Abstract: A bed of granular media is supported in a vessel to process liquid flowed in through both the upper and lower faces of the bed and out of the bed at a location intermediate the upper and lower faces. A drain structure for the processed liquid is mounted at the location intermediate the two bed faces with the capacity to withdraw the quantity of liquid flowing into both of the bed faces. A closed circuit is provided to transfer residual material in the drain structure back to the inlet system of the bed after backwash of the bed. A holding vessel is connected to the vessel in which the media bed is supported to temporarily receive the media for service periods of the bed vessel.

Abstract: A single, horizontally extended cylinder receives in one end a mixture of produced fluids from an oil well. Baffles within the shell control the liquids of the production during pitch and roll to prevent agitation of the separating liquids.

Abstract: The control element assembly in a nuclear reactor is connected to its extension shaft by spring collet structure whose sections are locked to the extension shaft by a plunger actuated by a spring which is also a part of the buffer mechanism of the assembly.

Abstract: A pressurized nuclear reactor having an instrument assembly sheathed in a metallic tube which is extended vertically upward into the reactor core by traversing a metallic guide tube which is welded to the wall of the vessel. Sensors in each instrument assembly are connected to instruments outside the vessel to manifest the conditions within the core. Each instrument assembly probe is moved into position within a metallic guide channel. The guide channel penetrates the wall of the vessel and forms part of the barrier to the environment within the pressure vessel. Each channel includes a ball check valve which is opened by the instrument assembly probe when the probe passes through the valve. A ball valve element is moved from its seat by the probe to a position lateral of the bore of the channel and is guided to its seat along a sloped path within the valve body when the probe is removed.

Abstract: A firetube is mounted in a body of liquid to transmit heat to the liquid. A burner of fluid fuel is attached to one end of the firetube to discharge products of combustion into the firetube. The cooled products are discharged from the other end. The last portion of the firetube in the liquid bath has a series of tubes mounted through its walls. Liquid of the bath passes through the tubes and is heated by the products of combustion in contact with the tubes from within the firetube.

Abstract: A board of electrical insulating material has power conductors mounted on one side and work circuits mounted on the other side. A power source to actuate the work circuits is connected to the power conductors in a set sequence. Holes are provided through the board to receive conductive pins to electrically connect power conductors to work circuits to actuate each selected work circuit at a predetermined point in the set sequence.

Abstract: A stem generator with its sections arranged for the limited space available in a marine installation. The heated surfaces are exposed to both the products of combustion of original fuels and the discharge from the prime movers of marine propulsion. The water being vaporized is positively pumped up through the heated surfaces to the short length upper steam separator drum. The superheat surfaces are arranged in modular form so they may be readily replaced and can also be drained of collected liquid when maintenance is required.

Abstract: A primary element is connected to a control element of a fluid pressure relay to move the element to positions at which fluid pressure outputs of the relay will be generated to represent the positions.

Abstract: An air quality control system scrubs flue gas of SO.sub.2 and particulates with a slurry of lime/limestone and water. The system includes a tank below the contact of gas and slurry in which the chemical action is completed and from which the slurry is recirculated to the scrubber. A bubbler system is connected to the reaction tank to detect the density of the slurry and monitor or control the density. The bubbler system is supplied the liquid and dissolved solids decanted from the thickener to which the slurry is drawn for disposal.

Abstract: An electric system normally responsive to radiation over a path traversed by a body of material. An auxiliary radiation source generates a continuous signal through the portion of the circuit monitored for failure. The continuous signal opposes deenergization of the system relay during the period the material blocks normal radiation to the system and while the monitored circuit is operative.

Abstract: A furnace has its interior walls covered with tubes which carry fluids being heated has supports for the tubes extended from the furnace shell. The supports are attached to the inside of the shell and extend beyond the refractory lining the shell. A strap member on each support extends from, and is movable in, tracks of each support to clamp a tube to the support.

Abstract: Conduit segments are mounted above a horizontal plate which supports an upper bed of media. The segments have perforations formed on their underside. A screen is draped over each segment and extends down the sides of a cradle mounted on the plate to support the segment. The screen laterally supports the media and functions to isolate the media from a fluid volume beneath the perforations in the underside of the conduit.

Abstract: The rotor of a turbine meter has a ceramic bushing and is mounted on a ceramic shaft. A ceramic body is mounted to engage the bushing in one direction. Thin layers of elastomeric material are placed between the mounted end of the shaft and the ceramic body and its mount to provide mechanical shock absorption.

Abstract: An electric circuit with a plurality of inputs, each input receiving a train of pulses. Each pulse of each train sets a latch of cross-coupled logic gates to an output of logic 1. A clock generating regular voltage pulses is connected in parallel to the latches so as to reset the output of each gate to logic 0 in series with each other. The plurality of outputs from the latches is passed through a common gate to form the output train of pulses as an addition of the plural inputs.

Abstract: The rotor of a turbine meter is supported in the bore of its housing between a pair of spiders. One vane of each spider has structure with which it engages grooves in the bore wall to lock the spider in place within the bore.

Abstract: The blades of a turbine meter are shown cutting the lines of force generated by a plurality of electromagnetic pick-up units positioned about the circle of blades. The pick-up units are connected in an electric network which amplifies, shapes and multiplies the voltage pulses generated by the blades and pick-up units and then combines the pulses into a single train representing the fluid flowing through the turbine meter.

Abstract: A flow meter in the form of a turbine meter with a pick-up producing voltage signals related to fluid flow through the meter is connected to an electric circuit. The circuit includes a clock oscillator which is started and stopped to produce trains of voltage pulses upon demand by the flow meter signals. The predetermined number of train pulses are matched with the register of fluid quantity so a whole number of the train pulses will equal the smallest quantity unit of the register.

Abstract: A diagrammatic representation of a single tube is housed to form a gravity separation chamber for the liquid separated from gas by the tube, and the tube is shown to be in several axially aligned sections spaced from each other to provide the exits and reentry paths between the tube and chamber for the separating fluids.

Abstract: A number of oil wells each have a crude oil processing unit located at close to the wellhead. The clean oil produced from each processing unit is connected to supply the clean oil as hydraulic power oil and to sales. The sales output conduits are manifolded. The control system normally creates clean oil, which is excess over that required for pumping, to sales. The control system alternatively withdraws clean oil from the manifold if a well temporarily does not produce enough clean oil for pumping.

Abstract: A separator vessel shell is connected to receive a mixture of fluids produced from an oil well. An inlet structure is mounted within the shell and positioned to receive the flow stream of fluid mixture. The inlet structure includes a matrix of units, each of which provide a large surface area over which the fluid mixture passes in flowing through the matrix. The forces generated on the fluid mixture convert the energy in the flowing mixture and prevent the energy from shearing vapor bubbles in the mixture and forming additional foam.