Abstract: Apparatus for heat shrinking pre-oriented polyolefin plastic sleeves over the outer surface of a glass bottle. The bottles with sleeves in position thereon are gripped and suspended from rotatable chucks spaced along a movable conveyor means extending through an oven. The oven is constructed with a first zone of infrared burners directed at the mid body of the bottles and a succeeding second zone of infrared burners in upper and lower placement are directed at the neck and heel portions of the bottle, respectively. During travel past the burners, the bottles and sleeves are rotated at controlled speed to prevent collapse of the sleeve as it becomes heated. Opposite the burners is an exhaust section of the oven having plural sets of damper means, each set controlling air flow in plural vertically spaced horizontal rows of exhaust ports along the length of the oven. Air is drawn across the oven and over the conveyor chucks to aid directing heat on the sleeves and cool the chucks.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a three piece solar energy bulb type collector device comprising a hollow glass body shaped with a parabolic interior surface that is coated with specular finish of a metal, e.g. silver, and includes an apex aperture and integral hollow yoke. A glass test-tube like element is exteriorly coated with a wave length selective coating having more than 0.8 absorption above 2.5 microns wave length and less than 0.1 emission at 2.5 microns or less wave lengths. The coated glass tube is the absorber and has an intermediate rib and flared open end which are fused with glass at the aperture area and open end of the yoke. The absorber is coaxially located with the focal axis of the parabolic surface. A cover plate is sealed over the large end of the parabolic body enclosing the interior mirror surface area in a chamber which is placed under vacuum (evacuated).

Abstract: The novel embodiments disclosed herein also illustrate a novel method for making a recuperator structure. A multiplicity of elongated tubes are formed of a glass that is thermally crystallizable to a low expansion glass-ceramic. In one embodiment, each of the tubes is sealed at each end and contains an expansible fluid medium. Each of the tubes has a portion intermediate the ends thereof which is substantially straight. Pluralities of the multiplicity of tubes are tightly packed into a first plurality of layers with the axes of the intermediate portions of the tubes in each layer essentially parallel to each other. The first plurality of layers are arranged with the straight intermediate tube portions thereof in a stacked array with respect to each other, and with the axes of the intermediate portions of the tubes in each layer essentially parallel to the axes of the corresponding intermediate tube portions in the other first plurality of layers.

Abstract: The novel embodiments disclosed herein also illustrate a novel method for making a recuperator structure. A multiplicity of elongated tubes are formed of a glass that is thermally crystallizable to a low expansion glass-ceramic. In one embodiment, each of the tubes is sealed at each end and contains an expansible fluid medium. Each of the tubes has a portion intermediate the ends thereof which is substantially straight. Pluralities of the multiplicity of tubes are tightly packed into a first plurality of layers with the axes of the intermediate portions of the tubes in each layer essentially parallel to each other. The first plurality of layers are arranged with the straight intermediate tube portions thereof in a stacked array with respect to each other, and with the axes of the intermediate portions of the tubes in each layer essentially parallel to the axes of the corresponding intermediate tube portions in the other first plurality of layers.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a bulb-type solar energy collector device comprising a hollow glass body shaped with a parabolic interior surface that is coated with specular finish of a metal, e.g. silver, and includes an apex aperture and integral hollow yoke. A hollow glass, bulb-shaped absorber element is exteriorly coated with a wave length selective coating. The bulb-shaped element includes a tubular hollow stem dependent from the bulbar portion and fixed in the yoke of the glass body so that the central axis of the stem and bulbar end portion is along the focal axis of the parabolic reflecting surface. A cover plate is sealed over the enlarged end of the reflecting surface enclosing the interior mirror surface in a chamber which is evacuated to substantial vacuum, e.g. 10.sup.-4 torr or greater vacuum. A working media is circulated from a source in a manifold through the interior volume of the absorber element to remove the solar energy absorbed thereby as heat and the media is returned to the manifold.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of covering glass containers with a preformed, cylindrical sleeve of a polyethylene or like polyolefin material, or laminates of polyolefins, that are heat shrinkable circumferentially of the sleeve and made from sheet of a foam or a laminate of said plastic material such as a foam-film laminate. Upon application of heat, the sleeve initially softens or becomes limp, and grows or enlarges, such that in its telescopic assembly on the upright bottle it tends to slip from position. The method includes supporting the sleeve from underneath during heating it for shrinkage by conveying the container and sleeve over a water-cooled sleeve support bar extending into the heating device a substantial distance allowing the sleeve to shrink onto the bottle. The sleeve support bar includes a lubricious surface layer adjacent the sleeve. The lubricious layer combined with water cooling maintains support surface below 200.degree. F, preferably below 150.degree.

