Abstract: A running tool is used to install a shoulder ring within a groove located in a wellhead housing after the wellhead housing has been installed. The running tool has a locator member which lands on a locator shoulder. A carrier collet which carries the shoulder ring. A retainer sleeve retracts the shoulder ring during the running in procedure. After the locator member lands on the locator shoulder, the operator strokes a piston. This moves the carrier collet and shoulder ring downward relative to the retainer sleeve, allowing the shoulder ring to expand out into the grooves. A cam surface forces the lower end of the collet to a contracted outer diameter, allowing retrieval of the running tool.

Abstract: An elevator is provided with a car, an inner door mounted to the car and outer doors mounted to floor openings which define floor zones. The inner door registers with the outer doors when the car is disposed within one of the floor zones. The elevator includes a door restrictor having an electric solenoid mounted to the car so that the inner door cannot be opened more than four inches when the elevator is between floor zones. The electric solenoid has a plunger which is normally in an extended position to block the inner door from opening. Power will only be applied to the electric solenoid to lift the plunger from the extended position to a retracted position to allow the inner door to be fully opened when both the car is disposed within a floor zone and the inner doors are being initiated to move slightly by the main elevator controls. A floor zone sensor is mounted to the car for detecting when the elevator is disposed within one of the floor zones.

Abstract: A disk drive has an improved vibration isolator mounting apparatus for dampening the impacts and vibrations applied to the body of a computer while occupying only a minimal amount of space in the disk drive. The disk drive generally includes a magnetic disk drive mechanism enclosed by a disk drive enclosure, with an electronic card physically connected to the enclosure that electrically connects the disk drive to other components of the computer. Two sides of the disk drive enclosure extend beyond the top face of the disk drive enclosure to form two enclosure skirts. A vibration isolator mounting apparatus is mounted to each enclosure skirt. Each vibration isolator mounting apparatus has a flat, thin flexible strip overlying the free edge of the enclosure skirt with several retaining tabs depending downward from opposite sides of the strip.

Abstract: A casing tensioning system applies tension to a string of casing between a subsea wellhead and a surface wellhead. The tensioning system has an outer hanger with a load ring and a ratchet ring that engage a mandrel. The mandrel is connected into the string of casing. The outer hanger has a disengaged position and an engaged position. When running, the outer hanger lands on a load shoulder in the surface wellhead while the casing hanger is in the disengaged position. The operator subsequently lowers the casing and latches the casing to the subsea wellhead. The operator then removes the casing running tool. The operator sets an annulus seal using a seal running tool. The annulus seal actuates a release member to cause the ratchet ring to move to the collapsed engaged position. After the seal is set the operator pulls tension on the casing.

Abstract: A railroad track is provided having a running rail and a guardrail which are spaced apart by self-locking separator blocks and mounted to base plates. The foot of the running rail fits within channels formed into each of the base plates, with an outward end of the foot secured within the channels by toe plates and an inward end of the foot secured within the channels by inward quick release fasteners. The guardrail is mounted atop the toe plates, outward from the running rail. Side brace plates and outward quick release fasteners are used to hold the guardrail against the separator blocks and on top of the toe plates. Vertical holes are formed into the foot of the guardrail, inward of the guardrail web and in the toe plate. The separator blocks each have a block extension which protrudes downward from the separator blocks through a respective one of the vertical holes in the guardrail foot and into one of the holes in the toe plate.

Abstract: A rotor vane and a method for fabricating the rotor vane are provided in which the vane is formed of a thermoplastic matrix material having chopped fibers uniformly dispersed throughout the thermoplastic material, with the fibers aligned to extend in directions which are approximately parallel to a radial dimension in which the vane extends. A billet formed of the thermoplastic matrix material with the chopped fibers randomly oriented and uniformly dispersed within the thermoplastic matrix material is placed in vane forming dies. The dies have an interior surface which is in the shape of the vane. The billet is placed within the dies with the longitudinal length of the billet extending perpendicular to the radial dimension of the vane being formed and completely across the axial dimension of the vane being formed.

