Patents Examined by Benjamin Fiorello
  • Patent number: 9637907
    Abstract: A plastic arch-shape cross section corrugated stormwater chamber has a multiplicity of crest corrugations and valley corrugations which run transverse to its length. Sub-corrugations run along part or all of the arch-curve lengths of either crest corrugations or valley corrugations, or along both of them. A sub-corrugations are smaller in dimension than an associated crest corrugation or valley corrugation. Sub-corrugations may taper in width and depth and may taper to nothingness. A compound convex shape end cap, useful for closing off the ends of stormwater chambers, has substantially vertical corrugations with analogous sub-corrugations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: StormTech LLC
    Inventors: David J. Mailhot, Nimish Gandhi, Timothy J. McGrath
  • Patent number: 9637884
    Abstract: A jackable building foundation includes a steel beam support frame platform to which one or more hydraulic jacks are attached. Vertical movement of the platform in response to jacking is constrained by cuboidal column guides at the four corners. Each of the column guides comprises two tiers of square roller frames, within each of which is an I-beam engaged between the flanges on either side by two rollers supported on horizontal axes. The orientations of the I-beams and rollers alternate orthogonally at each corner of the platform, so that torques generated by uneven jacking are suppressed and do not result in jamming of the platform as it rises.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: High Tide Homes Inc.
    Inventors: Philip DeStefano, John Bianco
  • Patent number: 9636723
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and a system of high resolution modular heating for soil evaporative desorption. In one embodiment, a soil box comprising contaminated soil is mounted within a treatment chamber. Heated gas are directed into the soil box through a plurality of injection ports. A heat front from the heated gas desorbs the surrounding contaminated soil. The delivery of the heated gas may be in sections and independently controlled among the plurality of injection ports. A bottom section of the soil box is heated prior to a top section to minimize or reduce condensation formation within lower areas of the soil box, thereby creating roadways of desiccated, heated, and/or cracked soil at the bottom section. Vaporized contaminants from the top section is able to flow freely through the roadways to get to an exit pathway at the bottom of the soil box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Inventor: Patrick Richard Brady
  • Patent number: 9631742
    Abstract: A marine pipeline installation vessel for laying a pipeline on the seabed, the vessel at least being adapted to carry out the reel lay method, wherein the vessel includes at least a first and a second storage reel for storage of the pipeline to be laid, which storage reels are positioned in or onto the vessel; a pipeline launch tower mounted to the vessel, which pipeline launch tower is adapted to launch the pipeline in a firing line along said tower; a pipeline guide which is mounted at an elevated position to the pipeline launch tower, which pipeline guide has a pipeline guide surface member providing an essentially circular or semi-circular pipeline guide surface, which pipeline guide is adapted to—in a primary pipelaying position thereof relative to the tower guide a pipeline from a first storage reel over the pipeline guide into the firing line, wherein the pipeline contacts the pipeline guide surface at a first contact point fore of the firing line and departs the surface at a first departure point into
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: ITREC B.V.
    Inventors: Joop Roodenburg, Terence Willem August Vehmeijer, Stefan Cornelis Van Ruyven
  • Patent number: 9629343
    Abstract: A salmon migration lift device including a lift cable loop between two bullwheel terminals and a plurality of gondola buckets suspended from the lift cable loop which are filled with water and fish at a loading station on a downstream side of a waterway obstacle and which are emptied at an unloading station into a fish exit chute connected to the upstream side of the waterway obstacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Inventor: Joe Sallaberry
  • Patent number: 9625057
    Abstract: A pipe-laying vessel has a bow, a stern and a weather deck therebetween, with a moonpool passing through the weather deck. The vessel includes an S-lay pipe deployment facility located below the weather deck, having a main firing line extending along a centerline of the vessel and a pipe assembly factory for assembling single lengths of pipe to form pipe assemblies and introduce them into the firing line for deployment from the vessel. The vessel further includes a J-lay pipe deployment facility for deploying pipe through the moonpool, the J-lay pipe deployment facility including a tower located above the moon pool and pipe handling equipment for delivering pipe assemblies from the firing line to the tower. The moonpool is located to one side of the firing line. By virtue of this configuration a relatively compact structure can be achieved whereby minimal length and width dimensions for the vessel are achievable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Petrofac Ltd.
