Soil sampling system with sample container rigidly coupled to drive casing

Abstract

A soil sampling system includes a rig for driving a drive casing, a sample barrel, and sample liners simultaneously into soil to be sampled. The rig includes mechanisms for driving the casing, barrel, and lining in three modes: hydraulic hammer, continuous pressure, and vibration. The three drive mechanisms can be operated singly or in any combination. After the casing, barrel, and liners are advanced a selected depth into the soil, the barrel and liners are removed. The drive casing remains in the soil. New sample liners are put into the sample barrel, and an inner rod is attached to the sample barrel. The sample barrel is then replaced into the drive casing, and extensions are attached to the drive casing. The drive casing, including extensions, and the sample barrels, along with sample liners and inner rod, are driven further down into the soil. The rig also includes a winch that can be coupled to the inner rod or sample barrel so that the casing and/or barrel (including sample liners) can be retrieved from the drive casing. A clamp system allows the sampler to be hydraulically retracted from the ground when sampling is finished.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method for extracting a subsurface sample comprising the steps of: 
       rigidly coupling a sample container to a drive casing;  
       driving said drive casing until said sample container attains a maximum sample depth; and  
       removing said sample container from said drive casing.  
     
     
       2. A method as recited in claim  1  wherein at the end of said driving step, the depth of said sample container and the depth of said drive casing are at most 12″ apart. 
     
     
       3. A method as described in claim  1  wherein while said sample container is removed from said drive casing, said drive casing remains at the depth it attains when said sample container attains said sample depth. 
     
     
       4. A method as described in claim  1  wherein said sample container is in direct contact with said sample. 
     
     
       5. A method for extracting a soil sample comprising the steps of: 
       rigidly coupling a sample container to a drive casing assembly;  
       driving said drive casing assembly below a sample bottom depth so that said sample container attains said sample bottom depth; and  
       removing said sample container from said drive casing.  
     
     
       6. A method for collecting a continuous soil sample comprising the steps of: 
       rigidly coupling a sample container to a drive casing;  
       driving said drive casing down until said sample container attains a first sample bottom depth;  
       removing said sample container from said drive casing;  
       rigidly coupling a second sample container to said drive casing while said drive casing remains at the depth it attained when said sample container attained said first sample bottom depth; and  
       driving said drive casing downward until said second sample container attains a second sample bottom depth, the distance between said second sample bottom depth and said first sample bottom depth being not more than twice the length of said second sample container.  
     
     
       7. A method for extracting a soil sample comprising the steps of: 
       inserting sample liners into a sample barrel;  
       placing said sample barrel into a drive casing;  
       attaching a drive head to rigidly couple said sample barrel and said drive casing;  
       driving said sample liners, said sample barrel, and said drive casing simultaneously into soil to be sampled until said sample liners obtain a sample;  
       attaching a winch to said sample barrel; and  
       retracting said sample barrel and said sample liners from said drive casing.  
     
     
       8. A method as described in claim  7  wherein after said retracting step, sample liners are again placed in said sample barrel, a segment of inner rod is attached to said sample barrel, a second length of drive casing is attached to said drive casing, and said sample liners, said sample barrel, and said drive casing are simultaneously driven into said soil. 
     
     
       9. An apparatus for extracting a soil sample comprising: 
       drive casing means for casing off a borehole;  
       sample container means for containing a soil sample obtained from said borehole;  
       drive head means for rigidly attaching said sample container means and said drive casing means; and  
       drive means for simultaneously driving said sample container means and said drive casing means into soil.  
     
     
       10. An apparatus as described in claim  9  wherein said drive means includes a pressure drive means, a hammer drive means, and a vibratory drive means, said vibratory drive means operating within a preselected frequency range of from 50 to 125 Hertz. 
     
     
       11. An apparatus as described in claim  10  wherein said pressure drive means, said hammer drive means, and said vibratory drive means independently drive said sample container into soil. 
     
     
       12. A method of collecting a subsurface soil sample, comprising the steps of: 
         assembling a double - rod sampler including    
         i )  a drive casing,    
         ii )  a sample container within said casing, and    
         iii )  a drive head means for drivingly connecting said casing and said sample container means;    
         direct pushing, without rotation, said double - rod sampler through said drive head means by engaging said drive head means with a direct push system to thereby drive said drive casing and said sample container into the soil as a unit and to fill said sample container means with a soil sample during advancement of said double - rod sampler,    
         terminating said direct pushing of said double - rod sampler to thereby locate said double - rod sampler at a predetermined position in the soil, and    
       
         withdrawing said sample container means upwardly through said drive casing while said drive casing remains stationary at said position. 
       
