Abstract: A self-propelled vehicle maneuverable in an underground mine includes an elongated body having a forward end portion with a boom assembly mounted thereon. The boom assembly includes a pair of boom members that are telescopically arranged to vary the overall length of the boom. A material handling device is secured to the end portion of the boom assembly and is operable to perform various material handling operations in the mine. A support arrangement secures the boom assembly to the front of the vehicle. A pair of double acting piston cylinder assemblies are mounted on the mobile body and are connected to the support arrangement for laterally swinging the boom assembly relative to the elongated body. The boom assembly is also connected to the support arrangement for upward and downward pivotal movement independently of the lateral swinging movement by operation of a pair of pivoting cylinders.

Abstract: Method and apparatus to spray the interior surface of a refractory body, such as a blast furnace having circumferentially spaced windows above its mantle, each facing a different wall portion where the interior surface of the shell is most prone to corrode. Two window operations can be employed simultaneously to introduce supply pipes pivotally supported for pivoting about angularly related axes, such as horizontal and vertical axes, and pivoted about at least one of said axes while water is propelled through said elongated pipe to a corroded portion of said interior surface to remove scale from and clean said corroded surface. Air entrained granulated refractory material, preferably mixed with water to form a slurry, to propelled through said pipe to coat the clean interior surface. The two process operation is repeated for each window to clean and reline the entire perimeter of the wall portion if required.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling the tension of travelling filamentary material such as that being unwound from a drum or spool. It comprises a three phase induction motor for turning the drum or spool modified to have a high resistance rotor providing a torque speed characteristic of falling torque with increasing speed. The motor drive, and torque in either forward or reverse drive, is controlled by a pair of thyristor banks selectively triggered for forward and reverse drive modes by error signals representative of variation in tension from the required value.

Abstract: The apparatus for anchoring a bolt includes an elongated bolt with a threaded portion located at a preselected position along the length of the bolt and spaced from the end portions of the bolt. An expansion shell assembly is positioned on the bolt with the camming plug portion threadedly secured to the bolt threaded portion so that the expansion shell assembly is positioned in spaced relation to the ends of the bolt. In one embodiment, the threaded portion of the bolt includes a threaded sleeve suitably secured to the bolt at a location between the end portions of the bolt. In another embodiment, the bolt has a threaded portion located between the unthreaded end portions and a C-shaped stop member is secured on the lower portion of the threads. A camming plug is formed in longitudinal halves that are positioned around the threaded portion of the bolt and held in place by the fingers of the expansion shell assembly.

Abstract: A bendable roof bolt is provided for use in a mine at locations where it is desired to utilize a roof bolt having an overall length greater than the available vertical working distance between a mine floor and mine roof. The bendable roof bolt is made from a rebar material and has a preselected length greater than the available vertical working distance between the mine floor and mine roof. The rebar has a uniform cross section over its entire length. Prior to inserting the bendable roof bolt in a bore hole drilled in the mine roof, the roof bolt is bent by suitable means at a predetermined location along the rebar preselected length to allow the end of the bendable roof bolt to be inserted in the bore hole. After the roof bolt is bent and the roof bolt end inserted in the bore hole, the roof bolt is rebent to partially straighten the roof bolt and allow the remainder of the roof bolt to be advanced in the bore hole.

Abstract: An apparatus for electrically insulating a pair of adjacent rail sections that form separate electrical signal circuits includes a pair of electrically insulating end posts positioned in a space provided between the adjacent rail sections. A metallic separator is disposed between the pair of electrically insulating end posts. Both the electrically insulating end posts and the metallic separator have a cross sectional configuration substantially the same as the cross sectional configuration of the adjacent rail sections. The adjacent rail sections are mechanically connected by a pair of connecting bars that are electrically insulated from and adhesively bonded to the adjacent rail sections. In another embodiment guard rail sections are insulated from each other by a pair of electrically insulating end posts positioned in a space provided between the individual guard rail sections.

