Abstract: This invention pertains to an improved artificial shrub or tree and the method for constructing same. The invention improves upon all prior art artificial shrubs or trees by providing for a marketedly authentic series of branches which extend from the trunk or main body of the growth and improves upon all prior art structures through the use of an intermediate adapter shaped in the form of a branch which has its thickest end extending from the trunk and which becomes increasingly thinner as it approaches the cantilever end thereof. The adapter produces an authentic branch appearance in comparison to prior art branches which generally have little if any diminishing thickness extending from the supporting end and which are simply bluntly stuck into a bore in the trunk. The method pertains to an economical and efficient sequence of steps for producing aforesaid artificial shrub or tree.

Abstract: A well screen is composed of a plurality of screen units connected in series. Each of said screen units has a cylindrical connecting section at least at one end thereof and includes a plurality of support rods extending in the axial direction of the screen disposed cylindrically about a section of the screen other than the connecting section at a predetermined interval in the circumferential direction of the screen, and a wire wound on the outer periphery of said support rods so as to form slits of a predetermined width. The well screen further includes outer diameter equalizing means provided about adjacent ones of the connecting sections of two of the screen units connected to each other for substantially equalizing the outer diameter of said connecting sections to the outer diameter of sections other than the connecting sections.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that utilizes a plurality of corrugated cardboard panels from shipping containers or other sources of used corrugated to make a laminated web is disclosed. The process begins with opening or flattening the used cardboard and then removing any end flaps or manufacturer's seams to form a plurality of panels. These panels may then be cut to specific shapes or uniform widths as necessary for different embodiments. A plurality of panels are then assembled end to end and face to face, using an overlapping arrangement and a suitable adhesive, to make a multiple thickness corrugated web. The panels may be overlapped or angled to improve the strength of the web. This multiple layer web can be wrapped with layers of paper or other suitable material to add strength, moisture resistance or other desired qualities.

Abstract: The invention comprises an apparatus for cutting cardboard boxes into panels of uniform widths and removing irregularities from the panels, for sorting the panels and for assembling several series of panels end to end and assembling the series of panels face to face to make a multiple thickness corrugated web. The apparatus can ensure that seams between panels in one layer are laterally displaced from seams in adjacent layers and can provide for wrapping paper or cardboard around the corrugated web.

Abstract: This invention pertains to an improved artificial shrub or tree and the method for constructing same. The invention improves upon all prior art artificial shrubs or trees by providing for a marketedly authentic series of branches which extend from the trunk or main body of the growth and improves upon all prior art structures through the use of an intermediate adapter shaped in the form of a branch which has its thickest end extending from the trunk and which becomes increasingly thinner as it approaches the cantilever end thereof. The adapter produces an authentic branch appearance in comparison to prior art branches which generally have little if any diminishing thickness extending from the supporting end and which are simply bluntly stuck into a bore in the trunk. The method pertains to an economical and efficient sequence of steps for producing aforesaid artificial shrub or tree.

Abstract: This invention pertains to an improved artificial shrub or tree and the method for constructing same. The invention improves upon all prior art artificial shrubs or trees by providing for a marketedly authentic series of branches which extend from the trunk or main body of the growth and improves upon all prior art structures through the use of an intermediate adapter shaped in the form of a branch which has its thickest end extending from the trunk and which becomes increasingly thinner as it approaches the cantilever end thereof. The adapter produces an authentic branch appearance in comparison to prior art branches which generally have little if any diminishing thickness extending from the supporting end and which are simply bluntly stuck into a bore in the trunk.

Abstract: A well screen having slurry flow paths enclosed therein includes support rods extending in the axial direction of the screen disposed cylindrically at a predetermined interval in the circumferential direction of the screen, a wire wound on the outer periphery of said support rods so as to form slits of a predetermined width, one or more flow paths for gravel-containing slurry provided inside of the wire and extending in the axial direction of the screen, and openings for communicating the flow paths with the outside of the screen. Lowering and lifting of the screen through a wellbore can be made smoothly without interfering of the slurry flow paths with the wellbore and installation of the screen can thereby be facilitated.

Abstract: Disclosed is a heat exchanger tube bundle design that eliminates the need for tube supports or baffles within a heat exchanger tube bundle. The inventive configuration uses a combination of bare tubes and longitudinally finned tubes positioned such that the longitudinal fins act as spacing and supporting means within the tube bundle. The longitudinal fins provide spacing and support substantially along the entire length of the tubes within the bundle and eliminate the need for internal spacing or supporting means. Taking advantage of this inventive design, one can economically construct a tube bundle requiring only external rings to secure the tube bundle.

Abstract: A maintenance screen for use in low-velocity, shallow or horizontal or slightly inclined wells is disclosed. The maintenance screen of the present invention utilizes a generally downwardly oriented portion through which fluid can pass and a generally upwardly oriented portion which does not allow sand or fluid to pass therethrough, so that sand naturally gravitates downward through the fluid and away from the portion of the screen through which the fluid may pass to enter the well tubing.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device for supporting and spacing the tubes within a heat exchanger comprised of a plurality of V-shaped stiff wire rods. Each of the V-shaped wire rods includes a pair of leg portions and a concave intermediate section. The inside radius of the concave intermediate section is substantially equivalent to one-half of the tube outside diameter. Six of the V-shaped stiff wire rods are affixed to one another to form a spacer having a substantially hexagonal opening wherein each side of the hexagonal opening is one of the concave intermediate sections. At each apex of the substantially hexagonal opening there extends radially outward legs from two of abutting V-shaped stiff wire rods.Thus formed, the spacer of the present invention provides a structurally sound tube supporting device while limiting the obstruction to flow of shell side process fluid.

