Did You Know...
...that one person who claimed to be the inventor of the television is Russian emigre Vladimir Zworykin? In 1929 David Sarnoff, founder of RCA, asked Zworykin what it would take to develop TV for commercial use. He said: a year and a half and $100,000. In reality, it took 20 years and $50 million! Before his death in 1982 at the age of 92, Zworykin said of his invention: "The technique is wonderful. It is beyond my expectations. But the programs! I would never let my children even come close to this thing."
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8181720 | Sealing system and bi-directional thrust bearing arrangement for a downhole motor A bearing assembly for a downhole motor comprises a housing having an upper end, a lower end, a radially inner surface, and a radially outer surface. In addition, the bearing assembly comprises a mandrel rotatably disposed within the housing. Further, the bearing as... | 05/22/2012 |
| 8167051 | Selective agitation A fluid actuated downhole tool for inducing movement of a downhole apparatus is described. The tool comprises a body for coupling to downhole apparatus, the body being adapted to accommodate now of fluid therethrough and including a flow-modifying arrangement for mo... | 05/01/2012 |
| 8166823 | Membrane-coupled ultrasonic probe system for detecting flaws in a tubular An ultrasonic probe apparatus for detecting flaws in a tubular includes a probe housing. The probe housing has an axial axis, a central cavity lying along the axial axis, and a bottom face adapted for placement on the tubular. The bottom face of the probe housing ha... | 05/01/2012 |
| 8161846 | Apparatus and methods for spinning a pipe Apparatus and methods for rotating or spinning a tubular. In some embodiments, the apparatus, referred to herein as a pipe spinner, includes a body, an arm pivotally coupled to the body, and an actuator coupled to the arm. The arm has a cam roller coupled thereto. T... | 04/24/2012 |
| 8136384 | Hardband wear testing system and method A hardband wear testing system with a first rotatable member connected to a tool joint to rotate the tool joint in a first direction. A second rotatable member connectable to the casing sample to rotate the casing sample in the first direction or in a second directi... | 03/20/2012 |
| 8132618 | Systems for retarding rod string backspin A system comprises a progressive cavity pump including a helical rotor disposed within a mating stator. In addition, the system comprises a rod string having a longitudinal axis, a first end, and a second end coupled to the rotor. Further, the system comprises a rot... | 03/13/2012 |
| 8113762 | Horizontal pipe storage and handling system This application relates to a pipe storage and handling system having a stationary frame, a tilting frame moveably coupled to the stationary frame, a pipe rack moveably coupled to the tilting frame and an arm. The pipe rack includes a storage end configured to suppo... | 02/14/2012 |
| 8109338 | Pipe section guide system with flexible member A pipe handling system includes a lifting mechanism coupled to an upper end of a pipe above a free end of the pipe, and a guide system operable to engage the pipe and control lateral movement of the pipe as it is moved between a storage position and a well center po... | 02/07/2012 |
| 8066070 | Blowout preventers and methods of use Methods and apparatuses for severing a wellbore tubular, the apparatus, in certain aspects, including: a first member movable toward a tubular to be severed; a second member with a second blade disposed opposite to the first member and movable toward the tubular; a ... | 11/29/2011 |
| 8042625 | Drilling tool A drilling tool has a body with a main drilling region and a pilot drilling region, eccentric to the main drilling region. The main drilling region has main blades and the pilot drilling region has pilot blades. The main drilling region has a main pass-through diame... | 10/25/2011 |
| 8033917 | Drive shaft assembly for a downhole motor A drive shaft assembly for a downhole motor includes a drive shaft formed with convexly spherical bearing surfaces on each end, and end housings with concavely spherical bearing surfaces for mating contact with the spherical bearing surfaces of the drive shaft, ther... | 10/11/2011 |
| 8033338 | Wellbore continuous circulation systems and method Systems and methods for continuously circulating fluid, e.g., drilling mud, through a wellbore tubular string, the systems in certain aspects including a sub positionable in fluid communication with the tubular string, the sub with a body, a plug releasably closing ... | 10/11/2011 |
| 8016037 | Drilling rigs with apparatus identification systems and methods Generally, the subject matter disclosed herein is directed to devices and methods for energizing and detecting a wave-energizable apparatus on an item movable with respect to a working surface of a drilling rig. One illustrative device disclosed herein includes at l... | 09/13/2011 |
| 7975392 | Downhole tool Tools and methods for subsurface operations. Circuit arrangements providing a damping effect against undesired vibration effects on inertial data signals derived from inertial sensors disposed in a downhole tool. ... | 07/12/2011 |
| 7967299 | Body to bonnet seal on a blowout preventer A seal comprises a metal seal ring with a first slanted mating surface for sealing engagement with a mating surface on a body and a second slanted mating surface for sealing engagement with a mating surface on a bonnet. The mating surfaces are the same angle as meas... | 06/28/2011 |
| 7963452 | RFID tag assembly An RFID tag assembly for tagging an asset comprises a housing including an inner cavity and a through bore. In addition, the assembly comprises an RFID tag disposed in the inner cavity. Further, the assembly comprises a mounting member coaxially disposed in the bore... | 06/21/2011 |
| 7963371 | Centrifugal applicator system Methods and apparatus for applying a uniform application of an appropriate quantity of lubricant to the internal threads of a pipe. In general, the apparatus includes a high pressure supply of lubricant and a high speed, rotating centrifugal applicator for evenly ap... | 06/21/2011 |
| 7958953 | Drilling tool A bi-center drilling tool comprises a main reamer region located eccentrically to an axis of rotation of the tool, and a leading cutting structure located ahead of the main reamer region, in the drilling direction. The leading cutting structure is located so as to a... | 06/14/2011 |
