Abstract: An apparatus for spreading a liquid over a surface, such as sealant over a pavement, is provided. The apparatus is mounted on a trailer and is comprised of a storage bin for containing the liquid to be spread, a drainage trough, and spreading brushes. Liquid is mixed in the storage bin and then transferred to the drainage trough where it is then dispersed onto the surface for spreading as the apparatus is towed along. The width of the path of dispersed liquid laid down by the drainage trough can be adjusted if necessary for sidewalks or other narrower surfaces. The brushes spread the liquid evenly over the surface. The drainage trough and brushes are hingedly connected to the storage bin and are pivotable between positions of operation and transport.

Abstract: A lawn mower includes a blade support with a recess formed in the bottom side thereof and an outlet portion. A blade is mounted rotatably within the recess. A grass collecting unit has an inlet portion communicated with the outlet portion of the recess so as to collect grass that was cut from a lawn with the use of the blade. Several ventilation holes are formed through a wall of the grass collecting unit so as to reduce air pressure inside the grass collecting unit. The grass collecting unit has a positioning hole formed through the top wall thereof. A grass indicating unit includes a body member disposed in the positioning hole and capable of being pushed upward relative to the top wall of the grass collecting unit by virtue of air pressure inside the grass collecting unit, and a positioning assembly mounted securely on the body member so as to prevent removal of the body member from the top wall of the grass collecting unit.

Abstract: A formation fluid sampler adapted to be disposed in a wellbore includes a full bore and an outer housing. The outer housing includes an annular sample chamber having a first port disposed on one side of the chamber and a second port disposed on the other side of the chamber. The annular sample chamber further includes a fluid sample parameter transducer adapted for measuring a parameter of the fluid sample trapped in the annular sample chamber, and an EPROM memory for instantly storing the parameter measured by the transducer when the sample was initially taken by the sampler. The sampler also includes a piston disposed within the outer housing and adapted to move axially in the sampler in response to an annulus pressure around the sampler.

Abstract: A hydraulic release mechanism for retrieving a stock downhole tool from a well casing having an elongated, cylindrical jack body, a piston carried in a bore in the jack body and a latching portion carried co-axially by the jack body for connecting with the stock tool. The piston is movable within the jack body under the influence of fluid pressure from a first position to a second position. The movement of the piston to a position intermediate its first and second positions causes an anchor slip member to ramp over a wedge member and expand radially outward against the well casing to restrain further longitudinal movement of the piston in the casing. A shearable element prevents relative motion between the anchor slip member and the jack body until the anchor slip member is moved radially outward against the well casing.

Abstract: An irrigation control system is disclosed for controlling the irrigation of horticultural plants or crops grown in containers. The system includes a beam assembly for supporting the plant media system and a load cell for providing an electrical output signal proportional to the load applied to the beam assembly by the plant media system. The load cell is interfaced with a microcomputer which executes a control program of the present invention. The control program reads the signal from the load cell at selected intervals and signals for an irrigation event if the current weight of the plant media system is less than a predetermined base weight. A new predetermined base weight is calculated and reset after each irrigation event.

Abstract: A weed remover for removing weeds and preventing the growth of new weeds on the bed of a body of water. The weed remover comprises a housing a motor, a drive chain, and a roller having a plurality of fins attached thereto. The motor drives the drive chain which in turn rotates the roller. When the roller is rotated, the fins dig into the bed of the body of water, causing the roller to roll along the bed. The housing is attached to a dock such that it can rotate about a generally vertical axis, permitting the roller to roll in an arc. The direction of rotation of the roller can be reversed such that the roller reciprocates over substantially the same path.

Abstract: A well tubing includes an insert nipple for receiving a hold-down projection of an insert pump. The tubing includes a tubing collar threadingly interconnecting the upper end of the insert nipple with the next upper tubing section. The tubing collar includes a tapered inner bore which becomes progressively larger in cross-section in the upward direction to provide, around the outside of the hold-down projection, a space of gradually enlarged volume for receiving debris as the insert pump is lifted from the well tubing, thereby preventing the pump from becoming stuck.

Abstract: An improved rigid face seal that minimizes pressure fluctuations in the lubricant in the vicinity of the seal assembly. The assembly has a first ring with a radial seal face that opposes and engages an opposed radial seal face of a second rigid ring. A first resilient energizer ring is compressed between opposed, generally conical surfaces, one on the first rigid seal ring and the other in a shaft seal groove. The mid-section of the first energizer ring is positioned relative to the journal bearing surface such that its inner periphery is inside the journal bearing surface and thereby defines an essentially constant, lubricant-filled volume between the seal assembly and the shaft seal groove--even as the cutter and seal assembly move relative to the shaft during drilling. A second energizer ring is provided to maintain sealing engagement between the radial seal faces of the first rigid ring and the second rigid ring.

Abstract: A highway safety traffic barrier comprises a plurality of strips cut from the treads of discarded motor vehicle tires and straightened to define substantially elongated members which are then assembled upon each other linearly, transversely or a combination of both. The assembled strips are bonded together to define an elongated impact absorbing structure having a predetermined cross-sectional shape. A process is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a protective shroud or cover for young trees or shrubberies. The shroud envelopes the tree via a zipper fastener and firmly secures itself thereon by means of two drawstrings and a fastening strip. The shroud consists of an essentially oval-shaped, protective fabric portion, a zipper fastener disposed on opposing side edges of the fabric portion, two drawstrings, and a lower fastening strip which can be constructed from Velcro.

