US3604519A

US3604519A - Method of creating underwater thrusts to drive a member into the earth

Info

Publication number: US3604519A
Application number: US799449A
Authority: US
Inventors: Stephen V Chelminski
Original assignee: Stephen V Chelminski
Current assignee: Teledyne Bolt Inc
Priority date: 1969-02-14
Filing date: 1969-02-14
Publication date: 1971-09-14
Anticipated expiration: 1988-09-14
Also published as: NL7001878A; JPS516968B1; BE745759A; DE2006572A1; FR2032821A5; GB1293967A

Abstract

A novel thruster method and apparatus generating a sequence of powerful thrusts suitable for driving an anchor, a pile, or the like into the earth. A novel anchor, anchor placing apparatus and pile driver are described. An acoustic impulse repeater device is located within a reaction barrel to rapidly upwardly impel water therefrom. In the case of the anchor placing apparatus, the reaction of the barrel rams an anchor and the anchor chain attached to it into sediment below a body of water. In the pile driver embodiment, the pile has taken the shape of the reaction barrel into which water is placed. Various embodiments are described.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventor Stephen V. Chelminski Valley Rd., RFD 1, West Redding, Conn. 06896 [21] Appl. No. 799,449 [22] Filed Feb. 14, 1969 [45] Patented Sept. 14, 1971 [54] METHOD OF CREATING UNDERWATER TIIRUSTS TO DRIVE A MEMBER INTO THE EARTH 3 Claims, 13 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.CI 173/1, 114/206,175/6 [51] Int. Cl E02d 7/06 [50] Field otSeai-ch 173/1,9l; 175/6; 181/.5 1-I;9l/4; 114/206 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,118,417 1/1964 Stanwicl; 114/206 H 3,310,128 3/1967 Chelminski....., 181/.5

Primary ExaminerErnest R. Purser Attorney-Bryan, Parmelee, Johnson & Bollinger ABSTRACT: A novel thruster method and apparatus generating a sequence of powerful thrusts suitable for driving an anchor, a pile, or the like into the earth. A novel anchor, anchor placing apparatus and pile driver are described. An acoustic impulse repeater device is located within a reaction barrel to rapidly upwardly impel water therefrom. In the case of the anchor placing apparatus, the reaction of the barrel rams an anchor and the anchor chain attached to it into sediment below a body of water. In the pile driver embodiment, the pile has taken the shape of the reaction barrel into which water is placed Various embodiments are described.

PATENTED SEP? 4 I971 SHEEI 3 OF 5 m T m. V m

Step/16k VC/zeimiasl STD/MEN T M k I p TORNA'YS.

PATENTED SEPI 4 l97l SHEET 4 OF 5 INVENTORH Sigh/lea K aeimmslu PATENTED SEN 4 I97! SHEET 5 OF 5 fjza 74 v I warn? INVENTQR. Stephen 1/. (Italian/ash SEDIMEN T thrusts capable of driving an anchor, a pile, or the like for submerging them into the earth and relates to novel anchoring and pile apparatus.

In the anchoring of structures over water difficulties are encountered in the installation of suitable anchoring devices. For instance, in the employment of platforms for the drilling of off-shore located oil, expensive and structurally complex piles are used. These underwater piles usually require that one firmly seat several concrete filled metal casings into the sediment. The filled casings must have sufficient rigidity to both support the platform and withstand the immense side forces induced by the flow of water from waves and currents. Conventional underwater piles have'rnassive dimensions and are difficult and expensive to install. Consequently, the exploration of offshore oil involves huge initial expenditures just to erect a suitable platform from where experimental drilling operations may be conducted.

A main function of a platform is to provide a fixed location over the sediment for the drilling operation. Temporary drilling operations can be conducted from a floating ship provided its location over the sediment can be held. Conventional anchors, however, have a tendency to drag across the sediment, and do not provide a sufficiently reliable hold to justify risking the breaking of temporary drilled pipe by excessive movement of the ship.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a powerful thruster method and apparatus capable of driving a permanent anchor into the sediment.

Another object is to provide a novel permanent anchor apparatus.

