Abstract: A system for boring a hole in the ground including an excavating machine provided with a tubular body; an excavating mechanism supported by the body; a mechanism for shifting the excavated substances to the periphery of the body; and a driving mechanism for operating the excavating mechanism.

Abstract: An electric livestock guard or gate for prohibiting the passage of livestock through a roadway opening in a fenced enclosure and which includes a base portion of interlocking segments over which a metallic grid is suspended by springs which mount each end of the grid to spaced insulators carried by the base portion.

Abstract: A compactor and blade attachment for a front-end loader. The attachment comprises a compaction drum that is journalled for rotation on the side plates of the frame. A vibratory mechanism is connected to the drum to vibrate the drum and aid in the compaction. A blade is secured to the frame and is located ahead of the drum in the direction of movement of the loader. A pair of lift arms of the loader are pivoted to the lower end of the frame, while a pair of tilt arms of the loader are pivoted to the upper portion of the frame. By operation of the tilt arms, the frame can be tilted about the pivotal connections of the lift arms to thereby selectively move the blade between a non-operative position above the level of the lower surface of the drum to an operative position beneath the level of the drum where the blade will engage the terrain.

Abstract: An extruded node is disclosed comprising a longitudinally extending substantially hollow core and at least one longitudinally extending, hollow flange, extending outwardly of and integral with a longitudinally extending side portion of the core. This invention also provides a joined structure wherein at least one longitudinally extending lineal member has a hollow peripheral portion defined by walls having inside surfaces adapted to mate with outside surfaces of a mating hollow flange of the extruded node. In this joined structure the peripheral portion of the lineal member is inserted over the hollow flange of the node to an extent that the outer peripheral surface of the lineal member surrounds the integral wall of the node and the outside surfaces of the sidewalls of the hollow flange and the inside surfaces of the lineal member mate along substantially the entire length and around substantially the entire perimeter of the flange.

Abstract: A releasable gripping or locking device having a body part for sliding cooperation with a rope to be releasably gripped or locked with respect to the body part. A gripping or locking member is movably mounted on the body part for movement between a free condition and a gripping or locking condition in which loading applied to the device is borne by the gripping or looking member. A control member is provided for controlling movement of the gripping or locking position. The control member includes telescoping components having interengageable latching elements which are actuated by relative movement between the device and the rope.

Abstract: An adjustable tool holder for carrying a tool, such as a paint brush, on a handle, such as an extension handle. The invention broadly includes a yoke assembly for mounting the holder on the handle and a carrier assembly for carrying the tool. The yoke assembly has a generally U-shaped configuration, with yoke arms extending upward from a handle mount. The carrier assembly includes a link assembly for mounting the carrier assembly on the yoke for angular movement in discrete preselected steps about an axis passing through the yoke, operable by imposing a moment force on the link assembly. Link arms extend between and in sliding contact with the inner surfaces of the yoke arms, with axle plugs joining adjacent yoke and link arms for rotational movement. A series of detent recesses and projections, respectively formed in adjacent yoke and link arms, permits rotational movement in a series of discrete steps of selected angular distance, without requiring the loosening of any screws or wing nuts.

Abstract: A combined snow shoveling device and cart for removing snow from surfaces in one mode of operation and for hauling debris in another mode of operation includes a scoop arranged with a reinforced front edge for scooping snow or other material from a surface and temporarily holding the collected material, a support frame arranged with a handle portion and four wheels which are designed for movement across a surface. A first linkage member is attached to the scoop and to the support frame such that as the support frame is pushed across the surface by means of the four wheels resulting in movement of the scoop across that surface. A second linkage member is attached to the first linkage member and to the scoop and is arranged in order to change the orientation of the scoop such that any collected debris or snow can be elevated and moved to a remote site and then the orientation changed again into a dumping mode so as to empty the scoop of any collected material.

Abstract: An improved vacuum bag probe has a top section and a base section which are manufactured from inexpensive stamped materials. A threaded, axially movable and rotatably fixed engagement mechanism is provided which resists wear but does not prevent the application of secondary compressive forces due to pressure differentials between the top and base sections, such as are experienced in an autoclave.

Abstract: A clamping collar includes a clamping collar body extending along a longitudinal axis and having at least two clamping collar shells with side walls. At least one clamping receiving space is defined by the side walls of the collar shells for receiving and retaining a pipe in the space along the longitudinal axis. At least one recess in the side walls opens radially inwardly into the receiving space and extends axially parallel to the longitudinal axis. The recess is open to an atmosphere exteriorly of the collar body at at least one axial end of the recess.

Abstract: A breakaway mount connects a tool such as a welding torch with a robot or other automated machine. The mount can fully separate and detach from a baseplate in the event of a collision between the tool and the workpiece. The pneumatically operated mount is reassembled with the baseplate in a two-step procedure which allows the operator to move his fingers and hands away from the apparatus to avoid injury when the components are fully assembled. The breakaway mount can include a wrist joint which swivels back and forth in response to a collision between the tool and the workpiece. The apparatus can also be affixed with sensors to detect partial or complete detachment between the mount and the baseplate. The sensors shut down the robot or other automatic machinery in the event of partial or complete detachment. A second series of sensors can also be added to detect the movement in the wrist joint to likewise shut down the machinery.

