APE ROBOVIBE, Operating And Maintenance Manual

Page: 10 / 60

VIBRATORY
DRIVER/EXTRACTOR
I.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
A.
GENERAL
The APE ROBOVIBE is a powerful low-frequency vibratory pile driver/extractor
designed to drive and extract sheet piles, and wide-flange (H & I) beams.
Specially adapted for connection to a hydraulic excavator, the ROBOVIBE
facilitates
economies of operation by eliminating the requirement for leads, a pile driving
crane, redundant personnel and a dedicated power unit, on many pile driving
applications. It enables the excavator operator to lift, carry, position and drive
piles in a continuous motion.
The ROBOVIBE operates at frequencies up to 1950 vibrations per minute to
provide
maximum pile penetration rates in a wide variety of soils. The unit has an
eccentric moment of 475 inch-pounds (5.5 kg-M) and produces a maximum
amplitude of .31 inch (8 mm). Clamps and jaws allow various types and sizes of
piling to be driven or extracted by the ROBOVIBE.
B.
MANIFOLD
ON E
XCAVATOR
Hydraulic power to drive the ROBOVIBE comes from a spare circuit on the
excavator. A specialized control manifold, mounted on the excavator, allows the
ROBOVIBE drive motor, rotary motor, piling clamps and side tilt, to be activated by
a single excavator control lever (“joy stick”). The bucket circuit controls the fore
and aft tilt via the existing excavator bucket cylinder. The manifold also permits
the ROBOVIBE to be used on excavators with various hydraulic system pressures
and flows.
I-1