Multiple piece bracket assembly for lifting and supporting a structure

Abstract

An improvement for a bracket assembly of the type used in lifting and supporting a structure or shallow foundation element on a pile is provided. The bracket assembly rests on top of a deep foundation pile positioned adjacent to a structure. The bracket has inside and outside sections, the inside section is a weldment consisting of a bearing member which engages and attaches to the structure or foundation element. The inside section also functions as a guide for installing a pile. The outside section is further divided into upper and lower parts. The lower outside section has a pile guide and a spaced apart U-shaped adjustment bolt that together cradle the pile. The upper outside section caps the pile and attaches to the lower outside section using threadably adjustable rods. The outside section attaches to the inside section thereby fixing the bracket assembly against horizontal translation and rotation about a horizontal axis with respect to the pile.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This nonprovisional patent application claims priority to the related provisional patent application having Ser. No. 60 / 733,125 which was filed on Nov. 2, 2005; and this also is a Continuation-In-Part of Ser. No. 11 / 519,633 which was filed on Sep. 12, 2006, and which is a provisional application having Ser. No. 60 / 716,314 filed on Sep. 12, 2005; and which nonprovisional application is a Continuation-In-Part of nonprovisional application having Ser. No. 11 / 089,865 filed on Mar. 25, 2005 and which is claiming priority on provisional application having Ser. No. 60 / 556 / 540, filed Mar. 25, 2004, which is now U.S. Pat. No. 7,094,003.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] A structure supported on a shallow foundation can become unstable and begin to settle as a result of unsatisfactory soil conditions or flaws in the original foundation design. Often foundation settlement results in the structure becoming out of level and structural damage can occu...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015] It is further an object of the current invention to provide a temporary pile installation guide to help facilitate the accurate positioning of various sizes and configurations of deep foundation piles.

[0016] It is a further object of the present invention to prevent horizontal axis rotation of the bracket, relative to the installed deep foundation pile, under axial compressive or tensile loads thus maintaining bearing area engagement between the bracket and the supported structure.

[0017] Another object of the present invention is to provide pile-to-bracket horizontal alignment adjustability with an improved ease of use and improved safety of operation by permitting adjustment without requiring the installer, or the installer's tools, to reach under the supported structure to accomplish the adjustments.

Problems solved by technology

The induced moment has a tendency to rotate the bracket away from the support structure, about a horizontal axis, resulting in a reduction of the effective bearing contact area between the bracket and the structure.

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