Abstract: In a tightening device for a drive belt in an internal combustion engine, particularly for a toothed belt in the camshaft gear with a tension roller supported on a pivoting lever comprising a tension spring acting upon the pivoting lever in the direction of tension and a blocking device opposing the motion of the pivoting lever, whose blocking element changes its position as a function of the temperature, the blocking element formed as an end stop by the free end (17) of a preferably plate shaped stop body (18) whose other end (19) is held in a fixed housing (1) wherein the end stop in the operating state of the internal combustion engine is disposed at a distance from the adjacent support face of the pivoting lever. The tightening device with the thermally adjustable end stop avoids a tooth jump, particularly in the case of long belts.

Abstract: There is disclosed wellhead apparatus in which a pipe string is suspended within the bore of a housing and the annular space between the bore and the outer wall of the pipe string or a mandrel-type hanger from which the pipe string is suspended is closed by a seal assembly. The seal assembly is lowered into the annular space on a tool so as to close the same as seal rings carried about the outer and inner sides of the body are energized into sealing engagement with the bore of the housing and the outer wall.

Abstract: An apparatus for repairing a well completion having a gravel-packed annulus formed by a liner and a well casing, the annulus having at least one region within the gravel pack which is devoid of gravel.

Abstract: A cutter of an earth-boring bit is provided with hard gage inserts that protrude from the gage surface of the cutter to engage the side of the borehole for holding gage. The gage insert has a substantially flat face with sharp cutting edges formed thereon and has cutting surfaces that define a negative rake angle with respect to the sidewall of the borehole that is being sheared by the gage insert. The face, cutting edge, and cutting surface of the gage insert are formed of a super-hard and abrasion-resistant material such as polycrystalline diamond or cubic boron nitride. The body of the insert is formed of a hard, fracture-tough material such as cemented tungsten carbide. The improved gage inserts are secured into sockets in the gage surface of the rolling cone cutter by interference fit. The improved gage inserts provide an actively cutting gage surface that engages the sidewall of the borehole to promote shearing removal of the sidewall material.

Abstract: The air system on a harvester includes a fan with a remotely actuatable belt tightener assembly controlled by an electric acme thread actuator. A control circuit connected to the actuator includes a fan control switch and an engine speed switch for preventing fan actuation above a preselected engine speed. The actuator retains the belt tightener in the engaged position when the engine is switched off so that belt inspection and tension adjustments can be made easily. The tightener assembly includes simple tension indicating and adjusting structure for providing easy and accurate belt adjustments when the engine is off.

Abstract: A method for increasing oil recovery from a subterranean formation, the method consisting essentially of injecting a slug of water equal in volume to at least about 20% of the hydrocarbon pore volume of the formation into the formation, thereafter injecting a slug of solvent, the solvent consisting of materials selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, methane, hydrocarbons containing from 2 to about 5 carbon atoms and mixtures thereof, into the formation in a volume equal to from about 2% to about 10% of the initial hydrocarbon pore volume of the formation, thereafter injecting a water slug in an volume equal to from about 0.5 to about 3.

Abstract: Material is thermally extracted from an underground formation with the aid of heat supplied by electrical resistance heaters (21) or by tubing (5, 6) serving as such, or by heated fluid conveyed downhole in pipes (12), which may serve as electrical conductors, or as resistance heaters, or which may be heated downhole. The fluid may be circulated upwardly after passage through a downhole pump unit where the fluid is suitable.

Abstract: Drill bit cutter structure and means of mounting said cutter structure relative to a drill bit for drilling earth formations is described in which the cutter structure provides diverse rotational orientation of the cutting element about at least one axis relative to the drill bit. The cutter structure generally includes a bearing surface associated with the drill bit, a supporting member articulable with the bearing surface to provide diverse orientation thereof, and a cutting element secured to said supporting member.

Abstract: The pipe coupling in accordance with the present invention broadly includes an elongated female member having structure defining a bore spanning the length thereof, a first hollow elongated male member having an end portion non-rotatably affixed within a portion of the bore, a second elongated male member slidably engagable within the remaining portion of the bore, a lock pin slidably engagable through aligned apertures in the female and second male members, and a pliable gasket for placement between the first and second male members. The second male member also includes structure defining a passage spanning its length and presenting an inlet and an outlet wherein the passage diverges into two passages on the inlet side of the aperture and converges back into one passage on the outlet side of the aperture.

Abstract: A down-the-hole drill tool comprises a one-piece shaft and pilot bit. The shaft is adapted for connection to a down-the-hole hammer. A reamer and a guide body are detachably mounted to the one-piece shaft/pilot bit. The guide body has a downwardly facing shoulder for pushing a casing tube downwardly along with the tool.

