Abstract: A transformer includes a core upon which a plurality of electrical conductors are concentrically disposed. The innermost and outermost electrical conductors are electrically connected to define a first winding, and the remaining electrical conductors are associated as one or more pairs of subwindings to define one or more additional windings. The association of each pair of subwindings is made by a suitable mechanism by which sections of the subwindings can be connected in electrical parallel, which paralleled sections are spaced equal total distances from the two portions of the first winding.

Abstract: A container for holding a document at a well site comprises a housing having a cavity into which the document can be received. The cavity can be subtantially fluid-tightly sealed by a lid appropriately connected to the housing. The housing has a side in which a window is disposed to enable one to determine whether anything is inside the cavity without having to open the lid. The housing has pairs of holes defined therein so that the housing can be connected to well site structures which are disposed at different angles to the ground.

Abstract: A switching apparatus includes a support member having a plurality of connector terminals linearly arrayed along a side thereof. A common electrically conductive terminal is disposed in parallel relationship with the linearly arrayed connector terminals. The common terminal is spaced from the connector terminals so that a plurality of open areas are defined for receiving a connector member which is moved by a movement mechanism to connect a selected one of the connector terminals to the common terminal. The connector element is so disposed that the making and breaking of its engagement with the connector terminals is offset from the line along which the connector terminals are arrayed so that electrically conductive bridges are not formed between electrical conductors connected to adjacent ones of the connector terminals.

Abstract: A refrigeration system alarm device includes a temperature monitoring circuit which detects when a temperature within the refrigeration system exceeds a preselectable temperature reference level. The device also includes an alternating current power monitor circuit which detects when any one of a plurality of alternating current power inputs is interrupted. The device also includes a direct current power monitor circuit which includes a battery and a comparator circuit for determining when the voltage of the battery is below a predetermined level. When an excessive temperature is detected or an alternating current power input interruption is detected or the battery voltage is below the predetermined reference level, a visual or audible alarm signal is generated.

Abstract: A glow lamp includes electrodes having both elements and oxides formed with a portion of the elements applied thereto to provide a glow lamp which can be used as a switch and which has a relatively low breakdown voltage but a relatively large current-handling capability. The glow lamp is constructed by a method which includes the step of causing relatively large, variable frequency currents to flow between adjacent electrodes for a limited time period to create the combination of elements and oxides on the electrodes.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method modulate a carrier signal so that the resultant modulated signal varies between a value substantially equal to the quiescent level of the carrier signal and peak values up to several hundred percent of the quiescent level of the carrier signal. The apparatus includes an electrical circuit for adjusting the modulating signal so that it is clamped at a reference value to prevent overmodulation. The clamped signal controls a variable resistance mechanism which forms a part of the gain determining portion of a modulator circuit including an amplifier. The amplifier modulates the carrier signal in accordance with the gain determined by the variable resistance. The variable resistance is controlled by the clamped signal so that it causes the gain of the amplifier circuit to vary between approximately one and a value greater than one.

Abstract: A draw works comprises a drum shaft which is supported off a base at spaced locations by four bearings. Each of the locations is adjacent a support side plate connected to support members of the base. The support members extend transversely to the drum shaft. Two of the support side plates are located on one side of a drum associated with the drum shaft, and two other support side plates are associated with the drum shaft on the other side of the drum. Disposed between the first two support side plates on one side of the drum is a mechanism for receiving a first power input, and disposed between the second two support side plates is another mechanism for receiving a second power input. Transmission mechanisms for coupling the power inputs to the drum shaft are also disclosed.

Abstract: The apparatus includes a sleeve which is attachable to a tool to be lowered into an uncased well bore. The sleeve has a roller mechanism connected in longitudinal relationship therewith so that the wheel is disposed beneath the tool as the tool is lowered into the well bore. The wheel has a slightly larger diameter than the maximum outer dimension of the sleeve so that the wheel will engage the surface of the uncased well bore and prevent the tool from becoming lodged on an indentation of the uncased well bore.

Abstract: A fluid-jetting apparatus includes a carriage member and an actuator member which are movable relative to each other depending upon the setting of respective brakes associated with the carriage member and actuator member and the actuation of a cylinder mounted on the carriage member having a piston rod extending therefrom and being connected to the actuator member. The movement of the carriage member and the actuator member is remotely controlled by a control mechanism including a dual timer and valve circuit contained in a housing. The control mechanism causes the carriage member and the actuator member to be alternately moved in increments along a support member on which the carriage member and the actuator member are mountable. The traversing of the support member can be in either direction.

Abstract: A syringe has a guide member internally associated therewith which can be advanced and retracted by actuation of the thumb of the hand which holds the syringe. A catheter is mounted on the needle of the syringe so that once the needle has been inserted into a body vessel and the lumen of the vessel has been located by manipulation of the guide member, the catheter can be moved off the needle and along the guide member into the lumen of the vessel. The apparatus is constructed and operated so that the guide member is maintained within the syringe prior to its use as a probe within the vessel. The apparatus is also constructed and operated so that the hands of the user of the apparatus need not be moved from their initial positions during the entering of the vessel and the probing for the lumen of the vessel. Additionally, the apparatus is constructed so that a suction can be applied to the fluid within the vessel to withdraw the fluid from the vessel to note when the vessel has been entered.

