Abstract: A vehicle for producing trenches in the ground is provided. The vehicle generally includes a chassis having a motor unit, a controllable digging device mounted on the chassis to dig a trench, and a controllable suctioning and collecting device configured to suction and collect rubble produced during the digging of the trench. The vehicle may include a driver station for the movement on the ground of the vehicle during a transfer phase, and a portable and remote control unit configured to enable an operator to remotely control the digging device, the suctioning and collecting device, and the advancing of the vehicle during digging in the course of a working phase.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for placement of a subterranean curtain below the face of the earth.

Abstract: A vehicle having a long track or wheel-trail wheel combination on one side and a smaller ground engaging member, such as a short track or wheel on the other. The vehicle has a work attachment on one end of its frame, which is provided clearance on the side of the vehicle with the short track or wheel. A control system is provided to allow an operator to properly control a direction of the vehicle despite the fact that different forces may be required to operate the long track and the short track or wheel.

Abstract: Apparatuses, systems and methods are provided for cutting a trench in soil or earth by driving a cutter tube member through the soil or earth, injecting compressed fluid into the tube member to break up the soil and drive it through the tube member along the flow of compressed fluid, imparting dynamic vibrational forces to the tube member to assist the flow of soil therethrough, ejecting the soil from the tube member, guiding and releasing media and/or filler material into the trench, and backfilling the trench with the ejected soil.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an automatic inspection apparatus for generator turbines and a system using the same. The automatic inspection apparatus adjusts the height of an arm via a lifter, adjusts a rotating angle relative to an inspection object via a rotator, and adjusts forward or backward movement of a probe relative to the inspection object via an expansion/contraction unit while moving the arm having the probe on a rail in accordance with positions of a turbine to be inspected. Furthermore, a compression unit may be used to control contact pressure of the probe to the inspection object at a desired level to allow the probe to closely contact the inspection object, thereby preventing disturbance due to vibration of the probe. In addition, the automatic inspection apparatus has a simple and lightweight configuration so as to be easily installed or removed in a work site.

Abstract: A dual mode user terminal for a calling party can make calls over both a conventional cellular network and a packet data network using VoIP protocols. If the called party is not available to receive a VoIP call over the packet data network, the user terminal for the calling party can request a third party user terminal available on the packet data network to relay the call between the calling party and the called party.

Abstract: Trenching chains and chain links are disclosed, the trenching chains including a plurality of chain link bodies joined at the ends thereof and a plurality of carriages each having one end pivotably attached at an end of a link body and an opposite end unengaged and freely pivotable. Cutting or trench sweeping implements are maintainable on the carriages. The carriages can thus be configured with lengths greater than the lengths of the link bodies.

Abstract: An operator propelled and/or guided portable trencher is disclosed having a wheeled carriage with an operator manipulable handle bar mounted thereat. The carriage includes a wheel mounting base assembly and a drive frame assembly pivotably connected to each other. A trenching chain assembly is mounted to the drive frame assembly and has a chain maintained at a multi-sprocket chain guide. One sprocket of the chain guide is movably mounted and biased to tension the chain while allowing sprocket movement to partially relieve chain tension during chain use in case of debris entrainment at the chain. An operator manipulable support is connected with the mounting base assembly and is engageable at structure at the drive frame assembly providing operator selection of pivotable location of the drive frame assembly relative to the wheel mounting base assembly during trencher storage and use.

Abstract: A walk-behind trenching vehicle incorporating a trenching boom with an endless trenching chain. The trenching boom may be connected to a forward end of the vehicle via a dual pivot mechanism. The boom may be movable between an operating position and a transport position via a single actuator, e.g., hydraulic cylinder.

Abstract: The present invention provides a data device to speech service bridge. The bridge allows packet-based devices, such as, for example, the PDA and 2.5/3G cellular phone, to access voice services.

