A roller ball assembly that provides a safe, efficient, unobtrusive and easy to install load conveyance system to facilitate the travel of a watercraft on or off of a floating vessel platform with no or minimal potential of causing damage to the watercraft's hull or to the float modules. The roller ball assembly is comprised of a sphere rotatable with respect to a floating vessel platform. A number of roller ball assemblies can be mounted into a floating vessel platform in the junction areas of float modules.

A refrigerant-channel branching component for connecting a connection pipe connected to an outdoor unit with a connection pipe directed toward a plurality of indoor units, the refrigerant-channel branching component includes: an inlet portion; and outlet portions. At least one of the plurality of outlet portions includes: a reference space into which a reference connection pipe with a predetermined outside diameter is inserted; a first space that is adjacent to the reference space and has an inside diameter greater than an inside diameter of the reference connection pipe; and a second space that is adjacent to the first space and has an inside diameter greater than the inside diameter of the first space.

A loading ramp includes a contoured component with upwardly sloping surfaces and an opening for receiving the hull of a watercraft. The contoured component has a centrally located lower surface relative to the sides and front of the contoured unit. The loading ramp incorporates a way for the loading ramp to attach to a modular floating vessel platform.

A loading ramp includes a contoured component with upwardly sloping surfaces and an opening for receiving the hull of a watercraft. The contoured component has a centrally located lower surface relative to the sides and front of the contoured unit. The loading ramp incorporates a way for the loading ramp to attach to a modular floating vessel platform.

A joint exhibits high tensile strength. The joint includes a solid rod having a slit or opening into which a wedge is inserted. The rod and wedge are inserted into a fitting. Only a small amount of adhesive material is applied between the fitting and the rod. The adhesive material may be blended with non-adhesive, non-compressible “beads” that have a preferred diameter in order to insure that the desired adhesive thickness is achieved between the fitting and the rod. The internal surface of the fitting has a contour which continuously and nonlinearly varies with distance along the fitting. The wedge has a dimension having a similar contour. The shape of the contour can be described by a polynomial of order two or higher. The joint can be used to construct a sucker rod for an oil well, or it can be used in other applications. The joint can support high tensile loads, over long distances, while occupying a very narrow tubing bore.

A roller ball assembly that provides a safe, efficient, unobtrusive and easy to install load conveyance system to facilitate the travel of a watercraft on or off of a floating vessel platform with no or minimal potential of causing damage to the watercraft's hull or to the float modules. The roller ball assembly is comprised of a sphere rotatable with respect to a floating vessel platform. A number of roller ball assemblies can be mounted into a floating vessel platform in the junction areas of float modules.

A loading ramp includes a contoured component with upwardly sloping surfaces and an opening for receiving the hull of a watercraft. The contoured component has a centrally located lower surface relative to the sides and front of the contoured unit. The loading ramp incorporates a way for the loading ramp to attach to a modular floating vessel platform.

A weight distribution and stiffening system is provided for modular floating platforms by creating internal channels that allow for the incorporation of stiffening members within the modular floating platform assembly. Float modules with horizontal recessed areas that are aligned with adjacent float modules to create open channels within the body of a modular floating platform.

Turnbuckle link-gages are disclosed herein. A turnbuckle link-gage includes an inside rod including a first opening on a first longitudinal end and a second opening on a second longitudinal end of the inside rod, the first opening and the second opening extending at least partially through the inside rod, the inside rod including tabs extending from the first longitudinal end and the second longitudinal end of the inside rod around the first opening and the second opening, an exterior surface of the tabs including conical threads, outside rods to be positioned within the openings of the inside rod, the tabs of the inside rod at least partially surrounding the outside rods, the outside rods including end bearings to couple to a first structure and a second structure, and conical nuts to constrict the tabs around the outside rods and couple the inside rod and the outside rods.

A first embodiment of a torque tube coupler may include an outer body that includes a first abutting surface and a second abutting surface adjacent to the first abutting surface. Set screws may be inserted into one or more channels of the first abutting surface. Tightening the set screws may force the abutting surfaces away from each other and the outer body to press against an inner surface of a torque tube. Another embodiment of the torque tube coupler may include a central ring sized based on a size of a torque tube. The torque tube coupler may also include a set of fingers that extend away from a first side of the central ring and are shaped to flex radially outward. The torque tube coupler may include a core disposed within the set of fingers that, when drawn towards the central ring, causes the fingers to flex radially outwards.