Abstract: An improved watercraft and propulsion system is disclosed for moving a watercraft such as an amphibious vehicle or a speed boat from 0 velocity to speeds in excess of 20 miles per hour. Each watercraft includes water propulsion systems which are preferably pivotally mounted on or near the rear end of the watercraft for pivotal movement between a transversely aligned stowed position above the vehicle and an operative position within the watercraft and below the vehicle. Hydrofoils may be connected to the water propulsion system, and bow or transom flaps plus the planing hull of the vehicle aids in providing adequate lift when in the water.

Abstract: An anti-sway crane reeving apparatus is disclosed in which a reeving apparatus is connected between an overhead frame carried by a crane, a winding drum mounted on the frame, and a lifting beam positioned below the frame from which a load carrying means is suspended. A plurality of upper spaced-apart sheaves are affixed to the overhead frame and a plurality of lower spaced-apart sheaves are affixed to the lifting beam. Each of the lower sheaves has first and second grooves. A rope means is affixed to the drum means and overhead frame and extends between the drum and the lower sheaves and between the upper and lower sheaves. The rope means includes a plurality of pairs of first and second ropes having a reeving path extending to and wrapping in the same direction around the first and second grooves of each of the lower sheaves. Each pair of first and second ropes extends from the lower sheaves in directions transverse to the axis of the sheaves and away from each other relative to the vertical.

Abstract: An apparatus for loading materials from a hopper into a storage container includes a holding chamber formed in part by a movable first panel which forms the floor of the holding chamber. Communication between the holding chamber and the hopper is opened by withdrawing the first panel, thereby allowing materials in the holding chamber to empty into the hopper. As the first panel is subsequently moved to again close communication between the holding chamber and the hopper, materials in the hopper are expelled by a wall which advances in the hopper as the first panel moves. Preferably, the first panel is repeatedly oscillated or cycled opened and closed within a predetermined time period to efficiently move large volumes of materials from the holding chamber, into the hopper, and out into the associated storage container.

Abstract: A sail comprises a number of pluralities of radial panels. Each panel comprises a pair of lengthwise parallel edges. Each of the pluralities is oriented to radiate from a corner of the sail. The panels of each plurality are oriented and angled to each other to converge near the corners, to overlap more of each other near the corners, to diverge away from the corners and to overlap less of each other away from the corners.

Abstract: A crane and an attachment comprising a counterweight support beam including a plurality of connected segments movable relative to each other, and having a fore end adapted to be connected to the crane upper works, and an aft end rearward from the rear portion of the upper works. The attachment also includes a moveable counterweight carrier adapted to carry a counterweight when the counterweight is supported thereon. The carrier is mounted on the support beam for movement along the length thereof. The attachment also includes a cylinder for selectively moving the counterweight carrier fore and aft along the beam, landing gear for normally supporting the aft end of the beam on the ground, and a backhitch pendant and a pendant cylinder interconnecting the aft end of the beam and the top of the mast for raising the landing gear from the ground incident to lifting a heavy load from the boom.

Abstract: A temporary, reusable, movable hull patch for a damaged oil tanker hull having sides is disclosed. The hull patch comprising an upper track being rigidly affixed to each side of the hull, a lower track being rigidly affixed to each side of the hull and spaced a distance from the upper track, a body portion, four flaps framing the body portion and having four free edges, respectively, containing a resilient material so as to provide a good seal between the hull and the four flaps, the four flaps having a sealed position and an unsealed position, four pivots for pivotally connecting the four flaps to the body portion, respectively, four hydraulic cylinders for moving the four flaps from the sealed position to the unsealed position and vice versa, and two trucks attached to and riding on the lower track and the upper track.

