Abstract: A valve comprising a housing with an inlet and outlet and a chamber in between, a reciprocating gate mounted in a gate seat disposed within the chamber for opening and closing the valve, an upper bonnet for closing the chamber at one end and a lower bonnet for closing the chamber at the other end, the gate being disposed between upper and lower stems which extend into the upper and lower bonnets respectively. Metal-to-metal seals are provided at all junctures between the above members in the lower gate position with back-up seals at the junctures of all moving members.A double edged seal ring integral with the upper stem self-contained within the upper bonnet provides a metal-to-metal seal with the upper bonnet in the upper and lower gate positions of the valve.A metal gasket arrangement is provided between the upper bonnet and valve body whereby the assemblage of all points of contact between the gasket and body form an annular ring.

Abstract: Two fluid passages are connected through flow restrictors to a fluid supply. Downstream of the restrictors the fluid supply has a drooping pressure-load characteristic. Venting means for the fluid passages comprises vent openings therein downstream of the restrictors and variable position obstructor means cooperating with vent openings to vary venting and thereby vary fluid pressures in the fluid passages.Fluid conduits connect these pressure outputs to a double acting piston moving in a cylinder whose opposite ends are connected to the fluid conduits. The piston and cylinder form the responder of the system.A receiver is formed by a piston and cylinder or other fluidic motor remotely fluidically connected to the responder, the motor driving a load.A feedback means controlled by the position of the responder piston and/or the load varies pressure in the fluid conduits by variably venting same.

Abstract: A valve has a metal-to-metal seal system between the flow bores of the valve body housing and each of the valve seat hubs. Each seal system includes an elastic dished metal ring gasket and a retainer ring. Each metal gasket is softer than each of the seat hub and the valve housing, is of rectangular cross-section, and the edge at the inner periphery on the convex side is flattened. Each seal system is disposed on an annular groove cut in the outer periphery surface of the end of the seat hub. One side of the metal ring gasket is located adjacent to the shoulder of the seat hub formed by the groove cut into the outer periphery end of the seat hub. The retainer ring is reciprocably mounted on the seat hub groove adjacent to the other side of the metal ring gasket and extends beyond the end of the seat hub prior to activation of the seal system.

Abstract: A drilling fluid roller reamer-stabilizer includes a tubular body having threaded pin and box connectors at each end adapted to be connected in a drill string and providing a fluid passage connecting the upper part of the drill string with the lower part. Rollers having integral pins at their ends are mounted in pockets in the sides of the body. The pins extend into holes in arcuate cross section bearing blocks received in correlative sockets in the body at the ends of the pockets. Each block makes an interference fit with the sockets in the body. Tool access passages allow a tool to be inserted behind each block to drive or pry it out. Slotted, resilient bearing sleeves are provided in the holes in the blocks where the roller pins are received. The sleeves extend beyond the holes toward the rollers to take axial thrust. Flanges on the ends of the sleeves provide additional thrust area.

Abstract: A roller reamer-stabilizer tool includes a tubular body having threaded pin and box connectors at each end adapted to be connected in a drill string and providing a fluid passage connecting the upper part of the drill string with the lower part. Rollers having integral pins at their ends are mounted in pockets in the sides of the body. The pins are received in stepped, arcuate cross-section bearing blocks received in correlative sockets in the body at the ends of the pockets. The blocks make an interference fit with the body. Releasing bar access passages allow a releasing bar to be inserted behind each block to drive, wedge, or pry it out. Means is provided to seal and lubricate the full lengths of the pin-block interfaces. The seals are downwardly facing to avoid entrapment of foreign material. The lubrication means includes a reservoir having a flexible wall exposed to pressure outside the tool.

Abstract: An enclosed scaffold is suspended from a plurality of wire lines attached near the apex of a hemispheric dome surmounting the cylindrical sides of a containment structure, e.g. a tank. The scaffold is attached to the wire lines by hydraulically actuated cable gripping and climbing devices which may be manually or automatically controlled to raise and lower the scaffold. A wheel mounted car rides on the face of a buttress on the exterior of the containment structure wall. A boom mounted on the car is pivotally attached to the top of the scaffold. By means of a hydraulic thruster mounted on the car, the points of attachment of the scaffold to the boom can be moved away from or toward the buttress and wall as needed to provide room for the scaffold to hang level when it moves over the curved part of the structure.