Abstract: A combination machine for trenching, for forming the edge of a bed, and for laying and burying tubing, cable, piping, and the like. The machine includes steerable caster wheels mounted on the rear of the machine which, together with a single front wheel, allow for a tight turning radius when using the machine. The machine also includes a blade height adjustment which allows for the trenching or edging blade depth to be readily adjusted in a substantially infinite variation. Other aspects of the present invention include an edging machine and a trenching machine, both being of a compact design. Both include an extendable handle which, in a preferred embodiment retracts or folds to allow for the volume of space occupied by the machines to be minimized, preferably, to the extent that either of such machines can typically be carried in a trunk of a standard automobile.

Abstract: Trenching apparatus comprises a cutting device, preferably an endless chain cutter, mounted on a prime mover for positioning the cutting device in a trench with the prime mover movable on the ground surface above the level of the trench. Where the cutting device is a chain cutter, the boom projects forwardly and downwardly relative to the direction of cutting the trench, and drive unit arranged to drive the chain in a direction to carry the cutting elements upwardly around the distal end of the boom and rearwardly along the upper run of the endless chain cutter. In operation the distal end of the chain cutter is positioned against the end face of the trench at the bottom of the trench; the prime mover moves the chain cutter forwardly in the trench while operating the chain cutter, so as to produce an undercut in the end face of the trench; and the lifting device lifts the cutting device upwardly from the undercut through the material of the end face so as to cut material from the end face of the trench.

Abstract: A combination machine for trenching, for forming the edge of a bed, and for laying and burying tubing, cable, piping, and the like. The machine includes steerable caster wheels mounted on the rear of the machine which, together with a single front wheel, allow for a tight turning radius when using the machine. The machine also includes a blade height adjustment which allows for the trenching or edging blade depth to be readily adjusted in a substantially infinite variation. Other aspects of the present invention include an edging machine and a trenching machine, both being of a compact design. Both include an extendable handle which, in a preferred embodiment retracts or folds to allow for the volume of space occupied by the machines to be minimized, preferably, to the extent that either of such machines can typically be carried in a trunk of a standard automobile.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for treating base materials, such as ore of a leach pad in a precious metal mining operation. A tilling head of the apparatus includes a cutter having a cutting face for engaging and loosening compacted base materials. The tilling head is extended into the base material down to a tilling depth so that the cutter moves loosened base material up and over the top of the tiller apparatus before depositing it in a pile opposite the cutting face. The loosened base material is deposited a distance from the tilling head that is sufficient to create a void between the tilling head and the pile that extends down to the tilling depth to prevent the loosened base material from being disturbed by the tilling head. The tilling head can be positioned so that the cutting face undercuts the base material to thereby assist the cutter in moving the loosened base material and increase the distance between the tilling head and the pile.

Abstract: The vehicle comprises, on its chassis (2), a device (3) for digging a trench using a trenching wheel (4) and a device (5) for sucking and collecting the spoil produced while the trench is being dug, and the trenching wheel (4) of the trench-digging device is mounted so that it can pivot about an axis orthogonal to the said chassis so as to occupy a working position projecting from said chassis and a transport position brought up onto said chassis.

Abstract: A trench rig (1) for excavating continuous monolithic brattices or bases, presenting a self-propelled crawler truck (2), a chain-driven excavating tool (6) provided with a central column (9) which extends along a working axis (A), and a control unit (8) for the column (9) presenting a fixed gripper (15) in relation to the truck (2) and a mobile gripper (16) in relation to the fixed gripper (15) itself; the two grippers (15, 16) are slidingly coupled to the column (9), and can be selectively engaged to the column (9) itself in order to move the tool (6) along the working axis (A), and are connected to each other by a linear step actuator (17).

Abstract: A trenching machine having independently driven wheels. Trenching machine comprises digging chain that moves between a raised position and a lowered position, a housing that is carried by a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear casters, a motor that independently drives front wheels to propel housing, and a guide wheel that aligns trenching machine with trench upon a second pass. Trenching machine also has a front plow and a rear plow that collect and deposit the dirt surrounding the trench into the trench. A method of gardening/landscaping wherein a trench is dug by a first pass, soil amendments are added to the trench, and then on the second pass, the excavated dirt is plowed back into the trench and then mixed with the amendments. A method of gardening/landscaping wherein vegetation cover between trenched rows is maintained thus utilizing only the ground area that is needed for planting.