It is further/an object of this invention to provide an inexpensive anchor which remains at a fixed location.

It is a further object .of this invention to provide a simple easily manipulatable anchor installing apparatus.

It is still further an object of this invention to provide an anchor'installing apparatus which is suitable for use under water and is not depth limited.

It is another object of this invention to provide a method for installing an anchor within thesediment underlying a body of water in an economic and simple manner.

Another object of the present invention is to provide method and apparatus generating a sequence of powerful thrusts capable of driving hollow piles on land or submerged beneath the sea.

The conventional hollow cylindrical pile is placed into the soil under compression as a result of the action by the ram. The pile itself, therefore, must have sufficient wall thickness to withstand the action of the ram. Such wall usually has a thickness larger than that necessary for the structure supporting function of the pile and in this sense involves a waste of material.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a novel pile driving apparatus.

It is further an object of this invention to provide a novel economical pile for supporting a structure.

It is still further an object of this invention to provide a novel pile driving apparatus which operates quietly, with low vibration levels and economically.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel pile driver for installing a pile into soil in tension.

These objects are accomplished by my invention, several embodiments of which are described as follows in conjunction with the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial sectional, broken, frontal view in elevation of an apparatus employed for the submergence of an anchor in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial broken sectional view along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view along the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional and side view taken along the line 4--4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of an anchor taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. I;

FIG. 6 is a view of the apparatus of FIG. I as it is lowered towards the sediment below a body of water; 7

FIG. 7 is a view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in position .on. the sediment below a body of water;

FIG. 8 is a view of the apparatus of FIG. I after an has been submerged into the sediment;

FIG. 9 is a view of an anchor installed within the sediment with an anchor chain attached thereto;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of still another anchor in-accordance with my invention;

FIG. 11 is a partial sectional and side view in elevation of a pile driver apparatus in accordance with my invention;

FIG. 11A shows an enlargement of the bottom endportion of the hollow pile apparatus; and

FIG. 12 is a view in elevation of an underwater pile driving apparatus in accordance with my invention.

In the simplest sense my invention contemplates the generation of rapidly repeating acoustic impulses within a reaction barrel containing a substantially incompressible fluid to produce powerful thrusts for moving the reaction barrel.

My invention contemplates a powerful thruster method and apparatus generating a sequence of powerful thrusts in a controlled manner and having great force capable of driving a member down deeply into the earth. This invention contemplates the installation of an anchor which is completely submerged within soil. The apparatus-which my invention contemplates for driving of the anchor down into sediment comprises a reaction barrel, a ram connected to the reactionbarrel and operatively coupled to the anchor, and an acoustic impulse producing device located within the barrel for effecting substantially incompressible fluid from the barrel to drive the ram and anchor within the sediment. My invention further contemplates a novel method for installing an'anchor by attaching an anchor line to a sediment submergible anchor and drivingthe anchor completely within the sediment down to a desired depth thereof.

In the driving of piles for buildings the conventional pile drivers employ a massive ram that repeatedly-acts on a pile to drive it into the soil down to bedrock. The operation of a pile driver is noisy and slow. The vibrations from a conventional pile driver carry to neighboring structures and under some circumstances cannot be tolerated lest the adjacent structures by damaged.

My invention thus further contemplates a novel pile driver apparatus wherein a hollow pile having a closed bottom end is provided with a substantially incompressible fluid within the hollow of the pile. An acoustic impulse producing device is placed within the hollow of the pile in the vicinity of the bottom end and is repeatedly actuated to force the fluid upwardly and in reaction generates a sequence of powerful thrusts to drive the pile downwardly into soil.

