US3830320A

US3830320A - Device for taking soil-samples of a corer

Info

Publication number: US3830320A
Application number: US00335106A
Authority: US
Inventors: Der Wijden F Van
Original assignee: STORK CONRAD BV
Current assignee: BV MACHINE BOUW CONTAD STORK; CONRAD-STORK BEHEER BV; STORK CONRAD BV
Priority date: 1972-06-14
Filing date: 1973-02-23
Publication date: 1974-08-20
Anticipated expiration: 1991-08-20
Also published as: BE795273A; NL7208120A; DE2307040C3; DE2307040A1; DE2307040B2; GB1427779A

Abstract

A device for taking samples of soil by means of a corer, comprising a pipe adapted to be driven in the soil, the corer being releasably locked in the pipe. The lower part of the pipe is provided with closing members adapted to be actuated from the surface, and in the open position, the closing members leave the lower part of the pipe free for passing the corer therethrough whereas in the closed position the closing members completely close the pipe. The corer is constructed as a stationary piston with a sleeve encompassing the piston and capable of being driven along the piston to a position in which the sleeve extends beyond the lower end of the pipe. In one embodiment, the closing members are formed as two plates with half circular positions pivoted to the pipe at diametrically opposed points near a corner between the straight diametral edge and the curved peripheral edge of the plates, such that in the closed position the plates abut with their straight edges and thus together form an abutment for the closed position.

Description

[ Aug. 20, 1974 DEVICE FOR TAKING SOIL-SAMPLES OF A CORER [75] Inventor: Franciscus Theodorus Maris Van Der Wijden, I-Iaarlem, Netherlands [73] Assignee: Conrad-Stork B.V., Haarlem, Netherlands 22 Filed: Feb. 23, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 335,106

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 14, 1972 Netherlands.... 7208120 [52] US. Cl. 175/238, 175/241 [51] Int.-Cl E2lb 25/00, E2lb 49/02 [58] Field of Search 175/58, 20, 232-236,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,761,292 6/1930 Bone 175/241 X 2,315,590 4/1943 Cantrell 175/242 X 2,491,682 12/1949 Muhlbach 166/243 2,544,993 3/1951 Jackson 175/238 X 3,047,081 7/1962 Pitcher 175/20 X 3,095,051 6/1963 Robinsky et al. 175/238 X 3,136,376 6/1964 Robinsky 175/318 3,163,241 12/1964 Woods 175/58 X Drelicharz 175/242 Primary Examiner-David H. Brown Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Waters, Roditi, Schwartz & Nissen [5 7 ABSTRACT A device for taking samples of soil by means of a corer, comprising a pipe adapted to be driven in the soil, the corerbeing releasably locked in the pipe. The

lower part of the pipe is provided with closing members adapted to be actuated from the surface, and in the open position, the closing members leave the lower part of the pipe free for passing the corer therethrough whereas in the closed' position the closing members completely close the pipe. The corer is constructed as a stationary piston with a sleeve encom- 4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PAIENIEDAUBZOIQH 3.830.320 Y sum ear 4 awk The invention relates to a device for taking soilsamples by means of a corer comprising a pipe adapted to be driven in the soil, in which said corer is releasably locked.

Such a device is used for obtaining unmoved samples of soil at a certain depth below the surface. For that purpose the pipe with the corer therein is driven into the soil. Subsequently the corer is driven outwardly into the bottom of the borehole and then the entire corer is drawn out of the pipe. In doing so, an unmoved sample of soil representative for the depth is carried ---along with the corer.

.tain soil which is not representative for the formation of which a sample is to be taken at greater depth.

Consequently, an object of the invention is to provide a device of the kind indicated which is also suitable for taking samples of soil below the water level or of swampy soil.

This purpose is achieved in the device according to the invention due to the fact that the lower part of the pipe is provided withclosure members adapted to be actuated from the surface and which in the open position leave the lowerpart of the pipe free for passing the corer and in the closed position completely close the pipe.

Preferably the corer comprises a stationary piston, a sleeve encompassing said piston and means for driving the sleeve along the piston to a position in which the sleeve extends beyond the lower end of said pipe, so that due to the fact that the sleeve is driven along the stationary piston there will be no air above the sample of soil in the sleeve and the sample is well retained within the sleeve.

