Abstract: A self-erecting traveling crane having a machinery platform rotatably mounted with respect to a carbody utilizes a concentric support ring, a boom foot carrier pivotably mounted to the platform and rolling on the support ring, and a counterweight carrier with trailing counterweight pivotably mounted to the platform and rolling on the ring. A mast and boom are mounted near a forward end of the boom foot carrier. To change location for use, the crane can be rigged to move in forward or rearward direction carrying its support ring. A travel strut is pivotably mounted to an inner end of the boom foot carrier. A boom foot carrier tension pendant extends from the top of the travel strut to an outer end portion of the boom foot carrier. A live boom suspension linkage connects the points of the mast and the boom. Boom suspension pendants extend from the mast point to the trailing counterweight. A gantry is mounted on the machinery platform over a platform counterweight.

Abstract: A bulk material unloader includes parallel, spaced-apart main and back barges or pontoons which are held in fixed relationship with respect to each other by four collar frames. Two parallel cargo lighters are positioned between pontoons and the unloader is moored alongside ship. The two midship collar frames support a two-legged main tower over the main barge and a two-legged back tower over the back barge. A horizontal boom assembly includes a back bridge extending between the towers and an outboard boom supported by the towers and normally extending away from the back bridge and over the ship in parallel, end-to-end alignment with the back bridge.

Abstract: In a crane having an upper works rotatably supported on a lower works by an anti-friction bearing, a quick removal assembly structure includes an upper mounting ring affixed to the lowermost portion of the upper works and having teeth extending radially outwardly from the axis of the ring, a lower mounting ring mounted to the uppermost portion of the lower works and having teeth extending axially outwardly along a circle concentric with the center of that ring. The teeth of the upper and lower mounting rings fit snugly together when the upper works is assembled to the lower works, and radially outwardly opening horizontal slots in each tooth combine to define a horizontal retaining ring groove which is concentric with the rings. A retaining ring constituted as four retaining ring segments is of configuration to fit into the retaining ring groove, and when so fitted, prevents relative movement between the upper and lower mounting rings.

Abstract: An outrigger assembly for mobile cranes wherein a roller and rail system is provided associated respectively with the outrigger mounting assembly and chassis of the vehicle to facilitate removal of the outrigger assembly from below the vehicle. The outrigger mounting assembly has rollers mounted on opposite sides thereof for the rolling along rails extending transversely across the vehicle at a position below the chassis thereof. Three roller units are mounted on the mounting assembly, two roller units being an upper set for rolling on the upper surface of the rails and the other being a lower unit for engaging the undersurface of the rails. The three sets of roller units are spaced apart from another longitudinally along the length of the mounting assembly, the lower roller unit being disposed adjacent one end of the outrigger mounting assembly.

Abstract: A heave motion compensation appartus is used to move a load from a supply ship in heavy seas to a platform on an oil rig. A main load line extending down from a point of a crane boom mounted on the oil rig is driven by a pair of hydraulic main hoist drum motors. One of the motors is a variable displacement swash-plate type motor. The motors are driven through a hydrostatic transmission by a pair of variable displacement hydraulic pumps. A signal line running over the boom point is attached to the supply vessel and maintained taut. Sensor and control means reading movement of the signal line with respect to the first platform is used to control the displacement of one of the main hoist pumps to cause an outer end of the main hoist line to move up and down with the supply vessel. The other pump is controlled to raise and lower the outer end of the main load line. The main load line is attached to the load.

Abstract: A mooring apparatus for a semi-submersible oil exploration and drilling rig includes eight drum anchor hoists and winches on which are carried eight wire rope mooring lines. Each of these lines extends up over one of eight head sheaves and vertically down the outside face of the oil rig through a fairleader rotatably mounted with respect to the rig at a bottom submerged portion thereof. A linear line pull machine is mounted to the rig in encompassing relation to each of the vertical runs of mooring line between the head sheave and the fairleader. These eight mooring line assemblies are distributed around the periphery of the rig. Two mooring lines extend at 90.degree. from each other at each corner of the rig.