Abstract: The novel embodiments disclosed herein also illustrate a novel method for making a recuperator structure. A multiplicity of elongated tubes are formed of a glass that is thermally crystallizable to a low expansion glass-ceramic. In one embodiment, each of the tubes is sealed at each end and contains an expansible fluid medium. Each of the tubes has a portion intermediate the ends thereof which is substantially straight. Pluralities of the multiplicity of tubes are tightly packed into a first plurality of layers with the axes of the intermediate portions of the tubes in each layer essentially parallel to each other. The first plurality of layers are arranged with the straight intermediate tube portions thereof in a stacked array with respect to each other, and with the axes of the intermediate portions of the tubes in each layer essentially parallel to the axes of the corresponding intermediate tube portions in the other first plurality of layers.

Abstract: The disclosed invention relates to a solar energy collector in a conversion system. The collector is made from common glass tubing lengths of different diameters and comprises a first outer clear glass cylindrical tube closed at one end, and a glass absorber tube inside the first tube having an energy absorbing coating on its exterior surface. The absorber tube resembles an over-sized test tube in that one end is closed. The absorber tube is held in place inside the outer tube by a spacer-support means engaging the closed end of the absorber tube. The open end of the absorber tube is sealed to the inside of the wall of the outer tube, which is the longer of the two, and the space is evacuated. An open-ended fluid handling tube of glass is inserted into the absorber tube to guide working fluid issuing into the absorber tube near its closed end along the wall thereof and extract collected heat.

Abstract: The invention disclosed sets forth a machine for forming a sleeve of a shrinkable, cellular polymeric material from a predecorated web. The web is processed to provide (1) a partial-depth slit along the longitudinal dimension, and (2) cross-dimension pleats. Predecorated shrunken neck labels are formed from the web for overlying the neck and closure of the bottle and including a pilfer-proof feature. Such a label is formed from the processed web by cutting a blank having the cross pleats therein and winding the blank on a mandrel to overlap the ends and seam the overlap to make a sleeve. The sleeve is stripped onto the top neck end and over the closure of a bottle at room temperature to a label position and shrunken to a snug fit, the pleats absorbing wrinkles that occur in shrinking the material onto a "cold" bottle.The disclosure includes a novel machine for making the sleeve from a plastic web and placing it on the bottle.

Abstract: The several embodiments of a recuperator structure herein defines a matrix consisting of a multiplicity of elongated hollow tubes and solid rods formed of a glass ceramic material that is thermally crystallizable to a low expansion glass-ceramic. In one embodiment, each of the tubes is sealed at each end and contains an expansible fluid medium. Each of the tubes has a portion intermediate the ends thereof which is substantially straight. Pluralities of the multiplicity of tubes are tightly packed into a first plurality of layers with the axes of the intermediate portions of the tubes in each layer essentially parallel to each other. The first plurality of layers are arranged with the straight intermediate tube portions thereof in a stacked array with respect to each other, and with the axes of the intermediate portions of the tubes in each layer essentially parallel to the axes of the corresponding intermediate tube portions in the other first plurality of layers.

Abstract: The invention disclosed is a solar energy collector apparatus having several double-wall glass tubular elements connected on opposite sides of an elongated manifold to form a module. The elements are sealed in oppositely facing metal cups and inside the opposite elements is a cross supply tube. The cups in a module are series connected by conduits for flow of a liquid through the collectors. Along the manifold are two header pipes respectively connected to the cups for introducing liquid to the collectors for series flow and for receiving heated liquid flowed through them. The headers also connect a series of modules and the system utilizing the solar heated liquid. The cups, header pipes and interconnecting conduits are enclosed in an insulation jacket of foamed plastic, e.g. polyurethane. The manifold includes support brackets for mounting the apparatus in spaced drainage position above a supporting surface having a solar exposure.

