WO2010044504A1

WO2010044504A1 - Portable pile driver

Info

Publication number: WO2010044504A1
Application number: PCT/KR2008/006508
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tai Un Kwon
Original assignee: Tai Un Kwon
Priority date: 2008-10-17
Filing date: 2008-11-05
Publication date: 2010-04-22
Also published as: KR100932662B1

Abstract

A portable pile driver is provided. The pile driver includes an air knocker, a cylinder, and a pile support. The air knocker connects with a compressor and extrudes air at high pressure. The cylinder is coupled to a lower part of the air knocker, has an air duct passing up/down, and contact inserts a hammer elastically supported by an elastic body into the air duct. The pile support is coupled to a lower part of the cylinder, is hollowed to insert a pile, and has a through hole at an upper end to through insert the hammer.

Description

Description PORTABLE PILE DRIVER

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a pile driver. More particularly, the present invention relates to a portable pile driver capable of being carried with simplicity and convenience, easily and firmly driving piles into the ground using high pressure air, reducing a manufacture cost, and enabling popular use. Background Art

[2] In general, many piles are required in a construction site, an engineering works, etc. or to cultivate crops such as ginsengs, red peppers, cucumbers, etc. For this, mostly, a worker locates a pile at a desired position and then hits and drives the pile into the ground using a hammer, etc.

[3] However, in a conventional pile driving work, when a single worker performs the work, he/she is difficult to accurately hit a pile and cannot apply a great force to the pile. Thus, mostly, two workers perform work as a pair, but the actual fact is that it is difficult to drive many piles by human power despite a long time work.

[4] Accordingly, a lot of human power and time are required for driving many piles over a wide area and thus, a term of works increases or also seeding time may be lost. Also, the cost of labor increases and work gets inefficient. Because even a worker has physical trouble, it is impossible to perform many works, thus leading to an increase of labor costs.

[5] In recent years, a hammer is installed in a large sized equipment to hit a pile, thereby facilitating work. However, the pile driving work using a hammer has a problem that, because the equipment is large in size, it takes a long time to move the equipment or adjust a position for driving a pile, thus causing inefficiency. Also, there is a problem that the large sized equipment cannot be used in a narrow place and the equipment also becomes an economic burden because of its high price. Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[6] Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a portable pile driver that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.

[7] An object of the present invention is to provide a portable pile driver for driving piles by its hit pressure, not by worker's force, thus reducing consumption of worker's labor to the maximum and driving many piles within a short time.

[8] Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable pile driver for allowing a worker to easily carry and move it, thus easily driving a pile even in a narrow space. Technical Solution

[9] To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, there is provided a portable pile driver is provided. The pile driver includes an air knocker, a cylinder, and a pile support. The air knocker connects with a compressor and extrudes air at high pressure. The cylinder is coupled to a lower part of the air knocker, has an air duct passing up/ down, and contact inserts a hammer elastically supported by an elastic body into the air duct. The pile support is coupled to a lower part of the cylinder, is hollowed to insert a pile, and has a through hole at an upper end to through insert the hammer.

[10] The hammer may further comprise a magnet at its upper part.

[11] A cutaway part may be formed up to a predetermined height at one side of the pile support and facilitate insertion of a pile.

[12] The driver further comprises an air outlet formed at one side surface of the pile support.

[13] A portable pile driver is provided. The pile driver includes an air knocker, a cylinder, a pile support, and a hitter. The air knocker connects with a compressor and extrudes air at high pressure. The cylinder is coupled to a lower part of the air knocker, has an air duct passing up/down, and contact inserts a hammer elastically supported by an elastic body into the air duct. The pile support is coupled to a lower part of the cylinder, is hollowed to insert a pile, and has a through hole at an upper end to through insert the hammer. The hitter has a through hole formed at a catching end provided at an upper part of the pile support, is inserted into the through hole and located between the hammer and the pile, and has catching protrusions protruding up/down at its both ends.

[14] The air knocker may include an air injection path, an air tank, an air pin, and an air block. The air injection path is formed lengthwise from one side of an upper part to the other side and connects with a compressor. The air tank is spaced apart from the air injection path to a lower end and provided to communicate with a first communication hole and a second communication hole, and surrounds the first communication hole while having an air block activation space part. The air pin is inserted into an end of the air injection path and supported by an elastic body, and blocks or unblocks air injection from the air injection path to an air tank through a second communication hole. The air block is contact inserted into the air block activation space part.

