.
A third aspect of the invention is a method for repairing a pile, including securing a friction member along an inner surface of a clamp adapted to wrap around a pile, pier or other structure to be repaired; connecting a platform to a top surface of the clamp; and securing the clamp to the pile, pier or other structure to be repaired.
The entire apparatus can be preassembled in a dry environment to ensure a high-quality platform is installed underwater. A single clamp assembly can support an entire structural repair load, including, but not limited to, concrete, epoxy, and other structural repair material without slippage of the clamp on the pile. A removable flotation member can be attached to the top of the platform to provide neutral buoyancy to the entire assembly, which makes it easy for divers to maneuver the clamp into position anywhere along the pile. Once in position, by virtue of the geometry and load path of the clamping force, the platform self-aligns to the pile to prevent leakage when the concrete, epoxy, or other repair material is poured. A tedious platform installation process that can take several hours to complete can be performed in a significantly shortened time period using the apparatus described herein.
The foregoing and other features of this disclosure will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only several embodiments in accordance with the disclosure and are, therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope, the disclosure will be described with additional specificity and detail through use of the accompanying drawings, in which:
An apparatus of the invention (or “apparatus”) 100 is shown generally in
As shown more clearly in
Referring to
As shown in
An example of a means for providing neutral buoyancy to the apparatus 100 is shown in
In operation, the left and right brackets 161, 162 of the apparatus 100 are clamped together by bolts or other mechanical closure mechanism of sufficient strength to provide adequate clamping forces. The hinge member 463 allows the apparatus 100 to be opened and to be positioned around a pile to be repaired. One or more friction members 108 is secured to the inner surface of the left and right brackets 161, 162 of the clamp 106. One or more platforms 104 is secured to the top surface 164 of each of the left and right brackets 161, 162. If the repair is to be performed under water or if the apparatus otherwise must be transported in water, a flotation member 102 can be attached to the platform 104. The flotation member 102 makes the apparatus 100 neutrally buoyant, which allows a diver to easily transport and submerse the apparatus 100 when commencing to repair a pile. Once in a desired location, and after tightening of the bolts or other mechanical closure mechanism, the flotation member 102 can be removed by cutting or otherwise severing the mechanical fastening means affixing the flotation member 102 to the platform 104. The apparatus 100 can be opened about its hinge member 463 and placed around a section of pile to be repaired. The friction member 108 enhances the connection of the apparatus 100 to the pile. The apparatus 100 is secured in place around the pile by inserting bolts between the left and right brackets 161, 162. Once in place, with the bolts or other mechanical closure mechanism tightened, the apparatus 100 self-aligns to the pile to prevent leakage when concrete, epoxy, or repair material is poured during the repair process. The apparatus 100 can be moved easily along the pile by removing or loosening the bolt between the left and right brackets 161, 162 and sliding the apparatus 100 up or down along the pile as needed. Any gap between the left and right brackets, 161, 162, which may exist due to variation in the outside dimension of piles to be repaired, may be closed by affixing a corresponding hook and loop closure to the hook and loop closure 650 on the platform 104.
While various preferred embodiments have been shown and described, modifications thereof can be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and teachings herein. The embodiments herein are exemplary only, and are not limiting. Many variations and modifications of the apparatus disclosed herein are possible and within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of protection is not limited by the description set out above.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 62/131,581, filed Mar. 11, 2015, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62131581 | Mar 2015 | US |
