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  Steel-cased concrete piersUSPTO Application #: 20080019779Title: Steel-cased concrete piers Abstract: A concrete pier and method of forming include providing a rust-resistant tube of a steel material. The tube is placed in a hole formed in the ground. The workers pour concrete into the tube and allow the concrete to harden. The above-ground structure is then attached to the upper end of the tube, leaving the tube in the ground to serve as a steel reinforcement for the concrete. The mounting structure at the upper end of the tube may be anchor bolts, or it may comprise tapered metal members. In the latter case, the above-ground structure to be supported by the pier has a base with a mating socket that fits over and is welded to the tapered mounting member. (end of abstract) Agent: Bracewell & Giuliani LLP - Houston, TX, US Inventor: Joy Kirston Henderson USPTO Applicaton #: 20080019779 - Class: 405237000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Hydraulic And Earth Engineering, Foundation, Columnar Structure (e.g., Pier, Pile), Process Or Apparatus For Installing, Casting In Situ Hardenable Fluent Material, Forming Subsurface Enlargement The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080019779. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] This invention relates in general to foundation piers, and in particular to a pier formed of concrete and encased within a steel tube. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Concrete piers are widely used for supporting structures such as buildings, power transmission lines, light and sign poles, bridges, elevated transportation systems, as well as for underground reinforcements to hold back earth. Normally a pier is formed by drilling or forming a hole in the earth, which may be a mixture of rock and soil. The workers may set up a temporary tubular steel form and place the tubular form in the hole. Cardboard or paper temporary forms are alternatively placed within the hole. [0003] Steel reinforcing bars are placed within the tubular forms. Typically, the reinforcing steel bars are spaced a selected distance, such as three inches, from the tubular form walls to minimize the danger of rusting caused by water penetration into the concrete. In some cases, temporary steel forms are also placed at the top of the steel forms within the hold to form an upper portion of the concrete into a shaped spud for supporting a hollow tapered steel column on the finished pier. [0004] After the concrete has hardened sufficiently, the workers remove the temporary forms and put fill material around the concrete in a conventional manner. The above-ground structure will then be fastened to the top of the pier, such as by anchor bolts or the like. [0005] Piers of this nature have a number of shortcomings. For example, it is time consuming to set up and remove the steel forms. Additionally, steel forms have to be carried to the work site and back. If paper forms are used, these must be transported to the work site and assembled. The pier is often larger in diameter than it needs to be, mainly because the reinforcing rods are placed three inches or more from their exterior surface of the concrete. Furthermore, after attaching the base of the above-ground structure, often a portion of the concrete is exposed. These exposed portions are porous, making it difficult to remove paint and other materials that may have been applied by vandals. Furthermore, exposed concrete above ground is easily damaged by impacts. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] In this invention, a rust-resistant tube of a steel material is placed in the hole formed in the ground. The upper end of the tube will be typically protruding a short distance above the ground. The workers pour concrete into the tube and allow the concrete to harden. The workers fill any empty portions of an annulus surrounding the tube with a fill material, leaving the tube in place to service as reinforcing material for the concrete. The above-ground structure is attached to the upper end of the tube. [0007] The tube is preferably hollow so that the flow of concrete from the open upper end to the bottom of the tube is unimpeded. The lower end of the tube is preferably open. The sidewall of the tube may be completely free of apertures. Alternately, a lower portion of the tube sidewall may have apertures for allowing concrete to flow into the annulus from the lower portion. If so, preferably the lower portion has a thicker cross-section than the impervious upper portion. [0008] The mounting structure at the upper end of the tube is also preferably of steel. It may comprise conventional anchor bolts embedded in the concrete. It may also comprise a tapered mounting member protruding upward from the cylindrical portion of the tube. The tapered mounting member has a hole at its top through which the concrete is poured. The concrete is poured into the tube through the hole in the mounting member until the tube and the tapered mounting member are filled. The base of the above-ground structure to be supported by the pier preferably has a tapered socket in its interior that mates with the tapered exterior of the mounting member. When the base of the above-ground structure is placed on the mounting member, the exposed portion of the concrete at the upper end will be completely covered. The base of the above-ground structure may be welded to the tapered mounting member. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0009] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a tube for a concrete pier constructed in accordance with this invention. [0010] FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the tube of FIG. 1, shown installed within a hole in the earth, filled with concrete, and containing mounting members at its upper end. [0011] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the tube of FIG. 1. [0012] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the tube of FIG. 3, shown installed within a hole in the earth. [0013] FIG. 5 is an isometric view of another embodiment of the tube of FIG. 1. [0014] FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the tube of FIG. 5, shown with a base of a mounting structure installed. [0015] FIG. 7 is another isometric view of the tube of FIG. 5, but shown with a second embodiment of a base for an above-ground structure in the process of being lowered over the mounting member on the upper end of the tube. [0016] FIG. 8 is an isometric view of the tube and base of FIG. 7, shown with the base installed and welded to the mounting member of the tube. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0017] Referring to FIG. 1, a tube 11 for a foundation pier is shown. Tube 11 is preferably cylindrical and formed of a high strength metal material that is resistant to rust. Preferably the material is steel, and preferably the steel is an alloy, such as stainless steel, that is resistant to rust. Tube 11 has a cylindrical sidewall 13, although other shapes are feasible. Tube 11 has an open upper end 15 and an open lower end 17. Tube 11 is preferably completely hollow prior to installation. [0018] As shown in FIG. 2, a foundation pier is formed by first drilling or otherwise boring a hole 19 in the ground or earth 20. Earth 20 may be soil, rock, or a mixture of both. Hole 19 is normally cylindrical and of a somewhat larger diameter than tube 11. This results in an annulus 21 surrounding tube 11 when tube 11 is placed in hole 19. Hole 19 will normally have a depth that is less than the length of tube 13 so that a small portion of tube 11 protrudes above ground 20. The amount of protrusion will vary depending upon application, but the portion protruding above ground 20 will be substantially shorter than the portion of tube 11 located within hole 19. Tube 11 may rest on the bottom of hole 19, or spacers may be employed on the bottom of hole 19 if necessary. [0019] After tube 11 is positioned as shown in FIG. 2, the workers will pour concrete 23 through open upper end 15. The concrete flows unimpeded to the lower end because there is no structure, such as steel reinforcing bars or the like, within tube 11. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, sidewall 13 is impervious to liquid, thus substantially all of the concrete 23 remains within tube 1. After pouring concrete 23, the workers fill annulus 21 in a conventional manner using any conventional fill material 27. Fill material 27 normally includes at least some of the earth that was excavated when forming hole 19. Continue reading... Full patent description for Steel-cased concrete piers Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Steel-cased concrete piers patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. 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