Advantageous Effects

[15] A portable pile driver according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is a very useful invention in that carriage and movement are easy and use is convenient because of a small size, a worker's fatigue is reduced because of driving using high pressure air, and the cost of labor is reduced and workability is improved because work efficiency is high.

Brief Description of the Drawings [16] FIG. 1 is a perspective diagram illustrating a portable pile driver according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [17] FIG. 2 is a partial cutaway diagram illustrating a state of a portable pile driver in which a pile is inserted and stands ready according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [18] FIG. 3 is a partial cutaway diagram illustrating a state of a portable pile driver in which a compressed air is injected according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [19] FIG. 4 is a partial cutaway diagram illustrating a state of a portable pile driver of temporarily stopping injecting air and hitting a pile according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [20] FIG. 5 is a perspective diagram illustrating a whole construction of a portable pile driver according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [21] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective diagram illustrating a portion 'A' of FIG. 5;

[22] FIG. 7 is a partial cutaway disassembled perspective diagram for describing a construction of a portable pile driver according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [23] FIG. 8 is a side diagram illustrating a portable pile driver according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [24] FIG. 9 is a cross section for describing a first operation state of a portable pile driver according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention; [25] FIG. 10 is a cross section for describing a second operation state of a portable pile driver according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and [26] FIG. 11 is a cross section for describing a third operation state of a portable pile driver according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention [27] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to accompanying drawings. [28]

[29] <First Exemplary Embodiment

[30] FIG. 1 is a perspective diagram illustrating a portable pile driver according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a partial cutaway diagram il- lustrating a state of a portable pile driver in which a pile is inserted and stands ready according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a partial cutaway diagram illustrating a state of a portable pile driver in which a compressed air is injected according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a partial cutaway diagram illustrating a state of a portable pile driver of temporarily stopping injecting air and hitting a pile according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[31] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the portable pile driver has an air knocker 100 provided at its upper part and a cylinder 200 contact coupled to its lower part. The air knocker 100 connects with a separate compressor (not shown). The cylinder 200 has an air duct 210 formed through up/down passage to communicate with an air tank 110 formed at the air knocker 100.

[32] A hammer 230 is contact inserted into the air duct 210 of the cylinder 200 such that the hammer 230 is elastically supported by an elastic body 220. A pile support 300 is coupled to a lower part of the cylinder 200 to insert and support a pile (P). The pile support 300 is opened at its lower end and has a catching jaw 310 and a through hole 320 at its upper end such that the hammer 230 passes inside the pile support 300. The through hole 320 is through provided at the catching jaw 310.

[33] Desirably, the hammer 230 has a magnetic part 231 formed at its upper part and having a strong magnetic force. The cylinder 200 has an air outlet 240 formed by boring a lower sidewall of the cylinder 200 such that, upon descent of the hammer 230, air can be discharged from the cylinder 200.

[34] Surely, a separate hitter 400 can be installed in the through hole 320 between the cylinder 200 and the pile support 300 such that the hitter 400 acts as an intermediate for forwarding a hitting power of the hammer 230 to the pile (P). For this, the hitter 400 includes a connector 410 and catching protrusions 420. The connector 410 is of a diameter and length inserted into the through hole 320. The catching protrusions 420 are each protruded from upper and lower sides of the connector 410 and are caught by the catching end 310.

[35] A cutaway part 330 is formed by cutting a portion from a bottom end to a predetermined height at one side surface of the pile support 300 and thus, can more facilitate the insertion of the pile (P) into the pile support 300.

[36] A handle 500 is further coupled to a side surface of the pile support 300 and makes movement convenient. The handle 500 can be adjusted in height such that it can correspond to various lengths of the pile (P).

[37] The air knocker 100 can be a variety of air knockers of a type compressing and discharging air by a strong force. However, the air knocker 100 of the present invention has an air injection path 120 and an air tank 110. The air injection path 120 is formed lengthwise from one side of an upper part of the air knocker 100 to the other side. The air tank 110 is spaced apart by a predetermined interval and is provided at its lower side of the air knocker 100.

[38] An air pin 130 is formed at the other side of the air injection path 120 such that the air pin 130 is elastically supported by an elastic body 131 and is inserted. A front end of the air pin 130 is inserted in such a manner that the air pin 130 is caught by a catching jaw 123 formed in the air injection path 120.

