Abstract: A solar energy collector having an energy concentrating unit and an energy collecting unit is disclosed. The concentrating unit includes at least one converging lens for concentrating the sun's rays onto the collecting unit. Each lens may be blow-formed from sheets of thermoplastic. Each lens may be hollow or filled with a liquid.The collecting unit includes a fluid-transporting member having a heat transfer fluid therein. Input and output pipes connected to the fluid-transporting member carry the heat transfer fluid to and from the fluid-transporting member, respectively. The fluid-transporting member may be a coil, or it may be a double-walled dome, or an arch of flat hollow plates.The solar energy collector further includes a backplate for fixing the position of the collecting unit relative to the concentrating unit such that the focus of each lens is on or near the fluid-transporting member.

Abstract: A solar energy collector having an energy concentrating unit and an energy collecting unit is disclosed. The concentrating unit includes at least one converging lens for concentrating the sun's rays onto the collecting unit. Each lens may be blow-formed from sheets of thermoplastic. Each lens may be hollow or filled with a liquid.The collecting unit includes a fluid-transporting member having a heat transfer fluid therein. Input and output pipes connected to the fluid-transporting member carry the heat transfer fluid to and from the fluid-transporting member, respectively. The fluid-transporting member may be a coil, or it may be a double-walled dome, or an arch of flat hollow plates.The solar energy collector further includes a backplate for fixing the position of the collecting unit relative to the concentrating unit such that the focus of each lens is on or near the fluid-transporting member.

Abstract: A seismic streamer section includes a flexible tube with bulkheads at intervals therealong, end means to make electrical and mechanical connections with adjacent sections, tension lines extending from one end means to the other through the bulkheads, hydrophones in the tube between the bulkheads, an electric bundle including through conductors extending from one end means to the other through the bulkheads to various ones of the hydrophone. Each hydrophone comprises a drum shaped case with dished ends and convex sides providing standoff from the bundle and lines for piezoelectric wafers supported inside the ends. A cylindrical metal ring forms the side of the case. Stainless steel cups disposed with their bottoms adjacent and having their rims welded to the rims of the ring form the ends of the case. The piezoelectric wafers are conductively secured one each to the inner surfaces of flexible diaphragms forming the bottoms of the cups.

Abstract: A fluidic Repeater, includes a rotary transmitter, a responder, and a rotary feedback.Various constructional features useful in conjunction with the system are disclosed.

Abstract: A structure for use in supporting a platform above a body of water is disclosed. The structure includes a leg extending between the bed of the body of water, the seabed, and the platform. The overall cross-sectional area of the leg is greatest near the seabed and decreases moving upwardly away from the seabed.

Abstract: A directional drill attached to a drill string having periodic concentric collars is advanced in an inverted arcuate path to form a pilot hole underneath an obstacle followed by a larger concentric washover pipe. When the washover pipe reaches the surface on the other side of the obstacle a first reamer is attached to the end of the washover pipe exiting the drilling path, a second reamer of smaller diameter than the first reamer is attached to the other end of the first reamer by means providing for some separation between the two reamers, and a production casing of smaller diameter than the second reamer is attached to the other end of the second reamer with a swivel. The remaining length of the first portion of casing is supported some distance above the ground on rollers located above and beyond the exit point of the pilot hole. The reamers are operated by rotating the washover pipe and simultaneously drawing the washover pipe through the pilot hole.

Abstract: In accordance with the teachings of the invention, the combustion system includes a combustion chamber, hearth, burners, and an air/fuel control system. The control system controls a pressurized air supply, a regulated gas supply, and means for regulating the gas supply as a function of the air pressure. The burner includes an air manifold within which is housed an air control orifice telescoped in a gas manifold and a diffuser inserted within the air control orifice for mixing the air and gas and causing turbulence of the air/gas mixture. The diffuser protrudes through an aperture in the air manifold for communication with a juxtaposed combustion chamber and hearth having a flue gas outlet. Regulated air and gas are supplied to the air manifold and gas manifold respectively and are preheated. The pessurized preheated air passes through a throat and nozzle created by the diffuser and air control orifice creating a low pressure area at ports communicating with the gas manifold.

