Abstract: An irrigation control system includes a transmitter/receiver coupled to the outlet of an irrigation conduit in a remote irrigation zone that receives a signal from a moisture sensor in the irrigation zone and transmits an acoustic signal through the conduit to a transmitter/receiver at the control valve for the conduit. The received signal is analyzed and conditions the control valve for opening if watering criteria is met.

Abstract: A sectional headwall (10) for a drain pipe (72) includes a unitary base member (12), a unitary sectional member (14) positioned on top of the base member (12), and a unitary lid member (16) positioned on top of the sectional member (14). The unitary base member (12) includes two longitudinally extending walls (42,44) and two end walls (46). The base member (12) further includes a sleeve (48) extending between and connecting the longitudinal walls (42,44). The sleeve (48) defines an aperture (50) extending through the longitudinal walls (42,44) for receiving a drain pipe (72). A drain pipe adapter (80) may be inserted into the aperture (50) to accommodate different sized drain pipes (72).

Abstract: An erosion control device is described. A walled elongated core member is disclosed having a first open end, a second end, an interior space and one or more openings in the wall communicating the interior space with the exterior of the core member. An outer filter member surrounds the core member. One or both the first and second ends of the core member can be open. One or both of the open ends can comprise couplers or connectors for connecting one core member to one or two complimentary core members. The core member may comprise a flexible plastic pipe, such as high-density polyethylene pipe having a plurality of perforations.

Abstract: The present invention provides a tire assembly for irrigation systems that prevents the formation of ruts caused by repeated travel along a path by tires of a mobile vehicle or structure. The tire assembly includes dual tires with a flexible belt member wrapped around the outer periphery of the two tires having a plurality of cleat members located on the outer surface of the flexible belt member. The cleat members direct water away from the center of the travel path. The flexible belt member further includes plural center guides to keep the belt in place. The tire assembly reduces soil compaction by providing a greater ground engaging surface area to more evenly distribute the weight of the equipment and by directing water away from the center of the travel path.

Abstract: A coupler device for joining together two segments of a tunnel or shaft lining ring, the device being characterised by a double ended male dowel having an externally grooved cylindrical portion adjacent to both ends. This dowel engages in recesses cast into the segment. A reverse tapered sleeve is cast in the recesses retaining an expandable collar formed of a plurality of arcuate segments, these arctuate segments having complimentary grooves on their inner surface to mate with the grooves on the dowel and a tapered external circumferential portion to abut the reverse tapered sleeve. As the dowel is inserted the arcuate segments, being retained elastically within the reverse tapered sleeve, lock the male part of the device into the recess preventing the device from pulling out.

Abstract: A mid-water tethered buoyant support assembly for a riser system for use in water is described to bring fluids from seabed equipment to a production vessel at the surface. The tethered buoyant support assembly comprises at least two tethers (6) from seabed anchors, at least one beam assembly (2) extending between and connected to the tops of the tethers, buoyancy means (7) to maintain tension in the tethers, and hangers (10) for lower riser portions mounted at spaced positions along the beam assembly, each hanger (10) being positioned so that the line of action of the tension due to the weight of the suspended lower riser portion is close to or on a line extending between the connections of the beam to the tethers (6) to minimize or eliminate turning moment to the beam assembly (2) tending to cause rotation of the beam around its major axis as a result of the weight of the suspended lower riser portion. The assembly is particularly designed for use in deep water.

Abstract: In a method of laying a cable, or a pipe for the subsequent introduction of a cable, in a fresh-water conduit, the surface of the cable or pipe is cleaned during the laying process immediately before entering the fresh-water conduit.

Abstract: A support pillow for maintaining a hairstyle is provided which allows one to maintain his or her hairstyle while sleeping. The support pillow has a flexible cushion supported by a plastic shell stabilizer. The cushion includes a base portion which supports a toroidal portion. An oval-shaped cavity separates upper and lower circumferential edges of the toroidal portion. The oval-shaped cavity houses a domed protuberant. The toroidal portion bifurcates into a pair of downwardly directed offshoot members which merge into a bulbous portion, thereby forming a generally triangular-shaped opening which provides entrance to a hollow cavity. The hollow cavity accommodates a removable, fluffed pillow. An overlay conforms to an outer surface of the cushion and shell stabilizer.

Abstract: A boat lift having a stationary frame and a lifting frame that can be raised and lowered on the stationary frame. The lifting frame has a front cross member and a rear cross member. A pair of bunk rails are adjustably mounted upon the cross members so that the rails can be pre-positioned to better conform to the shape of the hull of a boat being serviced by the lift.

Abstract: An erosion fence installation attachment for ditchers and trenchers that is short in length and articulated to pivot in pitch and yaw so as to permit the attachment to follow a ditcher through gullies over mounds and around arcs. The attachment is provided with a barrier material roll unwind, a resilient guide that guides the barrier material into a ditch formed by the ditcher so that the barrier material is pressed against the sides and bottom of the ditch to form an open channel, a first ditch fill disk that pushes fill material into the ditch and into the channel formed in the barrier material, a second ditch fill disk that pushes fill material from the opposite side of the ditch and onto and over the barrier material on that side of the ditch to form a wrap around the fill material deposited by the first fill disk so as to form an elongate anchoring pouch filled with fill material along the bottom of the ditch.

Abstract: In an anchor rod (1) for a synthetic resin adhesive anchor having a shaft (2) with a plurality of area segments (4) arranged in axial succession, the surface of which is low-friction with respect to synthetic resin mortar (6), areas (4) are formed. Viewed in a circumferential direction, the areas are arranged side by side such that a desired splitting zone (9) is created in the transition region of two adjacent areas (4) of this type.