Abstract: An improved shearing blowout preventer having improved shearing rams for shearing a tubing string extending through the bore of the preventer body. The shear rams include a shear ram having an upper shear blade and a ram having a lower shear blade. The upper shear blade includes a flat surface under the blade with a recess therein for a sealing element and a pair of surfaces spaced apart and below the flat surface under the blade and a tapered conical recess in the rear end of the blade to receive the fish that is sheared and to control the shape of the upper end of the sheared fish. The ram with the lower shear blade includes a tapered conical surface in the center portion of the blade and extending below the cutting edge of the blade. This recess coacts with the recess below the upper shear blade to shape the cut fish so that it does not flatten and to maintain a substantial opening in its upper end without exceeding maximum dimension.

Abstract: Cleaner teeth or bars are used in many applications to remove debris from a compacting wheel that is wedged between respective rows of compacting tips. It is advantageous to have a cleaner tooth that is simple in construction and effective to remove the debris with the least amount of effort. In the subject arrangement, a cleaner tooth is provided having an arcuate upper surface that, in use, is located immediately adjacent an outer peripheral surface of a compacting wheel and has a trailing lower surface that intersects the arcuate outer surface at a forward end portion thereof. The forward end portion is effective to remove the debris with minimal effort. A fastening portion provides a structure which allows ease of assembly and disassembly of the cleaner tooth to a compacting machine.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for running in a tubing string through a high angle or horizontal wellbore without damage to equipment on the tubing string. Centralizers are mounted on the tubing string at spaced intervals on either side of the equipment. The centralizers include spherical rollers which contact the wellbore casing and which are mounted so as to have little or no radially inward movement.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for use in determining drilling conditions in a borehole in the earth having a drill string, a drill bit connected to an end of the drill string, sensors positioned in a cross-section of the drill string axially spaced from the drill bit, and a processor interactive with the sensors so as to produce a humanly perceivable indication of a rotating and whirling motion of the drill string. The sensors serve to carry out kinematic measurements and force resultant measurements of the drill string. The sensors are a plurality of accelerometers positioned at the cross-section. The sensors can also includes a plurality of orthogonally-oriented triplets of magnetometers. A second group of sensors is positioned in spaced relationship to the first group of sensors along the drill string. The second group of sensors is interactive with the first group of sensors so as to infer a tilting of an axis of the drill string.

Abstract: A float operated, top fill, recovery unit floats in a body of contaminated groundwater to recover a layer of liquid hydrocarbons residing on top of the groundwater. The recovery unit has an upper end fitted with a discharge check valve assembly and a lower end that is closed, the discharge valve assembly including a semi-permeable screen which is positioned in and skims the liquid hydrocarbons, and a series of passages and check valves for directing the hydrocarbons via a return line to a holding tank. In an embodiment disclosed, the lower end of the unit is formed in part by an inlet check valve arrangement which has had its check ball removed such that the arrangement does not operate to inhibit flow, and a closure plate is secured to the inlet valve arrangement to prevent external fluid from entering the unit.

Abstract: A plant watering trellis includes a plurality of vertical support posts with a plurality of bottom frame members connected to the support posts. The bottom frame members are configured for carrying liquid therein, with at least one of the bottom frame members including a plurality of orifices for distributing the liquid along the length of the bottom frame member. A first coupler is in fluid communication with one of the bottom frame members and couples the trellis to a fluid source. A plurality of upper frame members is connected to an upper end of the support posts. A plant support extends between the top and bottom frame members. A second coupler allows for the interlinking of adjacent plant watering trellises.

Abstract: Apparatus for cutting and mulching lawns includes a shallow substantially cylindrical housing having an open bottom and adapted, in use, to have its axis perpendicular to a lawn to be cut; a blade, mounted within the housing to rotate about an axis co-axial with that of the housing, the blade extending radially from the axis and rotating in a plane near the bottom of the housing; a grass exit chute communicating with the inside of the housing; a source of rotational power in the form of an electric motor for rotating the blade; means for changing the direction of rotation of the blade; and means for allowing cut grass within the housing to pass out of the housing into the chute when the blade is rotating in a first direction and to prevent cut grass in the housing from entering the chute when the blade is rotating in a second direction.

Abstract: A rake having a plurality of rows of spaced rake tines and a pair of weighted rollers disposed in an operational relationship between the rows of tines. The apparatus includes a substantially rectangular frame having rows of rake tines extending across a front end, a rear end, and medial portion for grating a ground surface. Weighted rollers are positioned between the rows and a handle is pivotally connected to the frame to facilitate an operation of the rake by a standing user. The apparatus is particularly suited for grating and leveling sand such as that found on a golf course.

Abstract: A float operated pneumatic pump has an outer pump body forming an outer chamber and a dip tube forming an inner chamber therein. The inner chamber of the dip tube is in communication with the outer chamber of the pump body through a back flow discharge check valve. An inlet is located at a first end of the outer pump body for permitting liquids to enter both the inner and outer chambers. A discharge housing is located at a second end of the tubes and contains a liquid discharge port in communication with the second end of the dip tube. An air inlet port is located in the discharge housing for permitting pressurized air to enter the second end of the outer pump body. An air exhaust port is provided for permitting air in the outlet chamber to escape to atmosphere when fluid is entering the inner and outer chambers. A float is disposed on the outside of the dip tube within the outer chamber of the pump body. The float provides buoyancy to actuate the pump and provides weight to de-activate the pump.

Abstract: A rod guide in the form of a substantially cylindrical body molded in intimate contact with a sucker rod includes at least three blades or fins projecting from the body to define a smoothly continuous concave surface of the body. The ends of the blades form knife blades to reduce resistance to fluid flow about and through the rod guide and to reduce turbulent flow behind each blade. The disclosed structure offers increased strength against bending moment subjected to the rod guide, thereby increasing resistance to bending fracture and tensile elongation. This structure also increases erodable volume of rod guide material while maintaining flow about and through the rod guide.