GB2451245A

GB2451245A - Ground improvement

Info

Publication number: GB2451245A
Application number: GB0714398A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roger Alfred Bullivant
Original assignee: ROXBURY PATENTS Ltd
Current assignee: ROXBURY PATENTS Ltd
Priority date: 2007-07-24
Filing date: 2007-07-24
Publication date: 2009-01-28
Also published as: GB0714398D0

Abstract

A mast 10 for supporting apparatus 12 for improving the ground 14 includes an actuator 16 in the form of a winch. A power coupling 18b allows the mast 10 to draw power for the actuator 16 from the support vehicle 20. The mast includes an elongate member 24 which extends upwardly, in use, and includes at least two parts 48a, 48b which can be disassembled for compactness, when not in use (fig 2). A set of apparatus may include a drop weight 26 and other apparatus for various steps of ground improvement, at least some of them having fittings for interchangeably filling to the same vehicle 20.

Description

Ground lmDrovement The present invention relates particularly, but not exclusively, to ground improvement prior to building.

In a first aspect, embodiments of the invention provide a mast for supporting apparatus for ground improvement, comprising an actuator; fittings for fitting the mast to a vehicle for support; and a power coupling for drawing power for the actuator, from the support vehicle The actuator may be operable to raise a drop weight up the mast, for use in dynamic compaction of the ground. The actuator may comprise a winch The actuator may be operable to drive a drill, auger or other ground bit.

The actuator may be a vibrator.

The mast may be supported on the ground, in use, and stabilised by fitting to a vehicle. The vehicle fittings may be releasable and may comply with an industry standard, such as an industry standard three point linkage.

The mast may comprise a ground engaging portion which provides partial support for the mast when the mast fittings are partially raised by operation of a vehicle to which the mast is fitted. rhe ground engaging portion may include at least one wheel, allowing the mast to be towed by the vehicle.

V

The power coupling may provide mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic power transfer The power coupling may comprise a rotatable member operable to provide drive within the mast, The mast may comprise a hydraulic pump driven from the power coupling, to provide power to the actuator. The power coupling may be releasable and may be an industry standard arrangement. The power coupling may be compatible with an industry standard PTO arrangement.

The mast may comprise at least one elongate member which extends upwardly, in use, and includes at least two parts which can be disassembled for compactness, when not in use. The said two parts may be connected by a hinge arrangement.

In another aspect, embodiments of the invention provide a mast for Ii supporting apparatus for ground improvement, the mast comprising at least one elongate member which extends upwardly, in use, nd includes at least two parts which can be disassembled for compactness, when not in use.

The said two parts may be connected by a hinge arrangement The mast may include an actuator. The actuator may be operable to raise a drop weight up the mast, for use in dynamic compaction of the ground.

The actuator may comprise a winch. The actuator may be operable to drive a drifl, auger or other ground bit. The actuator may be a vibrator.

The mast may comprise fittings for fitting the mast to a vehicle for support. The mast may be supported on the ground, in use, and stabilised by fitting to a vehicle The vehicle fittings may be releasable and may comply with an industry standard, such as an industry standard three point linkage.

The mast may comprise a ground engaging portion which provides partial support for the mast, when the mast fittings are partially raised by operation of a vehicle to which the mast is fitted. The ground engaging portion may include at least one wheel, aHowirig the mast to be towed by the vehicle.

The mast may comprise a power coupling for drawing power for the actuator, from the support vehicle. The power coupling may provide mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic power transfer. The power coupling may comprise a rotatable member operable to provide drive within the mast. The mast may comprise a hydraulic pump driven from the power coupling, to provide power to an actuator within the mast. The power coupling may be releasable and may be an industry standard arrangement. For example, the power coupling may be compatible with an industry standard PTO arrangement In a further aspect, embodiments of the inventon provide a set of apparatus for use in ground improvement, wherein the apparatus of the set perform respective types of ground treatment to provide, in combination, a plurality of steps of a ground improvement technique, ad wherein a plurality of the apparatus have fittings for releasably fitting the apparatus to a vehicle, for support, and wherein the aforesaid fittings are alike, to allow the apparatus to be interchangeably fitted to the same vehicle.

The fittings may comply with an industry standard. The fittings may be an industry standard three point linkage.

At least one of the apparatus may comprise an actuator and a power coupling for drawing power for the actuator from the vehicle. The power coupling may be releasable and may be an industry sthndard arrangement.

For example, the power coupling may be compatible with an industry standard PTO arrangement.

The apparatus may include a mast according to the first or second aspect of the invention, as set out above The apparatus may include one or more of the following, a digger attachment; a blade; a mixer; a pump; a ripper; a roller.

