Abstract: A metal pipe fence and method of construction in which the posts of the fence are formed of lower pipe segments, which can be driven into the ground, and upper pipe segments installed on the lower pipe segments. The upper pipe segment is temporarily retained on the lower pipe segment for welding using a wedge piece driven through an eyelet which projects from the upper pipe segment such that the wedge piece is urged into a tangential slot formed through the wall of the upper pipe segment and into gripping contact with the lower pipe segment. The rails of the fence are preferably formed by connecting lengths of metal pipe or tubing end-to-end, without welding, so that the continuous series of connected pipe or tubing segments extends through rail openings provided through the upper pipe segments of the fence posts.

Abstract: An abrasive throwing wheel assembly comprising a rotating wheel having a forward face including: a recess bounded circumferentially by an interior wall of a forward peripheral portion; a plurality of blade slots in the forward peripheral portion; and a groove, for receiving a retaining element, provided in the recess proximate the rearward base end of the interior wall. To prevent the retaining element groove from interfering with the attachment and removal of the blades, the assembly also includes: (a) the peripheral portion having a rearwardly sloped forward surface, (b) the interior wall diverging rearwardly toward the axis of rotation, and/or (c) the blade slots extending outwardly from the recess at a rearward angle.

Abstract: A throwing wheel comprising a mounting element having a central axis with a plurality of blades connected to the mounting element. Each of the blades has an inner end, a first portion of the inner end and a second portion of the inner end. A plurality of locking mechanisms is associated with the respective plurality of blades. Each of the locking mechanisms comprises at least one biasing element which biases the blade away from the central axis of the mounting body and connects each of the blades to the mounting element.

Abstract: A throwing wheel assembly including a rotatable wheel and one or more throwing blades each removably positionable on the face of the wheel in a throwing position, the throwing blades having holding structures projecting therefrom and the improvement comprising one or more retainers which are removably positionable in a recess provided in the wheel face and which and are adapted for removably receiving and retaining the blade holding structures.

Abstract: A throwing wheel comprising a mounting element having a central axis with a plurality of blades connected to the mounting element. Each of the blades has an inner end, a first portion of said inner end and a second portion of said inner end. A plurality of locking mechanisms is associated with the respective plurality of blades. Each of the locking mechanisms comprises at least one biasing element which biases the blade away from the central axis of the mounting body and connects each of the blades to the mounting element.

Abstract: A system for creation and storage of process descriptions and collection and retrieval of evaluation information is described. The system comprises a process description library for storing a plurality of process descriptions in electronically retrievable format, an evaluation information database for storing a plurality of evaluation information documents stored in electronically retrievable format and a process description manager operative to create the process descriptions. The process description manager is operative to include in one or more of the process descriptions one or more links to evaluation information documents, each link causing retrieval of an associated evaluation information document upon activation of the link. The process description manager is operative to store each process description in the process description library upon creation of the process description.

Abstract: A washing machine for nondestructively cleaning machine parts comprises an enclosure and a water wheel for projecting a wash liquid against an object to be treated. The water wheel rotates at high speed. Washing liquid is fed into a central opening in the water wheel, and the liquid is projected at high velocity against the object to be cleaned. The liquid is projected in a pattern comprising a plurality of spaced-apart, geometrically similar, arcuate, dense zones of wash liquid. A pulsed cleaning effect is obtained. The device is especially useful for cleaning worn automotive and truck brake shoes prior to reconditioning the brake shoes.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating debris from spent abrasive in an abrasive blasting apparatus in which the debris and spent abrasive are recirculated from a blast zone at high velocity along a recirculation chamber includes means for receiving debris and spent abrasive from the recirculation chamber and allowing a quantity of the debris and spent abrasive to collect thereby forming a pile having a face exposed to incoming debris and spent abrasive. The pile has an angle of repose, whereby additional incoming debris and sent abrasive fall down the face to form a substantially unobstructed, vertical, uniform curtain of falling debris and spent abrasive. Means for providing a stream of fluid through the recirculation chamber are provided. Means having first and second openings are provided for drawing off the stream of fluid, which is divided into portions, from the recirculation chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating debris from spent abrasive in an abrasive blasting apparatus in which the debris and spent abrasive are recirculated from a blast zone at high velocity along a recirculating chamber includes means for receiving debris and spent abrasive from the recirculating chamber and allowing a quantity of the debris and spent abrasive to collect thereby forming a pile of debris and spent abrasive with a face of the pile exposed to incoming debris and spent abrasive. The pile has an angle of repose whereby additional incoming debris and spent abrasive fall down the face to form a substantially unobstructed, vertical, uniform curtain of falling debris and spent abrasive. The apparatus includes means for providing a stream of fluid through the recirculating chamber, and means disposed below the receiving means for drawing off the stream of fluid from the recirculating chamber.

