Abstract: An expansion joint for buried inner placement over an expansion seam under a bridge roadway includes padding sheets fixed to the bridge deck on either side of the expansion seam in the deck. Padding slats are fixed to the bridge deck outboard of the padding sheets. A steel plate is superimposed above the padding sheets and padding slats and is provided on its underside with sliding pads and padding slats corresponding to the padding sheets and padding slats on the bridge deck. Rivets are anchored in the deck and accommodated in expansion slots in the sliding pads and steel plate. The rivets and slots are covered by guard covers. The joint is intended to be paved over.

Abstract: A pressure limiter for use with a positive displacement pump and an inflatable packer. The pressure limiter includes an outer housing with an inner mandrel disposed therein. Slidably disposed between the mandrel and housing is a generally annular piston. A spring biases the piston toward a closed position. Packer pressure acts upwardly on the piston tending to move it to an open position in which pump discharge pressure is relieved to a well annulus. A check valve prevents premature relief of pressure of the packer. Once the piston is in an open position, packer pressure will maintain it in the open position until pressure is relieved from the packer.

Abstract: A night-visible traffic lane marking device for aircraft landing and takeoff strips, roadways and the like. The markers are installed embedded into the lane with their upper surfaces flush with the traffic surface. Reflective, fluorescent or phosphorescent elements are provided encased within a transparent uppermost layer. Each element extends vertically to provide a substantial profile for long distance visibility. The transparent covering extends a substantial distance from the reflective element in the direction of oncoming traffic, to increase long distance visibility.

Abstract: In a cutting or hewing roll there is, for increasing the cutting width, arranged at least one lateral front surface of the roll a tool carrier being swivellable relative to the axis of the cutting or hewing roll and receiving hewing or cutting tools. For the purpose of swivelling the swivellable tool carrier there is preferably provided a cylinder-piston-aggregate arranged within the interior of the roll and extending essentially in parallel relation to the axis of rotation of the roll.

Abstract: A raised retroreflective pavement marker that provides both improved retroreflectivity and longer life has a rigid opaque, synthetic resin body having at its front face septa to which a plastic cube-corner reflector has been bonded to provide a plurality of hermetically sealed cells beneath the reflector. This pavement marker differs from those on the market in that the thickness of its reflector is less than 2 mm, and it has preferably at least 500 cube-corner elements per cm.sup.2.

Abstract: An improved manhole cover support adapted to raise the effective grade of an existing manhole cover receiving structure such as a manhole cover frame is shown. Integral with and substantially coextensive with the top of its thin-walled cover keeper portion is a stiffening wale that defines a cavity. The cavity can be, for example, rectangular or arcuate, and it can contain a cohesive or other filler solid. The cover support need not be adjustable in perimeter, and wale need not be continuous but interrupted adjacent ends can be joined. The cover support can have water seals of compressible polymer that are interposed between its cover seat and the cover that it is to accept, and between its outer perimeter and the upper surface, e.g., paving, into which it is set and/or the shoulder of the existing manhole cover receiving structure where it sits. At least part of the sealing elements can be adherent to the cover support.

Abstract: A slalom post (1) is described comprising at least one eccentrically pivoted disc-like anchor element (5, 8) normally positioned substantially within the cross-sectional area of the lower end of the post. By simply twisting the slalom post (1) around its vertical longitudinal axis (4), the anchoring element (5, 8) is brought from its normal ineffective position into its effective anchoring position by rotation around a vertical axis offset and parallel to the vertical longitudinal axis of the slalom post. If desired, a roughened peripheral edge of the disc may be provided for engagement with the snow or ice into which the lower end of the post is placed so that the rotation of the post will rotate the disc-like anchoring element relative thereto to move it into its effective anchoring position.

Abstract: A wellbore fluid sampling apparatus includes an elongated barrel member having a chamber formed by a through flow passage opening from the bottom of the barrel member to a port in the barrel member. Spaced apart ball type valve closure members are connected to an actuating linkage comprising a rack and pinion mechanism connected to respective ones of the closure members. A cocking and retaining mechanism includes an actuating rod and a collet sleeve connected to the rack member and biased by a coil spring to move the rack member to simultaneously close both valves upon release of the collet sleeve from gripping engagement with the wall of the bore in a body member of the apparatus. In an alternate embodiment, the actuating member includes a part gripped by a stationary collet which may release the part upon movement of a sliding sleeve which is actuatable at will. The actuating member is connected to elongated cable traces which are operable to move the valves between open and closed positions.

Abstract: The portable highway barrier of the present invention comprises an elongated barrier body made of lightweight material and having an open cavity therein. The barrier includes an elongated vertical channel at one end and an elongated vertical rib at the opposite end so that a plurality of barrier bodies can be placed in end to end relationship with the rib of one body inserted into the channel of the adjacent body. The barrier can be filled with water or other fluid material once it has been transported to the construction site.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for retrieving an inflatable packer or bridge plug of a type which may be passed through a small diameter tubing, seal against a relatively large diameter casing by passing fluid to the packer through a remedial tubing to inflate an elastomeric packing element and then be retrieved to the surface through the small diameter tubing by deflating the elastomeric packing element.Circulation may be maintained during run-in through an open port in a centralizer member provided on the bottom of the packer or bridge plug. If the device is used as a bridge plug, the open port is closed by dropping a ball and applying pressure through the tubing to permanently close the open port preliminary to inflating the elastomeric elements.

