Abstract: A patient support including a frame and a patient support portion supported by the frame. The patient support portion includes a storage area configured to receive a light assembly.

Abstract: A device for shoring trenches having rails, panels and articulated trusses such that pairs of opposite rails are upheld vertically by trusses and spaced along the trench to support shoring panels which slide past each other vertically within guides of adjacent rails; the rail having a back flange welded on a main rectangular tube which is provided on either side with two lateral rectangular tubes welded offset and inward past the main tube such that with a front flange welded on each lateral tube shape two vertical guides on either side of rail, the front flanges being projecting into the space between lateral tubes creating a guide contouring the edge of articulated truss which slides interlocked within; the panel being provided with special edges that interlock within vertical guides of rail, the truss being articulated and provided with roller to displace along the front flanges of the rails.

Abstract: Screw made of plastic for screwing into a material of low strength, e.g. rigid foam plastic, having a deep thread compared with the screw shank, the screw shank running out conically into a screw point. The screw has the following features: 1. the depth of thread H and the minor diameter Dk of the thread form a quotient Q1=H/Dk in the order of magnitude of 1 to 3.5, preferably 2; 2. the minor diameter Dk and the thread pitch P form a quotient Q2=Dk/P in the order of magnitude of 0.3 to 0.6, preferably 0.5; 3. the thread is designed as a V-thread having a vertex angle of the thread teeth of less than 30°.

Abstract: A modular flood control panel is provided having a base and supporting “A”-frame structure. The base locks into the ground, or supporting wall of sandbags, with a series of four adjustable angle stakes per each panel. The invention folds flat when not in use, for storage and for transportation on a truck to flood water areas. The panels are joined together with the use of a five inch wide joining slat that slides down into a channel on each side of each panel.

Abstract: A patient transport apparatus is provided. The patient transport apparatus includes a patient support mover configured to move a patient support relative to the floor and a patient transfer apparatus configured to move a patient from a first position on the patient support to a second position on the patient support.

Abstract: An improved spring support system is disclosed for use in seating or bedding. The invention includes an outer frame having opposed top edges. A plurality of vertically resilient members having top ends and lower ends are fixedly disposed within the outer frame in a plurality of rows and columns. An elastic top sheet is stretched between the opposed top edges of the frame and over the top ends of the vertically resilient members. The resilient top sheet and vertically resilient members cooperate to provide a resilient support surface for supporting a person seated or reclined on the support surface.

Abstract: A floating plant for liquefying natural gas having a barge provided with a liquefaction plant, member for receiving natural gas and with member for storing and discharging liquefied natural gas. The liquefaction plant involves a heat exchange in which heat is removed when liquefying natural gas is transferred to water. The barge is further provided with a receptacle; an open-ended water intake conduit having an inlet; a connecting conduit extending from the outlet of the water intake conduit to the receptacle; a pump for transporting water from the receptacle to the heat exchanger and a water discharge system for discharging water removed from the heat exchanger. The connecting conduit has the shape of an inverted “U” of which the top is located above the receptacle.

Abstract: A system for building up land in a water-covered or water-surrounded area has a plurality of floating boom segments connected end-to-end in an essentially closed shape, each boom segment having a sieve panel with a height approximately equal to the depth of the water in the water-covered area and made from water-permeable, fine-meshed material, and each sieve panel having an anchor segment attached to the lower portion of the sieve panel. The system also includes a sediment source depositing sediment inside the area essentially enclosed by the essentially closed shape formed by the boom segments. Preferably a wasteweir segment is disposed so as to close the essentially closed shape formed by the floating boom segments, the wasteweir segment having an essentially U-shaped orthogonal frame of a height at least about equal to the depth of the water in the water-covered area. The wasteweir segment also includes barriers that attach to the frame.

Abstract: For installing a cable duct around a cable buried in the ground, the duct is propelled by a propelling device formed of a solenoid and a corresponding core member of a magnetic material, and a duct transporting device. The core member is provided with a coupling which couples to a free end of the cable. The solenoid is driven by a current so as to maintain, during operation, the free end of the longitudinal member, coupled to the core member, in a fixed position with respect to the transporting device. The propelling operation is supported by feeding a fluid under pressure through the duct, with the foremost end of the duct being provided with a spouting member. Suitable design of the core member in combination with a suitably varying current for driving the solenoid allows increased dynamic propelling operation and consequently improved performance.

Abstract: A retaining wall system and connector therefor. The system can be used with soil reinforcement material. The connector can function to hold the reinforcement material in place in addition to interlocking the blocks together.

