Abstract: A non-impact exercise machine which can be used by people of all ages, requiring no special dexterity or athletic ability to perform and exerting minimal impact on the muscles and joints of the user, providing a light weight, collapsible, and affordable indoor exercise machine for simulating walking. One embodiment of the exercise machine comprises a support structure; and, right and left platforms for standing on by the use's right and left foot respectively in an approximately horizontal position; and, right and left linkage assemblies pivotably disposed on the support structure about a right and left upper pivot axis and the right and left platforms, the platforms movable in a fixed path below the right and left upper pivot axis; and, a resistance system for resisting the movement of the right and left platforms.

Abstract: Augering device is disclosed which is useful for drilling holes in the ground at various angles under relatively low overhead or ceiling conditions. The device is suitable for mounting on a wide variety of vehicles ranging from the bed of small pickup trucks to very large track type caterpillars with booms. The device has an extendable mast powered by a downcrowding mechanism, a kelly assembly, and a kelly rotating mechanism. The extendable mast has a first mast member and a second mast member. A downcrowding hydraulic cylinder extends the second mast member away from the first mast member and pulls the second mast member towards the first mast member. The telescoping kelly sections include at least an outer kelly section and an inner kelly section. The outer kelly section has an axis parallel to but spaced apart from the axis of the first mast member. A bearing rotatable supports the outer kelly section and prevents axial displacement of the outer kelly section relative thereto.

Abstract: A simple one piece device, herein referred to as an unitary diversionary-tubing hanger, or UDTH, for attachment to a wellhead that functions as a tubing hanger, a diverter of flow from the vertical to the horizontal or visa versa, and a securing device for a removable vertical seal plug and a recoverable emergency energizable vertical rod seal. The UDTH simplifies wellhead completion by eliminating all valves in the vertical string. The UDTH can be landed directly in some wellheads. The UDTH also simplifies remedial treatment of the wellhead and can be installed or removed from most wellheads in less than one hour. The UDTH can also pass through a blowout protector attached to a wellhead. A recoverable energizable vertical rod seal, installable in the vertical passageway of the UDTH, provides an emergency pump rod seal in a wellhead completed for rod pumping, both reciprocating and rotating.

Abstract: A simple one piece device, herein referred to as an unitary diversionary-tubing hanger, or UDTH, for attachment to a wellhead that functions as a tubing hanger, a diverter of flow from the vertical to the horizontal or visa versa, and a securing device for a removable vertical seal plug and a recoverable emergency energizable vertical rod seal. The UDTH simplifies wellhead completion by eliminating all valves in the vertical string. The UDTH can be landed directly in some wellheads. The UDTH also simplifies remedial treatment of the wellhead and can be installed or removed from most wellheads in less than one hour. The UDTH can also pass through a blowout protector attached to a wellhead. A recoverable energizable vertical rod seal, installable in the vertical passageway of the UDTH, provides an emergency pump rod seal in a wellhead completed for rod pumping, both reciprocating and rotating.

Abstract: An apparatus for covering and uncovering a skylight opening. The apparatus has a parallel guide pair mounted on the outside of a framing surrounding the opening, a carriage with skylight movably mounted on the guides, and an actuator for moving the carriage over the guide's length. The guides extend a distance beyond the framing's right side sufficient to displace the skylight completely away from the opening. One end of a screen, large enough to cover the opening, is connected to the carriage's left side. The other screen end is mounted on a storage roller rotatably supported by the framing's left side. The roller's spring maintains screen tension so that, when the carriage is displaced away from the framing's left side, the screen is tautly pulled over the space between the framing's left side and the carriage's left side. One end of a shade, large enough to cover the carriage's opening, is positionable adjacent the carriage's left inside wall.

Abstract: A retrievable sealing plug coil tubing suspension device for supporting coil tubing which supports a motor-pump assembly deployed at operating well depth in a well. The coil tubing houses the power cable connected to the motor of the motor-pump assembly. A diversionary member connected to a wellhead assembly supports the device. The device locks on the coil tubing and is installable and retrievable through a blowout preventor ("BOP") by reeling enough of the coil tubing out of the wellhead assembly so that the device can be unlocked from the coil tubing. After removing the device from the coil tubing, the coil tubing can be completely rewound on a reel and the motor-pump assembly serviced if desired. The well can be reworked through the BOP and the diversionary member if desired. Methods of installing the power cable in a single piece of coil tubing of great length, e.g.

Abstract: A method for controlling gas flow direction through a regenerative incinerator system coupled to a flow reversing valve, and for reversing the flow direction of the gas stream through the regenerative incinerator system. The regenerative incinerator system having a combustion zone and one or more heat accumulating and heat exchanging zones. The method establishes a combustion zone base temperature set-point, or T.sub.CB for referencing combustion zone temperatures, or T.sub.C 's, and an outlet base temperature set-point, or T.sub.OB, for referencing outlet temperatures, or T.sub.O 's, from the regenerative incinerator system. A switching temperature, or T.sub.S, is also established as a function of T.sub.C, T.sub.CB and T.sub.OB such that the slope of said function, i.e. dT.sub.S /dT.sub.C, is never negative over a predetermined range of combustion zone temperatures, or T.sub.C 's. The switching temperature being equal to T.sub.OB when the combustion zone temperature is equal to T.sub.CB.

