Abstract: An improved intermediate support is provided for ensuring the safety of a worker while moving relative to a fixed structure at elevated locations, with the worker being secured by a lanyard to a safety or fall restraint cable. The intermediate support is secured to the fixed structure, and includes a supporting plate having a notch along the periphery thereof for receiving the safety cable, and a pair of opposing hook members positioned on opposite sides of the supporting plate. The hook members prevent the safety cable from inadvertently or intentionally moving out of the notch. The method of the present invention ensures that an end of the lanyard secured to the safety cable may be quickly and easily moved sequentially past one hook member, then the supporting plate, and then the other hook member to allow the worker to efficiently and safely move past the intermediate support.

Abstract: Improved techniques are provided for forming ionized molecules from electrosprayed droplets for analysis by a mass spectrometer. A high voltage is applied to a capillary tube for spraying droplets at substantially atmospheric pressure or above, and the electrosprayed droplets contain sample solute of interest and solvent. The electrosprayed droplets are passed into an ion generating chamber which is maintained at a pressure in the range of from 0.2 Torr to 10 Torr. The walls of the ion generating chamber are controllably heated to a temperature which will desolvate the droplets and produce ionized molecules of interest for analysis by the mass spectrometer. The electrospray technique does not rely upon a countercurrent heated gas flow, and provides a particularly simple and inexpensive means to couple electrospray ionization to either quadrupole or magnetic mass analyzers.

Abstract: Improved methods and apparatus are provided for sealing at the uppermost end of a casing string to provide circulation from adjacent the lower end of the casing string and into a well bore to enable the casing string to be more easily lowered into the well bore. A casing circulator is provided for lowering into the uppermost end of the casing string above the rig floor, and for sealing with an interior surface of the uppermost end of the casing string. An external sealing member of the casing circulator may be moved axially with respect to an inner packer tube, thereby allowing the sealing member to become inflated while also enabling fluid to pass through the casing circulator and into the casing string. The techniques of the present invention may also be used to fill the casing string as it is lowered into the well bore.

Abstract: A water filtration system, and a filter and timer therefor. The system includes a primary container defining a holding chamber and a secondary chamber defining a filtering chamber at least partially within the holding chamber but spaced above the bottom wall of the holding chamber. The filter assembly is removably connected to the secondary container and comprises a cannister containing a filter disposed generally below the lower end of the filtering chamber, the cannister having inlet means communicating with the filtering chamber and outlet means disposed below the inlet means and communicating with the holding chamber. The timer is connected to the filter and includes a tube with an indicator movable longitudinally therein through a non-gaseous fluid having a specific gravity different than that of the indicator.

Abstract: A cutting element for a rotary drill bit comprises a layer of polycrystalline diamond material having a front face and a rear face, a backing layer of less hard material bonded to the rear face of the diamond layer, and a front layer of less hard material bonded to the front face of the diamond layer and extending across at least the major part thereof. The front layer is thinner than the backing layer, at least in the vicinity of the cutting edge of the cutting element.

Abstract: A process for hydrodewaxing a petroleum or shale oil fraction, e.g., petroleum distillate, over a shape selective zeolite in the presence of hydrogen wherein the dewaxing is conducted in at least two stages, with some of the hydrogen added to first stage effluent. Dewaxed feed, and a high octane gasoline byproduct are obtained as products.

Abstract: A fire pouch is provided for protecting flammable documents from both fire and water damage. The fire pouch includes a thin pliable water-type exterior container which houses a gelled water material to absorb thermal energy during the fire. The fire pouch further comprises a hydrated intumescent material layer which is secured to the exterior container, and both absorbs thermal energy and intumesce during a fire to produce a foam layer which provides substantially increased fire protection. The gelled water layer and the hydrated intumescent material layer form a relatively thin pliable rectangular-shaped blanket having a seam which divides the blanket into a base portion and a cover portion. The blanket unfolds by bending substantially along the seams to receive the flammable documents, and folds into its protective position such that the documents are sandwiched between the based portion and the covered portion to protect the docments during a fire.

