US2897654A

US2897654A - Piles for marine structures

Info

Publication number: US2897654A
Application number: US210074A
Authority: US
Inventors: Michael S Lobenthal; Bloch Monroe Percy; Florence B Downs
Original assignee: Frederic R Harris Inc
Current assignee: Frederic R Harris Inc
Priority date: 1949-04-22
Filing date: 1951-02-08
Publication date: 1959-08-04
Anticipated expiration: 1976-08-04

Description

Aug. 4, 1959 F, R HARRB 2,997,654

PILES FOR MARINE STRUCTURES Original Filed April 22, 1949 ATTORNEY United States Patent PILES FR STRUCTURES Frederic R. Harris, deceased, late of New York, N.Y.,

by Michael S. Lobenthal, Lawrence, and Monroe Percy Bloch and Florence B. Downs, New York, N.Y., executors, assignors to Frederic R. Harris, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Original application April 22, 1949, Serial No. 89,002. Divided and this application February 8, 1951, Serial No. 210,074

1 Claim. (Cl. 61-53) This invention is an improved pile for erecting and supporting structures in water; especially platforms, towers and equipment to drill for oil in the earth under the water; and other uses.

An important object of this invention is to provide a pile capable of supporting heavy and uneven loads above the surface of the water, and resisting wind and wave action; easy to set up and anchor securely in place.

In its preferred embodiment the pile has the form of a hollow metal column, constructed so that the upper portion is buoyant; hence the pile can be submerged while virtually upright. The pile also has means for enabling it to be secured at its lower end in the bottom under the water, and therefore it does not have to be driven into the bottom to embed the lower end into the wet earth. Thus much time and labor are saved in the operation of getting fthe piles into position.

"Ihese and other objects and the nature and advantages of the invention are set forth in the ensuing description; and one or more embodiments are illustrated in the drawings. But the disclosure is by way of example only and any alterations in fthe details of structure can be adopted without deviation from the essential characteristics of the design as broadly dened in the appended claim.

On the drawings:

Figure l is a side view partly in section of the body of a pile according to this invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the lower pant of said pile when rst lowered to the bottom.

Figure 3 is a similar View showing said pile in linal anchored position, in final position on the bottom.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 89,002, for Method and Apparatus for Erecting Structures in Water, filed April 22, 1949, now Patent No. 2,775,095.

The body 1 of the pile is tubular. It can be floated to the spot where it is to be installed, and then flooded to sink it.

The lower end of the pile, which has the form of a long hollow pipe, is expanded to make an enlarged conical head 2, and in its outer end this head has a large opening 3 which is closed by a plug 4. The top of the body 1 bears a cover 5, which is of course removable. Within 2,897,654 Patented Aug. 4, 1959 the pile is a transverse partition 6, below which is an air vent cock 7. The pile, being hollow, will iloat in a horizontal position, when lowered into the water with the plug 4 and cover 5 tight. When itis desired to sink it, the plug 4 is removed so that water can enter into the lower end of the body and lill the interior space up to the partition 6. The lower part of the pile will thus be overweighted, while the upper end remains buoyant, so that it can be submerged in vertical position. The valve 7 is opened when the plug 4 is removed to let out the air.

The pile also has one or more pipe lines 8 therein which extend from the head 2 through the partition 6 and the top cover 5. :The upper ends of these lines can be capped when the pile is submerged, and later uncapped and coupled to water pumps; so that when the lower end of the pile reaches bottom 9, water can be forced through the pipes 8 to excavate the bottom and allow the head 2 to sink to some depth. When the head 2 rests rrnly on the bottom, liquid concrete in 'the form of grout or in such state as to be suitable for tremie pouring, is supplied under pressure to the pipes 8 to accumulate in a mass 10 in and around the head 2; and when this concrete sets, the pile has its own foundation and is anchored securely. They can be maintained upright or tilted, as indicated on Figures 2 and 3. The water above the bottom is indicated at 11. The part of the body 1 between the partition 6 and cover 5 constitutes a buoyancy member by means of which the one end of the pile is kept uppermost when the other end with the head 2 is submerged.

Having described the invention, what is believed to be new 1s:

A hollow elongated pile to be set up in water, said pile having its one end to be uppermost closed, and a transverse partition forming with the pile adjacent said end a closed buoyant air chamber, the other end of the pile having a large head with an opening and a removable plug in the opening to exclude water, and one or more pipes extending through the first-named end and said chamber and partition to said opening, the pile having a vent outside said chamber in one side of said pile adjacent said partition on the side thereof towards said head.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 676,993 McFadden June 25, 1901 1,048,194 Mitchell Dec. 24, 1912 1,718,006 Reno .lune 18, 1929 2,171,672 Plummer Sept. 5, 1939 2,248,051 Armstrong July 8, 1941 2,318,685 Gross May 11, 1943 2,589,146 Samuelson Mar. l1, 1952 2,607,198 Parks Aug. 19, 1952 2,637,172 Howard May 5, 1953 2,687,017l Gerwick Aug. 24, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 708,148 France Apr. 27, 1931