Abstract: Sintered particles of pulverulant glass and cellulating agent are coated with a parting agent and introduced into a fluidizing vessel. Gas is passed upwardly through the fluidizing vessel at a velocity sufficient to form a fluidized bed of these sintered particles within the fluidizing vessel. The gas and fluidized bed of sintered particles are heated within the fluidizing vessel to a cellulation temperature of the sintered particles to cause the sintered particles within the fluidized bed to form discrete cellular glass nodules of uniform size. The cellular glass nodules formed within the fluidized bed of sintered particles, having a density less than the density of the sintered particles, migrate to the top of the fluidized bed to float on the top surface of the fluidized bed. The discrete cellular glass nodules floating on the top surface of the fluidized bed are withdrawn from the fluidizing vessel.

Abstract: A tap device for use in broadband communications systems includes a circuit board mounted on a cover plate assembly which is removably connected to a base housing. The circuit board includes an RF signal coupling element and an RF signal splitting element. The output of the RF signal coupling element and the input to the RF signal splitting element are each connected to a separate female receptacle positioned on the circuit board. The female receptacles are designed to receive an intermediate circuit which, when inserted into the female receptacles, is electrically connected between the RF signal coupling element output and the RF signal splitting element input. The intermediate circuit may consist of a short circuit feedthrough, or a plug-in fixed or variable degree attenuator.

Abstract: A mining machine includes a frame with a material dislodging head mounted on the end of the frame. Ground engaging tracks propel the machine within a mine along the floor of the mine to advance the dislodging head into the face of the mine to dislodge material therefrom. Roof bolting apparatus is employed for installing roof bolts at predetermined locations in the roof of the mine above the mining machine. The roof bolting apparatus is supported by a drill pit which is positioned within the frame and movable relative to the frame. The roof bolting apparatus is arranged to install roof bolts at predetermined locations above the mining machine while the mining machine is being propelled through the mine to dislodge material from the mine face.

Abstract: A portable frame is supported for vertical movement on a pair of posts adjacent the surface of a table for receiving an object to be marked. A traveling plate is supported for movement on the frame in the horizontal plane above the surface of the object on the table. A ball screw drive connects the traveling plate to the frame for imparting longitudinal movement of the traveling plate in the horizontal plane. A marking head assembly is pivotally mounted on the plate and carries a plurality of impact pins which are reciprocated into and out of contact with the object by operation of programmable solenoid valves. An indexing wheel adjusts the angular position of the marking head assembly to control the size of characters formed by the pins impacting the object. The pins are activated as the traveling table is moved in the horizontal plane to inscribe a desired mark of a preselected character size on the plate.

Abstract: This invention relates to a coaxial type connector for coupling a printed circuit board to an outside circuit and includes means to clamp said connector to said circuit board to form a sturdy circuit element that can be tested for conductivity without requiring spot soldering in the clamped portions. The connector may be readily disconnected from the printed circuit board should the test fail and another printed circuit board readily substituted. The connector, with the printed circuit board clamped thereto, is maintained in clamped relation for further assembly with other assembly elements should the test be passed.

Abstract: A translucent end cap which may be secured to an abutting side surface of a translucent block includes a pair of parallel top and bottom surfaces each having generally the same preselected shape. A side surface extends between the top and bottom surfaces and is perpendicular and joined to the top and bottom surfaces. The side surface has a contour generally conforming to the preselected shaped of the top and bottom surfaces. A raised rear surface portion extends from the side surface to form a protrusion. A portion of this protrusion is arranged to abut a portion of an abutting side surface of a translucent glass block to provide a mortar joint between the end capside surface and the abutting side surface of a translucent glass block. The end caps are secured to exposed top or side abutting surfaces of translucent blocks form a translucent block wall structure to provide a translucent block wall structure having usable top or side surfaces.

Abstract: A thermal dryer used to dry wet material includes a drying chamber and a storage bin. Material is transferred from the storage bin onto a movable support means positioned within the drying chamber. A furnace supplies hot gas to the drying chamber and the gas passes over the movable support means to dry the wet material positioned thereon. The temperature of the gas that has been passed over the wet material is automatically maintained at a preselected temperature by controlling the amount of wet material on the movable support means. The temperature of the gas that has been passed over the support means is controlled independently of the temperature of the gas supplied by the furnace. The amount of wet material in the storage bin is automatically maintained below a preselected amount by controlling the temperature of the hot gas supplied by the furnace to the drying chamber. When the amount of wet material exceeds the preselected amount, the temperature of the hot gas supplied by the furnace is increased.