The set of apparatus may further comprise a trailer for carrying the apparatus when not in use. The trailer may carry all of the apparatus, when not in use. The trailer may further carry the said vehicle. I0

Examples of the present invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, and with reference to the accc.mpanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a mast for supporting apparatus for ground improvement, during use; Fig. 2 illustrates the mast of Fig. 1 when not in use and disassembled, Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the mast of Figs. 1 and 2 and other apparatus forming a set of apparatus for ground improvement; and Fig. 4 is a perspective sketch view of a three point inkage.

Fig. I illustrates a mast 10 for supporting apparatus 12 for improvement of the ground 14. The mast includes an actuator indicated at 16, in the form of a winch.

The mast has fittings generally indicated at iSa for fitting the mast 10 to a vehicle 20, for support. A power coupling 18b allows the mast 10 to draw power for the actuator 16, from the support vehicle 20.

In this example, the mast includes two elongate members 24 which stand side-by-side (so that one is obscured behind the other, in the drawings).

In use (Fig. 1), the elongate members 24 extend upward and are preferably generally upright.

In the example of Fig. 1, a drop weight 26 is provided. The weight 26 is coupled with the actuator 16 by a cable (not visible ir the drawings) which runs within the elongate members 24, being guided by pulley wheels. This altows the actuator 16 to be operated to hoist the weight 26 up the mast 10, tO for example to a position as shown in Fig 1, which may be approximately 7 m above the ground 14. The weight 26 may have a weight of at least 4 tonnes.

When the actuator 16 releases the cable, the weight 26 drops to the ground 14, thereby providing ground improvement by the technique generally known as "dynamic compaction" (DC). The elongate members 24 may be provided with formations to act as leaders to guide the weight 26 as it falls. This ensures that the repeated drops impact on the same spot, and may also assist safety In alternative embodiments, the actuator 16 may provide rotary drive to a drill, auger or other ground bit, or may be a vibrator In these alternative examples, it may be appropriate to mount the actuator 16 nearer the top of the mast 10 than is illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 shows the feet of the elongate members 24 standing on the ground 14. Thus, at least some of the weight of the mast 10 is supported on the ground, in use. An outrigger 32 and brace 34 support a wheel 36 spaced from the member 24. The outrigger 32 and brace 34 may be fixed, or the outrigger 32 may be hinged to the member 24, with the brace 34 being retractable to raise and lower the wheel 36 relative to the member 24 Thus, the mast 10 may be rendered more compact, when not ii. use.

The fittings 18 are releasable from the vehicle 20 and, in this example, comply with an industry standard, such as an industry standard three point linkage. One example of an industry standard three poir.t linkage is set out in the standard ISO 730-1 1994 of the International Organisation for Standardisation and is particularly well known in the design of agricultural vehicles and ancillary equipment. Other industry standard three point linkage arrangements are known and could alternatively be used. One example of an industry standard three point linkage is illustrated in Fig. 4. The tractor 20 has three points 38 for mechanical connection to ancillary equipment. A fourth connection 40 is in the form of a rotating shaft, called a power take-off (PTO) shaft. Ancillary equipment is provided with three points 1 8a for attachment to respective points 38, and a power shaft 18b for connection with the PTO shaft 40. This allows ancillary equipment to be supported (primarily by the points 38) and powered (through the PTO shaft 40 and the shaft I Bb). Many tractors provide for the three point linkage 38, 40 to be raised and lowered, usually hydraulically, allowing ancillary equipment or an implement to be raised and lowered.

Returning to Fig. 1, it can be seen that by fittinj the mast 10 to the vehicle 20 by means of the three point linkage 18a, the mast 10 is further stabilised. In addition, slightly raising the three point linlage 38 of the vehicle allows the mast 10 to be tilted slightly, when not in use, raising the mast 10 onto the wheel 36 and allowing the mast 10 to be readily towed to an alternative position. It is not expected that the mast 10 would be towed in this manner over long distances, or by road, but only fron position to position within a site.

In addition, the fitting 18b couples with the PlO shaft 40 of the vehicle to be driven by it and thereby to draw power from the vehicle 20. The fitting lBb rotates in this example, to drive a hydrai.11c pump 46 which provides hydraulic pressure to power the actuator 16. As has been noted above, the power coupling lBb, 40 is releasable and is an industry standard arrangement. The fitting 1 8b is compatible with an industry standard PTO arrangement.

Accordingly, during use, the mast 10 can be set up as illustrated in Fig. 1 The mast 10 is stable by virtue of resting on the ground 14 and being further stabilised by fitting to the vehicle 20. Power is drawn from the vehicle 20, allowing the actuator 16 to raise the weight 26 for dropping the weight 26 to achieve DC ground improvement. After a particular po:nt of the ground has been adequately improved, which may require multiple di ops of the weight 26, the three point linkage of the vehicle 20 can be raised to lift the mast 10 onto the wheel 36, allowing the vehicle 20 to tow the mast 10 to a new position.

