Abstract: A construction machine with a cutter is provided to simultaneously cut a slot in an ice sheet, to excavate a trench in the underlying seabed, and to bottom-tow a pipeline in the trench formed by the cutter.

Abstract: A tile layer can be opened to expose its interior for tile loading and unloading. The layer is functional to handle both arched and round tile, and is used in conjunction with a trenching apparatus.

Abstract: A machine for installing drip irrigation conduit consisting of a horizontally extended hose and upright risers spaced along the hose, the machine being adapted to move along a predetermined track of conduit installation; the machine having a pair of coulters and a moldboard disposed to generate a furrow having a vertical wall and an opposite wall at an acute angle to the vertical; a reel for transporting preprepared conduit which is drawn from the reel by previously buried conduit as the machine moves along the track; a pair of downwardly convergent, planar guards extended along the furrow and individually upwardly along respective walls; a wheel disposed between the guards for rotation in a plane parallel to such opposite wall, the wheel having fingers spaced about it circumferentially and extended toward the guard along the vertical wall; elements for guiding the hose from the reel for engagement by the fingers at the lower sector of the wheel to lay the conduit in the bottom of the furrow; elements for gui

Abstract: Method of laying pipelines on land, in which straight pipe pieces are aligned to each other above the trench route and are welded together, and the thus formed pipeline in welded condition is bent to an extent and in a direction defined by the trench route and subsequently is lowered down in a trench.

Abstract: Apparatus for simultaneously burying multiple strands of conduit in a plowed field. The plowed field includes spaced, elongate, generally parallel upstanding beds. A furrow lies in between each adjacent pair of beds. The apparatus buries conduit in the beds.

Abstract: An end cap particularly adapted for capping an arch conduit is provided. The end cap is comprised of an arch body including opposed arcuate side walls integrally joined together at an apex area. Opposed arcuate end walls are integrally joined at the terminal ends of the side walls and the apex area. A plurality of protruding ribs are disposed circumferentially of the end cap and are interrupted at the apex area to provide a relatively smooth, non-ribbed area. The ribs taper towards the apex area and towards rounded base areas of the side walls.

Abstract: This invention contemplates method and apparatus for laying rodent-protected cable from a moving vehicle, using unprotected cable to which sheathed cementitious material is applied prior to subterrain burial. The sheathing serves only to retain shape of fresh, unset cementitious material around the cable in the course of handling and transport within and from the vehicle structure, to the buried position of the cable. The sheathing being degradable (in the course of time) and no longer needed once the sheathed cementitious material has set, after burial.

Abstract: An underground cable installing apparatus is disclosed herein along with its method of operation. The apparatus utilizes a power driven land vehicle and an elongated cable laying plow blade supported by and for movement with the vehicle in a way which places a lowermost end portion of the blade in the ground with its cutting edge disposed in the direction of vehicular movement. As the blade moves through the ground it lays cable in its path from a cooperating cable feeding mechanism. In accordance with one operational feature of the apparatus provided herein, its plow blade is supported for movement relative to its vehicle between a number of different operating positions including positions in front of and behind the vehicle as well as various positions on either side thereof. In accordance with another feature, the cable itself is fed from a supply wound about a drum or reel which is supported in an adjustable fashion on the vehicle.

Abstract: A trenching device for previously laid cable or pipeline, particularly those laid under water, has a plough (1), means (8) for following the cable or pipeline, a carriage (9), which may be a tractor, connected to the plough through a towing member (6), and vertical pivots between the towing member and the plough and the towing member and the carriage.The double pivot system allows the plough to follow the cable or pipeline independently of the motion of the carriage.

Abstract: A plow arrangement is disclosed for inserting continuous lengths of foldable conduit in the ground. A plow forms a cavity in the ground for receiving the conduit. Folded conduit is conveyed from a reel to an inlet end of a feeder or boot. As the conduit passes through the feeder, it is unfolded. The feeder discharges the unfolded conduit horizontally behind the plow. Soil lifted by the plow falls around the unfolded conduit constraining it to its unfolded configuration. A vehicle advances the plow and feeder through the ground. The feeder includes a surface for engaging the base of the conduit and guides for engaging the top. The surface and guides converge adjacent the outlet of the feeder to unfold the conduit passing inbetween. Further the surface and guides have arcuate portions that bend the conduit about its apex to urge it to its unfolded configuration.

