Abstract: In one aspect, a method is provided or braking a work vehicle including an engine and a hydrostatic drive system including a hydraulic pump configured to be rotationally driven by the engine and a hydraulic motor fluidly coupled with the hydraulic pump through a closed hydraulic loop of the hydrostatic drive system. The hydraulic pump may be configured to fluidly drive the hydraulic motor. The method may include receiving an operator request to reduce a ground speed of the work vehicle. The method may include monitoring a fluid temperature of a hydraulic fluid associated with the closed hydraulic loop and automatically controlling at least one of a pump displacement of the hydraulic pump or a motor displacement of the hydraulic motor based on the operator request and the monitored fluid temperature to adjust hydrostatic braking of the work vehicle and thereby reduce the ground speed of the work vehicle.

Abstract: A housing has at least one port for allowing entry of subterranean water into an interior of the housing when the housing is buried in soil. The housing has an inlet fitting configured to be coupled to drip tubing and an outlet for discharging water conveyed from a pressurized water source conveyed through the tubing. A valve includes a valve member that is movable to open and close a fluid communication path between the inlet fitting and the outlet. A hygroscopic member is positioned in the interior of the housing and is capable of absorbing subterranean water and expanding to move the valve member to close the fluid communication path. A spring element is positioned to bias the valve member to open the fluid communication path.

Abstract: An ice breaking machine has a frame adapted to be mounted on a vehicle, and two subframes rotatably connected thereunder. The subframes in turn carry axles on which are mounted a plurality of wheel assemblies each composed of a wheel with six point mounts carrying six standard heavy equipment teeth. The wheels are keyed to the axle, with a mathematical relationship between the angles of the keyways of adjoining wheels so that the teeth of each wheel are slightly out of line with the teeth of the wheels on either side.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes a toner cartridge, a toner-amount detector configured to detect a toner amount in the toner cartridge, a display unit, and an analyzer. The analyzer is configured to make the display unit display a used condition of the image formation apparatus when the image formation apparatus is in a small-amount mode where the toner amount is smaller than a threshold.

Abstract: An ice breaking machine has a frame adapted to be mounted on a vehicle, and two subframes rotatably connected thereunder. The subframes in turn carry axles on which are mounted a plurality of wheel assemblies each composed of a wheel with six point mounts carrying six standard heavy equipment teeth. The wheels are keyed to the axle, with a mathematical relationship between the angles of the keyways of adjoining wheels so that the teeth of each wheel are slightly out of line with the teeth of the wheels on either side.

Abstract: A system for modifying a boundary of operation of a machine has a change in terrain sensor system. A controller determines a change in terrain based at least in part upon a change in terrain signal. If the change in terrain exceeds a threshold, the controller modifies the boundary of operation of the machine. A method is also provided.

Abstract: A groove is formed in a body of ice using a milling cutter to form lines of weakness for breaking up the body of ice. The shaft of the milling cutter is arranged to be supported in an upright orientation such that the shaft extends through a surface of the body of ice into the body of ice. Rotating the shaft as the milling cutter is displaced along the surface forms a groove which can follow a variable path to follow natural obstacles when cutting across a body of ice on a natural body of water for example. The ice milling cutter is compact and therefore safer to use on sheets of ice as compared to heavy equipment conventionally used for breaking up ice.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for resurfacing an ice surface. The apparatus includes a chassis and a reservoir for holding water to be dispensed via a dispensing tube in fluid communication with the reservoir. A scraper assembly attached to the chassis includes a scraper blade adapted to engage the ice surface. A first thrower is rotatably mounted to the chassis adjacent to the scraper blade and a second thrower is rotatably mounted to the chassis adjacent to the first thrower. A snow storage compartment has an opening adjacent the second rotating thrower. The first rotating thrower is adapted to deliver ice or snow accumulated by the blade to the second rotating thrower. The second rotating thrower then delivers the ice or snow to the snow storage compartment. A motor is coupled to the chassis and a drive linkage is coupled to the motor for rotatably driving the first and second throwers.