     
     
       13. A method as defined in claim  12 , wherein said soil sample container includes a sample barrel, and 
       
         said method further comprises the step of removing said soil sample from said sample barrel after the withdrawal of said sample container means. 
       
     
     
       14. A method as defined in claim  13 , wherein said sample barrel receives a sample liner for receiving and containing said soil sample during said advancement of said double- rod sampler, and wherein    
       
         said removing of said soil sample includes removing said liner from said sample barrel with the contained soil sample therein. 
       
     
     
       15. A method as defined in claim  13 , and further comprising the steps of: 
         adding a segment of drive casing to an upper end of drive casing of said double - rod sampler after withdrawal of said sample container means,    
       
         reinserting said sample barrel while adding a section of an inner rod between said sample barrel and said drive head means,  
       
         direct pushing, without rotation, said double - rod sampler to advance said double - rod sampler as a unit from said predetermined position to a second predetermined position to fill said sample container means with a consecutive soil sample,    
       
         again withdrawing said sample container means upwardly through said drive casing while said drive casing remains stationary at said second position, and  
       
       
         removing said consecutive soil sample from said sample barrel. 
       
     
     
       16. An apparatus for extracting a soil sample comprising: 
         a double - rod sampler, said double rod sampler further comprising:    
       
         drive casing means for casing off a borehole;  
       
       
         sample container means for containing a soil sample obtained from said borehole;  
       
       
         drive head means for rigidly attaching said sample container means and said drive casing means, said rigid attachment enabling said sample container and said drive casing to be simultaneously driven into soil,  
       
       
         said drive head means having a drive means engaging portion whereby said sample container means and said drive casing means are simultaneously driven by said drive head on driving engagement of said drive head by a drive means. 
       
     
     
       17. An apparatus as defined in claim  16 , wherein said apparatus further comprises a drive means selected from the group consisting of: pressure drive means, a hammer drive means, and vibrating drive means. 
     
     
       18. An apparatus as defined in claim  17 , wherein said drive means includes independently operable pressure drive means, a hammer drive means, and vibrating drive means. 
     
     
       19. An apparatus for extracting a soil sample comprising: 
         a double - rod sampler including:    
       
         drive casing means for casing off a borehole,  
       
       
         sample container means within said casing means and having an open lower end for receiving a soil sample, and  
       
         drive head means for engagement by a non - rotating direct push system and for drivingly connecting said casing means and said sample container means during direct push by said direct push system,    
       
         whereby said casing means and said sample container means are so constructed and arranged to be driven simultaneously into the soil through said drive head means on driving engagement of said drive head means by said direct path system. 
       
     
     
       20. An apparatus as defined in claim  19 , wherein: 
       
         said drive casing terminates at a lower end in a drive shoe,  
       
       
         said drive shoe comprising a hollow steel tube having a tapered outer surface at a forward edge for easier soil entry. 
       
     
     
       21. An apparatus as defined in claim  20 , wherein: 
       
         said sample container means includes:  
       
       
         a sample barrel having a lower open end adjacent said drive shoe for receiving a soil sample through said shoe as said casing means and said sample container means are simultaneously driven into said soil. 
       
     
     
       22. An apparatus as defined in claim  16 , wherein 
       
         said casing means terminates at the lower end thereof in a drive shoe, and  
       
       
         said sample container means includes a sample barrel having a lower end thereof adjacent said drive shoe. 
       
     
     
       23. An apparatus as defined in claim  22 , wherein 
       
         said casing means includes a plurality of connectable segments, and  
       
       
         said sample container means further includes, a plurality of connectable inner rods extending between said drive head means and said sample barrel. 
       
     
     
       24. An apparatus as defined in claim  23 , further comprising: 
       
         a compression bushing disposed between an uppermost one of said inner rods and said drive head means. 
       
     
     
       25. An apparatus as defined in claim  22 , further comprising: 
       
         a removable sample liner received in said sample barrel. 
       
     
     
       26. A method of collecting a subsurface soil sample, comprising the steps of: 
         assembling a double - rod sampler including    
       ( i )  a drive casing;    
       ( ii )  a sample container within said casing, and    
       ( iii )  a drive head means for drivingly connecting said casing and said sample container means;    
         driving said double - rod sampler through said drive head means by engaging said drive head means with a drive system to thereby drive said drive casing and said sample container as a unit such that the relative positions of the drive casing and sample container remain the same throughout said driving steps and to fill said sample container means with a soil sample during advancement of said double - rod sampler in the soil;    
         terminating said driving of said double - rod sampler to thereby locate said double - rod sampler at a predetermined position in the soil; and    
       
         withdrawing said sample container means upwardly through said drive casing while said drive casing remains stationary at said position.