Abstract: A system for removably mounting a trenching attachment to hook and eye mounts on an end of a power unit. The trenching attachment includes a mounting frame having hook-engaging shafts and eye-engaging pins, a head drive assembly, a trenching boom assembly pivotally mounted to the head drive assembly, and a hydraulic boom cylinder for raising and lowering the boom assembly with respect to the mounting frame. With the boom assembly supported in a three-point stance adjacent the power unit, the cylinder is actuated in a first direction to rotate the mounting frame with respect to the boom assembly, and engage the shafts with the mounting frame hooks. Further actuation of the cylinder in the first direction rotates the mounting frames with respect to the boom assembly and power unit until the mounting frame pins are adjacent the mount eyes. A grease cylinder on the mounting frame is actuated to extend the pins and engage the mount eyes.

Abstract: A semi-automatic attach-detach snowplow mounting comprising two mounting mechanisms each comprising a pivotally mounted U-shaped latch member which cooperates with a slot to captively hold a mounting pin, the latch member being locked in place by a locking lever when in a first position and permitted to pivot to release the mounting pin in a second position of the locking lever. The locking lever being spring biased to both of its positions.

Abstract: A disengageable coupling generally of the double slider type includes first and third components fixed to the end of shafts to be coupled. A second spider component is slidingly coupled to the first component by interlocking mating surfaces that permit limited radial sliding but prevent axial movement of the spider component. The spider component and third component have disengageable clutch surfaces which also permit radial movement of the spider component with respect to the third component.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for producing ridges on snow covered fields are described. A row of snow is severed from the snow cover and elevated to provide a trench in the snow cover. The row is then deflected to one side of the trench and deposited on the undisturbed snow covering beside the trench. This produces a wind barrier on the snow covered field, reducing wind erosion of the snow cover. In preferred embodiments, two spaced trenches are cut and the rows of snow removed from them are placed on the undisturbed ridge of snow between them. In the apparatus, the rows of snow are severed, elevated and deposited by a support plate carried on two runners. The support plate floats on the undisturbed center ridge of snow. The two rows are deflected to side by side positions for deposit on top of the undisturbed center ridge by a pair of adjustable deflector plates. The two runners are supported on adjustable skis so that depth control is possible.

Abstract: Plow attaching apparatus for attaching a plow having a blade and a frame to a vehicle in a quick and efficient manner. The attachment apparatus includes a pair of attaching pins which are extended into mounting holes attached to the vehicle, and correspondingly retracted therefrom, by a pair of operating arms which are capable of pivoting with respect to mounting means. The apparatus may include adapter brackets mounted to the vehicle and a jack mounted on the plow. Novel methods of attaching and detaching the plow to the vehicle are also disclosed.

Abstract: A hydrophobic material used in the construction of a culver for improving the drainage of the culvert. The hydrophobic material comprises a textile or knit fabric, preferably biodegradable, having large and small mesh portions. A soil-aggregating agent is adhered to the small mesh portions of the textile or knit fabric. The hydrophobic material can be coated with a water soluble film to prevent the soil-aggregating agent from being removed during construction or handling.The hydrophobic material used for the drainage of a culvert is capable of keeping the water-penetrating property of the culvert for a long time.

Abstract: The invention relates to an assembled driveshaft in the case of which individual driving elements, especially gears, are non-rotatingly connected to a hollow shaft, with the connection between the hollow shaft and the driving elements essentially being achieved by a force or friction locking connection between the plastically expanded hollow shaft and the elastically pretensioned driving elements. For improving the bending and torsional stiffness of the driveshaft, at least one driving element has been produced to comprise at least two toothed discs with different diameters connected to each other by a sleeve, with the sleeve either being positioned directly on the shaft to form a basis for the connection or radially spaced from the shaft between the discs.

Abstract: An accident preventing arrangement for rotary snowplows includes a front safety bar in front of the rotating blades. When lowered, the safety bar actuates switches which, in turn, not only disengage a clutch for a drive shaft which rotates the blades, but also instantaneously brakes the blades. Another switch located in a driver's cab performs the same functions by manual operator control.

Abstract: A ball-and-socket joint comprising: a housing having an open end at its upper end, the upper end having an inner peripheral surface which inclines upward and radially inward; a bearing element disposed in the housing; a ball stud having a ball end retained in the bearing element and a shank portion extending from the ball end freely through the open end of the housing; an end cover plate secured in a lower end of the housing; and a resiliently yieldable member compressed between the bearing element and the end cover plate for urging the bearing element against the ball end of the ball stud. The inner peripheral surface of the housing is locally hardened by a high frequency hardening.

Abstract: A combined snow plow/winch device is provided which includes a mouldboard for plowing snow and a winch for moving loads, both simultaneously mounted to a front of a vehicle. The mouldboard is pivotally mounted to the vehicle for limited movement about a horizontal axis against a biasing member. The winch includes a cable receiving drum, a cable wound about the drum by rotation of the drum, and drive structure for rotating the drum. The winch is mounted to the vehicle above the horizontal rotation axis of the mouldboard. A fairlead is affixed to the mouldboard above and forward of the horizontal rotation axis. During operation of the winch to move objects, the winch cable passes through the fairlead and exerts a force on the mouldboard such that the mouldboard pivots forward against the biasing member, allowing the cable to be straightened between the drum and the object to be moved.