Abstract: Safety apparatus for use in a moldboard assembly having a plurality of horizontally aligned trip blade units pivotally supported in the bottom of the moldboard frame so that the units move independently between a downwardly extended operative position and a rearwardly extended, fully tripped position. A biasing mechanism urges each unit into the operative position with a predetermined amount of force. A control mechanism further regulates the biasing force exerted on each unit so that the biasing force first increases as the unit moves out of the operative position and then decreases as the unit continues to move into the fully tripped position. The force exerted on each unit when in the fully tripped position is considerably less than that used to hold the unit in the operative position thereby preventing the assembly from lifting as it moves over an obstacle.

Abstract: A trenching apparatus is provided having a base support which mounts a boom structure carrying a digger arm operative to form a trench alongside the base support along a trenching line. The base support includes a pair of longitudinally spaced sleeve members connected to a first track assembly which slidably receive a pair of longitudinally spaced slider members connected to a second, wider track assembly. An adjustment mechanism is provided to move the slider members, and, in turn, the second track assembly, laterally within the sleeve members between a retracted, transport position in which the first and second track assemblies are spaced relatively close to one another and readily fit upon a trailer commonly used to transport heavy equipment along roads and highways, and an extended, operating position in which the first and second track assemblies are relatively widely spaced from one another to provide the apparatus with acceptable stability during a trenching operation.

Abstract: A mobile, self-elevating, offshore production platform, for exploitation of smaller reservoirs, is provided with a liquid tight hull having a deck; a plurality of support legs, each having a gear rack and bottom footpads, which are slidably extendable through the hull; a removable jacking tower for each support leg, and, a locking means for each support leg which is engageable to the leg gear rack at any vertical position of the leg. Mineral processing equipment is pre-installed on the deck at a suitable shoreside facility. Then the platform, with legs elevated, is towed to the offshore location where minerals are to be produced. On location the legs are lowered, grounded, and then pre-loaded to desired criteria by introducing ballast water into the hull. After pre-loading the platform is deballasted and elevated to establish a desired air gap.

Abstract: The invention concerns a boat hull support that includes a pair of hull support members spaced from each other and each pivotally mounted intermediate its ends to spaced uprights. A guide post is mounted for vertical movement in the space between the support members, and sliding rods join the support members to the guide post so that vertical movement of the guide post will be translated into substantially equal movement of the support members about their pivots.

Abstract: The structure comprises a concrete monolithic caisson (3) consisting of a top slab (5) and a bottom slab (5') resting on a seabed. Two concentric peripheral walls (6, 7), an inner and an outer respectively, are designed to withstand the impacts of icebergs. These two walls (6, 7) extend substantially vertically between the slabs (5, 5') and are rigidly connected with them. Vertical partitions are arranged between the two walls so as to connect them in a lattice structure. Vertical defensive elements (8, 9) are disposed over at least a part of the outer periphery of the caisson. The defensive elements (8, 9) are integral with the outer wall of the caisson (3). These caissons are intended for a platform structure located in Arctic regions for production in a hydrocarbon field.

Abstract: A pipelay apparatus and method comprising a steel turntable and a stinger pipe guide which can be supported on the construction deck of a repair vessel or drill ship are provided. The turntable is framed so that loads from two hanging pipes can be securely supported. The table-supported framing members can be moved so the load centerline for each pipeline can be placed an appropriate distance from the center of turntable rotation, which is useful where the two pipelines are of different diameters. This apparatus permits a vessel to simultaneously handle different sizes of pipe and pass large diameter appurtenances without modifying the stinger pipe guide.

Abstract: A support arrangement for a blade of a construction machine is disclosed where the blade is located to one side of the construction machine. The support arrangement includes two support towers spaced in the length of the frame of the machine with these support towers accommodating variation in the elevation of the blade. The blade is pivotally secured at a forward end thereof to one of the support structures and secured adjacent the other end of the blade to the other support structure by means of two hydraulic cylinders which extend outwardly from the support structure. These hydraulic cylinders also include an arrangement for controlling the angle of the two hydraulic cylinders relative to the connected support structure. The arrangement for controlling the angle of the two hydraulic cylinders accommodates limited, rapid upward movement of the blade.

