Abstract: Viewing enhancing apparatus for visibility impaired fluid, such as turbid water or a smoke-filled room, includes a fluid-permeable sidewall and a housing defining a confluence cavity having an axis extending between first and second housing ends. The housing ends are connected by the sidewall. The second housing end is open. The sidewall has a proximal end towards the first housing end and a distal end towards the second housing end. The housing defines a supply cavity surrounding the sidewall and coupleable to a source of viewing fluid, typically clear water when operating in a turbid water environment. The sidewall provides a resistance to flow of the viewing fluid therethrough, the resistance varying according to the position on the sidewall. The viewing fluid passes through the confluence cavity and exits the second housing end. This creates a chosen velocity profile for the viewing fluid exiting the second housing end.

Abstract: A boundary layer flow regulator, called a dam, is fastened, by way of example, to a bicycle rider's head band and is located against the temple area. The dam includes a fine permeable maze which viscously impedes but does not arrest the air flow through it. The maze is held in place by a supportive but flexibly resilient, wind permeable matrix attached to a base. On a calm day the relative headwind experienced by the rider is stabilized by the maze held in position by the stilled matrix so that a stationary flow envelope forms around the rider's ear canal to eliminate wind noise. However, on a windy day the preturbulent gusts in the headwind cause the matrix to instantly shift the position and permeability gradient of the maze so that the flow envelope is dynamically regulated around the ear canal to minimize the infranoise caused by the gusts.

Abstract: A permeable aerodam 10 is fastened to a front helmet strap 16 of a bicycle rider's helmet 18. The aerodam includes a shaped fiber filter 32 which is mounted on a base 36 and is designed to impede, but not arrest the motion of air flowing through it. The aerodam also includes a matrix 52 which includes the base and which shapes, supports, and locates the filter next to the temple area. A headwind experienced by the rider flows around the side of the head and partially through the aerodam such that an impedance gradient caused by the shaped filter will cause a quiet retrolaminar flow velocity profile 92 alonside the rider's ear canal. The effect eliminates the onset of noisy turbulence heard by the rider while allowing unobstructed ambient sounds and ventilation to be enjoyed.

Abstract: An earfoil (2) is used with a helmet (4) having a chin strap (6) which passes in front of the ear (30) and under the chin. The earfoil includes a wind deflecting, sound-permeable earfoil body (22) sized to cover the user's ear. The front edge (44) of the earfoil body is secured to the chin strap and lies against the user's head. The upper edge (46) of the earfoil body is secured to the lower circumferential edge (52) of the helmet just above the user's ear. These attachments are such that the earfoil body overlies the rear flange (56) of the user's ear while the rearward edge (62) of the earfoil body is spaced apart from the ear flange. This permits eddy current airflow to occur about the ear flange to enhance cooling even while the earfoil body directs airflow away from the concha (28) of the user's ear. The invention provides for a reduction in personally heard wind noise with enhanced eddy current cooling.

Abstract: A wind deflector deflects wind away from the ear to reduce wind noise while ambient sound passes through to the inner ear so that the user's hearing is not substantially impaired.

Abstract: A double displacement downhole pump for use in oil wells is provided. The pump comprises a body defining a drive cylinder and pump cylinder which are axially-spaced apart. A drive piston is coupled directly to a pump piston by means of a sleeve connector. The sleeve connector is received on a tension member which extends axially through the pump. The tension member acts to counteract deformity of the sleeve connector during use. The advantage of this construction is that it allows virtually unlimited separation distance between the drive piston and pump piston, which in turn allows a virtually unlimited stroke length for the pump.

Abstract: A positive displacement pump includes a cylindrical housing which is divided in half by a partition. Each end of the housing lies proximate to an end plate to define peripheral inlet openings into each of said halves. Axial outlets and pistons are also provided for each half of the chamber. By including a mechanism for driving the pistons in unison and opening and closing the peripheral inlets and axial outlets in a particular order, pumping action can be achieved. The pump disclosed is particularly useful from down hole oil pumping applications.

Abstract: A positive displacement pump comprising an enclosure having parallel walls and a plurality of concentric annular rings reciprocally mounted between said walls is disclosed. By reciprocating the rings in a predetermined sequence, fluid is caused to flow through a series of radially propagating chambers defined by the rings.