    Inventor: Yves Pierre Raymond Inbona
  • Patent number: 9610517
    Abstract: The invention is a base module for a starting apparatus of sport-purpose flatwater boat competitions, comprising a longitudinal holder arranged crosswise to the direction of motion of the boats, a level adjustment unit, a dynamic stabilizer, and a remote controlled start permitting unit having a mechanical drive unit. According to the invention, the longitudinal holder (2) is made of one or more rigid, hollow pipe or profiled bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Polaritas-GM Kft.
    Inventors: Jozsef Grand, Balazs Gerber, Balazs Nemeth, Laszlo Pongracz
  • Patent number: 9611611
    Abstract: A grouting assembly receives grout and delivers the grout to a pipe assembly for delivery to underground soil. The grouting assembly may have a drive shaft assembly with a rotary output shaft and a drive socket, a grout tube, a drivable coupler, and a grout plug assembly. The grout plug assembly inserts into the drivable coupler and accepts the grout tube in sealed engagement. The rotary output shaft, grout tube, and grout plug assembly define a conduit that provides an unobstructed flow path for the grout into the pipe assembly. The bottom-most pipe segment of the pipe assembly is designed to receive grout introduced through the pipe assembly so that the grout can be emitted through grout ports during the driving of the pile assembly into soil. The emitted grout forms a grout/soil mixture jacket within the disturbed soil along an exterior of the pipe pile assembly which adds appreciably to the overall stability, and particularly the lateral stability, of the pipe pile column created.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: American Piledriving Equipment, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph M. Klekotka, Paul W. Suver, Gerald A. Cors
  • Patent number: 9611738
    Abstract: A longitudinally yieldable support for underground roof support includes an elongate outer shell filled with a solid compressible filler material. At least one air ventilation tube extends between opposite sides of the support to allow a flow of air through the support as the support yields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: BURRELL MINING PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventor: Michael T. Shook
  • Patent number: 9611606
    Abstract: Disclosed is a removable erosion-control and fencing (“REAF”) system for shoreline preservation along a line defined by a plurality of posts. An exemplary REAF system comprises first and second post clamp pairs mounted to adjacent posts. Each post clamp pair “sandwiches” a post and is fixedly attached to the post by virtue of fasteners that lock one half of the post clamp pair to its other half. In this way, the post clamp pair “hugs” the post and is secured thereon without having to be permanently fixed to the post or damaging the structural rigidity of the post. Each post clamp pair includes a substantially vertical wall slot such that one or more cross-members may be received into the walls slots to form a wall section in a space defined between the adjacent posts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Inventor: Deron Nettles
  • Patent number: 9611610
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for the installation of pipe pilings into the ground for use as structural building foundations, geothermal piles, or both, are disclosed. In addition to specialized fittings for pipe pile assemblies, the inventions include specialized drive mechanisms used in conjunction with rotary or vibratory motors. Methods of installing pipe pilings are further improved with the disclosure of methods of adding grout or similar materials during or after installation of the piles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: American Piledriving Equipment, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul W. Suver
  • Patent number: 9599253
    Abstract: A diamond wire saw and method provides a frame that includes a clamp that attaches to a target (e.g. piling, beam, tubular), an elongated toothed rack extending away from the mount and target, and a moving portion that carries the diamond wire and motor drives that advance the moving portion toward the target and along the toothed rack while driving the wire around roller guides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: TETRA Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Galen R. Clark, II
  • Patent number: 9598833
    Abstract: A pipe assembly may have one or more pipe segments that are coupled together or coupled to a drive socket by a coupler. The bottom-most pipe segment being a bottom pile segment that may have a body with a central axis, an exterior surface an upper end connectable to the pipe pile assembly, and a bottom end, the bottom end inhibiting grout from passing through the bottom end, helical flights extending from the exterior surface of the body substantially perpendicular to the central axis, and grout ports through which the grout is emittable. The bottom pipe segment is designed to receive grout introduced through the pipe assembly so that the grout can be emitted the grout ports during the driving of the pile assembly into soil. The emitted grout forms a grout/soil mixture jacket within the disturbed soil along an exterior of the pipe pile assembly which adds appreciably to the overall stability, and particularly the lateral stability, of the pipe pile column created.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: American Piledriving Equipment, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul W. Suver