Abstract: An ice-removing device for removing ice from a ground surface. The ice-removing device comprises a frame and an ice cutting mechanism. The ice cutting mechanism is attached to the frame and is adapted to spin on a first axis oriented transversally to the frame. The ice cutting mechanism is operative to cut a plurality of parallel strips in the ice. Optionally, the ice-removing device further comprises at least one ice crushing mechanism, which is also attached to the frame, behind the ice crushing mechanism. The ice crushing mechanism is adapted to spin on a second axis that is non-parallel to the first axis. Both the ice cutting mechanism and the ice crushing mechanism are operationally positioned to contact the ice. In another embodiment the ice-removing device is adapted to be mounted to a mobile support.

Abstract: A processing tool for a road surface processing machine, having a tool head coupled with a support element, wherein the support element can be exchangeably fastened on a tool holder. For increasing the non-skid properties of the road surface, the tool head is coupled by a suspension with the support element, by which the tool head can be adjusted relative to the support element.

Abstract: A water and energy recovery process for an ice rink is disclosed. The process includes softening and carbon filtering water for use as flood water on an ice rink. The water is then demineralized by reverse osmosis to produce flood water having a specific conductance of about 2 to 30 micromhos/cm. The demineralized water is heated to 90.degree. F. and utilized in a resurfacer to flood the surface of the ice rink. The ice shavings removed from the surface of the ice by the resurface are deposited into a holding means and melted by utilizing recovered heat from the ice rink's refrigeration unit. The melted water from the holding means is used as a coolant in the ice rink's refrigeration unit. The steps of the process are then repeated, utilizing the warmed water from the refrigeration unit.

Abstract: A layer of material such as pavement or sheet ice coating the surface of a roadway is efficiently removed using apparatus that includes a longitudinal tube in a breaker assembly which is rotatably carried by a control frame beam that depends from an articulate hydraulic lift and tilt mechanism of a road grader. Coaxially attached to the tube and uniformly distributed along its length, a number of retainer rings each carry several radially extended teeth that function to fragment the layer. Each tooth includes a tip portion with a free end that penetrates and punctures the layer and a trailing divergent portion which enters the puncture and translates a linear force applied thereto into a radial outward force that fractures and fragments the side walls of each puncture when the breaker assembly is lowered onto the layer and a downward force is applied to each tooth as the breaker assembly rolls over the layer surface.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for clearing material from one location to a pile at another wherein a trolley member with a winch is suspended below and supported by a track which in turn is supported on a moving platform such as a drilling platform or a barge. The winch member by means of the usual lifting cable is connected to a material confining member which also is connected to a drag line cable. Movement of the trolley member over the tracks by means of the drag line will cause the material confining member to collect the material. A subsequent lifting of the lift cable as well as operation of the drag line will allow the material to be elevated and placed on a rubble pile at the side of a channel. In a preferred manner, the apparatus and method of this invention is especially suited for use in clearing ice from a channel which is previously cut by ice cutters also associated with the moving platform which carries the clearing apparatus.

Abstract: An auger (16) and a pump unit (18) are mounted on opposite sides of a tower (42). Each is moved up and down the tower by a separate chain and sprocket drive (134, 146, 158, and 136, 148, 160). The assembly (16, 18, 42) is laterally shiftable in position, so that the auger (16) can be used to drill a hole in an ice formation (14). Then, the auger (16) can be withdrawn from the hole (372), and the assembly (16, 18, 42) can be shifted sideways, and then the pump (18) can be lowered into the hole (372). The pump (18) is a helical screw pump (176, 184) combined with a vortex pump (338, 202). A helical screw pump element (184) lifts water up into the vortex pump housing essentially directly to the vortex pump impeller (338). Such impeller (338) discharges the water laterally outwardly through a nozzle (202).

Abstract: Disclosed is a trenching machine comprising a vehicle of a tractor type, a drive mechanism, a spoil discharge conveyor assembly, and a digging apparatus including a boom connected with its one end to the vehicle, a power means for raising and lowering the boom, a guide means mounted on the boom, a carrying means moving along the guide means, teeth mounted on the carrying means along alternate first cutting lines and second cutting lines in the direction of movement of the carrying means, the number of the teeth mounted along the first cutting lines being greater than that of the teeth mounted along the first cutting lines across the width of the carrying means being greater than the width of the teeth mounted along the secod cutting lines.

