Abstract: Method and apparatus for heating a fluid, such as water, for any of several purposes, such as for use with carpet cleaning apparatus; and charcterized by supplying electrical current periodically to the primary of a conductive coil, thereby building and collapsing a field about a shorted electrically conductive secondary of the coil. The shorted secondary is a hollow conductor that is heated by high current flow. The heat is transferred to a fluid flowing through the hot, shorted secondary. In a specific aspect of the embodiment, a frame including spray nozzles, vacuum nozzles and the like has the apparatus for heating water connected into it such that heated water is supplied, to effect much more efficacious cleaning of carpets or similar floor surfaces. Also disclosed are specific details and preferred embodiments that have been constructed to date; particularly, the details of the apparatus in which the primary and the secondary coils are closely adjacent each other such that the I.sup.

Abstract: A self-propelled cleaning device with wireless remote control includes a body, a driving device on the body for moving the same rotatably about its axis or in a straight line along the underlying ground surface, and a vacuum cleaning device carried on the body with its suction port open to the underside thereof. The cleaning device normally rotates on its axis at a stationary or fixed location on the underlying surface for concentrated spot cleaning of the underlying surface. The wireless remote control is effective to change the operative mode of the cleaning device from stationary rotation to straight-line travel.

Abstract: A process and system for distinguishing between actual and false pump off of a well and for shutting in the well only upon the occurrence of actual pump off. The process and system employs the principle that pump off may occur only after a not pumped off condition has been detected.

Abstract: A device for connecting the superstructure of a wiper blade in side-by-side relationship to a wiper arm. The device comprises a pin which extends through both the superstructure and the wiper arm and has an enlarged portion on one end of the pin operable to limit longitudinal and to prevent rotational movement of the pin relative to the superstructure of the wiper blade. The device also includes a member which is at least partially supported by a portion of the pin outside the wiper arm with a second member resiliently urging the wiper arm toward the superstructure. The superstructure acts as a stop limiting the relative movement of the wiper arm in the direction of the superstructure.

Abstract: Apparatus for steam cleaning subsurface liners in oil well bores and the like, comprising steam head means particularly designed and constructed for radially spreading a steam stream through a substantially constant area or volume from the stream to the proximity of the releasing jet area in order to maintain the steam at maximum heat upon the release thereof into the area being steam treated. The steam head may be initially introduced into the well bore by a tubing string, lowered to a position in the proximity of the liner by the tubing string, released from the tubing string and moved downwardly through the liner by a smaller tubing string, wire line or the like, and reciprocated within the liner by the smaller tubing string or wire line for cleaning of the liner.

Abstract: A combination valve and pump assembly for use as ballasting apparatus in ships includes a cylindrical valve element disposed within an opening in a ballast chamber. The valve element communicates with ambient sea water and is movable toward and away from the ship's outer surface to block and unblock the opening. The valve and pump assembly also comprises pump apparatus, operable with the valve element, and including an impeller rotatably positioned concentrically within the valve element. The invention contemplates simultaneous reciprocatory translation of the valve element and the pump assembly by hydraulic motor apparatus such that opening and closing of the opening by the valve element is effected by the hydraulic apparatus, while a pump motor causes rotation of the impeller when the valve element is displaced from a position where the opening is blocked.

Abstract: An air broom for suspension from the hand of the user while standing wherein a power unit and an air impeller connected to and driven thereby support an outwardly extending hollow wand whose weight and leverage are coordinated with that of the power unit and air impeller so that the wand is cantilevered at an outward and downward angle with its remote end adjacent the ground. The apparatus is designed for flowing with a sweeping action and for gathering with a suction action.

Abstract: A bottom plate for a carpet power cleaner has a body part, detents provided on the body part and detachably engageable in a housing of a carpet power cleaner. The detents may be of one piece with the body part. The detents may extend through cutouts provided in a lower wall of the housing so as to engage with the latter. The detents may have bent end sections which are engageable with detent edges located downstream of the cutouts of the housing. The body part may have a rear edge provided with inwardly extending flanging.

Abstract: The disclosure concerns a sound dome which is positioned over the motor housing of a bypass type vacuum cleaner. The main housing outlet for the main blower fan of the vacuum cleaner opens under the sound dome. The dome outlet from the sound dome is spaced away from the main housing outlet, causing the air from the main housing outlet to be redirected to the dome outlet. The motor housing has a tower portion that extends up into the sound dome. The housing has a cooling air inlet for cooling air to the motor, which is located higher up on the tower, and has a cooling air outlet for air that has cooled the motor, which is located lower on the tower. A baffle in the sound dome separates the cooling air inlet and the cooling air outlet. The enlarged plenum defined by the sound dome and the indirect pathway between the main housing outlet and the exit from the sound dome tend to reduce the noise generated by the vacuum cleaner.

Abstract: Spots and stains are completely removed from wall-to-wall carpeting, upholstery fabric, and the like, by using a generally flat, hollow tool, which is inserted beneath the carpet or fabric without completely removing the latter from the floor or piece of furniture which it covers. The flat tool has a plurality of spaced perforations in its upper wall; and its interior is releasably connected by a tubular extension member to a vacuum supply which creates a localized vacuum immediately beneath the portion of the carpet that is to be cleaned. A liquid cleaning medium or solvent is then applied to the spot or stain which is located above the tool; and after it passes through the carpet or fabric it is drawn into the tool and through the extension member to the vacuum supply.

