Abstract: The holddown and packoff apparatus is disposed on the shoulder of a hanger suspending casing in a well. The shoulder engages a seat in the bore of a wellhead. An expansible metal ring is slideably disposed on the hanger shoulder for engagement with an annular groove in the wellhead. A stop ring is insertable behind the expansible ring to expand and positively hold the expansible ring into holddown engagement in the wellhead groove. An independent sealing assembly is disposed on the stop ring and has one seal for the outer surface of the hanger and another seal for the inner surface of the wellhead. The seals operate in series whereby the sealing engagement of one does not hinder the sealing engagement of the other.

Abstract: An electrode assembly for a catheter having first and second conductors comprises an anode ring including an outer portion and an inner portion connected to the outer portion. The inner portion includes a solid member having a blind passage therein and a channel therethrough. One end of the first conductor is received in the blind passage and retained therein by a pair of crimps impressed into the solid member against the conductor end. The second conductor extends through the anode ring in the channel. Alternatively, the inner portion includes a post which is received in a passage in the end of the first conductor and is welded to the first conductor. The second conductor includes a lead portion and a tip portion spaced therefrom and the anode ring includes a feed-through tube extending therethrough and interconnecting the lead and tip portions of the second conductor.

Abstract: The combustion system includes a hearth lined with refractory, a combustion chamber formed in the refractory, an air manifold mounted on the hearth, a plurality of gas manifolds extending through the air manifold and into the combustion chamber, and a diffuser mounted on the manifolds to cause turbulence in the air/gas mixture. The gas manifolds include aspirating means for combining the air and gas. The combustion chamber is elongated and has an elongated neck with a flue gas exit slot over which the work piece passes. The flue gas from the combustion of the air/gas mixture in the combustion chamber increases in velocity as the flue gas passes through the elongated neck and exits the flue gas exit slot. The slot has a length sufficient to permit the work piece to rotate 360.degree. as the work piece rotates and travels through the hearth. This causes the work piece to be uniformly heated over every square inch of its surface.

Abstract: A holddown assembly is mounted on a hanger suspending a string of casing or tubing into a well. A shoulder on the hanger engages a seat in the bore of the wellhead and has passages therethrough for connecting the annular spaces above and below the seat. The holddown assembly includes a rigid, radially expansible locking ring having an upwardly facing tapered surface, and a cam ring having an annular tapered surface for camming cooperation with the locking ring surface. The locking ring is disposed on the hanger shoulder opposite an internal groove in the wellhead. The cam ring threadingly engages the hanger and is releasably attached to the running tool whereby upon rotation of the running tool, the cam ring moves downwardly on the hanger threads and no seals are associated with the holddown assembly. The holddown assembly provides a positive holddown and permits locking the hanger down before, during, or after the cementing operation.

Abstract: A sealing assembly is releasably disposed on a hanger suspending a string of casing or tubing into a well. A shoulder on the hanger engages a seat in the bore of the wellhead and has passages therethrough for connecting the annular spaces above and below the seat. The seal assembly is lowered into the upper annular space around the hanger to close the annulus. The assembly includes a first tubular body threadingly connectable to the hanger, an outer load ring, an inner load ring, an inner packing ring disposed between the outer load ring and inner load ring, an inner retainer ring, and an outer packing ring disposed between the inner load ring and retainer ring. The inner packing ring singly engages the hanger and the outer packing ring singly engages the head. Such sealing occurs in series. The entire sealing force is applied through the outer diameter and inner diameter seal elements with the lower seal being loaded first.

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 double acting piston moving in a cylinder whose opposite ends are connected to the fluid conduits. The piston and cylinder form the responder of the system.A receiver is formed by a piston and cylinder or other fluidic motor remotely fluidically connected to the responder, the motor driving a load.A feedback means controlled by the position of the responder piston and/or the load varies pressure in the fluid conduits by variably venting same.Both rotary and linear types of transmitters and load feedback means and receivers may be used.

Abstract: A remote, automatic make-up, stab-in sealing system for providing metal-to-metal seals between a projecting structure and a surrounding bore telescopically receiving the projecting structure is disclosed. The sealing system includes the projecting structure, such as a pipe hanger or pack-off nipple. The sealing system further includes apparatus having the bore for receiving the projecting structure, such as a wellhead or tubing hanger. The sealing system also includes a seal assembly. The seal assembly includes at least one frusto-conical shaped metal gasket, a split ring and an actuator ring. The rings force the frusto-conical shape metal gasket into metal-to-metal sealing engagement with the walls of both the projecting structure and the bore as the projecting structure is telescopically received by the bore.

Abstract: A system for removal of oxides of nitrogen from the waste gas produced by various combustion processes discloses thoroughly mixing the waste gas with ammonia by means of a static mixing element and then passing the resultant mixture through a catalytic reactor. The ammonia may be supplied by reacting a portion of the waste gas with natural gas in the presence of a catalyst.

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: Underwater flow lines, control lines and electrical conduits are connected to mating hubs on an underwater manifold center or other production unit by utilizing hydraulically powered means for pulling the lines toward the mating hubs and aligning them therewith, lock-down means actuated from the surface being utilized to lock the lines in axial alignment with the hubs, and a seal member being lowered from the surface and inserted between the facing hubs, with a split clamp being used to draw the hubs into sealing engagement with the seal means.

