Abstract: A vehicle adapted for overland travel, having: a top (or optionally bottom) vehicle-bracing frame of four end-joined angular members, each being angular in cross section, having elongated sides at angles to each other; tubular members, each formed of end-joined cans (or optionally of pipes that preferably are of plastic) and having joints of additional thickness of the pipe or can material; exterior skin means, preferably of mesh, and stucco of portland cement, epoxy putty or other cement and light-weight aggregate on the mesh; interior skin means that optionally may be of stucco on mesh or panels of plywood or the like; and insulation adjacent to tubular members. This insulation preferably includes light-weight, economical insulating material inside the cans or pipes. Optional insulation may include in-situ-applied foam plastic or strips of foam rubber placed in V-shaped spaces between sidewalls of the tubular members.

Abstract: A life buoy or similar article of manufacture (for example, one capable of being used as a construction element), including a doughnut-shaped hollow element, which optionally may be of flexible plastic and contain pressurized gas (optionally helium); but preferably it is a gas-filled toroidal tube of blown glass or metal, permanently sealed, and flanked and protected against shock by foamed plastic (or similar porous material), coated with waterproofing rubber or paint. This hollow element may be cylindrical, spherical or polygonal, but preferably it is doughnut-shaped. The foamed plastic may be limited to the exterior of the hollow element or also may be on its interior. At its center the article may have a cylindrical or toroidal hole; or optionally the foamed plastic may continuously bridge over the hollow element at the center of the article. Such foamed plastic bridging over the article's center in the form of FIG.

Abstract: A construction member including a row of cans and a pair of channels of mesh or the like, housing and holding the cans together. Each of these channels includes an elongated middle piece of the mesh and an elongated lateral piece on each side of the middle piece, angularly and integrally joined to the middle piece. The pair of opposite lateral pieces on each side of the can row meet at middle portions of the cans, and one of this pair has elongated edge portions which overlap edge portions of the other lateral piece of the pair. Fastening means (screws or other rod-like elements and/or epoxy putty or the like) pass thru the lapped edge portions on each side of the can row, and when, as is preferable, screws are utilized these are screwed into material of at least the end cans of the can row, thus holding the mesh channels together and the cans within the channels. The cans preferably contain low-cost insulation.