Advantageously, the closure members comprise at least one plate-like member pivotedto the lower end of the pipe such that the plate is permitted to slide over the end surface of the pipe,'there being two abutments for stopping the plates in the opened position and in the closed position respectively, the plate being put in these positions by rotating the pipe in one direction or the other by which action the plate is displaced in an opposite direction with respect to the pipe due to frictional'engagement with the soil.

Preferably, the closure members comprise two plates including semicircular portions, which are pivoted to the tube at diametrically opposed points near a corner between the straight edge and the curved edge, such that in the closed position the plates abut with their In a second embodiment of the invention, the closure members consist of a number of plates shaped as circular segments which are pivotally mounted at their peripheral curved edges to the inner wall of the tube, the plates being connected near the pivot by a link to a ring-shaped sliding member arranged in the pipe above the segments, there being a friction ring in the sliding member, which friction ring bears against the sleeve of the sampler, so that when pushing this sleeve downwardly, the sliding member is carried along and the segments will abut the inner wall of the pipe', whereas upon pulling the sleeve upwardly, the sliding member is moved upwardly and the segments will abut one another with their straight edges.

The invention will now be described in more detail while referring to the drawing, in which embodiments of the invention are shown.

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of an apparatus in which the invention is incorporated;

FIG. 2 shows on a larger scale and in bottom view a first embodiment of the closure members at the lower end of the pipe; v

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line III-III in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of a second embodiment of the closure members at the lower end of the pipe;

FIG. 5 is a section taken along line VV in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 shows on a larger scale and in sectional view the corer in the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 1 there is shown a pipe l'formed as an auger which at its circumference is provided with helically extending protruding ribs 2, so that the pipe 1 can be readily screwed into the soil, resulting-in soil 4 being loosened and urged upwardly. A corer 5 is arranged in the pipe 1 and adapted to be retained therein by means of locking pawls 6. The corer 5 carries near its lower end a stationary piston 7 and a sleeve 8 encompassing this piston near its lower end; The sleeve 8 is connected with a shiftable plunger (see FIG. 6), on which through the line 9, a pressurized fluid can act so that the plunger and the sleeve 8 connected therewith can be driven downwardly, the sleeve 8 being pushed into the formation below the borehole as indicated by dotted'lines in FIG. 1. Due to the fact that the sleeve 8 slides about the piston 7, there can be no air above the soil cut by the sleeve 8. The corer 5 can be pulled straight edges and thus together form the abutment for the closed position. t

In a device in which the pipe is shaped as an auger and provided along its circumference with helically extending protruding ribs, according to a further feature 'of the invention, the ribs carry the abutments near the lower end of the pipe for the open position of the closure plates. The ribs at the periphery of the pipe may merge near the lower end of the pipe with horizontonal parts arranged in the end surface of the pipe for further support of the closure plates.

integrally out of tube 1 by cable 10.

Atthe lower part of the pipe 1, closure members 11 are provided, which can be actuated from the surface, so that in withdrawing the corer immediately after the sleeve 8 has passed the lower edge of the tube 1, the

closure members 11 can be put in their closed position to close the pipe and prevent soil from being drawn into thepipe 1.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show a first embodiment of the closure members, these members comprising two plates 12 each having a substantially half circular portion with a triangular projection and, shown in their closed position in full lines in their open position in dash lines. By means of pivots 13 the plates 12 are pivoted to the lower part of pipe 1. The helical rib 2 merges with a horizontal part 14, so that the plates 12 are permitted to slide on these horizontal parts 14. The'horizontal parts 14 have abutments 15 against which the plates 12 abut in their open position. For protecting the plates 12, lugs 16 of hard metal are provided on the plates.

During counter-clockwise rotation as seen in FIG. 2, the plates 12 will be urged to the open position against the abutments 15 due to the frictional engagement with the bottom of the borehole. However when rotation of the tube 1 is reversed, the plates 12 will turn inwardly until their straight edges abut so that the tube 1 is completely closed.

In FIGS. 4 and 5 a second embodiment of the closure members according to the invention is shown, Here six small plates 17 shaped as segments of a circle are pivoted to the inner wall of the tube 1 by means of pivots 18. These plates 17 are connected by means of links 19 to a ring shaped sliding member 20 which embraces a friction ring 21. Ring 21 bears against the sleeve 8 of the corer so that upon pushing the sleeve 8 downwardly, sliding ring 20 is carried'along with the sleeve. Then the segments 17 will be positioned against the inner wall of the tube 1 as shown in dash lines. When subsequently the sleeve 8 is drawn out of the pipe 1, the sleeve will again lift the sliding ring 20. Then the segments 17 will pivot inwardly until they abut with their straight edges. The bottom of the tube is then fully closed.

