Abstract: A separator for cleaning material from particles such as oil from sand. A container is provided having upper wall structure with an opening formed therethrough leading to an annular zone extending radially outward from the opening. A cone shaped baffle has an upper open end coupled to the opening and a lower end flaring downward and outward into the container with the lower end of the baffle being located close to but spaced from the side wall of the container. Means is provided for injecting the sand to be cleaned into the upper portion of the container above the baffle. Means is provided for injecting water into the upper portion of the container above the baffle in a direction to cause the sand to swirl downward into the container below the baffle and around the side wall of the container for causing the oil to be removed from the sand.

Abstract: A container having a center suction conduit with a plurality of inductors, a plurality of injectors for injecting fluid into the container and a pump for withdrawing fluid from the container by way of the inductors and center suction conduit and recirculating the fluid by way of the injectors. The pump has an inlet coupled to an outlet end of the center suction conduit and an outlet coupled to the injectors. Each inductor comprises a conduit which extends into the center suction conduit and which has an opening within the center suction conduit which faces the outlet end thereof. A lower suction conduit is coupled to the bottom of the container and to the inlet of the pump. A reverse flow conduit is coupled to the outlet of the pump and to the outlet end of the center suction conduit for allowing the pump to pump fluid from the container by way of the lower suction conduit and into the center suction conduit for cleaning out the inductors.

Abstract: Apparatus for removing gas from drilling mud comprising a housing defining a chamber having a mud inlet at one end and a processed mud outlet and a gas outlet means at the other end. The mud outlet and the gas outlet means are spaced radially outward from the central axis of the chamber. A shaft is located within the chamber along its central axis with a plurality of angularly spaced blades attached thereto along its length. The outer ends of the blades have flexible members attached thereto. Drive means is provided for rotating the shaft and hence the blades for spinning the mud received through the inlet against the inside surface of the wall of the housing as a thin layer and moving the mud as a thin layer to the other end of the chamber for allowing the gas in the mud to separate. One or more feedback conduits are provided for facilitating control of the thickness of the mud layer on the inside surface of the wall of the housing and for preventing mud from flowing through the gas outlet means.

Abstract: A process of forming a nozzle for discharging a fluid comprising locating in an upright position, a tubular conduit having internal threads formed on the inside thereof at opposite ends. A core having a conical shaped end is located within the conduit such that it extends out of the conduit, and is spaced from the inside wall of the conduit down to the threads at the lower end of the conduit. The conical shaped end of the core and the conduit are surrounded with a mold having its inside wall spaced from the conical shaped end of the core. The space between the inside wall of the conduit and the core is filled with a liquid material. The liquid material is allowed to harden to form an elastic member molded within the conduit. The mold and core are removed and a portion of the elastic member extending beyond the conduit is severed to form a discharge opening.

Abstract: A system for mixing fluids such as drilling fluids and which comprises an elongated container having a cylindrical shaped bottom. A short suction conduit has an inlet in fluid communication with the interior of the container at about its central axis for withdrawing fluid from the container. An exterior conduit extends along the length of the container and has a plurality of spaced apart injection conduits extending into the container for injecting fluid therein in a direction to cause the fluid to swirl around the central axis of the container. A pump has its inlet coupled to the suction conduit and its outlet coupled to one end of the exterior conduit to cause the fluid in the container to spiral inward for flow through the suction conduit and to be pumped into the exterior conduit for injection through the injection conduits back into the container. Means is provided for preventing the fluid from swirling in the suction conduit.

Abstract: A nozzle comprising an elastic member molded in a conduit having oppositely disposed threads at opposite ends. The elastic member embeds all of the threads at the down stream end, a portion of the threads at the up stream end and extends out of the down stream end defining a discharge end. An aperture extends through the elastic member and is conical shaped at the discharge end thereof.

Abstract: A system for mixing fluids such as drilling fluids and which comprises an elongated container having a cylindrical shaped bottom. A suction conduit has an inlet in fluid communication with the interior of the container at about its central axis for withdrawing fluid from the container. An exterior conduit extends along the length of the container and has a plurality of spaced apart injection conduits extending into the container for injecting fluid therein in a direction to cause the fluid to swirl around the central axis of the container. A pump has its inlet coupled to the suction conduit and its outlet coupled to one end of the exterior conduit to cause the fluid in the container to spiral inward for flow through the suction conduit and to be pumped into the exterior conduit for injection through the injection conduits back into the container. An air bleed is provided for removing air from the interior of the container near its axis.

Abstract: A system for mixing fluids such as drilling fluids and which comprises an elongated container having a cylindrical shaped bottom. An interior conduit is located in the container along its axis and has a plurality of spaced apart inductor inlets along its length for the passage of fluid from the container into the conduit. An exterior conduit extends along the length of the container and has a plurality of spaced apart injection conduits extending into the container for injecting fluid therein in a direction to cause the fluid to swirl around the interior conduit. A pump has its inlet coupled to one end of the interior conduit and its outlet coupled to one end of the exterior conduit to cause the fluid in the container to spiral inward for flow through the inductor inlets into the interior conduit and to be pumped into the exterior conduit for injection through the injection conduits back into the container.

Abstract: A raise bore drilling rig is provided for use with a drill string of non-round cross-sectional configuration; the drill string is connectible through a pilot hole from a raise bore bit at the lower end of the pilot hole to the raise bore drilling rig at the upper end of the hole. To enable simple assembly of the drill string, the upper end of each length of drill string is circular in way of the female component of a threaded coupling. The drilling rig includes a rotary drive mechanism which mates with the non-round cross-section of individual lengths of drill string and which is rotatably driven to apply torque to the drill string as it is raised axially during the raise bore drilling process. The torque applying component of the drilling rig which is directly engageable with the drill string includes a vertically floating "bushing" which enables torque to be applied to the string as a coupling is raised through a normal "at rest" position of the bushing.