Abstract: An apparatus for insertion into the interior of large diameter pipe or tubing which engages inner portions of the pipe so that the pipe may be lifted and moved. Slip assemblies are wedged into engagement with inner portions of the pipe. The amount of wedging may be varied with a hydraulic cylinder or other suitable power source. Pipe guide members are provided to insure centering of the apparatus within the pipe.

Abstract: The invention is an improvement for controlling the flow of fluid in a conduit to be used in combination with a ball valve. The ball valve includes a valve body which has a bore extending therethrough and which also has an inlet and an outlet which are axially aligned and adapted to be mechanically coupled to the conduit. The valve body also has an aperture therein. The ball valve also includes a sperical valve member having a port the axis of which is alignable with the axis of the bore of the valve body and a stem having an inner end mechanically coupled to the spherical valve member and an axially outer end which extends through the aperture of the valve body. The ball valve further includes a device for forming a seal between the aperture of the valve body and the stem.The improvement includes a cylindrical sealing member which has an outer cylindrical sidewall and which is axially aligned with the port of the spherical valve member.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with a device for tensioning a chain. The chain tensioner in accordance with the present invention was developed in particular for securing deck cargo on ships and for binding timber bundles. As regards its technology, it is simplified as extensively as possible in order to reach reliability of operation in all possible circumstances. Owing to the simplicity of the construction, almost all maintenance becomes unnecessary and a reliability of operation is reached that meets the requirements imposed by the recommendations of the IMCO (Intergov. Maritime Consultative Organization).

Abstract: A spray head with nozzles is carried on a lance to spray high pressure fluid, such as water, to clean the interior of tubes, such as those in heat exchangers. The fluid, in addition to cleaning the interior of the tube, is used to both rotate the lance and move the lance into and out of the tube.

Abstract: A hot tap housing for mounting over a main pipeline located underwater or in another restrictive environment adapted for use with a hot tap machine to connect a branch pipeline to the main pipeline. The hot tap housing includes a central housing section and a lateral housing section. The central housing section includes a central bore for receiving the main pipeline and first and second central housing grip and seal assemblies are mounted in the central housing bore for gripping and sealing off the main pipeline on either side of the lateral housing section. An access sealing assembly is mounted with the lateral housing section and includes an access sealing member which is movable in the lateral housing section bore into sealing engagement with the outer surface of the main pipeline in order to isolate an approximately circular area which is to be cut out and removed by a hot tap machine.

Abstract: A process for creating a hot dry rock oven for the extraction of heat energy is disclosed wherein the geothermal fluid injection and withdrawal wells are brought into positive hydraulic communication during the creation of the hot dry rock oven. The oven complex is produced by fracturing the formation from a plurality of bore holes simultaneously.

Abstract: An apparatus to control the depth in the water of a marine cable, such as a streamer of seismic geophones or hydrophones towed behind an exploration boat during seismic surveys of submerged formations, and maintain the cable at a desired depth. The apparatus includes structure to prevent damage from obstacles in the water and other imparing of performance. The apparatus includes other structure to improve performance characteristics in operation.

Abstract: A device for charging accumulators or batteries provides a substantially constant charging current for a first charging interval until a voltage level which is less than that of a fully charged accumulator is reached. At this time, the device continues charging in a sequence of subsequent time intervals with charging currents which decrease at different rates in each interval until the accumulator is fully charged. The duration of each of the subsequent time intervals and the rates at which the charging currents decrease may be adjusted to shorten charging time while minimizing gasification of water in the accumulator. The device can also be used to maintain the accumulator charged at a given float voltage.

Abstract: A process for the conversion of a stereoisomer into its diastereoisomer of a compound having the following general formula: ##STR1## (wherein the asterisk denotes an asymmetric carbon atom; each X is individually hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkaryl, aralkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, halogen, nitro, hydroxy or cyano; R is an organic residue containing one or more centers of asymmetry; and n is 1 to 5), which comprises subjecting the said stereoisomer to the action of an alkali metal carbonate and an inert polar solvent at a temperature in the range 20.degree. to 100.degree. C. and physically separating the required diastereoisomer from the resulting mixture of diastereoisomers.