[39] A first communication hole 121 and a second communication hole 122 are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined interval and are each provided to communicate between the air injection path 120 and the air tank 110. The second communication hole 122 is provided at a lower side of the air pin 130 and unblocks or blocks between the air injection path 120 and the air tank 110 by an operation of the air pin 130.

[40] An air block activation space part 111 is formed at an upper part of the air tank 110 of a first communication hole 121 side in a form of surrounding the first communication hole 121. The air block activation space part 111 has a height spaced apart from the cylinder 200 coupled to a lower side. An air block 140 is contact inserted into the air block activation space part 111.

[41] An operation of the pile driver according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention is described below.

[42] A worker moves and locates the pile driver at a position for driving a pile (P) with catching the handle 500 of the pile driver. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the worker inserts the pile (P) into a lower part of the pile support 300. At this time, insertion is made easier by inserting the pile (P) into the cutaway part 330 of the side surface of the pile support 300.

[43] By the inserted pile (P), the hitter 400 is pushed up and ascends in the through hole

320 of the pile support 300. The hitter 400 no longer ascends because the catching protrusion 420 of a lower part of the hitter 400 is caught by the catching end 310.

[44] Then, as shown in FIG. 3, a separate compressor is operated to inject high pressure air into the air knocker 100 through the air injection path 120. As part of the injected air is introduced into the air block activation space part 111 through the first communication hole 121, it pushes an upper part of the air block 140 by a strong pressure and blocks mutual communication between the air tank 110 and the cylinder 200.

[45] However, as air injected toward the second communication hole 122 pushes the air pin 130 elastically supported by the elastic body 131, the air is introduced into the air tank 110. The air block 140 is in a state of descending by an air pressure of a first communication hole 121 side and thus, blocks a discharge of the introduced air to the cylinder 200, thus compressing and filling the introduced air in the air tank 120. [46] If air injection is suddenly stopped, as shown in FIG. 4, a force of pressurizing the air block 140 disappears and thus, the air block 140 ascends to an upper side of the air block operation space part 111 by an air pressure within the air tank 110 and the air pin 130 blocks the air injection path 120 by a force of the elastic body 131.

[47] Accordingly, the high pressure air compressed and filled in the air tank 110 is discharged through the air duct 210 of the cylinder 200 uniquely opened, and heavily hits an upper part of the hammer 230 provided within the cylinder 200.

[48] The hammer 230 hits the upper catching protrusion 420 of the hitter 400 of a lower side, and the hitter 400 again heavily hits a pile of a lower side and drives the pile into the ground.

[49] Surely, the fair fact is that, when there is no hitter 400, a lower end of the hammer

230 heavily hits and drives the pile into the ground.

[50] Meantime, when the hammer 230 descends in a moment, air is discharged from the cylinder 200 to the air outlet 240 of a side surface and thus, does not interrupt the descent of the hammer 230. The descending hammer 230 is again restored to the original position by the elastic body 220 and a strong magnetic force of the magnetic part 231, thus blocking the air duct 210 of the cylinder 200.

[51] If air is again injected into the air knocker 100 by the compressor, the air block 140 descends in the same manner and blocks a discharge of air to the cylinder 120. Surely, procedures of FIGS. 2 to 4 of pushing the air pin 130 and compressing and filling air within the air tank 110 through the second communication hole 122 are repeated.

[52] It is also desirable that injecting and stopping injecting air in a moment as above is performed at regular intervals by a timer.

[53] As above, the pile driver according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention hits and drives a pile into the ground at a desired depth using a strong force of air compressed at high pressure, and again moves to a position for driving a different pile and continues work.

[54]

[55] <Second Exemplary Embodiment

[56] FIG. 5 is a perspective diagram illustrating the whole construction of a portable pile driver according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective diagram illustrating a portion 'A' of FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a partial cutaway disassembled perspective diagram for describing a construction of a portable pile driver according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a side diagram illustrating a portable pile driver according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[57] Referring to FIGS. 5 to 8, a portable pile driver according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes an air knocker 100', a cylinder 200' including a hammer 230', and a pile support 300'.