Abstract: A method for enhancing the flow of heavy crude oil by heating a subsea pipeline is disclosed in which a pipe-in-pipe subsea pipeline is established having a flowline for transporting well fluids in the form of an electrically conductive inner pipe concentrically surrounded by an electrically conductive protective outer pipe and the inner pipe is electrically insulated from the outer pipe along the length of the subsea pipeline. The pipe-in-pipe subsea pipeline is electrically heated continuously along its length to maintain the temperature of crude oil at a level facilitating pipeline transportation, this heating comprising passing alternating electrical current along the exterior surface of the inner pipe and along the interior surface of the outer pipe. In this manner the crude oil can be maintained at a temperature at which viscosity does not prevent efficient and economical pipeline transport.

Abstract: A mat support system is disclosed, wherein there is included a series of straps supporting a mat, wherein the straps are quickly releasable from a position where the mats are supported to a position where the mat is released. The quick release mechanism substantially simultaneously releases all supports for the mats. A safety lock is includes to prevent inadvertent operation of the quick release mechanism.

Abstract: A rubber sheet is formed in a bag shape, and a seam portion of the bag-shaped rubber sheet is fixed to a summit portion of an overflow dam. When the bag-shaped rubber sheet is expanded, a rubber dam is raised, thereby damming up water and adjusting the amount of running water. Next, when the bag-shaped rubber sheet which has been expanded is contracted and collapsed, the rubber sheet is supported by pipes, which extend substantially horizontally from the summit portion of the overflow dam toward the downstream side at a predetermined distance from each other. For this reason, the rubber sheet hangs down with its own weight and with the weight of water running downstream so as to droop down between the pipes. As a result, a rubber dam that does not bulge at the downstream side is obtained.

Abstract: An ice composite body has an inner ice core covered by a protective outer armor layer. Thermal insulation is provided between the inner core and the outer armor layer. Refrigeration is accomplished by a system of conduits for refrigerant are located within the body. The insulation and the refrigeration are adapted to maintain the ice core in a frozen condition relative to the ambient temperature. The base of the body cavity can be in direct contact with the water bed such that the ice core is freeze bonded to an advancing ice front in the water bed. The ice composite body provides structures of equal or greater strength than equivalent structures using conventional materials.

Abstract: An arrangement of a jackup platform's elevating system, leg guides, hull-to-legs load transfer device, and method of operation of the load transfer device for an offshore jackup platform's hull to be supported by legs which have one or more vertical toothed gear racks attached. An apparatus consisting of rectangular blocks with protruding lugs that are shaped for efficient engagement with a portion of the upper faces of the gear rack teeth, that extend vertically on the leg chords of the jackup platform. The rectangular blocks are movable in a direction perpendicular to one side of the gear rack. Powered guide assemblies control movement of the rectangular blocks such that their protruding lugs can move into the spaces in between the gear rack teeth.

Abstract: A reel pipelaying vessel of the type having a main pipeline reel (118) mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis, a variable angle pipeline launching ramp (128) having pipeline straightening and tensioning means mounted thereon and having: an improved pipeline launching ramp arrangement including rack and pinion elevator means (140, 142, 144); an improved level winding mechanism for translating the pipeline straightening and tensioning means as the pipe is spooled onto or unspooled from the reel; sea fastening means for restraining axial movement of the reel while the vessel is in transit, thereby increasing the maximum pipeline load for reel bearings (114, 116) of a given load capacity; sponsons (108, 110) for providing additional flotation and strengthening the hull; an improved arrangement of auxiliary reels (120); a cantilever structure (200) for guiding auxiliary lines, providing access to the main reel and protecting the bridge (218) of the vessel; improved pipeline abandonment and recovery arrangeme

Abstract: According to the invention, monitoring the load on hydraulic powered shield supports in underground use is performed by using the controller (13) serving for extraction control, which is equipped with microelectronics for load monitoring and load control, the components of the powered shield support being assigned sensors (14 to 18) whose electric measured values are used by the controller (13) for evaluating the measured signals and for driving the hydraulic rams (6, 7) and/or the angle cylinder (11) assigned to the powered shield support. The load control is preferably designed here in such a way that the critical load situations "one-sided loading" and/or "tip-toeing" are detected as early as during the setting operation, with the aid of appropriate sensors, and are rendered non-damaging in their effect by appropriately driving the hydraulic rams and/or the angle cylinder.

Abstract: A rotating coupling device or connector for interconnection between a number of risers (12) suspended from a submerged buoy and a pipe system on a floating vessel for the production of hydrocarbons, comprising a swivel unit consisting of a pair of concentric swivel members (20, 21) in the form of a male member (20) and a female member (21) defining mutually sealed annuluses (22) communicating with associated fluid paths (16) between the topical risers (12) and the pipe system on the vessel. The female member (21) is adapted for non-rotatable attachment to the vessel. The male member comprises a number of axially extending pipes (24) which, at their upper ends are connected to respective annuluses (22) and at their lower ends comprise a releasable connection (25) with fluid paths (16) leading to the respective risers (12).

Abstract: A fluid drainage and filtering system composed of stocked in-drains and spacers wrapped serpentine fashion with a non-woven fabric of fluid pervious material. Each in-drain has a dimpled core sheet defining spaced lands and surrounding valleys and a thickness related to the pitch distance between these lands. Each spacer has outer sheets of about 1/2 the thickness of the core sheet, but also having lands surrounded by valleys. The pitch distance of the lands in these outer sheets is also about 1/2 that of the thicker core sheets so the spacers and in-drains do not tend to nest into one another when the system is installed.