Abstract: A landscape care tool can take the form of a vegetation-cutting tool incorporating circular-shaped blades having teeth or an earth-working tool incorporating hoeing tines. Drive linkage for such tool forms, as well as other tool forms, imparts linear movement in response to rotation of a shaft. The drive linkage includes a worm element which rotates with the shaft and a tooth carrier which moves linearly in response to rotation of the worm element. The worm element has one set of threads angled in one direction and a second set of threads angled in the opposite direction. The tooth carrier carries one tooth which engages threads of the first set of threads in order to move the carrier in one linear direction and a second tooth which engages threads of the second set of threads to move the carrier in the opposite linear direction.

Abstract: A tool actuator which comprises a casing containing a pipe, which is movable from a locking position to an unlocking position, under the action of a fluid pumped through the casing. When the pipe is in the locking position it locks a mandrel in an activating or deactivating position. When the pipe is in the unlocking position it does not contact the mandrel which is therefore free to move between the activating and a deactivating positions. The fluid pressure will be different for each of the positions of the pipe and mandrel and consequently their position can be monitored by monitoring the pressure of the fluid, for a given fluid flow rate.

Abstract: An expandable drill bit for cleaning solidified cement from a well casing used in oil drilling operations. The bit has an initial diameter which allows it to be passed through a permanent restriction in a well casing and thereafter expanded to clean out the casing below the restriction. The bit has three uniformly spaced cutting elements which may be fully retracted within the diameter of the cylindrical outline of the body of the bit and are located at the forwardmost end in a strengthened portion of the body. The cutting elements have projections which are engaged by the forward end of a piston sliding along the axis of the drill body within a cylinder bore and are actuated thereby to their cutting positions, with their cutting edges generally radially extending but slightly forwardly divergent, by the hydraulic pressure on the piston of a fluid forced down through the drilling string which carries the bit.

Abstract: A shock absorber device for inclusion in a tool string to provide rapid shock dissipation for shock forces traveling up or down the string. The device includes a tubular mandrel and an outer casing that forms an annular chamber therearound. At least one annular piston and one or more metering sleeves are formed integral with the outer casing and function to divide the annular chamber into a plurality of annular chambers that are filled with either nitrogen gas or silicone oil under selected pressures. Thus, the mandrel supports the lower tool string resiliently due to the fluid supported annular pistons such that any shock wave traveling along the tool string will be rapidly dissipated at the fluid piston interfaces.

Abstract: A harvesting apparatus and method includes a vehicle designed for operation along aisles between rows of low density young citrus trees for collecting, storing and transporting citrus fruit harvested by multiple workers moving along in front of the vehicle. The apparatus and method is more efficient and cost effective for harvesting citrus fruit from low density young citrus trees and eliminates pallet tubs and the vehicle boom required to empty and replace the tubs as used in the "conventional harvesting method". The machine and method includes a large semi-circular tray preferably mounted at a level about two feet above the ground on the front of a self-propelled vehicle carrying a hopper. The tray is selectively removable to allow a tray of different size to be mounted on the vehicle to meet the harvesting conditions involved at given citrus groves.

Abstract: A plastic element with an outer surface defining a running surface, particularly for a belt or chain, arranged at the outer circumference of a metallic insert designed as a rolling or sliding bearing, consisting of a polymeric plastic material hardened after polymerization produced in a mold comprising adding an expanding agent to the polymeric plastic material by mixing, inserting the metallic insert into the mold, filling the mold with polymeric plastic material containing an expanding agent at a low pressure compared to injection molding pressures, allowing the polymeric plastic material to expand by action of the expanding agent to the outer surface of the metallic insert and to the mold to form the running surface and hardening the polymer plastic material.

Abstract: A blueberry picking machine having a supporting frame from which two brush-like bush contacting members depend. The brush-like bush contacting members rotate freely when they contact a bush. Each bush contacting member is reciprocated vertically by an end driver unit containing counter-rotating weights rotating in a vertical plane to enable each brush-like member to dislodge ripened fruit from each branch contacted. The ripened fruit falls onto a plurality of movable catcher pans from which the fruit can travel to a continuous conveyor belt on each side which carry the fruit to the rear of the machine. A source of air supplies a large volume of air under the catcher pans and also blows air through the conveyor belts to clean the picked fruit. Secondary air sources are provided for blowing additional air through the conveyor belts to further clean the picked fruit.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for completing wells having corroded or leaking casing which are used as production and/or injection wells. The apparatus comprises a packer, an adapter assembly, and a stinger assembly installed in the well along with associated tubing strings to provide a new completion and production or injection string in the well.

Abstract: A progressive cavity pump for inflating downhole inflatable packers. The pump includes a case defining an inlet port and an outlet passageway therein in which the outlet passageway is in communication with the inflatable packer at a location below the pump in the well bore. An elastomeric stator is disposed in the case between the inlet port and the outlet passageway, and the stator has a convoluted inner surface. A rotor is disposed in the stator and rotatable with respect thereto. The rotor defines a convoluted outer surface thereon engaged with the inner surface of the stator such that a plurality of progressive pumping cavities are defined therebetween. As the rotor is rotated within the stator, fluid is moved from one cavity to the next, thereby pumping fluid from the inlet to the outlet. The rotor has a central opening therethrough which provides communication between the packer and an upper testing string portion. The rotor is supported on bearings and/or bushings.