[58] The air knocker 100' has an air injector 120" (e.g., an air injector 120" connecting with a separate air compressor) at its upper and center. An air injection path 120' is provided under the air injector 120". An air block 140' is housed in an activation space part and is provided under the air injection path 120'. First and second air tanks 110' and 110" are provided at both sides of the air block 140'. In a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the air injection path 120' connects with the first air tank 110' by an air communication hole 124. For example, a ball valve body 150 is provided between the air injection path 120' and the communication hole 124. The ball valve body 150 is supported at its one side by an elastic spring and is opened only at a predetermined pressure or more.

[59] In the cylinder 200', the hammer 230' is contact inserted toward the air duct 210' and is provided at its inner diameter to communicate with the first and second air tanks 110' and 110" of the air knocker 100'. As shown in FIG. 8, the hammer 230' is formed to be narrowed in diameter by two steps, that is, a first step jaw 233 and a second step jaw 234. The hammer 230 is divided and constructed as a first step jaw part 231 and a second step jaw part 232 with boundaries of the first and second step jaws 233 and 234. An elastic spring 235 is fitted to the first and second step jaw parts 231 and 232. The elastic spring 235 is fixed at its one end to the first step jaw 233. A plurality of fixing bolts 236 are installed at a lateral surface of a lower part of the hammer 230' and firmly fix the elastic spring 235 to an outer circumference of the hammer 230'.

[60] The pile support 300' has a cutaway part 330' to easily install a pile at a one-side surface. A handle is provided at a side surface of the pile support 300'. In a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a handle 500' is constructed to extend in a down direction of the pile support 300' such that, upon execution of work for driving a pile, the handle 500' is adhered and fixed to the ground. As shown in FIG. 6, an elastic spring 510 is installed at a connection portion with the pile support 300' and is constructed to absorb a shock generated upon execution of the work for driving the pile.

[61] Referring to FIG. 7, in a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a catching flange 600 is installed at a flange connection portion between the cylinder 200' and the pile support 300'. A catching jaw 340 is provided for installation of a hitting fragment 350 at an inner diameter of the pile support 300'. As shown in FIG. 8, the catching flange 600 is constructed to have an inner diameter corresponding to the second step jaw 232, and the hitting fragment 350 is constructed to have a width corresponding to an inner diameter of the pile support 300'. The hitting fragment 350 is of metal going through a constant heat treatment process and is desirably constructed to have a cap shape. According to the above construction, in a descent mode, the second step jaw part 232 passes through the inner diameter of the catching flange 600 and descends, and the second step jaw 234 is caught by the catching flange 600, thus stopping and restoring the hammer 230' to the original position by a restoration force of the elastic spring 235. The hitting fragment 350 is hit by the second step jaw part 232 of the hammer 230' and then, is caught and stopped by the catching jaw 340.

[62] An operation of the pile driver according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention is described below.

[63] FIG. 9 is a cross section for describing a first operation state of a portable pile driver according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a cross section for describing a second operation state of a portable pile driver according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a cross section for describing a third operation state of a portable pile driver according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[64] Referring to FIGS. 9 to 11, in a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a worker inserts a pile (P) to a lower part of the pile support 300' at a position for driving the pile (P) as in the aforementioned first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In a state where the pile (P) is installed to get in contact with a lower surface of the hitting fragment 350, a work of driving the pile (P) is performed by allowing high pressure air to be injected into the air knocker 100' and hit the hammer 230' provided within the cylinder 200' and allowing the hammer 230' to heavily hit the hitting fragment 350.

[65] In a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 9, when high pressure air is injected through the air injector 120", the air knocker 100' fills high pressure air in the first air tank 110' through the air injection path 120', the ball valve body 150, and the communication hole 124. As in FIG. 10, if air injection is stopped, the ball valve body 150 changes to a closed position and also the air block 140' ascends above the activation space part 111'. The high pressure air filled in the first air tank 110' is introduced into the cylinder 200' and the second air tank 110" and thus hits an upper part of the hammer 230'. It is also desirable that injecting and stopping injecting air in a moment is performed at regular intervals by a timer.

[66] In a state where the second step jaw part 232 descends and passes through the catching flange 600, the hammer 230' hit by the high pressure air hits the hitting fragment 350 hard and drives the pile (P). The thus descending second step jaw part 232 is stopped as the second step jaw 234 is caught by the catching flange 600, and is restored to the original position by a restoration force of the elastic spring 235.

