Abstract: A mechanical face seal for a submersible pump has features to prevent it from radial movement due to shaft misalignment. The seal includes an annular stationary face carried by the structure of the pump. A rotating seal member is carried by the shaft and urged into rotating contact with the stationary face. A guide member is mounted to the wall structure and has a portion that slidingly engages the rotating seal member to restrain the rotating seal member from radial movement. The rotating seal member is carried by the shaft independently of radial movement of the shaft.

Abstract: A support and connecting system for a multiline riser which joins a floating platform to a subsea well is shown including a support housing which mounts upon the floating platform for disconnectably mounting a termination housing to which a plurality of lines are connected. The termination housing is also connected to the platform by a cable tensioning system which adjusts the tension within its connecting cables. A termination head fits within the termination housing and connects, through a termination riser adapter, to the uppermost riser of a riser run that communicates between the platform and the subsea well. The arrangement permits the riser run to engage the floating platform during assembly and recovery of the risers. In the event of a storm or other need for emergency disconnection, the riser run may be withdrawn from the termination housing and hung off or recoved without disconnecting the lines.

Abstract: A shock absorbing apparatus for use in a drill string for earth boring operations has a pressurized lubrication system. The shock absorber has a tubular body and a mandrel reciprocally mounted in the body for rotation with it. The mandrel and body telescope with respect to each other, with an annular pressurized chamber being located between them for absorbing load and shock. Lubricant cavities contain lubricant for lubricating the seals of the pressurized chamber. The lubricant in the lubricant cavities is maintained at a pressure greater than ambient but less than that in the pressurized chamber. This is accomplished by utilizing a differential piston that operates in response to the pressure differential between the chamber and the lubricant in the lubricant cavity.

Abstract: An earth boring bit has a nozzle assembly with a wedging retaining ring and a crushed O-ring seal. The nozzle is located in a passage in the drill bit and bears against a shoulder. The retaining ring is secured by threads into the passage to tighten the nozzle against the shoulder. The retaining ring has a bore with an upper rim that encircles a conical section in the bore. The retaining ring conical section mates with a conical section formed on the exterior of the nozzle. The two conical sections wedge the nozzle in place when the retaining ring is tightened. An O-ring is located between the nozzle conical section, the wall of the passage and the upper rim of the retaining ring.

Abstract: A valve used in a drill stem test tool has a ball movable between an open position to allow flow through the drill string for testing and a closed position to block flow. Operating means move the ball between the open and closed positions in response to pressures in the well annulus. A nitrogen filled pressure chamber and pressure balancing piston compensate for variations in annular pressure as the tool is being lowered into position in the well. Actuating means including a weight operated sleeve are operated from the surface to overcome the compensating effect of the pressure balancing piston to allow the ball to be rotated to the open position. The ball is spring biased toward the closed position by a coil spring located inside the pressure chamber. Relieving pressure in the annulus causes the spring to close the ball.

Abstract: A link engaging pipe elevator is shown having link engaging arms and an automatic locking mechanism. Spring tension in the locking mechanism is overcome when the elevator body is rested on a substantially flat surface allowing unrestrained movement of the link engaging arms. As the elevator is lifted off the flat surface, the locking mechanism is activated and the link engaging arms are locked into place. A cam and cam roller assist in moving the link engaging arms between the full open and closed positions.

Abstract: A swivel unit for inflatable packer drill stem test tools has an outer housing with a lower end adapted for connection to the drill stem and an upper end. An inner shaft has a base portion received within the outer housing and has a neck portion which protrudes from the outer housing. Tapered roller bearings located between the outer housing and inner shaft at opposing ends of the inner shaft base portion rotatably mount the outer housing about the inner shaft. The outer housing has a shoulder formed in its external surface for receiving the derrick elevators and supporting the test tool assembly.

Abstract: An earth boring drill bit has a lubricant pressure compensator that includes a plunger that moves slidingly in the reservoir to reduce pressure differential, and also allows lubricant to bleed past to relieve excess lubricant pressure. The plunger is carried slidingly in the reservoir. The plunger has a convex end in contact with the lubricant and a concave end in contact with the borehole fluid. The plunger has a rod that contacts a stop in the reservoir when the lubricant pressure is greater than the borehole pressure. Once stopped, the configuration of the plunger allows lubricant to bleed past the plunger to relieve excess lubricant pressure.

Abstract: An earth boring bit has features particularly for use in drilling holes in which compressed air is used as a drilling fluid. The bit has three rotatable cutters, each having a cavity for mounting on a depending bearing pin. The cutter and the bearing pin have a thrust bearing in the lower portion of the cavity and a roller bearing in the upper portion of the cavity. The bit has air passages for discharging through the roller bearing gaseous fluid pumped from the surface. A seal seals the nose area from the roller bearing area. Liquid lubricant is located in the nose area for lubricating the bearing surfaces in this portion of the bit. A lubricant chamber is in communication with the nose area. The lubricant chamber cavity has a sliding piston for applying pressure to the lubricant. The sliding piston is driven by the compressed air in the air passages.

Abstract: An earth boring bit has a friction or journal bearing with features that allow cooling fluid to be circulated near the bearing. The bit is of the type having rotatable cutters carried by depending bearing pins. A bushing is stationarily mounted on the bearing pin, with the bushing's inner surface in contact with the outer surface of the bearing pin. One of the surfaces has a plurality of grooves that extend at least partially around the bearing pin. Passages are formed in the bearing pin and bit for circulating cooling fluid through the grooves. The cutter is mounted on the bushing in rotating and sliding contact to form a journal bearing.

