Abstract: The invention is directed to a foldable agricultural implement frame having a first pair of controlling/controlled lifting hydraulic cylinders for lifting and lowering the right wing section and the center section together in a level condition, and a second pair of controlling/controlled lifting hydraulic cylinders for lifting and lowering the left wing section and the center section together in a level condition. In the first pair of controlling/controlled hydraulic cylinders one of the hydraulic cylinders lifts the right wing section and the other lifts the center section. In the second pair of controlling/controlled hydraulic cylinders one of the hydraulic cylinders lifts the left wing section and the other lifts the center section. A rephasing valve assembly is used to rephase the controlling/controlled hydraulic cylinder pairs when the implement frame is folded and only the center section needs to be lifted and lowered.

Abstract: A track switch snow melter duct connection system including end flanges with a top portion, each end flange being attached to a distal end portion on a duct which is to be connected such that the top portion extends outward and above the distal end portion. Side flanges are also attached to each duct and extend outward such that a gap exists between the distal end portion of each duct and the side flange. The connection system also includes an attachment mechanism for attaching the top portion of end flanges on adjacent ducts and a connecting member which can be slidably inserted between adjacent ducts having an elongate channel shape formed by a base and two side legs and two extensions extending from and attached to the distal end of the two side legs. The connecting member has a width such that two connected end flanges can be positioned between the two side legs and such that the extensions are positioned in the gap between the side flanges and distal end portion of each duct.

Abstract: The invention relates to a design element having an aperture. To connect the design element to a hollow shaft it is slid onto the hollow shaft which is hydraulically expanded and thereby plastically deformed. The plastic deformation of the hollow shaft causes permanent elastic pretension in a surface layer of the aperture of the design element. The surface layer of the aperture has a thickness of several Angstrom units and is connectable to the hollow shaft in a material-locking manner.

Abstract: The hydraulic circuit system for civil engineering and construction machines includes a first pressure adjusting device (130) arranged between first variable restrictors (107, 107a) of a left traveling directional control valve (47) and a first traveling motor (57) for controlling the pressure downstream of the first variable restrictors to a value corresponding to a first signal pressure and a second pressure adjusting device (133) arranged between second variable restrictors (108, 108a) of a right traveling directional control valve (49) and a second traveling motor (58) for controlling the pressure downstream of the second variable restrictors to a value corresponding to a second signal pressure. A shuttle valve (136) detects a higher one of load pressures of the first and second traveling motors as a maximum load pressure.

Abstract: Even when a bucket is changed to an optional special bucket, path control as intended by an operator can be automatically performed without making a correction of the angle of the original bucket. For this purpose, in an operation mode determining section (9), there is calculated the possibility (U2) of an operation mode being a nose-fixed mode, depending on how much a bucket attitude angle (.gamma.) deviates from a predetermined angle, and there is also calculated the possibility (U1) of the operation mode being the fixed-angle to the ground mode, depending on the magnitude of a computed value of the allowable angle held with respect to the ground, whereby the operation mode during the automatic path control can be automatically determined by comparing these possibilities (U1, U2).

Abstract: An offshore platform structure is disclosed for facilitating use of a jack-up rig for well operations in deepwater applications while reducing the jacket size and increasing the flexibility of field development. The structure has a bottom founded jacket base and a surface tower supported by the jacket base and extending above the ocean surface. A platform deck is supported by the surface tower and a subsea rig support interface is presented at the top of the jacket base which is adapted to receive the jack-up rig for well operations. Another aspect of the present invention is an offshore platform system which includes a jack-up rig having a plurality of legs extending from a combination hull/deck structure and engaging the rig support interface. Well operations equipment provided by the jack-up rig which includes a cantilever deck extending from the combination hull and deck structure to present a derrick in substantial vertical alignment with the surface tower.

