An apparatus, and method of operating the apparatus, wherein a feed material is converted into a glassified condition for subsequent use or disposal. The apparatus is particularly useful for disposal of hazardous or noxious waste materials which are otherwise either difficult or expensive to dispose of. The apparatus is preferably constructed either by excavating a melt zone in a quantity of soil or rock, or by constructing a melt zone in an apparatus above grade and lining the melt zone with a ...

An earth auger is provided which can be compacted, lightened and adjusted with respect to feed speed according to geology. The earth auger has a screw having a spiral blade provided with notches arranged axially linearly. A first rotary member and a second rotary member arranged coaxially in a case for the screw and surrounding partially the screw are disposed rotatably about the axis. The first rotary member has a key engaging the notches of the screw, and the second rotary member has a thread ...

An elongated rod has a reaction member attached to a lower end with flukes adapted to be expanded outward against the reaction member. A lower tubular member is connected to the reaction member and surrounds the lower end of the rod. An upper end member is connected around the upper end of the rod and supports a connecting member. A plastic sleeve is located around the rod and is connected to the upper end member and to the lower tubular member forming a sealed chamber between the rod and the in...

A stabilized earth structure includes a front face and a plurality of layers of reinforcements that extend rearwardly from the front face. Individual layers of compacted earth are disposed between the layers of reinforcements. The frictional force that is mobilized between the layers of reinforcements and the earth in the rear one-third of the length of the reinforcements is greater than that mobilized by the front one-third of the length of the reinforcements. The frictional forces mobilized by...

An earth splitting tool comprised of a central shaft, a handle bar, a foot pressure bar and a wedge-shaped blade is disclosed. The blade has two primary trapezoid-shaped faces, two triangular side faces and a rectangular butt face. One primary face in the same plane as a tangent to the surface of the central shaft. The butt face has a width substantially the same as the thickness of the central shaft. The butt face may be perpendicular to the axis of the central shaft, or it may be sloped away f...

An earth anchor comprising an insertable shank portion and a locking means for securing the anchor in an earth formation has one or more locking members captively associated with the insertable shank portion, the one or more locking members being either tiltable or rotatable relative to the shank whereby the insertable portion is inserted into a borehole in an earth formation and upon tensioning of the shank the one or more locking members wedgingly engage with the wall of the borehole to anchor...

A terra-finned earth penetrator having a plurality of axially symmetric fins adapted to rotate in a downward direction in response to off-axis inertial reactive forces generated on impact with earth. The penetrator thereby executes a tuck maneuver within the earth surface thereby avoiding ricochet, broaching or upward turning found in low level weapon delivery systems.

An earth anchor including a helically shaped blade including a non-linear leading edge, and in which the principle longitudinal axis of the shaft of the anchor is laterally offset from the central longitudinal axis of the helical blade.

An earth battery which includes a first electrode which is a veined material located in the earth, a second electrode electrically connected to the surface of the earth and disposed in a hole which extends from the surface of the earth into the first electrode, an electrolyte disposed in the hole and in contact with the first and second electrodes, and means for electrically connecting the first electrode to the surface of the earth. A seam of coal is preferred as the first electrode. A method o...

An earth anchor having an elongated pointed shaft, a stop member affixed to the shaft intermediate the ends, a weighted impactor having an internal opening and being slidably received on the shaft, the impactor being engageable with the stop member by reciprocal motion to drive the shaft into the earth, the shaft having a series of spaced openings in the upper portion thereof and an elongated handle member receivable in selected openings whereby the shaft may be rotated as it is driven into the ...