Abstract: A device for cultivating and harvesting growths (2,41) is disclosed where the growths (2,41) are cultivated in sectioned and/or flexible channels (1) which, when harvesting the growths (2,41) are led, by using a vehicle (4), past working stations (6) associated with the vehicle (4), where channels (1) are conveyed and elevated from the ground and relowered approximately to their starting position in conveying devices (3) running along the vehicle (4). The system is especially suited for harvesting strawberries.

Abstract: Soil sampling apparatus for forming and containing a core sample of a predetermined depth of soil into which the soil sampling apparatus is driven. A pair of cooperable, core-defining core tube members are carried on a guide rod and are individually and sequentially driven into the soil to be sampled. The core tube members include angularly positioned panels for increased torsional rigidity, and the apparatus includes a cam and follower arrangement for permitting automatic circumferential orientation of one core tube member relative to the other core tube member before interengagement of the core tube members to define a complete core tube. The core tube members are each pointed at their lower ends to more easily penetrate the soil, and one core tube member includes a pivotable soil sample gate to retain the soil sample within the core tube as the core tube is withdrawn from the soil.

Abstract: A method for fracturing formations near a shallow horizontal well notches a wellbore at orientations such that later applied hydraulic pressure generates fractures only in preferred directions.

Abstract: A free pumping apparatus safety valve system for use in producing a formation fluid source that mounts to the bottom end of a tubing within the well bore fluid communication conduit of a producing well. The free pumping apparatus has two main parts, the pump housing and the pump body. A longitudinal passageway in the pump housing slidably and operatively receives the pump body. The size and construction of the pump body facilitates placement of the pump body into an upper end of an installed tubing and sliding conveyance of the pump body through the tubing and into the pump housing longitudinal passageway. Within the longitudinal passageway proximal the lower end of the passageway, a valve plate selectively mates with a valve seat to seal a valve opening. The valve plate is biased to a closed position by a torsional spring. When the pump body is in a fully-inserted position within the pump housing, a plunger attached to the lower end of the pump body actuates the valve plate to an opened position.

Abstract: An integrated oilfield tubing string is provided with two continuous fluid-isolated interior passageways extending longitudinally therethrough, wherein the first interior passageway serves as a production or injection tube and the smaller second interior passageway serves as a service line. The second passageway has a crescentic cross section and is formed by affixing the longitudinal edges of an elongated arcuate band to the inside or outside of the tube while maintaining a space between the band and the tube wall. The internally and externally exposed surfaces of the tube and band define relatively smooth convex outside and concave inside surfaces of the integrated tubing string. The present invention further provides a method of constructing the integrated tubing string.

Abstract: A flexible main shaker pad with an inexpensive and environmentally safe filler. The pad to be used in opposing pairs, one pad placed on each opposite side of a tree trunk or branch and supported by shaker arms of a tree trunk shaking harvester. The pad is constructed of flexible rubbery material, and is a thin-walled hollow pad having a large sealed interior chamber substantially full of fluid. The pad is preferably elongated to span the diameter of a tree trunk. The chamber is accessible through a removable plug in an end wall of the pad. The fluid within the chamber is preferably substantially water. The water filler is highly fluid, and non-compressible, and these characteristics aid in providing a pad which is flexible and conformable about a tree trunk, and which is not subject to excessive crushing and deformation under normal clamping pressures associated with tree shaking to dislodge fruit.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for severing multiple concentric casing strings in an abandoned oil or gas well allowing the upper portion of the casing strings to be removed comprising positioning a container holding a sealed cylinder full of air at atmospheric pressure that is surrounded by a high velocity explosive in the casing at the location of the desired cut. Igniting the explosive at one end of the container so that the mixture detonates producing a shock wave and gas bubbles that travel downwardly progressively, collapsing the sealed cylinder and increasing the pressure of the air in the cylinder until the cylinder fails whereby pressurized air forced from the cylinder causes the shock wave and gas bubbles from the TNT, RDX, and aluminum mixture to move laterally and sever the casing strings.