Abstract: An apparatus for digging a trench including (a) a substantial vertical guide means (2); (b) mounting means (4) connected to the guide means (2) and movable substantially parallel to the guide means (2); (c) first drive means to move the mounting means (4) relative to the guide means (2); (d) a chain digger attachment (1) including an elongated frame (5) and a continuous digging chain (6) substantially surrounding the periphery of the frame (5), the attachment (1) being pivotally connected at or adjacent one of its ends to the mounting means (4); (e) second drive means (15) to rotate the continuous digging chain (6) about the frame (5); and (f) third drive means (24) to pivot the attachment (1) about the mounting means (4).

Abstract: A method of operation to effectively excavate an underdrain in the field ground having a long service life and ensuring that the underdrain will not be closed after a long period of time and a device for such operation. The method includes attaching a plurality of buckets to an endless chain, driving the endless chain to excavate a slit in the field ground, reforming inner side walls of the slit by a reformer, pressing soil from both sides of the slit later ally inwardly by a pressing member attached to the reformer to form a block to separate the slit into an upper space and a Iover space, and charging the upper space with discarded dirt.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for relocating sedimentary materials particularly from the bottom of water channels. The invention utilizes a water jet fluidizer to displace sedimentary materials and to suspend them in a water flow. The water flow containing the suspended, dispersed sedimentary material is contained within a shaped duct means and re-directed as a uni-directional flow, so that re-deposition of the displaced sediments is controlled. The apparatus includes a manifold having parallel water jets spaced apart in a transverse direction along it; a parallelogram linkage for controlling the position of the manifold; a hose for supplying water under pressure to the manifold; and a duct means arranged opposite the manifold for directing the flow of dislodged sedimentary material in suspension. The apparatus preferably is supported on wheels and is controlled by the linkage from a boat. In shallow water, the device may be supported on a hand controlled trolley.

Abstract: A ground supported excavating machine of the type having a main frame and a prime mover for propelling the machine along the ground, and a boom supported from the frame that has an endless chain type digging member rotated by sprockets on a head shaft that is mounted at one end of the boom, and on a tail wheel shaft mounted at the opposed end thereof, to provide a lower run that engages the lower surface of the boom. The interior of the boom is made into a liquid container that communicates with the bottom surface of the boom, which is filled with sufficient liquid to transfer heat from the relatively hot boom lower surface to a relatively cold boom surface.

Abstract: In a machine for digging a trench, in which the digging apparatus comprises an elongated boom having a movable chain around its periphery and which is lowered into the ground, the problem of dislodged boulders which heretofore would be excavated into the machine where they often damaged the conveyor belt system or became stuck, is prevented by an elongate bar or drum which is attached to the frame of the machine in close proximity to the operating chain and immediately before the boulder would otherwise enter the machine. The boulder is held there until it either breaks apart or its abraded by further action of the chain to a sufficiently small size that it can safely navigate through the machine and be expelled in the normal course.

Abstract: A trenching bridge mounting interface for a trenching machine that is adjustable to alter the effective length of a fixed length bridge so as to accommodate trenching bars of different lengths. The interface includes a prime mover mounting structure that is releasably secured to the prime mover of the trenching machine and a bridge mounting structure attached to the fixed length bridge. The effective length of the bridge is adjusted between a short length and a long length by reversing of the prime mover mounting structure.

Abstract: A rotary rockwheel assembly (1) is provided for cutting a narrow trench in the ground when driven along the ground by a vehicle. The assembly (1) comprising a support frame (14), ground-engaging skids (17) on the support frame (14) permitting the support frame to be moved in the direction in which the trench is to be cut, and a rotary cutting wheel (2) carried by the support frame (14). A hydraulic drive motor (8) rotates the cutting wheel (2) about a substantially horizontal axis, and pivot rams (18) serve to lower the cutting wheel (2) relative to the support frame (14) from a raised position in which substantially the whole of the cutting wheel (2) is above the surface (5) of the ground to a lowered position in which a substantial part of the cutting wheel (2) is sunk into the ground in a trench (33) cut by the cutting wheel (2). Such an assembly is capable of cutting a trench in a particularly efficient manner.