With reference to FIG. I, I show an embodiment of the powerful thruster method and apparatus of the present invention, in the form of an anchor placing apparatus shown generally at 10. The anchor placing apparatus 10 includes a reaction barrel 12 which is connected to a ram I4 having'at the reaction barrel end a bore 16 (not visible in the view of FIG. 1 and shown in FIG. 3). The reaction barrel l2-has a top opening 17 for receiving an acoustic impulse repeater device 18 which at the bottom end is provided with a depending slide rod member 20 which fits in a sliding manner through an opening of the bottom of the barrel 12 into the bore 16 of the ram 14. The depending rod 20 is provided at the bottom end thereof with an enlarged stop 22. The ram 14 slidingly connects to guide means shown as a pedestal ortripod at 24 and passes through a guiding sleeve 26 to thereafter engage in a anchor socket 27 in an anchor 28 in the shape of a disc. The ram 14 is held to the anchor 28 by disconnection means such as a pair of retainer tabs 29-29 which are easily fractured for release of the ram from the anchor after the latter has been rammed into the sediment. An anchor line 30, which may be a chain or cable or the like, is shown connected to an eye bolt 32 on the anchor- 28 and is releasably retained by suitable retainer means 34 connected to the reaction barrel.

The anchor placing apparatus drives the anchor 28 into the with the anchor in an orientation that presents a minimum resistance to submergence. The anchor line 30 is, therefore, so attached to the anchor 28 that tensile anchor forces cooperate to reorient the anchor 28 to face the anchor with its largest surface area towards the chain. Accordingly, the line 30 is attached to the anchor in a manner which is eccentric for all anchor orientations except the orientation providing the greatest resistance to anchor emergence from the sediment. In this manner a stable anchor orientation coincides with the desired maximum anchoring strength. The anchoring strength of a 14-inch diameter anchor disc submerged into feet of sediment is immense, even when subjected to a direct vertical pull on the anchor line.

The acoustic impulse repeater device 18 is of the type as described in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,310,128 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,379,273. The repeater device 18 operates by periodically suddenly releasing under remote control a charge of highly compressed air. The air for this purpose is supplied through a hose 36 and the electrical solenoid valve mechanism is triggered at spaced time intervals through a control cable 38. A hoisting cable 40 for the anchor placing apparatus is attached to the acoustic repeater device 18.

The guide pedestal 24 comprises a conventional sturdy tripod, two supporting legs 42-42 are visible in the view of FIG. 1. The primary function of the pedestal 24 is to orient the guiding sleeve 26 generally at the sediment upon which the pedestal rests. The ram 14 moves freely and slidingly within the guiding sleeve 26 under action by the reaction barrel l2 and the repeater device 18 as will be explained.

The anchor line retainer means 34 is shown with greater detail in FIG. 2 wherein the anchor chain 30 is threaded between a pair of brackets 44-44 by a retractable spring attached to the reaction barrel l2 and is trapped between the brackets 44-44 by a retractable spring loaded shaft 46 and piston 47. The space within the cylinder 49 behind the piston 47 is connected to the air line 36. When the anchor driving operation is completed, the air pressure in line 36 is bled off, allowing the spring to retract the piston 47 and shaft 46, thus releasing the anchor line 30. The retainer means 34 permits the raising of the anchor placing apparatus 10 free from the anchor line 30 without entanglement of the cable 40 with the line 30.

FIG. 3 in addition to its more detailed sectional view also schematically illustrates the powerful thruster method. The acoustic repeater 18 is freely positioned on the bottom 48 of the reaction barrel 12 coming to rest by its own weight, and is energized by remote control to suddenly release its charge of high pressure compressed air. The pressure from the air is so violent that it ejects an incompressible fluid such as water 50 through the top opening 17 thereof. The rapid ejection or impelling of the upwardly moving water involves a powerful reaction on the reaction barrel in a direction indicated by the arrows 52, thus driving the ram 14 and operatively-connected anchor 28 into the sediment. The penetration of the anchor 28 and ram 14 during each thrust into the sediment is a function of the air pressure and volume being abruptly released and of the cross-sectional area and length of the reaction barrel and is affected by the density of the sediment. The acoustic impulse repeater device is quickly recharged, within seconds, to enable it with repeated sudden air discharges to drive the anchor 28 and ram 14 into the sediment. This thruster action moves the anchor 28 by small increments into the sediment.

The repeater device 18 is slidingly mounted to the reaction barrel so that it can be raised completely out of the reaction barrel for testing underwater during lowering as shown in FIG. 6. When the repeater device is moved out of the barrel, the depending rod member 20 by use of its end stop 22 prevents the escape of the repeater device from the reaction barrel. The position of the stop 22 opposite the opening in the bottom 48 of the reaction barrel I2 is illustrated by the dashed line 54in FIG. 3.