Abstract: The present invention is a collapsible cot with wall members, which includes a base frame, having an open position for use and a collapsed position for storing and transporting, with a footprint to support base flexible sheet material of an area sufficient to support a reclining human at least the size of a young child, and being collapsible so as to reduce its footprint by at least one half. Legs are collapsibly connected to the base frame, and a flexible sheet material is attached to the base frame to support at least a young child. There are at least two collapsible side walls, one each on opposite sides of the base frame, which include flexible sheet material and collapsible wall support mechanism, either hingeably or removably connected to the base frame.

Abstract: An internal compression buoyancy compensation device is provided with at least one bladder and a plurality of pairs of internal compression straps. Expansion of the deflated or partially inflated buoyancy compensation device is restrained by the internal elastic compression straps designed for even distribution of gas, a streamlined and low profile, and a reduced risk of entanglement on external objects.

Abstract: A system and method for guiding fish that migrate is provided. A preferred embodiment is affixed to a dam having intakes that: a) generate hydroelectric power and b) serve as a natural hydraulic cue for fish that, once attracted to the intake, may be injured or killed traversing the intake. A device resembling an oversize kitchen exhaust fan hood, with extension, is affixed adjacent the upstream side of a stream barrier that otherwise precludes fish from safely passing. The device simulates a naturally occurring hydraulic cue that fish use to migrate and may be used to defeat competing detrimental hydraulic cues. Also provided are embodiments to enable adjustment of the device to meet changing hydraulic conditions; to preclude the accidental provision of competing negative cues or stimuli; and to complement the simulated natural hydraulic cue provided by the device through using stimuli such as light, sound or combinations thereof.

Abstract: A drill head capable of attachment to a drilling machine for insertion of rock bolts into rock strata. The drill head comprising: a base block adapted to facilitate attachment to the drilling machine; driving spindle mechanism having a member at one end which receives a proximal end of a rock bolt including an internal cavity; an injection assembly including at least one internal passage for retaining a grouting compound. When the rock bolt is inserted in the member and when the injection assembly engages the member, the passage is in communication with the internal cavity in the rock bolt; whereupon the injection assembly operates to inject a predetermined quantity of the grouting compound into a bolt hole in the rock strata via the internal cavity of the bolt.

Abstract: An automatically-opening infant mat that is movable between an open position and a closed position includes a water-resistant flexible material sized to have an infant, at least from the infant's head to the infant's buttocks, placed on the material while the mat is in the open position, a cushion coupled to the material to be disposed under a portion of the infant's body while the mat is in the open position and the infant is placed on the material, and a resilient bias member coupled to the material and configured to bias the material to an open position and to be reversibly moved to a closed position.

Abstract: A deep water support platform, suitable for use as a hydrocarbon exploration or production facility in very deep waters of 10,000 ft or more is presented. The platform is attached to the floor of the ocean with a buoyant pile that includes buoyant members attached about the periphery of the pile. The buoyant pile and buoyant members include tubular members that can be filled with water, oil, air or other materials to produce a structure that has improved buoyancy and stability over prior platforms. Embodiments include configurations of buoyant members that have constant and equal diameter and spacing, and other configurations where the diameter and/or spacing of the buoyant members changes along the pile. In addition, the buoyant members are arranged about the pile to reduce vortex induced vibrations on the platform by interfering with current flow about the support structure.

Abstract: A water structure formed from at least a pair of sleeves from a puncture resistant flexible material joined along common longitudinal surfaces, as by sewing, and include sleeve ends that are formed into closed to maintain closed-off ends of water filled tubes, and including an arrangement, such as an outer sleeve, for maintaining the pair of sleeves in side by side relationship and/or may includes at least one ground sheet for anchoring the water structure.

Abstract: An air inflatable mattress and mattress coverlet are provided for the prevention and treatment of decubitus ulcers (i.e., pressure sores or bedsores). The mattress incorporates a user selectable static or alternating air powered support surface for more uniformly redistributing pressure exerted on a patient's skin. The mattress coverlet encompasses a low air loss feature independent of the mattress's user selectable air powered support surface. Such low air loss feature provides a patient contact surface exhibiting a high moisture vapor transfer ratio in conjunction with a forced air flow to aid in reducing the moisture and heat near the patient's body. Both the mattress and mattress coverlet are driven by an external control system which houses the user controls, as well as the necessary pumps, regulators, and valving.

Abstract: A reinforcing member such as a cable bolt is formed of a multiplicity of helically stranded wires wound around a straight core or king wire. At least the outer wires are formed with a plurality of spaced helical ribs extending along the entire length thereof.

Abstract: For transferring a fluid between at least two floating supports or one floating and one fixed support, a rigid hollow transport line is immersed with a cable suspension system in the sea. A flexible connector links each end of the rigid transport line to one of the supports. The entire rigid transport line including its ends is immersed in the sea at a depth which is greater than the turbulent zone of the sea. Each connector provides continuity of oil flow between the two floating supports via the rigid transport line.