Abstract: A camera for photographing the image on CRT monitors is disclosed that locates a magazine containing a roll of film below a vertical aperture plate and a cassette above the aperture plate to receive the exposed film so that the film exposed through the opening in the aperture plate will not sag and distort the image received from the lens due to gravity. Magnets hold a pressure plate against the aperture plate to keep the film flat and properly positioned against the aperture plate. Apparatus is provided to cut the film between the aperture plate and the cassette to allow the cassette to be removed from time to time to develop the exposed film contained therein.

Abstract: A ring gauge is made from the box end of an authenticated precision threaded member and a plug gauge is made from the pin end thereof. The pin end is machined laterally and radially at its nose to ensure complete engagement of the threads. The box end is machined laterally and radially at its internal shoulder for a similar reason. A plunger-activated seal-diameter gauge operates through a radial hole in each of the ring gauge and plug gauge thus made, so that the plungers contact the sealing surface of a measured pin end or box end. Similarly, a plunger-activated standoff gauge operates through a longitudinal opening of the ring gauge and of the plug gauge, the plungers effectively providing a measurement of standoff between the tip of the pin end being measured and the internal surface of the ring gauge shoulder or comparable standoff of the box end.

Abstract: The invention disclosed includes a takeout connector having a body of elastomeric material with first and second protruding cylindrical portions. A male plug and a female socket in side-by-side relationship in each cylindrical portion. The second cylindrical portion has a cavity to receive a first cylindrical portion of another connector to allow the connector to be electrically connected to two similar connectors.

Abstract: There are disclosed two embodiments of an apparatus for releasably latching the lower end of a tubing string within the bore of an upstanding well conduit by means of latching parts adapted to be received in latching position beneath a shoulder in the bore of the well conduit. The latching parts are locked in latching position by locking means which is engageable and releasable in response to manipulation of the well string. The latching parts are moved into unlatching position, upon release of the locking means, without necessity of sliding contact between the latching parts and the shoulder. There are also disclosed two embodiments of a seal ring clamped within a groove about a stinger portion of the apparatus for sealably engaging the bore of the well conduit.

Abstract: A process for eliminating drilling fluid (mud, solids and oil) from a well system prior to introduction of solids-free completion and packer brine. Drilling fluid is displaced by circulating through well pipe and annulus of a treated water (surfactant and alcohol) to complete removal of drilling fluid. A plug of a gelled aqueous spacer may be used before or after the treated water. The plug spacer is displaced from the well system by the following treated water or circulating therein of the solids-free brine. The spacer isolates efficiently the treated water from the displaced drilling fluid or the displacing brine. If the drilling fluid is inverted, the spacer can be an inverted gel of bentone, water and diesel oil.

Abstract: A dc-to-ac inverter employing a control low power section and a power section. The low power section comprises a square wave generator, cross-coupled NOR latches and low level transistor switches for providing switching current to the power section. The power section employs complementary FET drivers and power switches connected to a battery or other source of dc and a ferro-resonant transformer for changing dc to ac.The power section is protected by a voltage sensor. In a preferred embodiment, this voltage is proportional to the current through the respective power switches and is used to unlatch the applicable NOR latch, thereby causing shut off of the protected network of the power section.

Abstract: There are disclosed two embodiments of wellhead apparatus for use in suspending concentric strings of casing of an offshore well at the ocean floor. For this purpose, an inner hanger to which the inner casing is connected is adapted to be landed within an outer hanger to which the outer casing is connected, each at the ocean floor or "mudline". Seating surfaces are formed on the bore of the tubular body of the outer hanger body, and landing surfaces are formed on a circumferentially split landing ring arranged about the tubular body of the inner hanger and having landing surfaces formed thereabout for expansion and contraction within a recess about the tubular hanger body between a contracted position as it is moved vertically within the outer casing and bore of the tubular body of the outer hanger, and an expanded position in which the landing surfaces thereon are landed upon the seating surfaces when disposed opposite thereto.

Abstract: There is disclosed apparatus for use in controlling flow within a well bore wherein each of two or more well tubing strings are suspended from the head of the well, and a mandrel connected as a part of each string, in a position spaced vertically of the other mandrel connected to the other string, has a side pocket to one side of its bore to receive a fluid pressure responsive, flow controlling tool which is run into and out of the pocket on a wireline, as well as a second bore which receives a section of the other string for vertical movement with respect to the one string.

Abstract: A shuttle valve assembly formed with a body having a plurality of nesting housings, an outlet end housing with a fluid signal outlet and a closed end housing. These housings have an aligned axial passageway containing a plurality of tubular spool valve members which are adapted to move axially between opened and closed positions therein individually and in a nested arrangement. Each of the housings has an inlet signal port in communication with the passageway. The nested valve members are moved toward the closed end housing by a primary fluid signal applied to the inlet port on the closed end housing with the primary signal passing to the outlet. A superior fluid signal applied to the inlet port of one of the nested housings, causes the valve member closer to the closed end housing to separate from the remaining nested valve members. As a result this superior signal appears at the outlet.

Abstract: A battery charger with an SCR providing high charging current to a battery until a predetermined high voltage level is sensed. When the voltage sensed reduces to a float voltage minimum level, a trickle charge current is supplied through another SCR until a float voltage maximum level is sensed, which suspends trickle charge current until the voltage again reduces to the float voltage minimum level. When a load reduces the battery voltage so that the sensed voltage is reduced to a predetermined low level below the float voltage minimum level, then the high charging current SCR is again gated on to charge the battery.