In FIG. 4 the anchor 28 is shown, provided at its center extending from one surface 56 with eye bolt 32 for linkage with the anchor line 30. The bottom end 58 of the ram socket 27 in the anchor is chamfered to facilitate submergence of the anchor 28 into the sediment. The ram 14 fits within this socket 27 which is preferably located along a radial line or diameter of the disc-shaped anchor 28. The anchor is held to the ram 14 by breakable tabs 29-29, (only 29' being visible in the view of FIG. 4). Other temporary retaining means may be employed to hold the anchor to the ram as long as the ram 14 may be easily disengaged from the anchor 28 after the anchor has been submerged.

View of FIG. 4 illustrated the eccentric mounting of the eye bolt 32 relative to the anchor surface 56. A pulling force on the anchor line acting in the direction of arrow 62 will tend to rotate the anchor 28. In view of the small eccentricity of the applied force, i.e. the offset of the force from the surface 56 (the height h of the eye bolt 32 above the central plane of the anchor 28) a small moment arm is produced. This moment arm, h, is sufficient to cause an initial rotation of the anchor 28 and this rotation is quickly accelerated until the moment is reduced to zero when the surface 56 is substantially transverse to the anchor chain 30. With the surface 56 transverse to the chain 30 maximum anchor strength is obtained.

FIG. 10 illustrates another method for attaching the anchor chain 30 to an anchor 28. Three peripheral located

apertures

64, 64' and 64" are formed in the anchor 28' at equiangular locations. If desired, these apertures may be replaced with three eye bolts like that used with anchor 28 of FIG. 1. Three chains, 66, 66' and 66" of equal length have one end connected to a ring 68 to form a common junction. The other ends of the chains engage the several apertures64, 64 and 64". The anchor cable 30 is also connected to the ring so that upon the application of a pulling force on the line, again an eccentric moment rotates the anchor 28'. The anchor 28' rotates until its surface 56 is so oriented that an equal tensile force is applied to each of the

chains

66, 66' and 66". This equal force condition corresponds with the maximum anchoring strength, i.e. with surface 56' substantially transverse to v the anchor chain 30. Note especially that the anchor of FIG.

10 is fully submerged in sediment including the anchor chain attaching devices such as

chains

66, 66 and 66" and ring 68.

The insertion of the anchor 28 into sediment is preferably accomplished by orienting the anchor 28 as shown in FIG. 1. This orientation presents the smallest cross-sectional area in the ramming direction; thus facilitating submergence of the anchor. The chamfered edge 58 of the anchor further enhances the installation of the anchor. To further reduce the cross-sectional area of the anchor during installation it is shaped in the form of a flat plate with an enlarged central section for receiving the ram 14. FIG. 5 clearly shows this construction. The anchor is formed of a generally flat plate which is provided with an enlarged longitudinal hollow cylindrical central section 70. The ram 14 fits within the bore 27 of the hollow central section 70. The bottom end of the cylindrical section 70 is chamfered as is visible in the view of FIG. I at 72. FIG. 6 illustrates the position of the anchor placing apparatus 10 during the lowering thereof from a ship towards the sediment below a body of water. The depending member 20 coupled to the acoustic impulse repeater l8 permits the latter to be raised out of the reaction barrel 12 for general exploratory use or for precise locating of the apparatus 10 during descent. With the repeater in its extended position as in FIG. 6, the downward progress of the apparatus 10 may be accurately tracked. In FIG. 7 the anchoring apparatus is shown positioned on the bottom and by its own weight the repeater 18 has now dropped down to the bottom of the reaction barrel 12.

FIG. 8 illustrates the positioning of the anchor 28 down to a desired depth location within the sediment. The ram 14 has been extended into the sediment and may now be released from the anchor 28. The release may be accomplished by simply withdrawing the ram by the lifting of the anchoring apparatus thereby breaking the tabs 29-29. In any event, upon the release of the anchoring apparatus from the anchor 28 and release of the anchor line retainer means 34, the apparatus 10 is raised and the anchor is ready for use.

