Abstract: A differential impulse conveyor (10, 10A) for moving goods along a tray (12, 12A) in a forward direction at a first speed and in a rearward direction at a second speed greater than the first speed. A reversible servomotor (14, 14A) may be provided for powering a drive mechanism between the motor shaft (16, 16A) and the tray (12, 12A). The drive mechanism may utilize a rack and pinion assembly (30). An electronic controller (68) may control the rotational speed of motor (14) and reverse the direction of motor rotation. Another embodiment may utilize a drive mechanism including a pair of timing belts (79A, 85A) with ends (83A, 89A) secured to respective links (35A, 48A). A further embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 utilizes a cable and sheave system having a pair of cables (43B, 59B) operatively connected to a reversible motor (14B) for moving the tray (12B) in forward and rearward directions.

Abstract: Container (10) has a plastic bag (26) filled with a particulate material and sealed within the plastic bag (26). A rear bulkhead (42) at the rear end of the container is positioned adjacent the plastic bag (26) and a tubular discharge fitting (50) is mounted on bulkhead (42). A vacuum unloading device (58) has a pair of rigid conduits (60), (62) secured to each other in a perpendicular relationship. Unloading device (58) is arranged for connection to discharge fitting (50) by coupling (66) and adaptor (72). Upon slitting or puncturing of the plastic bag (26) and tilting of the front end of container (10) about the rear end thereof above the angle of repose of the particulate material being unloaded, the particulate material is discharged by gravity into the vacuum unloading device (58). The particulate material is drawn by a vacuum through conduit (60) into pneumatic conduit (62) for transport to a suitable storage facility.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for obtaining a secure mechanical connection and a pressure-tight seal in the overlapping area of two telescoping tubular bodies. The two bodies, including the overlapping area, are radially expanded to increase the inside diameter of the bodies. The expansion forces an annular seal in the overlapping area into a pressure-sealing engagement between the bodies. A string of pipe assembled from joints secured to each other by telescoping, threadedly engaged expanded pin and box connections may be radially expanded into a surrounding well bore to provide a cased well having an internal diameter greater than the original internal diameter of the pipe string. The seal in the connection comprises an annular elastomeric seal ring and an annular Teflon spacer ring carried in a specially dimensioned groove formed in either the box or the pin, or both members of the connection.

Abstract: A dynamometer readout (42, 46) and method is disclosed for obtaining dynamometer information (110) related to pumpjacks (10). For this purpose, a change of pivotal direction of the walking beam (18) may be detected by processor (82) utilizing an encoder component (60) with spaced slots (64) therein and light signal devices (68, 70, 72, 74) positioned to have a spacing different from that of the spacing of the slots (64). Software techniques filter out effects of stray mechanical vibrations. An infrared transceiver (46, 50, 100) of a preferred embodiment includes a radio frequency carrier generator (90) and modulator (88) that produces an infrared signal receivable by a low cost consumer radio receiver. The radio frequency modulation technique for infrared signals (96) and related filtering (98, 102, 104) condition formatted infrared signals for utilization in daylight and through a car window for drive-by downloading of data to second computer (108). A sensor (163) may be substituted for the encoder.

Abstract: An oilfield tubular string 10, 60, 60A comprising a plurality of elongate joints having one or both ends threaded. The joints may be connected by a coupling including a generally sleeve shaped coupling body having a tapered upstream thread profile and a tapered downstream thread profile for threaded engagement with a mating profile of a respective joint. The coupling body includes a low stress flex groove 30 having a selected box thread runout bevel angle, and all transitions in the flex groove between surfaces are radiused to greater than 0.100 inches to minimize stress risers. A pin-in-box connection between tubular joints includes mating tapered threads 72, engagement of end shoulder 74, 76, 78, and 80, and a low stress flex groove 82. The present invention allows the elongate joints to be used as both a casing string and a drill string, thereby saving significant time and expense.