Abstract: An apparatus for rotatably hanging a tubing string in the wellhead of a well casing. The apparatus includes a tubing hanger shell that has a mandrel rotatably mounted therein. The mandrel has upper and lower ends with the upper end connected to a tubing rotator and the lower end engaging a tubing string. To facilitate the connection and disengagement of the mandrel to the tubing rotator, a hollow sleeve is used to couple the parts together. The hollow sleeve is received within the mandrel and has longitudinal splines which engage corresponding splines on the mandrel to transfer rotational energy from the rotator to the mandrel. The rotator is removed from the mandrel through the application of force, and through movement, in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubing string.

Abstract: A mower deck is convertible between a discharge configuration wherein grass clippings are discharged from the deck and a mulching configuration wherein grass clippings are mulched within the deck. The deck has a housing with a discharge port for discharging grass clippings from the housing when the deck is in the discharge configuration. Spindles are rotatably mounted to the housing and coupled to a drive mechanism. A cutting blade is attached to each spindle. A removable shroud can be attached to and removed from the housing. The mulching configuration of the deck corresponds to when the removable shroud is attached to the housing and the discharge configuration of the deck corresponds to when the removable shroud is detached from the housing. A fixed shroud is attached to the housing and partially enshrouds the cutting path of the cutting blade.

Abstract: A rotary blasthole drilling apparatus comprises a rotary blasthole drill and a drill automation control system. The apparatus includes a pull-down motor and a drill motor. The pull-down motor is driven by a pump to provide a pull-down force to a drill string, and the drill motor is used to provide rotary force to rotate a drill bit of the drill string. The drill automation control system includes a number of functional components including a user interface. Through the user interface, an operator sets a rotary torque set point that determines an amount of torque applied to the drill bit by the drill motor. The control system further includes a detector, for detecting pressure in the pump during a drilling operation, and a processor, which is operative under the control of a program stored therein and responsive to the rotary torque set point and signals from the pull-down pressure sensor for generating an error signal.

Abstract: There is discussed an apparatus for distributing fluid to at least two separate zones having higher (22) and lower (24) injectivity in a ground formation (10) through a pipe element in a well hole (12), where the pipe element by means of upper and lower sealing bodies (28,30) defines a space (30) which is adjacent to the zone (22) having a higher injectivity and which has a connection (16) to the zone, and where a fluid connection is established between the interior of the pipe element and the space via a replaceable flow pressure-regulating nozzle which establishes a given flow pressure for the current of fluid into the zone (22) having the higher injectivity.

Abstract: A guard for covering a wheel pulley of a powered sickle-bar mower. The inventive device includes a semi-circular panel positionable over the wheel pulley of the mower. A pair of lateral panels extend from opposed ends of the semi-circular panel and cooperate with a pair of mounting projections to secure the semi-circular panel to a pulley housing of the mower. The device cooperates with a cover plate of the mower to fully enclose the wheel pulley to preclude an entrance of debris into the pulley housing which could jam the wheel pulley.

Abstract: A header includes a cutter bar with a generally C-shaped beam supporting the sickle knife assembly across a front edge of the assembly. A draper assembly is carried on the cutter bar beam and includes a pair of rollers at right angles to the beam carrying a continuous draper canvas band around the rollers with the front edge of the canvas adjacent the cutter bar beam. The rollers and a support plate between the rollers for the upper run of the canvas are both recessed relative to the front edge of the canvas to leave a cantilever portion at the front edge of the canvas. This cantilever portion has an upper surface engaging an undersurface of a top plate of the beam to provide a seal inhibiting penetration of materials between the canvas and the cutter bar. A lower plate of the C-shaped beam is shorter in length than the upper plate and is inclined downwardly to allow the discharge of any materials from the area between the draper canvas and the cutter bar to prevent buildup.

