Helical pier system

Abstract

A helical pier system includes a plurality of pier segments. Respective helical notches and projections of abutting helical pier segment ends are mated inside of a coupler. At least one of the pier segments is rotated about its longitudinal axis with respect to the other until respective stop surfaces abut one another, at which point a plurality of holes through the coupler and at least one of the pier segments become automatically aligned. Thus, bolts can be easily and quickly inserted through the aligned holes to secure the helical pier segments together.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A helical pier system, comprising:
 a first pier segment, comprising:
 an elongated cylinder having a distal longitudinal end and a proximal longitudinal end opposite the distal longitudinal end; 
 a first bolt hole extending laterally through the elongated cylinder adjacent to the proximal longitudinal end thereof; and 
 a helical notch defined distally inward from the proximal longitudinal end of the elongated cylinder, wherein the helical notch tapers inward from the proximal longitudinal end until it terminates in a stop surface, 
 wherein the stop surface of the first pier segment is oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis of the elongated cylinder; 
   a second pier segment, comprising:
 an elongated cylinder having a distal longitudinal end and a proximal longitudinal end opposite the distal longitudinal end; 
 a helical notch defined proximally inward from the distal longitudinal end of the elongated cylinder, wherein the helical notch tapers inward from the proximal longitudinal end until it terminates in a stop surface, 
 wherein the stop surface of the second pier segment is oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis of the elongated cylinder; and 
   a coupler secured to the distal longitudinal end of the second pier segment, the coupler comprising a hollow cylinder with a first bolt hole defined laterally through a sidewall thereof, and the coupler protruding distally beyond the distal longitudinal end of the second pier segment to define a female recess with an inner diameter sized to receive the proximal longitudinal end of the first pier segment,   wherein the helical notch of the first pier segment and the helical notch of the second pier segment are configured to mate with one another such that when the second pier segment is rotated with respect to the first pier segment that the respective stop surfaces abut one another when the first bolt hole of the first pier segment is aligned with the first bolt hole of the coupler such that a first bolt can be inserted simultaneously through the aligned respective first bolt holes.   
     
     
         2 . The helical pier system of  claim 1 , wherein the helical notch of the first pier segment and the helical notch of the second pier segment are configured to mate with one another such that less than one complete rotation of the second pier segment with respect to the first pier segment is required to cause the respective stop surfaces to abut one another. 
     
     
         3 . The helical pier system of  claim 1 , wherein the stop surface of the first pier segment is rotationally clocked 90 degrees offset from a center of the bolt hole of the first pier segment. 
     
     
         4 . The helical pier system of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated cylinder of the first pier segment is hollow through its entire longitudinal extent, and wherein the elongated cylinder of the second pier segment is hollow through its entire longitudinal extent. 
     
     
         5 . The helical pier system of  claim 1 , wherein the proximal end of the second pier segment comprises a helical notch having the same configuration as the helical notch of the proximal end of the first pier segment. 
     
     
         6 . The helical pier system of  claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the first helical segment comprises a penetrating tip. 
     
     
         7 . The helical pier system of  claim 6 , wherein the penetrating tip comprises four triangular segments arrayed about the longitudinal axis of the elongated cylinder, wherein the four triangular segments are oriented such that they taper to a pointed tip at a distal-most end of the first pier segment. 
     
     
         8 . The helical pier system of  claim 1 , wherein the first helical segment comprises a seashell flight disposed about the elongated cylinder between the proximal and distal longitudinal ends thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The helical pier system of  claim 8 , wherein the seashell flight defines a spiral body that terminates in a tapered leading edge. 
     
     
         10 . The helical pier system of  claim 1 , wherein the helical notch of the distal end of the second pier segment consumes about ¼ to ⅓ of a circumference of the distal end of the second pier segment. 
     
     
         11 . The helical pier system of  claim 10 , wherein the helical notch of the proximal end of the first pier segment consumes about ¼ to ⅓ of a circumference of the proximal end of the first pier segment. 
     
