US3159978A

US3159978A - Sheathing system

Info

Publication number: US3159978A
Application number: US204481A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lillo Joseph De
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1962-06-22
Filing date: 1962-06-22
Publication date: 1964-12-08
Anticipated expiration: 1981-12-08

Description

Dec. 8, 1964 J. DE LILLO SHEATHING SYSTEM 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 22, 196 2 INVENTOR. J5 5 H Dal/a0 Dec. 8, 1964 J. DE o 3,159,978

SHEATHING SYSTEM Filed June 22, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I T INVENTOR. Jase/ H 05 1/110 Dec. 8, 1964 J. DE LILLO SHEATHING SYSTEM 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 22, 1962 INVENTOR. Lise/w fled/4L0 Dec. 8, 1964 J. DE LILLO SHEATHING SYSTEM 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 22, 1962 Ill a 5L3. E1.

Dec. 8, 1964 J. DE LlLLO 3,159,973

SHEATHING SYSTEM Filed June 22, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I'll/III v I i 44 HI INVENTOR. Hi I] I Jo'sEPH 050m) II I. In BY 7 United States Patent [and 3,159,973 SHEATHING SYSTEM .Ioseph De Lille, 3 E'uiton Place, Jericho, Long island, N3. Fiied June 22, 1952, Ser. No. 294,451 tllairns. (Cl. 61-4 1) This invention relates to a shoring system for the side walls of a trench. The invention is an improvement on the suspended earth-shoring device of my application for United States Patent, Serial No. 32,290, filed May 27, 1960.

In said application, I have disclosed a trench shoring system comprising a pair of cross beams adapted to extend across the mouth of a trench, and longitudinal bridging members for suspending telescopic sheathing units in contiguous order along the face of trench walls. In general, the system of my earlier application has proven satisfactory in use. However, in said system, the bridging members are fixed to the cross beams by means of bolts. This construction introduces. into the system a certain inflexibility in that it cannot be accommodated to trenches of varying width without drilling additional holes through the crossbeams to permit the bridging members to be attached at diiier ent locations alongthe length of the cross beams. Moreover, the act of bolting the bridging members to the crossbeams can become tedious and time consuming.

I have discovered that the bridging members need not be bolted to the cross beams, and that they can be freely associated with the crossbeams if provision is made to anchor them in a selected position and maintain proper spacing between them.

Accordingly, this invention in its more specific aspect relates to an improved assembly of cross'beams and bridging members in a sheathing system.

The invention provides a bridging member support in the form of a saddle which includes a sleeve adapted to embrace a cross beam in sliding relation. This permits easy, selective adjustment of the bridging member support along the length of the crossbeam, whereby the system can be accommodated to the width of the trench to be dug.

It is a further object of the inveniton to provide: a bridging member support which will hold a pair of bridging rails in properly spaced position without resort to bolts or other fastening means. To this end, the bridging member supports include a pair of spaced'depending platforms adapted to receive and freely support a pair of bridging beams so that the bridging members are fully accessible throughout their length.

A still further object of the invention is to efiect improvements in cross-bracing structures for the shoring walls. Specifically, it is the purpose hereof to provide a separable assembly of internal bracing structures which is more easily installed and removed during a trenching operation.

My improved bracing assembly includes one or more suspended carrier beams which are adapted to be held in contact with opposite shoring walls by means of crossbraces which are clamped to the carrier beams. By this 'means the mere substitution of cross-braces will accommodate the cross-bracing assembly to trenches of different width;

These and other objectives. and advantages "of the: in

vention willbe explained and become apparent froma numerals indicate likeparts; and in which FIG. 1 is a plan view system; I V r v of the improved trench shoring spaced relation-bythe retaining plates-46.

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view taken on line 2.2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view taken on line 3 3 of FIG. 1;

able for removing the section from a completed trench;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a bridging member support;

FIG. 11 is an end elevational view of the bridging memher support of FIG. 10, showing the same in association with a cross beam and a bridging beam; and 7 FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in FIG. 11.

The improved shoring .unit, in brief, comprises a pair of spaced

cross beams

10 and 12 adapted to extend across the mouth of a trench with the opposite ends thereof extending substantially beyond the opposite sides of the trench to provide support for the suspension of sheathing elements. A pair of bridging members 14 and l extend between the crossbearns it) and 12; The

bridg ing members

14 and 16 are supported at opposite sides of the trench by pairs of bridging member supports or saddles 18-21 and 22-24. The bridging member supports are mounted on the

cross beams

10 and 12 for selective adjustment along the length thereof. A plurality. of Vertically telescoping sheathing elements 26 adapted I for gravitational elongation into the trench as the same becomes deeper are suspended from the

bridging members

14 and 16 in confronting relationship to the side walls of the trench. The sheathing elements are provided at one end with means for releasably engaging the bridging members, adapting the sheathing elements for suspension from the bridging members in contiguous order along the side walls of the trench. A generally rectangular bracing structure 28 adapted to engage the inner faces of the telescopic shoring walls within the trench is suspended from the

bridging members

14 and 16.

