Abstract: An apparatus and method for anchoring a bolt in a rock formation is disclosed, and includes a rebar assembly adapted for use in a bore hole and an elongated bolt threadedly engaged to the end of the rebar. A threadable sleeve is securely affixed in an orifice, forged in the end of the rebar, at a predetermined point adjacent the orifice threaded portion. The end of the bolt abuts the sleeve upon assembly, thereby causing the bolt and the rebar assembly to rotate together upon application of a torque to the bolt. This rotational movement effects mixing of bonding material which is placed in the bore hole ahead of the rebar assembly. As the mixed bonding material begins to harden, rotation of the rebar assembly is resisted. Upon application to the bolt of a torque in excess of a predetermined torque, the bolt will thread the sleeve located in the rebar orifice by cutting threads therein, thereby causing relative rotational movement between the rebar and the bolt.

Abstract: Method for constructing a screen that restricts or obstructs the flow of subsoil water in the ground by providing in the ground, from the land level downwardly, subsoil water retaining wall elements that engage each other and are in the shape of wide more or less supple films or sheets, that therefore with their lower edge are releasably connected to a flushing lance that in essense is as wide as each film and said lance after insertion of the film in the ground is released and retracted.The invention aims to provide a method with which it is possible to construct in a very simple manner a good seal and coupling of the films adjoining each other.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for use in the installation of a platform structure upon the upper elements of a previously-installed substructure. The platform structure is mounted on a barge positionable between the upper elements of the previously-installed substructure. The barge can be flooded and lowered a sufficient distance to allow leg elements of the platform structure to contact and mate with leg support elements of the substructure.Impacts between the structures during the mating operation are absorbed by resilient neoprene pads carried by the leg supports. After the platform structure rests upon the leg supports, and the barge is removed, the platform structure can be lowered and leveled by draining a select volume of sand from the leg supports.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of constructing an offshore tower structure having a base structure for positioning on the sea bed, a central enclosed tubular column containing services such as conductors and risers and extending from the base structure to above the water level for supporting a service platform which includes positioning the base structure on the seabed, floating the column and legs over the base structure, lowering the column and legs onto the base structure and securing them onto the latter.

Abstract: A shield support, suitable for use in mines, comprising a floor-engaging structure which includes two sledge or like elements disposed side-by-side and spaced apart one from the other, a roof-engageable canopy, a shield mounted for pivotal movement with respect to the canopy and extendable and contractible prop means, carried by said elements, which are operable to adjust the height of the canopy. A pivotal guide linkage for supporting the shield from said elements includes links which are so connected to those elements and to the shield that the elements are rigidly coupled together only through the intermediary of those links and the shield.

Abstract: A pile splice includes two splice plates, each having a dove-tail shaped groove aligned with the groove in the abutting plate. Slip cams are disposed in the channel, defined by the grooves, for outward movement to draw the plates together. Drive wedges are driven between the slip cams to drive them outwardly to draw and hold the plates together and to form a massive, strong pile splice. Wedge forces are distributed to increase clamping forces. Headed reinforcing bars are securely held in the splice plates by plastic bushings to facilitate splice plate alignment and pile casting. Methods are provided.

Abstract: An arch-culvert structure for use in the construction of culverts or the like, includes a corrugated metal conduit and corrugated metal or concrete wings extending outwardly from the top sides of the conduit for distributing the soil or live load. Such structure is relatively inexpensive and increases the resistance to failure in the roof portion of the structure, in the wall area and in the soil or backfill materials adjacent to the structure.

Abstract: The specification discloses a in situ cased pile and method for constructing same under the footing of a building. The invention is particularly suited to the stabilization of building footings in regions of unstable soil subject to uplift or subsistence. The cased pile extends through the unstable soil to a region of stable soil, and rests thereon. An enlarged pile footing in the stable soil is used. The movement of the unstable soil is isolated from the pile by means of a casing or tubular sleeve which surrounds the casing. A method of forming this structure in situ, without removing the unstable soil, is also disclosed. In the practice of this method a self-propelled soil displacing mole forms a hole in the subsoil and draws down a steel tube (15) to line the hole. The mole is withdrawn, a PVC or cardboard tube (16) is slid down the lined hole, and the lined hole is filled with concrete. The mole is re-run to produce a pile footing (17) and is again withdrawn.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for retensioning the development length of strands of an elongated prestressed concrete member is provided in which the ends of the strands are exposed, a metallic plate having tapered holes therein is placed over the ends of the strands, retaining wedges are inserted into the tapered holes of the plate to grip the ends of the strands, and a predetermined amount of tension is applied to the strand and maintained in the strand by the retaining wedges. A jack is provided to apply the tension to the strand. The prestressed concrete members such as piling, may be spliced together by using the apparatus on adjoining ends of piling.

Abstract: A jackdown tension leg platform is set forth which may be used for processing a commodity liberated from the ocean floor by one or more wells. The platform includes a closed buoyant hull which houses production equipment and at least one connector disposed on the hull for vertical relative movement. The connector has one end secured to the ocean floor and is moved upwardly relative to the hull to submerge the hull to a depth below the majority of the ocean's hydrostatic forces and, at the same time, tension the connector to hold and stabilize the hull over the wells. Conduits are connected between the wells and the submerged hull and between the hull and the surface. A crew module may be provided above the surface atop the connector with a trunk disposed between the module and submerged hull to provide access therebetween.

