Abstract: An apparatus and method for protecting a person servicing a longwall shear such changing bits on a drum, embodiments relating to a base plate to be secured to an underside of a shield canopy and a slide plate movably connected to the underside of the base plate such that the slide plate can advance out from the shield canopy to allow a person to service a longwall shear while being protected by the slide plate from falling rock and other debris, and the slide plate can then retract back under the shield canopy.

Abstract: A system and method for mating equipment offshore to a spar buoy secured to a foundation without the use of a crane barge. The system comprises a floating vessel having a pair of forks defining a slot. A gimbal table, defining an opening, is positioned within the slot and connected to the vessel and a locking collar is mounted to the gimbal table. A mating member is attached to the spar buoy. The vessel is maneuvered to bring the spar buoy within the gimbal table opening. With the spar buoy positioned within the gimbal table opening, the locking collar is arranged and designed to releasably attach to the mating member of the spar buoy and restrict relative vertical motion between the spar buoy and the vessel while the gimbal table allows the floating vessel to roll and pitch without driving these motions into the spar buoy.

Abstract: A mine bolt includes an elongated body having a first end and a second end positioned opposite the first end, with the elongated body having a first threaded section, a second threaded section, and a non-threaded section positioned between the first threaded section and the second threaded section. The non-threaded section is configured to yield under loading when the mine bolt is installed with grout in a bore hole.

Abstract: Soil displacement piles having a shaft and one or more soil displacement assemblies secured to the shaft are provided. If more than one soil displacement assembly is utilized, each soil displacement assembly is separated by a longitudinal distance. Each soil displacement assembly has an upper helical plate, a lower helical plate and separated from the upper helical plate by a longitudinal plate distance, and at least one soil displacement plate positioned relative to the shaft, the upper helical plate and the lower helical plate.

Abstract: An erosion control system of interconnected bags with water permeable fill material. The top panel of each bag is a geotextile mesh material so that water can pass into the bag and into the water permeable fill material. The bottom panel of each bag is a geotextile mesh that is non-degradable and slightly water permeable. The bags are connected in the end to form a trough through the permeable fill material.

Abstract: A coupler interconnects adjacent sections of soil nails to extend the lengths of the nails. The coupler includes projections extending from the exterior surface of the coupler. The projections serve multiple purposes. One purpose is to center the soil nail within a drilled hole. Another purpose is to provide mixing for amounts of drilled material to remain within the hole, and/or evacuation of drilled material to be removed from the hole. Another purpose is to create a drilled hole with varying diameters in response to different geological layers encountered during drilling. The coupler may include a plurality of ports or openings formed in the body of the coupler enabling injected material such as grout to be further mixed by the rotating action of the coupler during use. The invention further includes a soil nail assembly and a method for installing a soil nail assembly including couplers with projections.

Abstract: A trench wall apparatus includes a base frame held at its top end by a holding means held by at least one soil excavation means, which is positioned at a bottom end of the base frame. When soil is excavated while forming the trench, the trench wall apparatus is held by a clamping means that includes at least two clamping elements on opposite sides extended laterally by at least one actuating cylinder, whereby at least one part of the trench wall apparatus is clamped in the trench, and a pressing means applies a pressing force on the at least one soil excavation means. The clamping elements and clamping cylinder are positioned on an intermediate frame displaceably mounted along the base frame. The intermediate frame is clamped and fixed to the ground by the clamping means. The base frame having the soil excavation means is pressed downward by the pressing means.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for protecting a person servicing a longwall shear such changing bits on a drum, embodiments relating to a base plate to be secured to an underside of a shield canopy and a slide plate movably connected to the underside of the base plate such that the slide plate can advance out from the shield canopy to allow a person to service a longwall shear while being protected by the slide plate from falling rock and other debris, and the slide plate can then retract back under the shield canopy.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides helical ground anchors or piles designed to cut through rock. The helical ground anchors have a shaft, one or more helical plates attached to the shaft and at least one cutting tip attached to the distal end of the shaft in order to make a first cut through rock along the axis of rotation of the shaft. The distal end of the shaft is tapered and the at least one cutting tip can be attached to the longer end of the shaft. The helical shaped plates are attached to the shaft at a distance above the at least one cutting tip.

Abstract: A tank cinch is configured to cooperate with a strap to secure a tank of compressed air to a buoyancy compensation device. The tank cinch includes an adjustable frame having a sliding member, a first cam receiver and a second cam receiver. A lever body including a first cam and a second cam is pivotably joined to the adjustable frame and is pivotable about a pivoting axis defined by the adjustable frame. The lever body is configured to fix a first end portion of the strap. The adjustable frame is configured to fix a second end portion of the strap with the sliding member when the lever is rotated about the pivoting axis towards the adjustable frame member. The cams are arranged to bear against an outermost surface of the tank and to be received in the cam receivers when the lever body is pivoted towards the adjustable frame.