Abstract: An evironment which is protected from fire employs a nozzle arrangement having three discharge apertures for distributing a fire suppression fluid such as HALON. The environment is arranged in a predetermined area or space having an odd shape, such as an L-shape, and is adequately protected with a single nozzle arrangement. The nozzle arrangement is characterized by a chamber for receiving the fire suppression fluid at a rate of flow sufficient to supply the fire suppression fluid to the three apertures in conformance with applicable specifications, such as those established by Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc. The discharge apertures in the nozzle arrangement are in the form of through-holes arranged in the chamber wall. Preferably, the apertures are arranged at 90.degree. increments around the chamber wall, whereby the fire suppression fluid is discharged in diametrically opposed directions, and orthogonal thereto.

Abstract: Two embodiments of protective cowlings for the power head of an outboard motor that form both forwardly and rearwardly facing air inlet openings so as to insure adequate air induction to the engine. The forwardly facing air inlet opening is located so as to avoid water being able to enter into the interior of the protective cowling and into the engine induction system.

Abstract: A device for hydraulic conveyance of loose materials comprises a vertical chamber having a cylindrical side surface and hemispherical a bottom and a cover and is provided with four respective pipes for liquid discharge, loose material charging, feeding the pressure liquid flow and slurry discharge in an upward flow. The pipes are held to the hemispherical cover and are arranged coaxially in such a manner that the loose material charging pipe is accommodated inside the liquid discharge pipe, the pressure liquid flow feeding pipe is accommodated inside the loose material charging pipe, and the slurry upward flow discharging pipe is accommodated inside the pressure liquid flow feeding pipe, all of the pipes being arranged coaxially with the longitudinal axis of the chamber and having some of their portions located inside the chamber. The length of the portions mentioned above increases consecutively from the liquid discharge pipe towards the slurry upward flow discharging pipe.

Abstract: An electro-magnetic coupling apparatus for use with a tug and barge tow includes a bumper frame which is pivotally carried by the tub. The bumper frame includes a bearing surface that is positioned to bear against the barge so that a load transfer between the tub and the barge occurs at the bearing surface. A magnetic coupling preferably in the form of a plurality of coil members is carried at the load transfer surface for developing a magnetic field which can form a connection between the barge and the tug. An electrical power source is carried by the tub for energizing the magnetic field and a powered guide comprising a powered sheave and a pair of lines extending from the sheave to the barge defines a steering mechanism for angling the bumper frame and tug with respect to each other when maneuvering to each barge while making up a tow of several barges, for example.

Abstract: A railroad car, for carrying shipping containers, having a car body with opposing side walls and an end wall near each end defining a well in which a container can be received; support for a container, when in the well, comprising a plurality of spaced metal reinforcing elements or castings joined to each side wall and spaced inwardly from the well end walls; and each casting being substantially L-shaped and having a substantially vertical leg joined at the bottom of a side wall and the casting having an arm extending laterally substantially horizontally inwardly toward the center of the car to aid in supporting a container in the well.

Abstract: An improved steering arrangement for a jet propelled watercraft including a rudder carried by the forward portion of the hull and which is out of the water at high speeds and submerged at low speeds for assisting in low speed steering without adding to high speed drag. The rudder and the steering nozzle of the jet propulsion unit are steered simultaneously.

Abstract: A sail winder, more particularly a mainsail winder tube, made of a tube or similar profile rotating about its axis under the action of a control system, to which the sail is rigidly connected and about which it winds, and wherein a control system, made of a toothed pulley, is accommodated inside the mast foot or beneath the mast foot.The winder includes, for hauling the sail, a halyard passing in a higher portion of the winder tube over a pulley rigidly connected to the tube and rotating therewith, with the halyard passing inside the tube and exiting from the winder tube via another pulley rigidly connectd to a fixed portion of the winder.

Abstract: A system using free ranging automatic guided vehicles (AGVs) for loading and unloading material from a number of trailers is provided. The system employs a plurality of sensors for monitoring both pedestrian, operator driven vehicles and other AGV traffic, and for ensuring that the trailers are parked in position and ready for loading and unloading. The system further includes signals for controlling traffic and a plurality of trailer mounted targets for AGV navigation. During an operation cycle full containers are unloaded from a first trailer and empty containers are loaded on a second trailer.