Abstract: A conveyor apparatus for handling containers such as glass bottles, at high rates of production, including a single straight line pocket chain conveyor carrying containers in a single line into a line dividing mechanism at a transfer zone over a second, wide conveyor. The second conveyor crosses the path of the pocket chain conveyor at an obtuse angle on the order of 115.degree.. The divider mechanism comprises two rotary cams operated synchronously, their lobes being in mesh with each other and each having alternating shallow and deep lobes thereon for contacting the containers in removing them from the pocket chain into two lines on the second conveyor. The divider mechanism prevents container-to-container contact in the mechanism, and this is especially important for glass containers. The pocket chain and cams are driven synchronously to cooperate in the transfer zone for forming the two lines of containers from the single line that is delivered. Each container is under positive control of the mechanism.

Abstract: The invention disclosed sets forth a method and machine for forming a sleeve of a shrinkable, cellular polymeric material from a predecorated web. The web is processed to provide (1) a partial-depth slit along the longitudinal dimension, and (2) cross-dimension pleats. Predecorated shrunken neck labels are formed from the web for overlying the neck and closure of the bottle and including a pilfer-proof feature. Such a label is formed from the processed web by cutting a blank having the cross pleats therein and winding the blank on a mandrel to overlap the ends and seam the overlap to make a sleeve. The sleeve is stripped onto the top neck end and over the closure of a bottle of room temperature to a label position and shrunken to a snug fit, the pleats absorbing wrinkles that occur in shrinking the material onto a "cold" bottle.The disclosure includes a novel machine for making the sleeve from a plastic web and placing it on the bottle.

Abstract: The invention disclosed sets forth a method and machine for forming a sleeve of a shrinkable, cellular polymeric material from a predecorated web. The web is processed to provide (1) a partial-depth slit along the longitudinal dimension, and (2) cross-dimension pleats. Predecorated shrunken neck labels are formed from the web for overlying the neck and closure of the bottle and including a pilfer-proof feature. Such a label is formed from the processed web by cutting a blank having the cross pleats therein and winding the blank on a mandrel to overlap the ends and seam the overlap to make a sleeve. The sleeve is stripped onto the top neck end and over the closure of a bottle of room temperature to a label position and shrunken to a snug fit, the pleats absorbing wrinkles that occur in shrinking the material onto a "cold" bottle.The disclosure includes a novel machine for making the sleeve from a plastic web and placing it on the bottle.

Abstract: Disclosed is a ceramic structural material, which is particularly useful in combination with an assembly or matrix of integrally fused tubes forming a series of longitudinal parallel passageways. Also disclosed is a method for making such ceramic structural material from rods and frit that are thermally crystallizable into a glass-ceramic. One embodiment of the method involves bundling the rods into a desired configuration, with the frit interposed in the interstices between the rods, and heating the combined rod-frit bundle to sinter or fuse the rods and frit together in a heat treatment schedule that also nucleates and thermally crystallizes the fused rod-frit structure to the final ceramic product. A gas turbine regenerator comprising a combination of the ceramic structural material and a matrix is also disclosed along with the method of making same.

Abstract: A method of forming a substantially encapsulating layer of a heat shrinkable polyolefin plastic on a glass container in which the neck, shoulder and body onto the bearing bottom surface of the container is covered. The body of the container is substantially greater in diameter compared with the neck. A cylindrical sleeve of the polyolefin is telescopically placed along the outer surface of the container and the two are conveyed together into a heating oven for shrinking the sleeve snugly over the container. Upon application of heat in the oven, the polyolefin initially softens and becomes limp such that the sleeve tends to fold over or upon shrinking creates wavy top margins on the shrunken covering.

Abstract: An air system for the collection and utilization of solar energy. Tubular solar collectors are made with a transparent glass tube having a cylindrical outer wall, spaced and sealed at one end to a cylindrical absorber tube that has a solar energy absorbing surface. The sealed space between the glass tube and absorber tube is evacuated. Several of the collectors are connected into a manifold split into separate chambers by a dividing wall. A divider strip is fastened as a continuation of the dividing wall of the manifold by a novel detachable fastener means. The divider strip fits snugly inside the absorber tube of each collector dividing it in half and spanning nearly the entire length thereof.