Abstract: A box tool joint member of generally tubular configuration is adapted for securement by welding to one end of a steel tube to form a drill pipe. The box tool joint member comprises a body having a cylindrical outer periphery, an internally threaded socket at one end of the body, and a weld neck of smaller outer diameter than the body adjacent to the other end of the body. A tapered transition piece connecting the neck with the adjacent end of the body provides an elevator shoulder. A correlative pin tool joint member is welded to the opposite end of the tube to complete the drill pipe.The box tool joint member has an annular band of hard facing over the outer periphery of the transition piece and extending down over the adjacent part of the weld neck and up around the adjacent part of the body. The hard facing is corrosion resistant and has a smooth finished surface. Underneath the hard facing and extending beyond both ends of the hard facing is an annular butter layer of non-hardenable steel.

Abstract: A fluidic repeater comprising: transmitter means, a responder, a single line for transmitting pressure signals between said transmitter means and responder, and means including a source of pressure fluid for causing a pressure fluid to flow through said line.

Abstract: A shuttle valve includes a tubular body having two, coaxial, inlet ports at its ends, and a transverse outlet port at its side. An internally threaded connector ring is secured over each port by cap screws.A cage having an external radial flange is telescopically disposed within each inlet port, with its flange clamped between the adjacent connector ring and an outwardly facing shoulder in the body. O-rings seal the three connector rings and the two cages to the body. Each cage has an inwardly protuberant O-ring secured at its outer end providing a valve seat. Inwardly of the seat each cage is axially grooved, providing flow passages. The ribs left between the grooves provide guide bearings. Adjacent the inner end of each cage are formed stop shoulders. Inwardly of the stop shoulders is a skirt or lip forming a dashpot cylinder.

Abstract: A tool for preloading a marine riser connection having a first member, a second member and a nut having a lug extending therefrom, the connection being made up by rotating the nut with respect to the first member so as to place the nut in tension, such tension operating to hold the first and second members together in compression, is disclosed. The tool includes a lug holder for holding the lug, a block for engaging a reference member attached to the first member, and a device for forcing the lug holder and block apart so that the nut is rotated with respect to the first member.

Abstract: A fluid repeater system may be balanced so that displacement of the load has a desired correspondence to displacement of the transmitter. This may be done by making the fluid resistance offerd to fluid flowing along a path from the source to the reservoir and through the feedback controlled directly by the load, exclusive of the resistance offered by such load feedback, approximately equal to that offered to fluid flowing along a path from the source to the reservoir and through the transmitter, exclusive of the resistance offered by such transmitter.

Abstract: A metal cup with an apertured bottom provides a junk basket. The cup is spindled on the pin of a drill bit, e.g. a tungsten carbide insert roller cone bit, the bottom edge being releasably clamped between the pin shoulder and the shoulder formed by the mouth of the box on the member forming the lower end of the drill stem, e.g. a roller reamer. The connection between the pin and box and cup form a rotary shouldered connection, the pin shoulder and/or box mouth being cut back providing a longer pin neck or shallower box to accommodate the cup. Every time the bit is removed from the stem, the interiorly upwardly flaring cup is automatically dumped. In a modification, especially for small diameter holes, in order to provide space for junk to move both up outside the cup and down into the cup, the box on the adjacent drill stem member can be fluted, e.g.

Abstract: A stabbing guide tool of facilitate makeup of pipe connections comprises a diametrally split, hinged, rigid plastics material infundibulum of high lubricity toughness, and strength adapted to receive and guide a pin connector and having a locating socket adapted to engage a box connector. The tool is spring loaded to closed position by a torsion spring and provided with a pair of hand grip levers to facilitate opening, placement, and removal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for disposing of waste material by means of a multi-stage reaction favoring desired reaction products. The rate at which different reactions reach equilibrium at different temperatures and the effects of reaction stoichiometry are controlled by the process to promote desired reactions and discriminate against undesired ones.