Abstract: A solar energy collector having an energy concentrating unit and an energy collecting unit is disclosed. The concentrating unit includes at least one converging lens for concentrating the sun's rays onto the collecting unit. Each lens may be blow-formed from sheets of thermoplastic. Each lens may be hollow or filled with a liquid.The collecting unit includes a fluid-transporting member having a heat transfer fluid therein. Input and output pipes connected to the fluid-transporting member carry the heat transfer fluid to and from the fluid-transporting member, respectively. The fluid-transporting member may be a coil, or it may be a double-walled dome, or an arch of flat hollow plates.The solar energy collector further includes a backplate for fixing the position of the collecting unit relative to the concentrating unit such that the focus of each lens is on or near the fluid-transporting member.

Abstract: A comparison circuit for use in an apparatus including a source of a coherent light beam of low divergence for quickly and simultaneously establishing a plurality of reference lines or planes for use in leveling, squaring, plumbing, and other alignment functions and for controlling the operation of construction equipment is disclosed.The present invention is a circuit that finds particular utility in automatically adjusting the orientation of the tool. More particularly the present invention is a circuit for comparing the amplitude of a first alternating current signal to the amplitude of a second alternating current signal, such signals being in phase with one another and having the same frequency.

Abstract: The present invention is an isomerically specific improvement of the oxo process reaction. It comprises the reaction of an olefin with carbon monoxide and water or hydrogen in a basic solution in the presence of a ruthenium carbonyl catalyst to preferentially produce the next higher normal aldehyde, or alcohol.

Abstract: A drilling head comprises a tubular body adapted for connection above a well head and having a removable side outlet with a replaceable wear bushing. An assembly removably secured in the head includes a stator and rotor with bearing means and rotating seal means therebetween. A replaceable tubular, kelly seal boot or stripper carried by the rotor includes an enlarged upper end which diverts drilling mud away from the rotating seal and toward the side outlet.

Abstract: A bulkhead for a marine seismic streamer section comprises a generally cylindrical body of rigid tough plastics material such as polycarbonate polymer, having an axial hole therethrough, through which passes the electric conductor bundle of the streamer section, and peripheral radial slots with hemicylindric bottoms receiving the tension lines of the streamer section. The bulkhead has an annular circumferential groove which is radially as deep as the axes of the bottoms of the slots and in which is disposed a belt of phosphor bronze, or stainless steel, or other strong corrosion resistant metal. The belt holds the tension lines in the slots and holds together the bulkhead, which is made of two sectors. One sector is greater than 180 degrees in extent and the other is less than 180 degrees in extent, e.g. the one sector may extend 240 degrees and the other 120 degrees.

Abstract: A fail-safe non-pressure locking valve, actuated by hydraulic controls responsive to ambient sea pressure, disposed over 1000 feet below the surface on a submerged pipeline controlling the flow of fluids therethrough. The valve includes a housing having a chamber within which a gate, having upper and lower attached stems, reciprocates for opening and closing the valve to fluid flow. A piston, responsive to the hydraulic actuator controls, is attached to the upper stem for urging the gate to the open position upon application of hydraulic actuator fluid pressure. A spring is arranged in the valve housing to assist the internal valve pressure on the stem in urging the gate to its closed position in the event of loss of hydraulic actuator fluid pressure. A lower detached stem is disposed in the valve chamber below the lower attached stem and is responsive to ambient sea pressure.

Abstract: A drilling head includes a tubular body with top, bottom and side openings. An oriented side outlet with an oriented replaceable bushing is releasably connected to the side opening. The head without the side outlet will pass through most rotary tables.A top closure closes the annulus between a portion of the head above the side opening and a drive tube such as a kelly extending through the head. The top closure includes a rotor, adapted to form a non-rotating seal with the kelly, and a stator, with a rotating seal between the stator and rotor. The stator is supported on and releasably connected to the body. The rotor includes a seal tube rotatably supported by inboard bearings on the stator located above the rotating seal. The top closure is small enough to pass through even rotary tables that are too small to pass the drilling head.

