Abstract: A profiled gasket for sealing tunnel segment joints, which is placed in a receiving groove between segments. The gasket is made of a body of rubber or an elastically deformable synthetic material having an external surface coating which improves the physical properties of the gasket. The coating can be a one-part, room temperature curing hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber base coating.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for restraining pipe against both internal and external forces at a pipe or fitting connection and to join and seal at least two pipes to form a pipeline is shown featuring an improved restraining and sealing mechanism. The restraining and sealing mechanism includes a circumferential housing and a companion sealing ring which are received within a mating groove provided in the belled end of a female pipe. The circumferential housing has an interior region which contains a gripping ring insert. The sealing ring and housing are integrally located within a belled pipe end during belling operations.

Abstract: A pipe sealing gasket is shown which is designed to be received within a groove provided within a belled, socket end of a plastic pipe. The groove in the plastic pipe is preformed during manufacture and the gasket is installed thereafter. The gasket nominal diameter exceeds the internal diameter of the belled pipe end. A special installation tool is used to pull the gasket from an initially deformed, elliptical shape to a normal cylindrical shape. The installation tool uses only one fluid cylinder for power and can be hand installed and operated.

Abstract: Elastomeric pads are shown for positioning on top of railroad ties. Pre-cast concrete panels that are commonly provided at railway grade crossings between and alongside the rails rest on the pads. The pads may be extruded from a variety of natural or synthetic elastomeric materials. The pads include a panel or body formed of the elastomeric material with an exterior surface. A synthetic, polymeric coating is applied to at least selected portions of the exterior surface of the elastomeric body. The coating provides improved properties which allow more standard elastomers to be utilized for the main body of the component. The coatings can also be applied to railroad tie boots to provide increased ozone resistance.

Abstract: A method is shown for corrosion protecting both ductile iron and steel components, such as components used in a pipeline which forms a part of a water or sewer line used in the waterworks industry as a part of a fluid conveyance system. A surface of the component is coated with a corrosion resistant coating which is an aqueous phenolic resin dispersion. The component is dipped in a bath of the corrosion resistant coating and then baked, dried and cooled. An electrostatic powder coating is applied over the base phenolic resin coating for added corrosion protection and durability.

Abstract: A method is shown for corrosion protecting a ductile iron pipe component which forms a part of a water or sewer line used in the waterworks industry as a part of a fluid conveyance system. A surface of the pipe component is coated with a corrosion resistant coating which is an aqueous phenolic resin dispersion. The pipe component is dipped in a bath of the corrosion resistant coating and then baked, dried and cooled. An electrostatic powder coating is applied over the base phenolic resin coating for added corrosion protection and durability.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for restraining pipe against internal forces at a pipe or fitting connection and to join and seal at least two pipes to form a pipeline is shown featuring an improved restraining/sealing mechanism. The restraining/sealing mechanism includes a relatively rigid gripper ring and a companion sealing ring which are received within one or more mating grooves provided in the belled end of a female pipe. The gripper ring and sealing ring can be combined or attached, or they can be separate members located in the same retaining groove or separate grooves in the female belled pipe end.

Abstract: A system is shown for locating hidden pipelines, particularly underground pipe used in a plastic pipeline such as for municipal water and sewer applications. An RFID tag is associated with the pipeline prior to installation of the pipeline into the ground. This can be done by associating the RFID tag with a sealing gasket which is subsequently installed at a sealing joint location of the pipeline. The tag can also be associated with the pipeline itself by installing the tag on a section of pipe. The location of the subsequently buried pipeline can be determined by interrogating the RFID tag with a suitable reader, the reader being located at an above ground location.

Abstract: An energy recovery system for a compression or injection molding operation is shown. A Stirling engine cycle is used to recover heat. The Stirling engine is driven by waste heat from the mold members or other associated parts of the injection or compression molding apparatus.

Abstract: A combination sealing and restraint system for an as-cast ductile iron fitting is shown for both sealing and preventing separation of an iron pipe fitting and a mating male pipe. The restraint system includes both a sealing ring and a combination gripping ring which are installed in a groove provided in a mouth region of the iron fitting. The gripping ring has teeth on an inner surface which are initially angled away from an outer surface of the male pipe. The teeth are forced into engagement with the exterior surface of the mating male pipe as the pipe joint at the fitting is assembled. The teeth are oriented to allow movement of the male pipe in a first direction relative to an end opening of the fitting during assembly, but to resist movement in a opposite direction after the fitting joint has been assembled. The sealing ring and gripping ring are installed in the annular groove of the as-cast iron fitting after the iron casting operation at the factory.

Abstract: A pipe sealing gasket is shown which is designed to be received within a groove provided within the belled, socket end of a plastic pipe. The sealing gasket has a body formed of resilient material and has a retainer ring embedded therein which circumscribes the gasket body. The groove in the plastic pipe is preformed during the manufacture of the plastic pipe and the gasket is installed thereafter. The gasket nominal diameter exceeds the internal diameter of the belled pipe end. The retainer ring is placed within the body of the sealing gasket at a precisely determined location which most effectively retains the ring in position while withstanding the forces of the assembly of the pipe joint.

