Abstract: An irrigation system employing, in part, a coarse screen or grid of flexible material having internal interconnecting passages for the flow of water or the like therethrough, the grid beng interred under the area of ground which is to be watered. Orifices are distributed along the interconnecting passages to release the water by gravity feed from a source or reservoir.

Abstract: An articulated joint for a deep water installation in which two structural members are connected by replaceable flexible tendons to which there is access from one of the structural members to permit a pressure bottle to be fitted for receiving for replacement any selected one of the tendons after release of this tendon from the other structural member.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of forming a solid foundation in soft ground or stratum by mixing chemical agent into the soft ground soil to solidify it. This ground reforming method comprises the steps of driving a casing into the soft stratum to be reformed so that the casing encloses a volume of earth, moving the enclosed soil out of the casing, mixing and kneading the chemical hardener with the removed soil, then returning the mixed and kneaded soil into the casing, and finally pulling the casing up. The columnar piles thus formed of consolidated soil provide a solid foundation in the soft soil stratum, either independently or in combination. The columnar piles built up according to the method of this invention have uniform and high dynamic strength.

Abstract: A mobile jack-up drilling rig for offshore use is uniquely designed to greatly reduce the weight of the entire assembly by using a light, openwork body or superstructure thereby eliminating the requirement that the rig be seaworthy and either partially or totally eliminating the requirement that the rig be buoyant. The jack-up rig requires assistance to be carried to the drill site. The system includes a truss design with little or no hull, using structural shapes for a superstructure whose sizes are dependent on weights and spans. The superstructure is supported by cylindrical, trussed, or other suitably shaped legs. Preload pods, which may be of any shape such as round, may be provided at each of the legs to attach to the superstructure. The preload pods, preferably, support the jacks used to raise and lower the legs.

Abstract: A marine engineering structure with a wide base comprising a truss structure constructed by interconnecting a plurality of long trusses spacedly erected vertically and by fixing a floor slab to thin lower end thereof, and prefabricated main body of said marine engineering structure inserted into a space provided by said truss structure.

Abstract: Methods and mechanisms for anchoring piles or offshore tower legs to the soil therearound and for joining two telescopic cylinders underwater in a temporary and inexpensive manner are disclosed. A gun fires projectiles radially from internally of the pile to form the plurality of outwardly extending anchoring bumps in the pile. After forming the bumps in the buried pile and simultaneously packing the soil around them, each projectile penetrates its bump and packed soil to provide a pile with increased load-carrying-capacity and with increased resistance-to-pull-out. Likewise, projectiles are fired in a horizontal plane radially outwardly and from within and normal to two telescopic cylinders underwater, for example, with two bumps being formed by each projectile, which bumps overlie each other tightly prior to their being penetrated by the projectile which holds the two bumps together.

Abstract: A connector structure comprising a first connector element for securement to the end of a post-like structure, and a second connector element for securement to a further structure. One of the connector elements has a flange with a groove about an inner connecting side wall thereof. The other connector has a projection portion with a groove about an outer connecting side wall thereof. The projection portion is dimensioned for close fit within an inner recess area formed within the area defined by the flange. With the projection portion positioned within the said area, the grooves are juxtaposed to define an endless locking channel. At least one access passage extends through the flange to join the locking channel tangentially to permit passage and insertion of a locking rod at least in a substantial portion of the locking channel. The rod has a cross-section for close fit into the locking channel whereby it can be fitted in the channel through the access passage to lock the connectors from separation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for constructing a tubular pile foundation in soft soil formations. Where in use, the device is suspended into the soft soil from a crane or a derrick on the earth or a working barge off shore. The device for stabilizing a body of the soft soil comprises a machine box holding driving means, driving shaft means connected to said drive means, agitating barrel means for stirring the soft soil disposed at the lower end of said driving shaft means, said agitating barrel means having a plurality of agitating blades, and a chemical hardener feeder system for injecting the hardener into the soft soil to form solidified tubular piles, said chemical hardener feeder system including swivel joints, delivery pipes and injection nozzles. The device can be moved upward and downward in course of constructing tubular solid piles in situ by agitating and mixing the soil with the hardener to provide the high bearing capacity to the soil layers.

Abstract: Method consisting in forming a borehole in the ground preferably having a diameter smaller than the desired diameter of a pile, compacting a concrete mix poured into the borehole by repeatedly passing a pneumatic mole through the borehole filled with concrete to compact the concrete mix in the peripheral zone of the borehole thereby concurrently expanding the reinforcement.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for laying a submerged pipeline, such as a submarine pipeline, on the bed of a body of water along a path which crosses a ditch in said bed in which there is a current transverse to the pipeline, the depth of the body of water being at a maximum in said ditch and said pipeline being drawn along said bed from a shore towards open water, wherein at least one ballast tube is integrally associated with the pipeline so that a portion of said pipeline with the associated ballast tube takes up a position within said ditch in substantially U-form, the ballast tube being filled partly with air and partly with water which collects in the portion of the ballast tube of substantially U-form whereby the apparent weight of the pipeline is increased solely with respect to the portion thereof located in said ditch, the water remaining in position in the portion of the ballast tube temporarily located within said ditch as the pipeline and the associated ballast tube move forward during the laying operat

Abstract: Mechanism which provides a method and apparatus for constantly and cyclically generating, within a body of water remote from a shoal, series of waves of different lengths, which waves merge and cooperate with a shoal to form a single wave in an area that lies substantially above the shoal. The power generated by the merging of the waves is sufficient to form that single wave into one that functions as a surfing wave.The invention further provides for the forming of a shoal and beach if natural shoal and beach are not present. An artificial shoal is constructed and in cooperation with the generated waves, those waves will travel up the slope of the shoal to form waves suitable for surfing.

