Abstract: An improved presettable, pressure-responsive retrievable fluid control valve contains a plurality of spring housing sections having individual springs disposed therein. Each of the springs is connected in mechanical parallel with each other spring. To select the preset pressure threshold at which the valve opens in response to a column of fluid in a tubing in which the valve is disposed, the number of springs and zero to two compression spacer members are chosen for each spring. The valve also includes a bypass section having an inner bypass mandrel connected by a frangible member to an outer bypass port member. Connected to the outer bypass port member is a sealing member for seating the valve in a seating nipple of a tubing. The bypass mandrel and the outer bypass port member are normally held by the frangible member in a fixed relationship so that ports through the bypass mandrel and the outer bypass port member are axially offset in a closed, or non-fluid conducting, position.

Abstract: A pressure controller includes a set point switch mechanism by which a selectable pressure to be maintained in a pressure vessel can be set. The actual pressure in the pressure vessel is detected and converted into a corresponding electrical signal by a suitable pressure transducer. Electrical signals from the set point switch mechanism and the transducer are utilized by a computer to generate control signals for controlling a volume adjustment mechanism which adjusts the effective volume of the pressure vessel and adjusts the quantity of pressurizing fluid disposed in the vessel. The volume adjustment mechanism includes a piston disposed in a cavity which is connectable with the chamber of the pressure vessel. The volume adjustment mechanism also includes a stepper motor which can be moved in precise increments to adjust the position of the piston in the cavity.

Abstract: A plug container has a flanged, splined end which mates with a complemental end of a casing adapter member. These two ends are secured to each other by a clamping mechanism which permits easy connecting and disconnecting of the two ends, thereby affording easy interchanging of different adapter members. The plug container has a cavity with a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the plug to be retained in the cavity so that pressure equalization around the plug is maintained without an external bypass. Pressure equalization is also maintained adjacent a cap which closes an end of the plug container. This pressure equalization of the cap is achieved by one or more radial openings in an abutment wall of the cap. The cap is sealed by a pressure-energized seal disposed in the interior surface of the housing into which the plug is threadedly connectible. Two manifold ports are disposed near the two ends of the cavity in which the plug is to be disposed.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling electrical characteristics in an alternating current system includes a first level of magnetic amplifiers which are responsive to a primary direct current control signal. The magnetic amplifiers provide secondary control signals in response to the primary control signal. The secondary control signals control a second level which includes a magnetic amplifier having gate windings to which the alternating current to be controlled is connected. Depending upon the nature of the primary control signal, the current magnitude or voltage magnitude of the alternating current can be controlled, both in relation to other alternating currents and in relation to a predetermined current or voltage magnitude.

Abstract: Interlocking blocks for erecting a wall assembly formed by building blocks laid up in end to end abutting relation by multiple staggered block courses. The blocks of the wall assembly are characterized by at least one opening extending between its top and bottom surfaces with an upstanding endless tongue on its top surface surrounding the opening and nested by a rabbeted recess around the opening in the bottom surface nesting the endless tongue when one block is superposed on another. Coextensive grooves, formed in block side walls, receive furring strips. Nailable material blocks selectively secured to end surfaces of the blocks define wall openings.

Abstract: A plurality of different types of building blocks are fabricated to include a respective coding for each different type, which coding in the preferred embodiment is a color pigmentation. Associated with the building blocks is a pattern marked with indicia which define, by full-scale markings, locations of the lowermost building elements of the predesigned, pre-engineered structure to be constructed by the present invention. Associated with the coded building materials and pattern is a coded diagram depicting the completed predesigned, pre-engineered structure by means of coded objects, coded in correspondence with the coded building materials, showing the numbers and location of each type of building material within the structure. The manufacturing of a kit of these elements and the method of erecting the structure from such a kit are also disclosed.

Abstract: An annulus pressure responsive tester valve which includes a pressure-assisted isolation valve including a pressure differential metering cartridge utilizes a sleeve-type valve section having a ported sleeve mandrel and a ported outer valve sleeve member and also having a choke associated therewith for controlling the flow of fluids through the sleeve-type valve.

Abstract: A fluid flow system comprises a plurality of operational elements which are interconnected by rigid conduits. One type of rigid interconnecting conduit includes a statically adjustable assembly including two telescopically associated members having a combined length which is variable to accommodate objects spaced at different distances. The assembly also includes a member for clamping the relatively movable elements to provide a rigid linkage once the interconnection of the objects is made. Another type of rigid interconnecting conduit automatically compensates for distance variations under dynamic operating conditions. This dynamic coupling assembly includes two ball joints and a telescoping assembly which provide for transverse and longitudinal distance adjustments, respectively.

Abstract: An article for thermally insulating an object, such as a valve found at a well site, includes a housing comprising three housing members which are separable from each other to facilitate connection around the object to be insulated. Two of the housing members which protect the main body of the object to be insulated have at least a double-wall construction, which walls are separated by at least one layer of insulation material. When the three housing members are adjoined, they define a cavity or interior hollow region in which the object to be insulated is placed.

