Abstract: A replaceable point is disclosed for attaching to the nose of an adapter to provide a tooth for an earth digging and moving bucket. The point is made up of a plurality of flat-sided, rolled steel plates that are held in aligned side-by-side relationship. The plates have edges that are contoured to form a point of the desired shape.

Abstract: A bucket and H-frame assembly is described which is adapted for use with 4-wheel drive, truck and military and pick-up vehicles. The bucket is designed to contain approximately 600 pounds of material and is ideally suited by landscapers and light contractors. The H-frame assembly is comprised of a pair of H-beam-push arms which are pivotally attached to the bucket. Cross-beams are welded to the H-beam push arms and together form a plane. A tilt adjusting piston is pivotally attached to the H-frame and the arm of the piston is attached to the bucket. To protect the piston from damage during use, piston guards are attached to the front cross-beam extending above the plane defined by the H-beam push arms and cross-beams. These guards protect the piston from contact with the bottom surface of the bumper of the vehicle when the assembly is raised. The assembly further utilizes a pair of adjustable pivotally-mounted ears which cooperate with an attachment means on the vehicle chassis.

Abstract: A structure comprising a vertical load and supporting structure therefor, characterized in that the vertical load supporting structure comprises concrete slab cladding of a reinforced earth structure, said cladding comprising at least two tiers of concrete slabs, and method of construction thereof.

Abstract: The invention consists of a plurality of separate pieces that may be fastened together to create a portable automobile snowplow. Each of the parts is folded in a specified fashion in order to define a particular portion of the snowplow. Then, by means of tabs and slots or other suitable fastening means, the parts may be affixed together. For simplified storage, the parts may be sized in a manner to permit them to be nested within each other.

Abstract: A self-powered, self-contained mobile dredge for removing silt and other bottom sediment from the bottom surface of a body of water, such as a canal, which accumulates as a result of erosion caused by rain and irrigation. A submersible drive unit of the dredge includes a continuous track drive, including left and right tracks, providing sufficient traction and mobility while exerting minimum ground pressure to enable the dredge to be driven along the bottom surface of a canal, while further enabling entry and exit from within the canal and transit across terrain between canals. A housing is movably mounted on the drive unit and is both rotatable about an arc of 360.degree. and vertically adjustable relative to the drive unit. A dredge unit, movable between a raised position and a lowered position extends from a forward end of the housing and includes a scoop having a tiller assembly therein.

Abstract: A rotary snow plough includes a ploughing drum, a running gear and a motor drive. A holding-down member is connected to the running gear and is arranged in front of the ploughing drum. The holding-down member includes upwardly directed holding-back surfaces. During operation, the rotating ploughing drum creates an upward reaction force, and snow lying above the holding-down surface creates an opposing downward reaction force. The effect developed by the holding-back surfaces is greater, the greater the upwardly directed reaction force, which arises from the quantity and quality of the snow.

Abstract: A folding boom side-ditcher which has a two-stage chain (or belt) drive from the power take-off (PTO) of a tractor. A laterally movable counterweight is provided so the folding boom has maximum side reach without danger of upset. Hydraulic actuating cylinders are provided for moving and positioning the boom and the counterweight, which are connected to the hydraulic system of the tractor in the conventional manner. The two-stage chain (or belt) drive for operating the digger head transfers more power through a two-stage reduction sprocket system, and the digging capacity at the digger head is increased substantially. This side-ditcher is more versatile because of the flexible boom, and it is considerably less expensive than the prior hydraulic drive systems of conventional side-ditchers.

Abstract: The digging apparatus support boom of a continuous excavating machine is vibrated in a directional mode so as to enhance digging efficiency. Directionally compliant mounting of the boom isolates this vibration from the machine proper while allowing unimpaired application of digging torque and crowd forces.

Abstract: An underwater robot is employed to clean and/or inspect the inner surfaces of high flow rate water inlet pipes for various facilities, such as power plants, water treatment plants, etc. The robot crawls along a cable positioned within a pipe to be inspected or cleaned, and in one embodiment, includes a plurality of guidance fins which rely upon the flow of water through the pipe to position the robot therein as desired. Retractable legs can also be provided to fix the robot at a location within the pipe when it is employed to clean the pipe using a water jet or similar system. The robot can also include a water driven turbine for generating electricity for the various motors, servos and other actuators contained on board the robot. Also, the robot preferably includes wheel or pulley arrangements which further help the robot to negotiate sharp corners or other obstructions within the pipe to be inspected or cleaned.

Abstract: A boom includes a plurality of boom sections joined end to end. Each boom section includes two or more parallel inflatable chambers which are joined with a weighted curtain which is reinforced for strength. Boom sections are stored compactly on respective reels. A substantial number of reels are arranged compactly in the hold of a carrier vessel which is smaller in size and has greater speed and maneuverability than vessels carrying known oil spill containment systems. Boom sections are consecutively unwound from their respective reels and connected end-to-end as they are deployed to form a continuous boom. The boom sections unwind naturally from the reels as the carrier vessel moves through the water away from a tender vessel holding the first end of the boom. The boom's deployment is controlled by a brake on an idler roller and a hydraulic crane's drive wheel on the reel, thus limiting manual handling to lighter-weight tasks.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process making it possible to consolidate a geological formation without significantly reducing its permeabiity. A liquid mixture (5) is injected into the formation (1) traversed by a well (2) and then at least one gas is injected through the formation under appropriate conditions. More specifically, the liquid mixture contains a polymerizable substance, preferably a melamine-formaldehyde resin, and at least one catalyst having a Lewis acid character and it substantially polymerizes at the temperature and pressure of the formation, while bonding the unconsolidated elements. Application to the consolidation of a geological formation containing sand.