[67] If the hammer 230' is restored to the original position, the air having a predetermined pressure in the cylinder 200' returns to the first and second air tanks 110' and 110" as the hammer 230' ascends. In this state, if high pressure air is again injected to drive a different pile (P), air having a pressure higher than before is filled in the first air tank 110' and thus, a greater hit force can be obtained in a subsequent work. According to this, the pile driver according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention can fill high pressure air in the first and second air tanks 110' and 110" as repeatedly injecting/blocking high pressure air for the air knocker 100', thus being capable of obtaining a great hit force and improving an efficiency of a work of driving the pile (P).

[68] While the present invention has been described and illustrated herein with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention that come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

[ 1 ] A portable pile driver comprising: an air knocker connecting with a compressor and extruding air at high pressure; a cylinder being coupled to a lower part of the air knocker, having an air duct passing up/down, and contact inserting a hammer elastically supported by an elastic body into the air duct; and a pile support being coupled to a lower part of the cylinder, being hollowed to insert a pile, and having a through hole at its upper end to through insert the hammer.

[2] The driver of claim 1, wherein the hammer further comprises a magnet at its upper part.

[3] The driver of claim 1, wherein a cutaway part is formed up to a predetermined height at one side of the pile support and facilitates insertion of a pile.

[4] The driver of claim 1, further comprising an air outlet formed at one side surface of the pile support.

[5] The driver of claim 1, wherein a handle is further coupled to a side surface of the pile support.

[6] The driver of claim 1, wherein the air knocker comprises: an air injection path formed lengthwise from one side of an upper part to the other side and connecting with a compressor; an air tank spaced apart from the air injection path to a lower end and provided to communicate with a first communication hole and a second communication hole, and surrounding the first communication hole while having an air block activation space part; an air pin inserted into an end of the air injection path and supported by an elastic body, and blocking or unblocking air injection from the air injection path to an air tank through a second communication hole; and an air block contact inserted into the air block activation space part.

[7] The driver of claim 1, wherein the air knocker comprises: an air injector provided at a center of an upper part and connecting with a compressor; an air injection path provided at a lower part of the air injector; an air block provided at a lower part of the air injection path and housed in an activation space part; first and second air tanks provided at both sides of the air block; a communication hole constructed to connect the air injection path with the first air tank; and a ball valve body installed between the air injection path and the communication hole. [8] The driver of claim 1, wherein the hammer is divided and constructed as a first step jaw part and a second step jaw part with boundaries of first and second step jaws, and an elastic spring is inserted to the first step jaw part and the second step jaw part. [9] The driver of claim 1, wherein a catching flange is installed at a connection portion between the cylinder and the pile support, and a catching jaw is provided for installation of a hitting fragment in an inner diameter of the pile support. [10] The driver of claim 9, wherein the hitting fragment is constructed to have a cap shape. [11] The driver of claim 1, wherein the handle is constructed to extend in a down direction of the pile support, and an elastic spring is installed at a connection portion with the pile support to absorb a shock. [12] A portable pile driver comprising: an air knocker connecting with a compressor and extruding air at high pressure; a cylinder being coupled to a lower part of the air knocker, having an air duct passing up/down, and contact inserting a hammer elastically supported by an elastic body into the air duct; a pile support being coupled to a lower part of the cylinder, being hollowed to insert a pile, and having a through hole at its upper end to through insert the hammer; and a hitter having a through hole formed at a catching end provided at an upper part of the pile support, being inserted into the through hole and located between the hammer and the pile, and having catching protrusions protruding up/down at its both ends. [13] The driver of claim 12, wherein the hammer further comprises a magnet at its upper part. [14] The driver of claim 12, wherein a cutaway part is formed up to a predetermined height at one side of the pile support and facilitates insertion of a pile. [15] The driver of claim 12, further comprising an air outlet formed at one side surface of the pile support. [16] The driver of claim 12, wherein a handle is further coupled to a side surface of the pile support. [17] The driver of claim 12, wherein the air knocker comprises: an air injection path formed lengthwise from one side of an upper part to the other side and connecting with a compressor; an air tank spaced apart from the air injection path to a lower end and provided to communicate with a first communication hole and a second communication hole, and surrounding the first communication hole while having an air block activation space part; an air pin inserted into an end of the air injection path and supported by an elastic body, and blocking or unblocking air injection from the air injection path to an air tank through a second communication hole; and an air block contact inserted into the air block activation space part.