Abstract: A marine fender comprising a hollow tapered body of an elastic material, either small-diameter side or large-diameter side of which being a shock-receiving side and the other being a fastening side is disclosed. In this marine fender, the thickness of the hollow tapered body is gradually thickened from the large-diameter side toward the small-diameter side, and the hollow tapered body is provided at the outer periphery with a groove formed at a given position near the shock-receiving side end, and has a truncated pyramidal form at either the inner surface or the outer surface or both surfaces thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for removing a component from, or placing a component on, an underwater valve comprises a base attachable to the flowline that carries the valve, and a two part assembly having a gantry that is aligned and mounted on the base and a sliding frame placed in sliding engagement with the gantry. The sliding frame guides the component towards or away from the underwater valve, after the gantry is properly aligned with respect to the valve by its connection to the base.

Abstract: A mine roof support unit includes a pair of generally parallel floor girders, and an advance mechanism positioned between the floor girders. The advance mechanism comprises a hydraulic advance ram and a guide rod system. The advance ram is pivotally connected between the guide rod system and a cross member which interconnects the floor girders. The guide rod system is attachable to a longwall conveyor positioned adjacent to a work face. The cross member is engageable with the floor girders in such a manner that the floor girders are relatively displaceable in a vertical direction. Each of the floor girders is provided with a respective hydraulic lifting ram, the arrangement being such that the lifting rams can be operated to lift one of the floor girders relative to the other floor girder.

Abstract: This invention relates to a new and novel method for the underground storage of fluid materials including those which are readily soluable or reactive with water or brine such as concentrated caustic soda, ethylene dichloride or anhydrous ammonia within chambers developed in salt formations via solution mining and from which essentially all the brine has been removed; and the chambers thereby produced. More particularly this invention relates to methods for making underground storage chambers; of recovering the brine formed in the making of the chamber; isolating the contaminants, i.e., the insolubles mixed with brine resulting from the solution mining of the storage chamber, such that fluids soluable or reactive with water or brine can be stored therein; and also to a method for controlling the velocity of free fall of materials injected into the chamber for storage, such that erosion of the equipment employed is minimized.

Abstract: A boat hoist has a frame with forward part including spaced upright posts, a rearward part including spaced upright posts, spaced to permit the passage of a boat therebetween, and an inclined track assembly attached to the frame between the pairs of spaced upright posts, a boat platform mounted for movement up and down of the track assembly, means for moving the boat platform upward along the track assembly, means for moving the boat platform downward along the track assembly, and means for holding the platform at a lower position and at an upper position on the track assembly. The hoist requires much less effort to lift and lower a boat because of the inclined plane and provides a convenient safer means of removing the boat from the water.

Abstract: A lightweight jack for supporting the roof of a mine until permanent supports are in place. The jack is carried by a roof bolter or similar mining equipment on the end of a support arm. A hinge box is mounted on the sidewall of the roof bolter and one end of the arm is hingedly received therein. A support plate extends from the sidewall outwardly below the arm. The support plate carries at the far end a U-shaped bracket with a spring inside the bracket. The support arm rests on the spring when the jack is not extended. A swivel arm is received inside the support arm and held from turning by a swivel pin. When the pin is removed, the swivel arm and jack may be turned sideways for easy manuevering by the roof bolter.

Abstract: An offshore intake structure for a water cooling system having an intake shaft communicating with a lake or like reservoir comprises a well excavated in the bed of the lake having an opening communicating with the intake shaft. The well is covered by a submarine roof structure having a perforate outer region defining an inlet to the well and an imperforate inner region which extends over the intake shaft opening and radially outwards therefrom so as to define with the well bottom a horizontal flow passage extending inwards to the intake shaft. The construction is such as to permit an adequate intake flow while keeping the intake velocity below the limit at which fish would be entrained.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in installing mine roof supports includes a vehicle which carries a coil of rod material. The rod material is fed from the coil and straightened. The straightened rod material is inserted into a hole drilled in the roof of the mine. An anchor is set to hold the rod material in the hole. A mine roof support plate is pressed against the roof of the mine and a fastener is tightened against the mine roof support plate to hold it in place. The rod material is then cut to separate the length of rod in the hole from the coil.

Abstract: One construction method for burying offshore pipelines utilizes a segmented excavation shield for forming a trench in the seafloor. The present invention provides a propulsion method for advancing the shield which eliminates the need to pull the shield. This is done by advancing skin plates which are attached to the shield, then advancing the shield by transmitting soil reaction through the skin plates, which remain stationary, to the shield.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method for constructing a sewage drain field without a rock media. The drain field includes a plurality of lengthwise connected drain pipes suspended above the trench bottom within a channel formed by a plurality of elongated mesh-like channel forming members and in overlying relation to which assembly a porous, conforming length of sheet goods is mounted. As necessary, mesh-like end caps seal the ends of the channel forming members. Independently mounted filter elements may be used to filter the grey water and/or channel the grey water in lieu of the conduit.