Abstract: Surface modification control stations and methods in a globally distributed array for dynamically adjusting the atmospheric, terrestrial and oceanic properties. The control stations modify the humidity, currents, wind flows and heat removal rate of the surface and facilitate cooling and control of large area of global surface temperatures. This global system is made of arrays of multiple sub-systems that monitor climate and act locally on weather with dynamically generated local forcing & perturbations for guiding in a controlled manner aim at long-term modifications. The machineries are part of a large-scale system consisting of an array of many such machines put across the globe at locations called the control stations. These are then used in a coordinated manner to modify large area weather and the global climate as desired.

Abstract: A fluidic coupler for fluidically communicating a hose with a trench drain in a support surface comprises a series of walls arranged to form a cavity and arranged for insertion into the trench drain, and a hose coupler supported on one of the walls for fluidically connecting a hose so that liquid discharged therefrom is released into the cavity. The cavity is open at the bottom of the fluidic coupler so as to release the liquid to the trench drain. The fluidic coupler includes stabilizing feet supported on opposite walls which are parallel to sidewalls of the trench drain. The feet include a pair of distinct feet located at spaced positions on a carrying one of the opposite walls, and on either side of the hose coupler.

Abstract: A safety grating has an arch shape cross section and is useful within a riser having a frusto-conical shape wall which riser is attached to a septic tank or another structure. The grating comprises a hub and radially extending arms, one or more of which is rotatable relative to the hub length at a hinge joint, to decrease the size of the grating and enable installation of the grating by passing the grating a smaller end opening of a riser.

Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system comprising a frame, which comprises an outer mast and an inner mast. The outer mast slides along the inner mast. A motor is coupled to the frame. A hydraulic system is coupled to the motor. A jackhammer head is coupled to the outer mast, which outer mast allows the jackhammer head to float up and down on the inner mast as the jackhammer head reciprocates. Thereby vibrations from jackhammer motion substantially do not get transferred to the frame.

Abstract: A pile driving system having a body, a body connection arrangement connecting the body to construction equipment, two arms on the body at least one of which is movable, and a jaw at the end of the arms having a jaw recessed connection surface formed at the inner portion of the jaw, and at least one shoe having the shoe recessed connection surface creating a symmetric profile so as to overlap the jaw recessed connection surface and corresponding to it when attached.

Abstract: A mooring line connector assembly (1) and a corresponding tensioner (28) are described. The mooring line connector assembly (1) comprises complementary male (2) and female (3) connectors, wherein the male connector (2) is rigid and the female connector (3) is connectable to the male connector (2) at a plurality of points along its length, so as to vary the tension applied to the mooring line. Locking balls engageable with grooves disposed along the length of the male connector (2) can allow the female connector to connect at different points along the male connector. A tensioner (28) allows the tension to be adjusted. The tensioner includes a first part (29) arranged to engage with the male connector (2) and a second part (29) arranged to engage with the female connector (3). The first part (29) reciprocates relative to the second part so as to move the male connector (2) relative to the female connector and thereby change the point at which the female connector is connected to the male connector.

Abstract: An automated system is provided for moving a boat from a storage position in a boat garage to a deployed position in a dock channel. The system can include a boat trolley. The boat trolley can include a frame that couples to and rides on rails of a track that extends between the boat garage and the dock channel. The boat trolley can also include bunker supports for supporting the hull of the boat. A dock lift mechanism can lower the trolley frame into the water, from which the boat can be deployed. Once done using the boat, the user can navigate the boat onto the trolley frame, and the dock lift mechanism used to lift the trolley frame and boat out of the water, and the boat trolley operated to move the boat from the dock to the boat garage for storage.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a reinforcement system at a railway tunnel section passing through a karst cave with a large dip angle and a construction method. The reinforcement system of the present invention can solve the problems of downward mud filling, watertightness, etc. of a top through structures of an umbrella arch, a concrete layer, a flexible buffer layer and a protective layer at the top, at a karst cave, of a tunnel, solve the problem of upward mud inrush at a bottom through structures of an anchor cable, a ring beam and a foundation pad at the bottom of the tunnel, guarantee stability of an arch bridge by erecting “a triple arch bridge” in a middle and adding a vertical bearing wall under the arch bridge, and make a railway safely cross the mud-inrush karst cave by safely laying a ballastless track on the bridge.

Abstract: A vibratory compactor is provided. The vibratory compactor may include a compactor plate, a frame coupled to the compactor plate, wherein the frame may include an inner space and a housing. The frame may include a plurality of mounting brackets coupled between a first side member and a second side member of the frame. The vibratory compactor may include a vibration generation device coupled to the compactor plate within the inner space of the frame. The vibratory compactor may include a plurality of isolators, each isolator coupled to one mounting bracket of the plurality of mounting brackets. The housing may be coupled to the plurality of isolators, wherein the housing may include couplers removably coupled to a top surface of the housing. The couplers may be configured for coupling the vibratory compactor to an excavator type vehicle.

