Abstract: A fluid suitable for use as the continuous phase in a drilling fluid is disclosed. The fluid is prepared by the sequential hydrotreating, hydroisomerization and hydrogenation of a crude oil feedstock. The fluid has good low temperature properties, including pour point and accordingly is useable in cold environments. A method of producing the fluid is also disclosed. The fluid may also be used as an additive to a drilling fluid having a continuous aqueous phase wherein it may act as, for example, a rate of penetration enhancer or a spotting fluid. The fluid may also be used as an additive to known drilling fluids such as internal olefins.

Abstract: A fracturing fluid for use in fracturing subterranean formations surrounding oil and gas wells comprises water, an anionic surfactant, and a cationic surfactant.

Abstract: A heat engine is constructed from sheet metal and the like. The heat engine has an outer container and inner container which contains a displacer and a power piston. A plurality of positioning members are provided to dimensionally stabilize the inner and outer containers. By providing positioning members that extend between the inner and the outer containers, a sandwiched construction is obtained which allows the inner and outer containers to reinforce each other thus permitting the use of thin walled containers and improving the thermal efficiency of the heat engine and decreasing the weight of the heat engine.

Abstract: A heat engine is constructed from sheet metal and the like. The heat engine has an outer container and inner container which contains a displacer and a power piston. A plurality of positioning members are provided to dimensionally stabilize the inner and outer containers. By providing positioning members that extend between the inner and the outer containers, a sandwiched construction is obtained which allows the inner and outer containers to reinforce each other thus permitting the use of thin walled containers and improving the thermal efficiency of the heat engine and decreasing the weight of the heat engine.

Abstract: An upright vacuum cleaner has a cleaning head for cleaning a surface and an upper body portion mounted on the cleaning head. The upper portion comprises a longitudinally extending axis, at least one cyclone having an air entry port and a motor positioned above the at least one cyclone and in air flow communication with the at least one cyclone.

Abstract: A heat engine is constructed from sheet metal and the like. The heat engine has an outer container and inner container which contains a displacer and a power piston. A plurality of positioning members are provided to dimensionally stabilize the inner and outer containers. By providing positioning members that extend between the inner and the outer containers, a sandwiched construction is obtained which allows the inner and outer containers to reinforce each other thus permitting the use of thin walled containers and improving the thermal efficiency of the heat engine and decreasing the weight of the heat engine.

Abstract: A nestable wheelchair of the type in which a seat portion of one chair can be slid underneath the seat portion of a next adjacent chair, for nesting, and having side frames supporting the seat, the side frames being further apart at the rear and closer together at the front of the chair, and, a rear support frame extending upwardly and downwardly behind the side frame, the rear support frame having a handle at the upper end for pushing the chair, lower bracing frames extending from forward extensions of the side frames to the rear support frame, with their forward width spacing being less than their rearward width spacing, forward wheels mounted on the forward ends of said lower bracing frames, and rearward wheels mounted on rearward portions of the lower bracing frames, longitudinal bars extending parallel to the lower bracing frames at a predetermined height, permitting forward portions of a rearward chair to be inserted beneath the bar of a nest adjacent forward chair, and providing a lifting action so as

Abstract: An apparatus for the purification of water contaminated by micro-organisms and chemicals by means of a three stage process is taught. The apparatus consists of a prefiltration stage, an ozonation stage, and a post filtration stage. The contaminated water is initially drawn from a reservoir through a filter through a bed consisting of a porous media, calcium bentonite, zeolite, activated carbon and a second porous media. The filtered water is then passed into a ozonation chamber wherein gaseous ozone is introduced so as to oxidize contaminants. The reduction/oxidation condition in the ozonation chamber serve to control the cycle time. Once the water is disinfected it is passed through a second filter consisting of a porous media and activated carbon before being dispensed into a clean water carafe.

Abstract: A heat engine is constructed from sheet metal and the like. The heat engine has an outer container and inner container which contains a displacer and a power piston. A plurality of positioning members are provided to dimensionally stabilize the inner and outer containers. By providing positioning members that extend between the inner and the outer containers, a sandwiched construction is obtained which allows the inner and outer containers to reinforce each other thus permitting the use of thin walled containers and improving the thermal efficiency of the heat engine and decreasing the weight of the heat engine.

Abstract: A heat engine is constructed from sheet metal and the like. The heat engine has an outer container and inner container which contains a displacer and a power piston. A plurality of positioning members are provided to dimensionally stabilize the inner and outer containers. By providing positioning members that extend between the inner and the outer containers, a sandwiched construction is obtained which allows the inner and outer containers to reinforce each other thus permitting the use of thin walled containers and improving the thermal efficiency of the heat engine and decreasing the weight of the heat engine.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring the degree of treatment of a material by a reactive fluid is monitored by reacting the unreacted fluid to produce a signal, eg. heat, and measuring the signal so produced.

Abstract: A power control system for use in providing mechanical or electrical power to a load is used to operate a system to provide a series of pulses to the system wherein the pulses within each series provide differing amounts of power. Preferably, a portion of the series which has a duration of 10% of the cycle delivers more than 20% of the total power to the load which the load receives each cycle.

Abstract: A heat engine is constructed from sheet metal and the like. The heat engine has an outer container and inner container which contains a displacer and a power piston. A plurality of positioning members are provided to dimensionally stabilize the inner and outer containers. By providing positioning members that extend between the inner and the outer containers, a sandwiched construction is obtained which allows the inner and outer containers to reinforce each other thus permitting the use of thin walled containers and improving the thermal efficiency of the heat engine and decreasing the weight of the heat engine.

Abstract: A heat engine is constructed from sheet metal and the like. The heat engine has an outer container and inner container which contains a displacer and a power piston. A plurality of positioning members are provided to dimensionally stabilize the inner and outer containers. By providing positioning members that extend between the inner and the outer containers, a sandwiched construction is obtained which allows the inner and outer containers to reinforce each other thus permitting the use of thin walled containers and improving the thermal efficiency of the heat engine and decreasing the weight of the heat engine.

Abstract: A blade for use with a housing to comprise a motor driven pump to be used to pump fluids. In particular, the blade is particularly useful because of high efficiencies in vacuum pumps, particularly, household vacuum cleaners having motors which may be advantageously powered using batteries. The blade involves a pair of generally conical walls enclosing therebetween a plurality of fluid flow passages. The fluid flow passages are defined in part by vanes extending between the two generally conical walls. The blade has a generally axial inlet and imparts centrifugal force to fluid elements. Because of the conical shape, the fluid moves in a direction having tangential components imparted by the vanes, radial components arising from centrifugal force and axial components because of the conical wall structure.

Abstract: An apparatus has a heat engine and a power output member drivenly connected to the piston of the heat engine and having an output for supplying work. The displacer is driven by an adjustable drive member. An adjustable signal generator is provided for modulating a signal which is sent to the adjustable drive to adjust the frequency of the displacer.