Abstract: A stuffing box assembly comprising a body which has a bore defined by a generally cylindrical wall and a shaft extending concentrically through the bore. A sleeve is disposed in the bore in surrounding relationship to the shaft, the sleeve having a cylindrical portion and an annular flange, the sleeve defining an annulus between the cylindrical portion and the wall defining a bore. At least one and preferably several annular members formed of an elastomeric material are disposed in the annulus. A stop means limits movement of the annular member away from the flange portion of the sleeve, the annular members being disposed between the flange portion and the stop means. One or more seals or packings for sealing between the shaft and the wall are disposed between the shaft and the wall on the opposite side of the flange portion from the annular member.

Abstract: Improved methods and apparatus are provided for sorting and arranging garments in a selected order which have been sequentially placed in an unordered sequence. The garments are identified by a marking affixed to each garment, and each garment is arranged in its identified sequence on a sorting conveyor having a multiplicity of movable carriers each for receiving a garment. Identification signals are rearranged in a preselected order, and a plurality of arranged signals are assigned to each one of a corresponding plurality of pick-off mechanisms positioned along the sorting conveyor. A computer calculates bidirectional movement of the sorting conveyor to minimize conveyor movement for positioning a garment for pick-off in its proper sequence by a respective one of the pick-off mechanisms. The conveyor is driven in a bidirectional mode to properly position the garment, and a pick-off mechanism is activated to remove the garment from the sorting conveyor and position the garment on an unloading conveyor.

Abstract: An accelerometer comprises a housing defining a chamber, a magnetizable fluid within the chamber, an electrically conductive, hollow cylindrical proof mass suspended within the chamber so as to be displaceble from a null position along a displacement axis by an applied force, and a sensing arrangement including electrodes on the inside wall of the chamber for detecting displacement of the proof mass along the displacement axis and for supplying an electrical signal indicative of the applied force. The proof mass is substantially non-magnetic, and magnets are disposed outside the chamber for magnetizing the magnetizable fluid to cause the proof mass to be suspended within the chamber by the fluid.

Abstract: A rotary drill bit for use in drilling holes in subsurface earth formations comprises a bit body having a shank at one end for connection to a drill string and an operating end face at the other end. A plurality of first cutting structures, each comprising a preform cutting element, is mounted in the bit body at the end face thereof, and each has a superhard front cutting face. The bit body includes a plurality of protuberances projecting outwardly from the adjacent portions of the end face, the protuberances forming a plurality of second cutting structures disposed in generally trailing relation, respectively, to at least some of the first cutting structures. Each of the protuberances is impregnated with superhard particles through a significant depth measured from the outermost extremity of the protuberance.

Abstract: An apparatus for connecting first and second conduits having first and second bores, respectively, to provide communication between the first and second bores. The apparatus includes a base attached to the first conduit and a cap attached to the base. A follower is slidably disposed in the cap and is provided with a passageway, the second conduit extending through the passageway. A ferrule is received on the second conduit, the ferrule having a first end and a second end. The follower is biased against the first end of the ferrule. The first bore in the first conduit has a frustoconical surface which defines a receiving formation for the ferrule, the ferrule having a portion which is circular when viewed in transverse cross section. When the second end of the ferrule is urged in the receiving formation by the action of the biasing spring, the ferrule engages the frustoconical surface defining the receiving formation in substantially line contact.

Abstract: A method of determining dilution of a well bore fluid, such as a drilling fluid, comprising preparing a drilling fluid having a known concentration of bromide ion, using the drilling fluid, recovering a sample of the used drilling fluid, determining quantitatively the concentration of bromide ion in the used drilling fluid, comparing the concentration of bromide ion in the sample drilling fluid with the known concentration of bromide ion in the drilling fluid and determining the dilution of the drilling fluid.