Abstract: An alternating current power source which controls its own alternating current output through a feedback circuit which monitors the alternating current output is disclosed. The power source can be used as a backup to a primary power supply which provides power to a load. The present invention continuously monitors such primary power supply to detect power interruptions in the primary power supply. When an interruption is detected, monitoring logic circuitry of the alternating current power source disconnects the primary power supply from the load and energizes line driver circuitry of the present invention which provides the alternating current output. When the power interruption ceases, the monitoring logic circuitry reconnects the primary power supply to the load and disables the line driver circuitry so that alternating current is not provided by the present invention to the load.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring the motion of a railroad train includes an on-board unit which computes the speed, acceleration/deceleration, and distance traveled events of the train and stores such computed data for retention by a non-volatile memory after a power interruption or outage occurs. The apparatus also includes a portable unit to which the on-board unit, or the data retaining memory thereof, can be connected for conducting data transfers from the on-board unit memory to the portable unit. Once stored in the portable unit, the information can be formated and displayed as a history of the train operation for management and maintenance personnel, for example.

Abstract: An electric heating apparatus for providing freeze protection for a fluid-control device, such as a gas regulator, at a well site includes a flexible electric heating pad adapted to be wrapped around the control device to be freeze-protected and a two part thermally insulated housing adapted to be placed about the heating pad and control device when the apparatus is installed. The heating pad is adapted to be energized from a rechargeable battery under the control of a thermostat within the housing which disconnects heating pad from the battery when the temperature in the housing rises above a temperature of about 40.degree. F. A solar panel provides direct current for recharging the battery. A second thermostat disconnects the solar panel from the battery when the ambient temperature rises above about 50.degree. F. to terminate charging of the battery.

Abstract: The apparatus includes a speed sensing element and a pressure sensing element for sensing the speed and pressure of an internal combustion engine. The apparatus further includes multiplication circuitry for multiplying values representing the detected speed and detected pressure. The apparatus still further includes a pulse width modulation circuit which provides a control pulse having its width modulated in response to the magnitude of the multiplied speed and pressure. The apparatus further includes a circuit which disables the pulse width modulation circuit when a detected condition is below a predetermined value. The apparatus also includes a timing circuit for providing a timing signal to control the rate at which each control pulse is generated.

Abstract: An optical reader contained in a portable case includes elements for rotating a chart containing indicia and for moving a lens and photo-responsive member substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the chart. These elements are controlled so that the photo-responsive element detects every one of an array of discrete informational units defined by the optical reader on the chart and for generating for each discrete informational unit a respective binary bit having one of two logic values depending upon whether the respective discrete unit is relatively light or relatively dark. The reader also includes circuit elements for detecting every eighth one of the respective binary bits to define a byte of information representing eight of the discrete informational units of the chart. The reader is controlled to commence a read of the chart from the right-hand end and to incrementally read strips of the chart progressing to the left-hand end of the chart.

Abstract: A self-contained portable unit for producing a mixture of substances in response to two separate flows includes a portable trailer upon which a holding tank is mounted. Various additive channels are maintained on the trailer for introducing additives, at selectable concentrations or rates, into a first flow which occurs through an inlet conduit connected to an input of the holding tank. Connected to an output of the holding tank is an outlet conduit to which an external blender device can be connected. The trailer has additional additive channels contained thereon for introducing further additives, at selectable concentrations or rates, into a second flow between the holding tank and the external device. Control of the additives is maintained by a microcomputer-based controller or a manual, back-up controller, whichever is switchably selected for each additive channel.

Abstract: A portable apparatus for controlling the production of a mixture of a fluid and a plurality of additives utilizes a unified control panel having all of the necessary controls compactly contained in a single housing for providing both automatic and manual control of each of the additive channels through which the additives are mixed with the primary fluid. The control of each additive channel is achieved through a software controlled algorithm by which errors are only incrementally, rather than totally, applied to prior drive signals at any one time.

Abstract: A temperature control apparatus for mounting in a transportable body includes a false ceiling having a plurality of ducts defined therethrough. The ducts extend through a single compartment or between two or more compartments when such two or more compartments are defined within the transportable body. A shutter mechanism controls the flow of temperature-treated air flowing between compartments, thereby controlling the temperature in the various compartments. To provide a flow of temperature-treated air into the apparatus, the apparatus includes an air channeling structure which can be adjusted to divert different quantities of air into the apparatus.

Abstract: A local station and a central computer subsystem remotely located from each other are interconnected by a transmission system, such as a telephone network, so that a medium containing visual data can be read in the vicinity where the cart is made, but automatically analyzed by a computer at the central computer subsystem. The local station includes an optical reader device for reading the medium and converting the visual data contained thereon into numerical data in the form of binary electrical signals. The binary electrical signals are compressed by a hardware compressor circuit and a software compressor program so that the transmission time for transmitting the data to the central computer subsystem is reduced. Once the data is transmitted to the central computer subsystem, an analysis of the data is made after any desired modifications of the data have been made through a graphics terminal.

Abstract: A control system for controlling a cleaning apparatus used for cleaning a steam generator includes a valve manifold which is controlled by a control console to direct a pressurized fluid to either a jetting outlet or a flushing outlet of the cleaning apparatus associated with the steam generator. The control console also controls a motor controller which defines the incremental distance that the jetting outlet is moved within the steam generator to clean different portions of the steam generator. The motor controller is remotely controllable from a platform control device so that the position of the jetting outlet can be changed by a person located on or near the steam generator during initial alignment and limit switch positioning. The control console also controls an evacuation circuit which extracts the fluid pumped into the steam generator and the sludge or other substances loosened therefrom.

Abstract: A high-speed interface for use between a computer having a Unibus data transmission system and a Tektronix graphics terminal includes elements for converting pairs of coordinate words from the host computer into five seven-bit bytes usable by the Tektronix graphics terminal. The interface is capable of emulating a standard interface device and is also capable of cyclically refreshing the Tektronix graphics terminal so that it can operate in a write-through mode.