Did You Know...
...that the x-ray was discovered purely by accident? When German physicist Wilhelm Konrad von Roentgen was experimenting with cathode rays in 1895, he put an activated Crookes tube in a book and went out to lunch. When he returned, he discovered that a key that had also been placed in the book showed up as an image on the developed film!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7744063 | Safety device A safety device for a fall arrest system comprises: a body, attachment means for attaching the safety device to a support structure, a drum mounted for rotation relative to the body, a safety line wound on the drum, a speed sensitive clutch connected to the drum, an... | 06/29/2010 |
| 7389973 | Tensioning systems and methods for line spooling A line tensioning system for regulating tension on a line having a proximal end and a distal end, where the proximal end is operatively connected to a drum. The line tensioning system comprises a frame, a first and second sets of rollers, and first and second sets o... | 06/24/2008 |
| 7377487 | Holding device for handling tools A holding device is designed to compensate for the weight of a tool using a non-vertical length of an elastic rope. The elastic rope may be redirected using a pulley mounted to a carrier that is mounted to a support structure. The user is able to use the tool withou... | 05/27/2008 |
| 7293670 | Upper block A crane having an upper block, a lower block, a drum, and two ropes. The upper block includes an equalizer having a yoke to which the ropes are connected. The connections between the ropes and the yoke include load cells that measure the forces carried by each of th... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7231981 | Inline compensator for a floating drill rig An apparatus and method for protecting against the problems associated with heave of a floating drilling rig are disclosed. The disclosed invention is a unique inline compensator in which a plurality of cylinders housed within a tubular housing and a plurality of lo... | 06/19/2007 |
| 7188677 | Tensioning system for production tubing in a riser at a floating installation for hydrocarbon production A device for tensioning and relieving production tubing (49) extending from a subsea hydrocarbon well (107) up through a riser (63) to a floating installation (87), a continuous production tubing extension (85) passing through a te... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7131922 | Ram-type tensioner assembly having integral hydraulic fluid accumulator The invention is directed to a tensioner assembly for providing tensile force from a floating vessel at the surface of the ocean to the blowout preventer stack, or production tree, which is connected to the wellhead at the sea floor. The tensioner assembly compensat... | 11/07/2006 |
| 7080689 | Instrumentation assembly for an offshore riser The present invention relates to an instrumentation assembly intended for an offshore riser (2) operated from a floater (1). It comprises a central processing unit (PC) connected by conducting cables (27) to: a... | 07/25/2006 |
| 6578825 | Wire rope equalizer system for hoist mechanisms A wire rope equalizer system for a conventional double reeved hoist mechanism using wire rope is disclosed. The wire rope equalizer system includes a base member that is secured to the hoist mechanism for selective rotation and a pivoting lever that is pi... | 06/17/2003 |
| 6390952 | Auto-belay rock climbing devices and modular climbing towers The invention provides improved climbing devices and structures for use in mobile and fixed climbing installations. Modular climbing towers are generally assembled from panels having lateral curves by fastening upper and lower flanges of the panels togeth... | 05/21/2002 |
| 6296232 | Riser-tensioner The present invention relates to a riser-tensioner for exerting a tensile force from a drilling vessel or drilling platform upon a riser, comprising a riser ring which is for fastening attachably to the top end of the riser, and one or more cables extendi... | 10/02/2001 |
| 5101905 | Riser tensioner system for use on offshore platforms A riser tensioner system 10 includes a pair of supports 14, 16 affixed to an offshore platform in spaced apart relation to one another. A shaft 24 extends between the supports 14, 16 and is pivotally coupled thereto by an elastomeric bearing 26. A central... | 04/07/1992 |
| 4964491 | System for limiting snap load intensity A system which limits the intensity of a snap load imposed in a tether or cable, used, for example, in the recovery of an object at sea, includes a floating plate for connection to the cable and a support housing for connection to the object being recover... | 10/23/1990 |
| 4867418 | Apparatus for increasing the load handling capability of support and manipulating equipment A method and apparatus for increasing the load handling capacity of a system, having at least one fluid driven compensating means, incorporates a booster fluid actuated piston cylinder assembly interconnecting portions of the compensating system so as to ... | 09/19/1989 |
| 4850571 | Connector assembly The present invention relates to a connector assembly for maintaining a crown block with respect to a fall block of a hoist assembly. A tube on each side of the crown block can retain a rod on each side of the fall block. A hydraulic unit on the free end ... | 07/25/1989 |
| 4760992 | Rope tension damper A novel rope tension damper device is adapted to be installed, for example, at a location between a winch and the fairlead that guides the rope. The device comprises a co-planar pair of sheaves respectively mounted at opposite ends of a rotatable arm. The... | 08/02/1988 |
| 4759256 | Tensioner recoil control apparatus Apparatus for controlling fluid communication with a fluid pressure system includes parallel flow paths connected to the system. A first flow path includes first valve apparatus for selectively closing the flow path. The second flow path includes relief v... | 07/26/1988 |
| 4667625 | Dog run apparatus having shock absorbing capability Apparatus for joining an associated chain or leash and an associated generally horizontally cable which includes a pulley and a generally U-shaped frame having two leg shaped members extending in generally parallel spaced relationship with the free ends t... | 05/26/1987 |
| 4643399 | Apparatus for counterbalancing tongs An apparatus for balancing tongs is comprised of a pair of fluid actuated piston and cylinder assemblies. The rod of each assembly carries a first pair of rotatably mounted pulley wheels, and a second pair of pulley wheels is mounted on the assembly in sp... | 02/17/1987 |
