Abstract: A decorative light assembly for illuminating a tree includes an electrical cable having primary input and output conductors, a plug at one end thereof, and being adapted for placement within the tree about the trunk thereof. At least one light string cluster stems from the electrical cable and includes a plurality of looped components adapted for extending along the branches or subbranches of the tree and electrically connected to one another, and a plurality of bulb sockets electrically connected at spaced intervals in series along the respective looped components. The looped components and bulb sockets together create a dense distribution of lights in the tree when the looped conductors are extended along the branches or subbranches of the tree.

Abstract: There is disclosed a butterfly valve having a body connectable in a flowline and a seat which lines its inner side, and a disc which has stem portions at its opposite ends closely received within openings in the seat and body to permit the disc to be rotated between opened and closed positions. A ring which is restrained from movement with one of the disc and seat in a direction transverse to the stem portions substantially fills a groove in the other of the disc and seat which surrounds each stem portions so as to seal between the seat, disc and such stem portion.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for separating a hydrocarbon gas into fractions containing predominant portions of hydrogen, methane, and C.sub.2 and heavier components, where the methane and lighter components are separated from the feed gas under non-cryogenic conditions to produce a hydrogen-rich fraction, a first fraction rich in C.sub.2 and heavier components and a hydrocarbon-rich fraction, the hydrocarbon-rich fraction then being separated under cryogenic conditions into a second fraction rich in C.sub.2 and heavier components and a methane-rich fraction.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for use in lowering an object such as a well pipe through a guide tube suspended from the water surface and onto an upstanding subsea conduit beneath the lower end of the guide tube.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for use with a cabled video camera that transmits magnified images of an object or printed text on a work surface via a cable to a video monitor. The apparatus includes an elongated leg and an elongated arm connected at an angle to the leg for supporting the cable over the work surface, such as a desktop. Means, such as a clamp assembly, is provided for mounting the leg to the work surface in a vertically extending position for rotation about the leg's longitudinal axis to enable pivotal movement of the arm over the work surface. Means, preferably in the form of a pair of rotatable pulleys, is mounted to the arm for supporting the cable above the work surface and enabling the cable to move along the arm. In this manner, the cabled video camera may be positioned to scan objects or printed text on the work surface without cluttering the work surface with the cable.

Abstract: There are disclosed two embodiments of subsea wellhead apparatus each of which includes a subsea wellhead housing installed at the ocean floor, a casing hanger connectable to the to the upper end of a casing string and supported in the bore of the housing to suspend the casing string in the well bore, and a tubing hanger connectable to the upper end of a tubing string and also supported within the housing bore above the casing hanger for suspending the tubing string within the casing string. A primary valve and a secondary backup valve are installed in series for controlling a passageway in the tubing hanger, and during the completion process, with an additional passageway in a Christmas tree which is installed on the head above the tubing hanger.

Abstract: There is disclosed a hyperbaric chamber in which access may be had to the interior of a pressure vessel in which a patient is received through a door releasably locked to an open end of the vessel to close same.

Abstract: A transformerless ballast for a gaseous discharge lamp is disclosed. The ballast comprises: a rectifier; a filter for the rectifier output; a voltage divider for the filter output; an electronic gate modulating the filter output to power a lamp when the lamp is lit; a controller controlling the electronic gate responsive to variations in lamp impedance and to variations in the voltage divider output; an oscillator generating an output for predetermined period of time until after the lamp is lit; and an amplifier receiving and amplifying the oscillator output for powering the lamp when the lamp is unlit.

Abstract: A deep water riser assembly includes a lower BOP stack positioned adjacent and anchored to the bottom of the ocean and an upper BOP stack attached to the riser at a water level just far enough below the surface to be unaffected by surface currents. The upper BOP stack has shear rams above the pipe rams to sever the section of the drill pipe above the shear rams to allow the upper section of the drill pipe between the shear rams and the drill ship to be retrieved followed by the section of riser above the upper BOP stack to free the drill ship to move as required to better weather a surface storm. A floatation module is attached to the riser below the upper BOP stack and exerts an upward force that holds the riser below the upper BOP stack free-standing and in tension. Means are provided to reconnect the upper section of the riser to the upper BOP stack after the storm has passed.

Abstract: A rotary jar is described that is part of a drill string and includes a mandrel and an anvil that move longitudinally in opposite directions to deliver a sharp upward or downward blow that is transmitted to a fish, which may be a separate tool or a portion of the drill string that is stuck in the well bore in an effort to free the fish or the stuck portion of the drill pipe. The mandrel carries rollers that move through longitudinally extending grooves when the jars are tripped. In the jars of this invention, the grooves follow a serpentine path to cause the mandrel to transmit a torsional force on the fish to try to rotate the fish as well as providing an upward or downward blow.

Abstract: A filter system for a liquid, usually water, is disclosed. The system includes two filters, each having a housing and a filter medium located in the housing through which the liquid flows in one direction to be filtered. A pressure operated distributing valve alternates the flow of water from one to the other of the filters and pressure regulators and check valves or pressure regulators alone divert a portion of the filtered water to backwash the filter medium in the other filter.

