Abstract
An end frame includes a guide having a channel therethrough for receiving a sheet piling and a pair of hangers for hanging the end frame from a spreader of a trench shield. The end frame hangs from the spreader and bears against the adjacent ends of the sidewalls of the trench shield to provide a channel through which sheet piling can be inserted and stabilized as the sheet piling is driven into the soil adjacent to the end of the trench shield. The sheet piling and the end frame prevent unwanted cave-ins of soil into the workspace between the sidewalls of the trench shield without imparting unwanted buckling forces to the midsection of the spreader from which the end frame hangs. The hangers may be rigidly coupled to the guide or they may be coupled to the guide through chains, cables, straps or through pivoting linkages.
Claims
1. An apparatus for use with a trench shield, comprising: a guide channel having a first member having a first end and a second end, the first member further including an exterior side and an interior side, the exterior side having a pair of load surfaces spaced-apart one from the other by a first distance, the guide channel further including a second member having a first end and a second end, the second member further including an exterior side and an interior side, the interior side of the second member disposed toward and spaced-apart from the interior side of the first member, the guide channel further including a first adjustable link coupling the first end of the second member to the first end of the first member and a second adjustable link coupling the second end of the second member to the second end of the first member, the first and second adjustable links being adjustable to vary the separation between the first member and the second member and between the interior side of the first member and the interior side of the second member to form an adjustable channel surrounded by the interior side of the first member, the interior side of the second member, the first adjustable link and the second adjustable link; a first hanger extending outwardly from the guide channel beyond the exterior side of the first member, the first hanger being proximal to the first end of the first member; and a second hanger extending outwardly from the guide channel beyond the exterior side of the first member, the second hanger being proximal to the second end of the first member, the second hanger being spaced-apart from the first hanger by a second distance that is less than the first distance; wherein the apparatus is securable to an end of a trench shield by hanging the first hanger onto a first end of a spreader of the trench shield and the second hanger onto a second end of the spreader to dispose the first engaging surface against an end of a first sidewall of the trench shield at a location below the first end of the spreader and to dispose the second engaging surface against an adjacent end of a second sidewall of the trench shield at a location below the second end of the spreader; and wherein the channel is adjustable to receive a range of sizes of sheet pilings therethrough to be driven into the earth adjacent to the spreader of the trench shield to prevent unwanted cave-ins of soil into an end of a space between the first and second sidewalls of the trench shield.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first member is a planar panel.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second member is a planar panel.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first hanger is coupled to the guide channel by a link and the second hanger is coupled to the guide channel by a link.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first hanger is coupled to the guide channel by a flexible link; and wherein the second hanger is coupled to the guide channel by a flexible link.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first hanger is coupled to the guide channel by a flexible link comprising one of a belt, a chain and a cable; and wherein the second hanger is coupled to the guide channel by a flexible link comprising one of a belt, a chain and a cable.
7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first hanger is coupled to the guide channel by a rigid link; and wherein the second hanger is coupled to the guide channel by a rigid link.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first hanger is coupled to the guide channel by a rigid, pivoting link that is pivotally coupled at a first end to the first hanger and pivotally coupled at a second end to the guide channel; and wherein the second hanger is coupled to the guide channel by a rigid, pivoting link that is pivotally coupled at a first end to the second hanger and pivotally coupled at a second end to the guide channel.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first hanger is coupled to the guide channel by a parallelogram link that is pivotally coupled at a first end to the first hanger and pivotally coupled at a second end to the guide channel; and wherein the second hanger is coupled to the guide channel by a parallelogram link that is pivotally coupled at a first end to the second hanger and pivotally coupled at a second end to the guide channel.
