Abstract: A high pressure fluid jet drilling system operable to produce the same drilling effect as a rotating nozzle, but without utilizing a high pressure rotary seal or coupling. The drilling effect is obtained by mounting a non-rotating drilling nozzle within a rotatable case eccentrically with respect to the axis of rotation of the case.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a nozzle configuration capable of enhancing the cutting and drilling effects of high pressure liquid fluid jets. The jet system is particularly adapted to configurations of two or more liquid jets which are oriented to converge at a common point. The internal nozzle configuration produces controlled instability in the jet stream causing a more rapid breakup into droplets which can be combined to produce very fast moving jets and slow moving jets when collision between droplets occur. The velocity of the fast jets so formed may be several times greater than the original velocity of the droplets upon emergence from the nozzle orifices. The interiors of the nozzles are formed with circumferential grooves or protrusions which produce perturbations in the jet streams causing rapid break-up into droplets.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a method and apparatus for drilling horizontal holes in geological strata from a vertical position. The geological structures intended to be penetrated in this fashion are coal seams, as for in situ gasification or methane drainage, or in oil-bearing strata for increasing the flow rate from a pre-existing well. Other possible uses for this device might be for use in the leaching of uranium ore from underground deposits or for introducing horizontal channels for water and steam injections.

Abstract: An improved high efficiency push-pull inverter circuit employing a pair of switching transistors that are alternately triggered into conduction by a control circuit, for converting DC voltage into high frequency AC voltage. The control circuit includes a pair of saturable transformers that are non-coupled to each other and are each connected to the base of a respective transistor. The bases are isolated from ground potential by a capacitor, and significant reverse voltage signals are developed and alternately applied to the base of a conducting transistor for rapidly turning it off, thereby increasing device switching speed and overall efficiency of the circuit.

Abstract: A high pressure water jet mining machine for the longwall mining of coal is described. The machine is generally in the shape of a plowshare and is advanced in the direction in which the coal is cut. The machine has mounted thereon a plurality of nozzle modules each containing a high pressure water jet nozzle disposed to oscillate in a particular plane. The nozzle modules are oriented to cut in vertical and horizontal planes on the leading edge of the machine and the coal so cut is cleaved off by the wedge-shaped body.

Abstract: An attachment for a plant protection device is described that automatically maintains a life sustaining environment over a broad range of ambient temperature conditions. The invention consists of a cylindrical collar adapted to be mounted on top of existing open ended plant covers or to be manufactured as an integral part of such a cover and contains a thermostatically controlled butterfly valve for ventilating the plant cover. The thermostat is responsive to ambient temperature outside the plant cover which activates the butterfly valve for controlling the release of warm air from inside the container. The collar and butterfly valve are so designed to provide adequate light and ventilation without wind chill to the protected plants and also includes protection against flying insects and random or unwanted pollination.

Abstract: This invention is directed to an internally tapered transition section to channel water or other cutting liquid from a supply pipe to a nozzle body having a plurality of orifices for liquid jet cutting. The transition section described herein is interposed between a supply pipe and a nozzle body and provides a smooth contour matching between the end of a supply pipe and a nozzle entrance whereby the water is conducted to the nozzle exits with a minimum generation of disturbance, mixing, and energy loss.

Abstract: Plant growth media are described as composed of various combinations of vermiculite, perlite, and clay and having superior properties for use as potting soil for container-grown plants. Such media are characterized by greater moisture capillarity and available moisture retention. There is also less danger of plant injury through nutrient deficiencies, over-fertilization, of pH changes. Such media are also characterized by their dry state physical properties in the form of non-compacting, light weight, non-vitreous, rigid foam structures. The dry state media have plant nutrients uniformly distributed throughout and fixed in place. These properties make the media superior for wet-casting into plant containers or extruding into pellets. After filling and upon drying, the media-containers can be inverted without dislodging their contents and the media can be repeatedly wetted and dried while maintaining the desired foam structure.

Abstract: A peritoneal dialysis solution containing the vasodilating drug nitroprusside which is effective to increase peritoneal clearances and thereby permit a significant reduction in the time devoted to the performance of a dialysis procedure.

Abstract: Rock drilling method and apparatus utilizing high pressure water jets for drilling holes of relatively small diameter at speeds significantly greater than that attainable with existing drilling tools. Greatly increased drilling rates are attained due to jet nozzle geometry and speed of rotation. The jet nozzle design has two orifices, one pointing axially ahead in the direction of travel and the second inclined at an angle of approximately 30.degree. from the axis. The two orifices have diameters in the ratio of approximately 1:2. Liquid jet velocities in excess of 1,000 ft/sec are used, and the nozzle is rotated at speeds up to 1,000 rpm and higher.

