Abstract: A method and assembly for temporarily isolating an area within a waterway preparatory to dredging in order to prevent disturbed sediment from spreading throughout said waterway. A plurality of spaced support column assemblies are lowered from a barge outer hull into soil forming a periphery of the area to be dredged. A separate side panel member is then lowered between each pair of support columns and water is then removed from an area completely encircled by the side panel members and support column assemblies before the area is dredged. After dredging operations are completed within the area, water is then reintroduced into the area and the side panels and support columns are withdrawn.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide an underwater cable burying device which can accurately be guided to align with the cables in the process of burying even if the cables have to be re-buried. The device according to the present invention is characterized in that a travelling device is provided on the body of the device which is further provided with a trenching device at the middle portion thereof, that a cable clamp member and a cable engaging member are provided at an arm projecting forward from the said device body and that said respective devices are controlled through a control cable on the mother ship.

Abstract: A shaped hollow building block suitable for lining bank slopes at the ground water level has a face wall in the form of a shield standing perpendicularly to a base wall, includes on both sides a margin projecting relative to side walls and has a height greater than that of the side walls. The side walls and the base wall jointly form an elongate trough in a direction normal to the face wall. The shaped block includes two compartments separated by a transverse wall extending parallel to the face wall in the trough and includes reinforcing walls projecting outwardly from the side walls. A building block for walls which are laid in courses without mortar and can be stabilized by planting, has a face wall, two domed side walls, and a base wall having rounded transition sections to the face wall and to the side walls.

Abstract: An offshore platform structure and a system for transport and for reversible erection is disclosed. The light weight, semi-mobile structure; has negative buoyancy; is free standing on the ocean floor; has fixed guylines below interference depth and quickly positioned upper guylines for storm conditions; the structure may contain suitable tanks in the base for production of marginal crude oil wells or other fluid storage; a special tender to furnish buoyancy during transport.

Abstract: A rock pass bored in rock is lined with cylinders 10 which are stacked one on top of the other. The liners are lined in those parts which are subject to wear with detachable liners 15. The remainder carries rails 14 as a protection against rebound.

Abstract: A characteristic feature of the proposed shuttering is the fact that its adjacent sections are interconnected through means preventing them from being mutually inclined in a vertical plane; said means is interposed between said sections and is made as a bar and four links mounted in pairs on pivots at the bar ends, while ends of the links are connected, through ball-and-socket joints, to the respective sections; said bar being composed of at least two members swivelling with respect to each other about a common longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A gravity structure such as caisson, concrete block or L-shaped block that is used in the construction work of breakwaters, seawalls, and wharfs. The gravity structure of the invention is stable and hardly moved by external force such as wave force, and is characterized in that a plurality of unit friction members are disposed in the bottom surface of a concrete body, said unit fraction members increasing the coefficient of friction between the surface of foundation and said concrete body, and said unit friction members are so embedded integrally in said concrete body that the bottom surfaces of unit fraction members are brought into contact with the foundation surface.

Abstract: An apparatus for encasing, propping or erecting falseworks in soil excavations comprises a crane and extendible struts intended for installation in the excavation and for actuation by the crane boom. Each strut comprises a main inverted-T shaped tubular body and a pair of elements which are mounted, for sliding movement to and fro each other, on the bar of said "T" and are caused to slide by means of a nut-and-screw coupling and terminated externally with respective plate-like frames for propping the excavation walls.

Abstract: A drilling riser between a subsea wellhead and a floating platform has a slip joint in its upper end. A chamber is formed within the slip joint and supplied fluid pressure to develop a tensioning force on the upper end of the riser as the floating platform cycles vertically under the influence of heave and tidal forces.

Abstract: A surface drainage culvert of the type comprising a pipe section which is cut longitudinally forming an aperture along the upper surface of the pipe and which has an upstanding grate assembly lodged within the aperture.The aperture consists of a series of longitudinally spaced slots in the pipe with unslotted pipe portions separating each slot. The grate assembly consists of a pair of spaced, parallel sidewalls which form an inlet drainage passage to accept drainage water inflow at the top of the passage and discharge the water at the bottom of the passage through the aperture into the pipe. Lateral stiffeners maintain the spacing of the top of the drainage passage, while a spacer means, situated within a guide formed in the grate assembly sidewalls, maintains the spacing of the sidewalls at the bottom of the drainage passage.