10. An apparatus for use with a trench shield, comprising: a guide channel having a first member having a first end and a second end, the first member further including an exterior side and an interior side, the exterior side having a pair of load surfaces spaced-apart one from the other by a first distance, the guide channel further including a second member having a first end and a second end, the second member further including an exterior side and an interior side, the interior side of the second member disposed toward and spaced-apart from the interior side of the first member, the guide channel further including a first end member coupled to the first end of the second member and to the first end of the first member and a second end member coupled to the second end of the second member and to the second end of the first member, the first and second end members and the first and second members together forming a channel surrounded by the interior side of the first member, the interior side of the second member, and the first end member and the second end member; a first hanger extending outwardly from the guide channel beyond the exterior side of the first member, the first hanger being proximal to the first end of the first member; and a second hanger extending outwardly from the guide channel beyond the exterior side of the first member, the second hanger being proximal to the second end of the first member, the second hanger being spaced-apart from the first hanger by a second distance that is less than the first distance; wherein the apparatus is securable to an end of a trench shield by hanging the first hanger onto a first end of a spreader of the trench shield and the second hanger onto a second end of the spreader to dispose the first engaging surface against an end of a first sidewall of the trench shield at a location below the first end of the spreader and to dispose the second engaging surface against an adjacent end of a second sidewall of the trench shield at a location below the second end of the spreader; and wherein the channel receives a range of sizes of sheet pilings therethrough to be driven into the earth adjacent to the spreader of the trench shield to prevent unwanted cave-ins of soil into an end of a space between the first and second sidewalls of the trench shield.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first member is a planar panel.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second member is a planar panel.
13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first hanger is coupled to the guide channel by a link and the second hanger is coupled to the guide channel by a link.
14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first hanger is coupled to the guide channel by a flexible link; and wherein the second hanger is coupled to the guide channel by a flexible link.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first hanger is coupled to the guide channel by a flexible link comprising one of a belt, a chain and a cable; and wherein the second hanger is coupled to the guide channel by a flexible link comprising one of a belt, a chain and a cable.
16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first hanger is coupled to the guide channel by a rigid link; and wherein the second hanger is coupled to the guide channel by a rigid link.
17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first hanger is coupled to the guide channel by a rigid, pivoting link that is pivotally coupled at a first end to the first hanger and pivotally coupled at a second end to the guide channel; and wherein the second hanger is coupled to the guide channel by a rigid, pivoting link that is pivotally coupled at a first end to the second hanger and pivotally coupled at a second end to the guide channel.
18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first hanger is coupled to the guide channel by a parallelogram link that is pivotally coupled at a first end to the first hanger and pivotally coupled at a second end to the guide channel; and wherein the second hanger is coupled to the guide channel by a parallelogram link that is pivotally coupled at a first end to the second hanger and pivotally coupled at a second end to the guide channel.
19. An apparatus for use with a trench shield, comprising: a guide channel having a first member having a first end and a second end, the first member further including an exterior side and an interior side, the exterior side having a pair of load surfaces spaced-apart one from the other by a first distance, the guide channel further including a second member having a first end and a second end, the second member further including an exterior side and an interior side, the interior side of the second member disposed toward and spaced-apart from the interior side of the first member, the guide channel further including a first end member coupled to the first end of the second member and to the first end of the first member and a second end member coupled to the second end of the second member and to the second end of the first member, the first and second end members and the first and second members together forming a channel surrounded by the interior side of the first member, the interior side of the second member, and the first end member and the second end member; at least one hanger extending outwardly from the guide channel beyond the exterior side of the first member; and wherein the apparatus is securable to an end of a trench shield by hanging the at least one hanger onto a spreader of the trench shield to dispose the first engaging surface against an end of a first sidewall of the trench shield at a location below the spreader and to dispose the second engaging surface against an adjacent end of a second sidewall of the trench shield at a location below the spreader; and wherein the channel receives a range of sizes of sheet pilings therethrough to be driven into the earth adjacent to the spreader of the trench shield to prevent unwanted cave-ins of soil into an end of a space between the first and second sidewalls of the trench shield.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of an embodiment of the end frame of the present invention.