Abstract: An electrical powered transmission tower is modified to also support a telecommunications antenna. The tower has a plurality of legs interconnected by lattice braces. A support column is erected within the enclosure of the tower. The support column has a base anchored in the ground on a concrete foundation. The column extends upward through the tower and protrudes through the top. The antenna is mounted to the upper end of the column. Fasteners secure the column to the tower for lateral support.

Abstract: A method and apparatus provide a heat exchanger having a compression fitting for sealing connecting a refrigerant flow line to a tube brazed to the heat exchanger in a brazing furnace. The heat exchanger compression fitting includes a female tubing connector, a male tubing connector, a stainless steel washer, an annular seal member, and a rib formed integrally into the tube, spaced apart from an end of the tube to which the refrigerant flow line is to be connected. The male tubing connector is brazed to the refrigerant flow line. The female tubing connector and the stainless steel washer are placed on the tube between the rib and the end of the tube which is to be brazed to the heat exchanger, with the stainless steel washer between the rib and the female tubing connector.The tube is then placed in a refrigerant port of the heat exchanger, and run through the brazing furnace with other heat exchanger components. The annular seal member is placed around the pilot portion of the tube, next to the rib.

Abstract: A high pressure subsea pipe, particularly for underwater use, has the ability to flex while being transported and installed. The pipe has a friction reinforcement structure made of overlapping layers increasing substantially the capacity of the pipe in longitudinal direction. The reinforcement layer may be a helical wrap, either cylindrical or conical, or conical sleeves nested within one another. An articulated carcass has turns of a helically wrapped main and ancillary wires, offering no axial slack in either tension or compression or in both directions while remaining flexible.

Abstract: A railcar shock absorber has neutral position in which the piston is spaced between buff and draft ends of the cylinder. An external spring is mounted to the shock absorber. A slider rod has one end mounted to the coupling to move relative to the frame of the railcar. The spring has retainers on each end, and the slider rod passes through the retainers. One of the retainers is stationary relative to the frame. The other retainer floats relative to the frame and will abut a neutral stop of the frame when the spring is in the maximum length position. An engagement member on the slider rod will further compress the spring if a draft shock occurs from the neutral position. If a buff shock occurs from the neutral position, the engagement member moves away from the floating retainer.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing broadbanded electromagnetic radiation attenuation is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a surface mount to which a plurality of protuberances are mounted. Each protuberance is further made up of a plurality of impedance sheets that are substantially concentric one with another. The impedance sheets are directionally shaped so as to enhance absorption of any polarization of plane wave radiation from any incidence direction including near grazing incidence. The impedance sheets have impedance values which are tapered with higher impedance values belonging to the sheets farther away from the concentric center. These sheets may be either substantially spherical, hemispherical, or circular cylinders. The distance separating neighboring impedance sheets is selected according to the shortest wavelength for which good electromagnetic attentuation is desired.

Abstract: An adjustable mandrel hanger system is employed for maintaining tension in a string of casing extending between a subsea wellhead assembly and a surface wellhead housing. The system has a mandrel which connects into the string. A locking member locks to the exterior of the mandrel. The locking member has a cocked position which allows both upward and downward movement of the mandrel relative to the locking member. The locking member has a weight supporting position which will prevent downward movement of the mandrel but allows upward movement of the mandrel relative to the locking member. The locking member lands on an internal shoulder in the surface wellhead housing while the string is being lowered into the well. The running tool has an actuating member which will hold the locking member in the cocked position and in engagement with the internal shoulder while the running tool secures the lower end of the casing string into engagement with the subsea wellhead assembly.

