Abstract: A ball valve operable as an engine brake to resist high rpm operation of the engine on which it is installed. The ball valve has a noncontact seal and can include an aperture through a seal face to permit bypass of sufficient exhaust for operation of the engine at idle while the brake is engaged. If present, the aperture can be tuned, or sized, to provide a desired back pressure matched to a specific engine.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for compensating for failed ink jets in an ink jet apparatus. The method in embodiments determines if one or more ink jets are nonfunctioning or have failed and substitutes for the one or more nonfunctioning ink jets by using one or more operational ink jets. The operational ink jets used are neighboring operational ink jets that fill in for the one or more failed ink jets. The one or more failed ink jets are disabled wherein a primary image pass is performed followed by one or more additional imaging passes to fill in for the one or more disabled ink jets by enabling the one or more neighboring operational ink jets. The additional imaging passes may be a right fill imaging pass, a left fill imaging pass or a combination of both.

Abstract: A method for eliminating the presence of micro-annuluses associated with a subsea hydrocarbon producing wellbore for accurate gathering of data within the subsea hydrocarbon producing wellbore. The method involves using a sea floor pressure head assembly in conjunction with a subsea blow out preventer, where the sea floor pressure head assembly has an elongated tube with a stop ring formed thereon and an ambient pressure side. The blow out preventer is connected to the entrance of the subsea hydrocarbon producing wellbore, and includes an inflatable bladder and is connected to a hollow riser connected thereto.

Abstract: The present invention involves a remote sub sea lubricator assembly for inserting a wireline tool into a sub sea well comprising an elongated tube having an axial passage formed therethrough for receiving the wireline tool. The remote sub sea lubricator is lowered beneath the surface of the sea for connection to a sub sea well. Contained within the lubricator is the wireline tool. Once connected to the sub sea well, the wireline tool is released from the lubricator into the well. The lubricator enables the wireline tool to enter and exit the well without sea water entering the well.

Abstract: A method is provided of obtaining a reading of a utility meter. The method includes the steps of connecting a control circuit to the utility meter and transmitting a first data packet to the control circuit. The data packet requests the control circuit to read the utility meter. The utility meter is read in order to obtain a meter reading and a second data packet is constructed from the meter reading. The second data packet is transmitted to a central server which generates a utility bill in response to the second data packet.

Abstract: The present invention involves a remote sub sea lubricator assembly for inserting a wireline tool into a sub sea well comprising an elongated tube having an axial passage formed therethrough for receiving the wireline tool. The remote sub sea lubricator is lowered beneath the surface of the sea for connection to a sub sea well. Contained within the lubricator is the wireline tool. Once connected to the sub sea well, the wireline tool is released from the lubricator into the well. The lubricator enables the wireline tool to enter and exit the well without sea water entering the well.

Abstract: A method is provided for eliminating the presence of micro-annuluses associated with a subsea hydrocarbon producing wellbore for accurate gathering of data within the subsea hydrocarbon producing wellbore. The method involves using a sea floor pressure head assembly in conjunction with a subsea blow out preventer, where the sea floor pressure head assembly has an elongated tube with a stop ring formed thereon and an ambient pressure side. The blow out preventer is connected to the entrance of the subsea hydrocarbon producing wellbore, and includes an inflatable bladder and is connected to a hollow riser connected thereto.

Abstract: A single-blade fan apparatus includes a blade assembly having a hub presenting a longitudinal aperture adapted for receipt on the fan apparatus, a single blade protruding radially from the hub in a first direction, and a counterweight body protruding radially from the hub in a second direction opposite the first direction. The hub, blade and counterweight body are formed of a unitary piece of aluminum, zinc or synthetic resin material. A method of constructing the blade assembly includes providing a mold including a hub cavity, a blade cavity protruding from the hub cavity in a first direction, and a counterweight-body cavity protruding radially from the hub in a second direction opposite the first direction, and fitting a removable mold insert in the blade cavity. The first mold insert fills a portion of the blade cavity remote from the hub cavity.

Abstract: A single-blade fan apparatus includes a blade assembly having a hub presenting a longitudinal aperture adapted for receipt on the fan apparatus, a single blade protruding radially from the hub in a first direction, and a counterweight body protruding radially from the hub in a second direction opposite the first direction. The hub, blade and counterweight body are formed of a unitary piece of aluminum, zinc or synthetic resin material. A method of constructing the blade assembly includes providing a mold including a hub cavity, a blade cavity protruding from the hub cavity in a first direction, and a counterweight-body cavity protruding radially from the hub in a second direction opposite the first direction, and fitting a removable mold insert in the blade cavity. The first mold insert fills a portion of the blade cavity remote from the hub cavity.

Abstract: An electric fan mounted overhead for universal adjustment of the air flow direction. A mounting plate clamped to an overhead beam carries a sleeve that rotatively receives a vertical column. The lower end of the column pivotally connects with a mounting arm which carries the fan. A rotation motor can rotationally adjust the column to adjust the lateral direction in which the fan faces. A linear actuator pivots the mounting arm up and down to adjust the tilt angle of the fan.

