Abstract: For the purposes of determining the orientation of a surveying instrument in a borehole, while compensating for the effects of perturbing magnetic fields associated with magnetized sections of the drill string both above and below the instrument, the inclination angle .theta. and the highside angle .phi. of the instrument are determined, together with two transverse components Bx and By of the local magnetic field as measured at the instrument in the borehole. Additionally either a single component of, or the magnetide of, the true earth's magnetic field at the location of the borehole is ascertained from a look-up table or directly by measurement away from the influence of the drill string. A value .PSI.a for the azimuth angle of the instrument is then determined from the inclination and highside angles, the measured component(s) of the local magnetic field, and only the single component of, or the magnitude of, the true earth's magnetic field.

Abstract: A method of forming a finished torus of precise dimension which can be used to form piston segments for use in a rotary actuator in which a torus workpiece is rigidly mounted on a support in such a manner as to leave a first hemi-toroidal surface of the torus workpiece exposed, the support being mounted on a suitable means to rotate the torus workpiece about a fixed axis passing through the center of the torus workpiece, the first hemi-toroidal surface of the torus workpiece being turned with a circular cutting tool by moving the cutting tool in a semi-circular path across the first hemi-toroidal surface of the torus workpiece, then flipping over the torus workpiece and mounting it on the support while leaving a second hemi-toroidal surface of the torus workpiece exposed and once against moving the cutting tool in a semi-circular path across the second hemi-toroidal surface of the torus workpiece while the torus workpiece and support are rotated about the center axis of the torus to thereby produce a finished

Abstract: Improved techniques are provided for giving new garments, such as jeans, a worn appearance by tumbling the garments with potassium permanganate impregnated pumice rock. Pumice rock is thoroughly and quickly impregnated with potassium permanganate solution by placing the rock in a sealed chamber, drawing a vacuum in the chamber, spraying a potassium permanganate solution into the chamber while allowing the vacuum to drop to a preselected level, then retrieving the impregnated rock from the chamber. The garments and impregnated rock are then tumbled in a perforated container. New garments are added with additional rock to replenish the reduced the reduced volume of the used rock, which need not be reimpregnated. A preferred stone-washed appearance may be obtained by the combined bleaching effect of the potassium permanganate and the abrasive action of the rock.

Abstract: A ball valve of the floating ball variety is provided. Improved sealing subassemblies each comprising a floating seat retainer and a corresponding flexible metallic seat ring provide reliable sealing engagement with both upstream and downstream surfaces of the ball. Each seat retainer moves with the floating ball to maintain annular contact therewith, and retains its corresponding seat ring in constant concentricity with the ball. The seat ring is sealed against the ball by line pressure acting directly on the seat ring on the upstream side, and by line pressure acting on the ball on the downstream side to transmit movement to the seat retainer which then causes the seat ring to perfect a seal against the ball. Each of the seat rings and seat retainers thus independently floats with respect to the valve body. The same sealing subassemblies are utilized on both the upstream and downstream sides of the valve, allowing any side of the valve to be used in any location and making the valve highly versatile.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method for determining the transition point between a portion of a curve comprising a statistically single exponential function and another portion of the curve comprising the composite of said exponential function with another function. The method of the present invention is useful in determining which portion of a composite decay curve is statistically equivalent to a single exponential function. The method of the present invention is particularly useful in the oil and gas industry in connection with the rapid and accurate determination of the decay constant of the formation surrounding a borehole. In the method of the present invention, the measured decay function following radiation of the formation with a burst of fast neutrons is integrated in a plurality of contiguous time gates between the end of the neutron burst and the decay to background radiation levels.