Abstract: An electrical device functions as a thermally energized DC power source. The device has a base plate of conductive metal. A number of electrode points protrude upward from the base plate, terminating in a sharp edge. A collection plate of conductive metal is positioned above the sharp upper edges of the electrode points. The gap between the electrode points and between the collection plate and the electrode points is electrically insulated. An electrical potential exists between the base plate and the upper collection plate while the device is at and above room temperature. The potential difference increases as the temperature increases.

Abstract: Surgically implantable hernia mesh patches are available in several embodiments, wherein each embodiment has double like size layers of inert synthetic mesh material, compressibly positioning an internally positioned loop of a resilient monofilament fiber, when these double layers of mesh are sewn together around their edges, while leaving one centimeter free of both top and bottom layers of mesh. During operating time of a surgical repair of an inguinal hernia, one of these hernia mesh patches is compactively arranged and then inserted through a relatively small incision, for subsequent planar expansion and directed placement to where the hernia is, usually under minimal anesthesia, without the need for entering a patient's abdominal cavity, and without the need to use instrumentation, such as laparoscopic equipment.

Abstract: A device for measuring the wrenching height of hexagonal head fasteners has a height indicator having an indicator shaft which extends therefrom. The height indicator is actuable by reciprocal movement. A gaging element housing is coupled to the height indicator and has an interior bore with a longitudinal axis with indicator shaft extending into the interior bore. A gaging ring is fixed to gaging element housing and has a central opening of a size selected as a minimum diameter for receiving a hexagonal head of a fastener to be measured. At least three gaging pins are received within pin holes of the gaging ring. Thin gaging pins reciprocate within the pin holes between an inward and outward position. By positioning the gaging ring over a hexagonal head of the fastener being measured, the gaging pins will engage a washer surface so that they are forced inward, actuating the indicator shaft of the height indicator so that the wrenching height of the hexagonal head fastener is measured.

Abstract: A pulse detonator particularly for an aircraft power supply has a tubular housing. A valve sleeve rotates within the bore of the housing. The valve sleeve and housing have ports which align with each other at least once per revolution. A manifold is mounted to the exterior of the housing. The manifold has outer valves which open to admit fuel and oxygen simultaneously with the alignment of the valve sleeve ports with the housing ports. The fuel and oxygen flow into a detonation chamber where they mix. Igniters ignite the mixture to create a detonation wave which passes out the downstream end.

Abstract: An offshore well system for a jackup drilling rig enables tensioning of the upper casing strings. An upper running tool is secured to a mandrel, which in turn is connected to the upper casing string. A locking member is located on the mandrel and lands on an internal shoulder in the surface wellhead while the upper string is being lowered by the upper running tool through the surface wellhead. The locking member has a cocked position which allows further downward movement of the mandrel after the locking member has landed on the internal shoulder. A torque member connected between the upper running tool and the mandrel allows left-hand rotation of the upper casing string without risk of the upper running tool unscrewing from the mandrel. This exposes wash ports for circulating fluid back up the annulus around the upper casing string. Flow passages in the locking member allows cement returns and circulation during washout operations after the locking member has landed on the internal shoulder.

Abstract: A hub clamp will be used to connect two conduits together in end-to-end relationship. Each conduit has a pair of generally parallel load shoulders that extend around the conduit and are axially spaced from each other. The clamp has two sets of load shoulders, one for engaging each set of load shoulders on each end of the conduit. The clamp is in two halves, and when bolted together, draws the ends of the conduits toward each other. Each load shoulder is separated by a flank. The two flanks of the mating load shoulders are separated by a gap when fully made up. The first load shoulder of each conduit has multiple angled sections. The load section is at a greater angle than the load section relative to a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the conduit. The clamp will be mounted releasably to an upper conduit so that it can slide inward and outward, for vertical conduit applications.

Abstract: A Fresnel lens formed of an infrared transmitting material has a grooved surface. The grooves all extend to the same depth, and the distances between successive grooves vary across the lens. In a circular lens, the grooves are concentric, and the distances between grooves nearer the center are longer than the distances between the grooves nearer the circumference. A substantial portion of the grooves have an aspherical surface.