Abstract: This application discloses apparatus in which a body means having a bore therethrough connected as part of a tubing string is packed off within a well bore, and means including a passageway in the body means by-passes the packer to connect the annulus about the tubing string above and below the packer. The packer is expanded into engagement with the well bore upon release of a means for locking it in an inoperative position, and a means for so releasing the locking means includes a piston in the passageway which in responsive to control fluid supplied through a control line in the annulus which connects with the passageway. Upon release and setting of the packer, the piston is removed from the passageway and circulation of well fluid through the connecting means between the annulus above and below the packer is controlled by a safety valve which normally closes the passageway, but which is responsive to control fluid supplied thereto through the same control line.

Abstract: There is disclosed a blowout preventer having rams with cutting edges for shearing a pipe within which carry means for gripping opposite sides of the pipe above the cutting edges of the rams, as the rams move toward one another to shear the pipe, and lifting the upper sheared end of the gripped pipe out of the path of means for sealing between the inner ends of the rams, as the rams continue to move toward one another.

Abstract: There is disclosed a side pocket mandrel having upper and lower sections which are adapted to be connected to a well tubing string and which have lower and upper ends, respectively, which are coaxial with one another but with respect to the axes of their upper and lower ends, and an intermediate section adapted to be threadedly connected at its opposite ends to the lower and upper ends, respectively, of the upper and lower sections. The intermediate section is a one-piece body having a first bore formed therein which is substantially axially aligned with the lower and upper ends of the upper and lower sections, respectively, and a second bore formed therein which is parallel to the first bore and open on at least one end to provide a pocket into which a flow-controlling tool may be inserted or from which a flow-controlling tool may be removed.

Abstract: There is disclosed a dual well string, hydraulically operated, retrievable packer in which one mandrel connectible with one well string is releasably connected to the body means of the packer to permit it to be lowered therewith, and the other mandrel connectible to the other well string is vertically reciprocable with respect to the body means and thus with respect to the first-mentioned mandrel. The packing element and slip assembly of the packer are supported on and carried about a first body section, and a second body section includes an expander plate which is movable relative to the first body section to expand the packing element and the slip assembly into engagement with the well bore by means of a hydraulically actuated mechanism including pistons reciprocable within cylinders formed in the first body section and connected to the expander plate by means of a pair of rods.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for measuring the NMR spin-spin relaxation time (T.sub.2) of nuclei using spin-echos comprising the steps of locating the nuclei in a static magnetic field, applying an RF pulse to the nuclei at the Larmor frequency of the nuclei of sufficient duration to rotate the net magnetic moment of the nuclei 90.degree., waiting a time period tau that is at least the time required for the free induction decay signal to go to zero, applying an RF pulse at the same Larmor frequency to the nuclei of sufficient duration to rotate the net magnetic moment of the nuclei 180.degree., recording the primary echo induced, waiting a time period equal to at least 3 tau, to cause the stimulated echos produced by the inhomogeneities in the RF magnetic field to fall into separate time zones from each other and the primary echo, applying an RF pulse at the same Larmor frequency to the nuclei of sufficient duration to rotate the net magnetic moment of the nuclei another 180.degree.

Abstract: A multicylinder, double acting improved mud pump is disclosed, the preferred embodiment incorporates a hydraulic powered piston in a cylinder which connects with a piston rod which, in turn, drives a second piston in a cylinder adopted to pump fluid mud. The first piston is driven by hydraulic oil delivered under pressure to intake manifolds through an independently driven valving apparatus which times the delivery of the hydraulic fluid for the main power stroke and further times the discharge of the hydraulic fluid for the return secondary power stroke, the system being controlled independently of piston action in timing of multiple pistons in multiple cylinders by the valve system. Additionally an intake valve delivers fluid mud at lower pressure on the intake side of the mud compression piston, and an outlet valve traverses with the piston rod to direct the outlet mud flow.

Abstract: A hinged bracket for permitting the swinging away, within limits, of at least one socket to permit easy access to an elongated, doubled-ended bulb for relamping purposes, the relamping apparatus holding the bulb firmly enough to prevent its dropping out of the sockets. The sockets are each spring-loaded and partly biased against the bulb in the open relamp position and firmly biased against the bulb in the position of use. A heat sink is also provided via a sleeve extension on the socket and a mating hump on the door which provides access, when removed, to one of the bulb sockets through relatively small openings in the fixture and the nearby reflector. The swinging away of the socket to one side of these openings provides easy access to the bulb that would not otherwise be possible.