Abstract: A lightweight blowout preventer having a low profile is disclosed. Each of the rams have a sealing ring to be positioned thereabout to seal leaks from occurring between its bonnet and the ram body, thereby permitting the use of only about four connecting bolts for each side of the bonnet to the body and torqued for ordinary holding. A hinge plate is provided to allow selection of the side of the body for two associated bonnets. The hinge plate also is a manifold for the passageways for the hydraulic fluid to the fluid hinges. The hinges each includes a telescopic balancing sub with only one side spring for applying balanced pressure with the applied closing or opening hydraulic fluid to the hinge regardless of whether opening or closing hydraulic pressure is applied. The hydraulic passageways in the bonnets are located between the guideway extensions and the outside surfaces of the bonnets. The hinge plate and the bonnets can be inverted so that they can be mounted on either of two sides of the body.

Abstract: A lightweight blowout preventer having a low profile is disclosed. Each of the rams have a sealing ring to be positioned thereabout to seal leaks from occurring between its bonnet and the ram body, thereby permitting the use of only about four connecting bolts for each side of the bonnet to the body and torqued for ordinary holding. A hinge plate is provided to allow selection of the side of the body for two associated bonnets. The hinge plate also is a manifold for the passageways for the hydraulic fluid to the fluid hinges. The hinges each includes a telescopic balancing sub with only one side spring for applying balanced pressure with the applied closing or opening hydraulic fluid to the hinge regardless of whether opening or closing hydraulic pressure is applied. The hydraulic passageways in the bonnets are located between the guideway extensions and the outside surfaces of the bonnets. The hinge plate and the bonnets can be inverted so that they can be mounted on either of two sides of the body.

Abstract: A lightweight blowout preventer having a low profile is disclosed. Each of the rams have a sealing ring to be positioned thereabout to seal leaks from occurring between its bonnet and the ram body, thereby permitting the use of only about four connecting bolts for each side of the bonnet to the body and torqued for ordinary holding. A hinge plate is provided to allow selection of the side of the body for two associated bonnets. The hinge plate also is a manifold for the passageways for the hydraulic fluid to the fluid hinges. The hinges each includes a telescopic balancing sub with only one side spring for applying balanced pressure with the applied closing or opening hydraulic fluid to the hinge regardless of whether opening or closing hydraulic pressure is applied. The hydraulic passageways in the bonnets are located between the guideway extensions and the outside surfaces of the bonnets. The hinge plate and the bonnets can be inverted so that they can be mounted on either of two sides of the body.

Abstract: A lightweight blowout preventer having a low profile is disclosed. Each of the rams have a sealing ring to be positioned thereabout to seal leaks from occurring between its bonnet and the ram body, thereby permitting the use of only about four connecting bolts for each side of the bonnet to the body and torqued for ordinary holding. A hinge plate is provided to allow selection of the side of the body for two associated bonnets. The hinge plate also is a manifold for the passageways for the hydraulic fluid to the fluid hinges. The hinges each includes a telescopic balancing sub with only one side spring for applying balanced pressure with the applied closing or opening hydraulic fluid to the hinge regardless of whether opening or closing hydraulic pressure is applied. The hydraulic passageways in the bonnets are located between the guideway extensions and the outside surfaces of the bonnets. The hinge plate and the bonnets can be inverted so that they can be mounted on either of two sides of the body.

Abstract: A soft nose, bonded lead core bullet for rifles and pistols and a method of making the bullets is disclosed. The bullets have a Jacket of copper based material with a solid base portion and an upper nose portion having a cavity in which the lead core is located and bonded to the walls of the cavity. The walls of the cavity decrease in width away from the base and curves inwardly to form an ogive shape. The jacket increases in hardness and strength from the upper end of the cylindrical wall to the base of the bullet. The cylindrical wall has an outer lip between 0.012 and 0.020 inches wide and the ratio of the lip thickness to the bottom cavity wall thickness is about 0.18-0.20 for rifle bullets and about 0.3-0.4 for pistol bullets.

Abstract: A lightweight blowout preventer having a low profile is disclosed. Each of the rams have a sealing ring to be positioned thereabout to seal leaks from occurring between its bonnet and the ram body, thereby permitting the use of only about four connecting bolts for each side of the bonnet to the body and torqued for ordinary holding. A hinge plate is provided to allow selection of the side of the body for two associated bonnets. The hinge plate also is a manifold for the passageways for the hydraulic fluid to the fluid hinges. The hinges each includes a telescopic balancing sub with only one side spring for applying balanced pressure with the applied closing or opening hydraulic fluid to the hinge regardless of whether opening or closing hydraulic pressure is applied. The hydraulic passageways in the bonnets are located between the guideway extensions and the outside surfaces of the bonnets. The hinge plate and the bonnets can be inverted so that they can be mounted on either of two sides of the body.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for minimizing the flow instability of molten plastics caused by slippage of the melt at the die wall during the extrusion process. The slippage, and therefore the flow instability, is minimized by removing the air from, or "degassing", the polymer prior to the extrusion process, preferably by subjecting the molten polymer to a vacuum for an extended time, typically 24 hours. Further, air is preferably prevented from being introduced into the molten polymer, the extrusion die or the extrusion process from the ambient conditions surrounding the extrusion process during the extrusion process by creating a vacuum over the polymer hopper, the feed region of the extrusion system, the exit portion of the die, the entire extrusion system or any combination thereof.

Abstract: The invention is to a roofing material and the method of making the roofing material. The roofing material is in the form of a standard material know as "felt" or "tarpaper" that has a plurality of nail tabs attached to the felt base material prior to coating the felt base with a water resistant material such as petroleum "tar". In a second embodiment, the nail tabs are attached to the felt during installation of the felt on a roof. The roofing material is attached to a roof with roofing nails that are driven through the tabs.