Abstract: A test apparatus for leak-testing waterproof footwear comprises a support post (40) and an inflatable collar (2, 43) slideably mounted thereon. A foot (48) is attached to the lower end of the post for abutting the inside sole of the footwear and spacing the collar the correct distance therefrom to seal the entrance to the footwear. The collar is inflated to seal the interior of the footwear, which is then pressurized with air. Any air leaks are detected by immersion in water and observation of bubbles, or by using a sonic probe. Almost complete footwear items can be tested, usually before application of the outer sole.

Abstract: Volume of a working liquid in a sensing chamber is measured via a first mechanical resonance frequency. A second resonance may be measured to discriminate interacting volume and density effects, yielding corrected volume, density, and liquid mass. A probability of bubbles present in the liquid is indicated by an abnormal combination of first and second resonances. Determination of a frequency and an associated phase angle near a resonance may be used to discriminate interacting volume and viscosity effects, yielding corrected volume and viscosity. One boundary of the sensing chamber is a deformable plate, which may be rippled to increase the range of linear volumetric compliance. A second boundary paralleling the plate captures a thin variable-thickness fluid layer. Vibrations in the plate cause amplified fluid vibrations parallel to the plate surface, causing a high, thickness-sensitive fluid inertia that lowers plate resonance frequencies in a volume-sensitive manner.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing the seal between a container and a flexible lid by measuring the lid's deflection. In the disclosed embodiment, an actuator impacts the lid and activates an alarm if the lid is not securely attached to the container.

Abstract: A pressure decay leak detection system is calibrated for a particular piping system using a leak mechanism with a known leak rate attached to the piping system. Pressure decay in the piping system is monitored while the system is leaking, pressure versus time data defining an acceptable pressure decay profile is stored. In one embodiment, this data is scaled to obtain a profile applicable to different leak rates. The detection system performs a test by sensing decaying pressure in the piping system, determining a slope of measured pressure decay versus time for an increment of pressure decay, comparing a slope of the observed pressure decay with a slope of the acceptable pressure decay profile, and providing a failure indication if the slope of the observed pressure decay exceeds the slope of the acceptable pressure decay profile.

Abstract: A system and process for analyzing a liquid sample is disclosed which includes an ultrasonic nebulizer capable of vibrating at a frequency between about 50 Khz and 760 Khz for converting the liquid sample to a liquid aerosol. The liquid aerosol is heated at a pressure of at least atmospheric pressure to evaporate solvent in the aerosol and to form a solid aerosol. The solid aerosol is separated from the evaporate solvent and the solid aerosol is directed into an electron impact ionizer and a mass spectrometer where it is analyzed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the chemical logging of a liquid and to an installation for performing the process. An object of the invention is to develop a process which makes it possible to carry out precise cartographies of chemical elements present in a liquid. This object is achieved with the aid of a process which includes performing a continuous sampling or removal of the liquid to be analyzed by way of a pipe moved progressively in the interior of the liquid. The pipe is provided with a pump which makes it possible to return the liquid to the surface, perform analyses on the samples and calculate for each analysis result the depth at which the sampling operation was carried out. The invention is more particularly used in boreholes, wells or oceanography.

Abstract: A modular sonde may be configured in various ways for measurements in open or cased boreholes. The sonde is conveyed on an electric wireline with or without a coiled tubing for conveying hydraulic energy from the surface. Modules common to the configurations include telemetry electronics, orientation, hydraulic energy accumulator, fluid chambers, hydraulic power, pumpout, and flow control. Each configuration has a stress/rheology module suited to the borehole situation. An open-hole sonde configuration has a stress/rheology module with an instrumented, inflatable packer module, an orienting module, and a probe module. A second open-hole sonde configuration has a stress/rheology module with an instrumented straddle-packer assembly. A cased-hole sonde configuration has a gunblock assembly, a gunblock orienting module hydraulics for formation pretest and hydraulics for stressing the formation to obtain data related to formation stress characteristics.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring formation characteristics as a function of angular distance segments about the borehole is disclosed. The measurement apparatus includes a logging while drilling tool which turns in the borehole while drilling. Such characteristics as bulk density, photoelectric effect (PEF), neutron porosity and ultrasonic standoff are all measured as a function of such angular distance segments where one of such segments is defined to include that portion of a "down" or earth's gravity vector which is in a radial cross sectional plane of the tool. The measurement is accomplished with either a generally cylindrical tool which generally touches a down or bottom portion of the borehole while the tool rotates in an inclined borehole or with a tool centered by stabilizer blades in the borehole.