Abstract: A subsea test tree having a spherical ball valve member is modified to accommodate cutting of a string of coiled tubing extending through the ball valve member. This is accomplished by providing an eccentric recess in an inner bore of the subsea test tree, with the eccentric recess being positioned to receive a lower portion of the coiled tubing string as the coiled tubing string is cut by the ball valve member. This reduces the plastic deformation of the lower portion of the coiled tubing string as the coiled tubing string is cut by the closing ball valve member, and thus reduces the closing force necessary to reliably cut a coiled tubing string when the spherical ball valve member of the subsea test tree is closed in an emergency situation.

Abstract: A top entry sub (ES) includes a tubular member (TM) with a main body section (8) and an enlarged external diameter upper end portion (11). A single passage (15) extends through the main body section (8) and terminates in a pair of spaced passages (14) and (14a) that extend through the enlarged external diameter end portion (11), which passages terminate in a common upper surface on the top entry sub (ES) for receiving a well string and providing an entry into the top entry sub for members such as coiled tubing, snubbing members and cable.

Abstract: A corn head with a pair of parallel counterrotating harvesting rolls is disclosed. Each roll has primary flutes and secondary flutes extending longitudinally which oppose flutes of the other type on the other roll. Improved ear stripping and stalk processing by crushing result.

Abstract: A process and apparatus are provided to enhance the recovery of petroleum from onshore and offshore reservoirs. The process includes the simultaneous stimulation of the formation by elastic sound waves, created by a sonic source installed at the oil well so that the elastic sonic waves which are superimposed reduce the adherence forces in the layer between oil/water and the rock formation, and by the oscillating electrical stimulation of the same layer, as from the same wells subject to sonic treatment. The electricity heats the formation by using resistive heating, and thus increases the pressure, thus eliminating the surface tensions between the faces of the fluid as a consequence of the oscillatory action of the ions in the surfaces of the fluid and in addition, reducing the viscosity of the fluids.

Abstract: An apparatus for regaining control over the flow of oil and gas from "blow out" wells having a housing consisting of two portions which are adapted to be fastened around an insitu well casing. The housing has a top, a bottom, an exterior surface and a central passage. The housing is rotatably secured to the insitu well casing, such that the well casing extends through the central passage. Cutters are provided which communicate with the central passage of the housing. Upon rotation of the housing the cutters move systematically around the circumference of the insitu well casing until it is severed. Rams are positioned adjacent the top of the housing for closing the central passage upon the severing of the well casing.

Abstract: An improved construction for a crowned and lagged pulley for a belt conveyor includes a roller tube having a central portion and two outer end portions. A pair of circumferentially extending grooves are formed in the outer surface of the roller tube between the central portion and respective end portions. An elastomeric member is disposed around the central portion of the roller tube and includes first and second end received in respective grooves such that the ends of the elastomeric member lie flush with the outer end portions of the roller tube. The thickness of the elastomeric member, when added to the outside diameter of the roller tube, produces a crown. Also, the elastomeric member serves as lagging for the pulley.

Abstract: In the case of earth coverings made from concrete paving slabs, the noise generated by rolling traffic is disadvantageous. In order to reduce the generation of noise, plate-shaped concrete blocks exhibiting a significantly larger format than traditional paving slabs are proposed. The top side of the concrete blocks consists of a sound absorption layer (13) of porous concrete. On the bottom side, the concrete block is curved inwards, so that the fringe areas are subjected to a higher load. This results in a stable situation. For the purpose of draining off the surface water, the concrete block is equipped at the sides with upright slots (16), which adjoin the absorption layer (13) of porous concrete.

Abstract: The outer, sealing cover of an inflatable packer comprises an alternating series of thick and thin annular portions which act to effect greater sealing stresses and to inhibit the propagation of cracks or tears in the elastomeric cover. Bonding with only portions of the underlying slats as well as a tapered contour and spacing from an end fitting act to help to retain the cover in its proper position during running and retrieval as well as decreasing the likelihood of the development of cracks and/or tears.

Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, there is arranged a belt transmission for driving an accessory device. In this connection, deflection members are arranged so that the drive belt for its driving bears against, for example, the flywheel of the engine. The deflection members are arranged so that the area enclosed by the drive belt lies outside the area which encloses the axis of rotation of the flywheel. By virtue of the fact that consequently the drive belt can be mounted without the drive belt needing to cross the axis of rotation, the belt transmission can simply be arranged at the rear side of the engine. This means that the axial extent of the engine can be reduced.

Abstract: A belt tensioner having a sleeve bearing pivotally mounting a pivoted structure on a fixed structure for spring pressed movement between first and second positions. The sleeve bearing is larger than and surrounds a ball bearing assembly rotatably mounting a pulley on the pivoted structure. The pulley has a cantilevered rim which axially overlaps and annularly surrounds the sleeve bearing. One of the structures and the sleeve bearing have slidably interengaging surfaces which are compressed together by the belt load force in the pivoted structure and the reactionary force acting in the fixed structure so as to provide a damping torque resistance to the pivotal movement of the pivoted structure which prevents movements resulting from dynamic changes in the belt load force within a range. The arrangement is such that independent vibrational forces instantaneously release the damping torque resistance to permit instantaneous movements otherwise prevented.