Abstract: A drill bit is provided which includes cutting elements cooperatively arranged with apertures in the bit to define flow paths for hydraulic flow proximate each cutting element. Cutting elements are preferably arranged in cutting pads which generally surround the apertures, such that hydraulic flow is forced to flow across the entire surface of the cutting pad. The dimensions of the cutting pad may be varied so as to control the hydraulic flow.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of real time control of fluid influxes into an oil well from an underground formation during drilling.The injection pressure p.sub.i and return pressure p.sub.r and the flow rate Q of the drilling mud circulating in the well are measured. From the pressure and flow rate values, the value of the mass of gas M.sub.g in the annulus is determined, and the changes in this value monitored in order to determine either a fresh gas entry into the annulus or a drilling mud loss into the formation being drilled.

Abstract: An improved manhole cover support adjustable in perimeter and adapted to raise the effective grade of an existing manhole cover receiving structure such as a manhole frame is shown. Integral and substantially coextensive with the upper part of its thin-walled lateral cover keeper portion is a reinforcing wale. The cover support can be in the form of a split ring or a plurality of joined segments. Advantageously, it can have bridged joints and a flexible, compressible retention member on at least a portion of its expanding outer wall member.

Abstract: A bridge structure for large water crossing with inclined towers as main substructure members. The superstructure is a combination of suspension cables and stay cables supported by inclined towers which transfers the bridge loads to the ground. The inclined towers are tied with horizontally cables posttensioned in a such way to introduce a horizontal force which combined with the vertical forces from the bridge gives axial forces for the inclined towers, improving its load capacity.

Abstract: A well tree isolation apparatus comprising a single hydraulic cylinder supported in axial alignment over a well tree by at least two elongated support rods. The hydraulic cylinder support rods are connected between a base plate and a hydraulic cylinder mounting plate to support the hydraulic cylinder above the well tree a distance approximately equal to the height of the production tree. The apparatus permits the insertion of a single length of high pressure tubing through any well tree, regardless of its height. Once the high pressure tubing is seated in a well tubing or casing, the hydraulic cylinder, hydraulic cylinder plate and support rods are removed to provide 360.degree. access to a high pressure valve attached to the top of the high pressure tubing.

Abstract: This cover support provides a seat and lateral keeper for a manhole cover. A principal feature is a plurality of straight lateral segments that are joined near their ends and have corner spreaders acting in an essentially horizontal direction that is biased with respect to the longitudinal axes of the lateral segments whose ends they spread or draw in.

Abstract: An attachment for cleaning and refacing concrete joints, being connectable with a tractor, or the like, incorporating a frame that is rigidly mounted to the vehicle chassis, incorporates a rearwardly extending brace, for supporting of a hydraulic or other cylinder. A torsion bar pivotally mounts through the frame, and is connected by a lever arm with the cylinder, so that the torsion bar, when the cylinder is rendered operative, can undertake a slight pivot, in one direction or the other.

Abstract: An endless belt driven wood lathe or the like is disclosed as having an endless belt tension adjustment device for a motor driven belt pulley and associated endless belt. The belt pulley is driven by a generally horizontal shaft extending from a motor that is pivotally mounted to a motor housing. The motor is pivotally mounted to the motor housing along a shaft that is generally parallel to the motor shaft about which the belt pulley is journalled. An endless belt adjustment device is connected to the motor through adjustable slot means in the motor housing to cause the motor to be pivoted relative to the motor housing while predetermined spring tension force is applied to the motor, including the motor shaft journalled belt pulley and endless belt entrained thereabout. The belt pulley preferably includes a series of stepped pulley sections each having an outer surface which is configured to engage a poly-V endless belt in a compact and efficient construction.

Abstract: A novel dockplate is made up of three pieces, hinge-connected together to form a safe bridging means. The end pieces or plates of the three-piece structure have breaks to permit a minimum angle incline when the dockplate is in use. The center or main portion of the dockplate has a base which lifts it above the upper planes of both end pieces.

Abstract: A continuous mining machine is provided which includes a frame assembly having a material dislodging head mounted on one end of the frame. Ground engaging traction treads or wheels propel the machine within a mine to advance the dislodging head into a mine face to dislodge material therefrom. The mining machine also includes roof support apparatus capable of assuming a free-standing position separated from the mining machine to install supports in the roof above the mining machine as the mining machine continuously advances. The roof support apparatus includes a transverse beam having a pair of end portions extending outwardly from the sides of the frame assembly. Connected to the ends of the transverse beam are a pair of support assemblies each including apparatus for lifting the roof support apparatus vertically off the mining machine and initially supporting the mine roof.