Abstract: Tip and adapter assemblies are normally utilized to provide an arrangement in which the tip can be readily removed from the adapter. It is normally advantageous to have a simple construction that allows the tip to be mounted on the adapter with the least amount of effort and likewise to have the ability to remove the tip from the adapter in like manner. In the subject arrangement, the tooth defines a socket which is adapted for mating contact with a nose portion of an adapter. The socket has a generally circular load transferring surface located adjacent an opening thereof. A plurality of clearance slots are provided angularly spaced around the circumference of the generally circular load transferring surface. A generally rectangular load transferring pocket is located in the socket adjacent a bottom surface thereof and has clearance reliefs defined thereon. A relief cavity is located in the socket between the generally circular bond transferring surface and the generally rectangular load transferring pocket.

Abstract: A suction dredge for mining solids from a water bottom, includes a floating barge, an elongated tubular suction line extending between the barge and the water bottom, a boom for raising and lowering the elongated tubular suction line, a valve in the elongated tubular suction line for allowing water to enter the elongated tubular suction line, a dredge pump for causing solids to be drawn upward from the water bottom, through the elongated tubular suction line, to the floating barge, the dredge pump having a cavitation level at which the vacuum level is so high that the dredge pump ceases to pump, and an automatic control device for controlling the degree of opening of the valve, the automatic control device allowing just enough water to mix with the solids such that the dredge pump is maintained substantially at but below the cavitation level, the automatic control device including a measuring device for measuring the vacuum level of the dredge pump, and causes the valve to open more as the vacuum level rises

Abstract: A low cost, easy to install underpinning apparatus (14) for supporting below-grade structural footings such as foundations (10) or the like is provided which makes use of a power installed, load-bearing helix-type screw anchor (16) together with a connecting bracket assembly (b 19) secured to the foundation (10). The anchor (16) is screwed into the earth below the foundation (10), leaving the upright end of the anchor shaft (20) adjacent the foundation (10). The bracket assembly (18) advantageously includes a foundation-engaging plate (28) with a pair of spaced, outwardly extending wall portion (30, 32) rigidly secured thereto. An elongated, U-shaped bracket (36) together with a mating retainer (42) are releasably secured to the wall portions (30, 32) and serve to captively retain the upper end of the anchor shaft (20), with the U-bracket (36) having a top crosspiece wall (38) provided with a threaded opening (40) therethrough.

Abstract: A first plate pivotally mounted to a second plate is secured to a shoreline, wherein the second plate includes a central bore rotatably receiving a bridge plate axle therethrough, wherein the bridge plate axle is mounted orthogonally oriented relative to a plurality of parallel pontoons, wherein the pontoons include forward pointed ends and rear rudders to permit pivotment of the pontoons within the second plate accommodating various directions of current flow. The organization includes boat hook members mounted to a forward flange of the second plate for temporary securement of a boat thereto.

Abstract: A track-mounted excavating machine comprises a chassis having ground-support tracks, and a cabin mounted on the chassis. A first tool is carried by the cabin, and a second tool is carried by the chassis. The second tool can be (a) extended and retracted toward and away from the chassis, (b) raised and lowered relative to the chassis, and (c) rotated about a vertical axis relative to the chassis. The second tool comprises claws having toothed sides mounted thereon for slidable adjustment toward and away from outer ends of the claws.

Abstract: A subsea connection system includes a rigid vertical main connector (23) and an active (mobile) lateral connector (24) coupled to a subsea module (20) for connection, respectively, to a main mandrel (25) and to a lateral mandrel (26) rigidly fixed to the structures (27, 28) set at the seabottom. The active lateral connector (24) utilized in this system is provided internally with a locking and sealing set which is supported by pins (39) held in the orifices (40) of an intermediate jacket (41) which, in turn, is supported by pins (45) circumferentially offset at 90.degree. in relation to the orifices (40).

