Abstract: An improved video game control console is provided for use with home video game computers. The apparatus adjusts to the lap of the players by using a pair of spaced apart controller containers which slide upon a frame. Each container is centered on each leg respectively of the player and can be fastened thereto. The two controller containers are clamped upon the frame when the desired spacing is reached. The containers have ample surface area so that oversized controls can be used which facilitate better play with less player fatigue.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a high intensity, ultraviolet, electronic video image is provided. The apparatus includes an electronic video imaging tube for printing on vesicular microfilm, diazo microfilm, and diazo paper and the like. The tube is constructed of a housing having an interior with an electron gun emitting a scanning electron beam across a path which intersects the interior of the housing. A phosphor target of ultraviolet phosphor is disposed within the housing interior and is positioned upon the path for reflecting therefrom a high intensity, ultraviolet video image. The phosphor target is preferably convex, and concentric with a curved surface portion of the housing. The curved surface portion of the housing reflects the high intensity, ultraviolet video image from the interior of the housing to the exterior portion thereof. A reduction lens assembly can be provided for diverging or converging the image as desired.

Abstract: A vessel supported shrimp trawl cage system provides a pair of spaced apart nets which are supported at the water surface by the vessel so that a forward end of the net defines a net opening and the rear of the net defines a tail. A pair of cages corresponding to the pair of nets are supported in a partially submerged position by the vessel and have a cage inlet which is forward facing and connects to the tail of the net so that shrimp caught in the net are fed into the cage via the tail of the net. The cage includes a plurality of cage surfaces of preferably rigid perforated material such as expanded metal and are connected at their edges to form an enclosure which confines the shrimp entering the cage from the nets. Confinement is preferably on the top, sides, and bottom as well as the rear so that the shrimp cannot escape by swimming or by jumping from the cage.

Abstract: A pipe joint testing device for testing the joint integrity of two connected pipe sections, each having a bore and pressurized with gas at the joint area during testing uses an annular envelope which can be affixed about the annular external joint of two pipe sections being tested. An inner annular header having a gas inlet with openings which communicate circumferentially with the envelope is provided internally of the envelope. A suction line is connected to the header at a tee connection, for example, for drawing gas from the envelope through the openings. In this manner, any gas leaking from the joint at any radial position along the joint will be detected because it will enter through one of the openings in the header.

Abstract: An oil well wireline cable catcher apparatus includes a housing having a bore which passes vertically therethrough so that a wireline can pass vertically therethrough and then into the oil well bore. Sensing means are also included to monitor tension of the wireline. Slips are disposed within the housing on opposite sides of the wireline between gripping and retracted positions. Each slip has a wireline engaging surface, the pair of respective surfaces facing one another so as to grip the wireline when the slips are actuated to the gripping position. A pair of springs mounted in the housing are respectively beneath each slip, the springs biasing the slips toward the retracted position so that the wireline is not engaged by the slip surfaces. A slip actuator means is carried by the housing and is cooperatively connected to the sensing means for moving the slips together to grip the wireline responsive to a break in the wireline and attentive relaxation in wireline tension.

Abstract: A hand-held defense weapon provides a first and second pair of shafts which are connected together at a common pivot located at the central portion of each shaft. A pair of handles are respectively on one end of each shaft and a pair of blunt elements are mounted on the other end of each shaft opposite the handle. A third shaft is connected to the common pivot at one end of that shaft with the shaft carrying a blunt element at the other end. The three shafts are thus independently movable with respect to the pivot and with respect to each other so that the apparatus can be positioned between any selected fingers of a user's hands, the shafts collapsing with respect to each other for storage to a position where the shafts are generally aligned side by side. The blunt elements can be removable to expose tips which are "tooled" such as Phillips, or flat-head screwdrivers or the like. Preferably the blunt elements would be spherical members threadably attached to the ends of the shafts.

