Abstract: A method is shown for reducing the swelling action of sulfates in clay bearing soils while increasing the bearing strength values of the soils by treating soils having high sulfate content with a barium containing compound in an amount effective to react with the sulfate present in the soils, thereby forming less soluble reaction products and decreasing the tendency of the soil to form ettringite. The soil is further stabilized by the application of lime.

Abstract: The framework engages to a push blade of a plow assembly and extends upwardly and forwardly therefrom along a rear surface of a plow blade of the assembly, terminating at a position forward of a forward tilt pivot point for the plow blade. A chain is engaged to a center point of a horizontal cross beam of the framework which engages forward ends of a pair of upwardly and forwardly extending side beams of the framework, the framework being centered relative to the lateral extent of the plow blade.

Abstract: A load reduction and alignment system for drag line excavators which have annular rail tracks on which multiple support roller assemblies are positioned. The load stress from the excavator is distributed and reduced by increasing the number of rollers within the roller assembly by reducing roller spacing as well as providing for on site adjustement of a segmented concentric guide rail against which the modified rollers engage.

Abstract: The invention is a combination submerged breakwater and barrier reef comprised of a plurality of modules. Each module is placed upon the seabed, and includes angle base with gripping toes to prevent movement. The base supports a generally crescent shaped, concave seaward face and a similar crescent shaped, concave beachward face. The beachward face includes an elongated apron to further stabilize the unit, and has a greater degree of curvature when compared to the seaward face. Each module also includes a plurality of channels which are angularly expanding towards the beachward face, and provide passages for wave portions to flow through the reef further collapsing the wave in a desired manner. The modules also include interlocking members which allow for the reef to be constructed along a continuous, axial line, or alternatively staggered to provide a non-uniform reef.

Abstract: A concrete footing/foundation retainment co-features integral (unitary) drainage means. Two preferred embodiments present, first, a rigid, environmentally nondegradable and free-standable footing/foundation concrete retainment form similar to an ordinary plank but featuring a hollow core which communicates through a multiplicity of foramens (holes) with only one face of the plank, the other being smooth and generally unrelieved in character. The second preferred embodiment presents a similar plank bearing a colinear, foraminous conduit adjacent one margin of the plank and permanently joined with the plank member. Thus, in the second embodiment, only one face is essentially smooth and unrelieved, while the other, in cross-section, appears bulbous. The bulbous feature may take on any conceivable geometric definition ranging from a semi-tubular to a rectangular conduit shape.

Abstract: A system for containing oil or other contaminants which have leaked from an oil tanker or similar structure is disclosed. A protective housing surrounds the structure. A plurality of covers are each pivotably mounted at its upper edge to a lower outer edge of the housing to depend therefrom. Each cover is retained in a closed position with a lower edge of the cover adjacent the side of the structure to form a storage cavity defined by the cover, the housing, and a portion of the side of the structure. A series of interconnected collapsible float assemblies is contained within the storage cavity. In case of an oil leak, a triggering mechanism located within the housing sequentially releases the covers from the closed position and the float assemblies fall away into the water. In this manner a continuous curtain may be provided to surround the structure to prevent passage of all or most of the leaking contaminant.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with an automatic speed changing apparatus preferably employable for a wheel loader. The subject of the present invention is to assure that no shift-down is carried out even when braking is effected and thereby a vehicle speed is reduced when the wheel loader approaches a dump truck (operation IV) during running of the wheel loader, e.g., along V-shaped tracks as shown in FIG. 4, whereby an operation can smoothly be performed without an occurrence of falling-down of load placed on the wheel loader while preventing an operator from feeling unpleasant. To accomplish the foregoing subject, the apparatus of the present invention is constructed such that determination as to whether or not the wheel loader is approaching the dump truck (operation IV) is made based on the determination as to whether or not lift arms (1a) are raised up to perform a loading operation, and if it is found that the foregoing determination is correct, the current speed stage is maintained.

