Abstract: Uni-directional radiation vanes for a solar heating system for passing solar radiation and suppressing reradiation in the opposite direction. A plurality of parallel vanes are pivotally mounted. Drive means are connected to the vanes to rotate said vanes in parallel relation to follow the sun so that the sun's rays pass between said vanes. A plurality of grooves on the lower part of said vanes suppress reradiation between said vanes in the opposite direction to the sun's rays.

Abstract: A solar heating system adapted to be installed in a chimney. A solar tank is mounted on top of the chimney. A translucent dome covers the top of the solar tank. An outer pipe extends down from the solar tank through the chimney. A heating tank is located at the lower end of the chimney, the outer pipe extending down to the heating tank. An inner pipe is coaxially mounted in the outer pipe and extends from the heater tank up to the solar tank.

Abstract: A system for injecting chemicals into a fire fighting system of the type using a plurality of water hoses and having a source of water and a source of chemicals. A servo motor system is connected to automatically meter a certain ratio of chemicals into the water supply. The servo motor system is responsive to the total flow to control the chemical pump to pump a certain ratio of chemicals into the water supply even if the total flow varies.

Abstract: High speed document processing and sorting apparatus. A stream of documents is guided along a path at high speed. A detector is mounted along said path to detect identifiable documents. A magazine is mounted to receive the detected documents. A vacuum wheel is mounted to remove the detected documents from said path to said magazine. The vacuum picker comprises a vacuum wheel mounted a predetermined spacing over said path, the vacuum wheel having a surface speed equal to the high speed document speed. A solid wheel is movably mounted below said vacuum wheel and below said path. A detector control moves the solid wheel and document up into contact with the vacuum wheel when it is desired to remove a document moving at high speed.

Abstract: Blood specimen indexing means. A rack for test tubes having a lower solid plate, a center plate and an upper plate, the center and upper plates having a plurality of holes for receiving test tubes. The upper plate has a plurality of peg holes to receive the one or more pegs. The test tube holes in the upper plate are numbered with consecutive two digit numbers and the peg holes are numbered with consecutive three digit and four digit numbers.

Abstract: A solar heating system. A roof mounted panel collects heat from the sun. The panel having an upper sunlight-absorbing surface. A translucent cover is mounted above the panel to protect it from the weather. The panel has a lower surface for heat transfer to a stream of water. The panel is mounted in cooperative relation with a roof to form a passage for the stream of water. Means are connected to the panel for maintaining the stream of water in substantially uniform contact with said lower surface of the panel. Insulated tank means connected for receiving and storing the stream of water. Means are provided for controlling the stream of water under the panel in response to the temperature of the panel and the water in the tank, whereby the water collects heat from the panel only at useful temperatures. Air stream means are provided for preventing the roof from overheating.

Abstract: A strip of conductive spring material is formed in a loop with extending ends adapted to be clamped together by closed doors and windows. In one embodiment, a conductive rod member has a hook at one end, the other end of the rod member being fixedly connected to one side of the loop, the hooked end extending through a hole in the other side of the loop. An apertured contact member is mounted on and insulated from the outside of the other side of the loop. The loop is unclamped when the door or window is opened and a circuit is completed between the hooked end and the contact. In another embodiment, the loop is positioned between two stationary contacts, being permanently attached to the first one of the contacts. When the extended ends are clamped, the loop does not touch the second contact, but when the ends are unclamped, the loop bridges the two fixed contacts to complete an alarm circuit.

Abstract: Flow measuring means in a pipe having turbulent flow. A chamber is inserted in the pipe. The chamber having a diameter substantially larger than the diameter of the pipe. A flow meter is mounted in the pipe downstream from the chamber. The chamber substantially reduces turbulence in the pipe and provides a reliable flow measurement.

Abstract: Guard means for a rotary power mower of the type having a hollow base member, a horizontal blade rotatably mounted in the base member, the base member being adjustably elevated off the ground by a plurality of adjustable wheels. Guards are provided to prevent a person's foot from extending under the base member into contact with the blade. The guards are mounted around the periphery of the base member. The guards extend to close proximity with the ground.

