Abstract: A marine railway has a carriage pivotally connected to a support frame near the front of the carriage, and on a transverse horizontal axis. The rear of the support frame is carried by compression springs resting on the carriage. The support frame is provided with support abutments that are adjustable to accommodate the contour of the boat. A cable loop extends from a submerged pulley at the outer end of the railway, and engages a winch activated by a remote control unit. The carriage is interposed in one side of the loop.

Abstract: A one-piece locking pin (100) for use captively retaining a tooth (14) on an adapter portion (12) of an excavating tooth and adapter assembly has a primary wedge member (110) with an integral spring (120) extending upward from the member's distal end (116). A first positive stop member (130) extends from the wedge member (110) while an opposing second positive stop member (122) extends from the integral spring (12). After insertion, the locking pin (100) prevents separation of tooth (14) from adapter portion (12) while the first and second positive stop member (130, 122) prevent accidental loss of the locking pin (100) from the assembly. To remove the locking pin, a force sufficient to separate the first positive stop member (130) from the pin (100) is exerted to drive the pin (100) from the assembly.

Abstract: The roof bolt tendon comprises a length of square twist steel with a partial thread formed directly thereon over at least part of its length. The partial thread, which may extend for the full length of the tendon and which is preferably formed by rolling, is composed of thread portions formed at the corners of the square cross-section of the square twist steel. A roof bolt in which the tendon is employed is also disclosed.

Abstract: A boom assembly including a boom with laterally spaced side walls and adapted to have a digging chain and tooth assembly rotatable thereabout. A boom end idler assembly is arranged between the side walls at the free end of the boom for rotatably supporting the digging chain and tooth assembly. The boom end idler assembly includes a boom end idler rotationally supported by an anti-friction bearing. Axially aligned members pass through aligned apertures in the side walls of the boom and at least partially within the inner race of the bearing for defining the rotational axis of the boom end idler and for clamping the side walls of the boom to each other to minimize clearances between the boom and the boom end idler. Seals are provided to close the clearances proximate the bearing and inhibit foreign debris from contaminating the anti-friction bearing.

Abstract: A continuous excavating and loading machine having a front mounted rotary digging element divided into sections to allow cantilevered support, digs a width greater than that of any other part of the machine so that the machine may advance on the surface it has cut. The digging element is driven by digging chains which also break up material in their path so that the full digging face is excavated. Excavated material is discharged outwardly from the digging element by both centrifugal force and gravity after rotation past top center. The excavated material falls onto a conveyor system to be elevated and transported to the rear of the machine for transfer to appropriate carriers. A moldboard blade trims surface irregularities and pushes passed material forward into the bucket wheel. A movable skid plate, held against the cut surface by a constant force, supports digging torque reaction loads and damping is provided for shock conditions.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for creating a controlled environment about a portion of a submerged pile to be treated comprises a jacket fitted about the pile and sealed at both the top and bottom ends relative to the pile to provide a sealed encapsulated space. The jacket includes at least two sections having arcuate cross sections that are fastened together to provide a substantially cylindrical jacket. Compressed air is forced downward into the encapsulated space through one or more upper valves and encapsulated water is forced out through one or more lower valves. Further air flow dries the encapsulated space. Desired coatings, for example, rust inhibitors, epoxies, are introduced into the encapsulated space through the lower valve and the displaced air, excess coatings and chemical by-products are vented and recovered for disposal through the upper valve. The temperature inside the encapsulated space is also controlled.

Abstract: A trencher for digging a trench having a vertical face and a sloping face. The trencher includes a frame and means for moving the trencher over the surface of the ground. A rotor is connected to drive means which rotate the rotor, thereby digging the trench. The rotor includes a longitudinal rotor member coupled to a transverse rotor member. The rotor may also include a plurality of teeth-like elements coupled to the transverse rotor member.