Abstract: An antenna-supporting arm is hingedly connected to a small semi-permanently attachable plate to be positioned in the usual rain channel underlying the margin of the hood of the engine compartment (or the lid of the trunk) of a motor vehicle. When the hood or lid is temporarily raised, the supporting arm and the antenna mounted thereon are swingable between an exposed normal use position, and a completely concealed under-cover position for preventing theft or vandalism. A support-grounding pigtail lead bridges the hinge and is electrically connectable to the rain channel by one of the bolts fastening the small plate therein.

Abstract: A roller reamer body is provided with junk receiving pockets that are downward extensions of the body cavities in which the rollers and their shaft mounting blocks are disposed. The slots have upwardly slidably openable or removable outside wall panels so that junk can be dumped from the slots while the reamer is still vertical in the drill string, making it unnecessary to disconnect the reamer to dump the junk.

Abstract: First and second pipes supported substantially vertically in a subsea location with a breech block connector connecting the pipes together, the said breech block connector comprising male and female elements, one of which has longitudinally extending circumferentially spaced lugs thereon and the other of which has at least one longitudinally extending stop positioned to engage one of the lugs to limit relative rotation of the members when making up the connection, a longitudinally movable latch member on the other breech block element resiliently biased in a position to engage one of said lugs on the side opposite the stop to prevent relative rotation of the breech block elements in a direction to disconnect them, and a hydraulic cylinder having a piston and piston rod therein connected to the latch member, with biasing means applied to the piston to bias the latch into engagement with the lug and means for applying hydraulic fluid under pressure to both ends of said hydraulic cylinder.

Abstract: A roller on reamer's rollers are rotatably mounted on shafts whose ends are supported by blocks inserted in the reamer body. One end of each shaft is welded, pinned, or otherwise nonrotatably anchored to its mounting block. Each block makes an interference fit with the body socket in which it is disposed. The blocks are stepped or tapered for quick release. Access openings to the backs of the blocks facilitates knockout. Knockout of the stepped blocks is achieved by wedge means.Drilling mud may have access to contacting surfaces of rollers and shafts to lubricate same. Protective seal means may be provided between each roller and shaft at the upper ends thereof so that the mud must flow upwardly to reach the space between shaft and roller and dense solids will be excluded by gravity. Grease lubrication may be provided, e.g. in conjunction with roller shafts mounted in stepped blocks, the rollers being sealed to the shafts at both ends.

Abstract: An alloy steel tool joint connector is friction welded to one end of a seamless steel drill pipe tube. The weld area cools in the air as the pipe moves to a first tempering station. The weld area is brittle and too hard to machine.When the weld is below a temperature corresponding to 90% transformation from austenite to martensite, an infrared radiation responsive control viewing the weld causes an induction heating coil to be moved axially onto the end of the pipe. Energization of the coil reheats the weld area to a temperature below austenitizing but sufficient to temper the steel, and an infrared radiation responsive control viewing the pipe radially through a radial view passage in the coil deenergizes the induction heating coil and causes the coil to be withdrawn from the end of the pipe. The friction weld is then machined off inside and outside.The pipe is then moved to a rehardening station at which the weld area is heated to austenitize the steel following which it is fluid quenched to reharden it.

Abstract: A steel wear belt having a prepared inner surface with an inner diameter large enough to pass over the weld upset on one end of a drill pipe tube but too small to pass over the tool joints is installed about the pipe over a prepared outer peripheral surface thereof. The belt is installed prior to one or both tool joints being welded to the tube. The belt is secured to the tube by injection molding a mounting layer of high polymer material, e.g. plastics or elastomer, preferably self bonding and thermo-set, between the prepared surfaces. There is employed a diametrally split mold disposed about the belt and wedged together by tapered end rings. The rings have inner diameters large enough so they can be removed by passing over the tool joints if they are attached to the ends of the tube before securement of the wear belt. The pipe is plastics coated internally from tool joint to tool joint. The plastics of the internal coating and the polymer of the wear belt mounting are cured.