US2960706A - Pile cleaning and treatment device - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 22, 1960 E. M. DUNHAM 2,960,706

PILE CLEANING AND TREATMENT DEVICE Filed June 10, 1959 INVENTOR. 0174 M MAI/MAI ATTORNEY United States Patent ice 2,960,706 PILE CLEANING AND TREATMENT DEVICE Edward M. Dunham', 404 Teakwood, Oxnard, can. Filed 16.1.16, 1959, Ser. No. 819,515 6 Claims. c1. 15-4) (Granted under Title 35, U;S."Code'(19 52), sec. 266) The inventiondescribed herein may be manufactured and used by and for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon and therefor.

This invention relates to a' mechanism for cleaning and coating marinepiling and the like, and is particularly directed to the removal of marine encrustations from wooden piles and timbers and to the application of a protective toxic material to kill any remaining organisms and to resist future attack.

Numerous waterfront structures utilize timber piling. Countless timber piles throughout the world require replacement or repair annually because of natural deterioration and/or physical damage. The primary factors contributing to pile weakening include alternate wetting and drying due to tidal action, freezing and thawing, attacks by marine borers, and impacts from floating debris or vessels. All timber piling is subjected to one or more of these deteriorating influences.

In many installations, the replacement of timber piling is either physically or economically infeasible. An example of such a condition is a timber pile pier or Wharf having a reinforced concrete deck. In order to replace piling in such a structure, the deck would have to be removed in whole orin part. Under certain conditions, removal of the deck might well be infeasible because of the necessityof maintaining its structural integrity for uninterrupted'use. Moreover, the cost of removingandij subsequently-replacingthedeck would be very high, Anotherexample is where timber piling is supporting a waterfront building. In such case, the work space necessary for pile replacement is either denied or expensive alterations-would be required.

The solution to the above problems is best met by providing one of various formsof metal or concrete jacketing of the damaged timber pile. Prior to such jacketin'g procedures, however, it is obvious that the timber pile must be scrupulously clean of various types ofencrustations and prepared with some sort of toxic material for eradicating all forms of deleterious marine organisms.

A primary object of the present invention is to supply a cleaning, toxic and protective coating apparatus which may be conveniently used on timber piles in situ without the necessity for removing the piling or disturbing the decking or other load supported thereby. Another object of my invention is to provide an apparatus which will accomplish the necessary cleaning and coating steps in one operation, both above and below the water line.

A preferred form of the invention comprises a drum or hollow cylinder which surrounds the pile and is movable vertically thereon. Scraping and scrubbing devices actuated by a compressed air motor are provided within the drum to remove encrustations. When the apparatus is being used above the water line the coating process may follow the cleaning operation immediately. When the apparatus is used below the water line the exhaust from the compressed air motor within the drum will clear the 2,960,706 pate t d Nov. 22, 1960 2 drum of'water during the cleaning operation. With the compressed air motor still operating to continually expel water from the interior of the drum, the coating solution may then be applied free of water dilution. I

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a view in elevationof a pile having mounted thereon a device embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is anenlarged view invertical section of the device shown in Fig, 1.

Fig; 3 is a horizontal sectionalview taken on the line 3-3o f Fig. 2".

The pile shown in Fig. 1 has its lower end embedded in the mud r'sea-bottom 12 in usual manner, and supports a load indicated by beam 14 and stringers 16, above the water level 18. The cleaning and coating device is shown "mounted on the pile, being supported by a bridle 22 which permits the device 20 to be rotated relative to'the pile as well as to be moved vertically thereof by means not shown.

The'device 20 comprises a metal drum having a cylindrical wall 'and a bottom wall 32 formed with an aperture 34. The wall .32 is preferably formed of a thick metal plate, as shown, ,to serve as bailast for the drum. The upper wall of the device comprises a frusto-conical section 36 formed with'an' aperture 38 large enough to accommodate the largest diameter pile to be treated. The section 36 is infolded as shown to form. an annular supporting" flange 3 9. Overlapping section 36 is a split frusto-conical gasket 40, of rubber or other flexible and elastic material,.,dcsi'gned to engage the pile 10 in nearly watertightrelati'on. I The wall 30 .is formed in two sections vertically hinged together as indicated at 41, and secured in closed" position by a latch 42. The walls 38 and 32 are correspondingly split so that the drum may be caused to embrace the pilelfl.

Mounted rigidly'within the drum' is apipe 43 formed with a plurality of nozzles 44 for spraying creosote or other toxic coatingmaterial upon the pile. The pipe 43 projects through thesec'tion 36, and is supplied through a flexible conduit 45 from a source of coating material under pressure, not shown;

Fixed to the inner surface of wall 31) opposite to pipe 43 are upper and'lower horizontal. cylinders 46, 47, provided with pistonsandpiston.rods 50, 51. The pistons are supplied; with compressed, air from a source not shown, through afiexible conduit 52, a pressure reducing valve 54, andico'nduits 56 1 Compression-springs58, 59 in the cylindersur'ge; the. pistons toward. retracted position, in opposition to 'theforce' of'compressed air which urges them toward the extended position indicated in broken lines in Fig. 3.