(2) FIG. 2 is a plan view of the embodiment of the end frame of FIG. 1.
(3) FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the embodiment of the end frame of FIG. 1.
(4) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a conventional trench shield showing the positions of the two opposed sidewalls and the plurality of spreaders that engage and maintain the sidewalls in their spaced-apart and parallel relationship one relative to the other.
(5) FIG. 5 is a sectional plan view of the trench shield of FIG. 4 showing a plurality of spreader supports protruding inwardly from the two opposed and parallel sidewalls of the trench shield and into the work space protected by the sidewalls of the trench shield, each spreader support received within an end of one of the plurality of tubular spreaders of the trench shield and secured into engagement with the spreader into which it is received with an inserted pin that is inserted through aligned holes in the spreader support and in the end of the tubular spreader into which the spreader support is received.
(6) FIG. 6 is an elevation view of an embodiment of the end frame of FIGS. 1-3 coupled to a spreader of a conventional trench shield proximal to an end of the trench shield, a sheet piling having been driven through the channel of the guide of the end frame and into the soil therebelow to protect the work space within the interior of the trench shield from cave-ins of soil into the end of the trench shield at which the end frame is hung.
(7) FIG. 7 is a plan view of an embodiment of the end frame of the present invention for being hung from a spreader of a trench shield (not shown) with two overlapping protective plates having been driven through the channel of the guide of the end frame to provide protection against cave-ins into a work space (not shown) intermediate the sidewalls of a trench shield (not shown).
(8) FIG. 8 is a plan view of the end frame of FIG. 7 with a first corrugated sheet piling having been driven through the channel of the guide of the end frame to provide protection against cave-ins into a work space (not shown) intermediate the sidewalls of a trench shield (not shown).
(9) FIG. 9 is a plan view of the end frame of FIG. 7 with a second corrugated sheet piling having been driven through the channel of the guide of the end frame to provide protection against cave-ins into a work space (not shown) intermediate the sidewalls of a trench shield (not shown).
(10) FIG. 10 is a plan view of the end frame of FIG. 7 with a third corrugated sheet piling having been driven through the channel of the guide of the end frame to provide protection against cave-ins into a work space (not shown) intermediate the sidewalls of a trench shield (not shown).
(11) FIG. 11 is a plan view of the end frame of FIG. 7 with a fourth corrugated sheet piling having been driven through the channel of the guide of the end frame to provide protection against cave-ins into a work space (not shown) intermediate the sidewalls of a trench shield (not shown).
(12) FIG. 12 is an elevation view of a first linking plate that can be used to couple a first end of a first member of an embodiment of the end frame of the present invention to a first end of a second member.
(13) FIG. 13 is an elevation view of a second, larger linking plate that can be used to couple a first end of a first member of an embodiment of the end frame of the present invention to a first end of a second member, the larger linking plate being adapted for varying the width of the channel of the end frame.
(14) FIG. 14 is a sectional elevation view of a trench shield having a spreader from which an embodiment of an end frame of the present invention is hung to cause the load surfaces of the first member of the guide of the end frame to bear against the first ends of the sidewalls of the trench shield to align the channel of the end frame with the ends of the sidewalls of the trench shield.
(15) FIG. 15 is a sectional elevation view showing an alternate embodiment of an end frame of the present invention hung from a spreader of a trench shield to cause the load surfaces of the first member of the guide of the end frame to bear against the ends of the sidewalls of the trench shield and to align the channel of the end frame with the ends of the sidewalls of the trench shield.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(16) FIG. 1 is a frontal elevation view of an embodiment of the end frame 10 of the present invention. The end frame 10 of FIG. 1 has a guide 10A. The guide 10A of the end frame 10 has a length 24 and a height 26. The guide 10A is coupled to a first hanger 20 and to a second hanger 21 that is spaced-apart from the first hanger 20. Optionally, the end frame 10 further includes lift eyes 11 and 19 connected to the guide 10A of the end frame 10 for being connected to chains or cables (not shown) for use in lowering and lifting the end frame 10 into and from a trench (not shown) using, for example, a piece of heavy equipment. FIG. 1 further shows the location of a pair of load surfaces 22 disposed on a first member 12 of the guide 10A that, when the end frame 10 is hung onto a spreader of a trench shield (not shown), as illustrated in later drawings and discussed below, the load surfaces 22 on the guide 10A engage and bear against the ends of the sidewalls of the trench shield.