Abstract: A soil erosion barrier that is configured to inhibit the erosion of soil on a sloped terrain. The soil erosion barrier includes a body that is planar in manner and manufactured from a flexible material. The body includes an upper edge and a lower edge wherein the lower edge is contoured towards opposing ends of the body with the greatest width of the body being at the midpoint thereof. A first connection member is integrally formed on one end of the body and a second connection member is integrally formed on the opposing end of the body. An aperture is formed through the body proximate the second end wherein the aperture further includes opposing slots that are parallel to the upper edge of the body. A slot is formed in the body proximate the midpoint and is further proximate the lower edge.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a connection system for components through which fluid flows in medicine and medical equipment, comprising a male connection cone (6, 30) and a threaded nut (7) least partially surrounding the connection cone (6) and having an internal thread (9), for captively connecting the male connection cone (6, 30) to a female receptacle of an additional component through which fluid flows. The invention is characterised in that the threaded nut (7) has radially circumferential through-holes (10) at least in some sections in the axial section of the circumferential jacket of the threaded nut and webs (11, 11?) are formed adjacent to the through-holes in the circumferential jacket, sections of the internal thread (9) being arranged on the inside of said webs in relation to the circumferential jacket. Furthermore, the invention also relates to the production of the connection system and to its use.

Abstract: A pipe replacement system and cable guide frame are shown. Configurations are shown that include plurality of guide pulleys attached to the cable guide frame to define a curved path between a pipe to be replaced and a cable pulling system. Configurations are shown where a pipe breaking tool is pulled over the plurality of guide pulleys for ease of removal after a replacement operation. Configurations are also shown that include a stationary splitter adjacent to the cable pulling system to prevent jamming of the cable pulling system.

Abstract: A walkway including: a foundation base at least partially embedded in ground adjacent to a body of water; first and second supports, at least the first support being connected to the foundation base; a plank having a surface for use by pedestrians to travel along a shoreline, the plank having a first end rotatably connected to the first support and having a second end supported on the second support, the surface being exposed for use by the pedestrians when the plank is in a first position where the second end is supported by the second support, the plank having a length between the first and second supports; and a lifting mechanism operatively connected to the plank to rotate the plank from the first position to a second position where the length of the plank is oriented in a first direction to impede a rising height of the body of water.

Abstract: A system of harvesting sea creatures from a trench holding the sea creatures in seawater, including a trench, an injection well, and a harvesting apparatus that extracts the sea creatures from the trench. The trench includes a gate at one end of the trench. The gate insertable into an opening at the end of the trench to prevent seawater from entering or exiting the trench and removable from the opening to allow the seawater to enter or exit the trench. The injection well is positioned external to the trench and can receive the seawater discharged from the trench. The harvesting apparatus includes a conveyor that inclines. The conveyor includes a conveyor belt and a wedge at one end of the conveyor that contacts the bottom floor of the trench when the conveyor is inclined.

Abstract: A flexible tube system having an end section formed from an inner rigid tube and an outer shell, and the end section is joined to a central flexible portion having an inner decoupler tube, and an outer shell bridge is joined to the outer shell and the flexible central portion to define an insulation space.

Abstract: A soil conditioner apparatus and method condition soil for compaction. The conditioner apparatus creates a heated stream of air directed toward the ground as the conditioner moves along the ground. A mixer on the conditioner mixes soil in the path of the heated air to dry the soil. Some embodiments of the mixer will propel the soil into the air in the stream of heated air. The conditioner can decrease moisture in the soil in the location where the soil will be compacted. In some embodiments, ambient air is introduced into the conditioning process by additional blowers. The mixer can also mix added soil and other additives to the soil in location. The conditioner apparatus may take the form of an apparatus towed by another vehicle, a set of towed apparatuses, an apparatus carried by another vehicle, or a self propelled vehicle having the operational elements of the soil conditioner.

Abstract: A subsea pipeline system may include a subsea pipeline station configured to establish fluid communication between a first pipeline and a second pipeline. The first pipeline may have a first diameter, and the second pipeline may have a second diameter different from the first diameter. Additionally, the subsea pipeline station may be configured to removably couple to one or more pig launching assemblies having different configurations.

Abstract: A system for stabilization of a shoreline includes a plurality of stakes and a flexible sheet switchable between an open configuration and a folded configuration. The sheet has a first edge and a second edge, and each edge includes a channel in which an anchoring rope runs through. An organic material is disposed in a body region of the flexible sheet when the sheet is in the folded configuration. The first edge and second edge are secured to the plurality of stakes by the anchoring ropes.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a water detention chamber by providing a polymer melt, injecting a CO2 blowing agent into the polymer melt, and injecting the polymer melt and CO2 blowing agent blend into a mold cavity. The mold cavity defines an arch-shaped corrugated chamber having upstanding ribs and a flange having an upper surface and a lower surface. The flange has one or more protrusions, preferably elongated members, at the first end of the chamber. The flange also has one or more mating apertures or cavities at the opposite end from the protrusions.