The mast 10 is then lowered back to the ground, to a vertical or nearly vertical position, allowing the process to be repeated for DC treatment of the ground at the new position.

In the example of Figs. 1 and 2, each of the elongate members 24 includes at least two parts 48a, 48b. The parts 48 are coupled at 50 by a lockable hinge arrangement. A retractable strut 52, whic! may be a hydraulic piston and cylinder, extends from the upper part 48a, to a position in the three point linkage The hinge 50 is lockable, for example by a nut and bolt arrangement. During use, the hinge 50 is locked to align the parts 48a, 48b, to form the complete elongate member 24, as illustrated in Fig. 1. When the mast 10 is not in use, the hinge 50 can be released, allowing the upper part 48a to hinge down (under control from the strut 52), to a position illustrated in Fig. 2, in which the upper part 46a lies generally horizontally above the vehicle 20. This results in a much more compact arrang3ment, which may be rendered even more compact by raising the outrigger 32, if the brace 34 is

retractable.

In the folded, compact condition, the vehicle 20 can tow the mast 10 onto a trailer 54, for storage and for transportation to an alternative site (Fig. 3).

In addition to the apparatus which has been described above, Fig 3 illustrates further apparatus forming a set of apparatus for use in ground improvement. The apparatus of the set performs respective types of ground treatment. For example, the apparatus may include a spreader 56 for spreading lime or other ground treatment material onto the ground. The apparatus may include a mixer 58, for example for mixing concrete for in situ formation of piles or other foundation elements. In addition, Fig. 3 illustrates the mast 10, as has been described. The set of apparatLs perform respective types of ground treatment to provide, in combination, a plurality of steps of a ground improvement technique. For example, the set ilkstrated in Fig. 3 may be used for DC compaction by the mast 10, The whole of the ground area may then be treated with lime, chalk, cement or other material for further improvement, using the spreader 56. The mixer 589 ray then be used to rotovate the soil, to mix it with the material spread by the spreader 56 The spreader 56 and mixer 58 also have fitting for releasably fitting the apparatus 56, 58 to the vehicle 20, for support. These fittings are also preferably industry standard, three point hnkages. Thus, the mast 10, spreader 56 and mixer 58 can be interchangeably flttea to the same vehicle 20. Furthermore, many vehicles 20, such as agricultur2l tractors, have three point linkages at the back and also at the front, allowing two of the apparatus to be fitted simultaneously to the vehicle 20. The spreader 56 and mixer 58 may be powered from the P10 shaft of the vehicle 20.

The set of apparatus carried by the trailer 54 allows a plurality of steps of a ground improvement technique to be implemerned without requiring additional apparatus, as has been noted above Accordingly, the complete set of apparatus can readily be transported to and from the site. This is expected to be particularly advantageous for small sites.

Many other types of apparatus could be included within the set or as alternatives to the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 3. For exnmple, the vehicle 20 may be provided with a digger attachment, blade for ground treatment (such as a plough blade), a pump (for pumping concrete mixed elsewhere, for example), a ripper (for ripping the ground) or a roller (fcr rolling the ground).

In each case, it is envisaged that by providing the apparatus with the same fittings, preferably industry standard three point linkages, desirable interchangeability will be achieved between the apparatus and different vehicles to Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specificatior to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of pa'-ucular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular empha;is has been placed thereon

Claims

1. A mast for supporting apparatus for ground improvement, comprising: an actuator; fittings for fitting the mast to a vehicle for support; and a power coupling for drawing power for the actuator, from the support vehicle.

2. A mast according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is operable to raise a drop weight up the mast, for use in dynamic compaction of the ground.

3. A mast according to claim 2, wherein the actuator is operable to drive a drill, auger or other ground bit.

4. A mast according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the actuator is a vibrator.

5. A mast according to any preceding claim, wherein the mast is supported on the ground, in use.

6. A mast according to any preceding claim, wherein the mast is stabilised, in use, by fitting to a vehicle.

7. A mast according to claim 6, wherein the vehicle fittings are releasable.

* *.25 * * * 8. A mast according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the fittings comply with an *S.S industry standard. *

0**.*. * .

9. A mast according to claim 8, wherein the standard is an industry *30 standard three point linkage. * *

10. A mast according to any of claims 6 to 9, comprising a ground engaging portion which provides partial support for the mast when the mast fittings are partially raised by operation of a vehicle to which the mast is fitted.

11. A mast according to claim 10, wherein the ground engaging portion includes at least one wheel, allowing the mast to be towed by the vehicle.

12. A mast according to any preceding claim, wherein the power coupling provides mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic power transfer.