Abstract: A tightline apparatus for draglines which includes a pair of mechanical safety devices, each having an engaging bar pivotally attached to a swivel frame of the dragline above each drag rope at the point where the respective drag rope extends between each set of guide rollers. A limit switch is also mounted on each fairlead frame in close proximity to the corresponding engaging bar, such that movement of the drag ropes upwardly responsive to swinging of the dragline bucket past a predetermined point toward the boom causes the drag ropes to engage the engaging bar element of each tightline apparatus and pivot the engaging bar into contact with the limit switches, respectively, to terminate operation of the dragline bucket.

Abstract: A permanently-installed form-drain (10) including hollow, foraminous planks (12) and connectors (16,18) for joining two or more of the planks in a continuously arranged concrete barrier. The instant improvements include an adapter (20/21), which serves as a straight connector, grooved plank (19) with interlocking stake (13/14), integral connector-stake and adapter-stake device (16/14, 20/14) and a tri-functional, generally rigid bracket and bracket-stake (22 and 22/22x) element, used to space and restrain/constrain the planks and/or to hold (support) reinforcement bars.

Abstract: An underground system for supplying water to and removing water from an athletic facility having a surface which is susceptible to excessive moisture and dryness. The system includes a plurality of substantially level watering grids which provide an arrangement of consecutive watering zones which extend across the athletic facility from one end thereof to the other. Each of the plurality of watering grids includes a plurality of parallel perforated lateral pipes which are connected at opposite ends thereof to header pipes. The plurality of substantially level watering grids are positioned at a substantially equal level below the surface of the athletic facility, regardless of the slope thereof. The system may be installed into existing athletic facilities without excessive damage or disruption to their surfaces.

Abstract: A collapsible safety prop for supporting a waterway dam gate comprising first and second links, each of which has a longitudinal axis and an inner and outer end. The inner ends of the links are provided with a lateral member extending laterally from the longitudinal axis of the links. Each of the lateral members further includes a pivot substantially offset from the longitudinal axis of the links. A pivot pin connects each of the pivots and thereby interconnects the two links. Shear engaging mechanism are provided on the inner ends of the links and positioned on the longitudinal axis of the links and spaced a substantial distance from the pivot pin. Shear mechanism for connecting the shear engaging means are provided and positioned on the inner ends of the links for normally locking the prop links against pivotal movement. The outer ends of each of the links are also provided with pivot mechanism.

Abstract: Revetments are constructed using a plurality of revetment units which are arranged on river bed or the like. Each revetment unit comprises a stem and a disc-like head. The stem is stepped so that it has a relatively short larger diameter part and a relatively long smaller diameter part. The heads of units in each upper course lie behind the heads of the units in the course below and rest on the larger diameter parts. The heads and stems are preferably circular in cross-section but can be multi-facetted.

Abstract: A method apparatus, and product of forming consolidated earth columns of cement grout or mortar to be used, for instance, in building foundations. The method is designed to drastically reduce the time taken to form consolidation columns and to allow consolidation of earth particularly difficult to bore. The method consists of injecting the consolidating grout during the ascent of the drilling tool from the earth supplying air, at the same time, to the pneumatic percussion tool used to make the preliminary drilling.The plant to put the method into effect comprises a rotating joint manifold (6) at the upper end of the boring drill (11), equipped with tangentially arranged inlets, even inclined; an air manifold (15) to supply compressed air to the pneumatic percussion tool through the external annular chamber (28) of said boring drill (11); a grout distributor (36) equipped with ejection nozzles (38) the axes of which are inclined with respect to the axis of the drill.

Abstract: A mine roof expansion anchor having a conventional tapered camming plug and radially expansible shell having associated therewith an element which resiliently engages the wall of a bore hole as a roof bolt carrying the anchor is inserted in the hole. The resilient element may be incorporated in the structure of a bail having bore wall engagement portions position in a plane closer to the lower end of the expansion shell than the lowest position of the tapered plug after full expansion. The engagement portions may comprise outwardly and downwardly extending portions of the bail legs, either at the terminal ends or pierced from the bail material slightly above the ends. In another embodiment, the engagement portions extend from a support nut positioned on the bolt below the lower end of the shell.