Abstract: A mulching blade for a lawn mower having a housing which is mounted on the shaft of the lawn mower motor below the deck of the housing. The housing has a skirt with a opening. The opening may be closed by mulching door having holes therein which contains the grass clippings in the housing while releasing air pressure during mulching operations. The blade has outer and inner sections which extend radially inward from the tips thereof. The outer section is pitched upwardly with respect to the ground so as to lift the clipping as they are cut by a cutting edge extending along one edge of the sections. The inner section is pitched downwardly so as to push clippings which are recut by the cutting edge along the inner section towards the ground.

Abstract: This invention concerns a centralizing device for packers intended to be connected to the lower end of a packer and lowered into a producing well, guiding and centralizing said packer within the inside casing, which device consists of a sturdy tubular body (51) provided at its middle with a set of fins (53) which projects outwards from the diameter of said tubular body (51), and divides it (51), that its provided above and below with connecting means (55, 57), at an upper part (59), a middle part (61) surrounded by said set of fins (53), while at a lower part (63) said fins (53) are spaced apart lengthwise and equidistantly, consisting of a longer curved portion (65) of the same outside shape as said tubular body and provided above with straight portions (67) that rise towards the upper part (59) of said tubular body (51) and below with straight portions (69) that drop towards said lower part (63) of such tubular body (51).

Abstract: A rotor cutter comprises a cutting member (1) adapted to be driven into rotation about an axis of rotation (3). The cutting member comprises a knife holder (6) connected with a knife (12). The knife (12) comprises a blade, which during the rotation of the cutting member (1) rotates in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation (3) of the cutting member (1). The knife (12) comprises furthermore a shank (13) rotatably journalled relative to the knife holder (6) about a swivel axis (11), said swivel axis forming an acute angle (.alpha.) with the axis of rotation (3) of the cutting member (1), the angle space of said angle facing upwards.

Abstract: There is disclosed a root crop harvesting machine, especially a potato harvesting machine which can dig-up two rows of crop and then discharging the crop laterally of the machine to any required extent via an elevator which is adjusted to a lateral discharge mode, as shown in FIG. 1, to permit the dug-up crop to be deposited in rows for drying purposes. Once drying has been completed, the same machine can then be used to pick-up the dried crop and then, following adjustment of the elevator to an elevational position as shown in FIG. 2, the dried crop can be discharged into a collecting vehicle. The harvesting machine of the invention therefore has two discharge functions, and can replace two existing pieces of equipment. The invention also enables novel methods of crop harvesting to be carried out.

Abstract: A gravel prepack production system characterized by a flexible gravel prepack comprising an inner tube and a plurality of discrete annular filter elements carried on the inner tube and longitudinally spaced therealong by spacers. The tube is free to flex at the segments thereof intermediate the relatively rigid filter elements to enable the gravel prepack to traverse even severe doglegs in the well. The filter elements and spacers may be strung onto the inner tube at the production site to configure the gravel prepack to the particular application as by selecting a desired spacing between the filter elements.

Abstract: The arrangement for patching off troublesome zones in a well has a string of profile pipes with cylindrical portions at their ends, and a device for setting the string of profile pipes in a well, mounted for longitudinal reciprocation inside the string of profile pipes.Said device includes a reamer of the cylindrical portions of the profile pipes, positioned inside the uppermost cylindrical portion of the string of profile pipes, rigidly connected with an expander positioned above the string of profile pipes and having a housing with expanding elements mounted thereon.

Abstract: An oval track guides plates with tobacco stickholders thereon around the track so that workers at stations around the track can impale tobacco plants on the tobacco sticks in the stickholders as they pass by or as they are stopped momentarily in front of the workers. A lever-camlike object arrangement opens and closes claws on the stickholders as the lever reaches or touches the camlike object and then passes over it and drops off.

Abstract: A concave drag bit cutter device and cutting method using such a concave cutter bit are provided which provide substantially increased efficiencies over conventional point attack bits. A number of different cutter bit shapes employing a concave cutting face can be used. The cutter bits are intended to replace the conventional point attack cutter bits and can be used in continuous mining machines, saw blades, auger drills, longwall shearers and the like, in cutting and mining operations.

Abstract: A self-propelling harvesting thresher comprises threshing means, and a post threshing and separating mechanism, the post threshing and separating mechanism operating in accordance with an axial flow system and including two rotors located near one another and driven in the same direction and a housing surrounding the rotors and provided with guiding means above each drum for guiding a product, the housing being expanded above the rotors.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cutter blade for mowers of harvesting machines the cutter bevel of which comprises two zones of different inclination relative to the blade leaf plane wherein between the zone molded to the cutting edge and the zone extending to the upper blade plane a gradation is provided. It relates furtheron to a method for the production of said cutter bevels on cutting blades of mowers which comprise two zones having different blade angles relative to the blade leaf plane wherein in a first embossing process the zone of the cutter bevel extending to the upper blade plane is pressed into the blade blank in parallel to the cutting edge provided and in a subsequent embossing process, the zone extending to the cutting edge is molded on and the embosssing portion extending beyond the lower blade leaf plane is ground away.

Abstract: A cranberry harvester has a array of vertically oscillatable tines extending forward and over a ground roller. The roller pulls the vines through the tine array, stripping the berries, without damaging the vines or jamming the tines. Round upwardly curved tapered tines pivoted on a transverse bar are independently oscillated by a transverse camshaft to disentangle the vines effectively. Fruit is removed through a suction duct to a storage bin. The cranberry harvester is conveniently mounted on either a center articulated self propelled chassis, or a unitary self propelled chassis.