A device and a method for detecting a distance from a balloon to an ingot tank is provided. The device comprises a set of photoelectric transmitting tube and photoelectric receiving tube which are arranged in a height range of a balloon, Wherein a light beam between the photoelectric transmitting tube and the photoelectric receiving tube is arranged to be tangent to an appropriate balloon, and is used for detecting whether the balloon is located at an appropriate position according to a number of pulses received by the photoelectric receiving tube in one period of rotation of the balloon.

A fish tape assembly includes a fish tape tool including a housing, a chamber defined in the housing and a motor supported by the housing. The fish tape assembly also includes a fish tape drum configured to be inserted into the chamber of the housing. The fish tape drum contains a type of fish tape and includes a rotatable drum portion configured to rotate in response to receiving torque from the motor. The fish tape tool includes a sensor configured to detect the type of fish tape in the fish tape drum inserted into the chamber of the housing.

A modular material tracking system is provided for tracking material stored on and drawn from a reel using a modular system. The modular material tracking system may include a detection element, digital logic components, location receiver, enclosure, analytic components, interface component, sensor module, and plate module. One or more sensors relative to the reel may detect a position indicative of forward or reverse reel rotation. A processor may analyze signals to count rotations of the reel, which is savable in memory. A battery may provide power. The system may also record the time and location associated with rotations. A method for tracking material stored on and drawn from a reel using a modular material tracking system is also provided.

A fish tape tool includes a housing including a base and a cover. The housing defines a chamber between the base and the cover. The base defines an exit opening and a channel extending from the chamber to the exit opening. The fish tape tool also includes a drum configured to be inserted into the chamber of the housing, the drum containing a fish tape. The drum is configured to be manually rotatable relative to the housing to dispense or retract the fish tape from the housing via the channel and the exit opening. The cover defines a central aperture that is aligned with a central bore of the drum.

The invention provides a method and a system for monitoring of yarn drawn axially from a bobbin (24a). It is desired to monitor one or both of remaining capacity of an active bobbin and transfer from one active bobbin 24a to the next. A free portion (30) of the yarn moves circumferentially about the bobbin as the yarn is drawn from it. The invention involves a sensor responsive to electromagnetic radiation arranged to sense the free portion (30) of the yarn and to provide an output which varies with a period P corresponding to the period of the circumferential movement of the free portion of the yarn about the bobbin (24a). The period P can be interpreted to provide the desired information.

A fish tape tool includes a housing and a chamber defined in the housing. A drum is configured to be inserted into the chamber of the housing. The drum contains a fish tape. The drum is rotatable relative to the housing to dispense or retract the fish tape from the housing. The drum is one of a plurality of drums that are insertable into and removable from the chamber of the housing. Each drum contains a different type of fish tape.

A reel weight measurement system is shown and described herein. In some embodiments, the reel weight measurement system comprises strategically placed position and load sensors for measuring an orientation of a reel-carrying unit and measuring loads in the reel-carrying unit. The loads may be indicative of forces due to the weight of the reel when the reel is supported by a carriage of the reel-carrying unit. The weight of the reel may be determined by summing the forces and moments in the system while the carriage is in motion or static. Further, the weight of the reel may be determined by comparing the force measurements and orientation of the carriage to stored calibration data.

A high efficiency bobbin winding device with adjustability has a housing that encloses at least one motor and associated circuitry and mechanism that allows a user to selectively wind a bobbin with a selected amount of thread. The motor is mounted on a hinged support that rotates to move the motor which has a shaft that spins the bobbin. An adjustment knob is rotated to selectively move the motor support. A sensor detects the amount of thread wound on the bobbin and stops further winding when the proper amount of thread is wound on the bobbin. The housing also has indicator lights to indicate power and other settings. A spool is placed on a rod and is thread through a guide and a tension adjustment and then on the bobbin where it is wound to a selected level.

A high efficiency bobbin winding device with adjustability has a housing that encloses at least one motor and associated circuitry and mechanism that allows a user to selectively wind a bobbin with a selected amount of thread. The motor is mounted on a hinged support that rotates to move the motor which has a shaft that spins the bobbin. An adjustment knob is rotated to selectively move the motor support. A sensor detects the amount of thread wound on the bobbin and stops further winding when the proper amount of thread is wound on the bobbin. The housing also has indicator lights to indicate power and other settings. A spool is placed on a rod and is thread through a guide and a tension adjustment and then on the bobbin where it is wound to a selected level.

Systems and methods are provided for detecting potential failures in logging winch systems to enable efficient maintenance are provided. An example of such a system may include a logging winch system that conveys a downhole tool into a wellbore on a cable and a data processing system. The logging winch system may include sensors that measure observed quantities relating to operation of the logging winch system. The data processing system may determine correlation signatures that relate the observed quantities to the operation of the logging winch system and may identify when one or more of the correlation signatures indicates abnormal operation.