US3411305A - Tubular interlocking piling for wall assemblies - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 19, 1968 A. A. CELLA 3,411,305

TUBULAR INTERLOCKING FILING FOR WALL ASSEMBLIES Filed Jan. 23, 1967 BY flrnzazam; F495; 6222; JZFFi/t/ United States Patent Oflice Patented Nov. 19, 1968 3,411,305 TUBULAR INTERLOCKING PILING FOR WALL ASSEMBLIES Alexander A. Cella, Great Notch, N.J., assignor to Alexander A. Celia, Great Notch, and Charles Vmzant, Wharton, NJ.

Filed Jan. 23, 1967, Ser. No. 611,126 4 Claims. (Cl. 61-60) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pile unit for use in interconnected tubular piling. The tubular unit has an interlocking element, L-shaped in cross-section, welded to the exterior surface of the tube, and a second L-shaped, interlocking element and a bead element welded to the exterior surface of the tube and spaced from the first connecting element. Two tubular units are interconnected by sliding an L-shaped element of one into an L-shaped element of a second, with the bead element of the second maintaining the engagement of the interlocking elements.

This invention relates to piling, and more particularly, to tubular interlocking piling.

More specifically, the present invention relates to a tubular pile unit which is designed to be connected in interlocking engagement with one or more like tubular pile units. The tubular unit has a first interlocking element which is L-shaped in cross-section and is attached to the exterior surface of the tubular unit. There is also provided a second L-shaped interlocking element and a bead element which is attached to the exterior surface of the tubular unit. The two tubular units are interconnected by sliding the L-shaped element of the first interlocking element into the L-shaped element of a second tubular unit. The bead element on the second tubular unit maintains the engagement of the interlocking elements.

Filings for reinforcing the construction of walls, dams, piers, and other abutments are made of sheets of metal having interlocking joints. An example of sheet pilings can be found in the Murray US. Patent No. 2,128,428. Interlocking tubular steel pilings have also been used in the past as shown in US. Patents 2,101,285, 2,090,720, and 3,059,436. However, the interlocking members of tubular pile members used in the prior art are relatively expensive and sometimes present difficulties in their interconnection.

The tubular pile unit of this invention utilizes a more simple L-shaped, interlocking element, together with an associated bead element, to provide effective engagement of a series of tubular pile units. This tubular pile unit may be used in constructing cofferdams, walls, dams, bridge piers, abutments, and other types of walls where strong construction is necessary.

Thus, an object of this invention is to provide a tubular pile member which is simple in construction and can be economically manufactured.

Another object is to provide a rigidly constructed, interlocking tubular pile member.

Other objects of the invention will become more apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the tubular pile;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of two tubular members interconnected.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the tubular pile member consists of the elongated tubular member 11, which is of substantially uniform cross-section along its length. The tubular member may be solid, but is usually hollow, as shown in FIGURE 1.

Tubular member 11 has integrally formed with its exterior surface two L-shaped, interlocking elements 12 and 14 and a bead element 13. Each L-shaped, interlocking element has a long leg 20 and a short leg 21.

The interlocking elements are easily secured to the circumferential surface of the tubular member by welding along the length of the interlocking element on both sides. Any other means for securing the interlocking elements to the tubular member may be used, but welding is the simplest and most economical;

The bead element 13 is slightly spaced from the L-shaped, interlocking element 12. It is the means by which an L-shaped, interlocking element of one tubular member is maintained in engagement with the interlocking element of a second tubular member.

The bead element should be spaced along the circumference from the interlocking element so that when two interlocking elements are engaged, the shorter leg of a first L-shaped, interlocking element will be bearing against the corresponding portion of a second interlocking element, while the longer leg will be bearing against the bead element, thus maintaining engagement.

As can be seen from FIGURE 2, tubular member 11 is interlocked with tubular member 15. L-shaped, interlocking element 14 slides into interlocking element 17, and beaded element 18 bears against element 14 to prevent the disengagement of the interlocking elements 14 and 17.

