Abstract: Disclosed is a submersible pumping system for pumping wellbore fluids. The submersible pumping system includes a motor assembly, a pump assembly connected to the motor assembly, and a shroud assembly attached to the pump assembly. The shroud assembly includes a shroud having a connection end and an intake end. The shroud assembly at least partially encloses the motor assembly and includes a sealing ring adjacent the shroud prevents the wellbore fluid from entering the shroud at the connection end. The shroud assembly also preferably includes a retaining ring that holds the sealing ring in place.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electric submersible pumping system for use in wellbore. The electric submersible pumping system includes a motor assembly, a pump assembly and a seal section disposed in the wellbore. The pump assembly is below the motor and is driven by the motor. The seal section is between the motor assembly and the pump assembly, and protects the motor assembly from thrust generated in the pump assembly. The seal section includes a shaft that transmits torque from the motor assembly to the pump assembly. A labyrinth chamber in the seal section restricts the flow of wellbore fluids. The seal section can also include a mechanical seal, a thrust bearing, a bag type chamber, an abrasion resistant bearing, and a motor electrical termination.

Abstract: Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a submersible pumping system for pumping wellbore fluids. The submersible pumping system includes a rotatable shaft and a mechanical seal that substantially surrounds the shaft. The mechanical seal prevents the flow of wellbore fluid along the shaft and includes a spring, a spring retainer and a runner. The spring surrounds the shaft and provides an axial force along the shaft. The spring retainer is affixed to the shaft and includes a detent to hold the spring. The runner is in interlocking engagement with the spring retainer and accommodates the spring. The interlocking engagement causes the runner to rotate within the spring retainer while permitting axial movement of the shaft relative to the runner.

Abstract: A surgical device for capturing, positioning and aligning portions of a severed human sternum via positioning around the costal cartilage portion of each of a paired set of ribs located on opposite sides of the severed sternum while simultaneously contacting and substantially surrounding the anterior and posterior portions of the sternum comprising impermanently joined insertion and insertion guide attachment members, each of the members having first and second end portions, first and second side portions, a body portion, anterior and posterior surfaces, two crescent formed leg portions with angularly displaced foot portions, a plurality of sternum, rib and costal cartilage engagement surfaces and, a rotary lock member pivotally attached to the insertion guide member, and further comprising a capturing mechanism having angularly displaced teeth-like structures on a first side cooperating with reciprocating teeth like structures integrated on a first side of the insertion member to position, secure in place an

Abstract: An hydraulic proportioning system having a fluid actuated motor with a driven motor shaft, the motor being in fluid communication with and powered by a fluid source. A pump is provided having a drive shaft driven by the driven motor shaft of the fluid actuated motor, and a drive clutch interconnecting the driven motor shaft and the drive shaft of the pump. An injector manifold is in fluid communication with the pump which is connectable to a chemical source. A tube is in fluid communication with the injector manifold and extends into a chamber having fluid communication with the fluid source, the chemical and fluid from the fluid source combining in the chamber and discharged therefrom.

Abstract: A concatenated motor assembly for providing rotational power that includes a continuous rotatable shaft cooperating with a first motor module assembly. The first motor module assembly communicates with a motor coupling unit, which in turn communicates with a second motor module. The second motor module and the motor coupling unit each cooperate with the rotatable shaft. The first and second motor modules are wound rotor electric motor. The first motor module assembly generates and provides an induced current to the motor coupling unit, which in turn provides power input to the second motor module assembly.

Abstract: A cap is provided that includes a crown that is substantially hemispherical in shape and configured to receive the head of a wearer and an unfolded sweatband connected to the inside bottom edge of the crown. The sweatband is preferably unfolded and constructed from the same material used to construct the crown. The sweatband can include a front portion and a back portion, which are connected by a seam cover.

Abstract: A flexible manufacturing press assembly for the processing of sheet material through punching and forming operations having a plurality of tool assemblies of which each, in turn, group and support a plurality of processing tools. Each tool assembly has a punch magazine, a die block, and a stripper plate for processing the sheet material in the manner of a Class A die. A sheet material positioning assembly clamps the sheet material and positions it within a two-axis plane adjacent the tool assemblies. A punching head assembly, supported by the sheet material positioning assembly, positions a punching head adjacent the grouped tool supports.

Abstract: A pumping system is provided that includes a pump assembly and a motor assembly. The motor assembly has a bearing collar and a bearing sleeve concentric to the bearing collar. Preferably, the bearing sleeve includes at least one propeller blade that is configured to assist the movement of lubricant through the motor assembly. In another preferred embodiment, the motor includes a lubricant channel housed within a centrally located shaft. Lubricant is moved out of the lubricant channel through a shaft port and a blade port disposed in the propeller blade.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved hydrodynamic bearing assembly for use in a motor assembly. The motor assembly typically includes a shaft with an axially oriented fluid channel and at least one radial shaft port extending through the wall of the shaft. The bearing assembly includes a bearing sleeve and a bearing collar. Preferably, the radial thickness of the bearing sleeve is at least the radial thickness of the bearing collar. It is also preferred that the bearing sleeve includes at least one bearing port that can be aligned with the shaft port to provide a path of fluid travel from inside the axially oriented fluid channel through the bearing sleeve.

