Foundation support system shafts, assemblies and methods with asymmetric torque transmitting distal end edge teeth

1 . A foundation support system comprising:

a first hollow steel shaft sized and dimensioned to support a building foundation from a below ground location, the first hollow steel shaft formed with a first longitudinal axis, a first axial length measured along the first longitudinal axis and a first torque transmitting distal end edge;

wherein the first torque transmitting distal end edge includes a first asymmetric torque transmitting tooth and a second asymmetric torque transmitting tooth; and

wherein each of the first asymmetric torque transmitting tooth and the second asymmetric torque transmitting tooth includes a forward torque transmitting edge portion extending parallel to the first longitudinal axis and a rearward force transmitting edge portion extending obliquely to the first longitudinal axis and adjacent to the forward torque transmitting edge portion;

a second hollow steel shaft sized and dimensioned to support the building foundation in combination with the first hollow steel shaft, the second hollow steel shaft formed with a second longitudinal axis, a second axial length measured along the first longitudinal axis and a second torque transmitting distal end edge complementary to the first torque transmitting distal end edge; and

a coupler sleeve and at least one fastener extending through the coupler sleeve to maintain an engaged position of the first torque transmitting edge and the second torque transmitting edge in order to drive the first hollow steel shaft and second hollow steel shaft to a desired depth in an installation of the foundation support system.

2 . The foundation support system of claim 1 , wherein the rearward torque transmitting edge portion is curved.

3 . The foundation support system of claim 2 , wherein the forward torque transmission edge portion has a first length and wherein the rearward torque transmission edge portion has a second length, the first length being less than the second length.

4 . The foundation support system of claim 1 , wherein the first torque transmitting distal end edge has a circular outer diameter and a circular inner diameter.

5 . The foundation support system of claim 4 , wherein the first and second asymmetric torque transmitting teeth are formed in its their entirety with a uniform wall thickness equal to a wall thickness of the first hollow foundation support shaft.

6 . The foundation support system of claim 1 , wherein the rearward force transmitting edge portion has a varying slope in each of the first asymmetric torque transmitting tooth and the second asymmetric torque transmitting tooth.

7 . The foundation support system of claim 6 , wherein the forward torque transmitting edge portion has a high end and a low end in each respective one of the first asymmetric torque transmitting tooth and the second asymmetric torque transmitting tooth, the rearward force transmitting edge portion extending from the high end of the first asymmetric torque transmitting tooth and extending to the low end of the second asymmetric torque transmitting tooth.

8 . The foundation support system of claim 7 , wherein the rearward force transmitting edge portion spans substantially an entirety of a circumferential space between the respective high end and the low end of each respective forward torque transmitting edge portion in the first asymmetric torque transmitting tooth and the second asymmetric torque transmitting tooth.

9 . The foundation support system of claim 7 , wherein the first projecting end edge portion and the second end projecting end edge portion are at about 180° positions on a circumference of the first torque transmitting distal end edge.

10 . The foundation support system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second asymmetric torque transmitting teeth are positioned end-to-end in the first torque transmitting distal end edge, and wherein the first and second asymmetric torque transmitting teeth occupy an entirety of a circumference of the first torque transmitting distal end edge.

11 . The foundation support system of claim 1 , wherein the first hollow foundation support shaft includes at least one fastener hole proximate the first torque transmitting distal end edge, and wherein the at least one fastener hole is aligned with the forward torque transmitting edge portion.

12 . The foundation support system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one fastener is a bolt.

13 . The foundation support system of claim 12 , wherein the bolt is mechanically isolated from a forward torque transmission, and wherein the bolt is not mechanically isolated from a rearward force transmission.

14 . The foundation support system of claim 1 , wherein the coupler sleeve includes a pair of fastener holes.

15 . The foundation support system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second hollow steel shaft have a circular cross-sectional shape.

16 . The foundation support system of claim 1 , wherein the coupler sleeve has a circular cross-sectional shape.

17 . The foundation support system of claim 1 , wherein the first hollow steel shaft includes a tapered end opposite to the first torque transmitting distal end edge.

18 . The foundation support system of claim 1 , wherein the first hollow steel shaft is configured as a primary pile and the second hollow steel shaft is configured as an extension pile in the foundation support system.

19 . The foundation support system of claim 18 , wherein the primary pile includes a helical auger.

20 . The foundation support system of claim 1 , further comprising a cap, a plate, or a lift bracket to support the building foundation in combination with the first hollow steel shaft and the second hollow steel shaft.

21 . The foundation support system of claim 1 , in combination with a grout or cementitious material to enhance a structural strength and capacity of the first hollow steel shaft.

22 . The foundation support system of claim 1 , wherein the first torque transmitting distal end edge further includes a third asymmetric torque transmitting tooth.

23 . The foundation support system of claim 22 , wherein the first torque transmitting distal end edge includes six asymmetric torque transmitting teeth.

24 . The foundation support system of claim 1 , wherein the first torque transmitting distal end edge includes at least four asymmetric torque transmitting teeth.

25 . The foundation support system of claim 1 , wherein the coupler sleeve is formed with a pair of fastener holes, and wherein the first steel shaft is formed with a pair of fastener holes, the at least one fastener extending through the pair of holes in the coupler sleeve and the pair of holes in the first steel shaft to maintain an engaged position of the first torque transmitting edge and the second torque transmitting edge.