Abstract: A computerized electronic hand prosthesis apparatus and method utilizing input, feedback, control, and operating systems configurable to provide precise control and gripping forces corresponding to the particular capabilities and requirements of an individual wearer. An articulated prosthesis is capable of exerting a mechanical gripping force and contains a programmable microcomputer. Electrodes on the prosthesis contact muscles of the remnant portion of a limb and produce an electric command signal responsive to the myoelectric signal created by the wearer contracting and relaxing the muscles in the remnant portion. A drive motor in the prosthesis causes the prosthesis to exert a mechanical gripping force responsive and proportional to the electric command signal. Force sensors in the digits of the prosthesis detect the force exerted and produce an electric sensor signal responsive and proportional thereto.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method that utilizes a plurality of corrugated panels from used shipping containers to make a web that is then able to be cut into suitable shapes to be used in the construction of corrugated cardboard shipping pallets. The process begins with opening or flattening the used cardboard boxes and then removing the end flaps and opening along the manufacturer's seams to form a plurality of sheets. These sheets are then cut to form a plurality of sheets of uniform widths. A plurality of sheets of the same width are then assembled end to end and face to face, using an overlapping arrangement and a suitable adhesive, to make a multiple thickness corrugated web. This multiple layer web can then be cut by using suitable cutting techniques to make the components of corrugated cardboard shipping pallets. These components, or beams can be wrapped with a layer or layers of corrugated or other suitable material to add strength, moisture resistance or other desired qualities.

Abstract: An active filler composition utilizing scrap rubber, such as automobile tires, as a main or primary ingredient is used in the treatment, recycling, and manufacture of various rubber and plastic articles. A chemical plasticizer and binding agent is used in the production of the composition to plasticize, swell, and soften the scrap rubber. The filler composition is a homogeneous blend of from about 40 to 95 parts by weight of cured rubber particles and from about 5 to 60 parts by weight of the liquid plasticizer and binder. The active filler composition can be further compounded with materials such as polyethylene, polyethylene-terephthallate (PET), polyurethanes, urethanes, polyisocurates, polyacrylics, polyvinylchloride (PVC), and epoxies, to form a composite material for combining with still other materials to impart elastomeric properties.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a frequency-controlled loop in a phase-diversity receiver for demodulating received ON-OFF-keyed (OOK) and phase shift keying (PSK) signals, by feeding a reference frequency signal and the received signals to a quadrature mixer (QM) which produces two output signals in phase quadrature at nominally zero intermediate frequency. Quadrature continuous wave signals void of the modulation are produced from the phase quadrature output signals. A voltage proportional to the frequency of the quadrature continuous wave signals is generated and is utilized for controlling the frequency of the generated reference frequency signal.

Abstract: A well liner having dual concentric half screens for filtering sand and undesirables from fluids, gases, and toxic extractions. The well liner provides concentric half bodied screens of opposite orientation to provide a tortuous flow of path for the production fluids. The screens are manufactured by techniques well known in the art in the preferred embodiment. Two screen members are provided each comprising two annular portions: a screen portion and a solid pipe portion. The inner screen member is inserted in the outer screen member and both members are welded at each end. Additionally, an apertured base pipe may be provided. In the alternate embodiment, an apertured base pipe is surrounded by two full screen tubular members. A tortuous flow path is created in the alternative embodiment by the placement of shield members along a portion of the inner and outer screens. Additionally, the shields may be varied depending upon the placement of the apertures along the base pipe.

Abstract: A well liner having a selective isolation screen with a limited or less restrictive seal. The well liner includes an elongate base pipe having openings therethrough; surrounded by circumferentially spaced, longitudinal extending spacer bars for forming an inner annulus; one or more annular cylindrical sleeves secured to the exterior of the base pipe; and a continuous wire wrapping surround the spacer bars except at interrupted areas where the isolated permeable seal sections are placed. These seal sections are located at predetermined vertical locations corresponding to specific well requirements of varying lengths and production formations within the wellbore. The continuous wire wrapping and spacer bars are inverted within the permeable seal sections so that the wire wrapping substantially fills the inner annulus and a multitude of spacer bars spaced approximately equal to or slightly larger than the spaces between the wire wrapping form the outer most surface of the seal sections.

Abstract: An improved photoionization ion mobility spectrometer is disclosed which utilizes a flashlamp as the source for ionization. A gas sample is introduced via a carrier gas into a ionization chamber which is part of the spectrometer cell. Ionizable molecules contained in the injected gas sample are ionized by the ultraviolet light emitted from the flashlamp. The ionized molecules are attracted by an electrostatic drift field into a drift chamber and travel therethrough against the flow of a drift gas counter-current thereto until they are captured by a collector located in the drift chamber opposite to the ionization chamber. A dopant with an effective ionization potential lower than the photon energy of the emitted light can be introduced into the ionization chamber to further improve the sensitivity and specificity.

Abstract: A tankless, flow-through electric water heater whose housing is designed for modular application, where serially connected modules define the path of the fluid being heated, in this case water, through the heater from inlet to final outlet. Each module contains two separate chambers and each chamber is provided with an electric immersion type heating element. The first and last chambers will also have a temperature sensor which will signal an electronic temperature control system. The temperature sensor in the first and last chambers provides signal inputs to energize each heating element of each chamber for a period of time proportional to the temperature difference between first chamber and the desired set leaving temperature of the water, which is set by an adjustable temperature controller (potentiometer), included in this control system. This control system also has a minimum setting point for a "no flow" condition or for the prevention of water freezing, where extreme weather conditions exist.