US3302412A

US3302412A - Interlocking sheet piles and method of installation

Info

Publication number: US3302412A
Application number: US378844A
Authority: US
Inventors: William A Hunsucker
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-06-29
Filing date: 1964-06-29
Publication date: 1967-02-07
Anticipated expiration: 1984-02-07

Description

United States Patent O 3,392,412 INTERLUCKING SHEET PILES AND METHOD F INSTALLATION William A. Hunsucker, 3741 Prestwick Drive, Los Angeles, Calif. 90627 Filed .lune 29, 1964, Ser. No. 378,344 6 Claims. (Cl. 61-60) This invention relates to interlocking sheet piles which may be driven into the earth to form a wall, colierdam, or the like. This invention relates to improvements in constru-ction and method of installation of such sheet piles in order to minimize leakage of Water through the interlocking joints.

In brief, this invention contemplates the removal of earth or other foreign material from the interlocking portions of adjacent sheet piles as they are driven into the earth, the provision of spreader lugs for crowding adjacent sheet piles away from each other within the limit permitted by the interlocking connection, and the introduction of a sealant into the space so provided between the interlocking parts. In this way, a continuous barrier is provided to minimize or eliminate the passage of water through the wall or cofferdam formed by the interlocking sheet piles.

More specific objects of this invention are to provide improved means for removing earth or other foreign material from the interlocking parts of the sheet piles at the time the sheet piles are driven, and to provide improved means for spreading the sheet piles apart within the limits allowed by the interlocking connection, to form adequate space for reception of a suitable sealant.

The interlocking edge portions of conventional sheet piles provide ample clearance to permit adjacent sheet pile members to be mated and driven into place in the earth. By providing means to force the adjacent pile members to move laterally relative to each other so that at least a major portion of the clearances will accumulate in one direction, the resulting spaces within the interlocking parts are made large enough for effective installation of a suitable sealant material.

These and other and more detailed objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation partly broken away showing several duplicate interlocking sheet pile members in position in the earth and showing another duplicate interlocking sheet pile member in position to be driven longitudinally into the earth.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional plan View taken substantially on the lines 2 2 as shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional plan View taken substantially on the lines 3-3 as shown in FIGURE l.

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal sectional detail taken substantiaily on the lines 4--4 as shown in FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 5 is a sectional plan view taken substantially on the lines 5-5 as shown in FIGURE l.

FIGURE 6 is a longitudinal sectional detail taken substantially on the lines 6-6 as shown on FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional plan view taken substantially on the lines 7-7 as shown in FIGURE 1.

Referring to the drawings, the interlocking steel sheet piles 10 are duplicates and are provided on their parallel side edges with interlocking tongue-andgroove connections generally designated 11. The sheet pile members 10 are shown in position in the earth, and the duplicate sheet pile member 10a is shown in position to be driven longitudinally into the earth. The ground level is shown ice at 12. The interlocking duplicate sheet pile members 10 and 10a form a continuous wall generally designated 13.

Each of the duplicate sheet pile members lil and Illa is provided on each side edge with interlocking

longitudinal elements

14 and 15. The finger element 14 and the thumb element 15 cooperate to define a continuous cavity 16, having a narrow lateral entrance s lot 17. The thumb element 15 has a relatively thin portion 18 of lesser width than the entrance slot 17 and has a relatively thick portion 19 of greater width than that of the entrance slot 17. Accordingly, when the lower end 20 of the sheet pile member 10a is placed adjacent edge-to-edge with the upper end of one of the sheet pile members 1l] as shown in FIGURE l, with the thumb elements of each entering the cavity on the other respectively, the sheet pile member 10a may be driven longitudinally into the earth in interlocking relation to extend the length of the Wall 13.

The parts 14a, 15a, and 16a on the duplicate member 10a are the same as

parts

14, 15, and 16,previously de scribed, except that they are reversed right for left in order to produce the interlocking connection 11. The parts 15 and 15a may be referred to as

tongues entering grooves

16a and 16, respectively.

In accordance with this invention and as best shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, a shoe 22 is xed at or near the.

lower end 20 of the sheet pile member 10a and secured to the thumb element 15a. The outer surface 23 of the shoe is shaped to conform to the inner surface of the cavity 16. In a similar manner a scraperlt is fixed at or near the lower end 20 of the sheet pile member 10a under the finger element 14a, and this scraper 24 has an outer surface 25 shaped to conform to the surface 26 on the thumb element 15. The scraper 24 forms a bottom wall of the cavity 16a. When the sheet pile member 10a is driven longitudinally into the earth from the position shown in FIGURE 1, the shoe 22 slides within the cavity 16 to remove earth therefrom and to provide a chamber within the cavity 16. Similarly, downward movement of the sheet pile member 10a into the earth causes the scraper 24 to move in sliding contact with the thumb element 15 to prevent entrance of earth into the chamber formed by the cavity 16a.

