Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the quantity and flow rate of liquids in a flowing fluid stream containing liquids and gases such as found in oil well production, with an optional controller for oil well pumps to control the pumping period or speed based on pump displacement. Total number of tank fill events provide a precise measurement of total volume. Volumes are accumulated on a time base to determine flow rate and on the basis of strokes to determine pump displacement. Liquid measurement is accomplished without restriction to the flowing stream, even in the event of a valve failure. The filling of each tank with oil of low or high viscosity can be measured by level, hydrostatic pressure, or weight sensors. Measurement of total produced volumes are accumulated with the accuracy and repeatability needed when correlating producing wells with injection wells, and when diagnosing well problems.

Abstract: A drum testing apparatus simultaneously tests the bottom chine, sidewall vertical chine, and wall integrity of a typical drum, such as a 55-gallon drum. The apparatus includes a frame for supporting the drum to be tested in a generally upright position. A turntable base is moveably supported by the frame and provides a rotatable surface for supporting and turning the drum at its bottom end portion. A reservoir immerses the drum bottom chine and the top chine during testing and while the turntable base rotates the drum. A liquid spray simultaneously immerses the drum sidewall and the vertical chine during testing and while the drum rotates. A holder including a pair of spaced-apart flanged portions engages respectively the top end portion and the bottom end portion of the drum and preloads the drum end portions to prevent removal of the drum end portions during testing. An air pressure source pressurizes the drum interior during testing.

Abstract: Self-driven vehicle for pipelines comprising: a cylindrically designed vehicle body (1) through which and/or around which the pipeline's (10) medium flows, a drive unit (2) on the vehicle body (1) which resiliently bears against the pipeline's (10) internal surface, a hydraulic system which powers the drive module (2), a power supply system for operation of the hydraulic system, and a controller (22) which at least controls the vehicle's movement in the pipeline (10).

Abstract: An apparatus and method for pressure testing pipe segments. The apparatus including a main body portion thereof with seals located at either end for sealing the main body portion to the inside of the pipe segment. The body portion being withdrawn and inserted into the pipe segment by an extended draw bar attached to one end thereof.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for determining a length of a pipe utilizing sound waves, which comprise: transmitting sound waves having a prescribed frequency and a prescribed transmission intensity toward the interior of a pipe at one end thereof by an oscillator; receiving the thus transmitted sound waves at the other end of the pipe by a receiver; measuring a propagation time required for the sound waves to pass through the air in the pipe from the one end to the other end thereof by a clock; and determining a length of the pipe by a length calculator on the basis of a predetermined propagation velocity of the sound waves in the air in the pipe and the thus measured propagation time of the sound waves.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for testing leak integrity of a workpiece such as a wheel rim in which the rim is positioned within a air-tight housing with the axial rim edges in sealing engagement with opposed wall portions of the housing so as to form first and second chambers within the housing internally and externally of the rim. One of such chambers is supplied with air under pressure from a tank which is precharged during the workpiece transfer process. Microphones are positioned in the other chamber for detecting leakage of air through the rim as a function of intensity of ultrasonic radiation emitted thereby. Gross leaks are detected by connecting the pressurized chamber to an air supply through a orifice, and detecting ultrasonic radiation resulting from flow of make-up air through the orifice.

Abstract: Apparatus 1 for sampling the contents of a pressurised vessel 2 comprises a valve 3 having an inlet 4 and an outlet 5. The inlet 4 is in communication with the interior of the vessel 2. A sample-receiving pressure receptacle 7 is connectable to the valve outlet 5 in a sealing manner, and a pressure venting line 8 is provided for equalizing the interior of the receptacle 7 with the atmosphere. When the valve 3 is open, a sample of pressurized vessel contents can enter the receptacle 7. When the valve is then closed, the sample remains in the receptacle 7. A probe 31, operable from outside the pressurized vessel 2, is provided so that, when the valve 3 is open, a sample of the vessel contents can be drawn through the valve and into the receptacle 7.

Abstract: Disclosed is a water sampler device including a holder, a plurality of water-collecting containers mounted in a circular arrangement around the periphery of the holder, each of the water-collecting containers having a pair of opposed opened portions with each opened portion including a rotatable valve mounted therein, triggering means for rotating the rotatable valves from an initially closed condition to an opened condition and then back to the closed condition to obtain a sample of the water.

Abstract: The fractional volumetric holdup .phi. of a dispersed phase in a two liquid dispersed phase system in a reactor is determined by measuring the travel time of ultrasonic pulses on a fixed path for the dispersed phase, and for the two liquids separately, and calcualted according to the relation ##EQU1## where C*, C.sub.1, and C.sub.2 are the sound velocities in the dispersed phase, the first liquid, and the second liquid. The pulses can be transmitted from a transmitter transducer straight through the contents of the reactor to a receive transducer, or can be reflected off a die or similar flat faced member back to the originating transducer. A sonic velocimeter is disposed along the reactor and draws out a quantity of the two-liquid system, and separates it into the first and second liquids. The sound velocity of each liquid is measured with ultrasonic transducers, and the dispersed phase holdup .phi. is calculated based on these measured velocities.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the physical integrity of geological shales and for simulating the environment experienced by geological strata comprising forming a test specimen of the stratum to be measured; immersing the specimen in a drilling fluid, or a mixture of drilling fluids, for a predetermined length of time; spinning the test specimen while immersed up to a predetermined speed while adjusting the temperature of the fluid; and then physically measuring the specimen for disintegration, liquid absorption, and hardness. The apparatus for simulating the environment experienced by geological strata includes means for immersing the specimen in the drilling fluid which comprises a nail having the specimen attached to the shank adjacent the head to hold the specimen inverted below the surface of the drilling fluid.

