Hydraulic and earth engineering – Earth treatment or control – Shoring – bracing – or cave-in prevention
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-06
2001-07-31
Bagnell, David (Department: 3673)
Hydraulic and earth engineering
Earth treatment or control
Shoring, bracing, or cave-in prevention
C405S282000, C405S272000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06267538
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to safety enclosures for excavations, and more particularly to an apparatus for joining the wales of a shoring system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
When excavating a site for construction, calculable dangers exist to workers that are dependent on the design and construction of the shield system. Regulations promulgated by the United States Department of Labor, Occupational Safety & Health Administration (herein “OSHA”) under 29 C.F.R. §1926.650 defines a “shield system” as:
a structure that is able to withstand the forces imposed on it by a cave-in and thereby protect employees within the structure. Shields can be permanent structures or can be designed to be portable and moved along as work progresses. Additionally, shields can be either premanufactured or job-built in accordance with §2936.653(c) or (c)(4).
In one type of excavation procedure, typically used to install and replace petroleum tanks, a trench is dug around the perimeter of the excavation site and steel H-beams are placed into the trench. The beams are also known as “wales” which are placed parallel to the excavation face and whose sides bear against the vertical members of a shoring system or the earth. The wales are welded together to form a substantially rigid rectangle around the perimeter. Corrugated shield panels, also known as “uprights,” are the vertical members of a trench shoring system and are placed in contact with the earth and usually positioned so that individual members do not contact each other. However, uprights may be in contact with or interconnected to each other, which is known as “sheeting.” The uprights are placed on the outside periphery of the substantially rigid rectangle and are vertically driven into the ground. A support means is attached to each corner of the substantially rigid rectangle and ground beneath the wales is subsequently excavated thereby leaving the wales suspended at each comer of the substantially rigid rectangle by the support means. The support means typically comprises a chain link or heavy cable. Once work is completed within the excavation site, the wales must be welded apart and removed from the construction area.
However, repeated welding to join and cut the wales may cause structural faults in the wales and calculating the force that a weld can resist is difficult. Welding introduces safety hazards inherent in the procedure which are further compounded when working around legacy petroleum tanks. Lastly, welding is a specialized skill that requires expendable resources, equipment, and time.
Consequently, there is a need in the art for an apparatus for excavations that insures the strength of the shield system to protect workers against cave-ins.
There is a further need in the art for an apparatus to interconnect existing wales in a shield system without the need for welding.
There is a further need in the art for an apparatus that alleviates the need to weld the wales together in the shield system described above.
There is a further need in the art for an apparatus that requires a low amount of skill and training to operate safely and efficiently.
There is a further need in the art for an apparatus that does not degrade the structural integrity of the wales after repeated use.
There is a further need in the art for an apparatus that may be reused without diminution of effectiveness in excavations.
However, in view of the prior art in at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the pertinent art how the identified needs could be fulfilled.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Generally described, the present invention provides an apparatus for joining at least two or more wales of a shoring system comprising a first substantially rigid end-cap adapted to enclose an end of a first horizontally disposed wale, the first end-cap having a horizontally extending flange with a first vertically disposed aperture cut there through, a second substantially rigid end-cap adapted to enclose an end of a second horizontally disposed wale, the second end-cap having a horizontally extending flange with a second vertically disposed aperture cut there through of substantially the same diameter of the first vertically disposed aperture, a locking pin dimensioned to be slideably received by the first and second vertically disposed apertures when the first and second vertically disposed apertures are in substantial alignment with one another wherein a leading end of the first horizontally disposed wale and a leading end of the second horizontally disposed wale are oriented in substantially perpendicular fashion to one another and in relative proximity so that the horizontally extending flange of the first end-cap and the horizontally extending flange of the second end-cap overlap when the first and second vertically disposed apertures are substantially aligned with one another to permit the locking pin to be slideably received therein securing the apparatus together.
While the initial placement of the wales is achieved by digging trenches in which the wales rest, subsequent excavation often requires the wales to be suspended by heavy link chain or cable. Accordingly, a preferred embodiment of the invention further comprises a suspension interface on the first and second end-caps adapted to receive a support means for suspending the wales. The suspension interface is preferably a substantially rigid half-loop having an aperture through which the heavy link chain or cable is threadably received.
To further strength the interlocking feature of the invention, a plurality of vertically disposed apertures may be cut through the horizontally extending flanges wherein at least one or more pins may be selectively received through the horizontally extending flanges when in overlapping position.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for excavations that insures the strength of the shield system to protect workers against cave-ins.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that alleviates the need to weld the wales together in the shield system described above.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that requires a low amount of skill and training to operate safely and efficiently.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that does not degrade the structural integrity of the wales after repeated use.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which may be reused without diminution of effectiveness in excavations.
An advantage of the invention is that welding is no longer needed to join the wales together. This reduces the risk of fire or explosion, particularly around petroleum tanks.
Another advantage of the invention is that the joining of the wales does not require special skill, training, or protective equipment as needed for welding.
Another advantage of the invention is that the joining of the wales by use of the apparatus does not degrade the structural integrity of the wales after repeated use.
Another advantage of the invention is that the end caps may be reused.
These and other important objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become clear as this description proceeds.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts that will be exemplified in the description set forth hereinafter and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1775060 (1930-09-01), Bauer, Jr.
patent: 3212270 (1965-10-01), Benintend
patent: 4090365 (1978-05-01), Nieber
patent: 4139324 (1979-02-01), Krings
patent: 4685837 (1987-08-01), Cicanese
patent: 4850747 (1989-07-01), Morelli
patent: 5154541 (1992-10-01), Boren et al.
patent: 5199824 (1993-04-01), Smith et al.
patent: 2166774 (1986-05-01), None
Bagnell David
Hopen Anton J.
Singh Sunil
Smith & Hopen , P.A.
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