Spreader lugs 30 are xed on the sheet pile member 10a in longitudinally spaced relation and positioned within the cavity 16a. These spreader lugs have sliding contact with the face 25 of the thumb element 15, and they serve to crowd t-he members 10 and 10a to spread them laterally within the limits provided by the interlocking parts. The purpose of this spreading is to increase the lateral width of the clearance space between the thumb elements and the wall of the cavities. The lugs 30 are short in axial extent.`

Means are provided for introducing a suitable sealant into the chambers formed by the

cavities

16 and 16a, and, as shown in the drawings, this means includes an aperture 32 provided in each sheet pile member 10 and communicating with the cavity 16. Clearance space 33 may be torch cut or otherwise provided, which communicates with the aperture 32 to provide a passage between the

cavities

16 and 16a. A conduit 34 provided with a valve, not shown, extends from the aperture 32 to a sealant container 35, which may be positioned at or near the ground level 12. Sealant is allowed to flow through the conduit 34 and through the aperture 32 and passage 33 to lill the space within the

cavities

16 and 16a after the lower end 20 of the member 10a passes below the position of the aperture 32. The sealant ows by gravity into the cavities 16 and 16u during the time that the member 10a is being driven longitudinally into the earth. The body of sealant 36 fills the cavities around the thumb element` as shown in FIGURE 7, thereby preventing fiow of water through the interlocking parts.

An alternate position for the sealant container is the position 35a shown in phantom lines in FIGURE 1. In the latter case, the valve conduit 34 is connected to the upper open end of the cavity I6, and the aperture 32 is plugged. Communication between the

cavities

16 and 16a remains by way of the passage 33.

While any suitable form of sealant may be used, it is preferred to employ a polymerizable resin material having a pot life of suitable duration corresponding to the time required for driving one of the sheet pile members. The sealant changes from liquid form to solid or semi-solid after the predetermined time interval. If the earth into which the sheet piles are driven contains water to any considerable extent, the sealant used should be heavier than water, so that it will not be displaced by the water. The clearance spaced between the finger elements and thumb elements of the interlocking connection 11 have been exaggerated in the drawings for clarity of illustration, and in practise these clearance spaces are so narrow that very little sealant escapes from the

cavities

16 and 16a.

Having fully described my invention, itis to be understood that I am not to be limited to the details herein set forth, but that my invention is of t-he full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a sheet pile member having parallel side edges each provided with longitudinal interlock elements, the interlock elements on each side edge including a longitudinal thumb element and a longit-udinal finger element defining a continuous cavity with a narrow lateral entrance slot Of lesser width than the Width of the cavity, the thumb element having a relatively thin portion of lesser width than that of the entrance slot and terminating in a thick portion which is smaller in cross-section than the crosssection of said cavity, the improvement comprising: a shoe xed on one end of the thumb element and projecting therefrom and having an outer surface shaped like the inner surface of said cavity, whereby upon placing the lower end of said sheet pile member adjacent edge-to-edge with the upper end of another duplicate sheet pile member previously driven longitudinally into the earth, with the thumb elements each entering the cavity on the other member, respectively, the said member may be driven longitudinally into the earth in interlocking relation with the duplicate member, said shoe sliding within the cavity of the duplicate member to remove earth from thatcavity, and thereby provide a sealant receiving chamber within that cavity and around the thumb element therein and longitudinally spaced spreader lugs wit-hin the cavity and attached to the cavity wall or thumb element for sliding contact with the companion element of the duplicate sheet pile member for spreading the sheet pile members within the limit allowed by the interlocking parts.

2.. In a sheet pile member having parallel side edges each provided with longitudinal interlock elements, the interlock yelements on each side edge including a longitudinal thumb element and a longitudinal nger element defining a continuous cavity with a narrow lateral entrance slot of lesser width than the width of the cavity, the thumb element having a relatively thin portion of lesser width than that of the entrance slot and terminating in a thick portion which is smaller in cross-section than the crosssection of said cavity, the improvement comprising: a scraper fixed on one end of the finger element and extending across the bottom of t-he cavity to form an end wall of the cavity and having an edge shaped like the outer 'surface of the thumb element, whereby upon placing the lower end of said sheet pile member adjacent edge-to-edge with the upper end of another duplicate sheet pile member'previously driven longitudinally into the earth, with 'L the thumb elements each entering the cavity on the other member, respectively, the said member may be driven longitudinally into the earth in interlocking relation with the duplicate member, said scraper slidably contacting the thumb element on the duplicate member to exclude earth from the cavity on the first said member as it is driven into the earth, to provide a sealant receiving chamber within said cavity and around the thumb element therein.

