Abstract: A system for discharging coal frozen in railroad gondola cars includes provision for passing current through the shell of a gondola to melt the icy interface between coal and gondola, and for dropping the frozen coal out of the gondola by inverting the gondola; an embodiment includes shaking the gondola while inverted, after which the coal may be mechanically broken; special articulated electrodes or high current bus bars with electromagnets for self-holding of the bus bars to the sides of a gondola are disclosed.

Abstract: A log splitter having a wedge and a vehicle powered screw and nut mechanism for forcing logs against the wedge. A wheel of a powering autmotive vehicle is run up an incline and down into a "socket" formed by two parallel rollers to be turned by it; each roller is an integral coaxial part of a respective screw shaft extending laterally past a fixed inward facing wedge; a member spanning the screws comprises a nut threadedly engaging each screw with the span between the threaded portions reinforced for thrusting logs against the wedge. Safety anti-overrun features include relieved portions at each end of the screw threads and an automatically unlocking pawl used in removing the vehicle from driving engagement; an automatic rewind feature is included in an embodiment.