Systems, methods, and machines for constructing solar foundations
Improved masts for solar pile driving machines are provided that incorporate inline drilling as well as alignment and assembly devices that enable greater positional accuracy than possible with conventional equipment. In some cases, a jig, holder, or other device on the mast of the machine can be used to place a bearing assembly for a single-axis tracker while the foundation is being installed. Also disclosed are various multi-piece foundation piles that enable positional adjustment between below and above-ground components to compensate for misalignment.
1 . A pile driving machine comprising:
a motorized tracked chassis;
a mast movably attached to the tracked chassis;
a pile driver assembly comprising a rotary driver that is operable to move along the mast and to drive a pile into the ground along a driving axis;
a drilling instrument that is operable to move between a first orientation overlapping with the driving axis of the rotary driver and a second orientation offset from the driving axis of the rotary driver;
a target on a portion of the pile driver assembly; and
a pile cap holder attached to the pile driver assembly, the pile cap holder operable to orient a pile cap over a driven pile at a position relative to a reference on the target.
2 . The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the pile cap comprises a bearing for a torque tube of a solar tracker.
3 . The machine according to claim 1 , further comprising a drilling instrument operable to move along the mast independent of the pile driver assembly.
4 . The machine according to claim 2 , wherein the drilling instrument comprises a hydraulic drifter.
5 . The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the drilling instrument is operable to move between the first and second orientations via a four-bar frame assembly.
6 . The machine according to claim 1 , further comprising a laser impinging a laser beam on the target.
7 . The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the pile cap holder is attached to the rotary driver.
8 . The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the mast comprises primary rails and auxiliary rails parallel to and outside of the primary rails, wherein the rotary driver is movable along the mast at least via the primary rails, and wherein the drilling instrument in movable along the mast at least via the auxiliary rails.
9 . The machine according to claim 8 , wherein the drilling instrument is operable to move between the first and second orientations via a four-bar frame assembly.
10 . The machine according to claim 1 , wherein the pile cap holder comprises a sliding assembly that is configured to slide the pile cap in a direction transverse to the driving axis of the rotary driver.