Abstract: Dual flow passage drilling means includes a dual flow passage sub and a dual flow passage bit. The bit has a threaded tubular pin and a flat seal shoulder there around, adapted to make a rotary shouldered connection with a central box at the lower end of the sub.The bit includes a cylindrical body with a central flow passage and three circumferentially spaced off-axial holes centered 120 degrees apart providing outer fluid passage means communicating through the bit shoulder with the sub's annulus. Beneath the body are earth formation reducing means, including three jet nozzles connected to the off-axial holes. The earth formation reducing means further includes three drilling cones rotatably mounted on three legs depending from the body. The legs are centered 120 degrees apart, for example midway between the nozzles. The diameter of the earth bore is determined by the locus of the outermost parts of the cones as the cones rotate at the bottom of the bore.

Abstract: A solar heater for heating room air or home hot water includes a transparent plastics material arched panel set over an opening in a roof with air inlet passages between the roof and panel around the periphery of the panel, a sheet metal pan under the roof opening having an inlet and outlet for water and filled with lava rock and water, a ceiling opening just beyond one end of the tray, a register controlling the flow of air through the opening, and a plurality of solar powered electric motor driven fans under the panel over the ceiling just beyond the other end of the tray adapted to draw air in from outside the panel and blow it over the rock, which has been heated by the sun, and down through the ceiling opening into the room below. If there is no need for heating, register is closed and valve in water line is opened to heat water flowing through the pan and rocks.

Abstract: A drilling head includes a tubular body with top, bottom and side openings.A top closure closes the annulus between a portion of the head above the side opening and a drive tube such as a kelly extending through the head. The top closure includes a rotor, adapted to form a non-rotating seal with the kelly, and a stator, with a rotating seal between the stator and rotor. The stator is supported on and releasably connected to the body. The rotor includes a seal tube rotatably supported by inboard bearings on the stator located above the rotating seal.The seal tube has a replaceable rubber stripper to seal with the kelly. An upwardly flaring medial flange on the stripper guides upwardly flowing annulus fluid toward the side opening and away from the rotating seal.The rotor includes an elastomer sandwich drive bushing, rising above the stator into the rotary table, splined to the seal tube and secured to the kelly by slips.

Abstract: Two fluid passages are connected through flow restrictors to a fluid supply. Downstream of the restrictors the fluid supply has a drooping pressure-load characteristic. Venting means for the fluid passages comprises vent openings therein downstream of the restrictors and variable position obstructor means cooperating with vent openings to vary venting and thereby vary fluid pressures in the fluid passages.Fluid conduits connect these pressure outputs to a fluid to mechanical translator comprising a double acting piston moving in a cylinder whose opposite ends are connected to the fluid conduits.A receiver is formed by a piston and cylinder or other fluidic motor remotely fluidically connected to the responder, the motor driving a load. Alternatively the remote motor may be omitted, the responder itself constituting a receiver and its piston connected, mechanically or fluidically, to an output display or load for indication or proportional control.

Abstract: A drill string splined resilient tubular telescopic joint for balanced load deep well drilling comprises a double acting damper having a very low spring rate upon both extension and contraction from the zero deflection condition. Preferably the spring means itself is a double acting compression spring means wherein the same spring means is compressed whether the joint is extended or contracted. The damper has a like low spring rate over a considerable range of deflection, both upon extension and contraction of the joint, but a gradually then rapidly increased spring rate upon approaching the travel limits in each direction. Stacks of spring rings are employed for the spring means, the rings being either shaped elastomer-metal sandwiches or, preferably, roller Belleville springs. The spline and spring means are disposed in an annular chamber formed by mandrel and barrel members constituting the telescopic joint.