Joint for reinforced concrete pile sections

Abstract

The invention relates to providing a concrete pile splice between driven reinforced concrete piles to join them together end-to-end, with the ends of both reinforced concrete piles to be joined having an end surface. The joint of each pile includes lock rods provided with pin-receiving holes, cylindrical lock sockets provided with pin-receiving through-holes to which pin-receiving tube-like parts are used to interconnect the lock sockets, and locking pins. A pair of joints forming a splice consists of two similar joint pieces. The joint is installed at the end of the concrete pile during the poured casting process. In order to reduce the cost of manufacture and materials of the splicing pieces and to achieve reliability in operation, they are made by machining or welding. Preferably, the hole ( 6 ) in the lock rod and the hole ( 19 a ) of the crosswise tunnel ( 9 ) extending through the lock socket have an eccentric disposition relative to each other.

1 . A joint for a concrete pile section comprising:
 a first end plate for connecting to the concrete pile;   a plurality of spaced apart lock rods extending substantially perpendicular to the first end plate;   a plurality of spaced apart lock sockets extending substantially perpendicular to the first end plate, wherein each of the plurality of lock sockets has a cavity-forming sleeve with a shoulder portion cut into at least part of the end of the sleeve and axially-aligned crosswise through-holes on opposite walls of the sleeve, wherein the shoulder portion attaches to the first end plate such that the axis of the crosswise through-holes is eccentrically offset in the socket extending direction relative to a mating lock rod inserted in the cavity; and   at least one pin-receiving member interconnected between the crosswise through-holes of at least two of the plurality of lock sockets, wherein the member extends substantially across the first end plate.   
   
   
       2 . The joint according to  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the pin-receiving member extends a distance into one of the crosswise through-holes. 
   
   
       3 . The joint according to  claim 1 , wherein the pin-receiving member comprises:
 a first pin-receiving portion extending from a first peripheral edge of the first end plate into one of the crosswise through-holes;   a second pin-receiving portion extending between two crosswise through-holes and substantially axially-aligned with the first pin-receiving portion; and   a third pin-receiving portion extending from a second peripheral edge of the first end plate into one of the crosswise through-holes and substantially axially-aligned with the first and second pin-receiving portions.   
   
   
       4 . (canceled) 
   
   
       5 . The joint according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one anchoring device attached to at least one of the plurality of lock rods and at least one of the plurality of lock sockets, wherein the at least one anchoring device extends substantially perpendicular to the first end plate. 
   
   
       6 . The joint according to  claim 1 , wherein the ends of the plurality of lock rods are conical shaped. 
   
   
       7 . The joint according to  claim 1 , further comprising a locking pin for inserting into the pin-receiving member. 
   
   
       8 . The joint according to  claim 7 , wherein one end of the locking pin is partially tapered and wherein at least a portion of the surface of the locking pin is textured. 
   
   
       9 . The joint according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of lock rods comprises an annular groove at a portion where the lock rods attach to the first end plate. 
   
   
       10 . The joint according to  claim 1 , wherein the eccentric offset is a distance  15   a  from a surface of the first end plate, which is greater than a distance  15   b  of the mating lock rod. 
   
   
       11 . The joint according to  claim 1 , further comprising a protective cap for inserting into the cavity of the plurality of lock sockets. 
   
   
       12 . The joint according to  claim 1 , further comprising a protective cap for inserting into an end of the pin-receiving member. 
   
   
       13 . The joint according to  claim 12 , further comprising a protrusion attached to the protective cap for inserting into a recess. 
   
   
       14 . The joint according to  claim 1 , further comprising a concrete pile, wherein the joint is attached to an end of the concrete pile. 
   
   
       15 . The joint according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one through-hole on the first end plate for accepting a pre-tensioning cable. 
   
   
       16 . The joint according to  claim 1 , further comprising a retaining clip inserted into an end of the pin-receiving member. 
   
   
       17 . A joint for a concrete pile section comprising:
 a plurality of spaced apart lock rods attached to a first end plate and extending substantially perpendicular to the end plate, wherein at least two of the lock rods each comprise a crosswise through-hole having an axis substantially parallel to the plane of the first end plate and substantially co-axial to each other;   a plurality of spaced apart lock sockets extending from the first end plate in a substantially opposite direction from the plurality of lock rods, wherein at least two of the lock sockets each comprise a cavity-forming sleeve with a shoulder portion cut into at least part of the end of the sleeve and crosswise through-holes through the opposite walls of the sleeve, the through-holes having an axis substantially parallel to the plane of the first end plate and substantially co-axial to each other;   a first pin-receiving portion extending from a first peripheral edge of the first end plate into one of the crosswise through-holes of one of the cavities;   a second pin-receiving portion extending between two crosswise through-holes of the cavities of the at least two lock sockets and substantially axially-aligned with the first pin-receiving portion; and   a third pin-receiving portion extending from a second peripheral edge of the first end plate into one of the crosswise through-holes of the cavities and substantially axially-aligned with the first and second pin-receiving portions,   wherein the at least two lock rods and the at least two lock sockets are axially-aligned in the socket extending direction with respective mating lock sockets and lock rods on a second end plate, and   wherein the shoulder portion attaches to the first end plate such that the axis of the crosswise through-holes is eccentrically offset in the socket extending direction relative to the lock rods on the second end plate inserted in the cavity.   
   