Abstract: A flexible and pivotable connection for the top of a cold water conduit 8 to a floating device 1-3 provided with means for the conversion of energy based on the temperature difference between surface water and deep sea water supplied by the conduit. The connection supports the top of the conduit by means of flexible cables to a central core 7 guided and fixed in a sleeve 5, 6 of the floating device. The flexible cables 10, 11 partly extend horizontally from the lower end of the core to a top ring 9 of the conduit, and partly from the lower end of the core downwardly towards a lower annular portion 12 of the conduit.

Abstract: A weighted water bag for forming levees or dikes, in order to hold back rising flood water, the bag being woven of fiber and including a waterproof or sand inner liner; rings and clips at corners allowing bags to be locked together, a water filler opening at one end, and fiber handles for each side of the opening for easy handling, including forms having portions of the bag filled with sand.

Abstract: A borehole closure, especially for injection of plastic material or cement into a borehole formed into rock for solidifying the latter and comprising a tube, a one-way valve connected to the leading end of said tube, a holding element including a spreading cone cooperating with a spreadable shell surrounding the tube in the region of its leading end, which in turn is followed by an axially compressible and radially expandable sealing element in form of a rubber sleeve surrounding the tube. In order to place the lost borehole closure at any desired distance from the outer end of the borehole, a plurality of tube sections and connecting bushings are provided for connecting the tube sections with different restraining forces to each other and to the trailing end of the tube, with one of the tube sections extending beyond the outer end of the borehole.

Abstract: A hydrodynamically transformable dam with a fluid path through its main body includes a hydromotive body containing one or more hydromotive assemblies each having a fluid conduit provided with an energy transformation unit. The function of the dam is selectively transformed by controllably displacing the hydromotive body to alternately position its respective conduits relative the main dam body and fluid path whereby either a sluicing action or an energetic transformation is achieved by fluid flowing through the dam. The alternate functions are obtained by fluid flows operating in either a pure hydroelectric mode, a combined reversible pumped-storage manner or a tidal powered mode.

Abstract: A barrier device for installation in a drain tile adjacent the outlet of the tile includes a plurality of spaced apart barrier elements affixed to a sleeve to define a perforate gate. The gate is swingably mounted on a pivot rod which projects transversely through openings in the tile adjacent the outlet of the latter. The barrier elements, which are in the form of rods, are affixed to the sleeve to normally urge the gate to a closed position by action of gravity to thereby prevent entry by small animals into the tile. The gate may swing to the open position when engaged by floating debris to thereby permit passage of the debris through the drain tile outlet.

Abstract: The invention relates to an adjustable support particularly suitable for underwater pipe lying a substantial distance from the sea bed. The structure of the support is simpler and is easier to manuever than known structures, and includes two parts. The lower part has a tubular frame with a square or rectangular base provided with four slidable vertical legs of variable length carrying support plates at their lower ends which are adaptable to the slope of the sea bed. The upper part has a slab on which there is disposed a fixed half saddle with its upper part in the form of a hook, and a slidable half saddle which, by means of release and locking devices, can be brought into contact with the fixed half saddle to form a semicircular support base for the pipe.

Abstract: A support particularly suitable for underwater pipe located a short distance from the sea bed. The support has a very simple structure which is easy to manuever, and includes a tubular frame with a square or rectangular base resting on four plates which can be adapted to the slope of the sea bed, and a semicircular saddle which accommodates the pipe to be supported and is connected to the base of the frame by two hydraulic jacks and four inclined telescopic legs.

Abstract: A concrete structure for the transmission of loads from the steel lattice tower of a marine platform resting on the sea bed by means of concrete base plates, the lattice tower being made up of tubular members which form bracing joints with the legs of the platform. The structure comprises a cylindrical hollow body forming at least part of a platform leg, and having on the inside enclosed spaces defined by internal walls and by the hollow body wall, and concrete fixing plugs formed within the enclosed spaces and engaged by the ends of the lattice members, the enclosed spaces being in the form of hollow rings or vertical shafts within the hollow body.

Abstract: Apparatus for supporting pipe suspended over depressions in the sea bed and method of, comprising a service modular unit capable of being completely recovered and another modular unit intended for properly supporting the pipe: the two modular units are so connected that they can be disjointed under a command from the pipe-laying barge.The service modular unit is equipped with a recoverable assembly for placing the supporting modular unit in a correct vertical posture on the sea bed and for vertically holding such supporting modular until the pile-driving operation has been satisfactory completed.

Abstract: A gate for an irrigation ditch includes a rectangular frame, in which a pair of gates are pivotally mounted on shafts for rotation around vertical axes at the sides of the frame; helical springs connected to the top ends of the shafts and to the frame for regulating the water pressure required to open the gates; and tensioning elements for changing the length and consequently the tension of the springs, so that the pressure required to open the gates can be adjusted.