Abstract: A construction transportation system comprises at least one transport assembly having gross dimensions generally corresponding to those of a standard freight container. The transport assembly comprises at least two construction components. Each of the two construction components has a first gross dimension whose maximum value is generally equal to C.sub.1 /x, where C.sub.1 is the width of a standard freight container, and x is greater than or equal to 1. Each of the two components has a second gross dimension perpendicular to the first dimension whose maximum value is generally equal to C.sub.2 /y, where C.sub.2 is the length of a standard freight container, and y is greater than 1. Each of the two components has a third gross dimension perpendicular to the first and second dimensions. At least a first side of each of the two components extends in the directions of that components' first and third dimensions, and that first side is provided with connectors.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining true formation porosity utilize downhole measurement-while-drilling neutron porosity measurement devices. A initial measurement is taken shortly after the formation is bored and before any substantial invasion by the drilling fluid occurs. Subsequent measurements are made until a steady, no longer increasing, measurement is reached indicating saturation of the formation by the drilling fluid to the depth of the measurements. The steady measurement is indicative of the true porosity of a gas containing formation while the difference between the initial and steady measurements is indicative of the gas saturation of a gas containing formation.

Abstract: A construction transportation assembly comprising a buoyant general construction component having eight corner portions defining a rectangular parallelpiped locus with a length and a width generally corresponding to those of an ISO standard freight container, and two specialty components mounted on top of the general component laterally adjacent each other and lying within the length and width of the locus.

Abstract: In order to support a mud-driven impeller of a down-hole turbogenerator in such a manner as to provide long bearing service life in the hostile conditions down-hole, a bearing sleeve is provided which comprises an outer shell of marine brass and an inner lining of nitrile rubber bonded to the inside surface of the shell. The lining extends axially beyond the end of the shell to form a portion positioned beyond the end of the shell and turned over the end of the shell. This portion comprises radical lands separated by radial grooves, and the radial lands define axial bearing surfaces for cooperating with an axial bearing surface of a bearing member which the bearing sleeve surrounds in use.

Abstract: A pack-type clip for shotgun cartridges comprises a container of box-like construction and elongate shape with an open end and two oppositely located, respectively muzzle and breech, minor walls, as well as major side walls. On each of the major side walls, proximately of the breech side minor wall, there is formed a lengthwise guide rib, the lengthwise ribs being oppositely located to face each other and set mutually apart by a distance substantially equal to the diameter of a cartridge.

Abstract: Improved techniques are provided for opening or closing an underwater valve in a subsea fluid pipeline utilizing an acoustic signal transmitted from the surface to a receiver adjacent the valve. A predetermined torquing force is applied to a shaft directly coupled to the valve stem, although rotation of the valve stem is prevented by the mechanical connection of an explosive bolt. Receipt of the transmitted acoustic signal initiates the release of stored electrical energy which detonates the explosive bolt and breaks the mechanical connection, thereby enabling the pre-existing torquing force to rotate the valve stem. Valve operation reliability is significantly increased, since the torquing force for operating the valve is applied before the valve is installed in the subsea environment.

Abstract: The body of a rotary drill bit is formed from a matrix formed by a powder metallurgy process, and a plurality of cutting elements are mounted on the bit body, each cutting element being in the form of a disc of superhard material which is thermally stable at the temperature of formation of the matrix. The front surface of each cutting element is engaged by a holding structure on the bit body in front of the cutting element, the arrangement of the holding structure being such that the resistance provided by the holding structure to forward deflection of the portion of the cutting element opposite the cutting edge is less than the resistance to rearward deflection provided by the surface behind the cutting edge. Bending stresses imparted to the cutting element by rearward deflection thereof in the vicinity of the cutting edge are thereby reduced.