(17) FIG. 2 is a plan view of the end frame 10 of FIG. 1. The guide 10A of the end frame 10 of FIG. 2 includes a first member 12 having a first end 13 and a second end 14 and a second member 16 having a first end 17 adjacent to the first end 13 of the first member 12 and a second end 18 adjacent to the second end 14 of the first member 12. The second member 16 is substantially parallel to and spaced-apart from the first member 12 and there is a channel 15 formed therebetween. The channel 15 has a width 25 that is adjustably determined by the first adjustable link 30 that couples the first end 13 of the first member 12 to the first end 17 of the second member 16 and by the second adjustable link 32 that couples the second end 14 of the first member 12 to the second end 18 of the second member 16.
(18) The adjustable links 30 and 32 may come in several various forms and are discussed in more detail below. In general, the adjustable links 30 and 32 are either continuously adjustable or adjustable in increments to adjust the width 25 of the channel 15 formed intermediate the first adjustable link 30 and second adjustable link 32 and intermediate the first member 12 and the second member 16 of the guide 10A of the end frame 10.
(19) FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the end frame 10 of FIG. 1. The side elevation view of FIG. 3 shows the first adjustable link 30 connected to the first end 13 of the first member 12 and to the adjacent first end 17 of the second member 16. FIG. 3 further shows the first hanger 20 having a recess 29 therein for receiving a spreader on a trench shield (not shown in FIG. 3) and for thereby supporting the guide 10A of the end frame 10 at and in engagement with the first ends of the sidewalls of the trench shield, as will be discussed and illustrated in more detail below. FIG. 3 shows the first adjustable link 30 that adjustably couples the first end 13 of the first member 12 to the first end 17 of the second member 16. The width 25 of the channel 15 can be adjusted using the adjustable links 30 and 32.
(20) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a conventional (prior art) trench shield 50 showing the positions of the first sidewall 52, the parallel and spaced-apart second sidewall 52, the first top spreader 56, the second top spreader 57, a first bottom spreader (not shown) and a second bottom spreader 77 that together maintain the first sidewall 51 and the second sidewall 52 in their parallel and spaced-apart relationship to maintain and protect a work space 55 therebetween. The first sidewall 51 has a first end 53 and a second end 67 and the second sidewall 52 has a first end 54 opposite the first end 53 of the first sidewall 51 and a second end 71 opposite the second end 67 of the first sidewall 51. The second top spreader 57 of the trench shield 50 shown in FIG. 4 is connected to the first sidewall 51 and to the second sidewall 52 a distance 70 from the second end 67 of the first sidewall 51 and from the second end 71 of the second sidewall 52.
(21) FIG. 5 is a sectional plan view of the trench shield 50 of FIG. 4 showing a plurality of spreader supports 60 and 63 protruding inwardly from the first sidewall 51 of the trench shield 50 and a plurality of spreader supports 61 and 64 protruding inwardly from the second sidewall 52 of the trench shield 50, the spreader supports 60, 61, 63 and 64 protruding from the first sidewall 51 and the second sidewall 52 into the work space 55 protected by the trench shield 50, each spreader support 60, 61, 63 and 64 received within an end 68, 69, 58 and 59 of one of the plurality of tubular spreaders 56 and 57 of the trench shield 50 and secured into engagement with the spreader 56 and/or 57 into which it is received with an inserted pin 81 inserted through aligned holes in the spreader support 60, 61, 63 and 64 and in the end of the spreader 56 and 57 into which the spreader support 60, 61, 63 and 64 is received. The spreader supports 60, 61, 63 and 64 are robustly coupled to the sidewalls 51 and 52 by, for example, welding. The spreader supports 60, 61, 63 and 64 are generally proximal to the ends 54, 71, 53 and 67 of the sidewalls 51 and 52 of the trench shield 50, as is also shown in FIG. 4.
