Abstract: A deformable sealing member is disposed between two surfaces such that a space is provided to at least one side of such sealing member. A smaller space may be provided to a second side of the sealing member. The sealing member is conformed to contact both surfaces. A pressure coming from the direction of the greater space between the two surfaces will cause the sealing member to deform into greater compliance with the two surfaces. However, should pressure reverse and approach the seal from the opposite direction the seal will distort into the area of greater space thereby causing the seal to break contact with one of the surfaces and for such pressure to vent past the seal.

Abstract: An earth boring (rock) bit having a flexible diaphragm located inside the bearing shaft in a cavity between a threaded lug and a mating bearing sleeve. The diaphragm has an enlarged periphery, shaped somewhat like an o-ring, that is confined and sealed between opposed annular surfaces on the lug and the sleeve. The circular periphery of the diaphragm and cavity provide good compensation volume, from which excessive lubricant pressure is relieved by an enlarged portion which is punctured and contoured to discharge lubricant under excessive pressure while excluding drilling fluid. Simplicity and reliability are achieved by the elimination of multiple and complex manufacture and assembly operations.

Abstract: A die assembly having a cavity in which powdered metal is compressed with upper and lower punches. A core extends through the lower punch to form the inner wall of a bushing, and a core extension rod having a lateral protrusion that extends into the cavity to form a groove in the upper portion of the bushing. The core and the core extension rod move in concert between positions to receive powder, compress it and moves upward to afford expelling the finishing bushing. One stationary protrusion extends from the die into the cavity to form a groove in the powdered metal along the full length of the completed bushing. Air passage means are used to direct air into the cavity to remove residue powder that may eventually build-up and cause inaccuracies. Also, in the preferred embodiment a powder feeder means is used on a die table to reciprocate between a retracted, inactive position and an extended position to deposit powdered metal into the cavity and later to bump a finished bushing across the table.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for treating fibrous material are shown. A concurrent stream of air and fibrous material are spewed into an empty chamber large enough to allow the fibrous material to fall out of the conveying air into a collecting duct where the two components are removed in a concurrent stream having the normal conveying velocity. An evase section at the entrance of the chamber promotes the slowing of the seed cotton, allowing it to come to a state of agitation with respect to the air in the chamber before being drawn out the chamber exit where it is again accelerated with the outgoing stream of air.

Abstract: An improved raise boring bit to enhance cuttings removal and prevent accumulation of cuttings on the body of the bit, which utilizes a pair of radial rails and a plate connected with and strengthening the rails while defining an opening for the flow of cuttings beside the stem and the radial rails during boring. Cutter mounting means are disposed at intervals along the radial rails to permit the flow of cuttings between the rails and the mounting means. At least one wing extends radially from the plate for supporting additional cutters, a vertical stabilizer roller is mounted on the end of the wing and struts extend between adjacent sides of the wings for stability and support.

Abstract: Improved apparatus for threading a longitudinally divided partial hole in a machine component has a tap driving spindle selectively and reciprocally carried by a frame. On a base plate is a positioning means for holding the component in a predetermined relationship with the frame and locater means for accurately aligning the component with the tap driving spindle. A movable guide shoe that is operable in combination with the locater means opposes the partial hole to be threaded and forms temporarily an opposed partial hole that accurately guides the tap. Adjustment and retainer means are used for selective positioning of the guide shoe in relation to the tap guide hole.

Abstract: A system for safely transporting detonating cord that uses a container with a mounting board of insulating material with a walled path through which the cord is threaded. The path has a series of loop regions and adjoining, parallel regions through which the parallel cord is separated with a cord separator that will sever adjoining cord in the event of a detonation to terminate further cord detonation. A separator card of cardboard is an ideal separator means. The walled path must otherwise insulate the detonating cord, being formed in one embodiment of cylindrical cardboard tube and in another of expanded polystyrene having a path with an open top. Fastener means secures the detonating cord within the walled path, being "Nylon" in the tube embodiment and interference fit in the expanded polystyrene embodiment.

Abstract: A die assembly having a cavity in which powdered metal is compressed with upper and lower punches. A core extends through the lower punch to form the inner wall of a bushing, and a core extension rod having a lateral protrusion that extends into the cavity to form a groove in the upper portion of the bushing. The core and the core extension rod move in concert between positions to receive powder, compress it and moves upward to afford expelling the finished bushing. One stationary protrusion extends from the die into the cavity to form a groove in the powdered metal along the full length of the completed bushing. Air passage means are used to direct air into the cavity to remove residue powder that may eventually build-up and cause inaccuracies. Also, in the preferred embodiment a powder feeder means is used on a die table to reciprocate between a retracted, inactive position and an extended position to deposit powdered metal into the cavity and later to bump a finished bushing across the table.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a rock bit of previously formed lugs which will be welded to form a body. Initially, a shank end positioner means such as drilled holes are formed on the lug, which are then positioned on a mating receiver such as dowels in a fixture. The bearing end of the lug is clamped against a locator block to establish a predetermined relationship between the shank end and the bearing end of the lug. This relationship determines both the radial, axial and angular positions of the bearing and shank ends of the lug. Then, the faces of the lug are machined while held in this accurate aligment. When assembled and welded with similarly manufactured lugs, a bit of exceptional accuracy is produced in a cost effective manner. A slightly different position of the locator block permits the use of lugs of normal forging tolerances to be positioned to provide another location of the faces and bits of different sizes.