Abstract: A fluid agitating apparatus is disposed in a vessel containing a body of fluid to be agitated. The fluid agitating apparatus includes a housing having an inlet at an open lower end thereof, and an outlet at an open upper end thereof, with a flow passage disposed through the housing communicating the inlet and the outlet. The flow passage is preferably circular in cross-section and has a minimum diameter at a throat thereof. The diameter of the flow passage increases continuously from the throat toward both the inlet and the outlet. A vertically upward directed nozzle is located in the flow passage below the throat for inducing flow of fluid from the body of fluid in which the housing is submerged into the inlet and upward through the flow passage. A tangentially directed nozzle is disposed in the flow passage above the throat for inducing a swirling flow in the fluid flowing upward through the flow passage.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for drilling a well. A separator sub includes a cyclone separator which separates a stream of drilling mud into a less dense first portion and more dense second portion. The stream of drilling mud flows downward in an annular stream around the cyclone separator and then flows into a lower end of the cyclone separator. The less dense first portion of the stream of drilling mud is directed from the cyclone separator downward to a drill bit so that the drilling mud adjacent the drill bit has a density less than an initial density of the stream of drilling mud. The more dense second portion of the stream of drilling mud is directed upward from the cyclone separator and is ejected into a well annulus with an upward component of velocity and thereby reduces a hydrostatic drilling mud pressure adjacent the drill bit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a pressure relief valve having a broad range of variable relief pressures. The valve has an inlet passage, an outlet passage, a valve seat interposed between said passages, a valving member mounted for movement into and out of sealing engagement with the valve seat, a valve stem assembly operably connected to said valving member, and two or more resilient compression springs of preferably variable length mounted relative to said valve stem to exert a progressively greater compressive force upon said valve stem upon compression of said valve springs, and an adjustable pressure plate assembly for pre-compressing of the compression springs so as to set the relief pressure at a desired pressure value. A preferred embodiment is directed to that comprising a valve stem assembly for preventing the valve spring from being compressed beyond a predetermined selected point of relief pressure.

Abstract: Foldable ramp for on and off loading all terrain/recreational vehicles from the rear of trucks, trailers, and vans. The ramp folds longitudinally to a width smaller than the wheelbase of the all terrain/recreational vehicles. When folded it may be slipped between the wheels of the all terrain/recreational vehicle for storage on the bed of the truck, trailer or van. When operational the ramp is engaged against the rear of the truck, trailer or van and allows the operator of the all terrain/recreational vehicle to either ride or push the vehicle onto or off of the truck, trailer, or van.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are disclosed for drilling a well. A separator sub is used to separate a stream of drilling mud into a less dense first portion and more dense second portion. The less dense first portion of the stream of drilling mud is directed downward to a drill bit so that the drilling mud adjacent the drill bit has a density less than an initial density of the stream of drilling mud. The more dense second portion of the stream of drilling mud is ejected into a well annulus with an upward component of velocity and thereby reduces a hydrostatic drilling mud pressure adjacent the drill bit.

Abstract: A tank apparatus referred to hereinafter as an intermolt/premolt growth tank, and a method for the growth and harvesting of crawfish during one intermolt cycle through the time period in which the succeeding molt phase is completed. Individual crawfish are selected and placed in concentrated numbers in one of the intermolt/premolt tanks or in a series of such tanks, each of which is supplied with optimum preset selected water quality. The crawfish are fed and harvested individually after molting has occurred or until the late premolt phase, just prior to molting, is easily identifiable. The intermolt/premolt tank apparatus is designed as part of the method and contains contrasting environmental characteristics for the specific purposes of concentrating, feeding, and segregating molting and late premolt crawfish from the remaining population which contains aggressive feeding crawfish.

Abstract: A solar tracking mechanism utilizes a semicircle collector trough body having an inner concave surface having a focal point at the center of the circle defined by the uppermost flat surface of the trough body, the upper flat portion of the trough body normally being generally horizontally disposed. A plurality of solar collection modules mounted in a matrix about said concave surface, each of the modules comprising a radial passageway formed in the concave surface along a line intersecting the focal point. A strip of thermally expandable material mounted in the passageway with normally open switch means positioned adjacent said thermally expandable strip for switching an electrical circuit between on/off positions respectively responsive to expansion/contraction of said strip.

