Abstract: The invention in its preferred embodiment is a portable life support system providing the wearer of a garment with temperature regulation and a breathable atmosphere using cryogenic technology. Wherein a liquid cryogen is vaporized by heat exchange with the wearers body and the vaporized cryogen is delivered to the wearer as a breathable atmosphere.

Abstract: A connection for and a method of connecting the ends of two joints of low modulus, low hardness, low strength plastic pipe. The connection includes a threaded box on one joint and a threaded pin on the other joint. The box has tapered, internal, generally dovetail-shaped threads with stab flanks and load flanks and flat roots and crests that are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pipe. The pin has tapered, external, generally dovetail-shaped threads with stab flanks and load flanks and flat roots and crests that are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pipe for mating with the internal threads of the box. The threads increase in width in one direction on the box and in the other direction on the pin. When the connection is made up the roots, crests, and flanks of the threads move into engagement to form seals that resist the flow of fluids between the threads.

Abstract: The present invention is a new nonantigenic keratinous protein material that may be used as a number of purposes, including correction of soft tissue deficiencies and the creation of biomedical implants and implant coatings. The present invention also includes processes for using the nonantigenic keratinous protein material for soft tissue augmentation, creating implants, and the coating of biocompatible implants. The nonantigenic keratinous protein material can be formed by obtaining nonantigenic keratinous protein and processing it to a powder form. If hair from the recipient or a compatible doner is used, it is bleached and rinsed, then dried and chopped into about 0.25 inch pieces. The keratinous protein is then homogenized in a solvent to a particular size generally in the range of about 0.1 to about 500 .mu.m. The particles are then ultrasonicated in a solvent.

Abstract: There is disclosed a subsurface tubing safety valve having a normally closed flapper which is adapted to be moved to open position by a flow tube reciprocable within the body of the valve. The flow tube is urged to flapper opening position by hydraulic fluid from a remote source and is urged to a position permitting the flapper to close by a curved beam type spring.

Abstract: A joint of drill pipe is disclosed that has a tube section with upset ends to increase the wall thickness of the tube at its ends and tool joints connected to each end of the tube. Each tool joint has a cylindrical section connected to a weld neck of diameter by a tapered section. The connection between the tapered section and the weld neck has a radius of curvature and the weld neck has a wall thickness equal to that of the upset end of the tube that is welded to the weld neck. An external, stress relief groove is located in the weld neck to increase the fatigue life of the tube section of the drill pipe when the drill pipe is subjected to varying stresses produced by rotating the drill pipe while bent. One end of the relief groove is arcuate and is an extension of the radius of curvature between the tapered section and the weld neck. The groove may be arcuate in cross-section or it may have arcuate end sections with a cylindrical section between the end sections.

Abstract: In a demountable office partition system, batten mounts with a base and legs of a resilient hard plastic are snap fit to supporting structures by reason of inwardly directed opposed flanges on the legs. The legs of the batten mounts also have soft plastic externally directed fingers to which a batten may be press fit. Use of the batten mounts permits the batten to be removed without damage. In another embodiment, the base of the batten mounts have a first set of depending inner legs with inwardly directed flanges and a second pair of depending outer legs with outwardly directed flanges outwardly spaced from the inner legs. The batten mount is fabricated of a resilient hard plastic. Again, the batten mounts may be snap fit to a supporting structure. However, in this embodiment, a batten is snap fit to the batten mounts. The batten may be removed from the batten mount without damage due to the resilience of the outer legs.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for detecting and ejecting articles of different weights in a product and article stream, by varying the dwell and delay time in accordance with the color classification of the products and articles being sorted. The ejector dwell and delay times are determined by the weight of the products and articles, which can be identified by the percentage reflectivity of color wavelengths of interest.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for measuring the reflectivity of a product for use in optical sorting machines that is insensitive to product size and orientation. The percentage reflectivity of a product passing a background is corrected by a frame fill factor, which is representative of the percentage of the viewing frame occupied by the product being sorted.

Abstract: A collapsible binocular comprising a substantially rectangular open-sided housing and an elongated side wall member is provided. Objective lens means and eyepiece lens means maintain the construction of the binocular and provide protection for the lenses.

Abstract: The apparatus of the invention is a water level probe comprised of a probe body, a sleeve having openings permitting fluid flow and encasing part of a magnetostrictive sensor, and an external housing encasing electronic circuitry for processing and transmitting the electric signal generated by the magnetostrictive sensor and sealing the circuitry from fluids. The sensor comprises a float slidably mounted on a rod, the float designed to float in water but sink in a petroleum product, thereby ensuring that it will float at the interface between the water and the product. The water level probe is used in the method of the invention to measure the depth of the water in a vessel storing hydrocarbon product at predetermined time intervals. The longitudinal angle of inclination of the vessel with respect of the horizon having previously been determined, the volume of water in the vessel is calculated from the depth measurements.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting and localizing a leak from an above-ground liquid storage tank is disclosed. The invention utilizes a fiber optic chemical sensor to sense vapor from the liquid stored in the tank through a plurality of horizontal bores created at spaced intervals through the strata underneath the tank. Each of the plurality of horizontal bores is connected to a vacuum pump and manifold system which delivers the vapor or liquid present in the strata underneath the tank, resulting from diffusion or leakage in the tank, to the fiber optic chemical sensor. The horizontal bores are created with the use of a pilot which protects the bottom of the tank from punctures and ensures that the bores lie in close proximity to the bottom of the tank, enabling the detection of leaks in the tank as they develop.