| 7958715 | Chain with identification apparatus A link member (e.g. a chain link or an elevator link) having a body, the body having two spaced-apart ends, wave-energizable apparatus (one or more) on the link body, and, in one aspect, a wrap or wraps securing the wave-energizable apparatus to the link. This abstr... | 06/14/2011 |
| 7886850 | Drilling fluid screening systems A system for treating a mixture of drilling fluid and solid material, including a container with an inlet for the introduction of the mixture into the container. The system having a rotatable screen assembly mounted within the container and has at least one screen f... | 02/15/2011 |
| 7874368 | Insertable progressive cavity pump systems and methods of pumping a fluid with same A progressive cavity pump system. In an embodiment, the system comprises a tubing string disposed within a borehole. The tubing string including a seating nipple disposed at a predetermined depth in the tubing string. In addition, the system comprises a stator posit... | 01/25/2011 |
| 7841415 | Iron roughneck extension systems Extension systems for iron roughnecks are provided. These systems are equipment apparatuses and extendable/retractable supports for devices used for connecting and disconnecting tubular members (e.g. casing, tubing, pipe, or drill pipe) on drill rigs. The systems in... | 11/30/2010 |
| 7814995 | Hydraulic jar and an overpressure relief mechanism therefor A hydraulic jar for a drilling assembly is disclosed. In some embodiments, the hydraulic jar includes a tubular housing, a mandrel disposed in the housing, an annulus between the mandrel and the housing, and a pressure relief mechanism disposed in the annulus. The p... | 10/19/2010 |
| 7789161 | Apparatus for interconnecting and sealing between fixed and rotating conduits and methods of installing same A seal assembly, for sealing between a stationary conduit and a rotating conduit, comprises an upper gland assembly, a washpipe, and a lower gland assembly. The upper gland assembly is operable to engage the stationary conduit. A washpipe partially disposed within t... | 09/07/2010 |
| 7784565 | Top drive systems with main shaft deflecting sensing A top drive system for wellbore operations, the top drive system including motor apparatus, a main shaft driven by the motor apparatus, and sensing apparatus for sensing bending of the main shaft; and, in certain aspects, the system providing information regarding t... | 08/31/2010 |
| 7779935 | Mechanically engaged and releasable connection system An apparatus for mechanically engaging and releasably coupling two tubular members may include a first housing member, a second housing member and a piston member, wherein, in a first position, the first and second housing members are fixed relative to each other by... | 08/24/2010 |
| 7766580 | Energy managing keel joint A keel joint protector, which, in certain aspects, includes a body made of flexible material, a central open bore through the body, and the body having a plurality of spaced-apart energy management zones therein for diffusing a force applied to a particular part of ... | 08/03/2010 |
| 7748473 | Top drives with shaft multi-seal A top drive system for wellbore operations, the top drive system including motor apparatus, a main shaft driven by the motor apparatus, the main shaft having a top end and a bottom end, a quill connected to the main shaft, a gear system interconnected with the quill... | 07/06/2010 |
| 7748445 | Top drive with shaft seal isolation A top drive system for wellbore drilling operations, the top drive system including a main shaft having an upper shaft seal system with a raised platform for supporting the seal system. The top drive may also have a shroud for covering the seal(s), and contaminants ... | 07/06/2010 |
| 7748297 | Cam operated jaw force intensifier for gripping a cylindrical member An apparatus to be used in a gripping assembly for gripping a cylindrical member is disclosed. The apparatus includes a jaw body, a gripping insert, and a rotatable camming member disposed between the jaw body and gripping insert. The rotatable camming member rotate... | 07/06/2010 |
| 7741580 | Method of welding a pipe/connector joint A method for welding a pipe section and a connector, where each of the pipe and connector have inner and outer beveled surfaces forming only a single angular alignment land when mated. The pipe and connector are welded together with only a single interior welding pa... | 06/22/2010 |
| 7736119 | Horizontal pipe handling system A pipe handling system comprises a pipe rack moveably coupled to a stationary frame. The pipe rack is configured to support a plurality of pipes between a loading end and a storage end. The pipe rack is moveable between a loading position where the loading end is po... | 06/15/2010 |
| 7637329 | Methods and systems for drilling auxiliary holes Systems and methods for drilling auxiliary holes such as conductor holes, ratholes, and mouseholes useful in drilling operations. The systems and methods include the use of a portable drilling apparatus that is selectively mountable on a rig's drill floor and is rem... | 12/29/2009 |
| 7631693 | Retrievable plug system and methods of use Apparatus and method for a retrievable plug in coil tubing. A plug is disposed within a tubing and is set within the tubing by an anchoring element placed in gripping engagement with the tubing. The plug also has seal elements disposed therein that are placed in sea... | 12/15/2009 |
| 7594683 | Pipe elevator with rotating door An elevator comprising a body having a longitudinal axis therethrough. The body is operable to at least partially surround and support a tubular member aligned with the longitudinal axis. The body also has a longitudinal opening that is sized so as to allow the tubu... | 09/29/2009 |
| 7546849 | Rotating bonded valve assembly Apparatus and methods for constructing a valve assembly comprising an anti-friction ring. The anti-friction ring allows a closure member in the valve assembly to more freely rotate during operation of the valve assembly. Consequently, the closure member strikes a se... | 06/16/2009 |
| 7540338 | Single joint drilling system with inclined pipe handling system A pipe handling system comprises a pipe erector that is operable to move a pipe from a horizontal storage position to an inclined position. In the inclined position, an upper end of the pipe is adjacent to an elevated drill floor of a drilling rig and the pipe is at... | 06/02/2009 |