Abstract: A roller reamer-stabilizer tool includes a tubular body having threaded pin and box connectors at each end adapted to be connected in a drill string and providing a fluid passage connecting the upper part of the drill string with the lower part. Rollers having integral pins at their ends are mounted in pockets in the sides of the body. The pins are journaled in holes in arcuate cross section bearing blocks received in correlative sockets in the body at the ends of the pockets. The blocks make an interference fit with the body. Release bar access passages allow a release bar to be inserted behind each block to drive, wedge or pry it out. The holes in the blocks extend only part way through the blocks, the hole in the block at one end of each roller being blind, and the wall at the end of the hole in the block at the other end of each roller being ported. Each bearing is sealed by an O ring at the mouth or open end of the hole in the block.

Abstract: The mobile voting service includes a vehicle having a driving cab and body mounted on a chassis. Preferably four voting booth are disposed inside the vehicle body to take the booths to voters located at various locations such as hospitals, military installations, low income housing areas, nursing homes, industrial plants, businesses, and rural areas to permit them to vote for the candidate of their choice. The vehicle further includes a two-way communication system, office equipment, and a hydraulic lift mounted on the vehicle body adjacent a door opening into the vehicle. The hydraulic lift includes a platform with at least one hydraulic support and hydraulic equipment for raising and lowering the platform with respect to the vehicle body. The hydraulic lift may be used to install the voting booths and office equipment or to permit handicapped voters to enter and exit the vehicle body for voting purposes.

Abstract: An improved connection assembly for connecting a burn-in component board located within a burn-in chamber to control circuitry located outside the chamber is disclosed. The assembly includes a connecting device for connecting the component board to the control circuitry. The improvement includes an isolation apparatus for isolating the connecting device from the chamber, the isolation apparatus including (i) a cavity extending through at least a portion of the wall of the chamber and defining a cavity base disposed between the inner surface of such wall and the exterior of such chamber and (ii) a cavity cover disposed between the cavity base and the interior of the chamber such that contact between the air of the chamber and the connecting device is substantially reduced and the flow of air between the inside and outside of the chamber adjacent the connector is substantially inhibited.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for completing a highly unconsolidated formation located downhole in a cased borehole in one trip. A tool string is run downhole into the borehole on the end of a tubing string. The tool string includes a perforating gun, a gravel packing tool, and packer means. The gravel packing tool includes a removable mandrel and a sand screen. The casing is perforated by running a gun firing device down through the tubing string and mandrel, and the well is free flowed to clean up the perforated formation. The sand screen is next positioned near the perforations and the packer means employed at each end of the screen to straddle and pack-off the perforated pay zone.

Abstract: A temporary hub cover for the hubs of flow lines, hydraulic lines, and electrical conduits and the mating hubs of the underwater production unit includes a body enclosing the hub, plungers within the body for releasably engaging into detents on the hub to hold the cover on the hub, and a trigger mechanism operable from a remote location to release the engagement between the cover and hub whereby the cover can be removed from the hub.

Abstract: The underwater flowline connector includes a cable puller, cable cutter, alignment device, and flowline bundle for remotely pulling and aligning an outboard hub with a subsea inboard hub disposed on an underwater unit. The cable puller is located atop the underwater unit and includes a plurality of hydraulic cable grippers alternatingly engaging and releasing the pull-in cable connected to the flowline bundle to pull the bundle with outboard hub to the underwater unit. Pulling by the cable puller cntinues until the flowline bundle has reached the porch of the underwater unit. During its final ascent along a ramp of the porch, the flowline bundle rights itself because of a self-righting moment on the bundle caused by attaching the cable above the center of gravity of the flowline bundle. The flowline bundle is attached to the alignment device using a universal joint. The alignment device has central hydraulic extension cylinder mounted on the universal joint to engage and lock the flowline bundle.

Abstract: The protective garment of the present invention primarily for use as protective athletic equipment includes protective gear for the shoulders, ribs, biceps, forearms, thighs, knees and shins. The protective garment is generally composed of variable pressure pads, air cushions, and/or shields. The variable pressure pad includes two superimposed plies of a light-weight, non-elastic fluid-impervious fabric material having the adjacent surfaces of the material sealed around the periphery to form a pressure tight inflatable garment which does not distend and other adjacent surfaces sealed at regions internally of the periphery to define a plurality of fluid chambers and fluid passageways. The internal fluid chambers are fluidly communicable with adjacent fluid chambers by means of the fluid passageways. The material crinkles and folds over at preselected regions to constrict fluid communication between the fluid chambers as an external force is applied to the variable pressure pads.

Abstract: The simulator includes a maxillary and mandibular facebow, a maxillary and mandibular support and an incisal pin. Receptacles are mounted on the ends of the side arms of the maxillary facebow, and the side arms of the mandibular facebow have styli disposed thereon projecting into the receptacles of the maxillary facebow. Means are provided on both the facebows for the attachment of labial cores and/or bite rims and means are provided on both the supports for the attachment of study casts.The invention also includes a method, using the simulator to record jaw movements.

Abstract: A balanced high pressure rising stem gate valve has lubricated metal-to-metal seal means between the bonnet part of the valve body and the valve actuating stem and between the chamber part of the valve body and the balancing stem. Each seal means includes plural, e.g. three dished elastic metal ring gaskets with a high temperature resistant and chemical resistant ring of solid lubricant, tetrafluoroethylene or graphite between each adjacent pair of metal gaskets. Each metal gasket is softer than the stem and is of rectangular cross-section and the edge at the inner periphery on the concave side is rounded. Each seal means is disposed in an annular pocket in the adjacent part of the valve body extending around the stem.

Abstract: A device and method for storing a set of keys in the compartment of a purse are disclosed. The device includes a flexible member, a key retaining device attached to one end of the flexible member and an end piece attached to the other end of the flexible member. The method of the invention includes attaching one or more keys to the key retaining device, lowering the key retaining device into the purse compartment and draping the flexible member over the opening of the purse compartment such that the end piece hangs freely outside the purse compartment.