26 . The foundation support of claim 1 , wherein the coupler sleeve is formed with a pair of fastener holes, and wherein the second steel shaft is formed with a pair of fastener holes, the at least one fastener extending through the pair of holes in the coupler sleeve and the pair of holes in the second steel shaft to maintain an engaged position of the first torque transmitting edge and the second torque transmitting edge.

27 . The foundation support system of claim 1 , wherein the coupler sleeve is attached to the first steel shaft and includes a pair of fastener holes, wherein the second steel shaft is formed with a pair of fastener holes, and wherein the at least one fastener extends through the pair of holes in the coupler sleeve and the pair of holes in the second steel shaft to maintain an engaged position of the first torque transmitting edge and the second torque transmitting edge.

28 . The foundation support system of claim 1 , wherein the coupler sleeve is attached to the second steel shaft and includes a pair of fastener holes, wherein the first steel shaft is formed with a pair of fastener holes, and wherein the at least one fastener extends through the pair of holes in the coupler sleeve and the pair of holes in the first steel shaft to maintain an engaged position of the first torque transmitting edge and the second torque transmitting edge.

29 . The foundation support system of claim 1 , wherein the coupler sleeve includes a first pair of holes and a second pair of holes and wherein the at least one fastener comprises a first fastener and a second fastener.

30 . The foundation support system of claim 29 , wherein the first pair of holes and the second pair of holes accept the first and second fasteners in an orthogonal orientation to one another.

31 . The foundation support system of claim 29 , wherein the first pair of holes and the first fastener attach the first steel shaft to the coupler sleeve, and wherein the second pair of holes and the second fastener attach the second steel shaft to the coupler sleeve.

32 . The foundation support system of claim 1 , wherein the coupler sleeve is slidably attached to at least one of the first steel shaft and the second steel shaft.

33 . The foundation support system of claim 1 , wherein the coupler sleeve is an external coupler sleeve extending around an outer circumference of at least one of the first steel shaft and the second steel shaft.

34 . The foundation support system of claim 1 , wherein the coupler sleeve is an internal coupler sleeve extending interior to at least one of the first steel shaft and the second steel shaft.

35 . A foundation support system comprising:

a first hollow foundation support shaft sized and dimensioned to support a building foundation from a below ground location, the first hollow foundation shaft formed with a first longitudinal axis, a first axial length measured along the first longitudinal axis and a first torque transmitting distal end edge;

wherein the first torque transmitting distal end edge includes a first asymmetric torque transmitting tooth and a second asymmetric torque transmitting tooth; and

wherein each of the first asymmetric torque transmitting tooth and the second asymmetric torque transmitting tooth includes a forward torque transmitting edge portion extending parallel to the first longitudinal axis and a rearward force transmitting edge portion extending obliquely to the first longitudinal axis and adjacent to the forward torque transmitting edge portion;

wherein the first torque transmitting distal end edge further includes a third asymmetric torque transmitting tooth;

wherein the first, second and third asymmetric torque transmitting teeth includes an asymmetric torque transmitting tooth having a first size and an asymmetric torque transmitting teeth having a second size different from the first size.

36 . A foundation support system comprising:

a first hollow foundation support shaft sized and dimensioned to support a building foundation from a below ground location, the first hollow foundation shaft formed with a first longitudinal axis, a first axial length measured along the first longitudinal axis and a first torque transmitting distal end edge;

a second hollow foundation support shaft sized and dimensioned to support the building foundation from a below ground location in combination with the first hollow support foundation shaft, the second hollow foundation shaft formed with a second longitudinal axis, a second axial length measured along the second longitudinal axis and a second torque transmitting distal end edge; and

a sleeve for coupling the first hollow foundation support shaft and the second hollow foundation support shaft with respective first and second fasteners while the first and second torque transmitting distal ends are directly engaged to one another;

wherein each of the first and second torque transmitting distal ends includes a plurality of asymmetric torque transmitting teeth each having a torque transmitting edge portion extending parallel to the first longitudinal axis or the second longitudinal axis and a torque transmitting edge portion that does not extend parallel to the first longitudinal axis or the second longitudinal axis; and

wherein each of the plurality of asymmetric torque transmitting teeth are configured to respectively transmit a forward transmission of torque and a rearward transmission of torque between the directly engaged first and second torque transmitting distal ends; and

wherein in one of the forward transmission of torque and the rearward transmission of torque the fasteners are mechanically isolated.

37 . A foundation support system comprising:

a first steel shaft dimensioned to support a building foundation from a below ground location, the first steel shaft formed with a first longitudinal axis, a first axial length measured along the first longitudinal axis and a first torque transmitting distal end edge;

a second steel shaft sized and dimensioned to support the building foundation from a below ground location in combination with the first hollow support foundation shaft, the second steel shaft formed with a second longitudinal axis, a second axial length measured along the second longitudinal axis and a second torque transmitting distal end edge, wherein at least one of the first and second steel shaft includes a helical auger; and

a sleeve for coupling the first hollow foundation support shaft and the second hollow foundation support shaft with respective first and second fasteners while the first and second torque transmitting distal ends are directly engaged to one another;

wherein each of the first and second torque transmitting distal ends includes a plurality of asymmetric torque transmitting teeth each configured to be directly engaged to one another to transmit torque in a first direction along a first edge area and to transmit torque in a second direction along a second edge area, wherein the second edge area is greater than the first edge area.