Abstract: This invention is an improved method of treating wood waste, the apparatus useful in treating the wood waste. Wood waste, which is a mixture of wood chips, wood shavings, and sawdust, is treated with a food grade oil. The resulting bedding is comparatively dust free, edible, and biodegradable.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus of transmitting data signals within a well bore having a string of tubular members suspended within it, employing an electromagnetic field producing means to transmit the signal to a magnetic field sensor, which is capable of detecting constant and time-varying fields, the signal then being conditioned so as to regenerate the data signals before transmission across the subsequent threaded junction by another electromagnetic field producing means and magnetic sensor pair.

Abstract: An improved feedback system for use with an oscillator carried in a bore hole is provided. The feedback system connects the output legs of a well bore oscillator to the feedback nozzles of the oscillator. It consists of a detachable housing that contains two compliance chambers. Each chamber has a supply port and an exhaust port. Inertance passageways allow fluid to pass through each chamber.

Abstract: An earth boring bit with an improved extended jet nozzle constructed with a tube having only one curved entrance near the head of the bit and a straight region adjacent the exit of the nozzle, with the curved region being smoothly convergent without substantial disruption or deflective surfaces from a maximum cross sectional area adjacent the head to a minimum cross sectional area in the straight region. The velocity of the fluid flowing through the tube increases gradually from a minimum adjacent the head to a maximum at the exit, with the ratio of minimum to maximum being substantially three to one.

Abstract: An earth boring bit having a cantilevered bearing shaft and a compensator system to equalize the pressure of the lubricant with the hydrostatic pressure of the drilling fluid surrounding the bit. A rigid face seal assembly, positioned between the cutter and bearing shaft of the bit, moves axially in response to, and to compensate for, dynamic pressure changes in the lubricant adjacent the seal. The positioning and sizing of resilient energizer rings in relationship to the geometries of the mating grooves between the cutter and shaft and the rigid sealing rings of the face seal assembly minimize axial seal movement relative to cutter and shaft during drilling to enhance seal life. A threaded bearing lug receives an internally threaded bearing sleeve. The journal bearing surface is approximately midway between the shaft seal groove, a portion of which is on its bearing sleeve and another portion on the cutter seal groove.

Abstract: An earth boring bit having a rotatable cutter secured to a lubricated, cantilevered bearing shaft, sealed with an improved pressure compensating rigid face seal assembly. The assembly has a rigid ring with a radial face that opposes and engages a radial face integral with a cutter seal groove. A resilient energizer ring is compressed between opposed conical surfaces, one on the rigid ring and the other in a shaft seal groove, to force the radial faces together. The periphery of the energizer ring is inside the journal bearing surface, which is ideally aligned with the mid-section of the ring, to define a essentially constant, lubricant filled, volume between the seal assembly and the shaft seal groove--even as the cutter and seal assembly move relatively to the shaft during drilling. As a result, pressure variations in the vicinity of the seal assembly are minimized.

Abstract: In an earth boring bit of the type having a rotatable cone secured to a bearing shaft, an improved pressure compensating and relief system. A flexible diaphragm has an enlarge peripheral portion in an o-ring configuration sealingly secured in a compensator cavity to form a mud region and a lubricant region. A central portion of the diaphragm has a perforated and ridged protrusion extending into the mud region to form a self energizing area, exposed to the mud region, that seals the perforation when the pressure of the lubricant is less than or substantially equal that of the mud. A wall at the end of the compensator cavity surrounds the mud passage and engages an area around the protrusion when the diaphragm is fully extended by lubricant pressure build-up that exceeds the hydrostatic pressure. Thus, the resulting pressure differential opens the perforation, releases lubricant and relieves the build-up of lubricant pressure.

Abstract: An improved earth boring bit of the type having diamond cutting elements and a fluid passageway to direct drilling fluid toward a borehole bottom during drilling, a metal nozzle with a cylindrical, threaded exterior and a noncircular throat having a minimum cross sectional dimension to receive a mating wrench and a length to resist damage from the torque required to make-up and break-out the nozzle for threads in the body of the bit.

Abstract: An earth boring bit having a lubrication system that includes a pressure compensator and seals to confine lubricant within the bearings between rotatable cutters and shafts, the seals being of the asymmetrical shear/compression type, each half of which having a load deflection curve resulting from components satisfying the following criteria:D.sub.H >A.sub.p SandD.sub.C >A.sub.p S[(S-1)/S].sup.1/2Where:D.sub.H =Assembly deflection of shaft seal ring with bearing thrust faces in contact (in.);D.sub.C =Assembly deflection of cutter seal ring with bearing thrust faces in contact (in.);A.sub.p =Axial cutter play (in.);S=Ratio seal to cutter movement.Also preferably, D.sub.C .perspectiveto.D.sub.H [(S-1)/S].sup.1/2.