Abstract: A method for measuring the permeability of a gas through a material, wherein the steps include exposing the material to the gas to be measured and measuring the outgassing characteristics of the material over increments of time, to develop exponential expressions representative of the measured amounts, and solving the exponential expressions for the diffusion coefficient D and the solubility coefficient S; and then calculating the permeability of the material by forming the product of the diffusion coefficient D and the solubility coefficient S.

Abstract: The quantity of gases dissolved in liquids is determined by introducing a quid sample into a hollow cylinder with a plunger, retracting the plunger to create a void space into which gases originally dissolved in the liquid sample diffuse, compressing the gases into a reduced volume, measuring the absolute pressure of the gases, and calculating the amount of gases originally dissolved in the liquid from the absolute pressure, the temperature, the vapor pressure of the liquid at the prevailing temperature, the volumes of liquid and the final volume of the gas, by using the ideal gas law.

Abstract: In an arrangement for determining leaks in a tank venting system of a motor vehicle which includes a fuel tank, an adsorption filter in communication with the fuel tank, a venting pipe, a regeneration pipe connecting the adsorption filter to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, the venting pipe extends to an area adjacent the filler neck of the fuel tank and a test apparatus is provided with a test pipe having a seal sleeve for placement over the tank filler neck and the end of the venting pipe for applying pressure to the tank venting system by means of pumps disposed in the test apparatus and the test apparatus further includes a pressure sensor for determining the pressure in the tank venting system and a control device for controlling application of pressure to the venting system and for the evaluation of the pressure values determined by the pressure sensor for indicating a leak in the venting system.

Abstract: The present invention is a differential pressure fluid density instrument comprising a housing having a plurality of ports positioned at spaced-apart locations along the housing, a differential pressure transducer, and a valve adapted to selectively connect the transducer across two predetermined one of the plurality of ports. The valve may comprise a three-way solenoid actuated valve. Fluid expansion wells are each connected at one end to a port and prevent wellbore fluids from reaching the differential pressure transducer. The housing includes an inner chamber filled with liquid which may be silicon oil. The chamber includes a standpipe which extends from near the bottom of the chamber, where it is in communication with a lower port, to the top of the chamber. Communication between the chamber and wellbore through the standpipe enables the housing and components disposed within the chamber to be constructed without the need to withstand high differential pressures.

Abstract: The invention relates to instruments for precision measurements at different pressures and temperatures of the physical properties of fluids such as isothermal and adiabatic compressibility, density, coefficient of thermal expansion, velocity and absorption of ultrasound; for determining on their base the heat capacities, other thermophysical and thermodynamic properties, functions and potentials. The apparatus comprise a casing (1), made as a pressure vessel with a measuring chamber, a piston (8), a unit (14) for excitation and reception of signals, recording and processing of data, an oscillation transducer (5) installed in the chamber and forming two measuring intercommunicating cells with a constant (6) and a variable (7) path respectively. A piston insert (17) may be installed with a slide fit between the piston and the oscillation transducer. The apparatus ensures a higher accuracy and resolving power of measurements of physical properties of fluids under various pressures, volumes and temperatures.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for measuring the percentages of oil and water present in an oil/water mixture. By measuring the energy absorption properties of the oil/water mixture, the percentages of oil and water present in the oil/water mixture can be determined regardless of whether the oil or the water is in the continuous phase and regardless of what the relative proportions of water and oil are. Measuring the energy absorption properties of the oil/water mixture yields a current output which can be plotted on one of two distinct, empirically or theoretically derived data curves. One of the data curves represents oil being in the continuous phase and the other data curve represents water being in the continuous phase. A comparator is used to determine whether the oil or the water is in the continuous phase to thereby select the proper data curve on which the energy absorption is plotted.

