Abstract: A side pocket mandrel arranged to receive a measuring instrument such as a pressure gauge in the open-bottomed side pocket thereof includes an electrical contact mounted at the top of the side pocket and connected to a cable extending upward to the surface, and an instrument lowered on a wireline kickover tool and inserted upward into the pocket and latched in place with a mating electrical connector automatically engaging the contact. Placement of the electrical contact at the top of the pocket prevents debris from settling around it and preventing reengagement after removal of the gauge for any reason.

Abstract: In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a gas lift valve that is latched by a latch assembly into a seating bore in a side pocket mandrel includes a guide flange that is recieved in a slot in an internal wall of the mandrel. The guide flange functions to precisely rotationally orient and to stop the insertion of the valve within its seating bore such that a lateral gas outlet port in the valve body is directed inward toward the main bore of the mandrel. A frictional restraint also is provided to prevent accidental release of the latch assembly.

Abstract: In accordance with illustrative embodiments of the present invention, a side pocket mandrel includes an orienting sleeve having guide surfaces that lead to a longitudinal slot which forms, together with an adjacent longitudinal recess in the mandrel, a T-shaped channel that cooperates with projections on the arm of a kickover tool to precisely align the gas lift valve with the receptacle bore in the mandrel. The kickover tool includes an assembly of pivotally mounted upper and lower arms with the lower arm being pivoted to the tool body. The lower arm includes a locating finger and transversely extending projections that engage and slide in a T-shaped channel of the mandrel to achieve precise alignment of the valve with the receiver bore.

Abstract: In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a side pocket mandrel having a side pocket laterally offset from the open bore has an opening at the upper end of the pocket adapted to receive a gas lift valve. The axis of the opening is inclined in a downward and inward direction toward the axis of the open bore. A kickover tool for replacing and removing valves includes an orienting section having angularly spaced dogs that are cooperable with a sleeve in the mandrel to cause orientation of the tool and to trigger longitudinal movement of a control rod. Rod movement actuates guides on a pivot arm that cooperates with rails or the like in the mandrel to cause the valve to be inserted through the opening to a position extending upwardly into the annulus with a packing sub thereon engaging the opening.

Abstract: In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a kickover tool for replacing and removing valves includes an orienting section having angularly spaced dogs that are cooperable with a sleeve in a side pocket mandrel to cause orientation of the tool and to trigger longitudinal movement of a control rod. Rod movement cams an inwardly biased kickover arm outwardly to enable extension of guides that cooperate with ramps or the like in the side pocket mandrel to cause a valve coupled to said kickover arm to be inserted through a seat and latched in place in the mandrel. After the valve is seated and latched, the guides are disabled wtih response to upward force on the pivot arm. A clutch to prevent premature actuation of the kickover tool also is disclosed.

Abstract: In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a side pocket mandrel includes a tubular main body having an internal bore, a seating section w4elded to one end of said main body and having a main bore and a laterally offset seating bore opening to the exterior thereof, the axis of said seating bore being inclined at a small angle toward the axis of said main bore, said seating bore having a polish section at the outer end thereof and a latch shoulder adjacent the inner end of said polish section, and a gas flow opening communicating said seating bore with said main bore at a location inwardly of said polish section. A tubular member having an orienting sleeve therein is welded to said seating section in alignment with said main bore, and a swage nipple is welded to the opposite end of said main body. All of said welds are transverse to provide a high strength and compact mandrel assembly.

Abstract: A wood planar having a cutterhead with a top pressure bar in spaced horizontal relation to the cutterhead. A chipbreaker may be mounted in advance and adjacent to the cutterhead in spaced relation above a bed plate mounted for supporting a board to be planed. The improvement in the wood planar including a yielding pressure bar means for automatic cut control mounted to cooperate with the bed plate with a shaft for mounting the yielding pressure bar means and the yielding pressure bar means having at least one member pivotally mounted on the shaft. The yielding pressure bar means includes a rearwardly projecting surface for engaging a board being planed in a directed path of travel and having a forwardly projecting abutment with resilient means for urging the rearwardly projecting surface against a top pressure bar and the cutterhead while a board is being conveyed through the planar during planing.

Abstract: A pleating machine for automatically forming pleated drapes from blank drapery panels. The pleating machine is comprised of six stations which cooperate automatically under the control of a controller. The pleating machine is comprised of a loading station, a loop-forming station, an overhead transfer assembly, a corner sewing station, at least one pleat and sewing station and at least one ejection assembly. After a drapery panel is loaded in the pleating machine, the machine automatically forms a header in the panel, determines the spacing required to form pleats uniformly across the panel just loaded and forms uniformly spaced single loops along the header. Thereafter, the corners of the header are sewn, and the entire panel is transferred to the pleat and sewing station, where each loop is formed into a pleat and sewn. After the last pleat is sewn the entire panel is ejected.

Abstract: A wet/dry bulb hygrometer of the psychrometer type is used for monitoring and/or controlling humidity of a gaseous fluid having contaminants therein. The wet bulb sensor of the hygrometer is provided with a wick which is movable over the wet bulb sensor so that a fresh wicking surface is presented to the gas stream and contaminants will not render the sensor useless for accurate measurements. The hygrometer is used to monitor and/or control humidity and temperature in a textile processing environment wherein lint, fumes, condensable oils, tints and resins would tend to foul a stationary wick of a web bulb sensor and, consequently, a wick material is moved into and through the hygrometer over the wet bulb sensor and then out of the hygrometer, thus, always presenting a fresh wicking surface for the gaseous fluid stream.

Abstract: A pleating machine for automatically forming pleated drapes from blank drapery panels. The pleating machine is comprised of six stations which cooperate automatically under the control of a controller. The pleating machine is comprised of a loading station, a loop-forming station, an overhead transfer assembly, a corner sewing station, at least one pleat and sewing station and at least one ejection assembly. After a drapery panel is loaded in the pleating machine, the machine automatically forms a header in the panel, determines the spacing required to form pleats uniformly across the panel just loaded and forms uniformly spaced single loops along the header. Thereafter, the corners of the header are sewn, and the entire panel is transferred to the pleat and sewing station, where each loop is formed into a pleat and sewn. After the last pleat is sewn the entire panel is ejected.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel, compact device for attaching correctly sized strips of buckram material along the top edge of an unstretched drapery panel and overcomes prior art alignment difficulties associated between the drapery panel and strips of buckram, while at the same time assuring the production of a square straight edge along the top edge of the drapery panel. The process includes the trimming away of pre-measured portion of the top edge of each panel thereby removing any unevenness that may have occurred during the production of the drapery panel. At the same time, the device maintains a straight flat alignment between the panel and the buckram strip and includes a novel doffing device for removing the drapery panel from the apparatus subsequent to the sewing process.

Abstract: A device for use with a sewing machine using bobbins to determine either when a predetermined amount of bobbin thread remains on the bobbin or, alternatively, when the bobbin is completely empty. The device employs a probe which is inserted into the bobbin when the sewing machine is not operating and will thereafter produce a signal if the bobbin is low on thread or empty.