Abstract: A continuously operating centrifugal separator suitable for concentration of suspended solids contained in a liquid feed material, having a drum for separation of the feed material into a concentrated fraction and a clear fraction, a paring chamber 15 for discharge of the concentrated fraction, a first passageway 13 for delivery of the concentrated fraction from the periphery 12 of the drum to the paring chamber, and a second passageway for receiving concentrated fraction from the paring chamber and discharge thereof from the drum. The invention provides a conduit means for recycling some of the concentrated fraction which has been conveyed to the paring chamber to the first passageway. Thereby the concentration of solids in the concentrated fraction can be controlled without interferring with the separation being effected in the drum.

Abstract: An improved turbopump unit and system for pumping hot geothermal liquids from deep wells to the earth's surface. The unit is of simplified single-shaft construction with reduced net reaction thrust on the shaft. Bearing wear is minimized by using hydrostatic bearings and by supplying lubricating liquid thereto which is taken from an intermediate stage of a centrifugal pump at the surface which supplies motive liquid to the turbine. An arrangement is provided that is operated by pressure of the lubricating liquid for maintaining all thrust-engageable surfaces carried by the shaft out of engagement at start-up and shut-down. Means operated by liquid pressure are provided for sealing the unit to the well casing and also for preventing undue tensile or compressive stresses in the supply conduit for the turbine motive liquid while maintaining an effective seal between the unit and the well casing.

Abstract: An extractor head for cleaning soft surfaces such as a carpeted surface or upholstry, which includes a housing defining a slit-type throat and a pivotally movable rigid squeegee pivotally mounted within the housing and extending from the throat of the extractor head to which suction is adapted to be applied and which squeegee is adapted for swinging movement in slit-type throat into and out of engagement with opposite walls of the housing depending upon the direction of the movement of the extractor head across a soft surface for the purpose of dislodging dirt and debris in so moving and sweeping, cleaning and squeegeeing the surface to remove debris and water through suction.

Abstract: A power driven brush assembly for cleaning teeth or the like. The brush assembly is formed with a hollow handle element containing drive means coupled to a power transmission extending from the handle element through a handle extension which carries a plurality of brush supporting members remote from the handle element. A plurality of brushes, one for each brush supporting member, is provided, with at least one of said brushes contoured with a cup-shaped cavity at a free end thereof remote from said brush support to implement the facility with which the outer edges of the brush may be bent to approximate the contours of the surface to be brushed. A method based on the same inventive concept is also disclosed for implementing the facility with which a surface may be brushed.

Abstract: A tool for removing solder comprises a tubular body having a nozzle at one end thereof and a piston device arranged to reciprocate within the tubular body to produce a suction effect through the nozzle during a solder removing operation. The piston device includes a piston rod and a piston member slidably mounted on the rod with a spring operating to urge the piston member relative to the rod in a direction toward the nozzle and with a stop member limiting movement of the piston member in this direction.

Abstract: The carpet cleaning device of this invention includes a liquid application means, liquid removal means and carpet brushing means. A reciprocating motion is provided to a pivoted brush by means of a rotary shaft having an oblique crank portion carrying a bearing whose outer race is connected to the brush. The shaft axis, center line of the bearing, and the brush pivot axis all intersect at a common point thus transforming rotary motion of the shaft to an arcuate, reciprocating motion of the brush.

Abstract: The improved cleaning tool disclosed herein is particularly designed for cleaning walls and ceilings. The tool includes a novel block assembly that is mounted on an end of a wand adapted to be held and manipulated by the person doing the cleaning and that includes one surface adapted to be disposed adjacent to the wall or ceiling to be cleaned during the cleaning operation. Two continous rows of channel bristles are mounted on the one surface of the block assembly and extend across the one surface, in a direction transverse to the normal, back and forth path of motion of the block assembly while in usage. The block assembly includes a plurality of nozzles that are designed to wet the rows of channel bristles with cleaning fluid so that the cleaning fluid will flow to the distal ends of the bristles and then be applied, as a thin film, to the wall or ceiling to be cleaned. Vacuum suction slots are disposed between the rows of channel bristles.

Abstract: A carpet cleaning machine for uniformly spreading a powder onto a surface, working the powder into the surface and subsequently removing the powder and dirt is disclosed. The cleaning machine includes a powder dispenser attachable to a vacuum cleaner. The dispenser includes a hopper, a metering drum rotatably mounted within the hopper about a mandrel and a punch roller rotatably mounted within the metering drum. An air motor is operably connected to the metering drum. The vacuum cleaner includes an agitating brush, a suction nozzle, a suction passage and a source of vacuum connected to the suction passage. A blocking vane mounted within the housing and the suction passage alternately connects the suction nozzle to the source of vacuum or the air motor to the source of vacuum. A throttle valve carried in an air outlet tube of the air motor includes a lever which automatically interconnects with a control permanently mounted on the vacuum cleaner.

Abstract: A cleaner for circuit boards includes two elongate hollow housings positioned one above the other to provide a slot between two facing walls. Each wall has an aperture therein spaced from its ends, and brushes extending into the slot from the walls, both in advance of and behind the apertures, to restrict air flow to the apertures to entry at the ends of the slot. Ion emitters are carried by each wall, between two brushes in advance of the apertures. Motor driven fans are in the housings to draw air across the printed circuit board and into the apertures. The housings also contain a power supply for the ion emitters and a motor to drive pinch rollers.

Abstract: A shaft seal ring arrangement for turbochargers comprises a pair of vented seal rings for preventing passage of bearing lubricant into the turbocharger turbine housing.