Abstract: A heater cable is strapped alongside tubing in a well to heat the production fluids flowing through the tubing. The heater cable has three copper conductors surrounded by a thin electrical insulation layer. An extrusion of lead forms a protective layer over the insulation layers. The lead sheaths have flat sides which abut each other to increase heat transfer. A metal armor is wrapped around the lead sheaths of the three conductors in metal-to-metal contact. Three phase power is supplied to the conductors, causing heat to be generated which transmits through the lead sheaths and armor to the tubing.

Abstract: A fluid handling device has a needle retraction assembly which brings about the retraction of a hollow needle after use. A hollow body portion is provided at one end, with an end wall having a mounting portion including a needle passage. A hollow needle having a leading end portion is movable between a first position in which the leading end portion of the needle protrudes from a front end portion of said mounting portion and a second position in which the needle is withdrawn within the hollow body portion. A spring acts to bias the needle into the second, withdrawn position. The needle is provided with a portion of enlarged diameter at a location spaced from the leading end portion. A retainer maintains the needle in its first position until use is completed. The retainer includes an O-ring positioned in a circumferential groove in the portion of enlarged diameter.

Abstract: A pneumatic surgical tool for cutting bone during surgical procedures includes a pneumatic motor having a rotary shaft, a resecting tool having a cutting element rotated by the motor, a sleeve to surround and support the resecting tool, anti-friction bearings for further rotatably supporting the resecting tool, and a chuck for connecting the resecting tool to a spindle of the rotary shaft. The motor housing, rotor, spindle, and chuck are created from titanium. The bore of the housing and the cutting tip of the resecting tool have thin hard metal cases, such as titanium nitride, titanium aluminum nitride, or titanium carbon nitride.

Abstract: A grain combine for threshing grain from crop has a threshing rotor within a rotor housing, a front plate with a crop entry hole, a stationary ring mounted on the rearward side of the front plate, a plastic bearing pad mounted on the outer surface of the stationary ring, and a rotating ring mounted to the forward end of the rotor housing which lands on the bearing pad, thereby supporting the rotor housing. The bearing pad has a soft, elastomeric inner layer adjacent to the stationary ring, and a hard, elastomeric outer layer adjacent to the rotating ring. In addition, the rotating ring has a plurality of holes that allow dirt or other foreign material to exit the rotor housing.

Abstract: A method of writing a bank draft using an electronic printer and placing the bank draft in an envelope is accomplished by providing a single sheet of paper. The sheet of paper is completely opaque and sized to be received within the electronic printer. The paper sheet has a front surface and a back surface and a perimeter which is defined by opposite side and end edges. A line of perforations extend between the opposite side edges and divide the paper sheet into an envelope portion and a bank draft portion. The paper sheet is fed into the electronic printer where recipient indicia is printed on the envelope portion and bank draft indicia is printed on the bank draft portion. The paper sheet is then discharged from the electronic printer and folded so that the envelope portion forms an envelope for the bank draft.

Abstract: A thrust bearing assembly for a surface mounted centrifugal pump utilizes the pump liquid for lubrication of a thrust bearing and radial bearings. The thrust bearing mounts to the rearward end of the intake chamber. A communication passage extends between the thrust chamber and the intake chamber. A circulation tube leads from the intake chamber to the rearward end of the thrust chamber. A portion of the water being delivered to the intake chamber is diverted through the circulation tube, where it circulates through the thrust bearing and back to the intake of the pump. The shaft passes through the thrust chamber to an electrical motor. A mechanical seal seals the shaft at the rearward end of the thrust chamber.

Abstract: A straw discharge assembly allows the beater to reach further towards the rotational axis of the threshing rotor, thus enabling it to remove a greater percentage of the straw which otherwise collects on the housing frame members. The beater has a barrel-shaped body, but it takes on an hourglass shape as it is divided into a center section with shorter blades and two side sections with longer blades, giving the center section a smaller effective diameter than the two side sections. The beater does not interfere with the rotational path of the rotor housing frame even though it is effectively closer to the housing frame. With their longer blades, the side sections are closer to the rotating frame legs and can therefore pull down and discharge more of the obstructed straw. The discharge grate is conformed to the effective shape of the rotor in a similar fashion.

Abstract: An aircraft engine has a nozzle shaped to reduce the volume of Mach diamonds being formed in the exhaust plume. A notch or recess is formed in the discharge edge of the nozzle. The recess provides a forward discharge edge that causes additional Mach diamonds to occur at a regular spacing from the forward discharge edge. These additional Mach diamonds are axially staggered with other Mach diamonds, which occur at regular spacing from the rearward edge of the nozzle discharge edge. Each Mach diamond has a volume that is substantially less than one-half the volume of a Mach diamond created by a conventional nozzle. This results in less high temperature areas per axial increment in the plume than the prior art exhaust plumes. Because Mach diamonds are the primary cause of high infrared emissions, as well as acoustic noise, a reduction in the total volume of Mach diamonds in the exhaust plume thus reduces infrared emissions, as well as the noise.

Abstract: A hernia patch has a first layer of inert synthetic mesh material selectively sized and shaped to extend across and beyond a hernia. A second layer of inert synthetic mesh material overlies the first layer to create a generally planar configuration for the patch. The first and second layers are joined together by a seam which defines a periphery of a pouch between the layers. One of the layers has a border which extends beyond the seam and which has a free outer edge. A plurality of border slits extend from the outer edge through the border substantially to the seam. An access slit is formed in one of the layers for insertion of a finger of a surgeon into the pouch to allow the surgeon to deform the planar configuration of the patch to facilitate insertion of the patch into the patient and to position the patch across the hernia.

