Abstract: A boring assembly is advanced upwardly by thrust rams acting on a column guided traveling cross frame connected to the power tunneler from below by a non-rotating sectional support column. The support column is anchored to a holding table situated underground above the thrust ram while sections are being added to or removed from it. The boring assembly is driven by either a hydraulic motor housed in the cross frame, via a sectional drill stem housed within the support column, or by a hydraulic motor housed directly within the boring assembly.

Abstract: A hollow resin bonded glass fiber column of unique cross section suitable for use as a utility pole, light standard or the like is disclosed including unique means for forming the pole. A rotatable finned mandrel is wrapped with a waxed surfaced paper and then sprayed with a mixture of chopped glass, resin and catalyst which is initially pressed thereon by a roller and then wrapped with continuous bands of fiberglass roving, re-rolled, covered with a fiberglass veil, rolled again and allowed to cure. The finned mandrel which makes relatively thin line contact with the inside of the pole and the wax surfaced paper allows the curved pole to be easily slipped endwise from the mandrel. In one embodiment a metal mandrel having eight radially extending fins has been successfully used to form fiberglass poles of octagonal cross section.

Abstract: A tube coupling comprises a collet with resilient arms arranged to co-operate with a cam surface of a surrounding body or sleeve, the cam surface tapering in the axial direction such that, as a tube in the collet is pulled outwardly, frictional pull between the tube and collet causes the collet to move in a direction to tighten the grip on the tube. The arms of the collet are spaced apart radially such that, in the absence of any tube, the collet can be withdrawn outwardly from the sleeve or body. Pushing the collet inwardly into the sleeve or body allows the arms to move radially outwardly and then the tube can be withdrawn. The collet has a flange or the like extending radially outside the sleeve or body and a spring clip is provided between this flange and the sleeve or body to lock the coupling against release of the tube.

Abstract: A winch having a clutch-brake assembly comprising a ratchet plate with a constantly engaged pawl, and two clutch shoes. With a tension load on the cable of the drum, two rotatably mounted cam members engage each other to move the clutch shoes into engagement with the ratchet plate to cause power to be transmitted to the drum of the winch. Under minimal or no external load, after the power source has been operated shortly in reverse, a spring maintains the clutch shoes out of engagement to permit the cable on the drum to be reeled out freely at a moderate rate of acceleration.

Abstract: An explosive cartridge for use in an explosive column train by end to end coupling of a plurality of cartridges. Each cartridge comprises a cylindrical containing shell having an open rear end in which is a closure plug. In the pre-mix condition, the cartridge contains a first solid component of a two part explosive. In field use the closure plug is removed and a liquid second explosive component is poured into the cartridge and the plug reinserted to form a sliding watertight seal with the cartridge. When several of the cartridges are joined in end to end relationship to form the explosive train, the nose end of one cartridge moves the plug of the adjacent forward cartridge inwardly to take up the slump in the explosive composition and maintain the closure plug seal.

Abstract: A bedplate is rigidly affixed relative to the tunnel floor and includes a centrally disposed shaft extending upwardly therefrom. A rotatable base member is mounted on the bedplate for rotation about the central shaft. A boring machine adapted to bore upwardly is secured to the rotatable base member. The boring machine is swung upwardly along a selected arc of vertical circle and the base member is rotated to a selected azimuth. Following rotation, the rotatable base member is itself rigidly affixed relative to the tunnel floor.

Abstract: The vapor and particulate matter emitting equipment is enclosed within walls of an electrostatically charged clear plastic sheet material. The enclosures are connected at their tops to hoods which are connected to ducting leading to an exhaust fan. The vapors are contained within the enclosures until they can be evacuated by the fan. The particulate matter is attracted to the electrostatically charged sheet material.