Abstract: An apparatus for sorting particles of a material such as concrete. The apparatus includes a frame and a drive assembly attached to the frame to induce gyroscopic vibratory motion of the frame in a selected rotational direction. Adjacent first and second inclined screens are affixed to the frame. The screens slope downwardly away from an intermediate ridge at different, respective first and second angles. Material dropped onto the intermediate ridge separates into a first stream which passes along the first inclined screen and a second stream which passes along the second inclined screen. The first and second angles are selected in relation to the vibratory motion of the frame so that the first and second streams each move at substantially the same velocity. A diverter member at the intermediate ridge aids in the transition of material flow along the respective screens.

Abstract: The present invention provides a truck assembly for use on a skateboard. The truck assembly preferably includes a base block having a battery chamber and a circuit board cavity, a battery contained within the battery chamber, a circuit board housed inside the circuit board cavity, wherein the circuit board is in electrical communication with the battery, and an effect module that is operably connected to the circuit board to produce a selected effect.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an apparatus and method for positioning a section of a well string. The apparatus includes a base plate and a turntable supported by the base plate. The turntable is preferably configured to rotate with respect to the base plate. At least one jack assembly is supported by the turntable and connects to a load collar, which is configured to support the section of the well string. The rotational position of the section of the well string can be adjusted by rotating the turntable. The vertical position of the section of the well string can be adjusted by raising or lowering the jack assembly.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for lifting and lowering equipment. In a preferred embodiment, the equipment is lifted by attaching a plurality of equipment adapters to the equipment, attaching a jack assembly to each of the plurality of equipment adapters, lifting the equipment by simultaneously raising the jack assemblies, moving the transport under the equipment and lowering the equipment onto the transport. The inventive method may be modified to include an additional process of weighing the equipment before lowering the equipment by measuring the amount of force required to hold the equipment in an elevated position. To practice the inventive method, the present invention also provides an apparatus that includes a plurality of equipment adapters and a plurality of jack assemblies, wherein each of the plurality of jack adapter assemblies is configured for removable connection to a corresponding equipment adapter.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a precurved gusseted glove which provides a user's hand(s) with an outer layer of protection which does not bunch together in the palm of the user. In one embodiment, the precurved gusseted glove is useful in weight training. The precurved gusseted glove has a gusseted side panel which precurves the glove to more naturally fit the curve of a human hand and eliminates the gathering of excess material in the palm of the hand.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for identifying a filamentous organism of the type present in a biological waste water treatment process. A magnified image of an unstained filamentous organism is obtained (122, 124), and initially evaluated for the presence or absence of attached growth and the presence or absence of sulfur granules (142). A computer routine (140) resident in a computer workstation (104) is executed which, for each combination of the presence or of attached growth and the presence or absence of sulfur granules, provides a separate user interactive search tree (144, 146, 148, 150), each search tree leading to a different set of possible types of filamentous organism.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for converting a large bale of hay into a plurality of smaller sized bales having the same nutritional composition and texture as the large bale. The apparatus comprises a first cutting assembly which has a first set of blades which are orthogonally oriented with respect to a second set of blades. The apparatus further comprises a driver head assembly which is used to force a large bale of hay through the first cutting assembly. The apparatus also has a second cutting assembly which comprises a metering knife oriented substantially orthogonal to both the first and second sets of blades of the first cutting assembly. The associated method for processing the large bale fibrous comprises a first step of producing bale sections by pushing the large bale through the first cutting assembly. The method has a second step of producing metered bales through operation of the second cutting assembly.

Abstract: Expanded amorphous aluminum silicate (EAAS) is used as a vehicle for a chlorite salt. This vehicle, when exposed to moisture, will release chlorine dioxide (ClO2) for purposes of deodorization or microbial suppression. Thus, where a particular area or volume is to be deodorized or made less microbially contaminated, the EAAS-chlorite salt (most preferably sodium chlorite) is placed in the area or volume to be treated and moisture is permitted to interact with the material. The result of the moisture is to permit the chemical reaction (presumably acidification) of the chlorite salt to yield dioxide gas. While normal EAAS has some inherent acidity, the inherent acidity is low enough so that, even when a chloride salt is encapsulated in the EAAS and the resultant mixture exposed to moisture, ClO2 release is very slow and over an extended period.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process and apparatus for autothermal aerobic thermophilic treatment of high strength and high temperature wastes. Waste material is injected into a reactor vessel (12) having thermophilic microorganisms to form a volume of bulk liquid in the reactor vessel (12). An oxygen-containing gas is also injected into the reactor vessel (12) for aerobic treatment of the waste material. The oxidation-reduction potential and temperature of the reactor bulk liquid are monitored and at least a selected one of the rate of injection of the oxygen-containing gas, the oxygen-transfer efficiency of the oxygen-containing gas and the volume of bulk liquid in the reactor (12) are adjusted in response to the oxidation-reduction potential and temperature of the reactor bulk liquid to maintain the temperature of the reactor bulk liquid within a predetermined range.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a blender apparatus that can be used to prepare a slurry from carrier fluids and solids. In a preferred embodiment, the blender includes a mixing tub system, a fluids intake system, a solids intake system and a slurry delivery system. The fluids intake system preferably includes a first intake pump and a second intake pump that independently or cooperatively draw fluids into the blender. The slurry delivery system preferably includes a first discharge pump and a second discharge pump that independently or cooperatively delivery slurry from the mixing tub system.