US841773A - Trench-sheeting. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED JAN. 22, 1907.-

A. W. FITZGERALD.

TRBNGH SHEETI'NG.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 15, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

555; Illllll' um/Mozworn amp vide sheeting UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

TR-ENCH- SHEETING.

Application filed March 15,

T 0 all/Z whom/ it mm/7] concern:

Beit known that I, ALBERT W. FITZGER- ALD, acitizen of the United States, residing I at Terre Haute, in the county ofVigo and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTrench-Sheeting, of which the following is a specification.

In the digging of trenches for the construction of sewers, foundations, and-the like it is necessary when the trenches are deep to profor. the side walls to prevent caving,-and such sheeting is ordinarily composed of vertical strips driven vertically along the sides of the trench. Where the trench is very deep, the sheeting must be put in in sections, and consequently the upperwidth of the trench must be very considerably greater than is necessary for the actual construction to be placed-on the bottom of the trench.

The object ofmy present invention is to produce a sheeting-supportof such character that the sheeting may bevery readily placed in position without the necessity of driving, the constructionbeing such that the. trench may be either narrowed or widened at the bottom and also being such that it canbe used in very soft ground.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a trench provided with my improved sheeting; Fig. 2, a vertical section showing atrenchwidened at the bottom by the.use of my sheeting Fig. 3, a similar view showing the trench narrowed at the bottom; Fig. 4, a similar view showing a modified form of post-section for use in very soft ground, and Fig. 5 a perspective view of a convenient form of post-section.

In the drawings, 10 indicates a supporting post-section or hanger provided at opposite vertical edges with grooves 11, which are widened at one end to form open mouths 11 to permit insertion of the sheeting. Each post 10 is provided on its back or outer face with a hook 12 at one end and an eye 13 at the other end, the arrangement being such that the hook 12 may be received in the eye 13 of another postsection, so as to form a continuous member or sheeting guide the sections of which may be placed at any desired angle. The grooves 11 are adapted to receive the ends of horizontal sheeting-strips 14, which may be of any convenient length and width.

The post-sections and sheeting may be of Specification of Letters Patent.

1906. Serial 110.306.1125.

any desired dimensions; but inpractice I find it convenient to make the-post-sections from three to four sheeting sections from SIX toeight, feet in length, their width being-analiquotpart of" Theinner face, ofeachpostesection is provided witha the length of the post-sections.

feet in length and the.

Patented J an. 22, 1907.

suitable brace-support 15, adaptedtoforma.

rest or support for theend ofanydesi-rable sewer-brace 16.

In operation the trench is dug toa depth?- slightly inexcess of'the length of oneof the I post-sections 10, and transverse braces 17 are then-laid across the open mouthofthe trench. Each of .these bracescarries ateach end an eye or hanger the hook 12 ofapost-section 10, and one .ofthe. post-sections is eyes. The sheeting members 14 are then in-. troduced in the adjacent pairs ofgrooves 11, and braces 16 are put in position. trenchis then lowerends of the first set ,TWI'DIIPIOPGI' braces 16 placed in position. The sheeting members 14 'arethen introduced between the new set of post-sections through the in:

11. This operation is repeated as often as necessary.

at any time, I find it convenient to-use a special post-section. (Shown in Fig. 4.) In this form the post-section 10 is provided on opposite vertical edges with sheeting-pock upper ends, so that sheeting members may be introduced successively as the excavation proceeds. When working in very soft ground, the operators will dig a Wedge-shaped hole 25 at the lower end of each post-section and introduce the new post 10 before the main portion of the excavation is made.

As shown in Fig. 2, it is possible by swinging the lower ends of the lower postsections outward to widen the lower portion of the trench with ease, and in the same manner, as shown in Fig. 3, the trench may be narrowed at the bottom by swinging the lower ends of i the lower post-sections inward.

I claim as my invention 1. A post-section for trench-sheeting having sheeting-receiving grooves formed in oposite edges thereof, and an inwardly-open mouth leading thereto.

18, adapted .to I receive 1 T he. dug another section deeper, anda second set of post-sections hung totthe wardly-opening months .1 1 of thegrooves- If the ground is too soft topermit thedighung in each of these ging of the trench a full post-section deeper.

ets 11", which have inwardly-inclined open 2. A post-section for trench-sheeting having sheeting-receiving grooves formed in opposite edges thereof, an inwardly open mouth leading thereto, and means carried by the opposite ends of said post for interengagement with an adjacent post.

3. A postsection for trench-sheeting having sheeting-engaging portions along the vertical sides with a receiving-mouth below the top thereof so arranged so as to permit introduction of sheeting from the inner face of the .post.

4. A post-section for trench-sheeting having sheeting-engaging portions along opposite edges thereof, and means carried at opposite ends of the posts for interengagement with a similar section end to end.

5. A trench-sheeting comprising a plurality of post-sections, each having sheeting-engaging portions along opposite edges and means at opposite enos by which they may be connected in vertical series; and a plurality of horizontal sheeting members adapted to bridge the space between adjacent vertical series of post-sections.

' 6. A trench-sheeting comprising a plurality of post-sections, each having sheeting-receiving means capable of receiving sheeting from opposite sides, and means at opposite ends by which they may be connected in vertical series; and a plurality of horizontal sheeting members adapted to bridge the spaces between adjacent vertical series of postsections. V

7. A trench-sheeting comprising a plurality of post-sections, means carried by each post-section for. successive endwise engagement with another, a plurality of sheeting members, and means carried by the post-sections for engaging the ends of sheeting members.

8. A trench-sheeting comprising a plurality of post-sections, means carried by each post-section for successive endwise engagement with another, a plurality of sheeting members, means carried by the post-sections for engaging the ends of sheeting members, said means being such as to permit the placing of sheeting members at points intermediate the total length of a series, of post-sections.

9. A post-section for trench-sheeting having a series of vertically-arranged inwardlyopening sheeting-pockets for the reception of sheeting members.

10. A post-section for trench-sheeting having a series of sheeting-pockets for the reception of sheeting members, and means carried by the ends of each post-section for endwise connection with another post-section.

l l. A trench-sheeting comprising a plurality of vertical series of post-sections detachably connectible by hinge connections, and horizontal sheeting members engaging adja cent vertical series of post-sections and bridging the space therebetween.

12. A trench-sheeting comprising a plurality of vertical series of post-sections detachably connectible by hin e connections, and horizontal sheeting memIaers engaging adj acent vertical series of post-sections and bridging the space therebetween, the engagement between the post-sections and sheeting members being such as to permit application of sheeting members at points intermediate the total length of a series of post-sections.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 12th day of March, A. D. 1906.

ALBERT W. FITZGERALD. [L 8.]

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