Abstract: A dredge supporting a pivotal ladder with a suction auger on its free end. A shroud assembly including front, center and rear sections surrounds a large portion of the periphery of the auger. The shroud assembly is pivotal about the axis of the auger and the front and rear sections are each independently pivotal relative to the center section so that the center section can be maintained at a relatively constant attitude independent of the inclination of the ladder and only a leading one of the front and rear sections, depending on the direction of movement of the dredge, is necessarily opened while the trailing section can remain closed adjacent to the auger. The articulation of the several shroud sections enables the suction auger head to operate in both directions with reduced turbidity and, therefore, increased efficiency.

Abstract: An auger dredge for removing toxic sediments wherein turbidity is minimized by attaching to the dredge a frame which first dislodges the material and feeds it to the auger for eventual transfer to a disposal site. Because the auger does not touch the dredged material directly turbidity which would otherwise be stirred up by the auger is vastly reduced.

Abstract: A spud is reciprocal through a well carried at the lower end of a reciprocal pole. The pole carries a crane at its upper end to control the vertical position of the spud, the distance between the upper face of the well and the crane being greater than the length of the spud to enable easy replacement of the spud. When the pole and spud are both lowered, up to their maximum extents, the spud can anchor a dredge barge in water having a depth substantially greater than the length of the spud.

Abstract: An auger type dredge head may be mounted on a dredge ladder in a selected angular position with respect to the ladder axis, for sweeping or fore and aft operation, and a selected angular position may be set and maintained with respect to the dredge barge. The head has movable shrouds on opposite sides of the auger, the shrouds carrying doors which open automatically to eject matter too large to be accommodated by the dredge suction pipe. The shrouds have sloping fins on their inner faces to aid in the movement of dredged material to a centrally located suction pipe inlet.

Abstract: A self-contained dredging module includes a unitary body adapted to be attached to the stick of conventional back hoe apparatus to convert it with minimum modification from dry land to sub-aqueous excavation. The body carries a dual cutter wheel, suction pump, and separate motors for driving the cutter wheel and the pump. The cutter wheel is arranged on the module in such a position that dredging is permitted when the stick is moved in one direction and also permitted when the stick and module are turned upside down and the stick is moved in the opposite direction.

Abstract: A shaft subject to orbiting motion as it is driven in rotation is directly connected to the prime mover driving the shaft so that the prime mover follows the orbiting motion of the shaft. The housing associated with the prime mover is connected to a fixed structure through a universal coupling, which may be a gimbal, capable of preventing the housing from rotating relative to the fixed structure while permitting it to follow the orbiting motion of the shaft.

Abstract: A cutter wheel for a cutter wheel type dredge has a pair of axially spaced wheel parts each carrying peripherally mounted scoops and a centrally mounted hopper. The scoops have open sides, bottoms and rear ends and the hopper has open sides with which the open sides of the scoops align. As the wheel rotates spoil is flushed laterally from the scoops into the hopper by the flow of water into the suction pipe at the bottom of the hopper. The rear of the scoops are elongated and have open ends to permit sticking soil to be flushed into the following scoop as the scoops are moved through water and scraper arms remove whatever spoil might remain in the scoops, thus ensuring the removal from the scoops of all spoil without the necessity of utilizing power to jet flush away sticking soil or stopping operations to remove spoil by hand.

Abstract: A pair of normal sized anchoring spuds for use in water of moderate depth are mounted for reciprocal movement in a single, reciprocal spud support member which may be lowered into water of abnormal depth, with the spuds cooperating with the support member as if they were operating in water of moderate depth.

Abstract: A remote display module displays characteristics, e.g. specific gravity and velocity, of a slurry of solids and liquid flowing in a pipeline. The remote display module generates a light spot representative of the coordinates of velocity and specific gravity signals which an operator endeavors to maintain in desired position relative to graphical overlays representative of the weight of solids flow per unit of time for a pipeline of known diameter.

Abstract: An improved bucket wheel for a dredge having a flush jet arrangement for clearing the buckets of sticky material, an improved divider arrangement for preventing entrance of oversized objects into the buckets and means for expelling air trapped in buckets when the wheel is operating only partially submerged. The flush jet operates through the open bottom of each bucket to expel matter from the buckets substantially radially outwardly. The air expeller is an escape path, such as a chordal flat, between the hub and rim of the wheel in the region where air might be trapped by the buckets. The divider is a plate securely attached to each bucket of adjacent pairs of buckets and lying in the mid-plane of the wheel.