Abstract: A fluid flow velocity measuring device is shown. In the preferred and illustrated embodiment, an elongate body receives a removable spinner cartridge assembly. The assembly is formed of an elongate sleeve surrounding a rotating shaft supported by bearing assemblies at opposite ends of the shaft. The shaft supports a spinner. Particular sizes of spinners are calibrated to a particular flow velocity ranges and density of material. The insert is held in position by a compressed spring behind the insert so that fluid flow is directed from an inlet port in the tool adjacent a petal basket, along an axial passage in the tool, and through the spinner and out through an outlet port.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for the in-field measurement of mechanical and physical properties of metallic structures. The apparatus is a Field Indentation Microprobe (FIM) using an indenter that is caused to contact and indent the structure using cyclically applied and released successive increasing loads at the same location. The load and penetration depth data during both cyclic loading and unloading are used to determine the flow properties and fracture toughness of the structure. An X-Y driven testing head supports a load cell which is connected to an indenter holder and the indenter. A displacement transducer is carried by the load cell to measure the depth of penetration of the indenter into the structure, and one or more ultrasonic transducers determine the physical phenomena such as crack size, material pile-up around indentation, and residual stress presence and orientation. A polishing tool is provided to prepare the surface of the structure prior to indentation.

Abstract: An NMR imaging method for obtaining a tomographic image of an object through two-dimensional Fourier transformation imaging. After a whole image of a predetermined slice is displayed, a given field of view having a given size and located at a given position in the image is designated. On the basis of data derived from this designation, setting values for magnetic field generators and a signal detector are arithmetically determined for limiting the region in which the NMR signal is generated and the region to be imaged, whereby local imaging of the aforementioned field of view is conducted with high resolution. Further, division of an image resulting from the imaging operation is automatically corrected by exchanging positionally the divided image blocks with each other.

Abstract: A telephone set is fed with line current via a telephone line from final amplifiers. In order to transmit an undistorted speech signal at restricted battery voltage when the line is long, the final amplifiers are controlled in the following manner. A voltage sensing circuit senses a line voltage and controls first and second current-generating circuits which respectively send a first and a second current. A first difference-forming circuit generates a first difference current between a first reference current and the first current. A second difference-forming circuit generates a second difference current between the second current and a second reference current. When the second current is less than the second reference current the second difference current is diverted and assumes a zero value. A third difference current between the first and second difference current is amplified in an amplifier and controls the final amplifiers.

Abstract: The short-term and long-term waviness of a smooth surface is determined quantitatively by a method which impinges light radiation onto the surface, detects the resultant light image, and mathematically processes that image. The method permits a fast, non-contact evaluation of a smooth surface with good correlation between the calculated values and the visual observation.

Abstract: Downhole torque and rate of penetration are utilized to develop indications of formations that are porous, argillaceous or tight. This information is useful as an aid in selecting drilling practices and drilling bits. The method separates bit effects from lithology effects when drilling with roller cone or PDC bits by utilizing surface and subsurface wellsite sensors to determine averaged values of real time penetration rate and downhole torque. Changes in bit torque are used to broadly classify the lithology into three categories: porous, argillaceous and tight formations while trends in bit torque and rate of penetration in shale are used to separate wear of the bit from changes in formation strength.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for achieving variable observation angles by a single transducer rotationally and pivotally mounted with a housing; and for utilizing the variable angle transducer to detect and trace the distance of unseen objects within a casing from the transducer by moving the transducer within its housing which is held stationary against the casing; and for determining the angle of observation between the transducer and the observed object; and thereby accurately determining the relative position and orientation of the object within the casing.

Abstract: An accelerometer is provided by a sample mass suspended in a central area of a support by pairs of resonating arms. One pair of arms lies on one axis through the sample mass. Another pair of arms lies on a second axis through the sample mass perpendicular to the one axis. Acceleration of the mass and support is detected by a measured change in resonant frequency of the arms of a pair. The measured change in resonant frequency is the magnitude of the acceleration and the axis along which the pair of arms lies provides the direction of the acceleration. Orthogonal components of acceleration are simultaneously measured by the pairs of arms lying on perpendicular axes. Electrostatic force-rebalance techniques and other known techniques for measuring acceleration in a direction perpendicular to the axes of the pairs of arms are readily incorporated to provide a third direction measurement of acceleration. The accelerometer is fabricated in a monolithic process which employs micromachining techniques.

Abstract: A fiber optic sensor using the treated coil of optical fiber as a structural support system for the sensor, and a method for making such a sensor.

Abstract: Measuring vibrational frequency of a pin attached at one end by collimating two laser beams onto the pin and back scattering the beams. The back scattered frequency is modulated by doppler effect and is heterodyned with the original beam frequency to produce a signal representative of each modulating frequency. The representative signals are summed together and also subtracted from one another. The summed and subtracted signals are representative, one of the vibrational frequency of the pin and the other of the degree of focussing accuracy of each laser beam onto the pin.