Abstract: A sonic logging tool which includes a relatively short sonic wave isolation section and further includes a structural member surrounding a pressure wave generating apparatus for creating a damping shorted turns effect is disclosed. The isolation section includes interlocking ends having serpentine edges which are spaced from each other, but which are interlocked for preventing longitudinal separation of the two ends. The isolation section also includes a damping material disposed between the spatially separated serpentine edges. The structural portion permits an electrical current to pass therethrough around the pressure wave generator apparatus.

Abstract: To determine a desirable type of bait, size of bait, size of fishing line, retrieval speed of the line, color of the bait and the general conditions for fishing, the present invention includes a microcomputer which responds to electrical input signals provided through data entry keys representing specific values or ranges of the environmental conditions of season, surface temperature, water depth, time of day, structure, cove location, cover, water clarity, and wind speed. The specific nature of the general environmental conditions are entered through the data entry keys. This input information is utilized by the microcomputer to select desirable types of baits from a data base of lures contained within the present invention. Different ones of the input conditions are utilized to determine the other preferable types and uses of fishing equipment.

Abstract: The apparatus includes three electrodes housed in a single enclosure which is filled with a gas. A first one of the electrodes is connected to the junction of a load and a fuse. A second one of the electrodes is connected to an intermediate point of the load, which intermediate point separates the load into two normally equal impedance segments. A third one of the electrodes is connected to the other end of the load. When either of the impedances of the two segments of the load changes sufficiently to cause a breakdown voltage between either the first and second electrodes or between the second and third electrodes to be exceeded, current flows between the first and third electrode thereby short-circuiting the load and causing the fuse to break.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing material from a surface so that the removed material will not escape into the ambient environment is disclosed. The present invention includes a coagulant-applying mechanism for spraying a coating of coagulant on the material to be removed. Also included is a cutter head assembly which is moved along the surface for scraping the material therefrom. So that the scraped, coagulated material may be safely withdrawn to a storage receptacle, the present invention also includes a mechanism which withdraws the loosened, coagulated particles from the cutter head assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus for converting pressure into motion includes a housing having a plurality of ports formed therein. Movably disposed within the housing is a piston having a first plurality of apertures communicating with a first chamber and a second plurality of apertures communicating with a second chamber therein. The piston is positioned within the housing so that the apertures can register with consecutive ones of the ports as the piston is moved in either of two directions within the housing. The movable member is moved by a pressurizing substance applied to a selectable one of the ports through an appropriate valve circuit. The valve circuit is operated by excitation signals from a control member. By operating the valve circuit in an appropriate sequence, the pressurizing substance is sequentially applied to consecutive ones of the ports to move the piston longitudinally through the housing.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for controlling the viscosity of a mixture by controlling the volumetric flow of a fluid with respect to the volumetric flow of another fluid is disclosed. The apparatus includes volumetric flow detectors for detecting the flow of the two fluids. The apparatus also includes an electronic controller device which responds to electrical signals generated by the volumetric flow detectors in proportion to the respective detected volumetric flows. The output of the controller device operates a flow drive element, such as a pump, so that the volumetric flow of one of the fluids is controlled. The volumetric flow of the controlled fluid and the volumetric flow of the other fluid are mixed by a suitable mixer device to obtain the mixture having the desired viscosity.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring a plurality of operations, particularly on an offshore drilling rig, comprises a portable housing, a plurality of dedicated monitoring units associated with the housing, and a master microcomputer unit associated with the housing for handling information transfers between each of the dedicated monitoring units. Each monitoring unit includes a dedicated central processing unit which controls the operation of that unit. Control is maintained over a number of transducers which detect various physical conditions associated with the monitored operation. The electrical signals obtained from monitoring the conditions are processed and displayed on respective display consoles located in the housing. Intercommunication among the various units is achieved through serial input/output devices establishing communication channels between each unit and the master microcomputer unit.

Abstract: Energy conversion apparatus is disclosed to include a drive shaft, a first magnetic pole extending substantially parallel to the drive shaft and spaced radially therefrom, a second magnetic pole extending substantially parallel to the drive shaft and spaced radially therefrom, and a plurality of drive armatures each connected to the drive shaft and extending radially therefrom toward the first and second magnetic poles. The apparatus further includes control switches for sequentially energizing each of the armatures.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for removing material from a surface so that the removed material will not escape into the ambient environment are disclosed. The present invention includes a coagulant-applying mechanism for spraying a coating of coagulant on the material to be removed. Also included is a cutter head assembly which is moved along the surface for scraping the material therefrom. So that the scraped, coagulated material may be safely withdrawn to a storage receptacle, the present invention also includes a mechanism which withdraws the loosened, coagulated particles from the cutter head assembly. The system of the present invention incorporating these elements also includes a sampling container for extracting and storing a portion of the subject material for examination thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing a device with a prepurchased, selectable quantity of power from a primary power source includes a mechanism for receiving a medium of exchange, such as a money receiving mechanism. The apparatus further includes an outlet for coupling the device to the apparatus and for switchably connecting the device to a primary power source. The apparatus further includes an electronic computer which responds to the medium of exchange receiving mechanism to control the outlet so that the appropriate amount of prepurchased power is provided to the device connected thereto.