Abstract: Propulsion apparatus is disclosed for urging a trenching arm forward against the advancing face of an elongate trench being dug by the trenching arm. The propulsion apparatus includes a propulsion member which is engageable with the base wall of the trench such that the trenching arm may be urged forward relative to the engaged propulsion member. The propulsion member may then be withdrawn from engagement with the base wall and retracted towards the trenching arm before commencing a further propulsion cycle. The propulsion member is also operable to cooperate with the trenching arm in excavating a starting slot at the beginning of a new trench.

Abstract: An excavator for forming an underground continuous wall includes a traveling trolley movable on a ground and an upper frame constructed on the trolley. The excavator further includes a guide post vertically extending and vertically movably provided at one side of the upper frame on the trolley and variable in length by supplementary extension guide post members detachably connectable thereto through flanges. Chain sprockets rotatably provided on the guide post at its upper and lower ends and at one end rearward of the chain sprocket at the upper end of the guide post, respectively. An endless chain extends around the chain sprockets to be driven by rotation of at least one of the chain sprockets. A number of excavator buckets are provided on the endless chain therealong spaced at suitable intervals to form an endless chain bucket type cutter.

Abstract: A trenching apparatus comprises a boom assembly having a lower end mounted on a support base and an upper end connected to a boom mounting bracket which is joined by a coupler to a digger arm operative to form a trench alongside the support base following a trench line. Linear actuators are carried by the boom mounting bracket, the coupler and the digger arm to manipulate the digger arm about an X axis, a Y axis and a Z axis which are mutually perpendicular. Other linear actuators vertically raise and lower the boom assembly, and pivot it in an arc-shaped path relative to the support base, in the course of a trenching operation.

Abstract: A trencher for mounting on a conventional three point hitch of a tractor. The trencher is driven from the power takeoff of the tractor and uses the hydraulic system of the tractor to operate a hydraulic cylinder for raising and lowering the boom and digging chain of the trencher. A power transmission system is provided using interchangeable belts and pulleys for selectively changing drive ratios for driving the digging chain. The boom is telescoping and can be lengthened to achieve a deeper digging depth through turning of an adjustment rod. The boom is spring-loaded for absorbing shocks delivered by the chain to the boom.

Abstract: A boom assembly including a boom with laterally spaced side walls and adapted to have a digging chain and tooth assembly rotatable thereabout. A boom end idler assembly is arranged between the side walls at the free end of the boom for rotatably supporting the digging chain and tooth assembly. The boom end idler assembly includes a boom end idler rotationally supported by an anti-friction bearing. Axially aligned members pass through aligned apertures in the side walls of the boom and at least partially within the inner race of the bearing for defining the rotational axis of the boom end idler and for clamping the side walls of the boom to each other to minimize clearances between the boom and the boom end idler. Seals are provided to close the clearances proximate the bearing and inhibit foreign debris from contaminating the anti-friction bearing.

Abstract: A sidebar is provided for an offset sidebar trenching chain. The sidebar has an inner edge which slides along a boom of a trenching machine, when the trenching chain is in use. The sidebar is induction hardened through a portion thereof extending from the inner edge, for increased resistance to wear due to friction.

Abstract: A trenching apparatus (10) is for excavating deep trenches in which inground concrete retaining or foundation walls may be formed. The trenching apparatus (10) has a crawler base (11) on which a carrier assembly (14) is pivotally supported by pivots (16) whereby it may be tilted by rams (17) to maintain the platform horizontal. An automatic control device (64) is provided for this purpose. The carrier assembly (14) has a pair of rails (18/19) along which a carriage (21) may move. The carriage (21) supports a sleeve (24) through which a trenching arm (25) may be lowered to excavate a trench section as the carriage (21) is driven along the rails (18/19).