3. The device of claim 2 in which longitudinally spaced spreader lugs are provided within the cavity and attached to the cavity wall or the thumb element for sliding contact with the companion element of the duplicate sheet pile member for spreading the sheet pile members within the limit allowed by the interlocking parts.

4. In a sheet pile member having parallel side edges each provided with longitudinal interlock elements, the interlock elements on each side edge including a longitudinal thumb element and a longitudinal finger element defining a continuons cavity with a narrow lateral entrance slot of lesser width than the width of the cavity, the thumb element having a relatively thin portion of lesser wi-dth than that of the entrance slot and terminating in a thick portion which is smaller in cross-section than the cross-section of said cavity, the improvement comprising: a shoe fixed on one end of the thumb element and projecting therefrom and having an outer surface shaped like the inner surface of said cavity, a scraper fixed on one end of the finger element adjacent the shoe and extending across the bottom of the cavity, said scraper forming an end wall of the cavity and having an edge shaped like the outer surface of the thumb element, whereby upon placing the lower end of; said sheet pile member adjacent edge-to-edge with the upper end of another duplicate sheet pile member previously driven longitudinally into the earth, with the thumb elements each entering the cavity on the other member, respectively, the said member may `be driven longitudinally into the earth in interlocking relation with the duplicate member, said shoe sliding within the cavity of the duplicate member, to remove earth from the cavity, said scraper slidably contacting the thumb element on the duplicate member to exclude earth from the cavity on the first said member as it is driven into the earth, and to provide a sealant receiving chamber within each cavity and around each thumb element.

5. The device of claim 4 in which longitudinally spaced spreader lugs are provided within the cavity and attached to the cavity wall or the thumb element for sliding contact with the companion element of the duplicate sheet pile member for spreading the sheet pile members within the limit allowed by the interlocking parts.

6. In a pair of duplicate sheet pile members, each having parallel side edges each provided with longitudinal interlock elements, the interlock elements on each side edge including a longitudinal thumb element and a longitudinal finger element defining a continuous cavity with a narrow lateral entrance slot of lesser width than the width of the cavity, the thumb element having a relatively thin portion of lesser width than that of the entrance slot and terminating in a thick portion which is Smaller in cross-section than the cross-section of said cavity, the improvement comprising: a shoe fixed on one end of the thumb element of each member and projecting therefrom and having an outer surface shaped like the inner surface of said cavity, a scraper fixed on one end of the finger element of each member adjacent the shoe and extending across the bottom of the cavity, said scraper forming an end wall of the cavity and having an edge shaped like the outer surface of the thumb element, whereby upon placing the lower end of one of the said sheet pile members adjacent edge-to-edge with the upper end of the other sheet pile member previously driven longitudinally into the earth, with the thumb elements each entering the cavity on the other member,

respectively, the rst said member may be driven longitudinally into the earth in interlocking relation with the other member, said shoe sliding Within the cavity of said other lmember to remove earth therefrom, said scraper slidably contacting the thumb element on said other member to exclude earth from the cavity on the lfirst said member as it is driven into the earth, to provide a sealant receiving chamber within each cavity and around each thumb element, and means for introducing a sealant into said chambers.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner.

10 JACOB SHAPIRO, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A SHEET PILE MEMBER HAVING PARALLEL SIDE EDGES EACH PROVIDED WITH LONGITUDINAL INTERLOCK ELEMENTS, THE INTERLOCK ELEMENTS ON EACH SIDE EDGE INCLUDING A LONGITUDINAL THUMB ELEMENT AND A LONGITUDINAL FINGER ELEMENT DEFINING A CONTINUOUS CAVITY WITH A NARROW LATERAL ENTRANCE SLOT OF LESSER WIDTH THAN THE WIDTH OF THE CAVITY, THE THUMB ELEMENT HAVING A RELATIVELY THIN PORTION OF LESSER WIDTH THAN THAT OF THE ENTRANCE SLOT AND TERMINATING IN A THICK PORTION WHICH IS SMALLER IN CROSS-SECTION THAN THE CROSSSECTION OF SAID CAVITY, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: A SHOE FIXED ON ONE END OF THE THUMB ELEMENT AND PROJECTING THEREFROM AND HAVING AN OUTER SURFACE SHAPED LIKE THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID CAVITY, WHEREBY UPON PLACING THE LOWER END OF SAID SHEET PILE MEMBER ADJACENT EDGE-TO-EDGE WITH THE UPPER END OF ANOTHER DUPLICATE SHEET PILE MEMBER PREVIOUSLY DRIVEN LONGITUDINALLY INTO THE EARTH, WITH THE THUMB ELEMENTS EACH ENTERING THE CAVITY ON THE OTHER