Abstract: An improved tractor for earth grading and soil compaction having a hydraulically operated bucket mounted on the front and including a water tank and water spray nozzle. The water spray nozzle is positioned on the bucket so that it can add water to soil as it is moved by the bucket and also can be raised and aimed by the tractor operator. This permits the tractor operator to use the water spray to wet down a load of soil in a truck.

Abstract: A sidebar is provided for an offset sidebar trenching chain. The sidebar has an inner edge which slides along a boom of a trenching machine, when the trenching chain is in use. The sidebar is induction hardened through a portion thereof extending from the inner edge, for increased resistance to wear due to friction.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method and apparatus for disposal of snow in urban areas. Snow is disposed of using existing manhole or other connections to sewer systems with a portable or mobile disposal unit formed of a snow receiving bin, a grinding device, apparatus for projecting the ground snow in a controlled and linear confined manner and into a trajectory downwardly into the sewer and preferably with sensing apparatus to sense whether there is a blocked sewer conduit as well as to determine the load carrying capacity of the sewer liquid. In this way, the grinding device may be driven by variable speed motors. The system and method permit the use of already existing sewer systems, and is more economical than trucking snow to disposal sites. The system and method also permit the ready disposal of snow in areas where there are no disposal sites or where disposal sites are not allowed.

Abstract: A process for the construction of a semi-buried structure for the protection of a subgrade formed on a mountainside, and the structure thus constructed. The structure consists entirely of precast concrete elements forming a succession of adjacent sections, each consisting of three precast elements, respectively an upper covering element bearing, via longitudinal articulations, on two side elements comprising, respectively, a solid wall on the uphill side and at least one pillar on the downhill side, and each provided with a widened footing enabling the element simply to be placed on the ground, and with an upper portion in the form of a stringer on which are formed longitudinal portions for the articulated bearing of the corresponding lateral edge of the covering element. The invention applies, in particular, to the protection of highways or railroad tracks in mountainous locations.

Abstract: A composite fill material (22) comprising soil (18) and spent lime (14) and a method for filling depressed land areas (24) therewith. The method for filling land areas (24) includes generating spent lime (14) by adding lime to water (12) in order to precipitate out minerals causing water hardness. The generated spent lime (14) is mixed with soil (18) to form a composite fill material (22) which is subsequently utilized to fill depressed land areas (24) thus creating a solid soil base.

Abstract: The vehicle is intended as a self-propelled utility model for beach cleaning. It has a vehicle frame which comprises at least one front and rear axle. A garbage pickup is disposed therebetween. The vehicle is to be a multi-purpose vehicle. The vehicle frame equipped with wheels consequently has a centric, rectangular opening between the front and the rear axle. The garbage pickup is adjustably mounted in this opening, namely from an operating position in which it contacts the ground to a ready position in which it is lifted from the ground. Seen in the direction of driving, a collecting receptacle for the picked up garbage is located behind the garbage pickup.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treating polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contaminated soil includes providing a contaminated soil having PCBs therein and treating the soil with elemental zinc powder. The elemental zinc powder reacts with the PCBs in the contaminated soil to at least partially dechlorinate the PCB component of the soil. Also provide are means for treating the PCB contaminated soil including grinding means for achieving a preferred size range for the soil and mixing means to provide intimate contact between the contaminated soil and elemental zinc powder. The method may be practice in-situ such that the PCB contaminated soil is treated at a soil site containing the PCB contaminants.

Abstract: A process for recovering hydrocarbon contaminants from a drilling mud by adding a hydrocarbon diluent along with a wash water to create an emulsion. The wash water having a surfactant dissolved therein. The resultant emulsion is subjected to centrifugation which produces three distinct layers that can be easily separated to produce a clean drilling mud, a clear wash water, and a hydrocarbon phase containing the hydrocarbon contaminant and the hydrocarbon diluent.

Abstract: An improved pipeline padding apparatus includes a separator for separating fine material out of spoil which is piled along side an excavation, an elevator for transporting spoil to the separator, and a pair of guide projections for guiding spoil into the elevator. A conveyor is provided to transport the separated fine portion of the spoil back into the excavation, thereby padding the pipeline. The separator, the elevator, the guide projections and the vehicle are all mounted on a tracked support vehicle. In one embodiment, the motor of the tracked support vehicle is mounted above and forward of the elevator, which helps reduce the amount of dust that the motor is exposed to during operation. According to another aspect of the invention, the guide projections may be configured to allow excess spoil to flow underneath in such a manner as to smooth out a path for the tracks of the support vehicle.