Abstract: The invention is concerned with in situ moulding of concrete pipelines and comprises apparatus having a moulding unit which is movably supported on preplaced support units by a cantilever beam. The moulding unit includes an inner mould former which corresponds to the internal cross sectional shape of the pipe to be formed and having an upper inner portion and a lower inner portion, and an outer mould former which extends over the top and upper side portions of the upper inner mould former in spaced relationship to define a mould cavity within which the top and upper side portions of the wall of the pipe is formed. The underside of the outer mould former is open so as to expose the mould cavity to the base of the trench within which the pipeline is being formed. A method for using the apparatus includes the steps of locating the trackway in a trench, moving the moulding unit along the trackway, and simultaneously pouring a concrete slurry into said mould cavity.

Abstract: A method for continuously carrying out the chemical synthesis of a gas in a wave reactor apparatus of the type wherein reactant gases subjected to compression waves generated by a driver gas may be heated to extremely high temperatures very rapidly and then cooled at extremely rapid rates with very precise control over reaction parameters. The method includes the step of removing the exhaust driver gas from the tubes of the wave reactor at a pressure greater than that which it had upon entering the tubes of the wave reactor prior to compression of the reactant. The driver gas is recirculated without the addition of heat or pump work other than that originating with the reactant gas stream. Apparatus for performing the above method is disclosed including a multi-tube rotor of novel physical dimension and a conduit and manifold system for recirculating the driver gas between tubes of the wave reactor. Particularly disclosed is a conduit and manifold system for staged recirculation of the driver gas.

Abstract: A platform mountable to extend between a pair of vertically movable stagings to provide a vertically movable elongated staging. The staging platform is composed of a plurality of like configured bridge sections vertically pivotably connected end to end and maintained in horizontal alignment between the spaced stagings and stretched taut beneath the bridge sections to prevent the staging platform from sagging while allowing the platform to bend upwardly. The pivotal connecting means between the bridge sections being spaced laterally at deck level of the platform and thus having substantial capability for flexing in response to longitudinal twisting forces exerted thereon.

Abstract: A mobile device for harvesting tree seedlings includes means for subsurface cutting to separate and loosen from the surrounding ground the body of earth adjoining the roots of the tree seedlings. The movement and relative position of the earth separating means enables it to efficiently sever the roots of the tree seedlings from the surrounding ground while allowing only a minimum amount of earth of adhere to the roots of the seedlings as they are removed. A plurality of paired gripper belts remove the loosened seedlings by lifting them upwardly and rearwardly relative to the ground, each pair of gripper belts having male-female intercoupled gripping surfaces which minimize damage to the stems of the seedlings. Disposed below the gripper belts are a plurality of elongated root beater means adapted to move in a transverse oscillatory manner to agitate the roots and remove the earth adhering thereto without damaging the seedlings.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring the electrical impedance of a variety of materials including an electrode arrangement providing sample data to an impedance bridge, a frequency generator providing a test signal to the impedance bridge, the impedance bridge including a transformer having three separate windings, two of which are highly symmetrical to each other and all three of which have an impedance below 10,000 ohms, and four resistors having resistance values differing from the impedance of the transformer windings but comparable to the unknown impedance, two of the four resistors connected to each of the two symmetrical windings of the transformer. Output devices for displaying the electrical impedance are also disclosed. In one embodiment, a sample box useful in the measurement of the electrical impedance of bulk materials including novel means for mounting an electrode therein is disclosed.

Abstract: Stamping a sheet of conductive foil by means of a die of a predetermined pattern against a dielectric substrate to shear out foil sections and pressing them against the substrate while applying heat through said die to the sheared sections so as to bond the sections by means of a thermal curing adhesive to the substrate. The die has a plurality of individual die elements which shear out individual foil sections. Each die element has two lateral high pressure surfaces, a recessed middle portion and two transitional surface portions between the high pressure surfaces and the middle portion. The outer edges of each die element are shearing corners or edges, with the high pressure surfaces applying the shearing forces to the foil and substrate. In one embodiment the high pressure surfaces which produce the shearing forces against the foil sheet are substantially parallel to the foil sheet being engaged, and in another embodiment the high pressure surfaces are sloped at about 45.degree.

