Abstract: A method and apparatus for a barbed anchor pile is described in which a pile, having horizontally placed barbs, is driven into the seafloor. Once it is buried to a predetermined depth, the barbs are spread outward into the surrounding soil to ensure that the pile will not be pulled out by uplift loads.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing faulty or damaged pipe from beneath an earthfill such as a roadway or the like and simultaneously replacing the faulty pipe with a length of new pipe, the invention allows rapid and economic replacement and/or repair of old or damaged plastic or metal piping such as is used as conduits in rural water supply systems and the like. The apparatus includes a length of steel cable having a free end which is pushed through a section of pipe being removed and replaced, the other end of the cable having a threaded adaptor fixed thereto and which is smaller in diameter than the inner diameter of the smallest pipe which would be removed according to the invention.

Abstract: Buoyancy apparatus is provided which allows two or more air canisters (43,45) to be mounted one above the other on a section (7) of a strut, without touching the delicate sides of the highly stressed part of that strut section. The canisters need not be of the same length as the section, and each may be of a length determined by the differing manufacturing economies of each. By removing this manufacturing restraint, it is economically possible to produce a strut in the form of a practical tether for a tension-leg platform for deep ocean use. The buoyancy canisters are held in place by tension cords (54,56,58) which attach flotation abutment plates (57,59) to a bulbous and relatively unstressed end (8) of the strut section. The strut, together with its buoyancy, may be deployed by screwing the strut sections one to another.

Abstract: A rock mass reinforcement for use in the mining, civil engineering industry or similar applications for reinforcing the rock mass in the rib and back of an excavation having a plurality of drill holes arranged in a reinforcement drill hole pattern, a continuous cable having one end initially anchored and its other end being free for sequential installation and tensioning at each drill hole of the drill hole pattern in combination with an anchor-pulley assembly for sequentially holding in slidable securement a looped end portion of the continuous cable at each drill hole of the drill hole pattern and a drill hole collar plate assembly having a drill hole collar plug and a plug insert, for sequentially locking applied tension on the continuous cable at each drill hole of the drill hole pattern. The reinforcement when installed in the rock mass results in a homogeneous reinforcement of fractures and joint oriented in multi-directional planes.

Abstract: There is provided a self cleaning drainage channel, particularly a drain gutter or pipe, wherein any solid material particles deposited therein and clogging the same may be removed by a nozzle system distributed along the length of the drainage channel provided with injection nozzles oriented in the drainage direction to which a rinsing medium is supplied.

Abstract: Apparatus for use in the laying and/or replacement of pipes underground comprises a sleeve having a front end and a rear end, a percussive drive means in the form of a pneumatically-operated impact mole mounted in the sleeve and arranged to drive the front end of said sleeve through the ground, means for securing the leading end of a pipe to the rear end of the sleeve and means for pushing the pipe through a bore formed in the ground as the sleeve is advanced through the ground by the mole. The means for securing the end of the pipe to the sleeve includes an annular spigot which allows relative axial movement to take place between the pipe and the sleeve in order to prevent impact stresses on the sleeve from the mole from being transmitted to the pipe. The pipe pushing means desirably comprise hydraulic rams arranged to bear on a plate located at the rear end of the pipe.

Abstract: An island adapted to be put into place in arctic regions in a body of water having a soil layer below water level and above a permafrost line. In one form of the island, an island body is placed on the soil layer, the island body comprising a number of vertically stacked layers of freezable material, the bottom of each layer having a freeze panel adjacent thereto in heat exchange relationship therewith. A coolant flowing through the panels causes the soil layer and the freezable layers to freeze, the coolant source being on the island body at any suitable location. The island body surrounds a recess which also contains several layers of freezable material separated by freeze panels adapted to receive a coolant for flow in heat exchange relationship to the freezable layers. By freezing the freezable layers, the island body is provided with a monolithic construction and the island body is bonded to the soil layer.

Abstract: A reinforcing and or confining structure for an earth formation comprising a plurality of anchor members anchored at spaced intervals in an earth formation, the anchor members being connected to the adjacent anchor members by tensile members to form a substantially continuous tensile member adjacent the surface of the ground formation. Point loads resulting from earth movements are dissipated as a tensile load throughout the system. The anchor members may be tensionable to reinforce the earth formation. The tensile elements may be formed integrally with the anchor members in a substantially L-shaped configuration or they may be separate therefrom. The substantially continuous tensile members may be formed in spaced parallel rows or they may overlap or be interconnected to form a mesh-like structure.

Abstract: A system and process for dissolving certain noncondensable gases into geothermal waste water after the useful energy has been extracted from the geothermal fluid from which the noncondensable gases and the waste water are derived. A tubing is mounted in place within a wellhead casing which extends downwardly therefrom to an injection zone below ground. The length of the tubing is selected to at least correspond to the depth in the casing which provides a static waste water head pressure equal to the gas partial pressure required to dissolve at least a portion of the noncondensable gases into the waste water. The tubing has holes near the lower open end which communicates with the wellhead casing so that the noncondensable gases can flow into the wellhead casing and dissolve in the waste water flowing downwardly in the casing to the injection zone. A gas cap chamber is provided near the upper end of the wellhead casing for collecting the noncondensable gases which are undissolved and rise to the wellhead.

Abstract: Inclined plane protection boards are provided in a manner to cover an inclined plane of an artificial island whereby the inclined plane may be protected from ice force of growing or drifting ice bodies or wind and wave force.