     
         12 . The helical pier system of  claim 1 , wherein the first pier segment further comprises a second bolt hole extending laterally through the elongated cylinder adjacent to the proximal longitudinal end thereof, wherein the second bolt hole is longitudinally offset from the first bolt hole, wherein the coupler further comprises a second bolt hole defined laterally through a sidewall thereof, and wherein when the respective stop surfaces abut one another the second bolt hole of the first pier segment is aligned with the second bolt hole of the coupler such that a second bolt can be inserted simultaneously through the aligned respective second bolt holes. 
     
     
         13 . A helical pier system, comprising:
 a first pier segment, comprising:
 an elongated cylinder having a distal longitudinal end and a proximal longitudinal end opposite the distal longitudinal end; and 
 a helical notch defined distally inward from the proximal longitudinal end of the elongated cylinder, wherein the helical notch tapers inward from the proximal longitudinal end until it terminates in a stop surface, 
 wherein the stop surface of the first pier segment is oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis of the elongated cylinder; 
   a second pier segment, comprising:
 an elongated cylinder having a distal longitudinal end and a proximal longitudinal end opposite the distal longitudinal end; 
 a first bolt hole extending laterally through the elongated cylinder adjacent to the distal longitudinal end thereof; and 
 a helical notch defined proximally inward from the distal longitudinal end of the elongated cylinder, wherein the helical notch tapers inward from the proximal longitudinal end until it terminates in a stop surface, 
 wherein the stop surface of the second pier segment is oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis of the elongated cylinder; and 
   a coupler secured to the proximal longitudinal end of the first pier segment, the coupler comprising a hollow cylinder with a first bolt hole defined laterally through a sidewall thereof, and the coupler protruding proximally beyond the proximal longitudinal end of the first pier segment to define a female recess with an inner diameter sized to receive the distal longitudinal end of the second pier segment,   wherein the helical notch of the first pier segment and the helical notch of the second pier segment are configured to mate with one another such that when the second pier segment is rotated with respect to the first pier segment that the respective stop surfaces abut one another when the first bolt hole of the second pier segment is aligned with the first bolt hole of the coupler such that a first bolt can be inserted simultaneously through the aligned respective first bolt holes.   
     
     
         14 . The helical pier system of  claim 13 , wherein the helical notch of the distal end of the second pier segment consumes about ¼ to ⅓ of a circumference of the distal end of the second pier segment; and wherein the helical notch of the proximal end of the first pier segment consumes about ¼ to ⅓ of a circumference of the proximal end of the first pier segment. 
     
     
         15 . The helical pier system of  claim 13 , wherein the helical notch of the first pier segment and the helical notch of the second pier segment are configured to mate with one another such that less than one complete rotation of the second pier segment with respect to the first pier segment is required to cause the respective stop surfaces to abut one another. 
     
     
         16 . The helical pier system of  claim 13 , wherein the stop surface of the first pier segment is rotationally clocked 90 degrees offset from a center of the bolt hole of the first pier segment. 
     
     
         17 . The helical pier system of  claim 13 , wherein the elongated cylinder of the first pier segment is hollow through its entire longitudinal extent, and wherein the elongated cylinder of the second pier segment is hollow through its entire longitudinal extent. 
     
     
         18 . A method of joining a first helical pier segment to a second helical pier segment, the method comprising:
 driving a first helical pier segment partially into the earth such that at least a proximal end portion thereof is exposed;   attaching a coupler to a distal end of a second helical pier segment;   inserting at least a portion of the proximal end portion of the first helical pier into a distal recess defined in the coupler until a proximal end of the first helical pier segment abuts a distal end of the second helical pier segment; and   rotating the second helical pier segment relative to the first helical pier segment about a longitudinal axis of the first helical pier segment until a stop surface defined in a helical notch defined in the distal end of the second helical pier segment abuts a stop surface defined in a helical notch defined in the proximal end of the first helical pier segment.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of rotating the second helical pier segment relative to the first helical pier segment until the respective stop surfaces abut one another aligns a first bolt hole defined laterally through the proximal end portion of the first helical pier segment with a first bolt hole defined laterally through the coupler such that a first bolt can be simultaneously passed through both of the respective bolt holes. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of rotating the second helical pier segment relative to the first helical pier segment until the respective stop surfaces abut one another aligns a plurality of bolt holes defined laterally through the proximal end portion of the first helical pier segment with a plurality of bolt holes defined laterally through the coupler such that a respective bolt can be simultaneously passed through each of the respective plurality of bolt holes.