13. A mast according to any preceding claim, wherein the power coupling comprises a rotatable member operable to provide drive within the mast.

14. A mast according to any preceding claim, wherein the mast comprises a hydraulic pump driven from the power coupling, to provide power to the actuator.

15. A mast according to any preceding claim, wherein the power coupling is releasable.

16. A mast according to any preceding claim, wherein the power coupling is an industry standard arrangement.

17. A mast according to any preceding claim, wherein the power coupling * .25 is compatible with an industry standard PTO arrangement. *. * * **

18. A mast according to any preceding claim, wherein the mast comprises :" at least one elongate member which extends upwardly, in use, and includes at least two parts which can be disassembled for compactness, when not in use. * * * ***

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19. A mast according to claim 18, wherein the said two parts are connected by a hinge arrangement.

20. A mast for supporting apparatus for ground improvement, the mast comprising at least one elongate member which extends upwardly, in use, and includes at least two parts which can be disassembled for compactness, when not in use.

21. A mast according to claim 20, wherein the said two parts are connected by a hinge arrangement.

22. A mast according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the mast includes an actuator.

23. A mast according to claim 22, wherein the actuator is operable to raise a drop weight up the mast, for use in dynamic compaction of the ground.

24. A mast according to claim 22 or 23, wherein the actuator comprises a winch.

25. A mast according to claim 22, 23 or 24, wherein the actuator is, operable to drive a drill, auger or other ground bit.

26. A mast according to any of claims 22 to 25, wherein the actuator is a vibrator.

27. A mast according to any of claims 20 to 26, wherein the mast :" comprises fittings for fitting the mast to a vehicle for support.

28. A mast according to claim 27, wherein the mast is supported on the ground, in use, and stabilised by fitting to a vehicle.

U

29. A mast according to claim 28, wherein the vehicle fittings are releasable. - 30. A mast according to claim 28 or 29, wherein the fittings comply with an industry standard.

31. A mast according to claim 30, wherein the standard is industry standard three point linkage.

tO 32. A mast according to any of claims 20 to 31, wherein the mast comprises a ground engaging portion which provides partial support for the mast, when the mast fittings are partially raised by operation of a vehicle to which the mast is fitted.

33. A mast according to claim 32, wherein the ground engaging portion includes at least one wheel, allowing the mast to be towed by the vehicle.

34. A mast according to any of claims 20 to 33, wherein the mast comprises a power coupling for drawing power for the actuator, from the support vehicle.

35. A mast according to claim 34, wherein the power coupling provides mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic power transfer.

* ,25 36. A mast according to claim 34 or 35, wherein the power coupling :::::: comprises a rotatable member operable to provide drive within the mast.

*.... 37. A mast according to claim 34, 35 or 36, wherein the mast comprises a hydraulic pump driven from the power coupling, to provide power to an actuator within the mast. * *

38. A mast according to any of claims 34 to 37, wherein the power coupling is releasable.

39. A mast according to any of claims 34 to 38, wherein the power coupling is an industry standard arrangement.

40. A mast according to claim 39, wherein the power coupling is compatible with an industry standard PTO arrangement.

41. A set of apparatus for use in ground improvement, wherein the apparatus of the set perform respective types of ground treatment to provide, in combination, a plurality of steps of a ground irnprovement technique, and wherein a plurality of the apparatus have fithngs for releasably fitting the apparatus to a vehicle, for support, and wherein the aforesaid fittings are alike, to allow the apparatus to be interchangeably fitted to the same vehicle.

42. A set according to claim 41, wherein the fittings comply with an industry standard.

43. A set according to claim 42, wherein the fittings are an industry standard three point linkage.

44. A set according to any of claims 41 to 43, wherein at least one of the apparatus comprises an actuator and a power coupling for drawing power for * *.,25 the actuator from the vehicle. * * * * S. *...

45. A set according to claim 44, wherein the power coupling is releasable.

I

* *15 SI * I 46, A set according to claim 44 or 45, wherein the power coupling is an industry standard arrangement.

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47. A set according to claim 46, wherein the power coupling is compatible with an industry standard PTO arrangement.

48. A set according to any of claims 41 to 47, including a mast according to any of claims I to 40.

49. A set according to any of claims 41 to 48, wherein the apparatus includes one or more of the following: a digger attachment; a blade; a mixer; a pump; a ripper; a roller.

50. A set according to any of claims 41 to 49, further comprising a trailer for carrying the apparatus when not in use.

51. A set according to claim 50, wherein the trailer carries all of the apparatus, when not in use.

52. A set according to claim 50 or 51, wherein the trailer carries the said vehicle.

53. A mast for supporting apparatus for ground improvement, substantially as described above, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

54. A set of apparatus for use in ground improvement, substantially as described above, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

* *.25 55. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed herein, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims. S. * *sS

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