Abstract: A packer assembly for a drop-in check valve includes a series of stacked rings in the annulus between the housing of the drop-in check valve assembly and the surface of the bore of the landing sub. The rings include at least two elastomer rings of different hardness. The top elastomer ring is capped off by a multi-part metal ring assembly comprising oppositely facing inner and outer L-shaped rings and a central T-shaped ring. The inner and outer rings have their vertical legs vertically located against the respective adjoining annulus walls and their horizontal legs in line. The trunk of the T-shaped ring is in the gap between the horizontal legs and in contact therewith so that when the elastomer ring radially expands, the metal of the metal rings is maintained in metal-to-metal contact across the annulus. This seals the annulus and prevents extrusion by eliminating all gaps. The lower elastomer ring can likewise be capped by a similar three-part metal ring assembly.

Abstract: A controller for a drilling rig traveling block is disclosed utilizing an absolute position locator and a processor for employing various operating fixed and variable parameters for controlling the speed of travel of the traveling block. As approach limits are reached in either the ascending or descending mode, the position input enters the calculations so that the traveling block is effectively controlled at high speed while safely avoiding an upward or a downward collision. Operation, once the parameter are inputted, is independent of operator control except for override operation.

Abstract: A safety sub is disclosed for retaining drilling fluid in the kelly or equivalent and other components of the mud system located above the drill string when pressure drops in the drill string, such as when the circulation pump is turned off in adding a new joint to the drill string. The safety sub includes a pressurized elastomeric cartridge having three or more depressions surrounding a central bore. When internal drilling pressure drops, the external pre-charge pressure closes the elastomeric material by creating a cusp opposite each depression, the cusps closing together. The metallic end pieces of the cartridge and parallel round connecting rods between these inserts are bonded to the elastomeric material during the molding process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting and localizing a leak from an above-ground liquid storage tank is disclosed. The invention utilizes a fiber optic chemical sensor to sense vapor from the liquid stored in the tank through a plurality of horizontal bores created at spaced intervals through the strata underneath the tank. Each of the plurality of horizontal bores is connected to a vacuum pump and manifold system which delivers the vapor or liquid present in the strata underneath the tank, resulting from diffusion or leakage in the tank, to the fiber optic chemical sensor. The horizontal bores are created with the use of a pilot which protects the bottom of the tank from punctures and ensures that the bores lie in close proximity to the bottom of the tank, enabling the detection of leaks in the tank as they develop.

Abstract: A threaded pipe connection is disclosed comprising a box having internal threads and a pin having external threads for mating with the internal threads of the box. The mating threads exert radial forces on the box and pin creating compressive hoop stress in the pin and tensile hoop stress in the box. A conical sealing surface on the pin between the threads and the end of the pin engages conical sealing surface on the box and forms a metal-to-metal seal when the connection is made up. Means are provided for reducing the radial forces exerted by the threads adjacent the conical sealing surfaces to reduce excessive metal-to-metal contact bearing stress and better distribute the remaining stress in the engaging sealing surfaces while maintaining the contact stress required to provide an adequate seal.

Abstract: A carrying strap for ski equipment is disclosed. The carrying strap includes a first strap member having second and third strap members affixed transversely at either end thereof. Each of the second and third strap members include means for connecting the respective ends thereof together. A snap hook is affixed at either end of the first strap member. In use, the ends of the second and third strap members are connected together to loop around the skis and ski poles to secure them for carrying while the ski boots are clipped to the ends of the first strap member with the snap hooks.

Abstract: The invention relates to a novel type of polyolefine yarns with good performance in the manufacture of rugs and carpets, made-up by admixing polypropylene filaments with polyethylene filaments, and by subjecting said filaments mixture to a temperature of from 125.degree. C. up to 130.degree. C., which substantially equals the melting temperature of the polyethylene filaments, whereby said polyethylene filaments become melted while the polypropylene filaments, with higher melting point, remain solid and stable, and with said melting of the polyethylene filaments constituting welding points for said polypropylene filaments, bulking and shaping the resulting yarn.

Abstract: There are disclosed several embodiments of a connector for connecting tubular members in end-to-end relation wherein a ring supported by the one tubular member carries arcuate latches which are adapted to be moved by radial actuators into and out of positions in which locking shoulders thereon are tightly engaged with a complementary locking shoulder about the other tubular member to hold the members in end-to-end relation.

Abstract: There is disclosed two embodiments of a gate valve having a pair of parallel-sided gates for opening and closing a flowway through the valve body upon reciprocation within a gate cavity intersecting the flowway intermediate its ends. The gates are connected to an actuator stem by a lost motion connection which causes one to be moved from closed toward open position prior to the other, and the one gate has a passageway therein for moving into a position to connect the cavity with the flowway prior to movement of the gates together toward open position.