Abstract: A positioning assembly for a rotatable valve having a valve body, a rotatable valve element and a valve stem rotatable with the valve element, the assembly including a handle with an engagement portion for engaging the valve stem and a positioning or indexing member carried by the valve body, positioning of the valve element being accomplished by flexure of the handle and selective engagement or disengagement with the positioning or indexing member.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device for the cooling of hot gaseous solids suspensions, particularly for the cooling of hot gaseous TiO.sub.2 suspensions resulting from the production of titanium dioxide by vapor phase oxidation of titanium tetrachloride. The device consists of a number of coaxially connected constructional units, each of which consists of three jacketed tubes, i.e., tubes 1, 2 and 3, which are coaxially connected in such a way that tube 1 conically tapers toward tube 2 and that tube 3 is larger in diameter than tube 2. Heat transfer is twice as high in the device of the invention as in a comparable conventional cooling tube of uniform inner diameter; moreover, the demand of scrub solids needed to prevent the formation of deposits on its walls is reduced to one third of the quantity needed in a conventional cooling tube.

Abstract: Catalysts producing a sharply peaked alkoxylation distribution during the alkoxylation of organic materials comprise mixtures of BF.sub.3 and metal alkyls or metal alkoxides, SiF.sub.4 and metal alkyls or metal alkoxides, or mixtures of these catalysts.

Abstract: A well fluid and method for borehole sealing such as grouting or plugging, the fluid being comprised of water, a water swellable clay and a water dispersible polymer which prevents immediate hydration of the clay.

Abstract: Hydroxyethyl cellulose and a sequestrant are added to a heavy brine containing one or more salts selected from calcium chloride, calcium bromide, and zinc bromide to increase the viscosity of the brine. Preferably the brine contains zinc bromide, has a density in the range from about 14.2-19.2 pounds per gallon, and the sequestrant is a polyphosphonic acid or water soluble salt thereof.

Abstract: A dual packer apparatus comprises a tubular outer assembly including upper and lower packers interconnected and spaced apart by tubular spacers. Ports in the outer assembly provide for communication with a well zone between the two packers and a well zone below the lower packer. A tubular inner assembly may be separately assembled and inserted into the outer assembly as assembled. The apparatus may be alternately placed in a number of different operating positions downhole by manipulation of an operating string attached to the inner assembly. Various design features provide special protection for annular seals between the two assemblies. An improved sensor and method of installing the sensor in the inner assembly are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for optimizing the tripping velocity of a drill string. The method of the present invention comprises determining the hydraulic fluid pressure in the borehole in a plurality of intervals as the drill string is pulled out of or run into the borehole. These actual pressures are compared against a predetermined acceptable pressure range for each interval. The limits for this acceptable pressure range are set by the maximum acceptable surge pressures and the minimum acceptable swab pressures established for the interval. The velocity of the drill string in each such interval is then adjusted in order to maximize the tripping velocity while maintaining the hydraulic fluid pressure within the acceptable range for each interval.

Abstract: A Method, System and Apparatus is disclosed for pumping liquid from a well such that vapor lock of the pump cannot occur due to gas or steam and such that the pump strokes only in response to the production rate of well liquid. The pump can be used for lifting heavy oils heated by steam floods or the like as well as for pumping liquids from conventional wells. Reduced pump wear, reduced energy requirements, reduced maintenance and the automatic adaption to changing well production rates are among the objects of this invention.

Abstract: A clamping apparatus for securing a structural member to an offshore platform of the type having generally horizontally extending, fixed framework beams, the apparatus including an engagement assembly for engaging the structural member to be secured, a releasable gripping assembly for releasably gripping at least one of the framework beams, the structural member being secured being positioned between the engagement assembly and the framework beam and a connecting assembly interconnecting the gripping assembly and the engagement member, the connecting assembly being operative to urge the engagement assembly toward the gripping assembly to thereby clamp the structural member between the framework beam and the engagement assembly.

Abstract: A drill bit comprises a bit body having an operating end face. A plurality of self-sharpening cutters are mounted in the bit body and extend through the operating end face. The cutters have cutting faces adapted to engage an earth formation and cut the earth formation to a desired three-dimensional profile. The cutting faces define surfaces having back rake angles which decrease with distance from the profile. The individual cutting faces may be inwardly concave in a plane parallel to the intended direction of motion of the cutter in use.

