Abstract: A Mersenne reflector system provides solar daylighting uses parabolic troughs as primary and secondary reflectors, in Cassegrainian and Gregorian configurations. A Mersenne-like reflector system uses truncated parabolic troughs as primary and secondary reflectors in the Cassegrainian configuration. A variety of combinations of reflector shapes are used including: elliptical primary and circular secondary, rectangular primary and square secondary, elliptical primary and square secondary, and rectangular primary and circular secondary.

Abstract: A Mersenne reflector system using parabolic troughs as primary and secondary reflectors, in Cassegrainian and Gregorian configurations, and a Mersenne-like reflector system using truncated parabolic troughs as primary and secondary reflectors in the Cassegrainian configuration, using a variety of combinations of reflector shapes: elliptical primary and circular secondary, rectangular primary and square secondary, elliptical primary and square secondary, and rectangular primary and circular secondary. A method for constructing truncated Cassegrainian systems using truncated troughs.

Abstract: A direct beam solar lighting system for collecting and distributing sunlight into a room. The system includes a rotatable solar collector head to receive sunlight and to reflect the sunlight downward into a transition tube having a reflective interior surface. The light-concentrating transition tube reflects sunlight into a reflective light tube which directs the reflected sunlight through a plenum space into the room. The system includes a drive mechanism for rotating the rotatable solar collector, and a light fixture at end of the light tube to disburse said reflected sunlight onto a ceiling and a wall in the room. In an embodiment the system includes one or more homogenizing reflectors within the solar collector for collecting the sunlight and directing the sunlight more uniformly over the aperture of the transition tube. In an alternative embodiment, the solar collector includes a rotatable tiltable mirror for providing two-axis tracking.

Abstract: A Mersenne reflector system using parabolic troughs as primary and secondary reflectors, in Cassegrainian and Gregorian configurations, and a Mersenne-like reflector system using truncated parabolic troughs as primary and secondary reflectors in the Cassegrainian configuration, using a variety of combinations of reflector shapes: elliptical primary and circular secondary, rectangular primary and square secondary, elliptical primary and square secondary, and rectangular primary and circular secondary. A method for constructing truncated Cassegrainian systems using truncated troughs.

Abstract: A direct beam solar lighting system for collecting and distributing sunlight into a room. The system includes a rotatable solar collector head to receive sunlight and to reflect the sunlight downward into a transition tube having a reflective interior surface. The light-concentrating transition tube reflects sunlight into a reflective light tube which directs the reflected sunlight through a plenum space into the room. The system includes a drive mechanism for rotating the rotatable solar collector, and a light fixture at end of the light tube to disburse said reflected sunlight onto a ceiling and a wall in the room. In an embodiment the system includes one or more homogenizing reflectors within the solar collector for collecting the sunlight and directing the sunlight more uniformly over the aperture of the transition tube. In an alternative embodiment, the solar collector includes a rotatable tiltable mirror for providing two-axis tracking.

Abstract: A direct beam solar lighting system for collecting and distributing sunlight into a room. The system includes a rotatable solar collector head to receive sunlight and to reflect the sunlight downward into a transition tube having a reflective interior surface. The light-concentrating transition tube reflects sunlight into a reflective light tube which directs the reflected sunlight through a plenum space into the room. The system includes a drive mechanism for rotating the rotatable solar collector, and a light fixture at end of the light tube to disburse said reflected sunlight onto a ceiling and a wall in the room. In an embodiment the system includes one or more homogenizing reflectors within the solar collector for collecting the sunlight and directing the sunlight more uniformly over the aperture of the transition tube. In an alternative embodiment, the solar collector includes a rotatable tiltable mirror for providing two-axis tracking.

Abstract: A daylighting system for structures consisting of a solar energy collector means including a modified Cassegrainian optical system, a means of moving said collector means to an attitude tracking the sun's position in the sky during daylight hours, a heat separation means for removing heat from the concentrated beam of sunlight and for applying said heat to other uses, and one or more hollow members each comprising a reflective internal surface for distributing the sunlight inside said structure.

Abstract: A direct beam solar lighting system for collecting and distributing sunlight into a room. The system includes a rotatable solar collector head to receive sunlight and to reflect the sunlight downward into a transition tube having a reflective interior surface. The light-concentrating transition tube reflects sunlight into a reflective light tube which directs the reflected sunlight through a plenum space into the room. The system includes a drive mechanism for rotating the rotatable solar collector, and a light fixture at end of the light tube to disburse said reflected sunlight onto a ceiling and a wall in the room. In an embodiment the system includes one or more homogenizing reflectors within the solar collector for collecting the sunlight and directing the sunlight more uniformly over the aperture of the transition tube. In an alternative embodiment, the solar collector includes a rotatable tiltable mirror for providing two-axis tracking.

Abstract: A wind gauge includes a wind vane. The wind vane includes at least one wing. The wind vane is adapted to assume a prescribed level position responsive to a prescribed corresponding wind speed incident on the wind vane.

Abstract: The present invention is a sling-like swathe of flexible material capable of being wrapped around the body of the wearer. The invention includes a first looped end opposite a free end. The looped end accommodates an appendage such as an arm, wrist, hand or the like and the remaining length of the invention is configured to enable the wearer to wrap the invention around his body and effectively immobilize the appendage placed in the looped end by constraining the movement of the appendage against the body of the wearer. The preferred material of the present invention is a tricot-backed, brushed nylon laminate and incorporates hook and loop material spaced at various locations to enable cooperating fixation with a side of the flexible material.

Abstract: A protective body pad comprising a thermoformable base component and a shock dispersing prominence component. In the preferred embodiment thereof, the prominence is integral with said base component. A plurality of swivel components having flexible strapping attached thereto enables the user to fasten the invention to various points on the body. The strapping is preferably a neoprene material with hook and loop material for the fastening.

Abstract: To expand the interrupt capabilities of a microprocessor system without restructing system architecture, intermediate levels of priority are created for a given interrupt request. Plural interrupts can be handled on one interrupt request line to thereby permit execution of a number of functions that is greater than the number of interrupt lines. A system controller which provides this capabitlity can monitor the various functions during their execution, as well as arbitrate among plural interrupts so as to maintain the priority which has been assigned to them.

Abstract: A dynamic head position tracking control for a magnetic tape playback system employs a detected dither signal to determine the elevational position of a pair of magnetic transducing heads relative to tracks of recorded information being scanned by the heads. This detection is carried out at several locations along the lengths of the tracks being scanned, and a value is stored for each of the locations. Based upon the stored information, an estimation is made of a position value for the first location along the length of the tracks. This estimation is determined from a weighted extrapolation of the following two samples taken during the scan of the track. The elevational position of the heads is then dynamically controlled in accordance with the actual and estimated head position values.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein an up/down counter with a programmable terminal count. The up/down counter has a two level input structure such that new terminal counts may be written into the up/down counter asynchronously without disturbing operations of the up/down counter. Although the invention is described in the bidirectional sense, certain of the features are also applicable to unidirectional counters.