The bridging member supports are shown in greatest detail in FIGS. 10 through 12. 'Since these supports are identical in structure, "a description of one will suflice. FIG. 10 shows that the bridging member supportis in the nature of a saddle having a sleeve 30 adapted to embrace a cross beam. This sleeve adapts the bridging member support for selectiveadjustment along the length of a cross beam since the sleeve 39 permits the structure to slide along the length of the beam. Extending upwardly through the sleeve 30 are apair of

thumb screws

32 and 34 which can be tightened against the bottom flange of the cross beam when the bridging member support has been properly crossbeam. V v

Depending from the sleeve 3a? are a pair-of l s h

aped hangers

36 and 38. Each hanger consists of aleg 49 which is a downward extension of the sleeve-3Q, anda hanger foot 42. The hangers '36 and 38 are spaced from each other to provide an entrance 44 for the elements comprising the bridging rnembersyas to'be explained" in greater detail later herein; Extending upwardlyfrom the I foot- '42 of the hangers is a retaining plate dgfiAs su'ggested heretoforejthe'bridging member supports are adapted to receive opposite ends of the bridging members; Q.

\ As shown in FIG. 12; each bridging member-is made upof. a pair ofbridging beams 48 56 a' hi'chare'held on the bridgingmernb er supports and maiiita Fatented Dec. 8, 1964 located along the length ofthe,

through 8. As shown in FIG. 5, each of the elements is made up of a plurality of telescopic sections. Three

such sections

52, 54 and 56 are shown in the present embodirnent. Each section consists of an elongated tubular member of rectangular cross-section. The section 52, which is the outer section of the assembly has a front 'wall 58, a rear Wall 60 and

side walls

62 and 64. Extensions of the front wall 58 and the rear wall 60 are turned outwardly to form a pair of

flanges

66 and 68 which are adapted to rest on the

bridging beams

48 and 50, thereby suspending the section from its supporting structure.

The section 54 of the sheathing element is similar to the section 52, being sufiiciently smaller however, to slide freely within the section 52. The section 54 has a front wall 70, a rear wall 72 and a pair of

side Walls

74 and 76.

The third section 56 is similar to the

sections

52 and 54 with the exception that the section 56 is sufliciently smaller than the section 54 to slide freely within the latter. Thesection 56 consists of a front wall 78, a rear wall 80 and side 'walls 82 and 84.

Each of the sheathing element sections cooperates with the one nested within it to avoid separation of the sections as they are fully elongated. Thus, the section 52 has an inwardly extending shoulder 86 formed at the lower edge of its rear wall 60. This shoulder is adapted to engage a flange 88 formed in the upper edge of the rear wall '72 of the section 54. By the sarnetoken, the section 54 has an inwardly extending shoulder W formed in the bottom edge 'of its rear wall which is adapted to engage an outwardly formed lip 92 in the upper edge of the rear wall of the section 56.

Fromthe foregoing, it can be seen that interengagement of the respective lips and shoulders, as shown in FIG. 5, will prevent separation of the several sections in the direction of their elongation. At the same time, however, separation of the sections in the opposite direction is unimpeded.

As the trench becomes deeper and the sections of the sheathing elements elongate, it is necessary to provide transverse bracing means between the elongated walls at opposite faces of the trench. To this end there is provided the generally rectangular bracing structure 28. ;This structure comprises a pair oflongitudinal carrier beams 96 and 98 and a plurality of

cross-braces

100 and 102. 'In the preferred form of the bracing structure, the

crossbraces

100 and 102 are separable, facilitating the installation and removal of the bracing system.

Each installation will ordinarily employ two bracing structures, such'asZS and 28a in FIG. 2. In the preferred form of the invention, the bracing structures are suspended from the bridging members by means of chains.

or steel-

rope

104 and 106; the suspending ropes being attached to the carrier beams.

As stated'above, the

cross-braces

100 and 102 carry clamping structures 108 and 110 (FIG. 2) at opposite ends thereof by which they can be separably fixed to the i carrier beams. As best shown in FIG. 4, this clamping a flange of the carrierbeam. The Web 1180f. the crossbrace isperforated near each end of the bface to accomas the clamping structure embraces the "carrier, beam flange. In" this position, the thumb nut-1225s screwed onto the free end of the bolt 129 to hold the clamp plates i li t and 116 in engagement with both the carrier beam and'the cross-brace.