  • Patent number: 9587365
    Abstract: A composite structure for a pile foundation for anchoring a tower structure (e.g., an offshore wind turbine) in ground, which includes a hollow pile introduced into the ground at an erection site of the tower structure and a corner post which is connected to the tower structure and which, on a connection side, is arranged within the pile. The pile and the corner post are fixedly bonded to one another in a bonding region by a cured bonding material. At least one bonding means for transmitting shear forces is fixedly arranged on the pile and/or on the corner post in the bonding region. The bonding means has at least one aperture which is filled with the bonding material or, together with the corner post or pile, forms the aperture that is filled with the bonding material. The aperture encloses the bonding material by an angular range of 90° or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Senvion SE
    Inventor: Marc Seidel
  • Patent number: 9586785
    Abstract: Apparatus for unwinding flexible cables on seabeds, which comprises a support structure (2) for a reel (5) on which a flexible cable (6) is wound, provided with two shoulders (4) each advantageously formed by two counter-facing towers (19), between which a seat (20) is defined susceptible for slidably receiving a hub-carrying group (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: INNOVO ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION LTD
    Inventors: Andrea Tiberio, Stefano Malagodi
  • Patent number: 9587364
    Abstract: A synthetic ground cover system for erosion control to be placed atop the ground, including a synthetic grass which comprises a composite of one or more geotextiles tufted with synthetic yarns and an impermeable backing/layer. The synthetic ground cover also includes a sand/soil infill ballast applied to the synthetic grass and a binding agent applied to the sand/soil infill to stabilize the sand/soil infill against high velocity water shear forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Watershed Geosynthetics LLC
    Inventors: Michael Ayers, Jose Urrutia
  • Patent number: 9574313
    Abstract: A tsunami breakwater wall of retaining wall structure supported by a steel pipe pile (1), includes a steel pipe pile (2) that has a bottom end thereof reach a support layer (18) of a ground (16) and is installed to a ground such that an upper end thereof is positioned to a part below a surface of a ground (16), a retaining wall (3) that is placed on a ground (16) and supported by the steel pipe pile (2), and a ground anchor (6) that connects the retaining wall (3) and a support layer (18) of a ground (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: The Chugoku Electric Power Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Kazufumi Kawahara, Yuichi Shimizu, Kouji Tasaka
  • Patent number: 9573762
    Abstract: A cavern pressure control method includes storing compressible and possibly incompressible fluids in an underground storage volume, removing a portion or introducing additional incompressible fluid into the underground storage volume, possibly removing a portion or introducing additional compressible fluid into the underground storage volume, thereby producing a net pressure increase rate (Pinc) within the underground storage volume, wherein Pinc is maintained at less than a predetermined maximum increase value (PImax).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Air Liquide Large Industries U.S. LP
    Inventor: Ronald Strybos
  • Patent number: 9568122
    Abstract: The invention relates to a marine pipeline installation tensioner (1) for use on a pipeline installation vessel. A tensioner according to the invention comprises a lower track unit (2), an upper track unit (3) and a tensioner frame (4). The tensioner frame comprises multiple tensioner frame supports (7), a lower support frame (5) supporting the lower track unit, an upper support frame (6) supporting the upper track unit, a set of lower support frame actuators (9) provided between the tensioner frame supports and the lower support frame, and a set of upper support frame actuators (10) provided between the lower support frame and the upper support frame and adapted to move the upper support frame relative to the lower support frame. According to the invention, the track units are positioned by positioning the tensioner frame sections (5, 6) of the tensioner frame, and not by positioning the track units (2, 3) relative to the tensioner frame. This allows for a more compact tensioner design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: ITREC B.V.
    Inventors: Joop Roodenburg, Ronny Lambertus Waltherus Nouwens
  • Patent number: 9567045
    Abstract: For a self-powered marine lifting vessel or catamaran having static buoyancy, a working deck is forcibly raised or lowered by flexing or extending each of a plurality of articulated pairs of fixedly mounted support beams connecting each hull and the deck. One version uses locally applied forces at the joints from adjacent hydraulic cylinders, incidentally causing the hulls to rotate about their axes. Another version forces the hulls to rotate axially from a non-rotating aft inter-hull linkage. Applications include routine harbor maintenance and hull cleaning, then emergency marine pollution including oil cleanup at a polluted site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Inventors: Donald Scott Thom, Norman Clifford Smith