(22) FIG. 6 is an elevation view of an embodiment of the end frame 10 of FIGS. 1-3 coupled and supported through a first hanger 20 and a second hanger 21 (not shown) to a spreader 56 proximal to a first end 53 of a sidewall 51 of a trench shield 50 proximal to the end of the trench shield 50, a sheet piling 72 having been driven through the channel 15 of the guide 10A of the end frame 10 to protect the work space 55 within the trench shield 50 from cave-ins of soil into the work space 55 of the trench shield 50. It will be noted that the trench shield 50 from which the embodiment of the end frame 10 in FIG. 6 is supported is stacked upon another trench shield 50 disposed thereunder. The sheet piling 72 is inserted through the channel 15 of the guide 10A of the end frame 10 and driven into the earth 99 (soil) at the bottom 23 of the trench a depth 73 to establish a toe that stabilizes the sheet piling 72 and thereby protects the work space 55. The soil 99 that engages and bears against the sheet piling 72 causes a reaction force by the sheet piling 72 back against the soil. This results in force being applied by the sheet piling 72 against the guide 10A of the end frame 10 that causes the load surfaces 22 of the end frame 10 being urged to bear against the first end 53 of the first sidewall 51 and the first end 54 of the second sidewall 52 (not shown) of the trench shield 50 having a spreader 56 from which the end frame 10 is hung using a first hanger 20 and a second hanger 21 (not shown in FIG. 6).
(23) FIG. 7 is a plan view of the embodiment of the end frame 10 for hanging from a spreader of a trench shield (not shown in FIG. 7) with two overlapping protective plates 45 and 46 having been driven through the channel 15 of the end frame 10 to provide protection against cave-ins into a work space (not shown in FIG. 7) intermediate the sidewalls of a trench shield (not shown in FIG. 7). The plates 45 and 46 are arranged in an overlapping configuration to prevent soil (not shown) from entering the work space 55.
(24) FIG. 8 is a plan view of the end frame 10 for hanging from a spreader of a trench shield (not shown in FIG. 8) with a first corrugated sheet piling 47 having been driven through the channel 15 of the end frame 10 to provide protection against cave-ins into a work space (not shown) intermediate the sidewalls of a trench shield (not shown). It will be understood that the corrugations of the sheet piling 47 provide enhanced stiffness and resistance to bending of the sheet piling 47.
(25) FIG. 9 is a plan view of the end frame 10 for hanging from a spreader of a trench shield (not shown in FIG. 9) with a second corrugated sheet piling 47 having been driven through the channel 15 of the end frame 10 to provide protection against cave-ins into a work space 55 (not shown) intermediate the sidewalls of a trench shield (not shown).
(26) FIG. 10 is a plan view of the end frame 10 for hanging from a spreader of a trench shield (not shown in FIG. 10) with a third corrugated sheet piling 47 having been driven through the channel 15 of the end frame to provide protection against cave-ins into a work space (not shown) intermediate the sidewalls of a trench shield (not shown).
(27) FIG. 11 is a plan view of the end frame 10 for hanging from a spreader of a trench shield (not shown in FIG. 11) with a fourth corrugated sheet piling 47 having been driven through the channel 15 of the end frame 10 to provide protection against cave-ins into a work space (not shown) intermediate the sidewalls of a trench shield (not shown).