Abstract: A differential impulse conveyor 10, 80, 90, 100 includes a tray 12 which is driven in a forward direction at a slow speed and a backward direction at a higher speed to slide goods with respect to the tray and thereby move goods along the tray. The drive motor 26, 27 powers the tray in the forward and backward directions through a drive shaft 40 and a tray crank 66, 106 interconnecting the drive shaft and the tray. Controller 84 is provided for varying the rotational speed of the motor shaft, thereby avoiding mechanical knock in the drive system. In another embodiment, a pair of counterweights 52, 62 are provided on opposing sides of the drive shaft 40, with respective counterweight cranks 46, 56 initiating forward movement of each counterweight at a preselected offset angular position with respect to forward movement of the tray.

Abstract: A thermowell assembly (20) shown in FIG. 2 is positioned in a pipeline (10) for sensing the temperature of the fluid medium in the pipeline (10) for transmitting the sensed temperature to a meter (12). A temperature sensing probe is received within a temperature conducting tube (36) forming a thermowell and having a plurality of annular fins (40) extending thereabout. In the embodiments of FIGS. 1-7, a liquid (50) is provided in an annular space between the thermocouple (28) and the temperature conducting tube (36). Non-metallic members (70, 74, 80) are positioned between the pipeline (10) and the temperature transmitting tube (36) to isolate thermocouple (28) from ambient changes in the temperature of metal pipeline (10) which may result in an error in the temperature of the flow medium sensed by the thermowell assembly (20). High temperature embodiments shown in FIGS.

Abstract: A method and system for drilling or cutting a subterranean well or formation 52 using a drilling rig 5, a drill string 55, a plurality of solid material impactors 100, a drilling fluid and a drill bit 60 is disclosed. This invention may have particular utility in drilling wells for the petroleum industry and for cutting formation in the mining and tunnel boring industries. In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of solid material impactors are introduced into the drilling fluid and pumped through the drill string and drill bit to impact the formation ahead of the bit. At the point of impact, a substantial portion by weight of the impactors may have sufficient energy to structurally alter, excavate, and/or fracture the impacted formation. The majority by weight of the plurality of solid material impactors may have a mean diameter of at least 0.100 inches, and may structurally alter the formation to a depth of at least twice the mean diameter of the particles comprising the impacted formation.

Abstract: A discharge gate mechanism or structure for proportioning a volume of goods between two flow streams. The gate discharge structure includes a one-piece tube 22 having a gate discharge opening 92 therein. A feed trough 20 is connected to tube 22 for reciprocal simultaneous movement with tube 22 for moving the goods along trough 20 and tube 22. A motor 86 is effective to rotate tube 22 and opening 92 therein relative to feed trough 20 to position discharge opening 92 at a desired location for controlling the discharge of goods between two flow streams.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for drilling a well bore 60 through a subterranean formation using a drilling rig 25 and a drill string 50, whereby the bottom hole pressure while circulating drilling fluid (“ECD”) may be substantially maintained when circulation is interrupted or altered, such as when adding a joint of drill pipe to or removing a joint of drill pipe from the drill string. The method includes controllably applying and maintaining a desired variable annulus fluid pressure in the well bore, and thereafter controllably releasing the pressure from the well bore 60. In addition, methods and systems are provided for rotating the drill string while trapping, maintaining and/or releasing the well bore pressure. A substantially constant ECD pressure may be maintained on a formation, thereby facilitating the use of a lower density drilling fluid than may otherwise be required to maintain well control.

Abstract: A coupling 10 for use with composite coiled tubing 12 connects the coiled tubing 12 to a tool or other tubing member. The coupling 10 may include a female coupling component 26 and a male coupling component 28, with a substantially flush internal bore through the coupling 10 concentric with the coiled tubing. The female component 26 may include a tapered, negative flank thread profile 32 for engagement with the coiled tubing 12, and preferably provides a fluid tight seal and axial joint strength substantially as strong as the coiled tubing 12. Another embodiment of the coupling 70 may include a smooth tapered inner surface 76 for bonding engagement with the coiled tubing 12. In addition, a double male flush joint adapter 80 may be used to connect multiple strings of composite coiled tubing 12 and may also provide a substantially flush internal joint.