FIG. 4 also illustrates a preferred means for attaching the suspension ropes. This figure shows the rope 164 attached to the carrier beam 6 by means of ahook 124 fixed to the end of the rope 104. The hook 124 is designed to engage an eye-bolt 126 which is screwed into the web of the carrier beam. When two bracing structures, such as 28 and 28a of FIG. 2, are employed the second structure 28a may be suitably suspended'from the bracing structure 28 by means of chains or steel ropes supported from the opposite ends of the carrier beams S 6 and 98, two such ropes 128 and 139 are shown in FIG. 2. By reference to FIG. 4, it can be seen that this latter suspension is also preferably achieved by a hook 132 fixed to the rope 128 and an eye-bolt 134 screwed into the web of the carrier beam 96.

In order to fully present the nature of the system herein, it may be appropriate to consider a hypothetical trenching operation, using approximate dimensions by way of illustration but not at all by way of limitation. Storm sewers, for example, are constructed of conduit sections which may be 4 to 6 feet in diameter, requiring a trench 8 feet in width, for example. It sometimes becomes necessary to install such sewers at a depth of 16 to 18 feet. For an operation of this nature, the crossbeams 1t and 12 are conveniently 6 inch steel I-beams 20 to 22 feet in length. Such crossbeams will permit extensions thereof up to 6 feet beyond opposite sides of the trench mouth thereby affording a firm support for the entire structure. The bridging

members

14 and 16 may each be composed of a pair of 4 inch steel l-beams. In such case, the gap 44 between the retaining plates 46 of the

hangers

36 and 38 should be approximately 4%. to 5 inches. The bridging

members

14 and 16 are preferably in the neighborhood of 20 feet in length.

The

several sections

52, 54 and 56 of the sheathing elements are suitably formed of sheet metal, preferably sheet steel /8 inch in thickness. The upper sections 52 of the sheathing elements are suitably about 6 feet in length, with'an internal width of 1. foot and a depth of about 4 inches. The

flanges

66 and 68 at the upper end of the sections 52 are preferably 2 to 3 inches in width to afford firm engagement with the bridging member beams 48. and 50. The second sections 54 of the sheathing elements are approximately 5% feet in length and have an external width of about 11 /3 inches and a depth of not substantially more than 3% inches. Finally, the third sections 56 can be made approximately 5 feet in length with an external width of about 11% inches and a depth of not substantiallymore than 2% inches. With sheathing elements of approximately the foregoing dimensions, it is possible to perform a safe trenching operation to a depth of 16 to l8feet.

In a trenching operation such as referred to, the trench is first dug to a depth of about 5 feet. The trench will be approximately 10 feet across the mouth. At this point, the

crossbeams

10 and 12 are positioned across the mouth of the trench so that the opposite ends thereof are securely seated on the surface. The crossbeams are spaced along the length of the trench as far as the bridging members 14. and 16 will permit, while yet providing firm modate a bolt which is passed through the clarnp plate 3 .114, through the web 118 and through the clamp plate 112' support for the bridging members within the. bridging member supporting saddles. Before placing the

crossbeams

10 and 12, the supportingv saddles 18 and 20, etc. are slipped on -to thecrossbeams and after the crossbeams bridging beams 48 and Eiiare assembled with their sup-.

porting saddles such' that opposite ends thereof rest on a hanger foot 42. The first sections 52 of the telescopic sheathing f'e'lernents are nowinserted from above such" that-their

flanges

66 and 68 rest on top of the bridging beams 48 and 50. Asshown in EIG. 3, the elements are inserted such that they are in edge-to-edge contact with each other forming a substantially solid wall in confronting relation to the wall of the trench.

The second sheathing element sections 54 are now dropped into the first sections from above and the excavation continues. At this point, as the second sheathing element sections begin to drop below the lower end of the first sections, the carrier beams 96 and 98 are lowered and the

cross-braces

100 and 102 are put into place thereby affording internal support to the opposite sheathing walls thus erected. As the second sheathing element sections 54 elongate with the deepening of the trench, the third sheathing element sections 56 are inserted from above in readiness for completion of the trench. Upon final elongation of the second sections 54, the bracing structure 28a is lowered and put into place by an operation corresponding to that described in respect to the bracing structure 28.