Abstract: An apparatus wherein individual lock members include interconnecting right and left end walls, with spikes directed through the top and botttom wall for positioning and securement of the barriers to an underlying support or to one another. A fabric flap is mounted to a forward planar wall of each of the blocks for enhanced mounting of the blocks to an underlying surface to minimize cantilevering of the blocks in use. Further, positioning blocks are selectively securable to a top surface of each block and cooperative with rectangular recesses within opposed bottom surfaces of further blocks to provide vertical mounting of the blocks together.

Abstract: Excavation device (10) with rotary cutter having a horizontal axis, the device (10) having a support structure (11) for excavation means consisting advantageously of pairs of cutter wheels (12-112) able to rotate about their axis (13), the rotation being induced by drive means (15) and suitable transmission means, the cutter wheels (12-112) being equipped with main excavation tools (18), an excavation chain (22) bearing secondary excavation tools (23) being associated with each cutter wheel (12-112) and being actuated by a sprocket wheel (19) firmly secured (20) to the respective cutter wheel (12-112) and cooperating with a transmission means (21) secured to the support structure (11), the secondary excavation tools (23) borne by the excavation chains (22) of each pair of cutter wheels (12-112) covering almost the whole excavation face between the main excavation tools (18).

Abstract: A layer of material such as pavement or sheet ice coating the surface of a roadway is efficiently removed using apparatus that includes a longitudinal tube in a breaker assembly which is rotatably carried by a control frame beam that depends from an articulate hydraulic lift and tilt mechanism of a road grader. Coaxially attached to the tube and uniformly distributed along its length, a number of retainer rings each carry several radially extended teeth that function to fragment the layer. Each tooth includes a tip portion with a free end that penetrates and punctures the layer and a trailing divergent portion which enters the puncture and translates a linear force applied thereto into a radial outward force that fractures and fragments the side walls of each puncture when the breaker assembly is lowered onto the layer and a downward force is applied to each tooth as the breaker assembly rolls over the layer surface.

Abstract: A ditch digging and/or cleaning apparatus designed to cut a multitude of ditch profiles includes a rotating drum on which are permanently attached tooth supports. On these supports are fastened spikes and teeth, different types for different terrain. Removed ditch material can either be dispersed to the right or windrowed to the left of the rotating drum, over the far side bank or the road side bank of the ditch, by rotatably positioning the drum.A frame is employed to support the rotating drum, to position it to the various working positions and to connect it to the carrier vehicle. This frame consists of a fixed section that connects to the carrier vehicle and a rotatable section that supports the rotating drum. Also included are fixed and movable deflectors that direct the material flow to the desired direction. This frame can be attached on tractor pulled and powered carriers, or on self propelled extending boom carriers.

Abstract: A digging implement, for example, a snowthrower has a casing with a discharge from the casing and a coiled blade mounted in the casing on a lateral shaft. The blade is arranged for advancement sideways into a body of particulate material, e.g. snow. The blade shaft also carries a pair of discs attached to the shaft at opposite ends of the blade, with each of the discs having a cutting edge portion formed into radial corrugations. The discs cut kerfs in the snow at either end of the blade and reduce the power required to advance the implement into the material being removed.

Abstract: A compact padding machine for screening and conveying soil into a trench. The machine is usable as an attachment to a conventional bucket loader, bulldozer or other base machine. The padding machine includes a screening belt, an underlying inclined conveyor belt, and a transverse, extendible discharge conveyor belt. Soil is collected and conveyed upwardly on the screening belt. Fine grained soil passes through the screening belt, is deposited onto the inclined conveyor belt, and is discharged therefrom onto the transverse conveyor belt, from where it may be conveyed into an adjacent trench. A hydraulic vibrator is coupled to the screening belt to disaggregate clods of fine-grained soil and cause the soil to pass through the screening belt. Rocks and other large objects are conveyed to the rear of the machine and discharged.