Abstract: A differential impulse conveyor 10, 80, 90, 100 includes a tray 12 which is driven in a forward direction at a slow speed and a backward direction at a higher speed to slide goods with respect to the tray and thereby move goods along the tray. The drive motor 26, 27 powers the tray in the forward and backward directions through a drive shaft 40 and a tray crank 66, 106 interconnecting the drive shaft and the tray. Controller 84 is provided for varying the rotational speed of the motor shaft, thereby avoiding mechanical knock in the drive system. In another embodiment, a pair of counterweights 52, 62 are provided on opposing sides of the drive shaft 40, with respective counterweight cranks 46, 56 initiating forward movement of each counterweight at a preselected offset angular position with respect to forward movement of the tray.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing silicon carbide whiskers in which silicon and carbon containing feedstock is placed on a series of gas permeable supports and passed through a reaction zone. The feedstock is maintained at 1500.degree. C. to 1700.degree. C. between forty to eighty minutes while the off gases from other reacting feedstock is permitted to pass from one support to another. In this manner uniformity of environment is maintained to produce high quality silicon carbide whiskers having average diameters by mass between 1 and 1.5 microns.

Abstract: A mounting assembly 4 is provided for a feed tube 12 of a high-temperature fluid-wall reactor of the type having a vertically oriented reactor tube heated to incandescence for emitting radiation radially inward to a reaction zone. The mounting assembly 4 comprises a tube support 34 having an opening 42 through which the feed tube 12 can pass, and a pivot seat member 30 secured to the reactor. The assembly 4 further comprises a retainer 52 for selectively fixing the orientation of the feed tube relative to the reactor, and a releasable attachment mechanism 70 for allowing the axial position of the feed tube to be adjusted relative to the assembly 4. According to the method of the invention, undesirable conditions within the reactor are detected, and the orientation of the feed tube is pivotably adjusted in response thereto for reducing undesirable reactor operating conditions.

Abstract: A reactor tube 20 for a high-temperature fluid wall reactor has a generally cylindrical shape and is made of a refractory material which permits the tube to be heated to incandescence. The reactor tube in turn radiates energy inwardly to a reaction zone to sustain the desired high-temperature reaction. At least a length of the tube 20 is perforated to permit an inert gas to pass through the tube to form a protective fluid wall for preventing the radially-inward reactant products from contacting the inner surface 84 of the tube. Perforations 78 are located, shaped and dimensioned such that inert gas jets 86 are formed each having a substantially radially-directed momentum sufficient to repel the reactants. The injection of inert gas is controlled so that gas jets overlap to form the protective fluid wall, but the gas jets do not disturb flow within the radially-inward reaction zone. Sections of the reactor tube may remain unperforated, but are protected by the downstream flow of the injected inert gas.

Abstract: A reactor tube 20 for a high-temperature fluid wall reactor has a generally cylindrical shape and is made of a refractory material which permits the tube to be heated to incandescence. The reactor tube in turn radiates energy inwardly to a reaction zone to sustain the desired high-temperature reaction. At least a length of the tube 20 is perforated to permit an inert gas to pass through the tube to form a protective fluid wall for preventing the radially-inward reactant products from contacting the inner surface 84 of the tube. Perforations 78 are located, shaped and dimensioned such that inert gas jets 86 are formed each having a substantially radially-directed momentum sufficient to repel the reactants. The injection of inert gas is controlled so that gas jets overlap to form the protective fluid wall, but the gas jets do not disturb flow within the radially-inward reaction zone. Sections of the reactor tube may remain unperforated, but are protected by the downstream flow of the injected inert gas.

Abstract: This invention relates to the distribution of electrical power to subsea petroleum recovery installations, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for sensing and limiting the electrical current drawn through power cables disposed on the sea floor. A transformer having primary winding and a secondary winding is located at a subsea power distribution module and has its primary winding connected in series with the power cable. A variable impedance device is connected to the secondary winding and is actuated, in response to a control signal indicative of the current drawn through the power cable, to substantially open-circuit the secondary winding when the current exceeds a predetermined value. Additionally, the variable impedance device substantially short-circuits the secondary winding when the load current falls to a level less than a preselected minimum value.