A vertical shaft 60 is pivotally connected to piston rods 51 so that it may be moved inwardly and outwardly with relation to the vertical pile surface. A pneumatic tamper or ramming hammer 62 of commercial design is secured to shaft 60 intermediate its ends. With shaft 60 secured in place, the casing of the pneumatic hammer 62 will oscillate or reciprocate vertically when supplied with compressed air. The latter may be furnished through a flexible conduit 64 from a source not shown. Pneumatic hammer 62 is provided with one or more exhaust ports 66 which exhaust into the interior of the drum or hollow cylinder. As will be described more fully hereinafter, this exhaust air is utilized to drive water from the interior of the drum when the pile cleaning and coating apparatus is used below the water line.

Fixed to cylinder 62 is a wire brush 68, of curved shape as shown, designed to engage the pile and scrub therefrom such detritus as may be loosely adhering thereto.

For loosening more firmly adherent objects, such as barnacles, or other encrustations, a pair of scrapers 70, 71 are mounted on arms 72, 73 fixed to the cylinder 62.

In the operation of the device, the drum .20" is first opened and installed around the pile, and'i'sthenclosed and latched. Compressed air is admittedto the cylinders 46, 47 to cause the scrapers 70, 71 and brush 68 to engage the pile. The cylinder 62 is then energized to cause these elements to oscillate and thereby clean a portion of the surface of the pile, and the entire device is manually rotated through 360 until an entire zone of such surface has been cleaned. If-said'zoneis above the water level 18, the chemical coating liquid is then introduced through nozzles 44 and sprayed upon the cleaned surface. 5

This process is repeated on successively lower zones of the pile surface. In cleaning a zone below the Water level, the water in-the drum is gradually expelled by the air exhausting from the pneumatic hammer 62 and from compressed air leaking from cylinders 46 and 47. The water is expelled downwardly through aperture 34 carrying the detritus scraped and brushed from the pile. Then, after the cleaning operation is completed, the water is continuously expelled by keeping the pneumatic hammer in operation and the coating operation is accomplished.

While my invention has been described with but one scrubbing apparatus and spray coating apparatus shown, it is obvious that two or more of each such scrubbing and coating apparatus could be utilized. Furthermore, steam could be introduced through nozzles 44 during the cleaning operation for facilitating the removal of encrustations and the killing of marine organisms. After the cleaning operation nozzles 44 could then be used to spray the toxic coating or other desired material on the cleaned portion or zone.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for cleaning and treating a timber pile in situ comprising, in combination: a

a hollow cylindrical drum having apertured end walls adapted to be placed around said pile intermediate the ends of said pile;

vertically reciprocating motor means aflixed to the interior wall of said drum;

brushing and scraping means operable to contact a portion of said pile secured to said motor means;

means to expel water from the interior of said drum when said apparatus is used below the water line; and

means to spray a protective, toxic coating on the claned portion of said pile enclosed within said drum.

2. Apparatus for cleaning and treating a timber pile as claimed in claim 1 wherein said hollow cylindrical drum is vertically split into two sections, said sections being hingedly connected for opening and closing around said pile at a zone intermediate the ends of said pile, latching means opposite said hinges for locking said drum around said pile, and sealing means carried by the upper end wall of said drum for contacting said pile to establish an air and water tight connection therewith.

3. Apparatus for cleaning and treating a timber pile as claimed in claim 1 wherein said brushing and scraping means includes means for yieldably forcing said brushing and scraping means in contact With the portion of said pile being cleaned.

4. Apparatus for cleaning and treating a timber pile as claimed in claim 1 wherein said spray means consists of a plurality of downwardly directed nozzles secured to the inner wall of said drum.

5. Apparatus for cleaning and treating a pile in situ, comprising:

a drum of larger diameter than the pile having upper and lower walls apertured to slidably fit the pile in approximately water-tight relation;

a vertically reciprocating compressed air motor mounted on the inner wall of said drum and carrying scraping and brushing tools yieldingly held against the pile for removing encrustations therefrom;

means for supplying compressed air to said motor to actuate the same and to be exhausted therefrom to displace water from the drum; and

means to apply a protective coating to the cleaned pile while the water is so displaced.

6. Apparatus for cleaning and treating a pile in situ comprising, in combination:

a hollow structure adapted to be placed around said pile intermediate the ends of said pile, said hollow structure having upper and lower end walls apertured to slidably fit the pile in approximately water-tight relation and vertical walls connecting and supporting said end walls;

vertically reciprocating compressed air motor means mounted on the inner walls of said hollow structure and carrying scraping and brushing tools yieldingly held against the pile and removing encrustations therefrom;

means for supplying compressed air to said motor means to actuate the same and to be exhausted therefrom to displace water from the hollow structure; and

means to apply a protective coating to the cleaned pile while the water is so displaced.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,134,881 Lockwood Apr. 6, 1915 1,680,372 Fenn Aug. 14, 1928 2,831,451 May Apr. 22, 1958

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