Abstract: An improved method and burner apparatus for simultaneously incinerating liquid, dry gas and wet gas streams such as the vent streams in a chemical plant or the like are provided. The method comprises combining the dry gas and wet gas streams, heating the resultant combined stream to thereby prevent condensation from occurring, flowing the heated combined stream through a gas distributing nozzle means, flowing the liquid stream through a liquid atomizing and atomized liquid distributing nozzle means positioned adjacent the gas distributing nozzle means, mixing air with the gas and atomized liquid distributed by the nozzle means, and igniting and combusting the resulting air-gas-atomized liquid mixture. Burner apparatus for carrying out the method is also provided.

Abstract: A rotatable shaft assembly comprising a body with a bore having a first end and a second end and an annular abutment formed intermediate the first and second ends of the bore and extending radially inwardly into the bore, a shaft or stem rotatably received in the bore, said shaft having a reduced diameter portion forming an annular shoulder which faces the second end of the bore, a retaining collar disposed in the bore adjacent the abutment, the retaining collar including an annular band and a plurality of resiliently, radially deflectable fingers depending radially inwardly from said band, each of the fingers forming a strut portion terminating in a free end which engages the shoulder on the shaft upon movement of shaft toward the second end of the bore and a stop member disposed in the bore for stopping movement of the retaining collar toward the second end of the bore.

Abstract: A well pump having a power fluid that is to be reciprocated in a conduit so as to power a downhole pump by filling the downhole pump and the lower portion of the power conduit with a hydraulic oil having a specific gravity greater than water and filling the rest of the power conduit with a less compressible fluid such as water.

Abstract: A shear ram-type blowout preventer for severing and sealing a drill pipe string comprises a housing having a throughway for receipt of the drill pipe. Opposed first and second ram assemblies are mounted in the housing on opposite sides of the throughway for reciprocation laterally inwardly and outwardly. Each of the ram assemblies comprises a carrier connected to a drive member for effecting such reciprocation, and a ram block carried on the laterally inward side of the carrier. The maximum thickness of the block is generally equal to the maximum thickness of the carrier measured longitudinally of the throughway. The first ram assembly comprises a blade member carried on the ram block and including a cutting portion extending generally laterally inwardly and a mounting shank extending generally upwardly from the cutting portion. The shank is attached to the ram block by generally horizontally disposed pins.

Abstract: Catalysts and a method of using said catalysts for the alkoxylation of a variety of materials is disclosed. Catalysts so described produce alkoxylates having a very sharp alkoxylate distribution. The catalysts are supported and unsupported dialkoxy and dialkyl metal fluorides and halides and alkyl metal difluorides and dihalides.

Abstract: The invention comprises a drag-type drill bit and a cutting member therefor. Each of the cutting members comprises a stud having a shank adjacent one end mounted in a respective bore in the bit body and a head adjacent the opposite end projecting outwardly from the bit body. The head has a lip formation adjacent the juncture of the head and shank. The lip extends laterally outwardly with respect to the shank to overly the outer surface of the bit body adjacent the respective bore. The cutting face is concave, presenting a plurality of different back rake angles, which angles increase with distance from the lip formation.

Abstract: A method and composition for reducing the corrosion effect of aqueous mediums such as brines on ferrous metals by incorporating in the brine an effective amount of a mixture of a sulfur compound wherein the oxidation state of the sulfur is zero or less and a reducing sugar.

Abstract: A high permeability ferrite core, which includes a gap between adjacent ends thereof, is combined with a magnetic coil encircling the core, and is located in a sub positioned in the drill string just above the drill bit of a borehole drilling rig. The core is positioned so that the gap thereof lies across a recess region formed in the outer wall of the sub. Drilling fluids flow along the outer surface of the sub on the return path from the drill bit to the mud pits located at the surface of the borehole. A constant current, or voltage, at a frequency within the range of 20 KHz-20 MHz is applied to the terminals of the coil encircling the core and the eddy currents developed in the gap region produce a measurable back emf at the coil terminals. The current produced by this emf voltage is indicative of the resistivity of the drilling fluid within the recess region in the wall of the sub and the fluctuations of the voltage accurately follow the variations in drilling fluid resistivity.

Abstract: A sanitary napkin having a pad portion and a tab portion projecting from said pad portion, the tab portion being received between the lower portion of the buttocks of the wearer to prevent escape of body fluid exudate past the posterior portion of the sanitary napkin.

Abstract: A latch device for controlling a valve in a mud pulse telemetry system for imparting data pulses to drilling fluids circulating in a drill string is disclosed. A latch device and valve arrangement including an improved shear type, solenoid operated valve for modulating the pressure of the circulating drilling fluid is disclosed. A latching solenoid armature is connected to the valve gate through separate open and close solenoids having their armatures operatively connected to act as a single unit. The single unit armature is normally restrained from movement by the solenoid deactivated latch device. The latch device is arranged so that the vibrational and impact loads on the drill string serve to further maintain the modulating valve in a closed position.