Abstract: Roofing means including a roof panel. Means are provided for securing the roof panel onto a roof frame including elastic clamping means joining the panel in tensioned relation to the frame and a deformable elastic sealing member secured between the clamping means and the panel and covering the clamping member. The roof panel may be a thin translucent plastic sheet.

Abstract: A fluid manifolding system. A main flow line is connected to a plurality of branch flow lines. Adjustable control means are connected to each branch point to control the flow in that branch line independently of the pressure drop in that branch line and independently of the hydrostatic pressure in the main flow line at that branch point. The control means consists of a fixed constriction in each branch flow line and an automatic valve in each branch flow line responsive to the pressure drop across the fixed constriction and which may be biased by a force to maintain a fixed preassigned pressure drop across the fixed constriction.

Abstract: Fire fighting system for communication and control of fire fighting equipment, such as maintaining the pressure and providing various warnings of different situations which may arise which cause a decrease in the fire fighting capability of the apparatus and personnel. A transceiver is provided with an audible tone output to serve as a warning device for the nozzle men. An improved clutch drive system automatically operates the control valves thereby eliminating the need for stop switches on the various valves.

Abstract: A scooter vehicle has a chassis, and a front wheel mounted on the center line of the chassis, a rear wheel mounted on the chassis, and a steering column attached to the front wheel. A pair of ratchet gears are connected one to each of the rear wheels. A platform is rotatively mounted on the chassis. The platform has front and rear foot portions mounted with an angle of less than 180.degree. between them. First chain means connects the front of the platform for driving one of the ratchet drive wheel gears and second chain means connects the rear of the platform for driving the other of the ratchet drive wheel gears.

Abstract: Stretcher for horses. A split cart having elevatable wheels is connected to be locked together. A split resilient bed is mounted in the cart. The bed has apertures for receiving the legs of a horse so that the split cart with bed may be slid under a horse, locked together and elevated for transportation. The device may be used for recovery after surgery.

Abstract: Blood segment processor for releasing blood from a segmented plastic tube into a test tube. A tubular member is adapted to fit inside a test tube. A cutter is mounted in the tubular member so that a segmented plastic tube containing blood may be inserted in the tubular member and cut, to thereby release the blood into the test tube.

Abstract: An air-heating solar collector having a plurality of parallel, spaced-apart, substantially coextensive translucent sheets and a convoluted air passage passing in succession between successive pairs of said sheets, the air finally passing over a blackened absorber plate, whereby heat escaping from the absorber to the sheets is picked up by air flowing in the convoluted air passage.

Abstract: An auxiliary system for cooling a solar collector of the type having circulating fluid when normal circulation fails, comprising direct mechanical temperature responsive means for admitting domestic water to the collector automatically when a predetermined safe temperature is exceeded.

Abstract: A solar collector for collecting radiant energy and transferring it as heat to a moving air stream. A housing has means to provide an air stream through the housing. At least one translucent cover is mounted on the housing for the entrance of radiation into the housing. A plurality of spaced apart partially translucent sheets in said air stream, substantially parallel to and coextensive with the cover, whereby a portion of said entering radiation is absorbed by each successive partially translucent sheet and transmitted to said air stream as heat.

Abstract: An absorber plate for water heating collectors. A cover sheet has a blackened upward surface for absorbing sunlight and a plurality of ridges on its lower surface. A back sheet has an equal number of grooves, the spacing of said grooves matching said ridges, the cover sheet and the back sheet being assembled so that the ridges nest in the grooves, the grooves being wider and shallower than said ridges so that a plurality of water passages partially bounded by the ridges and the grooves are formed when the cover sheet and the back sheet are assembled in nesting relation.

Abstract: A heat storage tank suitable for solar house heating systems. The tank includes a rigidly supported bottom panel covered with a layer of stones of substantially uniform size which are bonded together thermally and mechanically at their points of contact with each other, but which have voids forming air passages remaining between them, bottom insulation below said bottom panel, a bottom air passage between the bottom insulation and the bottom panel, and at least one opening in the bottom panel whereby air can pass from said bottom air passage into said layer of stones.