Abstract: A key holder for mounting keys in a key case by a novel support member. The member provides a permanent mounting for a plurality of key loops adapted for releaseably carrying keys or the like. The key loops have stable forward and rearward positions substantially parallel to the body of the key case, but they pivot easily between these positions.The member is a folded thin metal plate having slots extending in a curved portion at the folded region and holes provided at one end of the slots. The key loops each have an integral disc at the end of an offset shank which ends in a coil onto which a key is threaded. The disc is passed through the spaced holes formed at the end of each slot after the member is folded onto itself. The plate extends sufficiently beyond the curved portion to receive and support the keys in their rearward position.

Abstract: A process for removing contaminating solids from high density, salt type aqueous drilling/completion/packer fluid prior to its introduction into a well bore. A small effective amount (e.g., 0.5% volume) of an aliphatic alcohol (e.g., n-hexanol) and a surface active chemical aid (e.g., bis hydroxy ethyl cetyl amine) are thoroughly intermixed into the fluid. After the solids agglomerate, the solids are separated from the fluid before introduction in a solids-free condition into the well bore. The fluid may have a density as high as 17 pounds per gallon and be a brine formed of the sodium, calcium or zinc salts with chloride or bromide anions.

Abstract: There are disclosed two embodiments of a trench shoring device of the type having rails which are forced against the sides of the trench by one or more fluid actuated, extendible and retractible braces connected to and extending between the rails. In one embodiment, the rails extend vertically within the trench, and the opposite ends of the braces are so connected to the vertical rails that they may be swung folded positions during lowering into and raising from the trench. In another embodiment of the invention, the rails extend horizontally of the trench, and the ends of the braces are connected thereto in such a manner as to prevent substantial movement of the braces out of perpendicular positions with respect to the rails.

Abstract: An improved displacement process for eliminating drilling mud (solids and oil) from a well system prior to introduction of solids-free completion and packer brine. Clean water is circulated in the well system to remove and carry the major portion of the drilling mud. A treated water is prepared from a surfactant and alcohol admixed in clean water. Without interrupting circulation, the treated water displaces the clean water carrying drilling mud from the well system. Circulation of the treated water continues in the well system in which the brine is to be received until substantially all of the drilling mud is carried in the circulating treated water. Again without interrupting circulation, the treated water is displaced from the well system to a suitable disposal region with solids-free clean water. Lastly, the solids-free clean water is displaced from the well system with the solids-free brine.RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONChemically Cleaning Drilling/Completion/Packer Brines; Ser. No. 310,653, filed Oct.

Abstract: There is disclosed apparatus for extracting liquid from cloth goods, such as laundry from a washing machine, wherein a dome having a diaphragm across its lower end is mounted above a press plate which is reciprocable beneath the dome between an upper position adjacent the diaphragm, whereby the diaphragm may be inflated by fluid pressure supplied to the dome in order to press a batch of goods received on the press plate, and a lower position to permit the pressed goods or cake to be moved laterally off the press plate and another batch to be received thereon at the start of a subsequent press cycle, and a basket is mounted for shifting vertically between an upper position to form with the press plate a container for the goods which are received thereon, and a lower position beneath the top side of the press plate as the press plate is raised to its upper position as well as upon lowering of the press plate to permit removal of the cake.

Abstract: A single-acting piston pump for output connection to a high pressure manifold and to an input of slush or slurry. The forward head of the piston pump is mounted for contact with the slush or slurry. In one embodiment, this forward head of the piston pump is mounted to the piston rod so as to be movable within limits, its rearward movement with respect to the piston rod opening a biased-closed valve either through the shaft of the piston or through a fixed rearward piston head. This valve opening leads to a clean fluid source at a pressure only slightly less than the high pressure manifold. There is a recess opening between the movable head and the piston shaft and in front of the fixed head in which clean fluid is always present. The movable head operates at a low pressure differential on both the forward and rearward movement of the piston stroke and the fixed head operates at all time in a clean fluid environment.

Abstract: Apparatus for attaching a multiconductor cable to a housing, such as the backshell of a connector, is disclosed that has a seal member located in the opening in the tubular section of the housing through which the cable extends into the housing to seal the space between the cable and the walls of the opening. A clamp is attached to the cable adjacent to the end of the tubular section. Washers are located on each side of the clamp and held in engagement with the clamp and the housing by a gland nut so that any forces imposed on the cable outside the housing will be transmitted to the housing by the clamp, the washers, and the gland nut and not be imposed on the section of cable in engagement with the seal member.

Abstract: A liquid sensing and gauging method and apparatus employing a differential pressure sensing device located near the bottom of the tank and an absolute pressure sensing device located at the same level as one of the differential pressure sensing device elements. The differential sensing device is connected for driving the arm of a potentiometer included in an electronic circuit to develop an intermediate voltage exponentially proportional to the reciprocal of the specific gravity of the tank liquid. Similarly, the absolute pressure sensing device is connected for driving the arm of a potentiometer which is biased by the intermediate voltage. The output on this arm is then indicative of the height of the tank liquid only, regardless of the specific gravity of the liquid. The height level output can be multiplied by an area voltage to indicate tank volume. This tank volume voltage can be added to other similar outputs to indicate total system volume of a system comprising a plurality of tanks.

Abstract: A method of encircling the outside surface of a downhole tool joint with wear strips of cast, relatively brittle, drillable material in which the strips have notches in their abutting ends, and weld metal is puddled in openings formed by the notches. The weld metal is fused to the tool joint surface but not to the wear strips.

Abstract: There are disclosed two embodiments of a gate valve having a forged body in which a generally rectangular cavity to receive the gate for opening and closing each flowway through the body is formed by drilling a first hole within the forging from which the body is to be made, and then drilling at least one other hole within the forging which is parallel to and overlaps a prior drilled hole therein.