Abstract: An apparatus for reducing between-stage entanglement of fibrous materials around a rotating impeller drive shaft in a multi-stage vertical turbine pump includes a fluted sleeve on the rotating impeller drive shaft and a notched cutter ring fixed to a stationary inner wall of a lower pump stage for engaging with the fluted sleeve to comminute fibrous materials by shearing action between the notches and the flutes. If necessary, a discharge transition piece may be used to adapt the upper end of an upstream pump stage bowl to the lower end of a downstream bowl.

Abstract: An apparatus for a decoking system, for raising and lowering a cutting tool into a coking drum, has at least one rigid vertical member extending above the coking drum with a toothed rack extending substantially the full height of the member. A rigid frame with provisions for mounting a cutting tool is movably mounted to the rigid vertical member. A motor is mounted to the rigid frame and powers a pinion gear which is drivably engaged on the toothed rack such that rotation of the pinion gear raises or lowers the rigid frame on the vertical member.

Abstract: A product lubricated thrust bearing includes an annular bearing disc made from a hard bearing material such as silicon carbide and having a plurality of radial lubrication grooves in at least one of a front and rear face thereof to define a plurality of bearing segments. A polymeric layer is bonded to the rear face of the annular bearing disc, and provision is made for preventing the bearing disc from slipping relative to the bore of the bearing carrier in which the thrust bearing is mounted. The bearing disc may be cracked along the radial lubrication grooves to allow the bearing segments to axially float. A metal disc may also be bonded to the polymeric layer opposite the bearing disc to reinforce the polymeric layer and to facilitate prevention of slippage of the bearing disc.

Abstract: An open bowl for a vertical turbine pump, includes a bowl body having an inner wall and an outer wall, both walls being of substantially constant optimum thickness, surrounding a vertical axis and connected by diffuser vanes which define hydraulically optimized diffuser passages through the bowl body extending from a bottom end to a top end, the diffuser vanes being radially hollow and providing open paths through the inner and outer walls to a cavity surrounded by the inner wall; a flange at the top end of the outer wall for attachment of a discharge conduit for the pumped fluid; provision on the bottom end of the outer wall for attaching to a flange of a suction bell; further provision on an inner surface at the top of the inner wall for providing sealing engagement with an upper end of a separable substantially cylindrical bearing housing; and provision at the bottom end of the inner wall for attaching to a flange of the bearing housing.

Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing an encapsulated magnet carrier by forming a wax pattern of the magnet carrier with an annular conducting ring annular chamber section, placing the conducting ring over the wax pattern in the annular chamber section, and forming an investment casting shell mold around the wax pattern and conducting ring. The magnet carrier is then cast with the conductor ring in place by pouring molten casting material into the mold, solidifying the casting material, and then separating the cast magnet carrier with the cast in place conductor ring from the surrounding mold.

Abstract: A bearing housing in a bowl of a vertical turbine pump for a lower bearing of a rotatable pump shaft on which an impeller is mounted includes a separable hollow substantially cylindrical housing body with upper and lower ends, having a radial flange at its lower end adapted for sealing attachment to a bottom face of the bowl such that it is capable of installation in and removal from the bottom face of the bowl, the housing body also having an inside diameter greater than an outside diameter of the shaft to provide a clearance therebetween. A bearing is fixed within the lower end of the housing body for journaling the shaft therein, and provision is made for sealing between the upper end of the housing body and an internal axial bore in the bowl. A seal is also provided between the lower end of the housing body and the shaft for excluding pumped fluid from the clearance.

Abstract: A thrust bearing, for axially supporting a rotating member, includes a flat circular disk-shaped bearing body having a central axial bore and a plurality of axial cavities surrounding the central axial bore and a plurality of bearing elements releasably retained, one in each cavity, and axially projecting from the axial surface of the bearing body. The bearing elements are axially reversible and may be provided for rotationally handed or unhanded use.

