Abstract: Load leveling height control is provided for a vehicle by replacing a conventional scheduled vehicle height with a load leveling height which is sensed upon detection of the opening of at least one compartment of the vehicle. Load leveling height control raises and lowers the vehicle to maintain the load leveling height. While either a passenger compartment or a cargo compartment can be monitored, preferably both are monitored to protect the vehicle from potential damage both below and above the vehicle due to changes in vehicle height as a vehicle is loaded and/or unloaded. Any currently active leveling activity is aborted such that a load leveling height or open compartment height can be read and maintained as long as a compartment remains open or until vehicle speed reaches a predefined speed, for example 16 kilometers per hour (10 miles per hour), at which time the conventional scheduled vehicle height is once again utilized.

Abstract: A variable speed pig for a pipeline includes a housing having at least one and preferably several flow through passageways. The size of the flow through passageways is varied according to the desired speed of the pig. The pig includes an annular seal disposed about the housing for sealing engagement with the pipeline and the housing, and the flow through passageways are selectively blocked by a first plate disposed in the housing, the first plate having a plurality of first openings. A second plate is also disposed in the housing, and the second plate has a plurality of second openings that are aligned in fluid connection with the flow through passageways. The first plate is movable in relation to the second plate from a position in which at least some of the first and second openings are in fluid connection to a position in which substantially none of the first and second openings are in fluid connection.

Abstract: A vehicle suspension comprises dampers changeable between low and high damping modes and normally operated in the low damping mode. A damper control stores a plurality of sets of reference numbers as a function of vehicle velocity, the reference numbers of each set representing limit values of throttle velocity for the low damping mode for a given transmission gear mode. The reference numbers of each set increase in value with increasing vehicle velocity in a continuously non-linear manner so as to compensate for the decreasing acceleration and body lift produced by a given throttle velocity as vehicle velocity increases. The control changes the damper from low to high damping during vehicle acceleration for a predetermined time when the throttle velocity exceeds a throttle velocity limit reference derived from the reference number corresponding to the vehicle velocity in the set corresponding to the selected transmission gear mode.

Abstract: A vehicle suspension comprises dampers changeable between low and high damping modes and normally operated in the low damping mode. A damper control stores a plurality of sets of reference numbers as a function of vehicle velocity, the reference numbers of each set representing limit values of throttle velocity for the low damping mode for a given transmission gear mode. The reference numbers of each set increase in value with increasing vehicle velocity in a continuously non-linear manner so as to compensate for the decreasing acceleration and body lift produced by a given throttle velocity as vehicle velocity increases. The control changes the damper from low to high damping during vehicle acceleration for a predetermined time when the throtle velocity exceeds a throttle velocity limit reference derived from the reference number corresponding to the vehicle velocity in the set corresponding to the selected transmission gear mode.

Abstract: A vehicle suspension comprises dampers changeable between low and high damping modes and normally operated in the low damping mode. A damper control stores a plurality of sets of reference numbers as a function of vehicle velocity, the reference numbers of each set representing limit values of throttle velocity for the low damping mode for a given transmission gear mode. The reference numbers of each set increase in value with increasing vehicle velocity in a continuously non-linear manner so as to compensate for the decreasing acceleration and body lift produced by a given throttle velocity as vehicle velocity increases. The control changes the damper from low to high damping during vehicle acceleration for a predetermined time when the throttle velocity exceeds a throttle velocity limit reference derived from the reference number corresponding to the vehicle velocity in the set corresponding to the selected transmission gear mode.

Abstract: The pipeline packer described herein typically includes a main body adapted for propulsion through the pipeline is an axial direction. A brake shoe support assembly is located on the main body and a plurality of circumferentially spaced brake shoes capable of gripping the interior wall of the pipeline are mounted to the support assembly. Fluid pressure activated devices are associated with the brake shoe support assembly for urging the brake shoes radially outwardly into gripping engagement with the pipeline to secure the main body in a desired location in the pipeline against the pipeline pressure forces acting thereon. A pair of annular wedges are also mounted to the main body for axial movement toward each other as the fluid pressure activated device acts on the brake shoe support assembly to urge the brake shoes into gripping engagement.

Abstract: The pipeline packer described herein typically includes a main body adapted for propulsion through the pipeline in an axial direction. A brake shoe support assembly is located on the main body and a plurality of circumferentially spaced brake shoes capable of gripping the interior wall of the pipeline are mounted to the support assembly. Fluid pressure activated means are associated with the brake shoe support assembly for urging the brake shoes radially outwardly into gripping engagement with the pipeline to secure the main body in a desired location in the pipeline against the pipeline pressure forces acting thereon. A pair of annular wedging means are also mounted to the main body for axial movement toward each other as the fluid pressure activated means acts on the brake shoe support assembly to urge the brake shoes into gripping engagement.

Abstract: In order to plug off potential producing zones in an abandoned well, cement is injected at the appropriate level in an amount estimated to be sufficient to seal off the zone. A selected portion of the cement, treated with a radioactive tracer, is injected to provide a layer of treated cement at the top of the wet cement plug and a probe or logging tool is thereafter used to locate the position of the top of the plug with the probe output being recorded graphically to provide a record of the position of the plug top.