Abstract: A butt welded and lined flange connector allows the joining of pipe sections lined with a brittle material. Spacing and a sleeved liner at the weld end protects the liner during butt welding. A conventional flange face gasket is modified to protrude into the lined zone to perform a dual sealing function. Like conventional flanged joints, the modified gasket forms a seal sandwiched between the flange interface surfaces. However, departing from current practice, the single gasket also fills the gap and seals the liner edges, protecting the pipe sections from the flowing materials. The invention avoids separate putty-like or elastomeric liner seals as well as exotic liner surface configurations. The present invention is expected to be tolerant of severe conditions and cost effective in many applications.

Abstract: A method of bonding at least two members having different coefficients of thermal expansion is disclosed, wherein an edge of a bonding interface between the members is positioned in a tapered portion, thereby bridging one member having a smaller coefficient of thermal expansion and another having a larger coefficient of thermal expansion. A bonded composite article comprising such bonded members having the different coefficients of thermal expansion is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for sealing the connection between two sheet piles, this connection being achieved by using claws integrated with the sheet piles. Prior to the interlocking of the sheet piles, a jointing band of an elastic, compressible and/or hydroswellable organic material is stuck to the claw of at least one of the sheet piles. The method further includes fixing a metal sheet to the free surface of the band, and then interlocking the sheet piles. The invention also provides a sheet pile comprising a claw provided with a band of an elastic, compressible and/or hydroswellable organic material, characterized in that the outer surface of the band is at least partly covered with a metal sheet which is connected to the band.

Abstract: Joined structures are disclosed, which each comprise first and second members having different coefficients of thermal expansion and an intermediate member. The first and second members are joined together through the intermediate member. The intermediate member has yield stress smaller than those of the first and second members, and a tapered portion is formed at an outer peripheral surface of the intermediate member such that the tapered portion has a variable cross-sectional area orthogonal to an axis of the joined members. The area is larger at one end of the tapered portion near one of the first and second members having a smaller coefficient of thermal expansion than the area at the other end of the tapered portion near the other one of the first and second members having a larger coefficient of thermal expansion. A method of joining such first and second members having different coefficients of thermal expansion through the intermediate member is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a hand held, readily portable power sweeping tool. The tool includes an elongate boom having a power generation means disposed at one end thereof and a power sweeping means disposed at the other end. Power transmission means extends between the power generation means and the power sweeping means for transmitting power generated by the power generation means to the sweeping means. The sweeping means comprises a pair of drums mounted for rotation by the power transmission means, the drums including a plurality of pliant fins extending radially outwardly therefrom.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for improving the ground of a large area. The method comprises the steps of inserting a pipe into a hole previously dug in the ground, injecting a high pressure liquid and a ground improving injection liquid from an injecting apparatus attached to the tip of the pipe, drawing up the pipe, grouting the ground, and injecting the ground improving injection liquid to thereby form an underground columnar consolidation body for improving the ground. The drawing-up operation of the pipe is executed while applying vertical vibration to the pipe. Thus, a consolidation body of a large area for improvement of the ground is obtained without concave and convex portions.

Abstract: A lifting stool for applying lifting force to the support tub of a dragline excavating machine during walking movement of the machine in which the machine is lifted upward by a lifting mechanism comprising part of the machine. The lifting stool includes a ring having a circular vertical wall member affixed to the support tub and defining a laterally closed space. The circular vertical wall member includes upper and lower separated wall sections defining the vertical space. A lifting plate is positioned within the vertical wall member and a lifting pin is connnected between the excavating machine and the lifting plate. The lifting plate extends into the vertical space between the upper and lower wall sections and is affixed to the two wall sections. Thus, during walking movement of the excavation machine the support tub will move upward with the lifting pin and the lifting stool.