Foundation support systems, assemblies and methods including sleeve coupler and self-aligning shafts with torque transmitting profiled distal end edges

Abstract

Coupled shaft assemblies for a foundation support system include shafts provided with profiled distal end edges that may be directly engaged to one another to realize an interlocking torque transmitting relationship with one another along a curved engagement surface. A coupler sleeve may snugly receive the distal ends of the directly engaged shafts and may fasten the shafts to one another through the coupler sleeve with ease in an economical manufacture that does not require non-uniform wall thickness in the shafts to establish torque transmission capability.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A foundation support system comprising:
 a coupled shaft assembly comprising:
 a first hollow support shaft formed with a first axial length, a first pair of fastener openings, and a first profiled distal end edge defining at least one cavity with a first curved side edge engagement surface; 
 a second hollow support shaft formed with a second axial length and a second profiled distal end edge defining at least one extension with a second curved side edge engagement surface; and 
 a hollow sleeve formed with a second pair of fastener openings, the hollow sleeve configured to establish and maintain a direct end-to-end engagement of the first and second profiled distal end edges; 
 wherein the at least one cavity and the at least one extension are self-aligning via a relative rotation of one of the first and second hollow support shafts with respect to the other until the at least one extension is fully received in the at least one cavity in an interlocking relationship; and 
 wherein when the at least one extension is fully received in the at least one cavity the first pair of fastener openings and the second pair of fastener openings are automatically aligned. 
   
     
     
         2 . The foundation support system of  claim 1 , further comprising a fastener extending through the first pair of fastener openings and the second pair of fastener openings. 
     
     
         3 . The foundation support system of  claim 2 , wherein the fastener is mechanically isolated from torque transmission in the interlocking relationship. 
     
     
         4 . The foundation support system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one extension and the at least one cavity are symmetrical. 
     
     
         5 . The foundation support system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one extension and the at least one cavity are arch-shaped. 
     
     
         6 . The foundation support system of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow sleeve is fixed to one of the first hollow support shaft and the second hollow support shaft. 
     
     
         7 . The foundation support system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second profiled distal end edges are identically shaped to one another. 
     
     
         8 . The foundation support system of  claim 1 , the hollow sleeve further comprising a third pair of fastener openings, the second pair of fastener openings for connecting the hollow sleeve to the first hollow support shaft and the third pair of fastener openings for connecting the hollow sleeve to the second hollow support shaft. 
     
     
         9 . The foundation support system of  claim 8 , further comprising a first fastener extending through the first pair of fastener openings and a second fastener extending through the second pair of fastener openings. 
     
     
         10 . The foundation support system of  claim 9 , wherein the first fastener and the second fastener extend in a substantially perpendicular orientation relative to one another. 
     
     
         11 . The foundation support system of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow sleeve is slidably movable relative to the first hollow support shaft after the first hollow support shaft is driven to a first depth in an installation of the foundation support system. 
     
     
         12 . The foundation support system of  claim 1 , wherein the second hollow support shaft is slidably movable relative to the hollow sleeve after the first hollow support shaft is driven to a first depth in an installation of the foundation support system. 
     
     
         13 . The foundation support system of  claim 1 , further comprising a cap, a plate, or a lift bracket to support a building foundation in combination with the coupled shaft assembly. 
     
     
         14 . The foundation support system of  claim 1 , in combination with a grout or cementitious material to enhance a structural strength and capacity of the coupled shaft assembly. 
     
     
         15 . The foundation support system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second hollow support shafts are steel shafts. 
     
     
         16 . The foundation support system of  claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second hollow support shafts includes a helical auger. 
     
     
         17 . The foundation support system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one cavity and at least one extension includes a convex or concave portion. 
     
     
         18 . The foundation support system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first hollow support shaft and the second hollow support shaft have a circular outer diameter and a circular inner diameter. 
     
