Abstract: Apparatus and method for digging deep trenches having parallel generally vertical walls in solid rock such as limestone. The apparatus includes a transport means for providing support and for moving along a traverse on the earth's surface while cutting a trench along that traverse. The transport carries a boom which may be articulated into the ditch being cut and a pair of rock cutterwheels carried on the end of the boom and assembled so that the outermost cutter teeth are wider than any other part of the boom assembly. The apparatus further includes means for aligning the flat surfaces of the rock cutter wheels parallel to and between the walls of the ditch and for maintaining alignment of the wheels with the trench as the transport moves along the traverse so that repeated cuts may be made to extend the trench to any desired depth.

Abstract: A method of reducing a highwall or sharp cliff like exposure at a mining site to gradable rubble for the purpose of reclamation is disclosed. The method includes the steps of placing a series of non-directional explosive charges at specific preselected locations on the floor of cavities created by mining, such cavities being auger holes, longwall mine areas or the like. The charges are then detonated within the cavities to create rubble. Preferably, each cavity is sealed proximate its opening on the highwall with stemming to maintain pressure within the associated cavity during the blast and to alternate the expulsion of air blast emissions. The charges are detonated to attenuate the horizontal force vectors, and to enhance the vertical force vectors such that the major effect of the blasts is exerted on the overburden to assure breakage. An improved charge for carrying out the method of the present invention is also disclosed.

Abstract: This specification discloses a carriage apparatus including a carriage movable relative to a fixed base bed and driven by a feed screw or the like. Means for well guiding the movement of the carriage is provided between the base bed and the carriage. A ball nut threadably fitted on the feed screw for driving the carriage is coupled to the carriage through a housing, and means for absorbing displacement of the ball nut is provided between the two. Further, to prevent chiefly the rotation of the ball nut, a bellows having high rigidity for torsion and low rigidity for the other forces is provided between the ball nut and the carriage.

Abstract: A vent assembly is positioned downhole in a borehole in underlying relationship with respect to a packer device. The vent assembly is connected within a production tubing string and a perforating gun is supported by the lower end of the string. A bar of special design is dropped down through the interior of the tubing and falls through the vent assembly and continues to fall down the tubing string to impact against a gun firing head. The action of the bar passing through the vent assembly moves structures associated therewith to cause a port to assume an open position. The subsequent impact of the bar against the gun firing head detonates the shaped charges of the gun. Formation fluid is then free to flow into the perforations, up the lower annulus, into the port of the vent assembly, and up the production tubing to the surface of the ground.

Abstract: An improved bit for use in drilling masonry and the like. This bit is of the type having a transverse bar of hardened material in the tip thereof with symmetrical end surfaces sloping away from a central chisel edge located on the axis of the bit. One of these surfaces is provided along its length with a groove extending from a cutting lip to the trailing edge, with the groove width and depth at the trailing edge having at least the same dimensions as at the cutting edge. Preferably the dimensions at the trailing edge are slightly greater than those at the cutting edge. The second of the surfaces has an outer portion with a reduced angle with respect to the axis of the bit as compared to the angle of the inner portion. This construction provides for the accurate drilling of holes in masonry and the like and further accomplishes the drilling at increased penetration rates with the same or lower axial force applied to the bit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for correcting the direction of a deviated borehole having a self-aligning sleeve slideable over flexible members of the drill string assembly, which is non-rotating and substantially the same length as a flexible member of the drill string assembly, having two elliptical protrusions. There further is included a first protrusion means for centering and stabilizing the tool in the borehole. Also, a second pad-like protrusion means is included for guiding the drill bit and drill string assembly in the desired direction.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for recovery of liquid hydrocarbons on ground water in which one or more perforate, small diameter (2 to 4 inch) well casings are installed in the ground in or at least adjacent to a contaminated soil area containing the liquid hydrocarbons. A liquid recovery unit is in each well casing and each recovery unit has a hollow housing covered by a semi-permeable membrane which passes liquid hydrocarbons but blocks the flow of ground water into the housing. The liquid hydrocarbons collected in the housings can be moved to a receiver by pressurizing the housings, by suction applied to the housings, by pressurizing the well casings, and by the use of submersible pumps near the housings. Several embodiments of the recovery units are disclosed.

Abstract: This invention concerns a boarding installation for vehicles for transporting passengers in air terminals comprising a support equipped with a pivoting plate and a counter-plate which are complementary, of the form of an arc of a circle, and means for controlling the pivoting.

Abstract: Subterranean generation of heat as a source of energy optionally accompanied by the production of minerals. In subterranean formations of minerals that are capable of undergoing an enthalpic degradation, such degradation is artificially accelerated by several orders of magnitude. To this end a bore hole is drilled down to the desired formation and accelerated enthalpic degradation is made to occur by a suitable ignition. For the extraction of energy the bore hole is flushed with water and the resulting steam is withdrawn. In one embodiment, one and the same bore hole is used for charging water and withdrawing steam. In another embodiment the bore holes are arranged pairwise, one bore hole of each pair serving for ignition and introduction of water and the other serves for the withdrawal of steam.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved process for the in-situ recovery of mineral values, particularly uranium, from subterranean deposits that exhibit heterogeneous permeabilities in the formation zones. Aqueous solutions of thickening agents or viscosity building agents are utilized to control the mobility of the leaching solutions as they traverse the subterranean formation to solubilize the mineral values therein.