(28) FIG. 12 is a first linking plate 30A that can be used to couple a first end 13 of a first member 12 (not shown in FIG. 12) of an embodiment of the end frame 10 of the present invention to a first end 17 of a second member 16 (not shown in FIG. 12). The linking plate 30A of FIG. 12 has a first column 27A of fastener components and a second column of fastener components 27B arranged in a side-by-side configuration on the linking plate 30A, the first column 27A of fastener components for coupling to a first end 13 of a first member 12 of a guide 10A of an end frame 10 and the second column 27B of fastener components for coupling to a first end 17 of a second member 16 of a guide 10A of an end frame 10 to secure the first end 13 of a first member 12 of a guide 10A of an end frame 10 in a spaced-apart relationship from the first end 17 of a second member 16 of a guide 10A of an end frame 10. In the embodiment of the linking plate 30A shown in FIG. 12, the fastener components are apertures or holes for receiving threaded bolts, but in other embodiments they may be other fastener components.
(29) FIG. 13 is a second, larger linking plate 30B that can be used to couple a first end 13 of a first member 12 of the guide 10A of the end frame 10 of the present invention to a first end 17 of a second member 16 of the guide 10A of the end frame 10, the larger linking plate 30B being adapted for varying the width of the channel 15 of the guide 10A end frame 10. The linking plate 30B of FIG. 13 includes a first column 27A of fastener components, a second column of fastener components 27B and a third column of fastener components 27C arranged in a side-by-side-by-side configuration on the linking plate 30B, the first column 27A of fastener components for coupling to a first end 13 of a first member 12 of a guide 10A of an end frame 10 and one of the second column 27B and the third column 27C of fastener components for coupling to a first end 17 of a second member 16 of a guide 10A of an end frame 10 to secure the first end 13 of a first member 12 of a guide 10A of an end frame 10 in a spaced-apart relationship from the first end 17 of a second member 16 of a guide 10A of an end frame 10. In the embodiment of the linking plate 30B shown in FIG. 13, the fastener components are apertures or holes for receiving threaded bolts, but in other embodiments they may be other fastener components. It will be understood that the selection of either the second column 27B or the third column 27C for use in coupling the linking plate 30B to the first end 17 of the second member 16 of the guide 10A of the end frame 10 will determine the width of the channel 15 of the guide 10A of the end frame 10, thereby allowing adjustment of the width of the channel 15 of a guide 10A comprising the linking plate 30B of FIG. 13.
(30) FIG. 14 is a sectional elevation view showing an embodiment of an end frame 10 of the present invention hung from a spreader 57 of a trench shield 50 to cause the load surfaces 22 of the guide 10A of the end frame 10 to bear against the first end 53 of the first sidewall 51 and against the first end 54 of the second sidewall 52 (not shown in FIG. 14) of the trench shield 50 and to align the channel 15 of the guide 10A of the end frame 10 with the first end 53 of the first sidewall 51 and against the first end 54 of the second sidewall 52 (not shown in FIG. 14) of the trench shield 50. It will be noted that the linking plate 30B includes three columns of fastener components to make the channel 15 of the guide 10A of the end frame 10 adjustable in width.
(31) FIG. 15 is a sectional elevation view showing an alternate embodiment of an end frame 10 of the present invention hung from a spreader 57 of a trench shield 50 to cause the load surfaces 22 of the guide 10A of the end frame 10 to bear against the first end 53 of the first sidewall 51 and against the first end 54 of the second sidewall 52 (not shown in FIG. 15) of the trench shield 50 and to align the channel 15 of the guide 10A of the end frame 10 with the first end 53 of the first sidewall 51 and against the first end 54 of the second sidewall 52 (not shown in FIG. 15) of the trench shield 50. It will be noted that the linking plate 30B includes three columns of fastener components to make the channel 15 of the guide 10A of the end frame 10 adjustable in width.
(32) The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms a, an and the are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms comprises and/or comprising, when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The terms preferably, preferred, prefer, optionally, may, and similar terms are used to indicate that an item, condition or step being referred to is an optional (not required) feature of the invention.
(33) The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or steps plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but it is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