Abstract: An automobile mounted winch having a clutch-brake assembly comprising a disc shaped ratchet plate positioned between two friction shoes, acting as a clutch in one direction and a speed governor in another direction, and a stationary brake. A plurality of friction buttons extend through the ratchet plate in a generally circular pattern, with each button engaging both shoes. Each button has an expanded head portion, and the buttons are oppositely arranged in an alternating pattern to centrally locate the ratchet between the two shoes and provide proper frictional engagement of the buttons with the shoes.

Abstract: A pair of side-by-side hydraulic fluid supply and return hoses are connected to side-by-side end ports at the free end of a journal block which is located between two spaced apart bearing blocks. A pair of coaxial, oppositely projecting, tubular journals carried by the journal block, and rotationally received in coaxial blind socket portions of passageways formed in the bearing blocks, serve to mount the journal block and hoses connected thereto for pivotal movement relative to the bearing blocks. Passageways in the journal block communicate the side-by-side hose ports with the interiors of the tubular journals which in turn communicate with the passageways in the bearing blocks via the blind sockets. The bearing blocks are detachably mounted onto an upper rear frame portion of a hydraulic tool, such as a hydraulic breaker. The bearing block passageways have ports on corresponding mounting sides of the bearing blocks which communicate with inlet and outlet ports in the tool housing.

Abstract: A laterally extending trim vane is mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis on a submerged portion of a stern-drive propulsion unit housing, substantially within the slipstream of the propeller.The trim vane is mounted on structure which depends downwardly from a rearward part of a horizontally elongated intermediate portion of the housing. The aft location of the trim vane provides a relatively large moment arm for the vertical trim force. Hence, for a given moment, the aft position requires less force. Also, the propeller slipstream velocity relative to the vane is considerably higher than the speed of the boat. The aft location of the vane, providing the longer moment arm, and the utilization of slipstream water, providing a relatively high velocity of motive fluid, make it possible to make the control surface of the vane quite small.

Abstract: A wheel hub assembly for a front wheel of a four wheel drive vehicle. The hub assembly has an unlocked position which permits free overrun of the wheel and a locked position where the wheel is fixedly secured to its drive axle. It comprises a conventional roller clutch mechanism in which there is an outer housing, an inner driving hub and a roller clutch assembly mounted between the housing and the hub. A clutch lock assembly, connected to the housing through a spring connection, is positioned in the outside portion of the housing and comprises a lock cage having a plurality of lock fingers that are movable axially inwardly to engage related slots in a roller clutch cage and thus mechanically interconnect the outer housing to the roller clutch assembly.

Abstract: Each bucket includes a ground engaging leading portion characterized by roller cutter means alternating with scoop teeth transversely across the bucket. The scoop teeth on alternate buckets follow the path of roller cutter means on intermediate buckets. The scoop teeth on intermediate buckets follow the path of roller cutter means on alternate buckets.

Abstract: Front and rear shields are telescopically joined together. The front shield carries a power driven rotary cutterhead means. Main thrust rams are provided between the two shields for pushing the forward shield forwardly relative to the rear shield while the cutterhead means is being operated to mine the tunnel face, and also to pull the rear shield forwardly relative to the front shield. The rear shield includes a gripper assembly for reacting thrust and torque and a plurality of groups of auxiliary thrust rams which extend rearwardly from the rear shield to contact forward end portions of a tunnel lining which is erected under cover of a tail section of the rear shield. The auxiliary thrust rams are extendable a distance that is at least slightly larger than the axial length of one ring of tunnel lining segments. The main thrust rams are extendable a distance that is slightly larger than 1x of the stroke of the auxiliary thrust rams, where x is the number of groups of auxiliary thrust rams.

Abstract: Two feed conveyors and two spreader augers are independently driven, each by its own drive motor. The control means for each feed conveyor includes a sensor at the discharge end of the feed conveyor and means responsive to changes in the level of the paving material at the sensor for proportionally increasing the drive speed of the conveyor as the level drops and proportionally decreasing the drive speed of the conveyor as the level rises. The control means for each auger includes a sensor adjacent the discharge end of the auger and means responsive to changes in the level of the paving material at the sensor for proportionally increasing the drive speed of the auger as the level drops and proportionally decreasing the drive speed of the auger as the level rises.