Abstract: A tumbling apparatus for use in drum blast machines has a first endless belt defining a pocket for receiving workpieces to be tumbled and blast cleaned by abrasive projected at high speed against the workpieces. As the workpieces are tumbled by the belt, they fall onto a portion of the pocket called the cascade zone. A second endless belt is provided underneath the cascade zone of the pocket to give support to the first belt while preventing any anvil pinching of the first belt.

Abstract: The invention is concerned with underground mining equipment, primarily but not exclusively for the mining of coal by the system known as the "long wall system". Where a coal cutting machine is driven along the wall face by the use of a haulage chain anchored at opposite ends of the face, to avoid the problems associated with the establishment of slack chain behind the machine, take-up means is provided at at least the end of the working from which the machine undergoes a working traverse to remove material from the face. Control means is provided to render said take-up means operative, to take up the slack produced in the chain, during such a working traverse of the cutting machine, and to render the take-up means inoperative, to provide a substantially fixed anchorage on a return traverse of the machine. Preferably such take-up means is provided at both ends of the working.

Abstract: In a system for the supply of fluid under pressure to machinery of an underground mine working, lengths of fixed conduit are secured to parts of the conveyor assembly, prior to the assembly of said parts at the underground mine working. When the conveyor assembly has been assembled, the length of fixed conduits are interconnected, either by straight lengths of flexible conduit, or by branched lengths of flexible conduit, where take off for fluid under pressure is required for the machinery, for example a roof support unit.

Abstract: A cutting drum for a mining machine, for example a shearer drum comprising helical vanes, to which picks are secured at spaced intervals peripherally thereof. In conventional practice, housings for the picks are secured such as by welding directly to the shearer drum vane. In accordance with the invention, a mounting device is fixedly secured to the shearer drum vane, and the housing for the pick is releasably secured to the mounting device. This enables the pick housings to be readily removed from the shearer drum, in the event that one or more of the pick housings becomes damaged during operation of the machine.

Abstract: A combination comprising a blade block for mounting on an abrasive throwing wheel and a blade for mounting on the blade block is provided. The blade has a front surface and a rear surface, a first opening on the rear surface and a second opening on the rear surface spaced from the first opening. The blade block is provided with projecting means, such as a lug, adapted for insertion in the first opening on the rear of the blade. An abutment means contacts the rear of the blade. An opening in the blade block is provided, and the opening is intermediate the projecting means and the abutment means on the blade block. The blade is held in position on the blade block by locking means, such as a deformable, resilient wire, adapted for insertion in the second opening on the rear of the blade and for insertion in the opening in the blade block.

Abstract: A blast wheel for a rotatable centrifugal abrasive blasting device comprises a wheel having a front surface and a rear surface. A plurality of radially extending abrasive throwing blades are substantially equally spaced around the circumference of the front surface of the wheel. A vaned impeller is also on the front surface of the wheel. A ring is rigidly secured to the rear surface of the wheel. The blast wheel is a one-piece casting formed of dissimilar materials, such that the wheel, blades and impeller are formed of an abrasion-resistant material having relatively poor machinability. The ring is formed of a material having good machinability. The blast wheel is useful for projecting an abrasive, such as metal shot, against a surface to be treated.

Abstract: An improved abrasive throwing machine comprises an enclosure having means therein for projecting abrasive particles at an inclined angle relative to a surface to be treated. The improvement comprises rotatable means within the enclosure capable of propelling spent abrasive particles that rebound from the surface, and returning such particles to the projecting means. The rotatable means is typically a brush of substantially circular cross-section. The apparatus is especially well suited for cleaning substantially flat, horizontal surfaces, such as the tops of storage tanks, decks of naval vessels, roadways and aisleways.