Abstract: A wave generator for generating waves in pools and the like for water sports, amusement and the like. The wave generator has a water inlet/outlet disposed and configured so that when acting as an inlet, it will draw water from the pool and not air from above the pool. The wave generator includes a sealable chamber coupled to the water inlet/outlet for temporary storage of a substantial quantity of water at elevations above the level of water in the pool. In operation the chamber is sealed and air is pumped therefrom by a suitable air pump, by an entrainment device or other equipment, substantially filling the chamber with water from the pool. To generate a wave, the upper part of the chaber is then vented to the atmosphere, allowing the water in the chamber to rush out through the inlet/outlet thereof, with the sudden rush of water generating the desired wave. Various embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A cutting/expanding tool includes a cylindrical support body having a guide side and a cutting side, a pair of guide rollers mounted in tandem along the longitudinal axis of the support body on the guide side, a cutting wheel mounted between the tandem guide rollers on the cutting side of the support body, and an expander connected rearwardly of the support body. A plurality of cutting wheels may also be provided, each of progressively increasing diameter. A scoring wheel may be mounted forwardly of the cutting wheels to prescore the surface to be cut, so as to facilitate the cutting action, and a deburrer may be mounted rearwardly of all the cutting wheels so as to smooth the cut edge. A method of using the cutting/expanding tool is also described, whereby after the tool has been propelled through a buried main to cut and to expand it, a replacement main is drawn back through the existing main.

Abstract: A mobile ballast plow comprises a machine frame and a ballast planing plow vertically adjustably mounted on the machine frame and extending from shoulder to shoulder. The ballast planing plow includes central plow elements extending over the center track portion, and a ballast conveying device associated with the central plow elements and arranged in the center track portion. The ballast conveying device consists of at least one vertically adjustable broom rotatable about an axis extending in the direction of the track, the broom having radially extending flexible ballast sweeping elements, and respective drives for vertically adjusting and rotating the broom.

Abstract: A process and device for decontamination of contaminated soil wherein contaminated soil is precleansed by a pressurized flushing and cutting jet of a cutting device located in a borehole. The soil is removed from the existing soil structure and flushed so intensely that is largely freed from adhering pollutants. The fine particles of the flushed and precleansed soil, together with the pollutants, are sluiced as a slurry in a return flow through a preventer. For decontamination, they are conveyed to a decontamination plant where the remaining pollutants are extracted. The coarse particles of soil remain in the ground. Finally, the cleansed soil, together with a bonding agent, is flushed back into the borehole where it forms a soil structure capable of bearing loads.

Abstract: A bucket wheel body includes a supporting body having a frustoconical region, a radially outer circumferential region, and a radially inner circumferential region. The frustoconical region forms a carrier body; the radially outer region forms a rounded annular carrier for supporting buckets and the radially inner region forms a rounded hub support. The hub support, the annular carrier and the carrier body form a one-piece construction and jointly define an S-shaped cross section. A disc-shaped hub body is attached to the hub support. The hub body has an outer circumferential edge and a central opening. The outer circumferential edge of the hub body is in engagement with the carrier body, and a terminal edge face of the hub support is in engagement with the hub body along a zone radially inwardly of the outer circumferential edge of the hub body.

Abstract: An apparatus for positioning a vehicle relative to an implement to be mounted upon the vehicle consists of a stop member defining a stop surface for engagement by tread surfaces of the vehicle to be positioned, and guide arms adjustably mounted upon the stop member and defining arcuate guide surfaces for engagement by the side surfaces of the vehicle wheels. A method for positioning a vehicle relative to an implement to be mounted thereupon is also described.

Abstract: An underground tubular structural system capable of having a very large cross section, for the construction of urban or rural conduits, underground passages and other civil engineering installations. At least two conduits (S1) (S2), namely a high conduit (S2) and a low conduit (S1), are superposed and at least the high conduit is formed in cross section by at least two prefabricated elements, namely a lower element (4) (6) in the shape of an inverted U capping the low conduit (S1) and bearing along two lateral sides (14) of the latter and an upper covering element (2') (5) capping the lower element (4) (6) of the high conduit and closing the section (S2) towards the top. One or more supplementary conduits can easily be added to an already existing conduit.