Abstract: A well screen is disclosed for positioning in a well bore to screen solid particles from the fluid produced by the well comprising a base pipe having a perforated wall and threaded connections for connecting the base pipe into a pipe string, a wire screen surrounding the perforated portion of the base pipe, a thin porous membrane comprising an inner layer of cloth of woven ceramic fibers wrapped around the wire screen and covered by a porous sleeve membrane of braided ceramic fibers, means for holding the ends of the porous cloth membranes in sealing engagement with the base pipe, and a perforated tubular metal shroud surrounding the ceramic cloth membranes to protect the membranes from damage when lowered into a well bore.

Abstract: There are disclosed rams for blowout preventers having blades on their inner ends in position to shear or sever a pipe or other object extending within the bore of the preventer housing as the rams are moved within guideways intersecting the bore from outer positions, in which the bore is open, to inner positions in which shear edges on opposed faces of the blades pass over another. The rams also carry packing for sealing with respect to the guideways in which they move as well as with respect to one another to close off the bore following shearing of the object.

Abstract: There is disclosed well apparatus wherein a so-called "backout sub" connected by right-hand threads at its lower end to a lower well pipe has both left-hand threads thereabout for connection with left-hand threads on the lower end of one upper tubular member to permit it to be released and raised from the lower tubular member, in response to right hand rotation of the upper tubular member, and right-hand threads for connection with right-hand threads on the lower end of another upper tubular member for use in tying the lower tubular member and thus the lower well pipe back to the head of the well in response to right-hand rotation.

Abstract: There is disclosed a guide assembly for use in attaching a towed vehicle having a forwardly extending tongue with a socket on its inner end to a ball mounted on the bumper of a towing vehicle to fit the socket, including a housing having bottom, side and end walls, with the bottom wall fixedly mounted on the ball mounting for rotation about it, and springs which act between the ball mounting and the housing to yieldably urge the housing in opposite rotational directions about the vertical axis of the ball prior to as well as following attachment.

Abstract: An attachment for a telephone having a finger cavity of the type found in standard desk telephones. The attachment includes an easel member for supporting a book or the like, two spaced base members for supporting the easel member above the telephone, and a hook member for engaging the transverse ridge of the finger cavity of the telephone to attach the attachment to the telephone.

Abstract: Apparatus for and a method of holding the pincer carrying leg of a crab for splitting the leg longitudinally is disclosed. The leg is supported against movement from the cutting tool by spaced, parallel, support members that engage the upwardly diverging sides of the inner section of the leg. The leg is held from rotation by clamping the spaced jaw members of the pincers on the end of the outer section of the leg.

Abstract: There is disclosed cooling equipment wherein air is caused to pass through a wet cooling tower section and thus precooled prior to passage across the tube bundle of a dry cooling tower section through which a medium to be cooled is circulated, and then either selectively vented or recirculated successively through the wet section and across the tube bundle.

Abstract: A rod-based well screen is formed in place on a perforated pipe base by wrapping wire around the pipe base and a plurality of rods located around the outside of the pipe. The wire is welded sequentially to each individual rod as it is wrapped around the pipe. The welding and ground electrodes engage the wire and the rods respectively. The rod engaging ground electrode is positioned a short distance ahead of the wire being wrapped around the rods and the pipe base. The ground electrode includes a plurality of contacts. Each contact is mounted to pivot toward and away from a rod. Springs urge each contact toward a rod to hold the rod against the outside surface of the pipe base and to maintain good electrical contact between the contact and the rod. Each contact has a groove to guide the rod into position for welding to the wire.

Abstract: There is disclosed a turbodrill having thrust bearings received within an annular space between its shaft and case to support the shaft for rotation within the case, and a face seal closing off the lower end of the space beneath seal rings forming a lubricant chamber in which the bearings are contained. One seal ring of the face seal is carried by the case for rotation therewith, and the other seal ring thereof is carried by a sleeve for rotation therewith. The sleeve extends from within the space to a level beneath the case, and is connected to the shaft for rotation therewith. Means are provided for moving the sleeve longitudinally with respect to the shaft in order to adjust the preload applied by springs to the other seal ring of the face seal.