When the trench has been dug to its intended depth, the lower sections 56 of the sheathing elements will have dropped beyond the sections 54 and the conduit 136 is lowered andplaced into position, and eventually the back filling operation can be started. The sheathing walls are withdrawn, section-by-section, as the back filling operation proceeds. Withdrawal of the several sheathing sections is easily accomplished by a grapple device attached to a crane cable. A suitable device for this purpose is shown in FIG. 9, wherein a grapple 138 comprises a parallelogram structure composed of a pair of gripping elements 14%) and 142 connected by parallel pivot links 144 and 146. As the crane lowers the grapple mechanism into the sheathing section, it will be collapsed as shown in the dot and dash lines. However, when the grapple is pulled upwardly it will expand so that the gripping elements 149 and 142 will engage opposite inner walls of the section with sufficient firmness to permit withdrawal of the section upon continued operation of the crane cable.

The foregoing constitutes a description of a single shoring unit. It is contemplated that a number of such units be employed on any particular trenching operation. Since an eflicient trenching operation is a continuous one, the sheathing unit taken out of operation as soon as the back filling operation permits, is advanced beyond the unit or units currently serving their intended purpose. By this practice, the trenching work can proceed without interruption.

From the foregoing it can be seen that the invention provides for the complete safety of personnel in the trench at every stage of its construction and that the equipment is completely adaptable for use in the shoring of trench walls no matter what size the trench may be within wide limits.

While the novel features of the invention have been illustrated and described in connection with a specific embodiment of the invention, it is believed that this embodiment will enable others skilled in the art to apply the principles of the invention in forms departing from the exemplary embodiment herein, and such departures are contemplated by the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for shoring the side walls of a trench comprising a pair of cross beams adapted to extend across the mouth of a trench at spaced points therealong with the opposite ends of said beams extending substantially beyond the opposite sides of the trench to provide support for the suspension of shoring elements within the trench,

I a pair of bridgingmember supports mounted on each of said cross beams for selective adjustment along the length thereof into a position adjacent the walls of a trench, each said bridging member support having a tubular portion embracing its respective cross beam in sliding relation and a depending support surface adapted to receive and support an end of a bridging member, a bridging member supported at its ends on said depending supporting surface of a pair of bridging member supports along each wall of a trench, a plurality of vertically telescoping sheathing sections adapted for gravitational elongation into the trench as the same becomes deeper, said sections comprising shoring Walls adapted for suspension from said bridging members in confronting relationship to the side Walls of the trench, and means at one end of said telescoping sections releasably engaging their respective bridging members for suspending said sections in contiguous order along the side walls of the trench.

2. The structure of claim 1, in which said supporting surface of said bridging member supports is composed of a pair of spaced supporting faces, said bridging members comprise a bridging beam on each supportingface, and said telescopic sheathing sections are suspended between adjacent pairs of said bridging beams.

3. The structure of claim 1, in which said supporting surface ofsaid bridging member supports is composed, of a pair of spaced supporting faces having a gap therebetween for inserting elements of said bridging members, and said bridging members comprise a pair of bridging beams insertable through said gap into engagement with said spaced supporting faces.

4. The structure of claim 1, in which said supporting surface of said bridging member supports is composed of a pair of spaced normally horizontally disposed supporting faces having a gap therebetween for inserting elements of said bridging members, and said gap is defined by a pair of stop flanges extending upwardly from said supporting faces. 7

5. The structure of claim 1, in which said tubular portion of said bridging member supports carries means releasably engaging said cross beams for selectively clamping said bridging member supports to said cross beams.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 387,476 Whitc-omb Aug. 7, 1888 1,432,905 Reilly Oct. 24, 1922 1,935,704 Fields NOV. 21, 1933 1,949,691 Nehr et a1 Mar. 6, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS 355,599 Switzerland Aug. 31, 1961

Claims

1. A DEVICE FOR SHORING THE SIDE WALLS OF A TRENCH COMPRISING A PAIR OF CROSS BEAMS ADAPTED TO EXTEND ACROSS THE MOUTH OF A TRENCH AT SPACED POINTS THEREALONG WITH THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID BEAMS EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY BEYOND THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE TRENCH TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE SUSPENSION OF SHORING ELEMENTS WITHIN THE TRENCH, A PAIR OF BRIDGING MEMBER SUPPORTS MOUNTED ON EACH OF SAID CROSS BEAMS FOR SELECTIVE ADJUSTMENT ALONG THE LENGTH THEREOF INTO A POSITION ADJACENT THE WALLS OF A TRENCH, EACH SAID BRIDGING MEMBER SUPPORT HAVING A TUBULAR PORTION EMBRACING ITS RESPECTIVE CROSS BEAM IN SLIDING RELATION AND A DEPENDING SUPPORT SURFACE ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AND SUPPORT AN END OF A BRIDGING MEMBER, A