Abstract: A trenching plow and technique for its use, especially for forming a trench under water for receipt of pipe. The plow includes a frame with a tandem set of wheels at the front, and a share with mould boards mounted at the back of the frame. During trenching the frame always makes a positive angle with respect to the horizontal, and a soil furrow splitter is formed on the bottom of the frame. A pair of coulters are mounted to the frame in front of the share, each of the coulters raking forward at an angle of about 60.degree.-70.degree. to the horizontal, and the coulters being staggered along the length of the frame. The coulters also have a positive clearance angle with the trench side wall, and they extend to a depth about two-thirds the depth of the share. A trench having a depth of about 1.1 meters with side walls at an angle of about 60.degree. to the horizontal may be formed at a towing speed of about two knots, the trench being formed having constant cross-section and constant depth.

Abstract: A machine to be pulled by a mobile power unit, such as a farm tractor or the like. The machine comprises a plow member with a forward protruding and downwardly angled digging member for forming a trench, a hollow vertical guide member with upwardly angled fins on each side thereof for guiding a stake manually inserted into the hollow portion, a pair of vertical adjustable opposing wheels for repacking the earth adjacent the trench inserted stakes and scraper blades for pushing a portion of the earth removed from the trench back into the trench and substantially leveling the remaining earth from the trench to a pre-trench state. The machine may also provided with an irrigation pipe laying means wherein the pipe is layed upon the ground surface prior to the passing of the scraper blades thereover which substantially causes the irrigation pipe to be covered with earth.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming and installing underground drainpipe in subterranean passages. The pipe is formed from a web of porous or non-porous sheet plastic which is drawn from a dispensing roll through curling and shaping devices protected by a transparent shield to provide a tube, these devices being mounted on a frame positionable in a trench or other depression in the soil. The end of the tube is attached to a mole at the end of a power driven blade, with the mole forming an underground passage for the following tube. Tensioning and positioning rollers are carried on the frame to feed the web to the tube forming devices at a predetermined angle and tension. A pressor roller and its support bracket interengage complimentary tongues and slots formed along the edges of the web for holding the web in its tubular form.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a corrugated pipe fabricator and installer which in its preferred embodiment comprises a conventional mole plow modified to the extent that a sheet of corrugated material which is mounted on a spool mounted on the frame carrying the mole is fed to a rotating shaping cylinder operably mounted coaxially with the mole. The corrugated material is fed at an appropriate angle and forms corrugated pipe in the proccess which is dispensed into the channel formed by the mole.

Abstract: A plow assembly and method useful for burying an elongated flexible member at a predetermined depth beneath ground level. The arrangement utilizes a frame assembly adapted to be pulled by a tractor type vehicle and which frame assembly has a vertically-extending plow support unit. A dynamic plow unit is mounted at the lower end of the plow support unit and includes a generally horizontal base. The forward end of the plow unit includes a plow nose portion having an inclined top surface. The top of the plow unit is defined by a plate member having an upper surface which extends rearwardly from the nose generally parallel to the base. The plate member is mounted about a transverse axis closely adjacent the nose portion for pivotal oscillating movement by hydraulic cylinder means. Such oscillation is between a first position generally parallel to the plow unit base and a second position spaced angularly upward therefrom.

Abstract: An assembly such as for a tile chute tool for laying tile, plastic pipe or the like or for a crumbing tool either of which tools is adapted to be connected to the digging boom and mobile chassis of a ditching or trenching machine by a four-bar linkage. The linkage is connected to the boom by extensible arm means which can be fixed at one length to maintain the boom and tile chute tool in operable relation to each other for digging and tile laying or other tool function, or released to be telescopically extendible for the digging boom to proceed with digging with the tile chute tool remaining at ground level. A control member tiltable relative to the pivot axis of the digging boom connects to the linkage to alter the position of the tile chute tool bottom.

Abstract: An improved plow for use in laying drain-tile. The plow has a narrow body with an elongated upright portion and a triangular portion at the bottom, front end of the upright portion. Means on the body guide a drain-tile from an inlet high in the upright portion to an outlet at the bottom, rear of the upright portion. The plow has a plow blade detachably and adjustably fixed to the leading edge of the triangular portion. A near shoe and a plow knife may also be detachably fixed to the plow. The plow knife includes means for moving earth in a manner that it fills in the drain-tile trench. Linkage means are provided for connecting the plow to a tractor in a manner that it can be easily maneouvered. The linkage means includes an adjustable link that can change the attitude of the plow. The plow may also comprise means for laying a cover strip on top of the drain-tile as it is being laid.

Abstract: A drain line and a method of installing a drain line in a field in which a plurality of drain tiles each of determinant length are drawn into and maintained in alignment within a trench by means of an elastic, permeable, tubular knit fabric sleeve having a length substantially greater than the length of any one of the drain tiles.