Abstract: It is desirable in many applications to have a bulldozer assembly that can be angled and/or tilted without having interference between elements of the bulldozer assembly and the machine on which it is mounted. In the subject arrangement, a bulldozer assembly has a blade connected to a U-shaped frame through a universal connector. The blade is angled by a pair of angle cylinders connected between the U-shaped frame and a pair of spaced apart angle cylinder brackets located on the blade. The universal connector is connected to the blade generally midway between the pair of spaced apart angled cylinder brackets and generally aligned therewith. The pitch of the blade is maintained at a preselected position by a pitch control mechanism and mechanically adjusted by the pitch control mechanism.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for joining two furniture panels to prevent relative vertical movement there between. In a first embodiment for joining two furniture panels disposed at right angles, the invention comprises two forks. The primary fork comprises an elongated base having three coplanar equally-spaced tines arranged along the length of the base and extending from the base in a direction perpendicular to the length of the base. The primary fork also includes three coplanar equally-spaced slots extending through the base in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the tines. The second, or locking, fork comprises an elongated flat planar body having two faces and three flat elongated coplanar equally-spaced tines arranged thereon. The tines are arranged along the length of the body and protrude from one edge of one face of the body, to extend in a direction perpendicular to the length of the body.

Abstract: A dragline comprises a main chassis, a mechanism for moving the main chassis over the ground, a boom mounted on the main chassis, a sheave rotatably mounted on the boom, a dragline bucket, a hoist rope reeved over the sheave and having an end connected to the bucket to raise and lower the bucket, a drag rope connected to the bucket to pull the bucket toward the main chassis and to allow the bucket to move away from the main chassis, and an operator station on the main chassis, the operator station including a control lever apparatus for permitting an operator to control one of the mechanism, the hoist rope and the drag rope.

Abstract: In a drag-free joint assembly: a stationary body 1 is embedded flush in a connected object 10; a rotary shaft 7 is embedded flush in the body 1; a spring 4 is in a cavity 15 of the shaft 7; a locking shaft 2 is inserted in an upper end of the cavity 15 flush with the shaft 7; a lock pin 3 passes through an axially-elongated through-hole 17 of the shaft 7 and is inserted into a through-hole 16 of the shaft 2; a notch 8 is in an inner surface of the body 1 to permit an end of the pin 3 to move when the shaft 2 is rotated; the notch 8 has an axially-extending locking groove 9 in an end of its bottom surface; the groove 9 engages with the end of the pin 3; and a hole 11 is in the other object 12; whereby the pin 3 engages with the groove 9 when the shaft 7 is rotated to have the plate 5 crossed with the hole 11 at a right angle behind the hole.

Abstract: A fence assembly includes modules of two-foot width. The modules are easily assembled in four-module sections to achieve whatever cumulative length of fencing is desired. A module is joined to an adjacent module by insertion of a clip into vertical, T-shaped slots formed in an adjacent module. Sections are anchored in the ground by pipes having downwardly projecting stakes. These pipe and stake assemblies are located concealed within the first and fourth module of each section. Upper and lower horizontal reinforcing members are attached along the sections. Resilient expanding anchors are used to connect the pipes, extensions, and horizontal members, there being alignable bores formed therein which receive these anchors. In one embodiment, intended for use on flat terrain, the lower reinforcing member is extended through and concealed in longitudinal bores extending through each module.

Abstract: The present invention is a reusable jacket base for an offshore platform having a plurality of jacket legs with an interconnecting framework. Pile sleeves are connected to the jacket legs which have a vertically extended, open-ended cylindrical member having a second stage sleeve which is connected to the jacket leg and a first stage sleeve projecting coaxially from the second stage sleeve. First and second stage locking profiles are presented inside the first and second stage sleeves, respectively. The first stage sleeve is thus accessible for cutting operations, severing both the first stage sleeve with the first pile-to-pile sleeve connection inside and the connected pile section within. This allows retrieval of the platform jacket, but preserves a second stage pile sleeve for re-deployment. Another aspect of the present invention is an improved pile sleeve adapted to facilitate reuse.

