Abstract: A method and apparatus for raising, leveling, and supporting a foundation by placing steel piers beneath the necessary peripheral and interior beams and using a jack to raise the slab beams, then allowing the slab beams to rest on piers. The piers are constructed from steel piling segments, driven into the ground, connected with adhesive, and anchored at a depth offering reactive force sufficient to support the foundation. The piling is pointed at its bottom facilitating insertion and preventing upheaval. A crown is attached to the upper most end of each pier which offers a platform to provide a stable support once the jack is removed and easy access to the slab beam for later readjustment. Multiple piers are utilized to achieve a level foundation. Piers may be placed beneath interior beams on a slab without drilling holes in the interior of the slab.

Abstract: A rock stabilizer includes a metal tube with a tapered distal end and a flanged proximal end capable of being positioned within a bore in a mine wall. A slit runs substantially the entire length and indentations are formed in the outer surface along the length adjacent the slit so that grout pumped into the interior of the tube flows out of the slit and into the indentations. An expander wedge within the tube adjacent the distal end is actuatable from the proximal end after the stabilizer is installed in a bore. The wedge expands the distal end of the tube to firmly anchor the stabilizer in the bore. The expander wedge is formed of one wedge welded to the interior of the tube and a second wedge moveable toward the fixed wedge. The two wedges are temporarily maintained together in the interior of the tube before actuation.

Abstract: A drainage grate assembly having a drainage grate which is reinforced by a substantially continuous reinforcing member confined within the grate. The load rating for the drainage grate assembly can be adjusted by adding metal strips which can be disposed within and retained by the reinforcing member.

Abstract: Briefly described, the present invention relates to a wale for use in forming a driven wall structure including a plurality of elongated structural panels. The wale includes a base wall, a top wall, a first side wall, and a second side wall. The base wall and the top wall are parallel, the first side wall and the second side wall extend between both the base wall and the top wall such that the wale is of a trapezoidal cross-section.

Abstract: A segmental earth retaining wall block having a front side, a top side with a transversal tongue of a given width projecting from it, the tongue extending at a first distance from the front side, and a bottom side with a transversal groove made in it, the groove being sized to receive the tongue of another similar block positioned below and thus to allow stacking of the blocks. The groove extends at a second distance from the front side that is smaller than the first distance, and the first and second distances are selected so that the tongue and the groove are offset with respect to each other over a distance that is smaller than the width of the tongue.

Abstract: A bed making apparatus can lift, push, and pull the bedding layer by layer so as to manipulate bedding originally disorganized to a made up state. The apparatus includes a vision device that evaluates and detects the current state of the bedding sensors and a computing device that determines the process of the making the bed. Typically, a robotic arm or roving device traverses the surface of the bed and can be attached to the headboard of the bed.

Abstract: A boat cradle has two pair of channels comprised of two lower channels supporting two upper channels. The lower channel members are each pivotally fixed to its own upright; the upper channels support a plastic pad that rotates to match the bottom and the inclination of the boat. One of the inner ends of the lower channels mounts a transfer block, and the other mounts a transfer plate. The lower channels are kept generally to a horizontal position by a leaf spring; one end bearing against the bottom of the web of the lower channels and the other end fixed to the upright post. A cut out on the upright post limits the lower pair of supports beyond the horizontal in an upward direction.

Abstract: A floating low profile watercraft lifting apparatus comprises a buoyant support apparatus and a watercraft lift attached to the buoyant support apparatus. Embodiments of the lift have first and second cantilever arms pivotally mounted to a base at offset pivot points for use in shallow water. The lift includes an actuator connected to the first and second cantilever arms and operable to move the first and second cantilever arms between a collapsed configuration and an extended configuration with uniform application of force and a minimum amount of travel of actuator components. Embodiments of the support apparatus comprise pontoons within a frame attached to the lift and providing buoyant support for the lifting apparatus.

Abstract: A semi-submersible offshore vessel including a rectangular ring-pontoon having a first transverse pontoon section at a first end of the vessel and a parallel second transverse pontoon section at a second end of the vessel, and two parallel pontoon sections extending between the first and the second end of the vessel. Four support columns extend upwardly from respective edge-portions of the ring-pontoon to support an upper deck structure. The first pontoon section has a vertical mean cross-section area (A) which exceeds the corresponding vertical mean cross-section area (B) of the second pontoon section, and the support columns in the second column pair each has a water-plane area (F) which exceeds the water-plane area (D) of each of the support columns in the first column pair.

Abstract: A blanket construction (10) primarily designed for airline passengers wherein, the construction (10) includes a blanket member (20) having a vertical stem portion (23) including a criss-cross pocket arrangement (27) on its lower end (25) that is adapted to receive a liner element (50) and a horizontal cross-arm portion (22) wherein, the stem portion (23) is adapted to receive the legs and lower torso of the user and the cross arm portion (22) is adapted to surround the upper torso and arms of the user.

Abstract: A precast concrete retaining wall forms a wing wall for a precast concrete culvert unit and is supported by a concrete footer with one or more precast anchor member projecting laterally from the wing wall into the back-filled soil behind the wing wall. Secondary reinforcing members in the form of elongated metal fibers or light weight welded wire mesh extend throughout the wing wall, and substantially heavier primary reinforcing bars extend vertically within the wing wall where head portions of reinforcing rods within the anchor member connect with the wing wall. In another embodiment, the reinforcing rods within the anchor member extend through ducts or tubes and have end portions threaded into the tubular anchors precast within the wing wall adjacent the reinforcing rods to provide for attaching the anchor member at the construction site after separately precasting the anchor member and wing wall.

