Abstract: A water conditioner includes a tank, and an apparatus for backflushing a bed of particulate material in the tank, which includes a tubular casing, a vertical tube in the casing, a cap on the top end of the casing, suitable valves for causing the flow of particulate material upwardly between the casing and tube, and then through a gap between the casing and cap during a backflush operation, and distributor device including a flexible, collapsible, umbrella-shaped body which is mounted on the casing immediately below the cap, and springs for biasing the body to the open position. Inlet tubes extend outwardly from the bottom of the casing approximately the same distance as the distributor for ensuring even distribution of liquid at the bottom of the bed.

Abstract: There is a need for a device for driving plastic casing into a water well, or for removing such casing from the well without damaging the casing. This need is met by a casing drive apparatus which includes a shoe for attachment to the bottom end of a plastic well casing, an annular groove defining a pair of shoulders in the sleeve, a drive sub for insertion into the sleeve, a plurality of dogs pivotally mounted in the drive sub for engaging the shoulders, and helical springs for biasing the dogs outwardly into engagement with the shoulders, whereby, when the sub is slid into the sleeve and the dogs engage the shoulders, vertical force exerted on the sub results in movement of the dogs against the shoulders to effect vertical movement of the sleeve and consequently of the well casing.

Abstract: In general, clean cold water can be made available in a household by means of either an expensive refrigerator with a cold water dispenser or a separate cooler and bulky, replaceable water bottles. A simple solution to the problem involves a carbon filter and cooling reservoir combination for mounting in a refrigerator, a pipe system containing a faucet for dispensing cold water and returning water to the filter, and a pump/timer combination for periodically recycling the water in the pipe system through the filter, whereby cold water is always virtually instantaneously available at the faucet.

Abstract: A device for backwashing a particulate mineral bed in a water conditioner includes a tubular casing; a tube co-axial with and extending through the casing beyond the ends thereof; a cap slidable on the tube for movement between a closed position on the open top end of the casing and an open position spaced apart from the top end of the casing; a spring biasing the cap to the closed position; an opening in the tube for discharging water into the cap to cause the latter to move away from the casing to the open position; a first valve including a valve body closing the bottom end of the casing; a first passage in the valve body in fluid communication with the bottom end of the tube, the first passage being normally open to the flow of water upwardly from the bed of particulate material into the tube; a ball in the body for closing the first passage when the flow of water is reversed in the tube; a second passage in the top of the body communicating with the first passage; a second valve normally closing the seco

Abstract: A water distillation apparatus includes a cylindrical housing with a first cover thereon, a pair of spaced apart funnel-shaped partitions, a second cover on the uppermost partition and a skirt extending downwardly from the periphery of the cover and the uppermost partition to a location above the bottom of the housing, the partitions and skirt dividing the interior of the housing into an inlet reservoir chamber for cold water above the first partition, a lower boiling chamber beneath the second partition and an inclined condensation passage between the partitions. Cold water is introduced through a pipe and solenoid valve into the bottom of the reservoir chamber for overflow through an opening in the second cover into the boiling chamber. A heater in the boiling chamber heats the water to produce steam which rises, passing into the condensation passage and flowing downwardly to a central drain for discharge into a distilled water reservoir beneath the housing.