Abstract: A hydromechanical drilling tool which combines a high pressure water jet drill with a conventional roller cone type of drilling bit. The high pressure jet serves as a tap drill for cutting a relatively small diameter hole in advance of the conventional bit. Auxiliary laterally projecting jets also serve to partially cut rock and to remove debris from in front of the bit teeth thereby reducing significantly the thrust loading for driving the bit.

Abstract: An improved intraocular lens mounting system for an Iris Clip type of lens. The lens has haptical portions extending laterally from the edges of the lens transversely to the optic axis of the lens. Fibrous material such as Dacron is attached to the outer edges of the haptical portions and provide bases into which the tissue of the iris can grow so as to form a firm anchor for the lens. The lens may also have two or more attached loops projecting in a plane generally parallel to the plane of the lens and to the haptical portions. The loops may be coated or encased in a sleeve of fibrous material and hold the lens in place with respect to the iris until tissue growth into the Dacron material is accomplished.

Abstract: A rock splitting tool having elongate laterally expanding metal pressure bars or feathers and an axial sliding wedge or spreader for radially separating the feathers, the wedge being driven by the combined and superimposed forces of a hydraulic thrust servomotor and an impact hammer. The driving paths for transmitting forces to the wedge are coaxial and partially in series and partially in parallel.

Abstract: A screw fastener formed with improved thread construction adapted to provide a staged or graduated entry into a workpiece. The fastener comprises a shank section formed with an integral driving head at one end and a tapered or conical point section at the other end, and a raised helical thread extending from near the tip of the conical point substantially throughout the length of the point and shank sections. The diameter of the thread increases gradually from the point tip along the length of the conical surface and then decreases in diameter - or increases at a lesser degree - as it approaches the cylindrical shank section.The fastener may also comprise a second raised helical thread, parallel to and lying within the first thread and extending from near the junction of the conical point section and the cylindrical shank section substantially throughout the length of the shank.

Abstract: A split-path fuel/air induction system for carbureted internal combustion engines. One embodiment of the system utilizes an annular separation chamber located directly beneath the carburetor and discharging into the intake manifold. A flow of fuel/air mixture aspirated through the carburetor enters the separation chamber and is caused to divide within the chamber. A majority of the incoming air and vaporized fuel take a sharply curved first path and are partially deflected by an annular shield within the separation chamber so as to flow directly into the intake manifold. Liquid droplets of fuel, above a minimum size, are separated from the air stream due to their own inertia and are caused to take a second path. This second path leads beneath and behind the deflector shield. A heating coil located behind the shield heats the liquid fuel causing it to vaporize and then enter the intake manifold.An alternative embodiment also utilizes a dual-path induction system.

Abstract: This invention describes an analog system for the automation of the stereocompilation process and for producing contour maps and orthophoto maps. It employs a combination of coherent optical and electronic techniques for the correlation of stereophoto pairs and thus the computation of parallaxes in the photogrammetric sense, for the selection of specific parallaxes, and for the production of contour maps and orthophoto maps.The system in a basic form reproduces perspective contours of the imagery, and in a more complete system corrects the perspective contours into orthographic contours and orthophoto-maps.

Abstract: A carefully controlled, multistage freezing and thawing process for the preservation of animal semen, blood, and other biological materials. A variety of diluting substances can be utilized to effectively modify the cell membrane's permeability to water and to initiate and/or alter the process of crystallization to minimize undesirable physio-chemical effects.A sample of semen is diluted with a suitable cryoprotective agent to achieve a final pH of 6.0 to 6.3 at +5.degree.C. The sample is collected at body temperature and cooled slowly to +5.degree.C, held at this temperature for 30 minutes or longer, followed by a rapid decrease in temperature to a nominal -4.degree.C, or a temperature slightly below the freezing point of the diluent. The sample is held at this temperature for a period of 1 to 8 minutes to allow adjustment and stabilization of the temperature induced changes in pH and associated alterations in membrane permeability and osmotic pressure.

Abstract: A plastic spiral insert for use in existing roller culture bottles effective to increase the total surface area available for cell culture. The insert consists of a continuous coil of plastic sheet material that may be thermally set so as to retain its spiral configuration within the roller bottle and may also include integral raised portions on the sheet material effective to maintain uniform spacing between successive layers of the coil. The invention also includes retraction apparatus for removing the insert from small necked bottles.