The interlocking member design shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 may be used on any diameter tubular pile.

The relative dimensions of the interlocking element to the tubular member are not fixed, but it has been found desirable to use a l /z-inch long leg, %-inch short leg, L-shaped element in cooperation with a /2-inch diameter beaded element on a 12-inch diameter tubular member.

The important consideration in determining the relative dimensions of the L-shaped elements is that shorter legs of the interlocking elements may bear against each other while the beaded element may bear against the longer leg, thus maintaining engagement.

Additional strength may be obtained if the shorter legs of the interlocking elements taper inwardly toward their respective ends as shown in 21a of FIGURE 1, thus providing increased bearing surfaces for engagement of the interlocking elements.

The relative position of the interlocking elements is likewise not fixed. However, the most rigid construction exists when the points of securement of the interlocking members to the tubular member can be connected by a diameter passing through the center of the tubular member.

The long leg of the L-shaped, interlocking element may be integrally formed with the tubular member so that it is at an angle of 060 with the normal to the circumference of the tubular member. It is preferable if the angle is between 30 to 60.

It may be desirable for a particular reinforcement function to be performed by pile members wherein interconnection of the tubular piles is not along a single direction. If this is desired, the tubular members may be provided with third and fourth interconnecting elements and a second bead member. These additional interconnecting elements will facilitate connection of the tubular members in two directions. As with only two interconnecting elements, it is most desirable that the points of securement of the third and fourth interconnecting elements be positioned so a line connecting the two would be a diameter of the tubular member. If this is the case, lines connecting the centers of four tubular members thus interconnected would form a square.

Although there has been described a preferred embodiment of this novel invention, many variations and modifications will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, this invention is to be limited, not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appending claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive privilege or property is claimed are defined as follows.

I claim:

1. A tubular pile unit designed to be connected in interlocking engagement with one or more like tubular pile units to define a load bearing wall assembly, said unit comprising:

(a) an elongated, tubular member of substantially uniform cross-section;

(b) a first interlocking element having an L-shaped cross-section formed integral with the circumferential surface of said tubular member, projecting longitudinally of said tubular member;

(c) a bead element formed integral with the circumferential surface of said tubular member, said bead element extending lingitudinally of said tubular member substantially parallel to and spaced circumferentially from said first interlocking element;

((1) a second interlocking element having an L-shaped cross-section formed integral with the circumferential surface of said tubular member, said second interlocking element projecting longitudinally of said tubular member substantially parallel to and spaced circumferentially from said first interlocking element and the bead element, each of said first and second interlocking elements having uneven legs and each of said elements being attached to the circumferential surface of the tubular member adjacent the remote end of the longer legs of said elements, wherein the first interlocking element and the bead element are so spaced circumferentially of the tubular member as to slidably receive and engage therebetween the shorter leg of the second interlocking element of a mating pile unit to form an effective interlock unit between the first and second interlocking elements whereby the adjacent portion of the longer leg of said second projecting element of said mating pile unit is securely positioned against the bead element on one side and the circumferential surface of thetubular element on the other side.

2. The tubular pile unit of claim 1, wherein the shorter legs of said interlocking elements taper inwardly toward their respective ends to provide increased bearing surfaces for engagement with the interlocking elements of interlocking pile units.

3. The tubular pile unit of claim 1, wherein the longer leg of said interlocking elements is at an angle of 3060 with the normal to the circumference of said tubular member.

4. A load bearing wall assembly constituted of a plurality of tubular pile units as defined in claim 1, said units being connected in interlocking engagement with the shorter leg of the second interlocking element of each mating pile unit engaging with and bearing against the corresponding portion of the first interlocking element of the tubular pile unit connected thereto, and the adjacent portion of the longer leg of the second interlocking element of said mating pile unit engaging with and bearing against the bead element of said tubular pile unit connected thereto.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,128,428 8/1930 Murray 6l-60 FOREIGN PATENTS 561,765 6/ 1944 Great Britain.

JACOB SHAPIRO, Primary Examiner.

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