| 4638978 | Hydropneumatic cable tensioner A hydropneumatic cable tensioner is comprised of an enclosed cylinder featuring a plurality of annular chambers. A fixed cable sheave is mounted to one end of the cylinder. A movable cable sheave is mounted to a piston rod connected to a piston which reci... | 01/27/1987 |
| 4620692 | Crown block compensator Disclosed is a compensator applicable for use with a traveling block supported from a mast, derrick or the like by means of a crown block wherein the traveling block may be utilized for supporting objects. Two fluid pressure piston-and-cylinder assemblies... | 11/04/1986 |
| 4616708 | Riser tensioning system A riser tensioning and recoil system for a riser extended between a floating platform and a submerged riser base comprises at least one riser tensioning cable which is operatively connected to the riser and to a collar which is slidably arranged around th... | 10/14/1986 |
| 4552339 | Hoisting device with compensated tackle A hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder supports a pair of non-circular discs and a circular pulley about which a hoisting cable and a carrying cable are trained. The discs are configured such that a constant force is exerted on a load supported by the hoisting... | 11/12/1985 |
| 4544137 | Offshore crane wave motion compensation apparatus Motion compensated load-lifting apparatus for use on marine vessels. Apparatus includes a traveling weight used to maintain tension in the load-lifting member, and a locking mechanism to prevent movement of the traveling weight in one direction. The locki... | 10/01/1985 |
| 4540159 | Hydropneumatic cable tensioner A hydropneumatic cable tensioner is comprised of an enclosed cylinder featuring a plurality of annular chambers. A fixed cable sheave is mounted to one end of the cylinder. A movable cable sheave is mounted to a piston rod connected to a piston which reci... | 09/10/1985 |
| 4535972 | System to control the vertical movement of a drillstring A system for controlling the vertical movement of a drillstring and which is removably interconnected with a conventional drill rig. The system includes at least one fluidic cylinder and piston assembly removably connected at an upper end to a support, su... | 08/20/1985 |
| 4501219 | Tensioner apparatus with emergency limit means The invention pertains to tensioners for maintaining a load between two relatively movable structures, such as an offshore drill ship or the like and a riser pipe. First and second tensioner bodies are mounted for relative reciprocation, and are further f... | 02/26/1985 |
| 4475755 | Apparatus and method for assembly-disassembly of a spring loaded hook A spring loaded hook having an apparatus which forms a part of the assembly and which can be used by field or manufacturing personnel to disassemble and/or assemble the hook parts for maintenance or repair by a controlled compression and release of the sp... | 10/09/1984 |
| 4470355 | Pneumatic cable tensioning apparatus and method for an aerial tramway or the like A cable tensioning apparatus and method for automatically maintaining and adjusting the tension forces in an endless cable for a ski lift, aerial tramway, etc. is disclosed. The apparatus includes a carriage on which the cable is carried, a pneumatic carr... | 09/11/1984 |
| 4334670 | Anchor winch equipment Anchor winch equipment, for a motor boat, a yacht or a small-sized fishing boat, which ensures easy and simple paying out and hauling in of an anchor and whose power is supplied from a battery or a generator provided in said boat or yacht, is characterize... | 06/15/1982 |
| 4272059 | Riser tensioner system A tensioner system is disclosed for applying tension to a riser pipe extending between a floating vessel and the sea bottom. The tensioner comprises a guide means fixed onto the floating vessel for restraining guide members from substantial lateral moveme... | 06/09/1981 |
| 4268013 | Crane motion compensator A method and apparatus are disclosed for displacing a crane lift hook and hook cable to follow the relative vertical motion between a crane and a loading deck such as occurs between floating vessels and a fixed crane. In the method, the hook cable is paid... | 05/19/1981 |
| 4236695 | Sea swell compensation A hoist includes a winch and a hoist rope having load attaching means on one end and a hydraulically-operated ram to heave in and pay out the hoist rope. Two hydraulic systems each including a gas accumulator are connected to the hydraulically-operated ra... | 12/02/1980 |
| 4215851 | System for active compensation of unwanted relative movements, preferably during loading of cargo A system for active compensation of undesired relative movement particularly during loading of cargo comprising a long-periodic acting system for compensation of static loading caused by the load and a short-periodic acting system for active compensation ... | 08/05/1980 |
| 4069921 | Overhead crane including a single failure proof hoist An overhead crane for use in handling critical loads and including a horizontally movable trolley on which is mounted a single failure proof hoist mechanism having alternative or redundant means for supporting the loads if structural failure occurs in the... | 01/24/1978 |
| 4049239 | Drill spring tension limiting device for floating drilling vessels An apparatus for limiting the tension to which a suspended member can be subjected is disclosed. The apparatus responds to excessive tensile stress by increasing in length at a rate to keep such stress from exceeding a predetermined level. The present inv... | 09/20/1977 |
| 3948486 | New device for applying a determined force to an element connected to an installation subjected to alternating movements This device comprises in combination means for passive compensation of the alternating movements of the installation, comprising at least one articulated jack connected to a source of pressurized fluid, and complementary means for fine compensation, these... | 04/06/1976 |
| 3940111 | Apparatus for applying a determined force to an element connected to an installation subjected to alternating movements This apparatus comprises a main jack for supporting elements from the installation and a regulating device which includes at least one pivoting jack and makes use of a source of pressurized fluid in communication with a chamber of variable volume in which... | 02/24/1976 |
