Boring or penetrating the earth – Boring without earth removal
Patent
1984-10-15
1987-10-06
Novosad, Stephen J.
Boring or penetrating the earth
Boring without earth removal
52728, 175162, 175171, 175195, 175323, 405232, E02D 556, E21B 302, E21B 720, E04H 1222
Patent
active
046976493
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to the technical field of installing in-ground support footings around upstanding, elongate objects such as structural poles, posts, pilings and the like to increase their structural integrity and more particularly to a novel portable apparatus and assembly for, and a novel method of installing a cylindrical metal casing around both the subterranean and above-ground portions of such an elongate object without cutting, moving, or otherwise disturbing that object.
BACKGROUND ART
Upstanding, elongate objects such as wooden structural poles, posts, pilings and the like eventually deteriorate structurally after they have been installed in the ground for an interval of time. One particular type of such deterioration, frequently referred to as "groundline rot," is damage to the wooden, elongate object caused by moisture, insects, fungi, or other wood destroying organisms about the point along the pole's length at which it enters the ground, i.e. about the pole's "groundline." The section of the pole thus damaged may extend between one-half to one meter along the pole's length into the ground beneath the pole's groundline and may extend a similar distance along its length upward above its groundline. This groundline rot not only reduces the pole's compressive, load carrying capacity, but also reduces its bending and shear strengths. In addition to the normal deterioration of wooden poles about their groundline as described above which is caused by a pole's exposure to the elements, analogous structural groundline damage may also occur if a pole is struck by a motor vehicle or, in rural areas, if struck by livestock. To prevent catastrophic failure of a weakened pole particularly under stress such as during a storm, maintenance must be performed periodically to ensure the continuing structural soundness of poles.
A most common technique for maintaining the structural integrity of poles is to periodically inspect them for structural damage and then to simply replace excessively weakened ones. If a pole to be replaced supports electrical wires, power lines, for the transmission of electricity, replacing it first requires that electrical power be removed from the power lines so they can be physically disconnected from the top of the pole. Such removal of electrical power from a power line, of course, discontinues electrical service to a utility's customers serviced by that line. Once the power lines have been disconnected from the top of the pole, the pole is then held by some type of grapple or other device while it is cut off near its groundline. After the pole has been severed, its upper portion is removed, the underlying stump dug up, and a new pole reinserted into the same hole from which the stump was removed. The replacement pole must be installed in the same physical location as that occupied by a weakened pole so the power lines may be supported in the same general location when reinstalled at the top of the new pole. Because discontinuing electrical service to a utility's customers results in a revenue loss to the utility and because of the cost for labor and materials involved in replacing a pole, it is readily understood that replacing a pole is expensive.
Because weakened poles frequently remain structurally sound other than for groundline rot or similar groundline damage, it has been recognized for some time that reinforcing poles about their groundline to restore lost strength could obviate the need for their replacement. One rather unsophisticated pole reinforcement technique consists simply in first placing a shorter section of pole or similar structural member into the ground immediately adjacent to the weakened pole. Then the sound upper portion of the weakened pole above its groundline is secured to this immediately adjacent reinforcement. An analogous technique is that taught in U.S. Pat. No. 405,658 issued to M. E. Campany entitled "Pole or Post Protector." The technique taught in that patent consists in driving elongated, semicircular sheet me
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patent: 3053330 (1962-09-01), Arthur
patent: 3453832 (1969-07-01), Rehmar
patent: 3779322 (1973-12-01), Stevens
patent: 4068396 (1978-01-01), Langguth
Novosad Stephen J.
Utilitech, Incorporated
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