Abstract: An interbowl coupler provides for field coupling an upper pump bowl assembly to a lower pump bowl assembly, each bowl assembly having impellers, a rotatable shaft, and a case, to provide a multistage vertical turbine pump for deep well applications. The coupler includes a split adaptor housing with two hollow mating semi-cylindrical halves, each half having provision for attachment to the other half to provide a liquid-tight assembly with circumferential flanges at its axial ends. A member is provided for drivably coupling the rotatable shaft of the lower pump bowl assembly to the rotatable shaft of the upper pump bowl assembly, and fasteners are provided for attaching the circumferential flanges to mating flanges on the cases of upper and lower pump bowl assemblies. This coupler permits vertical assembly of multiple bowl assemblies over a deep well.

Abstract: A centrifugal pump has a rotating shaft (1) with a centrifugal impeller (3) mounted on it. The shaft (1) and impeller (3) are mounted within a stationary casing (7) and a mechanical seal (8) is provided where the shaft (1) passes out through the casing (7). In order to cool rubbing, sealing faces (9, 11) of the seal, fluid is caused to flow along a path from a tip (6) of the impeller, through the casing (7), into a seal chamber (14), through a clearance (15) between a hub (2) of the impeller and the casing (7) and returning through a port (16) in the impeller. In order to act as a vent for and to clear debris from the seal chamber (14), the clearance is located radially outwardly of and remote from the shaft (1). Especially those parts which are moving and are subject to wear can be replaceable.

Abstract: A magnet carrier includes a single piece integrally cast cage with a cast in place ferrous conducting ring circumferentially extending about a carrier axis where the cast cage has a generally U shape. The magnet carrier includes an annular axially extending base wall, an annular aft wall, or annular forward and aft end walls extending radially from the base wall, a conducting ring annular chamber that is bound by the base wall and the end walls, and a plurality of circumferentially located compartments that are bound by the annular chamber and the end walls. The ferrous conducting ring is disposed in the chamber within the cage was cast around the ring. Magnet means are disposed in each of the compartments and an annular sheathing is positioned over the compartments and bonded to the carrier such that the chamber and the compartments are hermetically sealed.

Abstract: A decoking tool includes a valve body equipped with a pressurized fluid inlet and having a plurality of fluid passages, including drilling fluid passages extending substantially the full length of the valve body to conduct fluid to drilling nozzle sockets, and cutting fluid passages extending approximately half as far as the drilling fluid passages to conduct fluid to cutting nozzle sockets, the drilling and cutting fluid passages being disposed alternatingly on a circular locus about an axial centerline of the valve body. There are nozzles installed in the nozzle sockets. A diverter plate is interposed between the valve body and the pressurized fluid inlet and has axial fluid passages disposed on a circular path congruent with the circular locus, the disposition of the axial fluid passages being such that the passages align either with the drilling fluid passages or with the cutting fluid passages of the valve body.

Abstract: A coupling for transferring power from a drive shaft to a driven shaft includes a first coupling member, having a substantially cylindrical body, with a cylindrical bore at a first end, longitudinal key arrangement within the bore for being rotatably driven by a keyed motor drive shaft, and a solid cylindrical portion at a second end having a distal face with an alternating plurality of longitudinally projecting drive lugs and longitudinally recessed pockets; and a second coupling member for installation on a driven shaft having a substantially cylindrical body with a first proximal face, providing a non-cylindrical socket means for receiving and for drivably engaging the driven shaft, and a second distal face with an alternating plurality of longitudinally recessed pockets and longitudinally projecting drive lugs, the longitudinally projecting drive lugs of the first coupling member fitting into the longitudinally recessed pockets of the second coupling member, and vice versa, to complete the coupling.

Abstract: A system for lubricating bearings on a vertical rotatable shaft within a bearing housing, is comprised of an annular lower lubricant sump at a lower portion of the bearing housing; an annular upper lubricant reservoir at an upper portion of the bearing housing; and a conduit providing fluid communication between the lower lubricant sump and the upper lubricant reservoir. Provision is made for metering a flow of lubricant from the upper lubricant reservoir into upper bearings. The lubricant is pumped from the lower lubricant sump, through the conduit, to the upper lubricant reservoir at a rate exceeding the rate of metered flow into the upper bearings. A constant head of lubricant above the metering orifice is provided in the upper lubricant reservoir, as well as an outlet for shunting excess lubricant back to the lower lubricant sump.