Abstract: A peripherally flexible arch for propping rock structure for mining tracks, tunnels or the like is comprised of a plurality of partially overlapped elongated segments, each of which has an end portion extended toward the rock structure, a bottom portion opposite to the end portion, and a lateral flange offset from the end portion laterally and in the direction toward the bottom portion. Clamping devices are arranged at the ends of the overlapping regions of the segments to clamp the segments to each other. The end portion of each lower segment is inserted into a groove formed between the end portion and the flange portion of each upper segment at the side of this segment facing away from the rock structure. Each clamping device has a hook engaged in a groove formed between the end portion and the flange of the upper segment at the side of this segment facing toward the rock structure.

Abstract: An improved roof support system for a mine or the like is of the type which includes a pair of plates secured to a roof of the mine at opposite sides thereof adjacent opposing ribs of the mine and an enlongated reinforcing member extending horizontally and transversely of the mine between the pair of plates. The reinforcing member has a first rod and a second rod threadably joined to an adjustable sleeve for joining the first rod and the second rod while being able to vary an overall length of the reinforcing member. Each of the rods has a bolt head thereon including a transversely extending working surface. Each of the plates has an opening therein for respective receipt of the bolt heads of the first rod and the second rod of the reinforcing member therethrough. Each of the plates has a force bearing surface adjacent the opening therein which is capable of respectively making contact at least a part of working surface of the first rod and the second rod.

Abstract: An impulse injector apparatus operates to produce pulsed delivery of injected material, with the material moving during a delivery pulse at high velocity and under the urging of a compressed captured gas supply which is permitted to rapidly expand. The device includes an elongate cylinder and an actuating piston mounted for reciprocal movement within the cylinder. A captured compressible gas supply is located within a chamber which is defined between one end of the piston and one extremity of the cylinder. Another chamber is defined between the opposite end of the piston and the opposite extremity of the cylinder. A pressurized fluid is controllably admitted into the other chamber, thereby causing movement of the actuating cylinder towards the one extremity of the cylinder and resulting in compression of the captured gas supply.

Abstract: Each disc of a plurality of strings of concrete discs is pinned at opposite edges to a connecting link, a link between adjacent discs to form a chain. Alternate discs in the string lie substantially in the same plane, adjacent discs lying in intersecting planes. The discs stand on edge to prevent substantial erosion of soil from one side of the string to the other.

Abstract: A method of installing an offshore platform. The superstructure is assembled and completed in advance in a fabrication yard. The superstructure with a floating body attached thereto is transported to the area of the sea where a jacket of the platform has been erected by towing the superstructure while floating on the sea. It is made to sink by pouring sea water into the floating body and installed on the top portion of the jacket which is situated under the sea level. An extension is attached to the jacket in advance such as to project above the sea level during the piling operation and thereafter it is removed such that the top portion of the jacket is brought to a position below the sea level.

Abstract: A system and method for relieving frost-heaving stresses in a pipeline for ransporting a product at a temperature less than 32.degree. F. where said pipeline passes through frost-susceptible ground in a trench beneath the ground surface. Bedding supports the pipeline in the trench with its top substantially below the surface of the ground. A pair of relatively thin, elongated soil separators are installed in the trench, one along each side of the pipeline in parallel relation to the longitudinal axis of the pipeline. Each separator has a transverse width extending vertically upward substantially beyond the top of the pipeline and into backfill soil above the pipeline. Padding supports a lower edge of the shear separators adjacent to the pipeline and the separators each have an upper edge located substantially beyond this padding and beyond the top of the pipeline.

Abstract: A continuous concrete encased conduit laying apparatus is attached to the rear of a tractor in a cantilevered fashion and can be raised and lowered into the ground by the tractor. The apparatus has two sections which are pivotally attached to each other. The forward section is the gouger, and it has a vertical bar having a sharp leading ripper edge. At the base of the bar are attached a wedge and a cone-shaped expander for creating a cavity in the ground as the apparatus is being pulled through the ground.The rear section which is the conduit layer, has a vertical guide tube, a concrete chute attached behind it, and a second expander forming the base of the layer. There is a hopper for holding the fresh concrete at the top of the chute. A quantity of conduit is fed through the guide tube as the apparatus is in operation. The cavity created by the two expanders is filled with fresh concrete as the conduit is laid in the cavity.

Abstract: A shield support, suitable for use in mines, comprising a floor-engaging structure, a roof-engageable canopy, extendible and contractible prop means disposed between the floor-engaging structure and the canopy, and a shield assembly pivotally-connected to the canopy at or near its rearward end portion. The shield assembly includes a lazy tongs linkage, one element of which is pivotally-connected directly to the floor-engaging structure and another element of which is pivotally-connected to the floor-engaging structure through the intermediary of a further element.

Abstract: The locking device for a self-raising oil platform comprising a shell (1) mounted to be movable along legs (2) by means of raising mechanisms comprising output gear pinions cooperative with racks (3) mounted on at least a part of the length of the legs (2), comprises a toothed member (6) forming a counter-rack (6a) mounted on the shell of the platform, means (7) for shifting the toothed member (6) transversely of the direction of the rack with which the device is associated for engaging the teeth of the toothed member in the teeth of the rack (3) or for disengaging them from the teeth of the rack, clamping plates (13) connected to the toothed member and clamping counter-plates (15) connected to the platform, and means (20) for clamping the plates and counter-plates together so as to lock the toothed member (6) in position in the rack.

Abstract: A concrete foundation pile has a concrete body with reinforcing bars, a steel anchorage plate, a steel capping plate and a removable reinforcing bar which is anchored to the anchorage plate and whose end is located in a recess in the cappling plate. The reinforcing bar can be releasably coupled to the bar of an aligned pile to tension the composite pile formed from a plurality of aligned piles. The capping plate takes hammer blows applied to the upper end of the pile and the upper end of the bar is protected in the recess. The reinforcement is densest immediately below the anchorage plate and steel capping plate.