Abstract: In an ice disaggregating system employing one or more rotating drums with peripherally positioned ice engaging teeth, the improvement in which the teeth are multiple-tined. In one configuration, each tooth has two equal length, pointed tines. In a preferred configuration, a long pointed central tine is flanked by a pair of shorter pointed tines.

Abstract: A roller cutter especially adapted to fracture permafrost material includes a plurality of cutter teeth integrally formed with, and extending radially outwardly from the outer surface of a rotor. The rotor is antifrictionally supported on a stator to enable it to rotate about it along its longitudinal axis. The cutter teeth are arranged about the circumference of the rotor in a plurality of rings, with the rings uniformly spaced along the length of the rotor. The rings of teeth are progressively rotated relative to each other so that corresponding teeth of adjacent rows are staggered with respect to each other. However, the teeth of the rows at each end of the rotor are aligned along the rotor length.

Abstract: A device intended to be mounted on a vehicle and used for breaking up ice and compacted snow on road surfaces or similar surfaces. A number of breaker disks are mounted side by side on a common shaft which is supported cross-wise on the vehicle. The disks are rotatable and roll in the direction of travel of the vehicle. The shaft is movable up and down and can also tilt from side to side to some extent. Yielding down pressure is applied to the shaft by a hydraulic cylinder. In one form of the device, stationary clean out fingers are mounted between the disks. The disks are spaced apart by gaps of from one to four times the thickness of the disks.

Abstract: A universal digging boom assembly is disclosed for attaching either a conventional type digging chain or a rock type digging chain for trenching operations. The boom assembly includes a box-like core section having upper and lower stiffening strips wherein each stiffening strip includes a plurality of embossments along its longitudinal extent. These embossments form mounting portions between the stiffening strips and the core section so that sprocket assemblies or channels may be attached to the boom assembly depending on the type digging chain being used. The digging boom also includes an attachment portion which permits the boom to be mounted on the trencher for both center and offset trenching operations. Other features include the sprocket assemblies and a rock chain channel which provide additional ease in the utilization of the various types of digging chains on the boom assembly.

Abstract: A machine that mechanically removes ice from surfaces such as driveways, sidewalks and parking lots. The machine includes multiple horizontal rotary discs with depending chippers which strike the ice and pulverize it. The machine is propelled on wheels which maintain a gap between the chippers and the surface being cleaned. The rotary discs are often driven by a motor through a series of pulleys.

Abstract: An ice disaggregation system comprising a multiplicity of aligned and successively longer sledging teeth outwardly extending from a rotatable drum. The drum rotation allows the successively longer teeth to sequentially cut and chip deepening grooves in various forms of particulate matter such as ice or coal engaged by the system. A second form of slugging tooth, outwardly extending from the drum, is provided in generally central alignment between paired rows of sledging teeth. The slugging tooth is positioned to subsequently engage the isolated, ridged sections of ice between successive grooves therein, and for striking said ridges with sufficient force to impart shear fracture thereto. The drum is provided with a plurality of sledging and slugging teeth in staggered groups comprising a spiral configuration along the drum.

Abstract: Each bucket includes a ground engaging leading portion characterized by roller cutter means alternating with scoop teeth transversely across the bucket. The scoop teeth on alternate buckets follow the path of roller cutter means on intermediate buckets. The scoop teeth on intermediate buckets follow the path of roller cutter means on alternate buckets.

Abstract: An ice chipper comprising a pair of cylindrical drums each mounted for counter-rotation about parallel, generally vertical axes. Each drum includes an outwardly rounded, disk shaped bottom surface and an auger flight spiraled helically about the outer cylindrical surface thereof. The auger flights each include a plurality of spaced, outwardly extending teeth to chip the ice abutting the front of the system. The chipper is mounted to the front of a tractor and each drum includes a hydraulic motor which is operated by a hydraulic pump also carried by the tractor. Rotation of the drums causes the auger teeth to chip the ice and tends to pull the drums forwardly while the auger flights carry the ice particles up and out away from the cleared area. Tilting the system forwardly and rearwardly upon the rounded drum bottom surfaces varies the depth of cutting in the vertical direction.