Abstract: An earth compacting machine includes an earth contacting drum rotatably supported on at least one main drum support bearing mounted in a drum support assembly which is fixed to the machine frame. Means is provided to slowly rotate the drum with respect to the frame. There is a slow speed rotary seal between the drum support assembly and a main drum hub which extends outwardly from the drum. The interior of the drum support assembly, the rotary seal and an outer surface of the main drum hub form a first lubrication oil sump. Oil is introduced into this sump to cover a substantial lower portion of the main drum support bearing. A vibratory shaft bearing is mounted in a vibratory shaft bearing housing at each end of the drum. These shaft bearings support a vibratory shaft inside of the drum. Means opening through the main drum support bearing and the main drum hub is provided to rapidly rotate the vibratory shaft with respect to the drum.

Abstract: An earth compacting machine includes a hollow drum rotatably mounted at each end to the machine frame to rotate on a horizontal axis, and a concentric vibratory shaft rotatably mounted at each end in a bearing which is mounted in a bearing housing fixedly mounted to the drum. A cylindrical oil sump mounted to rotate with the drum, surrounds the vibratory shaft and shaft bearings and encompasses the bearing housings. Lubrication oil in the sump covers a lower portion of the bearing housings but is below the lowest level reached by the vibratory shaft and its offset weight. Each bearing housing has a plurality of pockets provided therein open through oil access ports to the oil sump and through oil delivery ports to its associated bearing. Oil flows into a pocket when its oil access port is below the level of oil in the sump; and flows out of the pocket as the oil delivery port approaches and pass over the axis of horizontal rotation.

Abstract: A press for forming self-supporting bales of fibrous material from a pulpy mass of the same having a high liquid content wherein the inner sides of the fixed walls of the baling chamber are provided with parallel narrow grooves having holes in their bottoms extending through the walls to the outside of the chamber. The pulpy mass creates rib-like formations in the grooves which block loss of solids but permit escape of liquid from the chamber. The grooves are parallel to the movement of the press head so the grooves are self-cleaning.

Abstract: A hydraulically extensible crane boom includes a plurality of mutually innernested, telescopically associated inward and outward boom sections. Each section is made up of a pair of longitudinally extending, parallel, spaced apart upper structural shapes of substantial mass and strength, a relatively light top web integral with and extending between the upper structural shapes, a pair of longitudinally extending, mutually parallel, spaced apart lower structural shapes of substantial strength and mass, a relatively light bottom web integral with and extending between the lower structural members, and a pair of relatively light side webs each connected between one upper and one lower structural member. The distance between the lower pair of structural members is less than the distance between the upper pair of structural members.

Abstract: A method of providing a strong field splice for a wire rope sling, and the like, involving the steps of taking the preformed wire rope and unravelling a selected length of the end of the rope, forming two groups of strands, and reweaving them together in the form of the loop; and when the reweaving is completed, the two remaining ends are woven together to again form the original wire rope. This dead end is clamped to the live portion of the wire rope by means of a streamlined clamp.

Abstract: A hook assembly usable with conventional load lifting equipment has a frame and a generally arcuate hook member pivotally assembled to the frame. The hook member is rotatable relative to the frame between an open position for engagement of a load loop, such as a link or sling, a closed position to secure the load for handling, and a discharge position for dropping the load loop from the hook assembly. The frame has a contoured portion fashioned to cooperate with a hook member tip and body portion to define a closed, load retaining eye when the hook member is in the closed position, and an open, unobstructed throat when the hook member is in the open position. A releasable lock mechanism is assembled with respect to the frame and is operable to hold the hook member in an open position, to lock it in the closed position and to release to allow the hook member to move to the discharge position. The releasable lock mechanism includes a locking member fixed for guided movement relative to the frame.

Abstract: A telescopic boom consists of a plurality of generally rectangular boom sections nested with each outwardly extending section inside of the next adjacent inward section. The boom is provided with self-aligning slide pad mounts at both the front and rear reaction points. At the front reaction point, this mounting includes elongated slide pads supported to stay with the outside inward boom section and situated directly under the side plates of the outwardly extending inside boom section. At the rear reaction points, the mounting includes elongated slide pads mounted to move with, and to be immediately adjacent to, outer surfaces of the side plates of the outwardly extending, inside boom section. Both the front reaction slide pads and the rear reaction slide pads are mounted to pivot on a horizontal axis with respect to the boom section with which they move, and the pivotal mountings for these slide pads are situated between the adjacent, spaced apart side plates of the nested boom sections.