Abstract: An air cylinder fastening device has a belt and structure for belt tightening. Belt tightening structure is attached to each of the longitudinally opposite ends of the belt, and comprises first and second slider members opposed to each other in a circumferential direction of the air cylinder and a coupler member adapted to move these members close to or apart from each other. The coupler member comprises a front segment fixed to a rotor of the first slider member, a rear segment extending from the front segment toward the second slider member, a threaded part of the rear segment extending outward through a rotor of the second slider member, a control knob screwed on the threaded part and a spring interposed between the rotor and the control knob.

Abstract: Methods and modules for use in a modular assembly are disclosed for retaining or detaining storm water beneath a ground surface. A module comprises a substantially horizontally disposed deck portion and at least one substantially vertically disposed side portion extending therefrom. The deck portion and side portion have respective end edges, and the side portion has bottom edges. The side portion and the deck portion define a longitudinal channel which is open at least at an end of the module. The side portion has at least one opening therein and defines a lateral channel in the module. The longitudinal and lateral channels are in fluid communication with one another. Each channel has about the same cross section and extends upwardly from the bottom edges to allow relatively unconstrained flow in the longitudinal and lateral directions.

Abstract: A device and method for catching a person who is participating in a trust fall exercise in a ropes course. The device is constructed of a sheet of strong, flexible material that is provided with straps of reinforcing material, that extend under the sheet from side to side and from top to bottom. Each end of the straps is formed into a loop. The loops at the sides and the top of the sheet serves as handles by which team members grasp the device when catching a person on the device, and loops at the bottom of the sheet are to secure the device to a platform on which the person who is to be caught stands prior to falling backward off of the platform and onto the device.

Abstract: Installation of support piers for a structure comprises the steps of positioning a hollow tube in a soil matrix followed by removal of soil from the hollow core, filling the core with an aggregate, subsequent raising and lowering of the hollow tube, compacting the aggregate by means of a mechanical device affixed to the bottom of the hollow tube to and also applying lateral forces to the aggregate against the walls of the cavity formed in the soil matrix, thereby pushing a portion of the aggregate laterally into the soil matrix.

Abstract: A method is provided for centering and guiding a large diameter soil processing tool. A sacrificial guide is formed by using a small diameter soil processing tool to form a soil-cement column having a relatively hard outer section and a relatively soft center section. The relatively hard outer section is utilized to guide the large diameter soil processing tool. In one embodiment, the soft central region of the sacrificial guide is left in place and the pilot of the large tool carries an auger that simply drills through the central portion of the sacrificial guide. In a second embodiment, the sacrificial guide is hollow and the large tool need not have an auger at the tip of its pilot. The large tool advances downwardly through the sacrificial guide and, as it advances downwardly, the large tool breaks up the sacrificial guide and the sacrificial guide particles ultimately form a portion of the soil-cement column formed by the large soil processing tool.

Abstract: A pipework containment system comprising: (i) an outer containment pipe extending between a chamber and a sump; (ii) a fluid-tight seal between the outer containment pipe and the chamber; (iii) a fluid-tight seal between the outer containment pipe and the sump; (iv) a plurality of flexible supply pipes extending between said chamber and said sump; characterized in that the plurality of supply pipes are contained within one and the same outer containment pipe, the arrangement of supply pipes within the outer pipe and the flexibility of the supply pipes being such that each individual supply pipe may be withdrawn from the system and/or replaced after construction of the pipework containment system is complete.

Abstract: An apparatus for reciprocating an infant support comprises a frame and a receiving member supported above the frame for substantially vertical reciprocating movement. The receiving member is configured to receive the infant support and, in one embodiment, is coupled to the frame by a reciprocating assembly configured to constrain the motion of the receiving member in a substantially vertical direction. A motive device coupled to the receiving member reciprocates the receiving member relative to the frame. The apparatus may also include a counterbalance mechanism configured to offset the load of the infant and the infant support on the motive device.

Abstract: Roof bolt bearing plate and method are disclosed for use in underground mining operations. A dome-shaped roof bolt bearing plate and method support the roof in a mine. The bearing plate is round or elliptical different from conventional commercial roof support devices. No dangerous edges and corners protrude downward. A recessed center is lower than the outer rim. A thin outer rim conforms to roof irregularities. The roof bolt bearing plate and method have been found to provide important advantages over conventional commercial roof support devices, including (1) concealing the head of the roof bolt to a preferred degree, (2) conforming to the roof's irregularities which will cause causing the plate to remain tight, (3) provide readability so the installer can to determine the quality and integrity of installation and anchorage, and (4) compressing the lower strata of the mine roof, thereby and creating a beam like support for the upper layers of the mine roof.

Abstract: A method for the trenchless installation of new underground pipe accurately on line and on grade by microtunneling to install a pilot tube, installing a drill string along the pilot pipe line using a directional drilling machine, installing a back reamer to the drill string and using a directional drilling machine to pull back the reamer and install a product pipe behind the reamer. A pilot tube is installed on line and on grade by utilizing the guidance system of a microtunneling apparatus to install a pilot tubes between jacking and target shafts. A drill string is installed to displace the pilot tubes and a back reamer is attached to the drill string with a product pipe attached to the reamer. The reamer may be pulled using any suitable pulling device such as a directional drilling machine.