Abstract: A bearing plate with side walls longer than end walls so that the bearing plate has a rectangular configuration and a continuous elliptical embossment extending along the side walls and the end walls of the plate. An aperture concentrically positioned at the midpoint of the plate. The plate has a bearing surface and an opposite surface, and the continuous elliptical embossment extends from the opposite surface continuously along and inwardly of the perimeter of the bearing plate. Inner embossed areas may extend from the opposite surface on either side of the aperture along the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: An adjustable arch support for use in brick and other masonry construction provides temporary support of a brick or masonry arch during construction. The support provides for adjustment for both width and height, for use in masonry openings of various sizes and shades. A header includes plural fingers extending vertically upward therefrom, with the fingers also being vertically adjustable. Each of the fingers includes a brick or masonry support pivotally attached to the upper end thereof, providing for angular adjustment to properly support a brick or masonry monolith during construction of the arch. The support is adjusted horizontally and vertically to fit the lower rectangular portion of the arch opening, and the fingers are adjusted vertically to form the proper arch shape. One or several more masonry courses may then be constructed, using the arch support for support until the mortar or cement has cured.

Abstract: The present invention is an attachment mechanism with a positive lock to attach two components together in a confined and blind area. The attachment mechanism, attached to a first component, has in one embodiment, a clevis, while the second component has a knuckle to fit into the clevis and is to be pinned through a passageway through the clevis locking the second component. A U-shaped bracket adjacent to the clevis has sidewalls, the sidewalls having a passageway that aligns with a pin passageway, the pin is locked by inserting a tab lock through the pin and the U-shaped bracket.

Abstract: A seedlings transplanting machine, which includes a machine base having a platform at the top and a rail transversely disposed above platform and reciprocated longitudinally, a sliding frame placed on the platform and reciprocated along the rail to carry a seedling tray, a first transmission mechanism controlled to move the sliding frame along the rail, a second transmission mechanism controlled to reciprocate the rail longitudinally, a seedling drop unit controlled to draw seedlings away from the tray and then to plant the seedlings in the soil.

Abstract: An electrically powered snow blower discharge chute adjustment mechanism generally comprised of a meshingly engaging gearing arrangement wherein one of the gears is operably connected to a conventional electric motor (the drive gear), and the other gear is fixedly, circumferentially attached to the discharge chute. A three position toggle switch positioned at the operator's station of the snow blower is electrically connected to the motor for permitting the operator selective control of the direction of rotation of the discharge chute through power generated by the motor. Further, two notches are removed from opposite ends of the gear attached to the chute. The notches provide space in which the drive gear may rotatably idle when it is not meshingly engaged with the other gear. In addition, a spring loaded plunger is respectively positioned adjacent each cutout.

Abstract: The sliding joint assembly for a first part and a second part having different expansion coefficients comprises a plurality of radially-acting spring blades connected firstly at first ends to the first part only in the vicinity of a contact interface, and secondly via second ends to the second part only in a zone that is axially remote from the contact interface, the contact interface constituting a sliding contact interface between the first and second parts while the second ends of the spring blades are connected to the second part by mechanical fasteners constituted by detachable screw-and-nut type assemblies provided with spring washers for damping forces exerted in the axial direction.

Abstract: A quick-coupling pipe fitting, comprising a female element and a male element that can be coupled together, formed by fixed parts and by axially slidable parts that, when at rest, arrange themselves in a position Wherein they close the passage of the fluid and, when the two elements are coupled together, they are displaced from engagement with corresponding parts of the other element in a position wherein the abovementioned passage is open, The male and female elements can be coupled and their parts have coplanar surfaces at mutually connectable ends.

Abstract: A furrow closing apparatus for an agricultural planter producing an open seed furrow in the soil into which seeds are sequentially deposited, comprising a pair of rotary forks mountable on the planter on opposite sides of the open seed furrow and at a location rearwardly of the seed depositing mechanism; each rotary fork having a hub portion for rotational mounting on the planter and a plurality of radially projecting rigid tines rigidly secured to the hub portion; said tines having an arcuate configuration in a radial direction thereby producing a convex soil engaging surface which imparts a compressing action to the soil adjacent the sidewall of the open seed trench to fragmentize both sidewalls and an adjacent strip to cover the deposited seed with the fragmentized soil particles.