Abstract: Apparatus for separating waste liquid and solid material comprises an upwardly inclined passage containing an auger for conveying the solid waste material upwardly along the passage, with an inlet opening at a lower end of the passage for receiving a mixture of waste liquid and solid material into the auger, a drainage opening at the lower end of the cylindrical passage for draining liquid from the solid waste conveyed by the auger, and a compactor for receiving the solid material fed upwardly by the auger and compacting the solid waste material. An extruder receives and extrudes the compacted solid waste material from the compactor, and may be arranged to convert the compacted material into pellets.

Abstract: An amphibious vehicle has a watertight vehicle body and at least two elongate buoyancy tanks, with a mechanism for displacing the buoyancy tanks between operative positions, in which the buoyancy tanks extend parallel to opposite sides of the vehicle body, and inoperative positions, in which the buoyancy tanks extend parallel to one another along the top of the roof of the vehicle body. A pair of propulsion units can be lowered from the vehicle body for supporting the vehicle during travel into a body of water and for propelling the vehicle through the water. Each propulsion unit comprises an elongate body, propellers in a duct extending longitudinally through the body and side openings from the duct to permit steering by rotation of the propellers.

Abstract: A heating system comprises an oven located above a solid fuel stove, a chimney for receiving combustion gases from the solid fuel stove, and a heat exchanger in the chimney for transferring heat from the combustion gases to a flow of water. A heat exchange passage adjacent a water tank receives combustion gases from the stove and transfers heat from the combustion gases to water in the water tank. A damper is adjustable for controlling the flow of the combustion gases to the chimney and to the heat exchange passage.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating solids and liquids has an initial separator for removing coarse solid material from a mixture of solids and liquids, a first screen for separating further solid material from the liquid and a first auger extending axially through the first cylindrical screen for removing the separated further solid material from the first cylindrical screen. A second screen receives the liquid from the first screen and separates fine particles from the liquid, and a compactor between the first and second screens compacts the solid material removed from the first screen by the first auger. A second auger is provided in the second screen for mixing and removing the compacted solid material and the separated fine particles.

Abstract: Apparatus for composting biological waste material, comprising a screen for separating the waste material into solids and liquids, a sludge outlet for adding sludge to the solids to form a mixture therewith and a compacting section for compacting the mixture. Further sludge is mixed with the compacted mixture to form a further mixture therewith, which is composted in a composter. The liquid separated from the biological waste is screened to remove fine solids and the fine solids are added to the first-mentioned mixture prior to the compacting thereof, the liquid being added to the further mixture in the composting section.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating liquids and solids, comprising, separator screen means for receiving and separating the solids and liquids, conveyor means for feeding the separated solids upwardly from the separator screen means, and compactor means for compacting the solids, the conveyor means comprising a first conveyor extending at a first upward inclination through the separator screen means and a second conveyor extending further upwardly and at a greater inclination than the first conveyor means.