Abstract: An exercising apparatus for simulating skating and skiing motion in which outward and opposite unilateral movement of the user's feet ultimately drives a momentum storage member which can be a flywheel. The apparatus has a base for supporting a track having left and right distal ends. The track positions and restrains foot carriages to approximately horizontal movement. The foot carriages support the user's feet so that when the user's left foot extends outwardly and to the left of user's body the left carriage moves towards the left distal end of the track, and when the user's right foot extends outwardly and to the right of user's body the right carriage moves towards the right distal end of the track. A driven pulley is supported by the base and drives the momentum storage member. The apparatus has a first subassembly having unilaterally acting first engaging member and first transmission, and a second subassembly having unilaterally acting second engaging member and second transmission.

Abstract: A method of forming inorganic membranes which are highly selective to permeation of hydrogen by temporarily forming a carbon barrier in the pores of a porous substrate, followed by chemical deposition of SiO.sub.2, B.sub.2 O.sub.3, TiO.sub.2, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and mixtures thereof in the pores, followed by removal of the carbon barrier. It has been demonstrated that the permeation selective layers thusly formed by this invention have a five fold increase in permeance over such layers made by a similar method but without forming a temporary carbon barrier in the pores of the porous substrate, and removal of the carbon-barrier after establishment of the oxide membrane. Some suitable porous substrate are Vycor.TM. glass or Al.sub.2 O.sub.3.

Abstract: A process for producing an integral adsorbent-heat exchanger apparatus useful in ammonia refrigerant heat pump systems. In one embodiment, the process wets an activated carbon particles-solvent mixture with a binder-solvent mixture, presses the binder wetted activated carbon mixture on a metal tube surface and thereafter pyrolyzes the mixture to form a bonded activated carbon matrix adjoined to the tube surface. The integral apparatus can be easily and inexpensively produced by the process in large quantities.

Abstract: A simple heat cascading regenerative sorption heat pump process with rejected or waste heat from a higher temperature chemisorption circuit ("HTCC") powering a lower temperature physisorption circuit ("LTPC") which provides a 30% total improvement over simple regenerative physisorption compression heat pumps when ammonia is both the chemisorbate and physisorbate, and a total improvement of 50% or more for LTPC having two pressure stages. The HTCC contains ammonia and a chemisorbent therefor contained in a plurality of canisters, a condenser-evaporator-radiator system, and a heater, operatively connected together. The LTPC contains ammonia and a physisorbent therefor contained in a plurality of compressors, a condenser-evaporator-radiator system, operatively connected together. A closed heat transfer circuit ("CHTC") is provided which contains a flowing heat transfer liquid ("FHTL") in thermal communication with each canister and each compressor for cascading heat from the HTCC to the LTPC.

Abstract: A keyboard for a miniature computer or other data processing device which permits a standard key spacing to be retained while enabling folding of the keyboard to reduce its overall size for storage or carrying purposes. In another aspect, the thickness of the keyboard when in folded position is reduced in some embodiments by maintaining its keys in depressed positions.

Abstract: Methods of forming permselective oxide membranes that are highly selective to permeation of hydrogen by chemical deposition of reactants in the pore of porous tubes, such as Vycor.TM. glass or Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 tubes. The porous tubes have pores extending through the tube wall. The process involves forming a stream containing a first reactant of the formula RX.sub.n, wherein R is silicon, titanium, boron or aluminum, X is chlorine, bromine or iodine, and n is a number which is equal to the valence of R; and forming another stream containing water vapor as the second reactant. Both of the reactant streams are passed along either the outside or the inside surface of a porous tube and the streams react in the pores of the porous tube to form a nonporous layer of R-oxide in the pores. The membranes are formed by the hydrolysis of the respective halides. In another embodiment, the first reactant stream contains a first reactant having the formula SiH.sub.n Cl.sub.

Abstract: A solid state electrolyte cells apparatus and method of producing is disclosed. The apparatus can be used for separating oxygen from an oxygen-containing feedstock or as a fuel cell for reacting fluids. Cells can be stacked so that fluids can be introduced and removed from the apparatus through ceramic distribution members having ports designed for distributing the fluids in parallel flow to and from each cell. The distribution members can also serve as electrodes to membranes or as membrane members between electrodes, The distribution member design does not contain any horizontal internal ports which allows the member to be thin. A method of tape casting in combination with an embossing method allows intricate radial ribs and bosses to be formed on each distribution member. The bosses serve as seals for the ports and allow the distribution members to be made without any horizontal internal ports.

Abstract: An integral adsorbent-heat exchanger apparatus for use in ammonia refrigerant heat pump systems. The apparatus has a finned tube heat exchange member. A bonded, pyrolyzed activated carbon adsorbent matrix, formed from a mixture of activated carbon particles and resol bonder, is tightly adjoined to the fins and the tube to form an integral apparatus. The integral apparatus is capable of withstanding repetitive adsorption and desorption cycles without the matrix becoming unbonded and without the matrix becoming unadjoined from the fins and tube. The apparatus permits very high rates of adsorption and desorption of refrigerant and very high rates of heat transfer between the refrigerant and the heat transfer fluid.

Abstract: A regenerative adsorbent heat pump process and system for cooling and heating a space. A sorbent is confined in a plurality of compressors of which at least four are first stage and at least four are second stage. The first stage operates over a first pressure region and the second stage over a second pressure region which is higher than the first. Sorbate from the first stage enters the second stage. The sorbate loop includes a condenser, expansion valve, evaporator and the compressors. A single sorbate loop can be employed for single-temperature-control such as air conditioning and heating. Two sorbate loops can be used for two-temperature-control as in a refrigerator and freezer. The evaporator temperatures control the freezer and refrigerator temperatures. Alternatively the refrigerator temperature can be cooled by the freezer with one sorbate loop. A heat transfer fluid is circulated in a closed loop which includes a radiator and the compressors. Low temperature heat is exhausted by the radiator.