Abstract: A pipe handling apparatus for lifting and/or lowering heavy objects such as drill pipe, drill collars and the like to and from the elevated floor of a drilling rig from a lower storage position including an endless loop cable rove in a single layer in wide spaced grooves on a pivotably mounted rotatable drum and a deep, wide grooved sheave mounted substantially vertically on a load aligning floor pole with means for pivoting the rotatable drum to slacken or tension the cable to vary the elevation of the object being carried on free running trolly means and means for automatically preventing overloading of the cable.

Abstract: A heating assembly adapted to be releasably mounted externally of an instrument for the transfer of heat to the instrument by conduction to maintain the instrument at a desired temperature.

Abstract: A novel process is disclosed for the preparation of cyano-substituted cyclopropane derivatives of the following general formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and Hal have the meanings given in the description. The process comprises the steps of cyclizing and dehydrohalogenating, in the presence of a base, a 4,6,6,6-tetrahalo-2-cyano-3,3-dialkylhexanoic acid or an alkyl ester thereof, followed by thermal decarboxylation of the resulting cyclized and dehydrohalogenated product. Under selected conditions cyclization, dehydrohalogenation and decarboxylation occur simultaneously in one reaction zone. The resulting cyano-substituted cyclopropane derivatives are useful as intermediates in the production of insecticidally active compounds.

Abstract: Tanks for seagoing tankers for transporting liquefied natural gas or liquefied methone are basically prismatic, wherein the corners between intersecting walls are rounded off so that in such tanks adjacent flat wall parts are interconnected by a curved wall part. The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for mechanically treating the inner surfaces of the walls of such a tank, wherein the apparatus is so constructed that it is able to displace a treating tool along the flat wall parts and along the curved wall parts in such a manner that these wall parts are treated in a similar manner so that the quality of the treatment will be the same for all the various wall parts. The apparatus is particularly useful for spraying an insulating material, for example a polyurethane foam, onto the inner surface of the walls of such a tank.

Abstract: A composition and method of using same for the treatment of patients suffering from a dry mouth condition, comprising from about 0.025 to about 1.0% by weight pilocarpine pilocarpine nitrate or pilocarpine hydrochloirde, in a sweetened mouthwash carrier. Long lasting relief from the dry mouth condition is obtained by gargling with said pilocarpine mouthwash once or twice daily.

Abstract: An auxiliary offshore rig adapted to be used for relieving the primary offshore rig on an offshore platform of well activities relating to tubular member or cable operations. The auxiliary offshore rig includes in one embodiment a truss member mounted for movement along the platform, a racking tower for receiving tubular members therein mounted on the truss member, and a working cage mounted within the racking tower and supported by the truss member adapted to be positioned in alignment with the well for providing a secondary working area beneath the rig floor which is mounted atop the racking tower.

Abstract: A floating cover assembly encompassing in a first condition a method and apparatus for tensioning a floating cover for a liquid storage reservoir wherein the surface level of the stored liquid varies and in a second condition, a method and apparatus for maintaining a liquid storage reservoir. In the apparatus of the above inventions, a peripheral envelope formed at least adjacent a portion of the peripheral edges of the floatable sheet is adapted to be inflated with a compressible fluid, such as air, for proper tensioning of the sheet as the level of the stored liquid varies in the reservoir and for preventing wrinkling of the sheet while, in the second condition, the peripheral envelop is adapted to be filled with a non-compressible fluid for providing a ballast for the sheet during maintenance operations thereof while the sheet is inflatably supported for maintenance of the sheet and/or reservoir.

Abstract: Oxygen is mixed into hydrogen for use as breathing gas for divers, pressure chambers and the like in precise and regulated amounts. Provision is also made to prevent explosion of these mutually reactive gases during mixing.

Abstract: A coal gasification reactor is disclosed which includes a gasification chamber surrounded by a pressure shell, a tubular quench section above the gasification chamber and a superposed waste heat boiler. Heat expansive members are provided in the form of bellow type expansion members between the waste heat boiler and the quench section as well as between the quench section and the gasification chamber to absorb or compensate for relative thermal expansion differences due to the temperature ranges involved in gasification.

Abstract: A hydraulically actuated gate valve having a hermetically sealed piston head adapted to receive a remotely operable actuator for overriding the valve to open the gate.