Woodpile connector

Abstract

A woodpile connector has a tubular body defined by an open-end lower portion and an open-end upper portion. The upper portion and the lower portion are fixedly connected, at their free ends, to a separating plate, which forms a transverse flange extending outwardly from an exterior periphery of the connector body. The open ends of the connector body have beveled edges to facilitate engagement of the connector portions with abutting sections of the woodpile. By aligning the connector portions in relation to the pile sections, while forcing the connector portions into the pile sections, alignment of the pile sections is achieved even when the pile sections do not have evenly cut connecting surfaces.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A connector for engaging sections of a wood piling, comprising: 
 an upper portion having a tubular wall with an open upper end;    a lower portion having a tubular wall with an open lower end, the lower portion being fixedly connected to the upper portion; and    a separating plate fixedly attached to free ends of said upper portion and said lower portion, said separating plate extending outwardly from exterior walls of the upper portion and the lower portion and forming a flange on the exterior walls of the upper portion and the lower portion.    
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said separating plate extends transversely to the exterior walls of the upper portion and the lower portion.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a first air and fluid release slot is formed between a part of a lower end of said upper portion and said separating plate.  
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein a second air and fluid release slot is formed between a part of an upper end of said lower portion and said separating plate.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein said upper portion and said lower portion are configured as cylindrical bodies, and wherein said first and said second air and fluid release slots are located at diametrically opposite locations in relation to each other.  
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said open upper end of the upper portion is defined by a continuous wall having a bevel edge to facilitate engagement of the upper portion with a wood piling section.  
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said open lower end of the lower portion is defined by a continuous wall having a bevel edge to facilitate engagement of the lower portion with a section of wood piling.  
     
     
         8 . A method of connecting adjacent sections of wood piling, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a pile connector having an upper portion with an open upper end and a lower portion having a lower open end, said upper portion and said lower portion being fixedly connected to a transverse plate extending between the upper portion and the lower portion, said plate forming a transverse flange in an area of connection between the upper portion and the lower portion;    forcing the lower portion into a bottom section of the wood piling until the transverse flange contacts a top surface of the bottom section;    forcing the upper portion into a top section of the wood piling until the transverse flange contacts a bottom surface of the top section, thereby aligning said bottom section and said top section of the wood piling, while the wood piling is being driven into the ground.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said open upper end of the upper portion of the pile connector is defined by a continuous wall having a bevel edge.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said open lower end of the lower portion of the pile connector is defined by a continuous wall having a bevel edge.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said plate is fixedly attached to said upper portion and said lower portion about substantially entire periphery of said upper portion and said lower portion.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising a step of forming an air and fluid release slot between said upper portion and said plate.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising a step of forming an air and fluid release slot between said lower portion and said plate.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said pile connector has a tubular body with an exterior surface, and wherein said transverse flange extends outwardly from said exterior surface.  
     
     
         15 . A connector for engaging sections of a wood piling, comprising: 
 a connector body having an exterior surface, said connector body comprising an upper portion having a tubular wall with an open upper end and a lower portion having a tubular wall with an open lower end, the lower portion being fixedly connected to the upper portion; and    a separating plate fixedly attached to a bottom edge of said upper portion and to a top edge of said lower portion, said separating plate extending outwardly from exterior walls of the upper portion and the lower portion and forming a transverse flange on the exterior surface of said connector body.    
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein said open upper end of the upper portion is defined by a continuous wall having a bevel edge to facilitate engagement of the upper portion with a wood piling section.  
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein said open lower end of the lower portion is defined by a continuous wall having a bevel edge to facilitate engagement of the lower portion with a section of wood piling.  
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein a first air and fluid release slot is formed between a part of the bottom edge of said upper portion and said separating plate.  
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein a second air and fluid release slot is formed between the top edge of said lower portion and said separating plate.