Abstract: The relative amount of liquid and vapor flowing in a pipe is measured by mixing the vapor and liquid into a gaseous like single phase mixture and passing the mixture through a venturi constriction to accelerate it. The pressure drop across the venturi is measured as an indication of the velocity change which varies with the density of the mixture. Mixtures with more liquid generate more pressure drop. The average velocity of the pipe contents is also monitored to eliminate pressure drop changes that result from average velocity changes rather than density changes.

Abstract: A package containing a tracer gas, and a method for determining the presence of a hole in the package by sensing the presence of the gas outside the package. The preferred tracer gas, especially for food packaging, is sulfur hexafluoride. A quantity of the gas is added to the package and the package is closed. The concentration of the gas in the atmosphere outside the package is measured and compared to a predetermined value of the concentration of the gas in the absence of the package. A measured concentration greater than the predetermined value indicates the presence of a hole in the package. Measuring may be done in a chamber having a lower pressure than that in the package.

Abstract: A method for determining the minimum length for a fracture in a fluid-producing formation to control the production of sand therefrom wherein a plurality of critical drawdown pressures are calculated from known formation data which correspond to a plurality of different, estimated respective fracture lengths. Once the critical drawdown pressures for the reservoir are correlated with their corresponding fracture lengths, a critical drawdown curve for that particular reservoir is established. Additional sets of curves are generated from known data which when overlaid with the critical drawdown pressure curve allows a minimum length of fracture to be selected which will produce the formation at a given rate at a prescribed drawdown pressure without producing any substantial amounts of sand from the formation.

Abstract: A sump-riser performing as a collection sump, as a riser for the corresponding tank and as a means for secondary containment for the tank's submersible pump, manway, and fittings. The sump-riser comprises a generally cylindrical sump base with an upright annular lip extending upwardly from an upper support surface; an extension riser including a lower annular riser lip which fits over and round the lip of the sump base; a cover for the extension riser; and an access or observation lid. The riser extension is detachable or removable from the sump base and may be inverted and inserted into the sump base for compact shipping. Score lines may be provided on the riser extension to serve as cutting guides for proper sizing and the sump base may be multi-sided to provide flat walls for accurate hole drilling for pipe and conduit entry.

Abstract: A diffusion test apparatus (2), used to test diffusion of a drug within a vehicle through a test membrane (8), includes a receiver assembly (6) and a donor assembly (4) secured to one another. The receiver assembly includes a number of open-top receiver receptacles (26) arranged in a chosen pattern along its face (12). Similarly, the donor assembly includes a number of open-top donor receptacles (38) arranged along its face (10) in a mirror image of the chosen pattern. The test membrane is captured between the receiver and donor faces. The drug diffuses through the test membrane and into the receiver liquid (53) during an incubation period (62). Samples (66) of the receiver liquid are preferably automatically transferred to a conventional microtiter plate (70) using a programmed liquid transfer system for assay by a scintillation counter (76).

Abstract: A sulfuric acid concentration sensor for a lead storage battery comprising a quartz resonator changing its characteristic frequency in a manner of single-valued function according to the change of sulfuric acid concentration and an oscillation circuit (20) oscillating the quartz resonator, the quartz resonator is immersed in an electrolyte (6) so as to be oscillated, and a characteristic frequency of the quartz resonator at this moment is obtained so as to determine the sulfuric acid concentration. The sensor of this invention is compact in its size, simple in its structure and cheap in its cost, so that it can be applied to a lead storage battery for automobile.