Abstract: A barrier for water carried pollutants consists of a series of end to end connected boom sections with each boom section including a tubular sleeve portion containing flotation means and a depending skirt. The entire series of boom sections are connected to one or a pair of flexible draft members which are connected to the booms at spaced points by connector assemblies comprising this invention.

Abstract: A method for reducing above ground storage of phosphate slimes waste obtained in the hydraulic mining of phosphate mineral where said waste, contains at least 2 weight percent solids, is treated by admixing the waste with fertile topsoil to form about a 30 weight percent slurry of topsoil, which topsoil contains at least 50 parts per million of extractable organic flocculating agents; transporting, depositing, and settling the slurry; and separating water from the resultant sediment.

Abstract: A mechanism and method for installation and removal of a dock section into and from the water without the operator getting into the water including a pair of identical brackets having clamps for removably connecting the brackets to a dock section. The brackets each include a slot for releasably receiving the trunnion shafts of a float for supporting one end of the dock section upon the water to allow fixed connection of dock posts to the dock section with removal of the float.

Abstract: A button having a button body including a central portion defining a button base having an uninterrupted outer wall and an inner wall with interspaces within said button base between said outer and inner walls, and an attaching means comprising a supporting plate including a plurality of pins projecting from one face of the supporting plate and having pointed heads adapted to be punched through a sheet material to which the button is to be attached, and then inserted into openings into the interspaces between said outer and inner walls, the openings being constricted to require temporary deformation of the materials of the structure as the heads of the pins are inserted into the openings.

Abstract: A device for destratifying bodies of water for controlling water quality parameters. The device includes an elongated hollow shroud within a cylindrical pipe that is capable of being supported in a vertical position within the body of water. The shroud is mounted on a center hollow drive shaft. A reactive propulsion driven rotary arm disposed in the plenum of the shroud is driven by pressurized fluid. Within the pipe, but outside of and near the lower end of the shroud's drive shaft, an impeller forces water upwardly and axially around the shroud to the water's surface. The reactive propulsion means is preferably driven by pumped air, whereby the effect of the pressurized air rotates the arm and the impeller fixed to the common drive shaft. This action aids in destratifying the body of water. A series of guide vane blades may be interposed on the same drive shaft between the impeller and the shroud to reduce the turbulence of the water exiting from the impeller.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus as for use in a vehicle is adjustably mounted on a rigid support member by means of rigid inserts which are releasably retained by the walls of each portion of the resilient plastic housing. When the housing portions are mated, the inserts are fixedly retained. If damaged by cross-threading, the insert can be easily and inexpensively replaced. A coined detent surface on an exposed portion of the insert is engaged by another coined detent surface on the rigid support. A thumb screw holds the detent surfaces together, and allows for changing the position of the apparatus. All components including the printed circuit board are supported by the chassis which is supported only by the housing. Thus the plastic housing provides vibration and shock attenuation for the chassis and its associated components.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus to detect misaligned clay tiles in the chute of a tile-laying machine and realign any tiles incorrectly aligned. The apparatus is capable of being retrofitted onto existing tile-laying machinery as well as being incorporated into improved future designs. The apparatus is comprised of alignment sensing switches which in turn control solenoid operated repositioning levers. The levers realign the ceramic tiles such that they are properly positioned to avoid gaps in the tile field.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to an apparatus for preventing erosion of the seabed in front of a lengthy hydraulic structure with a steep face comprising a sheet of rigid or flexible material which is unapertured or perforated, and means for supporting the sheet at an acute angle to the hydraulic structure with an upper edge thereof contiguous the steep face above the seabed and a lower opposite edge portion being remote from the steep face and being positioned adjacent the seabed.

Abstract: A boom is disclosed having an elongated flexible skirt confined between and secured to a series of floats arranged in pairs. The floats of each pair are identically formed, and are oppositely arranged at opposite sides of the skirt, to which they are secured in such fashion as to dispose the upper edge portion of the skirt above the water level. The lower edge of the skirt extends downwardly below the water level a suitable distance to confine pollutants, such as oil, floating upon the surface of the water. A tension member extends along the bottom edge of the skirt, in the form of a flexible cable. The tension member is retained in position through passage thereof within longitudinal bores provided in clamp assemblies regularly spaced along the length of the skirt. Each clamp assembly comprises complementary metal clamp elements, particularly shaped as to permit their being formed as extrusions.

Abstract: A sluice gate assembly is disclosed which includes a single-flange cast frame, a pair of elongated grooved gate disc guides mounted on the frame, a gate disc slidably supported by the grooved gate disc guides for vertical movement between a raised open position and a lowered closed position, and a wedge system for wedging the gate disc into sealing engagement against the frame when the gate disc is in its lowered closed position.