FIG. 9 illustrates the anchor 28 in its load carrying position. Note that the anchor 28 has rotated to present its large surface 56 substantially transverse to the anchor chain 30. This rotation is accompanied by a slight raising of the anchor, but not enough to be concerned about. As previously described this rotation is primarily attributable to the eccentrically located eye bolt 32 to which the chain 30 is connected.

FIG. 11 illustrates another embodiment of the powerful thruster method and apparatus for driving a pile employing the principles similar to those previously described with the anchoring apparatus. A hollow pile 74 is shown partially submerged into soil 76 with a pile guiding vehicle 78 for both providing guidance of the pile 74 (which may be as high as 200 feet) and control of the apparatus used to drive the pile into the soil.

The pile is a hollow cylindrical member having a bore 79 extending from its open top end 80 and having a bottom closure or cap 82. The bottom end of the pile 74 is provided with a point 84 to enhance entry of the pile into the soil. An acoustic impulse repeater device 86 is positioned on the bottom closure 82 of the bore. The repeater device 86 is held at the center of the bore 79 by three radially and upwardly extending spring bars 88 evenly distributed on the upper periphery of the repeater device. Only two of the spring bars 88 are visible in the view of FIG. 11. The spring bars 88 contact the wall of the bore 79 with rollers 90. A hoisting and control cable 92 connects the repeater device 86 to the vehicle 78.

The vehicle 78 is provided with a retractable jack 94 to stabilize a platform 96. On the platform 96 rests a rig post 98 and the peripheral control equipmentsuch as an air pump 100, water pump source 102, and control box 104. The upper part of the rig post 98 is provided with a cross beam 106 which extends over the bore 74 of the pile 74.

A water hose 108 is connected to the water pump source 102 and is fed down the bore 79 to come to rest in the vicinity of the repeater 86 but still sufficiently spaced to avoid impacts between them during the operation of the pile driver. The hose supplies enough water to fill the bore 79 to a level at 110. This level preferably is sufficiently below the top to prevent ejection and loss of water during operations. It is recognized however that such water loss may not always be avoidable, as for instance with short piles. Generally midway of the rig post 98 is a pile guide sleeve 112 which encloses the pile 74 with sufficient radial play to slidingly support and guide the pile.

The operation of the pile driver is essentially like that of the reaction barrel of FIG. 1. The entire pile 74 acts as a reaction barrel. The release of the compressed air stored within the repeater device 86 violently forces the water upwardly and in reaction drives the pile 74 downwardly. The pile is advantageously suitable for this method of driving since its length permits a large head of water to be forced upwardly. The hose I08 automatically replaces any water lost through the opening 80 by the pile driving operation.

With the insertion of the pile 74 with the apparatus of FIG. 11, the force applied to the pile is at its bottom tip 84. This assur es that the pile is driven into the soil by tension and permits the utilization of a smaller wall thickness than that needed for piles driven into the soil by conventional ram type pile drivers, thus being more economical of material. After the pile has been driven, the repeater 86 is removed from the pile, and the pile may be filled with concrete if desired. Thus, the thinner wall section does not adversely affect the load bearing strength because the concrete core bears much of the load.

rr tervals.

In the event one desires to utilize conventional piles for the support of a sea platform, pier or the like the installation of the piles is a huge complicated engineering task. The sea platform is difficult to install and commonly requires deep sea divers to supervise and aid in the erection of the piling support of the platform. My invention is advantageously suited .for the installation of underwater piles.

