Apparatus for removing sludge from an underwater deposit comprises a blade having a cutting edge that points forwards and a blade surface to the rear of the cutting edge that faces the interior of a housing. Nozzles are positioned and oriented to direct jets of water onto the blade surface to fluidize sludge that has been cut by the blade. The jets have a component of motion in the rearward direction relative to the blade surface, whereby the fluidized sludge is effectively contained within the housing and high collection rates can be achieved. The apparatus can be adapted for horizontal use over the surface of a sludge deposit or for movement in any direction through a bulk sludge deposit.

A rural wastewater recycling device, including a collecting ditch, a moving cover, multiple treatment units, a water storage tank and a biological purification assembly. The collecting ditch has a trapezoidal cross section, and is connected to the moving cover. Adjacent treatment units are communicated, and two terminal treatment units are respectively connected with the collecting ditch and the water storage tank. The water storage tank is configured to store treated water. The biological purification assembly is connected with the treatment units, and is configured to purify wastewater flowing through the treatment units. A rural wastewater recycling method based on such device is also provided.

There is provided a material transfer system including a reciprocating conveyor which selectively moves in a first direction of movement and a second direction of movement opposite the first direction of movement. The conveyor is configured to promote movement of material in the first direction and inhibit movement of material in the second direction. There is further provided a material transfer system comprising a first reciprocating conveyor which selectively moves material towards a first location. The system includes a second reciprocating conveyor which overlaps with the first reciprocating conveyor. The second reciprocating conveyor selectively moves material from the first location towards a second location. There is also provided a material transfer system comprising a passageway having an upstream inlet and a downstream outlet. The passageway may be a conduit, a siphon or chute. The system includes a reciprocating conveyor conveying fluvial material towards the inlet of the passageway.

A berm repair assembly repairs a berm adjacent to a roadway. The assembly includes a hitch configured for coupling to a vehicle. An elongated frame has a main section coupled to the hitch. A triangular first outer section of the frame is coupled to and extends from the main section of the frame terminating at a first end of the frame. The first end of the frame is positioned in laterally spaced relationship to the hitch. A leveler is coupled to the first outer section of the frame. The leveler has a substantially V-shaped medial section and a pair of spaced opposed side walls. Each side wall extends from an associated end of the medial section.

There is provided a material transfer system comprising a first reciprocating conveyor which selectively moves material towards a first location, and a second reciprocating conveyor which overlaps with the first reciprocating conveyor, with the second reciprocating conveyor selectively moving material from the first location towards a second location. There is also provided a material transfer system according to another aspect comprising a conduit in fluid communication with an upstream portion of the body of water, and a reciprocating conveyor configured to convey upstream said material in the body of water towards the conduit. There is further provided a reciprocating conveyor configured to promote movement of the material in a first direction and inhibit movement of the material in a second direction, and a conveyor position adjustment assembly configured to selectively move a first end portion of the conveyor relative to a second end portion of the conveyor.

Apparatus for removing sludge from an underwater deposit comprises a blade having a cutting edge that points forwards and a blade surface to the rear of the cutting edge that faces the interior of a housing. Nozzles are positioned and oriented to direct jets of water onto the blade surface to fluidize sludge that has been cut by the blade. The jets have a component of motion in the rearward direction relative to the blade surface, whereby the fluidized sludge is effectively contained within the housing and high collection rates can be achieved. The apparatus can be adapted for horizontal use over the surface of a sludge deposit or for movement in any direction through a bulk sludge deposit.

A system for underwater payload estimation in a dragline bucket of a dragline machine includes a sensing module disposed on the dragline bucket. The sensing module is configured to generate a plurality of signals indicative of a distance value between the sensing module and payload in the dragline bucket. The system includes a controller including at least one memory and at least one processor communicably coupled with the at least one memory and the sensing module. The at least one processor is configured to receive, from the sensing module, the plurality of signals indicative of the distance value between the sensing module and the payload in the dragline bucket, when the dragline bucket is underwater. The at least one processor is configured to estimate a volume of the payload in the dragline bucket when the dragline bucket is underwater, based on the plurality of signals received.