Spiral Tip to a Helical Pier

Abstract

A helical pier with a spiral tip is disclosed. The helical pier is comprised of an elongated hollow shaft, one or more helical plates attached to and extending outward from the shaft, and the spiral tip. The spiral tip acts as an attack bit that contacts and penetrates the ground and subsurface soil layers prior to other parts of the helical pier. The spiral tip provides initial breakup of the ground where the helical pier is being driven. The spiral tip is comprised of a longitudinal edge and a spiral rim between a penetrating lead end and a terminating spiral end on the longitudinal edge.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A helical pier comprised of:
 an elongated hollow shaft having a spiral tip, a helical blade, a trailing end, and a peripheral surface between the spiral tip and the trailing end, where
 the helical blade is arranged about and extends outward from the peripheral surface of the elongated hollow shaft; and 
 the spiral tip includes a longitudinal edge and a spiral rim formed between a penetrating lead end of the longitudinal edge and a terminating spiral end of the longitudinal edge. 
   
     
     
         2 . The helical pier of  claim 1 , wherein the helical blade has one turn with a blade pitch that is substantially constant. 
     
     
         3 . The helical pier of  claim 2 , wherein the spiral rim has a rim pitch that is substantially equal to the blade pitch of the helical blade. 
     
     
         4 . The helical pier of  claim 3 , wherein the helical blade includes a first radial edge proximal to the terminal spiral end on the spiral tip and a second radial edge distal to the first radial edge, the first radial edge being substantially parallel to the second radial edge. 
     
     
         5 . The helical pier of  claim 1 , wherein the helical blade has a plurality of turns having a substantially constant pitch. 
     
     
         6 . The helical pier of  claim 5 , wherein the spiral rim has a rim pitch that is substantially equal to the substantially constant pitch of the plurality of turns to the helical blade. 
     
     
         7 . The helical pier of  claim 6 , wherein the helical blade includes a first radial edge proximal to the terminal spiral end of the spiral tip and a second radial edge distal to the first radial edge, the first radial edge being substantially parallel to the second radial edge. 
     
     
         8 . A helical pier comprised of:
 an elongated hollow shaft having a spiral tip, a plurality of helical blades, a trailing end, and a peripheral surface between the spiral tip and the trailing end, where
 each helical blade is arranged about and extends outward from spaced positions along the peripheral surface of the elongated hollow shaft; and 
 the spiral tip includes a longitudinal edge and a spiral rim formed between a penetrating lead end of the longitudinal edge and a terminating spiral end of the longitudinal edge. 
   
     
     
         9 . The helical pier of  claim 8 , wherein each helical blade includes a first radial edge and a second radial edge distal to the first radial edge, the first radial edge being substantially parallel to the second radial edge. 
     
     
         10 . The helical pier of  claim 9 , wherein each helical blade has one turn with a blade pitch that is substantially constant. 
     
     
         11 . The helical pier of  claim 10 , wherein one of the plurality of helical blades has a first radial edge proximal to the terminal spiral end on the spiral tip. 
     
     
         12 . The helical pier of  claim 11 , wherein the spiral rim has a rim pitch that is substantially equal to the substantially constant pitch of the plurality of helical blades. 
     
     
         13 . A helical pier comprised of:
 an elongated hollow shaft having a spiral tip, a plurality of helical blades, a trailing end, and a peripheral surface between the spiral tip and the trailing end, where
 each helical blade is arranged about and extends outward from spaced positions along the peripheral surface of the elongated hollow shaft; 
 each helical blade includes a first radial edge and a second radial edge distal to the first radial edge, the first radial edge being substantially parallel to the second radial edge; and 
 the spiral tip includes a longitudinal edge and a spiral rim formed between a penetrating lead end of the longitudinal edge and a terminating spiral end of the longitudinal edge. 
   
     
     
         14 . The helical pier of  claim 13 , wherein each helical blade has one turn with a blade pitch that is substantially constant. 
     
     
         15 . The helical pier of  claim 14 , wherein one of the plurality of helical blades has a first radial edge proximal to the terminal spiral end on the spiral tip. 
     
     
         16 . The helical pier of  claim 15 , wherein the spiral rim has a rim pitch that is substantially equal to the substantially constant pitch of the plurality of helical blades. 
     
     
         17 . The helical pier of  claim 14 , wherein each helical blade has a plurality of turns, each turn having a blade pitch that is substantially constant and substantially equal to the at least one other helical blade. 
     
     
         18 . The helical pier of  claim 17 , wherein the spiral rim has a rim pitch that is substantially equal to the substantially constant pitch of the plurality of turns of each helical blade.