Abstract: An apparatus including a main housing including a generally horizontal platform, a boom extending from the platform, a bucket suspended from the boom, and a mast extending from the platform. The apparatus further includes a boom support strand extending between and attached to the mast and the boom, and a boom support strand oscillation dampening mechanism. The boom support strand oscillation dampening mechanism comprises a left brace and a right brace spaced apart from the left brace, and a polyester rope extending between each of the braces and the boom. Each of the ropes is attached to the boom. A device attaches the rope to the brace, and a boom support strand clamp mechanism is connected to the brace and includes a first clamp block, a second clamp block, and a flexible enclosure placed between the first clamp block and the second clamp block.

Abstract: A fitting for a wire rope with a diameter, the fitting including a stiff support and being adapted to hold and to attach the wire rope to the stiff support, the fitting further comprising an elongated flexible enclosure adapted to surround the wire rope, the flexible enclosure having a length more than 2 times longer than the diameter.

Abstract: Apparatus comprising a lower support structure having an upper surface, a circular lower rail which is mounted on the upper surface of the lower support structure and which is centered on a generally vertical axis, an upper structure having a lower surface, a circular upper rail which is mounted on the lower surface of the upper structure and which is centered on the axis, a plurality of rollers which are located between the upper and lower rails and which support the upper structure for rotation relative to the lower structure about the axis, the rollers being rotatable about respective generally horizontal axes intersecting the vertical axis at a common point, one of the rails including an inwardly facing surface defining a portion of a sphere centered on the point, and each of the rollers including an outwardly facing surface which engages the inwardly facing surface and which defines a portion of a sphere centered on the point.

Abstract: A dragline comprising a main housing, a bucket hoist mechanism mounted on the housing, a bucket drag mechanism mounted on the main housing, a moving mechanism for moving the main housing over the ground, a boom having upper and lower ends and a rectangular cross-section, the lower end being connected to the main housing, the upper end having thereon a sheave, the boom having a longitudinal axis and including a center section having top and bottom members parallel to the longitudinal axis, the center section having a neutral axis above the longitudinal axis, structure supporting the boom relative to the main housing, a bucket, a hoist rope extending between the bucket and the bucket hoist mechanism and over the sheave for causing vertical movement of the bucket, and a drag rope extending between the bucket and the bucket drag mechanism for causing horizontal movement of the bucket.

Abstract: A dragline comprising a main housing, a bucket hoist mechanism mounted on the housing, a bucket drag mechanism mounted on the main housing, a walking mechanism for moving the main housing over the ground, the walking mechanism including a motor mounted on the main housing, a planetary transmission which is mounted on the main housing and which is driven by the motor, a transmission output shaft driven by the transmission, a walk leg housing connected to the output shaft via an output pinion, a driven gear, and a driven eccentric such that rotation of the output shaft causes walking movement of the walk leg housing, and a shoe fixed to the walk leg housing for engaging the ground during walking movement of the walk leg housing, a boom extending from the main housing, a bucket, a hoist rope extending between the bucket and the bucket hoist mechanism and over the sheave for causing vertical movement of the bucket, and a drag rope extending between the bucket and the bucket drag mechanism for causing horizontal m

Abstract: A take up adjuster for a swivel mounted on a structure for swiveling about a pin which utilizes a first pair of wedge plates having sloping surfaces therein for moving towards each other and a second pair of wedge plates having complimentary sloping surfaces thereon and slidably abutting the sloping surface of and contained by the first pair of wedge plates so that by moving the first wedge plates towards each other, the second wedge plates are raised upwardly to occupy any space that may exist between the swivel and the structure on which it is mounted.