Referring now to FIG. 6 there is shown on a larger scale the corer 5 comprising the stationary piston 7, the sleeve or sampling tube 8 and the locking pawls 6. The piston 7 is connected through rod 22 with cylinder head 23 which carries a depending cylindrical skirt 24 in which plunger 25 is slideably received, to which plunger 25 the sampling tube 8 is connected through bushing 26 and union nut 27. At its top portion a fixed pivot 28 for the locking pawls 6 is formed on cylinder head 23, while a pin 29 received in cooperating slots 30 formed in said locking pawls is connected to hook 31, v through spring assembly 32 forming a buffer. Locking pawls 6 are spring biased to the extended position shown in FIG. 6 by springs 33. A passage 34 is formed in cylinder head 23, said passage being connected with line 9 in order to admit a pressurized fluid in the space confined between cylinder head 23 and plunger 25, so that plunger 25 and sample tube 8 connected therewith can be driven downwardly during which action sample tube 8 penetrates the soil.

Corer 5 is lowered into the drill pipe 1 by cable 10 until it rests on the lower portion of drill pipe 1, whereupon cable 10 slackens and the locking pawls are pushed into the extended position and engage a groove formed in pipe 1 (FIG. 1) so that the corer is retained in said pipe and when pressurized fluid is admitted, the reaction resulting from the action on plunger 25 can be taken up.

After having taken a soil sample, corer 5 is hauled to the surface by cable 10, the locking pawls 6 being cammed to the retracted position by pin 29 upon pulling the cable 10.

' The invention consequently achieves in a simple manner a means for closing the pipe of a device for taking samples of soil by means of a corer having preferably a stationary piston, said closure means being controllable from the surface by an action normal for the device.

I claim:

1. A device for taking samples of soil comprising a pipe adapted to be driven into the soil, a corer slidable in said pipe for taking a sample of soil, means for releasably locking said corer in said pipe, said pipe having a lower portion with an end thereat, closing means at said lower portion of the pipe adapted to be actuated from the surface for movement between open and closed positions, said closing means in said open position leaving the lower end of the pipe open for passing the corer, when released, therethrough and which in said closed position completely closes said lower end of the pipe, said corer comprising a stationary piston, a sleeve surrounding said piston and means for driving the sleeve along the piston to a position in which the sleeve extends beyond said lower end of said pipe, said closing means comprising at least one plate member pivotally mounted to the lower end of the pipe for sliding movement on the end surface of said pipe, abutment means for stopping the plate in at least one of said positions, the plate being moved between said positions by rotating the pipe in one direction or the other, during which rotational movement, due to frictional engagement with the bottom of the borehole the plate is displaced in an opposite direction with respect to the pipe.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein two of said plate members are provided respectively including substantially half circular portions pivoted to the pipe at diametrically opposed points near a corner thereof between the straight diametral edge and the curved peripheral edge of the plates, such that in the closed position the plates abut with their straight edges and thus together form an abutment for the closed position.

3. A device according to claim 2 comprising helically extending protruding ribs on the pheripheral surface of the pipe, said abutment means comprising abutments mounted on the pipe proximate the lower end thereof to limit movement of the plate members to their open position.

4. A device according to claim 3 comprising a horizontal portion at the lower end of said pipe, said ribs on the peripheral surface of the pipe merging with said horizontal portion, said horizontal portion supporting.

said plate members.

Patent No. 3,830,320 Dated August 20, 1974 Franciscus Theodorus Maria Van Der Wijden Inventor(s) 1 It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the cover sheet item [30] "May 14, 1972 should read June 14, 197 2 Signed and sealed this 10th day of December 1974.

(SEAL) Attest MCCOY M. GIBSON JR. C MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents DRM 90-1050 (10-69) USCOMM-DC scene-peg U.5 GOVERNMENY PRINTING OFFICE: 869- 930

Claims

4. A device according to claim 3 comprising a horizontal portion at the lower end of said pipe, said ribs on the peripheral surface of the pipe merging with said horizontal portion, said horizontal portion supporting said plate members.