   
       18 . The joint according to  claim 17 , wherein the eccentrically offset distance is the difference between the distance  15   a  and the distance  15   b.    
   
   
       19 . The joint according to  claim 18 , further comprising a locking pin inserted into the pin-receiving portions for securing the first and second end plates together. 
   
   
       20 . The joint according to  claim 19 , further comprising a first concrete pile attached to the first end plate and second concrete pile attached to the second end plate. 
   
   
       21 . A method for making a joint for a concrete pile, comprising the steps of:
 attaching to a first end plate a plurality of spaced apart lock rods extending substantially perpendicular to the end plate;   attaching to the first end plate a plurality of spaced apart lock sockets extending substantially perpendicular to the first end plate, wherein each of the plurality of lock sockets has a cavity-forming sleeve with a shoulder portion cut into at least part of the end of the sleeve and axially-aligned crosswise through-holes on opposite walls of the sleeve, wherein the shoulder portion attaches to the first end plate such that the axis of the crosswise through-holes is eccentrically offset in the socket extending direction relative to a mating lock rod inserted in the cavity;   attaching at least one pin-receiving member to the first end plate, wherein the pin-receiving member interconnects the crosswise through-holes of at least two of the plurality of lock sockets, and wherein the member extends substantially across the first end plate.   
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the lock sockets are made of a longitudinal blank into which the cavities and through-holes are formed. 
   
   
       23 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the pin-receiving member is sized to accept at least one locking pin having a substantially similar cross-section. 
   
   
       24 . The method according to  claim 21 , further comprising attaching the joint to a concrete pile. 
   
   
       25 . The method according to  claim 24 , further comprising splicing the pile joint with another pile joint by removably inserting a locking pin into the pin-receiving member. 
   
   
       26 . The method according to  claim 25 , further comprising crimping an end of the pin-receiving member to secure the locking pin. 
   
   
       27 . The method according to  claim 21 , further comprising forming a beveled edge on a opening of a crosswise through-hole on the plurality of lock rods. 
   
   
       28 . The method according to  claim 21 , further comprising the steps of attaching the joint to a joint guide using two casting guide pins. 
   
   
       29 . A method for making a joint for a concrete pile, comprising the steps of:
 attaching to a first end plate a plurality of spaced apart lock rods extending substantially perpendicular to the end plate;   forming in each of at least two of the lock rods a crosswise through-hole having an axis substantially parallel to the plane of the first end plate and substantially co-axial to each other;   attaching to the first end plate a plurality of spaced apart lock sockets extending from the first end plate in a substantially opposite direction from the plurality of lock rods, wherein each of the plurality of spaced apart lock sockets is formed from a sleeve having a shoulder portion cut into at least part of the end of the sleeve;   forming in each of at least two of the lock sockets a cavity for receiving a mating lock rod on a second end plate;   forming two crosswise through-holes through the opposite walls of the sleeves, wherein the through-holes have an axis substantially parallel to the plane of the first end plate;   attaching a pin-receiving member extending from a first peripheral edge of the first end plate into one of the crosswise through-holes of one of the cavities, and extending between two crosswise through-holes of the cavities of the at least two lock sockets, and extending from a second peripheral edge of the first end plate into one of the crosswise through-holes of the cavities; and   attaching at least one anchoring device to at least one of the plurality of lock rods, or to at least one of the plurality of lock sockets.   
   
   
       30 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein the at least two lock sockets are made of a longitudinal blank into which the cavities and through-holes are formed. 
   
   
       31 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein the pin-receiving member is sized to accept at least one locking pin having a substantially similar cross-section. 
   
   
       32 . The method according to  claim 29 , further comprising attaching the joint to a concrete pile. 
   
   
       33 . The method according to  claim 32 , further comprising splicing the pile joint with another pile joint. 
   
   
       34 . The method according to  claim 29 , further comprising the steps of:
 positioning in one of the at least two lock sockets a lock rod on a second end plate such that the axis of the through-hole on the lock socket and the axis of the crosswise through-hole on the lock rod are eccentrically offset relative to each other.