Abstract: A material dispensing system for agricultural pesticides and chemicals. The system uses distributed processing with a main controller and a plurality of sub-controllers to control pesticide metering devices. The metering devices are attached to a pesticide container.

Abstract: A transfer valve for permitting fluent particulate materials to flow from a closed transport container, having a bottom wall with an outlet aperture, into a closed base container having a top wall with a sealed inlet aperture adapted for sealed engagement with the bottom wall of the transport container; the transfer valve permitting operation without exposure of an operator to contact with the fluent particulate materials, comprises a transfer valve member having provisions for occluding the outlet aperture of the transport container; a further provision for latching and disabling the transfer valve member in a closed position; and another provision on the sealed base container, for enabling the disabled transfer valve member when the base container is in sealed engagement with the transport container. The base container is also equipped for dispensing particulate material from the base container at a controlled rate.

Abstract: A bearing retainer system includes a hollow cylindrical bearing casing having a casing bore with a first axis for holding a bearing sleeve; an annular outer element rotationally secured to the casing, disposed within the casing bore, and having a circumferential first periphery circumscribed about a second axis which substantially coincides with the first axis; a bearing sleeve mounted in the casing bore and having a cylindrical sleeve periphery circumscribed about a third axis which substantially coincides with the first axis; and an eccentric cylindrical locking apparatus for locking the bearing sleeve to the outer element. The locking apparatus includes cylindrical male and female eccentric annular elements that are eccentric annular in shape and axially disposed at opposite ends of an annular outer element. The male element has an eccentric cylindrical male outer surface which mates with an eccentric cylindrical female inner surface.

Abstract: A percolator system for providing fluid flow to bearings and seals supporting a shaft, on which is mounted an impeller having pumping vanes, disposed within a housing of a centrifugal pump, during intermittent dry running periods, the pump having a vertical upwardly directed discharge nozzle, includes a chamber having a lower end attached to the discharge nozzle and an upper end attached to a discharge pipe, the chamber having an inside diameter greater than an outside diameter of the discharge nozzle, and the chamber further having an internal percolator pipe at least equal in diameter to the discharge nozzle and extending from the nozzle to a height less than the height of the chamber such that fluid coming from the nozzle overflows into the chamber. A fluid return port near the lower end of the chamber has one end of a return tube attached.

Abstract: A system for transporting and dispensing fluent materials consists of a shipping container disposed with a supply of fluent material, and having a bottom wall with an outlet aperture, the outlet aperture being occluded by a normally disabled transfer valve; a base container adapted for sealed attachment to the bottom wall of the shipping container, the base container having a top wall equipped with a means for enabling the normally disabled transfer valve, when the base container is properly attached to the shipping container, and a bottom wall which tapers downwardly to an opening with a valve for dispensing particulate material at a controlled rate when the valve is opened. A remotely operable metering valve is also disclosed as a substitute for the valve in the base container opening.

Abstract: A material dispensing system for agricultural pesticides and chemicals. The system uses distributed processing with a main controller and a plurality of sub-controllers to control pesticide metering devices. The metering devices are attached to a pesticide container.

Abstract: A fluid impeller for a centrifugal pump includes a hub having a substantially disk-like form with a center and an edge, circular symmetry, and provision for being rotatably driven. A first plurality of pumping vanes projects substantially perpendicularly from a first surface of the hub and extends radially outwardly from a locus near the center of the hub to another locus near the edge of the hub. These vanes provide a high pressure head with a small impeller diameter. A second plurality of separate and twisted inlet vanes also projects substantially perpendicularly from the first surface of the hub and extends radially outwardly to the locus near the center of the hub from another locus nearer the center of the hub. The separate second plurality of vanes, by turning and pre-pressurizing the fluid, provides an impeller having capability of cavitation-free pumping at low net positive suction head (NPSH). A front shroud can be used which partially or totally covers the first and/or second plurality of vanes.