Abstract: A baling machine for particulate material such as wood chips and bark includes a vertically elongated compression chamber provided at its upper end with an inclined inlet feed chute, a downwardly facing vertically movable compression ram in the chamber, an upwardly facing vertically movable gate ram forming the lower end of the chamber during compression, and a bale-strapping assembly associated with the lower end portion of the chamber. A horizontally movable door operating between open and closed positions at the inner end of the feed chute forms part of the wall of the chamber when closed. The leading edge of the door is specially shaped to penetrate the material in the chute and to cooperate with anvil surfaces at the end of its travel to prevent jamming of the door as it closes.

Abstract: A steering mechanism particularly suited for vehicles of the type having a variable width track. The steering mechanism is flexible enabling it to automatically extend and retract laterally along with the track of the wheels of the vehicle. The mechanism acts on steering arms of the steerable wheels of a vehicle to simulate a conventional tie rod type of steering geometry. During turning, the inner wheel turns more than the outer wheel to minimize tire slippage or scrub. A flexible steering linkage assembly is connected between the steering arm ends of the pair of steerable wheels to maintain controlled spatial relationship between them which results in a simulation of tie rod steering geometry.

Abstract: A coupling link having two half links, each half link comprising a U-shaped member, each of the ends of each of the arms of the U-shaped members having at least one ear. The plurality of ears each have an opening therethrough, the axes of the openings being substantially perpendicular to the arms of the U-shaped members. The plurality of ears are adapted to interact with each other so that the openings through the ears will be coaxial and will be adapted to receive a hardened steel pin which will lock the two halves of the link together. The pin is locked into position within the openings of the ears by means of a spacer which is adapted to fit between the ears and is in the form of a cylindrical spacer split along a diameter. The internal diameter of the spacer is substantially the same as that of the pin.

Abstract: A baling machine for particulate material such as wood chips and bark includes a vertically elongated compression chamber provided at its upper end with an inclined inlet feed chute, a downwardly facing vertically movable compression ram in the chamber, an upwardly facing vertically movable gate ram forming the lower end of the chamber during compression, and a bale-strapping assembly associated with the lower end portion of the chamber. A horizontally movable door operating between open and closed positions at the inner end of the feed chute forms part of the wall of the chamber when closed. The leading edge of the door is specially shaped to penetrate the material in the chute and to cooperate with anvil surfaces at the end of its travel to prevent jamming of the door as it closes.

Abstract: A load indicator is connected between a load line and a load handling member such as a hook. The indicator includes a hollow cylindrical housing, a plunger assembly including a transverse head slidably mounted in the housing, a pilot rod integral with the head and extending to a location outside the housing, means connecting a first end of the housing opposite the plunger rod and means connecting the plunger rod to the load line and to the load handling member, and a compression spring in the housing urging the plunger head toward the first end of the housing. The wall of the housing has several sight openings therethrough. A sight band of contrasting color is fixed to move with the plunger assembly inside the housing and to be visible through the sight openings.

Abstract: A steering mechanism particularly suited for vehicles of the type having a variable width track. The steering mechanism is flexible enabling it to automatically extend and retract laterally along with the track of the wheels of the vehicle. The mechanism acts on steering arms of the steerable wheels of a vehicle to simulate a conventional tie rod type of steering geometry. During turning, the inner wheel turns more than the outer wheel to minimize tire slippage or scrub. A flexible steering linkage assembly is connected between the steering arm ends of the pair of steerable wheels to maintain controlled spatial relationship between them which results in a simulation of tie rod steering geometry.

Abstract: A heavy duty shackle for use under great loads, such as in anchor lines. The shackle is formed from a cylindrical bar rod by shaping the ends to a reduced diameter, and forging the central portion into a flattened shape having the cross-section of a wide shallow U shape. The bottom surface of the central section is in the form of a portion of a circular cylinder. The ends of the bar are flattened and a central opening is forged and based for a pin. The formed bar is then bent in the form of a bow to provide an eye for the shackle, with two parallel ears spaced a selected distance apart.