An apparatus for carrying out bi-directional load testing of close ended driven piles and injection piles utilizing a hydraulic jack, comprising an enclosure for housing the hydraulic jack. The apparatus includes a first hollow body, a second hollow body and a third hollow body. The first hollow body has an open upper end, an open lower end, and a base for attaching the top of the hydraulic jack. The second hollow body has an open upper end, an open lower end, and a base for attaching the base of the hydraulic jack. The third hollow body has an open upper end and an open lower end, and has an inner diameter corresponding to the outer diameter of the first hollow body and the second hollow body, the third hollow body being capable of being axially received by both the first hollow body and the second hollow body.

An apparatus for carrying out bi-directional load testing of close ended driven piles and injection piles utilizing a hydraulic jack, comprising an enclosure for housing the hydraulic jack. The apparatus includes a first hollow body, a second hollow body and a third hollow body. The first hollow body has an open upper end, an open lower end, and a base for attaching the top of the hydraulic jack. The second hollow body has an open upper end, an open lower end, and a base for attaching the base of the hydraulic jack. The third hollow body has an open upper end and an open lower end, and has an inner diameter corresponding to the outer diameter of the first hollow body and the second hollow body, the third hollow body being capable of being axially received by both the first hollow body and the second hollow body.

An apparatus for carrying out bi-directional load testing of close ended driven piles and injection piles utilizing a hydraulic jack, comprising an enclosure for housing the hydraulic jack. The apparatus includes a first hollow body, a second hollow body and a third hollow body. The first hollow body has an open upper end, an open lower end, and a base for attaching the top of the hydraulic jack. The second hollow body has an open upper end, an open lower end, and a base for attaching the base of the hydraulic jack. The third hollow body has an open upper end and an open lower end, and has an inner diameter corresponding to the outer diameter of the first hollow body and the second hollow body, the third hollow body being capable of being axially received by both the first hollow body and the second hollow body.

An apparatus for carrying out bi-directional load testing of close ended driven piles and injection piles utilizing a hydraulic jack, comprising an enclosure for housing the hydraulic jack. The apparatus includes a first hollow body, a second hollow body and a third hollow body. The first hollow body has an open upper end, an open lower end, and a base for attaching the top of the hydraulic jack. The second hollow body has an open upper end, an open lower end, and a base for attaching the base of the hydraulic jack. The third hollow body has an open upper end and an open lower end, and has an inner diameter corresponding to the outer diameter of the first hollow body and the second hollow body, the third hollow body being capable of being axially received by both the first hollow body and the second hollow body.

Methods of lifting structures such as a wall of a building. A fluid that is under pressure is injected beneath the base of the wall. The pressure of the injected fluid acts against the base of the wall to lift the wall vertically. In some embodiments, a supplemental lifting force mechanism can be attached to the wall to apply a supplemental lifting force to the wall that acts together with the lifting force applied by the injected fluid. The supplemental lifting force lightens the wall, reducing the amount of lifting force required to be applied to the wall by the injected fluid.

An air-operated hammer, comprising a hollow ram; a frame; an air cylinder and piston assembly disposed within the ram, wherein a top of the cylinder and piston assembly is attached to a top of the frame and wherein a piston rod of the cylinder and piston assembly is attached to a bottom of the ram; an air flow control valve mounted on and in fluid communication with a manifold disposed on a top of the frame; a first pressurized air reservoir comprising a first flexible hose of a first size attached to an outside surface of the frame, wherein lifting of the ram is caused by pressurized air from the pressurized air reservoir being supplied to and entering a bottom of the cylinder, wherein pressurized air entering a bottom portion of the cylinder causes the piston to raise the ram.

An apparatus for carrying out bi-directional load testing of close ended driven piles and injection piles utilizing a hydraulic jack, comprising an enclosure for housing the hydraulic jack (13). The enclosure (1) includes a first hollow body (10) a second hollow body (15). The first hollow body (10) had a covered upper end (10a) and an open lower end (10b), with the upper end being capped by an attached top plate (11) having an external surface (11a) which the lower end (81b) of a first pile (81) may be axially attached to, and an internal surface (11b). The open lower end (10b) has a cut-out (12) originating on the edge of the open end (10b) of the first hollow body for receiving a hydraulic connection (14) for the jack (13). The second hollow body (15) is capable of housing the hydraulic jack (13), has an open upper end (15a) and a lower end (15b). The lower end (15b) is capped by an attached base plate (17) having an external surface (17a) which the upper end (82a) of a second pile (82) may be axially attached to, and an internal surface (17b) for attaching the base (13a) of the hydraulic jack, and an opening (16) on the capped lower end (15b) originating at a point where the edge of the lower end (15b) abuts the base plate (17) for receiving the hydraulic connection (14) for the jack. The first hollow body (10) and the second hollow body (15) are capable of axial movement relative to one another when actuated by the hydraulic jack.

An apparatus for carrying out bi-directional load testing of close ended driven piles and injection piles utilizing a hydraulic jack, comprising an enclosure for housing the hydraulic jack (13). The enclosure (1) includes a first hollow body (10) a second hollow body (15). The first hollow body (10) had a covered upper end (10a) and an open lower end (10b), with the upper end being capped by an attached top plate (11) having an external surface (11a) which the lower end (81b) of a first pile (81) may be axially attached to, and an internal surface (11b). The open lower end (10b) has a cut-out (12) originating on the edge of the open end (10b) of the first hollow body for receiving a hydraulic connection (14) for the jack (13). The second hollow body (15) is capable of housing the hydraulic jack (13), has an open upper end (15a) and a lower end (15b). The lower end (15b) is capped by an attached base plate (17) having an external surface (17a) which the upper end (82a) of a second pile (82) may be axially attached to, and an internal surface (17b) for attaching the base (13a) of the hydraulic jack, and an opening (16) on the capped lower end (15b) originating at a point where the edge of the lower end (15b) abuts the base plate (17) for receiving the hydraulic connection (14) for the jack. The first hollow body (10) and the second hollow body (15) are capable of axial movement relative to one another when actuated by the hydraulic jack.

A switchable gear drive for a handheld power tool has two gears which are to be engaged via an adjustable switching member, the switching member being in a locked position with a retaining ring which is fixedly held on a housing in a first gear and being in an unlocked position with the retaining ring in a second gear. Furthermore, a spindle for accommodating a tool is drivable by an axially spring-loaded gear wheel supported in the housing, the gear wheel being axially supported on the retaining ring on the side diametrically opposed to the switching member. The retaining ring is designed as a circumferential, closed ring.

The present invention relates to a pile-driver, comprising a support member arranged or arrangeable in transverse direction at or on a pile, a liquid chamber which is bounded on the underside by the support member and which further comprises one or more side walls and is configured to receive a liquid therein, one or more pressure build-up chambers, an ignition mechanism configured to ignite a fuel present in the combustion space, and wherein the combustion space is configured to expand fuel present therein during combustion such that a pressure build-up takes place above the support member and the liquid present above the support member in the liquid chamber is displaced at least in upward direction away from the support member, whereby a downward force is exerted on the pile via the support member. The invention further relates to a method for driving a pile downward into the ground using such a pile-driver.