Abstract: A drilling assembly for downhole to surface communications is provided. The drilling assembly includes a series of pipe segments coupled in fluid communication between a slip ring assembly and an end pipe portion. The slip ring assembly is coupled in data and fluid communication with the pipe segments. A surface communications link is in data communication with the drilling assembly via the slip ring assembly. An end pipe portion is coupled with the drilling assembly that includes an electronics assembly with electronic components for transferring data to the slip ring assembly via the drilling assembly. A drill bit is operably coupled with the end pipe portion for drilling a borehole. Each pipe segment includes an outer conductor portion, a hollow inner conductor portion, and a dielectric portion for electrical isolation between the outer conductor portion and the inner conductor portion.

Abstract: In wet gravity separation of solids according to specific gravity an outer depleted band partly overlies an inner concentrate band limiting yield and/or purity of separated concentrate. The overlying depletion layer is diverted outwardly from inner wall (15) relative to the concentrate band. Deflection means (20) cause a bow wave in descending slurry which fans out the concentrate aiding precise setting of downstream splitter blade (18) as well as diverting the overlying depletion band towards outer wall (13). The water which has become separated from the slurry due to centrifugal force can be rehomogenized with the remaining concentrate by restricted passage between deflector means (22,26).

Abstract: The invention relates to a spiral separator supported with its axis substantially vertically which is adapted to receive at an upper end thereof a pulp of water and minerals to be separated. The spiral separator includes a plurality of helical turns wherein each turn includes an inner portion and an outer portion. The outer portion is inclined upwardly relative to the inner portion. The invention is characterized in that the inner portion includes a first part and a second part wherein the second part is inclined upwardly relative to the first part at a steeper angle to horizontal than the first part throughout part of the length of the spiral separator. This feature provides a generally non-turbulent or laminar flow of pulp along the said part of the said spiral separator and thereby inhibits sand barring.

Abstract: This invention relates to a take-off assembly for mounting in a spiral separator. The take-off assembly includes an adjustment tongue and a mating member containing a transverse aperture for receiving the adjustment tongue. The mounting member has a surface surrounding the adjustment tongue which is substantially flush with the top surface of the adjustment tongue. There is also provided an undercut for obtaining an undercut of concentrates particles from pulp flowing in the spiral separator whereby tailings and/or middlings contained in an upper portion of the pulp above the concentrates particles may flow across the transverse aperture.There is also provided a spiral separator for gravity separation of minerals containing the take-off assembly and a method of taking undercuts including using the abovementioned take-off assembly in the spiral separator.

Abstract: This invention relates to a spiral separator including an upright column which is supportable with its axis substantially vertically. The spiral separator is adapted to receive at an upper end thereof a plurality of helical turns surrounding the upright column wherein intermediate the height of the separator there is provided an increase in the transverse dimensions or diameter of the separator which provides an initial portion of relatively small transverse dimensions or diameter. By this feature debris or particles of high specific gravity tending to travel in an outer part of the separator adjacent an outer wall thereof entrained with the water in the pulp are caused to travel inwardly toward an inner part of the separator for ultimate separation from particles of low specific gravity.

Abstract: A spiral separator includes an upright column supported with its axis substantially vertical and adapted to receive at an upper end thereof a pulp of water and particles to be separated. The spiral separator also includes a plurality of helical turns mounted to said upright column wherein at least in a top portion of the separator there is provided a channel located on an outer part of the separator. The channel is initially narrow and deep and becomes progressively wider to enable the particles to obtain or maintain an initial velocity so as to maintain the flow of pulp without the coarser and/or less dense particles becoming stationary or stranding and wherein the coarser and/or less dense particles may be retained in an outer section of the channel and the finer and/or denser particles may move toward an inner section of the channel and be retained in said inner section.

Abstract: A spiral separator for the wet gravity separation of solids of different specific gravities has a number of helical sluices or spirals mounted about a vertical column, the bottom of each spiral being substantially straight in cross-section and inclining upwards from inside to outside of the spiral, the pitch of the outside of the spiral being substantially uniform, but the angle of the spiral bottom to horizontal, and therefore the pitch of the inside part of the spiral, varying, this angle and the inside pitch of the spiral being greater in the upper part of the spiral than in the lower part.

Abstract: A method is provided for the angular orientation of a whipstock having an arcuate tool directing face and a whipstock anchor in a packer which is installed in a well, the packer and the anchor having longitudinally extending cooperable key elements engageable when the anchor is assembled in the packer. The angular disposition of the key element in the packer relative to polar coordinates is determined by a downhole survey. The whipstock is assembled on the whipstock anchor outside the well with the whipstock being angularly adjustable relative to the whipstock anchor about an axis that will be coincident with the conduit axis. The angular position of the whipstock in the whipstock anchor is adjusted to the desired angular displacement relative to the whipstock anchor key element.

Abstract: The invention provides an improved method and apparatus for effecting the setting of a whipstock in a desired angularly oriented position in a well conduit solely by the use of a wire line but can be set on tubing or drill pipe, if desired. A packer is provided which can be expanded into sealed engagement with the casing at a desired location. The packer is provided with a key element, either a key or a key slot, and orienting elements by which a conventional well bore survey can provide an accurate indication of the angular alignment of the anchor key element. A whipstock anchor is provided incorporating a socket portion in which the whipstock may be rigidly secured and a shaft portion which is insertable within the bore of the packer and has a key element cooperating with the keyway, or key, provided in the packer. After setting of the packer in the well conduit, a survey is made to provide an accurate indication of the angular position of the packer keyway or key.

Abstract: A spiral separator for the wet gravity separation of solids of different specific gravities has a number of helical sluices or spirals mounted about a vertical column, the bottom of each spiral being substantially straight in cross-section and inclining upwards from inside to outside of the spiral, the pitch of the outside of the spiral being substantially uniform, but the angle of the spiral bottom to horizontal, and therefore the pitch of the inside part of the spiral, varying, this angle and the inside pitch of the spiral being greater in the upper part of the spiral than in the lower part.

Abstract: The helical sluice, or spiral, of a mineral separator used for mineral separation, has a series of take-off openings to carry off strata of dense minerals which form when a pulp of water and minerals to be separated pass through the spiral. Each take-off opening is a slot in the spiral bottom, transverse to the flow, and its effective length, or throat gap, may be varied by a tongue slidably engaged in the slot and having a splitter blade extending up from its leading end to deflect dense strata into the throat gap. A second slot is formed in the tongue to take off middlings, and this is also adjustable, by a slide.