     
         19 . A foundation support system comprising:
 a coupled shaft assembly comprising:
 a first hollow support shaft having a first axial length and a first distal end, the first distal end including a first profiled distal end edge formed with an extension, and the first profiled distal end including the extension being formed with a first uniform sidewall thickness; 
 a second hollow support shaft having a second axial length and a second distal end, the second distal end including a second profiled distal end edge formed with a cavity, and the second profiled distal end being formed with a second uniform sidewall thickness; 
 wherein at least one of the first hollow support shaft and the second hollow support shaft include a first pair of fastener openings and wherein the extension and the cavity respectively define an engagement surface extending non-perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the first hollow support shaft and the second hollow support shaft; and 
 a hollow sleeve having a third axial length and a third uniform sidewall thickness, the hollow sleeve further including a second pair of fastener openings, wherein the hollow sleeve is fixed to the first hollow support shaft or the second hollow support shaft and slidably engageable with the other of the first hollow support shaft and the second hollow support shaft until the first and second profiled distal end edges are directly abutted; 
 wherein when one of the first and second profiled distal end edges is rotated upon the other of the first and second profiled distal end edges, the cavity and the extension and the first and second pair of fastener openings are self-guided into alignment with one another. 
   
     
     
         20 . The foundation support system of  claim 19 , wherein the first uniform sidewall thickness is equal to the second uniform sidewall thickness. 
     
     
         21 . The foundation support system of  claim 19 , wherein the third uniform sidewall thickness is different from the first and second uniform sidewall thickness. 
     
     
         22 . The foundation support system of  claim 19 , wherein the hollow sleeve surrounds the first and second distal ends. 
     
     
         23 . The foundation support system of  claim 19 , wherein each of the first hollow support shaft and the second hollow support shaft include a pair of fastener openings for respective attachment of the hollow sleeve to the first and second hollow support shaft. 
     
     
         24 . The foundation support system of  claim 19 , wherein the extension and the cavity are symmetrical. 
     
     
         25 . The foundation support system of  claim 19 , wherein the extension and the cavity have a non-uniform width measured perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the first hollow support shaft and the second hollow support shaft. 
     
     
         26 . The foundation support system of  claim 19 , wherein no portion of the extension or the cavity extends parallel to a longitudinal axis of the first hollow support shaft or the second hollow support shaft. 
     
     
         27 . The foundation support system of  claim 26 , wherein the extension and the cavity is arch-shaped or triangular-shaped. 
     
     
         28 . The foundation support system of  claim 26 , further comprising a fastener extending through the automatically aligned first and second pairs of fastener holes in order to secure the coupled shaft assembly and maintain a torque transmitting connection to drive the coupled shaft assembly to a desired depth in an installation of the foundation support system. 
     
     
         29 . The foundation support system of  claim 27 , wherein the fastener is mechanically isolated from torque transmission in the coupled shaft assembly. 
     
     
         30 . A foundation support system comprising:
 a coupled shaft assembly comprising:
 a first hollow support shaft having a first axial length, a first profiled distal end edge including an extension defining a first engagement surface, and a uniform sidewall thickness along an entirety of the first axial length including the first profiled distal end edge and the extension; p 2  a second hollow support shaft having a second axial length, a second profiled distal end edge including a cavity defining a second engagement surface, and a uniform sidewall thickness along an entirety of the second axial length including the second profiled distal end edge and the cavity; 
 wherein at least one of the first hollow support shaft and the second hollow support shaft include a first pair of fastener openings; and 
 a hollow sleeve having a third axial length and a uniform sidewall thickness along an entirety of the third axial length, the hollow sleeve further including a second pair of fastener openings; 
 wherein the hollow sleeve is fixed to the first hollow support shaft or the second hollow support shaft the first engagement surface and the second engagement surface are engageable in a self-guided manner via relative rotation of the first or second hollow support shaft until the extension and the cavity are fully mated in a manner that automatically aligns the first pair of fastener openings and the second pair of fastener openings and mechanically isolates a fastener extending through the first and second pair of fastener openings from torque transmission in the coupled shaft assembly. 
   
     
     
         31 . The foundation support system of  claim 30 , wherein the extension and cavity are symmetrical. 
     
     
         32 . The foundation support system of  claim 30 , wherein the extension and cavity are arch-shaped. 
     
     
         33 . The foundation support system of  claim 30 , wherein the extension and cavity are rectangular-shaped. 
     
     
         34 . The foundation support system of  claim 30 , wherein the extension and cavity are triangular-shaped. 
     
     
         35 . The foundation support system of  claim 30 , wherein the extension and the cavity respectively define an engagement surface extending non-perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the first hollow shaft and the second hollow shaft. 
     
     
         36 . The foundation support system of  claim 30 , wherein the hollow sleeve surrounds the first profiled distal end edge and the second profiled distal end edge.