Abstract: Apparatus for mowing a wide swath which is preferably hydraulically powered to provide reliability, efficiency, and ease of operation. The apparatus includes side-by-side wings. to which a plurality of mowers are mounted, the most distal mower being mounted on a horizontally pivoting swing-arm, which is mounted to a horizontally pivoting strut. The strut is pivoted under control of a hydraulic cylinder to facilitate mowing operations, and in particular, to allow mowing close to obstacles.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for mowing a wide swath which is preferably hydraulically powered to provide reliability, efficiency, and ease of operation. The apparatus includes a rear section, or chassis, to which side-by-side wings are mounted which are pivotable by hydraulic cylinders from a folded position for trailering from location to location to an open position for mowing operations, the extent of pivoting being used to vary the width of the swath to be mowed. The wings are each provided with a second hydraulic cylinder for controlling the amount of weight on the casters mounted in the individual mowers mounted to the wings and a pressure regulator which compensates for changes in the pressure in the hydraulic cylinder to support a selected portion of the weight of the wing as the portion of the weight supported by the casters changes as the casters follow the contour of the swath being mowed.

Abstract: A fluid pump which is particularly useful in relatively deep and/or low pressure stripper wells. Stripper wells tend to produce sporadically and/or occasionally produce gas, and are often very sandy, have a tendency to become gas locked, and are susceptible to sticking and sanding. Fluid is displaced out of the pump into the production tubing through exit ports located immediately above the hold-down, e.g., at a point intermediate the ends of the barrel of the pump. The pump includes a traveling valve and a standing valve, the traveling valve being provided with a valve member which includes a downwardly extending stem which terminates in a lower bearing surface, and the standing valve being provided with a valve member having an upper bearing surface.

Abstract: An improved mobile pumping apparaus for producing fluids from, for instance, shallow and/or slow-flowing marginal oil wells. The invention comprises a boom assembly which is adapted for mounting on a tractor, truck, or other vehicle having a standpipe mounted on the front thereof which is lowered into engagement with a wellhead and a winch having a cable attached at one end thereto, the other end of the cable extending down into the standpipe and having a swab bar attached thereto. The swab bar is provided with a heavy lead weight, so that the swab bar will sink down into the fluid as the cable is wound off of the winch, and a plurality of cups for lifting the fluid up out of the well when the direction of the winch is reversed. The oil is lifted up out of the well into the standpipe and on into a hose for collection in a storage tank.

Abstract: A wellhead mounted pneumatic actuator for bottom hole oil pumps designed for operation by compressed air or gas. The preferred embodiment utilizes a single action cylinder with the downstroke actuated by the weight of the sucker rods and the fluid contained therein. Sufficient relatively high pressure air or gas from an external source is supplied under the piston of the cylinder to lift the piston at all times. A pressure or solenoid control floating piston bleeder valve selectively routes air or gas into the power cylinder on both sides of the piston to accomplish the downstroke. First and second contactors are mounted to cables suspended from a spreader reciprocating with the piston to contact respective first and second pivot arms to pivot the pivot arms into engagement with the respective first and second activator buttons of the bleeder valve to shift the bleeder valve from one position to the other to effectuate the selective routing of air or gas to the top of the piston as well as under the piston.

Abstract: Apparatus for generating hot combustion gases and steam including a piston block with a piston reciprocally mounted in a bore therethrough having solenoids and sensors for selectively introducing hydraulic fluid into the bore on the first side of the piston to move the piston. Inlets and sensors for selectively introducing air and fuel into the combustion chamber comprising a portion of the bore and to initiate combustion are also provided. The hydraulic fluid used to move the piston is introduced into the bore in a discharge chamber in the bore on the second side of the piston, vaporized and exhausted into a well through an exhaust valve. The exhaust valve is biased toward the closed position by a pneumatic cylinder which resists the force of combustion.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for removing fluid from a well. The apparatus is mobile, and includes a power winch mounted on a mobile support means with a cable attached to the winch. A constant tension maintaining unit is connected to the winch to maintain relatively constant tension on the cable while the cable is wound off the power winch into the well, and a swab is mounted on the free end of the cable. The swab is operable to lift the fluid out of the well when the cable is wound back onto the power winch. Also included is a means in fluid connection with the well operable to receive the fluid lifted out of the well by the swab. Also provided is a swab bar for use in removing fluid from a well and a device for effecting a seal with the well head.

Abstract: A pumping device secured to a well head adapted to be counter balanced and operated by well head gas pressure. The pumping cylinder and the counter balance cylinder are positioned on a prolonged axis and employ a common polished piston rod operably mounted on the axis of the cylinders. The counter balance piston is pressurized through a volume tank receiving gas through a pressure regulator from the well head. The pumping piston is powered up and down by direct pressure from the well head gas. The flow of gas to and from the pumping cylinder is controlled by a floating piston five-way valve admitting directly well head gas to drive the piston and exhausting the gas to the gas flow delivery line. Snifter valves control the floating piston five-way valve and pressure regulators positioned between the well head and the gas flow delivery line maintain operable differential pressure in the system.

Abstract: The device of this invention was developed for utilization in a pneumatic oil well pump actuator. The snifter valve performs a bleeder valve function in the control mechanism of a piston in a cylinder. The controls to which this invention is particularly suited comprise a shifting floating pistion bleeder valve in conjunction with the improved snifter valve to replace a conventional button bleeder valve, in addition the device incorporates braking components in the snifter valve constructed to arrest and cushion the piston at each end of a cyclic stroke.

Abstract: An improved closed loop pneumatic system for driving a piston in a cylinder which employs a low pressure tank for receiving exhaust gases, a booster compressor transferring the gases to a high pressure tank which drives the piston on the up stroke. The constant interconnecting of a low pressure tank through a piston pressure equalizing the line improves the efficiency of the actuator. The larger, deep-well system utilizes an improved means for recovering and recirculating lubricating oil within the closed loop. Two species of the invention are described in this application. One primarily designed for deep wells and one designed primarily for shallow wells.