Abstract: This invention relates to a device which deposits and protects sediment on the floor of bodies of water. An elongate thin sheet, including two longitudinally extending side portions which diverge away from each other toward the floor of the body of water, at an angle between 1:2-1:5 in relation to the horizontal, and means to maintain the sheet side portions in this position. Additional means are spaced along said sheet to anchor them to the floor of the body of water, and the device may include perforated sections.

Abstract: Segmental shell halves of inventive subject matter are adapted to be assembled at an earth situs to form a tubular cavity drilling auger having hollow spiral flighting. The assembled tubular shell including the hollow flighting is filled with fluid, self-hardenable, cementitious material at the situs, and then drilled into the situs to given full cavity depth to be retained in the cavity as an anchored load-bearing pile or like solid column. Any number of units can be preassembled and filled with the cementitious material at a situs, ready for drilling into the earth in convenient, rapid succession, thereby to avoid costly losses experienced heretofore due to workmen and equipment awaiting possible spasmodic delivery of premixed cementitious material, for example. Unassembled hollow shell halves are adapted to be compactly stacked one within another for storage or shipping purposes.

Abstract: A plurality of elongated tanks positioned in parallel relationship with respect to each other are swingably interconnected at their aligned ends to provide a yieldingly undulating breakwater apparatus. The buoyancy of each of the tanks is individually adjustable so that the ratio of floating tanks to submerged tanks, and the various depths thereof, can be altered to suit the prevailing wave and current characteristics of a particular installation site.

Abstract: A water bed mattress comprised of upper and lower flexible foldable sheets which are essentially rectangular in shape. The upper sheet is essentially formed by folding up portions of the lower sheet upwardly and inwardly and transversely sealing end margins of the folded up portions, and also thereby creating two peripheral transversely extending side wall sections. In addition, longitudinal end portions of the upper and lower sheets are also folded downwardly and upwardly, respectively, and sealed to each other to thereby form longitudinally extending side wall sections, and which, together with the upper and lower sheets, create an internal water chamber. In the making of the water bed mattress, end cut-outs are formed in the sheets. Moreover, insert panels are heat-sealed to the interior portions of the side wall sections to cover these cut-outs and thereby seal the interior of the mattress.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the preparation of a foundation, in particular, a structure serving as foundation for highways, consisting essentially of soil or other materials.

Abstract: An apparatus and method carried out thereby for preventing formation of sand bars from sand or silt at the outlet of a body of water emptying from inland into another body of water such as a lake or the sea and the like. At least one elongated gutter is provided at the outlet of a body of water from inland to another or receiving body of water such as a lake or the sea. The gutter is disposed above the level of the water in the outlet and may or may not extend through the mouth of the outlet into the receiving body of water. Water is pumped into the gutter to an overflow condition so that it spills over the edges and by gravity falls and creates a splash erosion condition. SUBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates generally to apparatus and a method for preventing formation of sand bars from sand or silt at the outlet of a body of water emptying from inland into another body of water such as a lake, or the sea and the like.

Abstract: A horizontal soil drainage system consisting of a nonwoven three-dimensional mat of a plurality of looped, intersecting and substantially amorphous filaments of melt-spun synthetic polymers bonded together at their intersections, at least one of the outer surfaces of said mat having a lower cross-sectional porosity than the center zone of said mat.

Abstract: A bed frame especially suitable for a hospital bed construction. The bed rails are provided by one or more extruded metal channel members connected into a familiar rectangular frame. Extruded metal corner brackets are riveted to the corners of the frame. The corner brackets have integral extensions and formations which serve a variety of functions such as for supporting safety side rails and for the bed headboard and footboard members, standards for supporting patient treating equipment, among others. The bracket serves a dual function of strengthening and/or retaining the channel members in the rectangular frame formation and providing means for attaching a variety of different devices to the bed frame.

Abstract: A foundation in the nature of a bedspring for use beneath a mattress to support the same upon a bedframe or the like, having a base frame with wire columns thereon supporting a stable, elevated platform which is substantially unyielding in its central area under the loads normally imposed upon a bedspring and which, at least in its side edge areas, is resiliently yieldable in response to vertical load.

Abstract: A rib expander, for use with tunnelling apparatus, in which a plurality of arcuate segmental members form a ring, at least two of the members being separable longitudinally to expand the ring. The ring is mounted to provide pivotal movement about a vertical circumferential axis of the ring as well as transverse movement in the plane of the ring and movement along the normal axis of the ring.