Abstract: A thermal storage system (100) and related method, comprising: a thermal collector (101); a thermal storage sink (102); at least one thermal storage transport conduit (8) for transporting thermal energy from the thermal collector to the thermal storage sink for storage therein; at least one thermal delivery conduit (11) for transporting the thermal energy from the thermal storage sink to an indoor-air space for use therein; a thermal storage liquid (21) within the thermal storage sink; and baled waste tires (14) for enhancing thermal storage.

Abstract: A cylindrical structure suitable for use as a drainage culvert made from the side walls of discarded motor vehicle tire casings. The side wall sections are stacked and bonded in axial alignment so that the concave face of each of the next adjacent side wall faces the convex face of the next adjacent side wall. One end face of the structure is thus concave and the other end face is convex so that the cylindrical structure can be placed in close alignment with the concave end face of one cylinder in close abutting contact with the convex end face of a second cylinder. Wide kerfs are cut in selected side walls between the outer rim of the side wall and the inner rim so that the selected side walls can expand or contract during banding to provide a rather uniform opening in the cylinder. The kerf also allow the cylinders to weep when water is being conducted therethrough.

Abstract: A concrete building block or panel contains at least one tightly wound bundle of used tire casing tread sections that have been separated from the two end wall sections and which have been joined together and wound into a tight spiral bundle. In one form of the invention, the side wall sections are stacked in axial alignment and a tread bundle is inserted into the stack before being mounted in the block or panel.

Abstract: A machine for compacting a row of tires in side-by-side relationship comprises a support housing containing a dual action hydraulic cylinder. A first compactor plate, contacting a first tire of the row is mounted on the support housing. An extended piston rod carrying a suitably dimensioned sleeve forms a probe that passes out of the support housing, through the first compactor plate and extends through the uncompacted row of tires, defining an external segment of the probe which varies in length as the piston is extended and retracted. A second compactor plate, mountable on the probe, contacts the last tire of the row. Thus the row of tires is compacted between the first compactor plate and the second compactor plate when the probe is retracted and the external segment is shortened. The probe is fully retractable through the first compactor plate to easily release the compacted row of tires therefrom.

Abstract: A machine for compacting a row of vehicle tires is provided in which the tires are compressed between a fixed and a movable compactor plate with the movable plate being actuated by an hydraulic cylinder. A safety mandrel is inserted through the center of the tires and locked in engagement with the movable compactor plate so that the tires to be compacted cannot be misaligned or ejected from the machine during the compaction process. Four tie wires are provided for each bundle which are fed through slots and wire guides through the center of the tires and hooked about the outside to hold the tires in the compressed condition after the hydraulic pressure is released. The length of the compressed bundle is set by adjusting the position of the compacting cylinder relative to the fixed compactor plate. Movable cylinder support means are provided to prevent misalignment of the cylinder and piston rod at the extreme limits of the extended stroke of the system.

Abstract: A small vertical tire compacting machine is provided in which a series of sets, each set containing a small quantity of tires to be compacted are sequentially and incrementally compacted between compacting heads, at least one of which is moveable hydraulically or otherwise. Upon addition and compaction of the final set of tires the fully compacted bundle is banded and removed for further handling and/or storage. The already compacted tires are retained on the machine, together with the about to be compacted tires, by a mandrel with retractable/expandable cams, or otherwise during the repeated operation of the machine.

Abstract: A concrete building block encapsulating a compacted bundle of tires is provided as a permanent environmentally safe container for used automobile tires. The cube of concrete with the tires in it forms an economically attractive light-weight building block that can be used for building fences, walls and other structures and/or disposed of in an efficient environmentally safe fashion to permanently encapsulate the tires and prevent contamination of the environment. A tapered central hole is provided in the block for material handling purposes and interlocking tapered recesses and pucks are provided for aligning multiple layers of blocks when used as a building material. Various sizes and shapes of blocks are disclosed.

Abstract: An economical portable patient moving system is provided that can be simply and easily erected within a room to form a pipe frame on which is mounted a travelling bridge and hoist trolley allowing complete x,y movement throughout the room and lifting and lowering at any position within the room. The hoist is powered with a battery for safety reasons, and the travelling bridge and hoist car are mounted on low-friction wheel and bearing assemblies so that the entire apparatus can be simply and easily moved about the room by a physically impaired person sitting in the patient carrying platform and moving the feet along the floor to guide the travelling bridge and car members.

Abstract: A tire compacting machine has a pair of compactor plates mounted on hydraulic cylinders formed around the tie bars of the frame to move the compactor plates from the ends of the machine toward the center of the machine to compact therebetween a number of tires positioned about a mandrel hinged to one of the compactor plates. The tires are positioned in the machine about the mandrel and are captured between the compactor plates about the mandrel as the plates are moved together to compress the tires into a dense compacted uniform cross section bundle for efficient storage, handling and/or disposal. The machine can compact a wide range of numbers of tires from a few to twenty or so and the degree of compaction can be varied to suit the application, i.e., usable tires compacted slightly, unusable tires tightly compacted. The mandrel is pivotally mounted on one compactor plate and slidably received in an aperture in the other compactor plate so that tires are completely contained during the compaction cycle.

Abstract: A machine for compacting a row of vehicle tires is provided in which the tires are compressed between a fixed and a movable compactor plate with the movable plate being actuated by an hydraulic cylinder. A safety mandrel is inserted through the center of the tires and locked in engagement with the movable compactor plate so that the tires to be compacted cannot be misaligned or ejected from the machine during the compaction process. Four tie wires are provided for each bundle which are fed through slots and wire guides through the center of the tires and hooked about the outside to hold the tires in the compressed condition after the hydraulic pressure is released. The length of the compressed bundle is set by adjusting the position of the compacting cylinder relative to the fixed compactor plate. Movable cylinder support means are provided to prevent misalignment of the cylinder and piston rod at the extreme limits of the extended stroke of the system.

Abstract: A concrete building block encapsulating a compacted bundle of tires is provided as a permanent environmentally safe container for used automobile tires. The cube of concrete with the tires in it forms an economically attractive light-weight building block that can be used for building fences, walls and other structures and/or disposed of in an efficient environmentally safe fashion to permanently encapsulate the tires and prevent contamination of the environment. A tapered central hole is provided in the block for material handling purposes and interlocking tapered recesses and pucks are provided for aligning multiple layers of blocks when used as a building material. Various sizes and shapes of blocks are disclosed.