Abstract: An anti-sway crane reeving apparatus is disclosed in which the reeving apparatus connects an overhead frame carried by a crane, a winding drum means mounted on the frame, and a lifting beam positioned below the frame from which a load carrying means is suspended. A plurality of spaced-apart sheaves are affixed to the lifting beam and rope means is affixed to the drum means and overhead frame and wraps around each of the plurality of sheaves. The rope means functions to support and raise and lower the lifting beam and the load carrying means. The rope means, in extending from its positioned wrapped around each of the plurality of sheaves, diverges from the vertical in an upward direction from each of the plurality of sheaves. The plurality of sheaves on the lifting beam are the only sheaves wrapped by the rope means which are rotatable during raising or lowering of the lifting beam.

Abstract: An anti-sway crane reeving apparatus is disclosed in which a reeving apparatus is connected between an overhead frame carried by a crane, winding drum means mounted on the frame, and a lifting beam positioned below the frame from which a load carrying means is suspended. The reeving apparatus includes a plurality of upper spaced-apart sheaves affixed to the overhead frame and a plurality of lower spaced-apart sheaves affixed to the lifting beam. Each of the lower sheaves has first and second grooves. A rope means is affixed to the drum means and overhead frame and extends between the drum means and the lower sheaves and between the upper and lower sheaves. The rope means includes a plurality of pairs of first and second ropes having a reeving path extending to and wrapping in the same direction around the first and second grooves of each of the lower sheaves.

Abstract: An elongated aerodynamically shaped fairing is disclosed herein having a body with a passageway at its rear for slideability receiving the bolt rope or cable of a sail and an interconnecting slot with the passageway for conducting a portion of the sail luff exteriorly of the fairing. The body of the fairing being provided with an internal cavity at its mid-section and extending forwardly so as to substantially enclose the length of a sailboat forestay. Pivotally carried within the cavity is a toggle member having a socket for bearing against and rotating about the forestay. Inflatable tubes are disposed on opposite sides of the toggle member and when selectively inflated and deflated, actuate the toggle member to flip to one side or the other of a central plane of the sail at its leading edge.

Abstract: A device for mounting a downrigger to a sidewall portion of a boat includes a base having a generally flat planar surface for receiving and supporting the downrigger and a clamping arrangement including a pair of spaced apart C-clamps joined by a transverse tightening member which C-clamps are removably fastenable to a sidewall portion of a boat for fastening the base to the boat. A preferably adjustable structure couples the base and clamping arrangement or base support together at selected relative angular orientations thereby allowing mounting on virtually any current open side wall style boat while also allowing the downrigger to be optimally inclined to the water line as selected by the user.

Abstract: A buoyant module which is useful in the construction of modular docks, marinas and the like is fabricated by providing a buoyant member and applying a protective sheet over a portion of the member, and pumping a fiber-reinforced concrete layer over one face of the buoyant member. Structural rods extending through the layer are interconnected with peripheral whalers, which in turn permit the buoyant member--concrete layer combination to be joined together with similar modules in a unitary, low cost and facile construction.

Abstract: An apparatus for interconnecting a pair of barges, or other waterborne vessels, to facilitate hookup and release of barges in an "on-hip" arrangement with a powered vessel. Oriented on the bow of each barge, coincident with the barge's longitudinal center line, is a bracket terminating in a socket. A pivot shaft with an upper ball adapted to fit in the socket is provided with a lower trunion to support a bridge element whereby two barges may be connected. The bridge element is free to rotate in a horizontal plane about the pivot shafts to allow swinging movement of the barges and the ball-in-socket fitting allows a limited range of independent movement for the barges such as in swells. Movement limiting fenders and chains are provided to control swing of the barges. Such an apparatus allows a single tug or dredge to rapidly make up a dual barge push towing arrangement.