Abstract: Apparatus for removing all or part of a roll of magnetic tape stored on a reel of a reel-to-reel tape transport device. This apparatus consists of a stripper reel which is structurally compatible with a reel mounting hub of the transport device. The stripper reel includes a hard circular "reel core" mounted to the hub and supporting front and back flanges, as well as a resilient annular "tape core" fitted around the reel core. Typically, the tape core consists of a hollow circular cylinder of elastomeric material, having a durometer between 10 and 30. The user winds a segment of tape to be discarded from the unwind reel onto the tape core of the stripping device, removes the front flange, and manually removes the tape pack from the stripper reel.

Abstract: A concentrating solar energy system is disclosed which permits efficient collection without tracking. The system comprises a collector having an elongate, trough-shaped body with an inner reflective surface having a cross-sectional curve of height H, throat opening T, and conforming substantially to the cartesian curve Y = .+-. AX.sup.b, the curve concentrating incident radiation into an included receiving area of maximum dimension R, wherein B is about 0.30 plus or minus 0.15, A is from about 0.5 to 2.5, H/T is between about 0.5 to 2.0 and preferably about 1, and the concentration ratio T/R is at least 3. For photothermal recovery, an absorptive liquid is used circulating in a transparent receiver tube, the liquid being automatically drained to avoid high temperatures when not circulating.