FIG. 12 illustrates a novel underwater pile driving apparatus which incorporates features of FIG. 1 and FIG. 11. A ship is shown temporarily anchored over a selected location over the sediment. A crane 114 on the ship is attached to a hollow steel pile 74 with a releasable lowering cable 116. The hollow'steel pile 74 is as shown in FIG. 11 and is slidingly supported in a vertical position over the sediment by use of a tripod 118. The tripod 118 has several guiding sleeves 120-120 to maintain the pile in an upright position. The pile 74 has a bore 79 which is closed at 82. Within the bore 79 near the bottom 82 is an acoustic impulse repeater 86 which for clarity purposes is shown without the centering bars 88 of FIG. 11. A cable 92, composed of an air line and an electrical control line for repeater air recharge and control thereof, is shown connected to shipboard control equipment which includes a compressor 122 and suitable electrical control circuitry 124. The operation is like that in FIG. 11. Thus the impulse repeater 86 is sequentially actuated to impel the water in the bore 79 upwardly and in reaction generate powerful thrusts on the bottom 82 to drive the pile 74 into the sediment. The release of the lowering cable may be accomplished by use of fracturable lines designed to fracture under a specified high load (greater than the weight of the pile) at a desired location such as near the pile or with the use of a remotely controlled release mechanism. A cable line 126 is used to pull up the tripod 118.

The underwater pile driving apparatus may be advantageously used in any desired orientation. Thus horizontally installed piles are as easily installed as vertical piles. With the horizontal installation of a pile the tripod support may be aided with able support lines from the ship. Since the horizontally oriented pile is as easily refilled with water as the vertical pile the pile driving operation will be the same.

As an illustration of the powerful thrust capability of the present invention the following example is given;

WEXA LEUM l8 inches 60 inches 20 feet 14 inches 40 cubic in.

in. psi.

2,000 cubic At least of the compressed air charge abruptly discharged within a time period of 2.0 milliseconds. The compressed air charge released at 5 second In this example the 14-inch anchor disc was driven down to a depth exceeding 6 feet. Subjected to a direct vertical pull on the anchor line 30, the anchor initially yielded a small distance to set it transversely to the line of pull. Thereafter it withstood a direct vertical pull on the anchor line in excess of 7,000 pounds for a period of one-half hour without significant movement.

While my invention has been shown and described in certain particular embodiments merely for the purpose of illustration, it will be clearly understood that the general features of my invention may be applied to other arrangements without departing from the spirit of my invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A method of generating a sequence of powerful thrusts suitable for driving an anchor, a pile, or the like into the earth comprising the steps of providing a reaction barrel which is rigidly closed at one end and open at the other, providing an incompressible liquid such as water in said barrel adjacent to said closed end and extending along said barrel toward the open end, abruptly releasing compressed air at high pressure into said liquid near said closed end of the reaction barrel impelling the liquid toward said open end producing a powerful reaction thrust in the axial direction of said rigidly closed end, waiting a brief time period to allow the liquid to return in said barrel to its initial position, again abruptly releasing the compressed air into said liquid near said closed end impelling the liquid toward said open end producing a second powerful reaction thrust in the axial direction of sad rigidly closed end, again waiting a brief time period to allow the liquid to return in said barrel to its initial position, and repeating said steps periodically to generate a sequence of powerful thrusts suitable for such uses.

2. A method of generating a sequence of powerful thrusts in a body of water suitable for driving an anchor, a pile, or the like into the earth beneath the body of water comprising the steps of providing a reaction barrel which is rigidly closed at one end and has access to the body of water at the second end, providing a pneumatic acoustical repeater within said barrel near the closed end thereof, providing water in said barrel surrounding said repeater and extending along said barrel toward the second end, introducing compressed air at high pressure into said repeater, abruptly releasing the compressed air from said repeater into said liquid impelling the liquid toward said second end producing a powerful reaction thrust in the axial direction of said closed end, allowing water to return in said barrel to its initial position, again introducing compressed air at high pressure into said repeater, again abruptly releasing the compressed air from said repeater into said liquid impelling the liquid toward said second end producing a second powerful reaction thrust in the axial direction of said closed end, and repeating said steps periodically to generate a sequence of powerful thrusts suitable for such uses.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, for driving an anchor plate into the earth beneath the body of water including the steps of rigidly attaching the anchor plate in edgewise relationship to the axis of said reaction barrel, employing the sequence of powerful thrusts to embed the anchor plate edgewise into the earth beneath the body of water, disconnecting the reaction barrel from said anchor plate, and applying an eccentric pull to said anchor plate to orient it crosswise to the direction of pull.