Abstract: A shock absorber for a railcar locates within a center sill of the railcar. The shock absorber has a housing that moves relative to the center sill. A backstop is welded to the center sill for retaining the piston shaft. The backstop has a top, a bottom and two parallel sides. The height of the backstop from the bottom to the top is substantially less than the center sill. The sides of the backstop are welded to the sidewalls of the center sill in a position which provides an upper clearance between the top of the backstop and the top wall of the center sill and a lower clearance between the bottom of the backstop and the bottom of the center sill.

Abstract: An audio police identification and distraction device that is sufficiently rugged to be thrown inside a structure to be searched and deliver electronically a digitally stored, high volume voice message that clearly identifies the police or law enforcement agency and distracts persons inside the structure during a hard entry. The audio device includes a voice message memory chip, a rechargeable battery operated power supply, an amplifier, a speaker assembly and a user activated switch and delay circuit. The audio signal output can achieve a speaker volume of at least 100 decibels, preferably in the range of 110 to 112 decibels. The electronic components are contained in a hard housing that can be tossed through a glass window and onto a floor without damage. The audio electronic circuit is battery operated and mounted on a platform that is isolated from the impact shocks imposed upon the housing.

Abstract: In this invention, a wear bushing has a lower tubular portion and an upper tubular portion. The lower portion has fingers on its upper end. The upper portion has a conical lower end that slides within the inner sides of the fingers. For running-in, the upper portion engages and mechanically locks with the lower portion with the fingers in an undeflected position. The lower portion will land on a stop in the bore. The upper portion continues downward, deflecting the fingers outward into a recess in the bore thereby preventing the upward movement of the wear bushing.

Abstract: An earth-boring bit has a bit body and at least one cantilevered bearing shaft depending inwardly and downwardly from the bit body. A cutter is mounted for rotation on the bearing shaft and includes a plurality of cutting elements. At least one of the cutting elements has a generally cylindrical body formed of hard metal with a convex cutting end. A plurality of substantially linear, parallel lands are formed on the cutting end of the body. The lands have arcuate top surfaces and define grooves between the land having arcuate bottom surfaces. A layer of super-hard material is formed on the cutting end of the body and engages the lands and grooves formed thereon.

Abstract: A femoral prosthesis has load shoulders for transferring normal loading to the femur at the proximal end to reduce stress shielding. The femur is resected to provide a flat load shoulder perpendicular to the axis of the femur. The prosthesis has a mating load shoulder in its proximal section which lands on the load shoulders formed in the femur. The prosthesis has a stem that extends downward to a distal end. The intermediate portion of the stem between the distal end and the proximal end is reduced in diameter to add flexibility. The distal end is substantially the diameter of the bone cavity.

Abstract: A gas compressor is employed downhole in a well for pressurizing formation gas. The gas compressor is driven by a downhole electrical motor. The downhole assembly also includes a pump. The pump might be located below the motor and driven by the same motor. In that event, the pump pumps liquid being produced by the formation downward to a liquid disposal formation. Also, the pump may pump the liquid to the surface, with the gas being delivered into a repressurizing zone.

Abstract: An earth-boring bit has a bit body. At least one cantilevered bearing shaft depends inwardly and downwardly from the bit body and a cutter is mounted for rotation on the bearing shaft. The cutter includes a plurality of cutting elements, at least one of which has a generally cylindrical element body of hard metal. A pair of flanks extend from the body and converge to define a crest. The crest defines at least one sharp cutting edge at its intersection with one of the flanks.

Abstract: An earth-boring bit has a bit body and at least one cantilevered bearing shaft depending inwardly and downwardly from the bit body. A cutter is mounted for rotation on the bearing shaft and includes a plurality of cutting elements arranged in generally circumferential rows, including inner heel rows, of cutting elements. At least one of the cutting elements in one of the inner rows has a crest at least partially formed of super-hard material that defines a cutting edge and cutting surface for shearing engagement with the bottom of the borehole during drilling operations, the remainder of the cutting end of the element is formed of hard, fracture-tough material for crushing engagement with the bottom of the borehole.

Abstract: A coupling device attaches to a surgical resecting instrument with a motorized shaft for rotating a surgical implement with at least one torque shoulder. The device houses a tubular shaft with a central bore which attaches to the motorized shaft through a hexagonally-shaped drive attachment with a bore. The tubular shaft has several apertures with balls that engage an annular recess in the implement shaft to restrict axial movement. The tubular shaft has axially spaced apart torque shoulders capable of engaging torque shoulders on implements of different size diameters or multiple diameters. The tubular shaft is also capable of driving an implement with axially spaced apart torque shoulders.

Abstract: A multi-conductor parallel array armored electrical power cable includes a pair of longitudinal spring members. The longitudinal spring members help maintain compactness between conductor assemblies within the power cable after a protective armor has been applied. The longitudinal spring members are installed between the outer most conductors and the armor of the cable. The unique shape of the spring members along with their placement during assembly absorb much larger tangential forces normally accepted when applying the armor to the cable. The spring members become distorted from their original shape and, as the armored cable is further formed to its final shape, the longitudinal spring members substantially return to their original shape to urge the conductor assemblies together.