Abstract: A stabilizer for attachment to a drill string in shaft drilling has an improved bearing. The stabilizer has an inner hub that is rigidly secured to the drill string above the bit. An outer hub encircles the inner hub. The outer hub has a centralizing device that extends laterally outward for frictionally engaging the walls of the shaft if the drill string wanders off-center. The bearing between the inner and outer hubs includes a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted to one of the hubs and in rolling contact with the other of the hubs to allow rotation of the hubs with respect to each other. In the preferred embodiment, the hub opposite the one containing the rollers has frusto-conical rings that are engaged in rolling contact by the rollers.

Abstract: A well cementing composition and method of cementing well bores are disclosed in which a slurry is first prepared utilizing cement, mixing water, and aluminum hydroxychloride in the range of 0.1 to 4.5 weight percent based on the dry weight of cement. The slurry thus prepared when pumped into place in the well bore has zero free water content thereby reducing the bridging or channeling in the cement column which is associated with free water formation.

Abstract: An ink jet printing apparatus is shown which has a source of pressurized ink connected to a plurality of solenoid valves. Each valve has an input port in fluid communication with the pressurized ink source and an output port. A plurality of jeweled orifice nozzles are provided, each of the nozzles being in fluid communication with a select one of the output ports of the solenoid valves. Electrical control means control the output of the solenoid valves to the nozzles.In the ink jet printing process shown, a source of water-based pressurized ink is prepared and utilized in the apparatus which contains 60 to 95 percent by weight water, 0.05 to 25 percent by weight dye, and 2.5 to 20 percent by weight of a glycol ether selected from the group consisting of butyl cellosolve, butyl carbitol, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A manual electrically powered snow throwing device has features that allow it to be used either in a shovel mode or in a pushing and pulling mode. The device has an upper handgrip with forward and rearward handgrip portions. The forward handgrip portion is located on the same axis as that of the handle. The rearward handgrip portion extends downwardly from the forward handgrip portion. The triggers are mounted to both forward and rearward handgrip portions. These triggers are connected in parallel, so that each will independently control the motor. The forward handgrip portion is used for a shovelling motion, while the rearward handgrip portion is used for pushing and pulling motion.

Abstract: Disclosed is a hydraulically operable well packer for releasable setting within a well conduit, including a seal assembly for sealing the packer to the conduit and an anchor assembly for anchoring the packer to the conduit. The seal assembly includes sealing members for engaging the conduit as well as secondary sealing members for engaging a central mandrel of the packer, both sets of sealing members being constructed of material which permits the mandrel to remain sealed to the well conduit in the presence of high temperatures. The packer may be released by straight longitudinal movement of the mandrel relative to the outer packer assembly.

Abstract: An earth boring rock bit having a sealed bearing and pressure lubrication system for drilling the earth with air or gas as the circulating medium. An annular groove is formed in the vicinity of the seal and connected to the interior of the bit for cooling the ring and cleaning debris from the area of the ring. The air pressure inside the bit is utilized to bias a movable element in the system to urge lubricant to the bearing.

Abstract: A subsea well apparatus having an improved means of axially connecting the plurality of tubing string sections disposed about each riser conduit section.The subsea well apparatus has a riser conduit section with a mating flange at each end, tubing string receiving orifices disposed about the mating flanges, and a tubing string section with its ends disposed within an orifice in each mating flange. Further, the end portions of the tubing string section are shaped for free axial movement within each orifice and there is provided a means for axially adjusting the position of each tubing string end portion in order to selectively adjust the position of each tubing string end surface relative to the end surface of the adjacent mating flange.The end portions of the tubing string sections may be provided with an outwardly-extending radial flange, and the axial adjusting means may be an annular ring circumventing the tubing string section and movably-attached to the riser mating flange by threaded engagement.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus and method of closing a conduit against fluid flow in at least one longitudinal sense, and selectively disengaging and reengaging the closure mechanism without removing the closure mechanism from the conduit. In a particular embodiment, a valve assembly may be selectively anchored and sealed to a well packer, or disengaged therefrom. The valve assembly is manipulated by an operating tool to which the valve assembly is anchored in the well when the valve assembly is disengaged from the packer.

Abstract: A cable splice joining insulated conductor ends wherein the conductors are coated with lead, lead-tin alloy or tin, said splice comprising a metallic sleeve member joining the conductor ends, a first layer of adhesive over the sleeve member and any exposed conductor areas, a layer of foil formed of lead or lead-tin alloy covering the first adhesive layer, a second adhesive layer covering said layer of foil and extending over the exposed insulation; a helically-wrapped insulation layer formed of a thermosetting polymer, an over-lapped layer of fabric surrounding the insulation layer, a helically-wrapped heat-shrinkable type layer surrounding the fabric layer, and a heat-shrinkable sleeve surrounding the splice area, and a method for forming said cable splice, for providing cable splices which resist depressurization failure and corrosion of conductors when employed in high pressure gassy oil wells containing corrosive well fluids.

Abstract: A jet printing apparatus is shown having a reservoir for storing printing medium. A perforate member having at least one surface which is exposed to the printing medium in the reservoir with the ink entering the perforations. A drive motor effects relative movement of the perforate member past a printing station having a fluid jet with a plurality of nozzles. Electrically controlled valves selectively supply air to the nozzles to eject printing medium from the perforate member onto a printing substrate. In one embodiment, the perforate member is a cylindrical mask having spaced columns of perforations which are successively aligned with the fluid jet nozzles at the printing station. In another embodiment, a mesh belt having perforations is moved between the fluid jet nozzles and an orifice plate which has orifices aligned with the nozzles of the fluid jet. Air from selected nozzles ejects ink from the perforations through an aligned orifice opening onto the printing substrate.