Abstract: A preform cutting element, for a rotary drill bit, includes a layer of polycrystalline diamond material having a front cutting face, a rear face and a peripheral surface, a cutting edge being provided by at least part of the junction between the front cutting face and the peripheral surface. The diamond layer is formed around its periphery, adjacent the cutting edge, with a row of spaced apertures. Each aperture is in the form of a bore, formed for example by a laser, which is inclined at 45.degree. to the cutting face and extends completely through the diamond layer from the cutting face to the peripheral surface thereof. The apertures serve to inhibit the propagation of spalling across the cutting face from the cutting edge.

Abstract: A composition for use in formulating detergents containing water, a neutral salt thixotrope and a water-soluble salt of an ether sulfate having the formula[R-A.sub.n O-SO.sub.3 ].sub.x Mwherein R is a hydrocarbon group containing from about 4 to about 30 carbon atoms, A is an oxyalkylene group selected from the group consisting of oxyethylene, oxypropylene, oxybutylene, oxytetramethylene and heteric and block mixtures thereof, n is an integer from 1 to 8 and M is a cation of a water-soluble salt, and wherein at least about 85% by weight of said ether sulfate has a number average oxyalkylene number of p-2 to p+3, wherein p represents the number of oxyalkylene groups of the most prevalent oxyalkylate species, and x is 1 or 2 depending on the valence of M.

Abstract: The porosity-effective stress relationship, which is a fuction of lithology, is used to calculate total overburden stress, vertical effective stress, horizontal effective stress and pore pressure using well log data. The log data can be either real time data derived from measurement-while-drilling equipment or open hole wireline logging equipment.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system, apparatus and methods for determining influx of formation fluids into a well borehole during drilling. The methods of the present invention comprise determining the dielectric constant and/or conductivity of the fluid in the annulus about a drill pipe in a well borehole, comparing the determined dielectric constant and/or conductivity to a reference value and inferring that influx has occurred when the difference between the dielectric constant and/or conductivity and the reference value is greater than a predetermined limit.

Abstract: A system is provided for measuring both the temperature and pressure of fluid in a borehole utilizing a single small diameter tube extending from the surface to the desired downhole test location in a borehole. Downhole fluid pressure is transmitted through the small diameter tube, while a sheathed thermocouple line extending along the flow path of the tube is used for transmitting downhold fluid temperature information to the surface. A continuous surface read-out of both pressure and temperature is thus possible, and the temperature read-out may be used to both monitor downhole fluid temperature and increase the accuracy of the fluid pressure measurement system.

Abstract: A rotating centralizer and a centralizing bearing assembly are provided in order to maintain a survey instrument assembly at a fixed angular orientation with respect to a core barrel supported by the bottomhole assembly of a rotating drill string and rotationally isolated therefrom. The centralizer comprises a sleeve having an inner bearing surface providing for rotation of the sleeve with respect to a support sub, and outer bearing surfaces located at the ends of four vanes allowing for rotation of the sleeve with respect to the surrounding drill string. The centralizing bearing assembly comprises a hanger sub, an outer sleeve which is a force fit within a hang-off sub of the drill string and an annular roller bearing unit surrounding the hanger sub and engaging the inner surface of the outer sleeve. The roller bearing unit comprises a plurality of tapered roller bearings having inclined axes of rotation.

Abstract: Improved methods and apparatus are provided for structurally interconnecting an instrument manifold with a differential pressure assembly having a pair of tapered NPT threaded outlet ports each adjoining an exterior body surface. First and second connector flanges are provided each having a through passageway for transmitting a pressure signal from the corresponding NPT outlet port in the differential pressure assembly to an inlet port in an instrument manifold. Each connector flange includes a tapered threaded end, a flange end, and a threaded portion fixed between the threaded end and the flange end. The apparatus also includes first and second stabilizer members, and first and second tensioning nuts for exerting a compressive force on the stabilizer members such that the stabilizer members will transmit substantially all radially-directed forces to the differential pressure assembly.