Abstract: There are disclosed several embodiments of a well tool having a slip assembly which is adapted to grippingly engage a cylindrical surface within a well conduit, and which includes a sleeve carried by a body adapted to be lowered into the well conduit so as to dispose a relatively high friction surface about one side of the sleeve opposite the cylindrical surface. The sleeve is split about its circumference and has end edges which extend at an angle with respect to the axis of the sleeve and are arranged to slide over one another as the sleeve is caused to move between expanded and contracted positions into and out of gripping engagement with the cylindrical surfaces.

Abstract: Heavy breaking giant excavator having a mining system with the following components: a boom having a feed chute and conveyor equipment at one end thereof; and sifting, crushing, and transfer equipment at the other end thereof, and a dipper boom arrangement is disposed on the end of the vertically supported, swivellable boom onto which mined material is fed. The dipper boom has a limited hydraulic capacity dipper disposed thereon.

Abstract: A machine for boring a tunnel having an end face wall, a roof wall, a bottom wall, and opposite side walls. The machine comprises a rotatable cutting wheel means having an annular peripheral wall supporting a plurality of cutting devices and a generally convex-shaped upper wall supporting a plurality of cutting devices. The cutting wheel means is rotatable about an axis of rotation which is inclined in a forward direction relative to a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tunnel for simultaneously cutting the tunnel face along two intersecting surfaces defined by the cutting devices on the annular peripheral wall and the cutting devices on the convex-shape upper wall. Support shoe means are mounted beneath the cutting wheel means for movably supporting the cutting wheel means on the tunnel floor.

Abstract: A replaceable insulating sleeve is disposed around the lower end of a drill string used in drilling a well. The sleeve is restrained from rotating relative to the drill string, but can be released and quickly slipped off the drill string in the field to permit rapid replacement if damaged, or if alternate equipment is required. The sleeve carries sensing means for measuring a characteristic of formations penetrated by the well. Anchor means on the sensing means prevents it from rotating relative to the sleeve.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing a sliding seal at the upper end of a polished bore receptacle in a wellbore to permit reciprocation of tubing string and to prevent the accumulation of debris in an annulus between a tubing string and a polished bore receptacle. In particular, a slideable and releasable connection is provided on a tubing string to releasably inner-connect with the upper end of a tubular bore in a wellbore and permit a sliding and sealing relationship there between.

Abstract: The invention provides a subterranean well casing perforating gun device which employs shaped explosive charges to perforate the well casing. The device generally defines an outer tubular housing assembly concentrically insertable in the well and defining a vertical axis, cylindrical chamber. A tubular carrier of polygonal cross sectional configuration is insertable in the chamber in concentric relationship to the cylindrical wall of the cylindrical chamber. Each of the faces of the carrier have a plurality of spaced passages therethrough, each passage having a configuration substantially corresponding to the configuration of the polygonal face. A shaped charge container has its cylindrical body insertable in any selected one of the passages and a radial flange on the outer end for abutting the polygonal face portion adjacent the respective passage, thereby limiting the insertion of each of the containers into the selected passage.

Abstract: A longwall mining machine and method for its use, the machine traveling over a face conveyor having a first toothed rack extending therealong. A gantry-like frame is movable along the face conveyor and has upstanding supports at its opposite ends which carry an upper track and a second toothed rack. A first mining machine frame is carried on the face conveyor and has drive pinion means engageable with the first toothed rack. A second mining machine frame is carried on the upper track of the gantry-like frame and has drive pinion means engageable with the second toothed rack. The first and second mining machine frames each having a shearer drum mounted thereon for cutting and removing a mineral seam.

Abstract: A spacer for use in a deep well that is to have a submersible pump situated downhole and with a string of tubing attached to the pump for delivering the pumped fluid. The pump is electrically driven, and power is supplied via an armored cable which parallels the string of tubing. Spacers are clamped to the cable and have the tubing running through an eccentrically located passage in each spacer. The outside dimensions of a spacer fit freely inside any casing in the well.

Abstract: A lubricator valve assembly comprises a reciprocably rotatable ball valve which is operated between open and closed positions solely through the selective application of control pressures and/or tubing pressure above the valve to a double acting sleeve type actuating piston. One end of the actuating piston has a valving piston formed thereon which cooperates with a seal bore in the housing to effect the opening or closing of a bypass fluid passage extending from a region below the ball valve to a region above the ball valve. Such valving piston also functions as part of a lost motion connection between the actuating sleeve piston and a reciprocable actuator for rotating the ball valve. In opening the ball valve, the valving piston first moves upwardly to establish a fluid bypass around the closed ball valve and then establishes contact with the actuator to rotate the ball valve to an open position.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for coating traffic surfaces is disclosed in which, in lieu of preparing a batch of coating material, the coating ingredients are independently deposited on the traffic surface and a rotary tool with depending blades is brought into contact with the surface to be coated to effectively mix the ingredients while upon the surface so as to rapidly produce, distribute and apply a uniform composition. The apparatus aspect is represented by a machine in which there are various tanks and hoppers for the individual ingredients, with operator accessible controls for starting, stopping and metering such deposits. In addition the machine carries means for rotatably driving the tool, and for raising and lowering the tool to control the nature of blade contact with the surface being coated.