Abstract: A power brush for cleaning drill pipe is disclosed utilizing a rotary gun having a rotary power shaft, a handle for gripping the gun and approximately located trigger for actuating the shaft to rotate. A circular baffle plate is mounted securedly to the gun and provides an opening through which the rotary shaft passes during operation with some clearance thus allowing rotation of the shaft with respect to the plate. A cylindrical shroud is affixed to the periphery of the baffle plate forming a closed end portion of the shroud adjacent the gun, the opposite end of the shroud being an open ended portion thereof. A brush carriage is mounted securedly yet removably to the shaft for rotation therewith, the carriage providing a generally circular hub having a hub opening through which the shaft passes and then attaches during operation.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for centrifugally extracting crabmeat from crabs provides a frame which supports a driven rotary shaft mounted thereon. A first annular plate is mounted for rotation on the shaft and driven thereby. A plurality of closely spaced wire support members radiate from the first plate and have a common path of rotation when the plate is rotated by the drive shaft. A second annular plate is movably mounted upon the frame with respect to the first plate between "loading" and "spinning" positions. A plurality of closely spaced, radially positioned, pointed spikes depend from the second plate and are positioned to intersect the path of rotation of the wire support members in the "spinning," the spikes being spaced from the path in the loading position. A lifting mechanism moves the second plate vertically between the "spinning" and "loading" positions.

Abstract: A T-shirt on which a graphical representation comprises a portion imprinted on the T-shirt is a design of an overall object to be displayed with a 3-dimension self-supporting structure temporarily connected to the T-shirt completing the design.

Abstract: A leak detection method and apparatus is disclosed, the apparatus comprising an enclosing temporary removable casing member which is connectable about a section of piping to be tested. The casing member provides openings which allow the passage of a section of piping to be tested therethrough, with the portion to be tested being sealably housed on the inner portion of the casing. The casing thus provides an inner leak recovery collection space between the casing and the section of the piping to be tested. The casing in the preferred embodiment is comprised of a pair of casing halves which are structurally connected about the section of piping to be tested by means of a bolted connection, for example, with flanged mating surfaces of each casing half registering and abutting to form a sealable connection about the section of the pipe to be tested.

Abstract: A machine for cutting insulation material into semi-circular blocks. Circular cutting blades are mounted reciprocally on a support shaft. A router functions to cut a groove in the insulation material to provide clearance for the cutting blade support shaft.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting leaks in blowout preventors provides a capsule which forms an envelope about a portion of the blowout preventor where leaks exterior to the blowout preventor might occur. The capsule preferably is formed by a plurality of curved capsule segments which abut and radially assemble about flanges of the BOP system. The capsule segments carrying mating flanges which bolt together upon assembly to secure the capsule segments about the BOP stack. The interior of the flanges provides an inner space which collects leaks which might occur. The interior space is pneumatically connected to a relay which is attached to the capsule means for responding to the occurrence of the accumulated leak within the capsule.

Abstract: A kelly valving apparatus for controlling flow of fluid through a kelly and drill string comprises a rotatable tubular section having a fluid conveying bore adapted to be attached to the drill string at the kelly with a valve associated valve body valving the flow of fluids through the bore. A remotely operable operator is rotatable with the rotatable tubular section, operably engaging the valve for moving the valve between positions which open and close the bore, the operator including at least one hydraulic cylinder having an extensible ram actuated by hydraulic fluid, and linkage is connected to the valve and the hydraulic cylinder so that extension/contraction of the ram effects an opening or closure of the bore. A liquid interface fluid collector ring is positioned adjacent the rotatable tubular section for transmitting pressurized hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic cylinder, even during spinning of the cylinder with the tubular section.