Abstract: A pedestal apparatus for use in supporting a powered fan includes a hollow pedestal, a tubular column including a lower end supported on the pedestal, ballast supported within the interior space of the pedestal for lowering the center of gravity of the apparatus to restrain tipping, and a dampening element disposed within the tubular column for dampening vibration of the apparatus during use of the powered fan. The ballast and dampening element can be provided by the end user, reducing the weight of the apparatus as manufactured and shipped.

Abstract: An air circulation fan has front and rear fan guard members, a motor, a propeller, and a removable shroud covering an outer peripheral portion of the front fan guard member. The removable shroud forms an annular ring having a central, air discharge opening. In one embodiment, the removable shroud is formed from an integral piece of elastomeric material. In another embodiment, the shroud is formed from a plurality of identical plastic shroud portions. Each shroud portion is formed of plastic and covers a section of the outer peripheral portion of the front fan guard member. Each shroud portion has clips for clipping the portion to the front fan guard member. In one embodiment, fan blades, conventionally used on box-type fans, having an inner, leading cut-away notch and a trailing flared portion. The presence of the shroud and such blades make the fan useful in agricultural settings, such as in poultry barns. In operation of the fan, the shroud greatly reduces the noise generated by the fan.

Abstract: An air circulator fan has front and rear fan guard members, each of which have a grille forming a concave dish. A propeller is positioned between the fan guard members, and is attached to the rotary output of a motor. The motor is positioned centrally on the front fan guard member, in a location downstream from the propeller. When the propeller rotates during operation of the fan, air is drawn through the rear fan guard member and out the front fan guard member. Each grille has a first spacing at a major face portion thereof, and a second, lessor spacing proximate a periphery thereof. This arrangement allows debris (such as feathers in a poultry barn) to pass through the major face portion of each grille, but provides a safety feature near the periphery of the guard members. A three-point mount is provided for suspending the fan, with chains or cables, from an overhead surface.

Abstract: An impeller for a fan, with improved performance characteristics, has a central hub with a plurality of wings extending radially outwardly therefrom. The impeller also has a plurality of blades, such that each blade is attached in an extending manner from a corresponding one of the wings. When in combination with a fan having a motor, the motor imparts rotation to the impeller in a forward direction. Each blade is angled backwardly, at a selected angle, relative to its corresponding wing and the forward, rotational direction of the impeller. In an alternate embodiment, each wing of the hub has a first portion extending radially outward from the hub and a second, outer portion angled backwardly relative to the first portion of the wing and the forward direction of the impeller. A method of manufacture is provided.

Abstract: An attachment for improving the efficiency of a fluid circulation device such as a fan comprises a back connector portion for connecting to a fan blade and a lobe which protrudes from a leading edge of the fan blade. An impeller has a plurality of fan blades extending from a central hub, and the impeller is rotated by an electrical motor. The impeller is housed within a fan guard. As the impeller is rotated, the lobes operate to pick up air passing around the preceding blade and continue accelerating the air to increase efficiency and flow.

Abstract: A method for forming al buried contact begins by forming an exposed contact area (22) of a substrate (10) having a surface (11). An undoped or lightly doped layer of polysilicon (32) is formed in contact with the contact area (22). A contiguous masking layer (36) is formed over one or more of the contact areas (22) to cover a contact portion of the layer (32) while exposing other portions of the layer (32). The other portions of the layer (32) are doped with dopant atoms (44). A heat cycle is used to laterally drive the dopant atoms (44) through the layer (32) and downward through a substrate surface (11) to form buried contact substrate-diffused regions (54). The resulting regions (54) have improved voltage punch-through resistance to laterally adjacent electrical diffusion regions since the masking layer (36) creates a longer thermal diffusion path for the dopant atoms which eventually reside in the regions (54).

Abstract: A hinged snap together fan guard has front and rear fan guard members hingedly attached in a unique arrangement. Each of the front and rear fan guard members are generally formed in the shape of a concave dish having a plurality of ribs extending outwardly from a central region to a periphery of the member. Selected ribs on the front guard member terminate, at an outer end, in a hook for engaging with a peripheral rim of the rear fan guard member. At least one selected rib on each fan guard member terminates at an outer end in a loop. The two loops mate with each other, thereby forming a hinge. The front guard member can be moved from a closed position in engagement with the rear fan guard member to an open position, by pivoting the front fan guard member about the hinge. The hinge is preferably located in a lower quadrant of the fan guard, such that when opened, the front fan guard member is pivoted outwardly and downwardly relative to the rear fan guard member.

Abstract: A pair of pliers for cutting different sized wires, including crossing levers pivoted on a bolt extending through a hole and a slot of the levers, and a compression coil spring that urges the jaws of the two levers to be spread apart.