Abstract: The methods disclosed herein incorporate the basic concepts and methodologies of a new general rock-bit interaction model useful in predicting and controlling drilling trajectories in directional (and deep vertical) wells. It accounts for the anisotropic drilling characteristics of both the formation and the bit. The model is developed in a 3-D geometry. Therefore, it is capable of predicting the walk tendency and the build-drop tendency of a given BHA (bottomhole assembly) under any drilling condition. The model can be used in the forward mode to predict the drilling direction; in the inverse mode to generate the rock and bit anisotrophy indices; and in the log-generation mode to generate drilling logs, such as a drilling dip log.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for obtaining azimuthally dependent measurements for evaluating the casing cement bond quality and, more particularly, for detecting and specifically locating channels or fissures between the casing and cement. The quality of the bond behind one or more arcs of known location on the casing is determinable by the present invention. The apparatus and method of the present invention employ a plurality of sonic transducers disposed in near contact with the casing in defined segmented locations about or around the exterior surface of a downhole tool. The transducers are arranged in a plurality of arrays, each array comprising four transducers, two transmitting and two receiving transducers, disposed along a single arc about or around the exterior of the tool.

Abstract: The panel saw has an upright supporting grid (2) with vertical and horizontal supporting bars (2a and 2b resp.). The pivotable saw unit (6) is attached to a displaceable beam (5).In order to reliably pick up the wood dust which collects behind the panel (P) to be sawed and which according to the invention amounts to 3 to 5% of the total wood dust quantity, a continuous cover element (7) is fixed to the rear side of the supporting grid (2). Moreover, a rotatably mounted spindle (A) with a sealing foil (10) which can be rolled up is arranged in the marginal area of the supporting grid (2). The sealing foil (10) is brought to bear against the panel edge adjacent to it by a counterweight arrangement (G) having tension cables (12, 18).Flow channels (K) are thereby formed between the horizontal supporting bars (2b), which flow channels (K) are defined on the rear side by the cover element (7) and on the front side by the panel (P) and the sealing foil (10).

Abstract: Apparatus and method for removing a stopper from a bottle having an internal pressure greater than the ambient pressure surrounding the bottle, e.g. a champagne bottle. At least one generally vertical edge of the apparatus is placed in a generally vertical groove in the periphery of the stopper, in some cases cutting the groove simultaneously as it is moved downward over the stopper. The apparatus is then oscillated or rotated, whereupon the internal pressure in the bottle can overcome the sliding friction between the stopper and the bottle. The apparatus is also adapted to control the stopper, once expelled.

Abstract: A down-hole signal generator for a mud-pulse telemetry system comprises a flow constrictor defining a throttle orifice for the mud passing along a drill string, a throttling member displaceable with respect to the throttle orifice to modulate the mud pressure for the purpose of transmitting measurement data up the drill string, and a turbogenerator. The turbogenerator incorporates an annular impeller surrounding a casing and arranged to be driven by the mud passing along the drill string, and a rotatable magnet assembly disposed in a mud-free environment within the casing.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing corks from bottles is adapted to allow for automatic ejection of the cork from the apparatus, after the cork has been withdrawn from the bottle, by reverse rotation of the corkscrew. The apparatus comprises a corkscrew having a first helical section with a first outer diameter and a second helical section disposed below the first section and with a second outer diameter greater than the first outer diameter so that an upwardly directed screw shoulder is formed between the sections. A handle is fixed to the upper end of the corkscrew. The corkscrew is longitudinally movable with respect to a guide frame therefor. The guideframe includes stops for abutting the top of a bottle and spacers extending upwardly from the stops and defining a cork receiving space for receipt of a cork as it is withdrawn from a bottle by the apparatus. Catches are connected to the spacers, and disposed in the cork receiving space, the catches being engageable with a cork to prevent rotation thereof.

Abstract: Apparatus for detecting acoustic disturbances include an electrical circuit for processing electrical signals generated by an acoustic sensor in response to acoustic disturbances. The processing circuitry converts the electrical data signals into output signals wherein the information about the input audio signals is carried by the frequencies of the output signals. High frequency signals may be isolated and processed to provide relatively low frequency digital pulse signals which may be readily transmitted over wirelines in a logging operation. The sensor apparatus may include a stack of piezoelectric crystals which are electrically connected by means of pressure contacts.