Abstract: A mine roof support system includes a plurality of truss members each having first and second ends which are positioned in spaced relationships one behind another. There are vertically extensible props under each end of the truss members which include stabilizer sleeves to stabilize the truss members thereabove. The vertically extensible props can be extended and retracted to adjust a vertical height of the props for supporting the truss member and for moving it into and out of engagement with the mine roof. Each of the props is supported by a ground engaging means in the form of a selectively operable propulsion unit capable of being operated to produce horizontal movement of the respective props and ends of the truss members. Connecting elements beneath the ends of the truss members connect the props in tandem relationship to permit the horizontal movement of truss members and associated props relative to each other by the propulsion units.

Abstract: A low level fault condition in a mine trolley system is distinguished from a normal system load by detection circuitry connected to the trolley system between a main circuit breaker and the trolley wire. The detection circuitry monitors the current through the trolley wire and samples the current at preselected intervals of time to detect a rise in current through the trolley wire. The rate of current rise is compared to an adjustable reference signal. If the current rise exceeds a preselected rate, then activation circuitry of the main circuit breaker is latched to determine if the net current change is above a preset limit. If other available protective devices, such as fuses, in the trolley system fail to isolate the faulted circuitry within a preselected period of time after an excessive current rise is detected, then the activation circuitry is tripped to open the normally closed contacts of the main circuit breaker. In this manner the entire flow of current through the trolley wire is interrupted.

Abstract: This invention relates to a connector for coupling a printed circuit board to an outside circuit and includes means to clamp said connector to said circuit board to form a sturdy circuit element that can be tested for conductivity without requiring spot soldering in the clamped portions. The connector may be readily disconnected from the printed circuit board should the test fail and another printed circuit board readily substituted. The connector, with the printed circuit board clamped thereto, is maintained in clamped relation for further assembly with other assembly elements should the test be passed.

Abstract: An elongated rod with an expansion shell assembly positioned on the upper end thereof is advanced into a bore hole drilled in rock formation behind a resin cartridge system. The lower end of the rod is connected by a coupling to the upper end of a bolt having a bearing plate positioned on a lower end of the bolt emerging from the bore hole. Unitary rotation of the rod and bolt in a preselected direction while maintaining the shell assembly in an unexpanded condition effects mixing of the resin components in the bore hole. Continued rotation of the rod and bolt after the resin components are mixed effects expansion of the shell into engagement with the wall of the bore hole to anchor the rod in the bore hole.

Abstract: An elongated rod with an expansion shell assembly positioned on the upper end portion thereof is advanced behind a resin cartridge system into a bore hole drilled in a rock formation. A bearing plate and a stop nut are positioned on the end of the rod emerging from the bore hole. Unitary rotation of the nut and rod in a preselected direction while maintaining the shell assembly in an unexpanded condition effects mixing of the resin components. Continued rotation of the nut and rod after the resin components are mixed effects expansion of the shell into engagement with the wall of the bore hole to anchor the rod in the bore hole. The rotation applied to the nut after setting of the shell permits the nut to advance on the lower end of the rod to urge the bearing plate into compressive relation with the rock formation to put the rod under tension without interrupting rotation to allow the mixed resin to cure.

Abstract: A mine roof support system includes a plurality of truss members each having first and second ends which are positioned in spaced relationships one behind another. There are vertically extensible props under each end of the truss member which include stabilizer sleeves to stabiize the truss members thereabove. The vertically extensible props can be extended and retracted to adjust a vertical height of the props for supporting the truss member and for moving it into and out of engagement with the mine roof. Each of the props is supported by a ground engaging means in the form of a selectively operable propulsion unit capable of being operated to produce horizontal movement of the respective props and ends of the truss members. Connecting elements beneath the ends of the truss members connect the props in tandem relationship to permit the horizontal movement of truss members and associated props relative to each other by the propulsion units.