Abstract: There is disclosed a remotely operable, subsea wellhead connector for connecting the lower end of one wellhead member to the upper end of another wellhead member which is mounted in an upright position beneath the water surface, such connector including a tubular member adapted to be connected to the lower end of the one wellhead member so that it may be lowered therewith into end-to-end relation with the lower wellhead member, and a split lock ring having upper and lower locking teeth carried by the tubular member for radial movement together between an expanded position in which the upper teeth are generally opposite and spaced from grooves about the tubular member and the lower teeth are movable past the upper end of the lower wellhead member for disposal opposite and spaced from grooves thereabout, and a contracted position in which the upper and lower teeth thereof are in locking engagement with the grooves in the tubular member and lower wellhead member, respectively, when the tubular member has been lo

Abstract: An arrangement of a plurality of individual gas expansible marine sources, wherein the positive portions of the primary shock waves are additive in effect, the negative portions of the primary shock waves are not additive in effect and the positive and negative portions of the after-shock or bubble occurrences also are not additive in effect.

Abstract: There is disclosed apparatus for releasably connecting first and second tubular members in end-to-end relation including a split lock ring having first and second axially spaced locking teeth which are carried by the first member for radial movement together being expanded positions opposite from first and second locking grooves about the first and second members, respectively, and contracted positions in locking engagement with such grooves, and a cam ring which surrounds the lock ring for movement between a first position in which the lock ring is expanded and a second position in which the cam ring is slidable over follower means on the lock ring to wedge said lock ring into expanded position.

Abstract: There is disclosed a blowout preventer having rams which are moved between opened and closed positions by means of operating systems having axially reciprocable rods releasably connected to the rams for relative axial movement with respect thereto. The connections between the rams and rods fixedly support the rams against tilting, during repair or replacement, regardless of the relative axial position of the rods and rams.

Abstract: There are disclosed several embodiments of a well tool having a slip assembly which is adapted to grippingly engage a cylindrical surface within a well conduit, and which includes a sleeve carried by a body adapted to be lowered into the well conduit so as to dispose a relatively high friction surface about one side of the sleeve opposite the cylindrical surface. The sleeve is split about its circumference and has end edges which extend at an angle with respect to the axis of the sleeve and are arranged to slide over one another as the sleeve is caused to move between expanded and contracted positions into and out of gripping engagement with the cylindrical surfaces.

Abstract: A marine seismic survey is disclosed in which a plurality of steerage centers are selected for circular traversal thereabout by a marine vessel towing a streamer cable. While the vessel and the streamer are following a circular track about a steerage center, the feathering of the cable creates a separate concentric track line for each of the mid-points between the receivers included in the cable and the source. In this manner an areal coverage is assured which requires no reliance on unpredictable and uncontrollable currents for the desired feathering. An additional important feature of the current disclosure is that there is little wasted time in which the survey vessel moves outside of the overall surveyed area. A preferred course tracking for the vessel is to move from the arc of one steerage course line to another in tangential fashion.

Abstract: There is disclosed a continuous batch type washing machine wherein means are provided for exchanging liquor in one or more of the successive compartments in which individual drums are rotatable in order to avoid injury to the goods due to incompatibilities between the goods and the liquor which would result from transfer of the goods into a compartment containing the liquor and/or circulation of the liquor into a compartment for a drum containing the goods.

Abstract: An improved concrete curing blanket of light weight, high water retention and wicking action, and connectable into coverage of large concrete surface. The blanket has a surface layer (e.g. three mils) of low density polyethylene carrying any pigments that is heat sealed as a melted coating upon a batting layer (e.g. one-tenth inch) of a porous and resilient, non-woven, synthetic needle-punched fabric. Adjacent pieces of the blanket are heat sealed together to cover large areas of curing concrete. The batting layer conforms to the irregularities of the concrete surface to promote wetting action and enhance the curing function.

Abstract: A stabilizer for a steady rest is disclosed for supporting rotating cylindrical members during machining operations and the like that includes idler wheels supported by air jacks that allow limited lateral movement of idler wheels to accommodate at least some of the lateral movement of the rotating member that results when the member is crooked. Shock absorbers are positioned to dampen the lateral movement of the idler wheels to reduce the vibrations such lateral movement of the rotating member may produce at the surface being machined.

Abstract: A lamp dimmer suited for fluorescent and other lamps which controllably notches the applied voltage to a lamp circuit each half cycle. Progressively larger dimming control voltages produces progressively wider notches as well as progressively causing the notches to be further from the zero-crossing occurrence toward the peak occurrence of the half cycles, thereby providing means for varying power to the light circuit. Optocoupler means is employed with respect to a power output bridge to isolate the control circuit from the power output circuit to the lamp. A photosensor used to sense the ambient light conditions is used to produce the dimming control voltage so as to achieve a balancing effect between the ambient and the artificial light produced by the lamp.