Abstract: A method of forcibly introducing a curved steel pipe into the ground which comprises forcibly introducing into the ground a curved steel pipe in which has been encased an auger train consisting of a plurality of augers coupled in flexible manner with universal joints by jacking said pipe from its rear, rotating said auger train within said curved steel pipe, and conveying away the excavated earth and sand through said pipe, and a curved steel pipe pressing-in machine used in the above method.

Abstract: Apparatus for and a method of laying a pipe line utilizes a drive shield for excavating an open trench and a receptacle for receiving the individual pipe sections. The receptacle has a rear wall with an opening provided with a seal engaging on part of the circumference of a pipe section extending into the interior of the receptacle. A plate is attached to the rear wall and has a seal which engages on the remaining part of the circumference of the pipe section so that the interior of the receptacle is sealed with respect to the exterior and the receptacle can be moved up to follow the progress of the drive shield. A pipe section employing an access tube projecting from its circumference can be accommodated by using a hollow unit having a seal also engageable on the circumference of the pipe section previously installed and communicating with the interior of the receptacle when the plate is removed or displaced. The unit then receives the access tube of the pipe section as the receptacle is moved up.

Abstract: A sheeting installation system is provided for installing trench wall support sheeting during the excavation of trenches and the like. A rectangular frame is formed by a pair of sheeting support wall members which are secured to a pair of spreader members disposed at the opposite ends of the wall members. Each wall member has a modular construction and several vertically-disposed sheeting support slots which extend through the member from top to bottom. The slots are overlapped and each slot slidably receives a sheeting section which is driven into the earth so that it projects a distance beneath the bottom of the frame but still has a portion of its length remaining in the slot to provide cantilever support for the section against the force exerted by the walls of the trench. Since the slots in each wall member are overlapped, the sheeting sections will be driven into the earth in overlapping relationship.

Abstract: This invention relates to a trench shoring assembly which includes a pair of spaced apart side walls for vertical disposition within a trench. Spreader pipes and spreader collars interconnect the side walls and allow limited pivotal movement between the wide walls. Each side wall includes outer and inner metal plates connected to a plurality of interconnected structural members which define a main frame. The interconnected structural members include horizontally extending hollow metal beams including a top beam which extends longitudinally along the top of the side wall, two intermediate beams parallel the hollow metal beam and a bottom beam. A hardwood insert is disposed within the top beam to prevent the collapse of the hollow metal beam. Each side wall contains a number of hollow beams extending perpendicularly to the horizontal beams and ribbed members extending perpendicularly to the horizontal beams. These vertical beams and members are interconnected by a strip member.

Abstract: An expansible mandrel operated by fluid pressure has its head end encircled by a fluid supply joint having inner and outer rings, the outer ring supported by the hoist ring of a pile driver and held against turning by the guide rails thereof. The inner ring is supported by the outer ring for rotation independently thereof and is connected to the mandrel to turn therewith. Each ring has a pair of conduits with the corresponding conduits of the two rings in communication. Each of the conduits of the outer ring is connected to a hose extending to the ground and each of the two conduits of the inner ring is connected by a hose to the appropriate one of the conduits that are in communication with the fluid pressure operated means.

Abstract: The new and improved hull construction for a jack-up rig is disclosed. In the preferred embodiment, a three legged jack-up rig is disclosed. The rig is supported on three legs which extend through similar corner compartments having leg elevating equipment thereat. Along the three sides of the triangular hull, side compartments of similar rectangular and or trapezoidal construction are located which encompass or enclose a central triangular compartment. The side compartments are aligned in a strengthening direction. The main side compartments have a rectangular area and hence lend themselves readily to crew quarters, machinery rooms, and the like. The rectangular construction utilizes repetitive structural members and hence a limited number of identical structural modules is used. The use of a central triangular module with side modules parallel to the sides of the platform provides major structural bulkheads for bearing the weight of the hull and the bending moments in the hull.

Abstract: This invention relates to a trench shoring assembly which includes a pair of spaced-apart side walls for vertical disposition within a trench. Spreader pipes and spreader collars interconnect the side walls and allow limited pivotal movement between the side walls. Each side wall includes outer and inner metal plates connected to a horizontally extending hollow top beam which extends longitudinally along the top of the side wall, two intermediate beams parallel the hollow metal beam and a bottom beam. A hardwood insert is disposed within the top beam to prevent the collapse of the hollow metal beam. A number of hollow beams extend perpendicularly to the horizontal beams and ribbed members extend perpendicularly to the horizontal beams. The side walls of the assembly have a tapered bottom portion which defines a triangularly shaped pointed lower extremity extending between the ends of the bottom portion.

Abstract: For laying a submarine pipeline, hauling of the same is exerted by means of a force distribution cable which extends over the full length of the submerged part of the pipeline and which is attached to it by hangers, preferably in conjunction with heavy chains acting as guide ropes and anchoring blocks.

Abstract: For laying a submarine pipeline, hauling of the same is exerted by means of a force distribution cable which extends over the full length of the submerged part of the pipeline and which is attached to it by hangers, preferably in conjunction with heavy chains acting as guide ropes and anchoring blocks. A further cable attached to the head of the pipeline transmits directly thereto a part of the haulage force.