Abstract: A trenching machine having a tractor unit and a trenching bar mounted for transverse sliding movement on the rear end portion of the tractor unit to any desired location within the transverse confines of the tractor unit. Spoil generated by the trenching bar is deposited on either of a pair of transverse conveyors which are operable either to transport spoil transversely outwardly to the side of the trenching machine or transversely inwardly to a central hopper. A longitudinal conveyor located on the center line of the trencher extends from a low position at the rear-end portion of the tractor unit at the bottom of the hopper forwardly and upwardly to a high position forwardly of the tractor unit. A swinging conveyor is mounted for pivotal movement about both a vertical and horizontal axis forwardly of the tractor unit and below the output of the longitudinal conveyor.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for laying an underground member such as a service wire, tubing or the like. The apparatus includes a frame having a plurality of wheels with a rotatable cutting blade and a fixed cutting blade mounted to the frame for extending below the surface of the ground. The underground member is secured to the fixed cutting blade. An operating handle is pivotably mounted to the frame for rotating the rotatable cutting blade upon a pivoting of the operating handle. A propelling arm is pivotably mounted relative to the operating handle for moving the apparatus over the surface of the ground concomitantly with the rotatable cutting blade and the fixed cutting blade cutting a trench and laying the underground member therein.

Abstract: The immersion and positioning of a sink element on the sea bottom is controlled by providing a weight system suspended from the sink element. An auxiliary surface vessel has a control cable directly connecting the vessel with the weights system suspended from the sink element. The sink element is immersed with the weight system suspended therefrom and therebelow until the weight system contacts the sea bottom and the sink element reaches a preselected stabilized equilibrium elevational position above the sea bottom. Then the sink element can be laterally displaced while substantially maintaining the height of the sink element above the sea bottom by having the auxiliary surface vessel pull on the control cable connected to the weight system in a direction of movement towards the final location site. The weight system contacts the sea bottom during this movement to help control the movement of the sink element and minimize the influence of outside forces.

Abstract: A control system for regulating starting and various operations of a walk behind and self-propelled trencher. The control system conditions the trencher for forward, neutral, and reverse operation through use of a single control lever mounted for sliding movement in a common plane extending between a neutral/start position and a drive position and thence in another plane to forward or reverse positions to control the direction of the trencher. When the control lever is in a neutral/start position, a power assembly on the trencher is ineffective to drive wheels used to propel the trencher across a field. When the control lever is shifted to a drive position, a drive path is established between the power assembly and at least one of the wheels on the trencher. The control system is configured to allow the power assembly to be started only when the control lever is in a neutral/start position and prevents starting of the power assembly when the control lever is in other than a neutral/start position.

Abstract: Cutting apparatus is described which has teeth mounted on a carrier such as an endless belt or chain for advancement through material to be cut. The cutting apparatus includes a tooth mounting assembly which is supported on the carrier whereby a tooth supported thereby may be moved between an extended position at which the tooth's cutting edge extends beyond a side of the carrier and a stowed position. There may also be provided locking lugs for operatively maintaining the tooth in its extended position.

Abstract: Underground pipe is withdrawn in a continuous pipe portion without excavating the full length of the pipe by positioning in an opening at one end of the pipe portion a boom mounted on a vehicle. The boom carries a lower reaction member which projects forwardly from a rear end of the opening into contact with a brace at the front face of the opening. A winch mounted on the vehicle operates on a cable passing over pulleys carried on the boom including a pulley at the lowermost end of the boom at the rear end of the reaction member. The cable is passed through the pipe portion to an abutment member on the far end so the whole of the pipe portion can be pulled in one action. The abutment member can carry a plug or guide for a replacement pipe portion.