Abstract: There is disclosed an ejector type scraper wherein an ejector having a generally vertical front face is moved between rearward and forward positions, during loading and unloading of the bucket of the scraper, by means of hydraulically operated, extendible and retractable actuators mounted on the opposite side walls of the bucket.

Abstract: An attachment is disclosed for converting a rotary type lawnmower to a vacuum cleaner for picking up debris, such as grass cuttings, from sidewalks, driveways, and the like. The attachment includes a baffle member for positioning across the opening in the bottom of the housing of the rotary cutter blade. The baffle member has an opening through which air is pulled by the rotating cutter blade to lift and entrain debris from a sidewalk, driveway, or the like, and carry it into the housing for discharge through the discharge port of the housing. Means are provided for releasably attaching the baffle member to the housing so that the baffle can be attached when it is desired for the mower to act as a vacuum cleaner and removed when the mower is to function in the normal manner.

Abstract: There is disclosed apparatus for use in condensing steam from the turbine exhaust of a power plant or the like, comprising a steam condenser having means for circulating cooling medium therethrough in order to condense a portion of the steam from the turbine exhaust, a wet cooling tower in which the cooling medium is cooled by means of ambient air, and a dry cooling tower in which the other portion of the steam is condensed by means of ambient air.

Abstract: There are disclosed four embodiments of apparatus for use in condensing steam from the turbine exhaust of a power plant or the like, each comprising a steam condenser having means for circulating cooling medium therethrough in heat exchange relation with steam from the turbine exhaust, and wet and dry cooling towers in which the cooling medium is cooled by means of ambient air.

Abstract: A well drilling tool is disclosed as having a reservoir for supplying lubricant to a bearing chamber to replace that which is lost during operation of the tool, and a means for indicating to an operator at surface level when a predetermined volume of such lubricant has been lost.

Abstract: A geophone comprising an annular coil-mass and a permanent magnet assembly positioned inside the annular coil-mass with their longitudinal axes generally coinciding to place the coil-mass in the magnetic field of the permanent magnet assembly. Spring spiders support the coil-mass on the permanent magnet assembly for axial and rotational movement relative to the permanent magnet assembly along and around the longitudinal axis thereof. Contacts extend outside the housing of the geophone to connect the geophone into an electrical circuit. Two axially spaced, parallel, spring spiders or diaphragm springs electrically connect the outside contacts to the terminals of the coils of the coil-mass.

Abstract: A wire line anchor has a slot in its side wall that will move the slot into position to engage a key attached to a housing in a pipe string to hold the anchor against upward movement relative to the housing. The anchor is released from the key by subsequent downward movement followed by upward movement of the anchor relative to the key.

Abstract: An impact- and tension-resistant control line suitable for attachment to an underwater oil or gas flow line, for attachment to a downhole tubing string or for control in subsea workover operations. The control line protector includes a resilient elongated body, any number of hydraulic tubes, electrical and electronic lines within the body and at least two impact-resistant, tensional-bearing members such as wire ropes within the body. When viewed in cross-section, the wire ropes are disposed within the body so that the protected control lines lie between the two wire ropes and a planar force or impact from any direction cannot directly contact the protected control lines. Additional impact-resistant, load-bearing members can be disposed among the protected control lines to insure that a planar force cannot directly contact the protected control lines while the device is attached to a flow line.

Abstract: There is disclosed a turbodrill wherein excessive wear on the axial thrust bearing supporting the shaft from the housing is detectable at the surface by means of an increase in the back pressure of the drilling fluid circulating through the turbine section.

Abstract: There is disclosed a turbodrill having an axial thrust bearing section which is contained within a lubricant chamber arranged within an annular space between the case and shaft of the turbodrill above the turbine section, and which is defined between means sealing between the shaft and the case which, in use of the turbodrill, are above the drilling fluid circulating therethrough.

Abstract: There is disclosed a well drilling tool having a body which is connectible as part of a drill string and which includes inner and outer members which are supported for rotation with respect to one another by bearing means contained within a lubricant chamber in an annular space between the members. A series of annular, vertically stacked buckets are carried by the inner and outer members within an annular space above seal means at the upper end of the lubricant chamber, and a body of material which acts as a liquid and is contained within each of at least the upper buckets has a specific gravity substantially greater than that of drilling fluid which is circulated through a portion of the annular space above the lubricant chamber.