Abstract: A quick connect rake system preferably comprising two rakes or similar yard tools pivoted together by a quick-connect tube system. The tube attaches to the handle of one rake and pivotally couples the handle of a second rake. The tube has a follower slot extending along one of its sides and a hole on the opposite side. The follower slot has an admission orifice at one end to receive the head of a conventional screw to attach the tube to the rake. The remainder of the slot captivates the head of a screw attached to a second rake. The captivation of the screw head pivotally couples the two rakes. The hole in the tube facilitates the permanent attachment of the tube to the rake.

Abstract: A process for drilling and completing multiple subterranean wells from a common well bore and an assembly for guiding a drill string during drilling and casing during completion of such multiple wells. The assembly comprises a wellhead located at or near the surface of the earth and positioned over the common well bore, at least two tubulars positioned within the common well bore, and means positioned at said wellhead for segregating and supporting the tubulars. In accordance with the process, at least one subterranean well bore is drilled through one of the tubulars and into a subterranean formation and hydrocarbons can be produced from the subterranean formation to the surface via production casing and/or production tubing positioned within the subterranean well bore. Other subterranean well bores can be drilled in a similar manner through other tubulars of the assembly.

Abstract: An improved O-ring seal for rock bit bearings comprises a body formed from a resilient elastomeric composition and a modified surface comprising a surface enhancing material integral with the body. The surface comprises a layer of surface enhancing material that encapsulates and is molecularly bonded to an underlying surface of an elastomeric seal body. The surface enhancing material selected may include metal disulfides, fluoropolymers, ethylene polymers, silicone polymers, and urethane polymers. The O-ring surface displays enhanced properties of reduced break-off friction, increased lubricity and wettablity, and increased thermal resistance. These enhanced surface properties serve to minimize stick-slip and material loss from the O-ring surface resulting from stick-slip, thereby increasing the service life of the O-ring seal and rock bit.

Abstract: A plant harvesting machine is organized as a wheeled tricycle having a plant elevator, plant inverter assembly, and plant sticking assembly and designed to move along a row of tobacco plants and successively harvest the plants. The plant elevator includes a powered circular saw blade at its base that severs the stem of each successive plant as the plant is gripped between opposed spike chains of the plant elevator. The severed plant is carried by the plant elevator and transferred to a plant inverter assembly that inverts the plant. The plant inverter assembly includes a spike-plate and cooperating pressure plate assembly that inverted the plant. The pressure plate assembly includes a spring-loaded pressure plate that accommodates plant stems of different diameters and shapes as the plant is inverted. Another set of spike chains engage the inverted plant and impale the plant onto a spear-shoe that is carried on a wooden stick.

Abstract: A replacement re-cover drain top for a deteriorated top of an existing drain situated in the deck area about a swimming pool. The re-cover top is of a channel-like section and is adapted when installed to overlie an existing drain from which its previous top has been at least partially removed. Drain apertures in the top communicate with the drain on which it is installed from below the upper surface of the top to a depth corresponding at least to the flush level of the adjacent decking.

Abstract: The present invention, in one embodiment, discloses a whipstock system having an orientation device; a flexion member releasably secured to the orientation device; co-acting lower and upper body members, the lower body member interconnected with the flexion member; a connecting bar which connects the upper and lower body members permitting the upper body member to move downwardly with respect to the lower body member while preventing separation of the two body members; and a concave member secured to and above the upper body member. In one preferred embodiment, one or more movable pawls on the connecting bar move to engage surfaces on one or both body members to prevent upward movement of the upper body member with respect to the lower body member, or conversely movement of the lower body member downwardly away from the upper body member; and movement of the one or more pawls in contact with both body members also forces the two body members apart further stabilizing the system in a tubular.

Abstract: A wheel assembly for attachment to hand-held devices such as trimmers, edgers, blowers, metal detectors and the like includes a wheeled frame having a clamp arranged to be freely secured to the wand of a device for rotation of the wand therein. Stop members engage the wand on each side of the clamp to prevent relative longitudinal sliding movement of the wand and the clamp. The wheel assembly is thus able to be mounted on and retained in a desired position on the wand while still permitting the wand to be rotated as desired to orient the working end of the device, as for example with a string trimmer device, between a mowing orientation and an edging orientation.