Abstract: A method for forming and assembling an apparatus for testing the minimum pullout strength of a ground anchor for an oil well derrick or other towers (as an antenna or guy line) comprises (1) forming an open ended housing, (2) inserting an elongated means in the open end of the housing, (3) connecting a tension means to the elongated means, (4) circumscribing the elongated means with a compression spring for damping movement of the elongated means, and (5) connecting a restraining means or shear pin of a predetermined strength between the housing and the elongated means so that while applying an increasing load to the elongated means, if the anchor does not move prior to breaking of the shear pin, a safe, satisfactory, and reliable anchor is indicated.

Abstract: A method for testing the minimum pullout strength of a ground anchor for an oil well derrick or other towers (as an antenna, guy line, or the like) comprises (1) connecting a housing means to the ground anchor, (2) positioning an elongated means deep in the housing means, (3) inserting a shear pin of a predetermined shear strength through the housing means and the elongated means, and (4) connecting a load applying means to the elongated means for applying the predetermined shear force to the shear pin, so that while applying an increasing load to the elongated means if the anchor does not move prior to exceeding the predetermined tension as indicated by breaking of the shear pin, a safe, satisfactory, and reliable anchor is indicated.

Abstract: An apparatus for testing the minimum pullout strength of a ground anchor for an oil well derrick or other towers (as an antenna) guy line comprises an open ended cylinder connected to an anchor line, a piston positioned in the cylinder having a piston connecting rod extending out of the cylinder open end and connected to a winch, a compression spring around the connecting rod for damping outward movement of the piston from the cylinder, and a shear pin protruding through both the cylinder and the piston so that while applying an increasing load to the piston connecting rod, if the anchor does not move prior to breaking of the shear pin, a safe, satisfactory, and reliable anchor is indicated. A method for forming an anchor pullout test apparatus and a method for testing the pullout strength of an anchor are disclosed.

Abstract: Apparatus for skimming surface fluid off of a main fluid including a floating collection housing adapted to float in such main fluid and a rotating skimming wheel having an annular skimming chamber including a plurality of compartments, each compartment being opened by a gravity actuated valve for skimming surface fluid off of the main fluid when such compartment is rotated into the main fluid so that the surface fluid is skimmed from the main fluid into such compartment, the compartment being subsequently emptied into the floating collection housing after rotation out of the main fluid. The buoyancy of the apparatus is adjustable to control the position of the compartments during skimming operations with respect to the interface between the surface and main fluids.