Abstract: A pipe sealing gasket is shown which is designed to be received within a groove provided within the belled, socket end of a plastic pipe. The sealing gasket has a body formed of resilient material and has a retainer ring embedded therein which circumscribes the gasket body. The groove in the plastic pipe is preformed during the manufacture of the plastic pipe and the gasket is installed thereafter. The gasket nominal diameter exceeds the internal diameter of the belled pipe end. The retainer ring is placed within the body of the sealing gasket at a precisely determined location which most effectively retains the ring in position while withstanding the forces of the assembly of the pipe joint.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for restraining pipe against both internal and external forces at a pipe or fitting connection and to join and seal at least two pipes to form a pipeline is shown featuring an improved restraining and sealing mechanism. The restraining and sealing mechanism includes a circumferential housing and a companion sealing ring which are received within a mating groove provided in the belled end of a female pipe. The circumferential housing has an interior region which contains a gripping ring insert. The sealing ring and housing are integrally located within a belled pipe end during belling operations.

Abstract: A monitoring and location system for mobile objects is shown for monitoring the presence or absence of items of personal value packed by a traveler within a suitcase or other item of luggage which away from home on a trip. Each item of personal value is provided with an electronic signally device or chip, such as a separate RFID tag, which has a unique electronic indicia stored thereon for transmission by a radio frequency signal upon request from an RFID interrogation unit. The interrogation unit is mounted on the interior of the item of luggage and monitors the presence of each RFID tag as the item of personal value is placed within the item of luggage.

Abstract: A manhole assembly for a manhole having generally cylindrical sidewalls defined between an outside surface and an inside surface separated by a wall thickness and having a wall opening communicating the outside and inside sidewall surfaces of the manhole for insertion of a mating pipe. The wall opening defines a peripheral surface relatively perpendicular to the outside and inside sidewall surfaces which receives a ring shaped elastomeric gasket. The gasket has a retaining ring whose location is precisely determined to allow the gasket to be obliquely inserted within the wall opening of the manhole and to be subsequently snap-fitted into position on the peripheral surface, whereby the gasket is securely retained in a locked-in position with respect to the wall opening in the sidewall of the manhole.

Abstract: A pipe sealing gasket is shown which is designed to be received within a groove provided within a socket end of a thermoplastic pipe in a pipe sealing system. The sealing system includes a male, spigot pipe end which is joined to a mating female belled pipe end. The belled pipe end has an internal groove adjacent a mouth region thereof which is simultaneously formed under temperature and pressure as the mouth region is forced over a forming mandrel and about a sealing gasket located on the forming mandrel so that the sealing gasket is prelocated within the internal groove. The sealing gaskets of the invention have a sealing capability to seal volume ratio which is numerically related to the same sealing capability to seal volume ratio of prior art gasket designs by a multiplying factor of 2:1 or more.

Abstract: A pipe sealing gasket is shown which is designed to be received within a groove provided within a belled, socket end of a plastic pipe. The groove in the plastic pipe is preformed during manufacture and the gasket is installed thereafter. The gasket nominal diameter exceeds the internal diameter of the belled pipe end. A special installation tool is used to pull the gasket from an initially deformed, elliptical shape to a normal cylindrical shape. The installation tool uses only one fluid cylinder for power and can be hand installed and operated.

Abstract: A monitoring and location system for mobile objects is shown which includes a control center to monitor the movement of mobile objects to and from a prescribed local area and a prescribed wide area. Each mobile object is provided with a separate RFID tag which has a unique electronic indicia stored thereon for transmission by a radio frequency signal upon request from an RFID interrogation unit. The local areas includes egress zones and ingress zones, each zone having its own RFID interrogation unit for monitoring the ingress and egress, respectively, of its own group of RFID tags. When an RFID tag has egressed or ingressed one of the zones, the RFID transmits its unique electronic indicia to the RFID interrogation unit of one of the zones, and when the RFID interrogation unit has received the indicia, the RFID interrogation unit transmits a signal including such indicia to the control center.

Abstract: A restraining gasket for both sealing and preventing separation of a pipe joint used to join a bell end of a female ductile iron pipe to the male end of a mating ductile iron pipe. The self restraining gasket is formed from a compressible body of elastomeric material, the compressible body having a hardened metal ring located therein with gripping teeth for engaging an outer surface of the mating male pipe. The ring can be made up of a number of smaller wedge like segments, or can be a single ring with a slit at one point in the circumference thereof. The gripping teeth of the ring segment or segments are out of contact with and initially angled away from the outer surface of the male ductile iron pipe. The teeth are forced into engagement with the exterior surface of the male ductile iron pipe as the pipe joint is assembled.

Abstract: An asset tracking system is provided, having particular usefulness in connection with the marking and tracking of sealing gaskets of the type used in water and sewage systems and in fluid conveyance systems generally. Interrogation of RFID tags located on the sealing gaskets insures that the gaskets are properly tracked, identified and sorted.