Abstract: A buoyancy control device for scuba diving comprising at least two shoulder straps, each shoulder strap having an upper portion and a lower portion joined by a closing buckle comprising a male buckle element and a female buckle element, which has a first connection means for connecting to the upper portion of the shoulder strap and a second connection means for connecting to the male buckle element, wherein the female buckle element comprises a first part that has the first connection means, a second part that has the second connection means, and an articulated connection pin for connecting the first part to the second part.

Abstract: The invention proposes a tool and device, with the aid of which it is possible to remove the surface of walls, ceilings and floors also in the corners of contaminated interiors.

Abstract: A polymer sheet adapted to attach to a material body such as a ceiling of a geological cavity and provide protective cover. The sheet comprises: a webbing portion defining a plurality of primary openings; and two margin portions extending along opposite edges of the sheet on either side of the webbing portion along a length of the sheet, each margin portion defining a plurality of secondary openings, wherein the margin portions are angled relative to the webbing portion.

Abstract: A system includes a hole-through-middle (HTM) fender, a threaded rod passing through the fender such that the fender is configured to rotate with respect to the rod about an axis, a protective sheath surrounding the rod, and first and second mounting brackets into which the rod is threaded.

Abstract: A milling machine, system, and method for implementing a return to cut operation and/or an exit cut operation controls legs of the milling machine, a rotor of the milling machine, and front and rear doors of a mixing chamber of the milling machine according to settings for each of the return to cut operation and the exit cut operation. Such control can be based on signals from one or more sensors of the milling machine configured to sense various position-related characteristics of the milling machine, and can be performed responsive to a control input at an operator control interface of the milling machine.

Abstract: A pile installing system for a pile including a cylindrical wall surrounding a hollow space, the system having a central cutter which is locatable at a lower end of the pile for loosening soil below the hollow space upon installing the pile into the ground and which is displaceable within the pile in longitudinal direction thereof so as to remove the central cutter from the pile after installing the pile in the ground, a peripheral cutter locatable at the lower end of the pile for loosening soil below the cylindrical wall, a soil passage for guiding loosened soil from below the cutters to the hollow space, and a soil conveying member for transporting loosened soil upwardly through the hollow space. The soil passage is located at at least one of the central and peripheral cutter at a radial distance from the cylindrical wall.

Abstract: A subsea riser is installed by lowering at least one riser conduit to the seabed when piggybacked to an elongate support that comprises at least one flowline. The elongate support may be a pipeline bundle, which may be attached to one or more towheads in a towable bundle unit. The riser conduit may be in fluid communication with the flowline. At the seabed, a free end portion of the riser conduit is detached from the elongate support by releasing subsea-releasable fastenings. Then, with the elongate support and a root end of the riser remaining at the seabed, the detached free end portion of the riser conduit is lifted away from the elongate support to a riser support, such as a platform, an FPSO (floating production, storage and offloading vessel), or a buoy.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for laying pipe in a ditch. The apparatus comprises a mobile platform having a longitudinal central axis. A support extends from the mobile platform and includes a cradle. The cradle supports a weight of a pipe segment in alignment with the central longitudinal axis of the mobile platform as the pipe laying apparatus transports the pipe segment to a location where the pipe segment is to be placed and as the pipe laying apparatus offloads the pipe segment at the location where the pipe segment is to be placed in the ditch.

Abstract: Disclosed is a tunnel protection structure suitable for active fault areas and high ground stress areas, and relates to the technical field of tunnel engineering construction. The tunnel protection structure comprises at least one protection unit, wherein a plurality of protection units are sequentially connected and distributed along the axial direction of a tunnel, and the protection units comprise a radial protection ring and two axial protection rings which are fixedly arranged between a lining structure and surrounding rock and are distributed along the axial direction of the tunnel; the radial protection ring comprises a plurality of radial buffer energy consumption layers which are sequentially sleeved along the radial direction of the tunnel; and the axial protection ring comprises a plurality of axial buffer energy consumption layers which are sequentially and fixedly connected along the axial direction of the tunnel.

Abstract: A road milling machine includes a milling drum, an enclosure assembly, an actuator, and a controller. The milling drum may modify surface. The enclosure assembly includes a member moveable between a closed state and an open state. In the closed state, the member at least partially encloses the milling drum to direct materials milled by the milling drum to a conveyor. The actuator is adapted to be actuated between a first state and a second state to correspondingly move the member between the closed state and the open state. Further, the controller is configured to detect the closed state of the member; determine a lowering of the milling drum with respect to the surface; and reverse an actuation of the actuator towards the second state to offset and balance out a weight of the member based on the lowering of the milling drum.

Abstract: A plasma tunnel boring machine including a plurality of plasma torches on the cutting head, and a plurality of nozzles on the cutting head to provide a stream to cool an area while the plasma torches are active, and a tractor providing propulsion to the cutting head, the tractor to move the cutting head to cut a tunnel.