Abstract: The thermally activated building panel (1) includes a metal plate (2) having a room-facing surface (3) and a building-facing surface (4). A heat-exchanger tube (5) for conveying a cooling or heating medium is in conductive thermal contact with the building-facing surface (4) of the metal plate (2). A textile (9) is arranged on the room-facing surface (3) of the metal plate (2) and has a first surface (10) generally contacting the metal plate (2) and a second surface (11) generally visible from said room. The textile (9) is tensioned between opposed edges (12) of the metal plate (2). The first surface (10) of the textile (9) is metallized by deposition of metal particles on the textile (9).

Abstract: A laminar flow diffuser with integrated lighting has a frame for supporting an air plenum and a lower housing. The air plenum receives conditioned air from a source of conditioned. The lower housing is attached to the bottom of the plenum. An aperture plate damper installed below the top plenum regulates the flow of air from the plenum through the laminar flow diffuser. A clear or translucent engineered, fire rated polymer perforated diffuser face forms the outlet from the lower housing to the room below. LED strips are positioned around the inside periphery of the lower housing. A light guide is installed adjacent the LED lighting strips to spread the light across the area of the perforated diffuser face.

Abstract: A structural member acts for distance keeping, stiffening and load-supporting structural framing between a first building structure and a second building structure across which there exists a temperature differential, for example the inner and outer casings of an air handling unit supported externally of the building so as to be exposed to outdoor weather. The structural member has a web portion spanning between mounting portions connecting opposing first and second edges of the web portion to the first and second building structures respectively. A plurality of slots are penetrated through the web portion at spaced apart locations relative to one another to be primarily non-parallel to the first and second edges. Some of the material bridges between the slots require heat transfer across the bridge to travel opposite to the direction of the temperature gradient direction.

Abstract: A ceiling beam grid is an open grid constructed from beams of a few standard sizes that are connected together by connection blocks at the intersections of the beams. The connection blocks are suspended from the structural ceiling of the room by means of an anchor and hanger and are spaced in a grid pattern to accommodate the standard size beams between adjacent connection blocks. The standard size beams are then attached to and supported between the connection blocks. The beams are connected to the connection blocks by a vertical tongue and groove connection. The tongue and groove connection provides a sliding connection that allows the beams to be easily connected and disconnected from the connection blocks without the need of tools. Consequently, the ceiling beam grid can be easily reconfigured to accommodate changes in the room below.

Abstract: A modular ceiling system has uniformly appearing devices supported by a channel or a ceiling in an aesthetically pleasing pattern with a single network and control system. The channel or ceiling has uniform sized and shaped openings into which a plurality of uniformly sized and shaped devices is fitted. The devices share a common communication protocol and power source. Each of the devices is connected to a central control system having the same communication protocol as the devices. A network connects the central control system and all of the devices together allowing communications between the central control system and the devices and among the devices using the common communication protocol.

Abstract: A Venturi air flow sensor and control system includes a Venturi housing comprising with an inlet section, an outlet section, and a reduced diameter horn shaped center section connecting the inlet section to the outlet section with a damper. A high pressure sensor tube with downstream openings extends across the inlet section on the outlet section and a low pressure sensor tube with downstream openings extends across the reduced diameter horn shaped section. The pressure from the low pressure sensor tube and the pressure from the high pressure sensor tube are connected to a controller. From the high pressure and the low pressure the controller determines the air flow and based on air flow operates the damper.

Abstract: A laminar flow diffuser with integrated lighting has a frame for supporting an air plenum and a lower housing. The air plenum receives conditioned air from a source of conditioned. The lower housing is attached to the bottom of the plenum. An aperture plate damper installed below the top plenum regulates the flow of air from the plenum through the laminar flow diffuser. A clear or translucent engineered, fire rated polymer perforated diffuser face forms the outlet from the lower housing to the room below. LED strips are positioned around the inside periphery of the lower housing. A light guide is installed adjacent the LED lighting strips to spread the light across the area of the perforated diffuser face.

Abstract: A concrete breaker includes a wheeled frame having front and rear wheels, a blade frame pivotally mounted to the wheeled frame between the front and rear wheels, and a heavy concrete breaking blade slideably mounted to the blade frame for busting concrete. The blade frame is pivotally moveable by a hydraulic cylinder assembly over-center to a stable transport position, and further is moveable over-center to an upright position on the wheeled frame for use. Wheels on the blade frame rest on the concrete being broken and support the operating weight of the blade frame and the blade when the blade is in use. The blade frame is moveable relative to the wheeled frame to reduce transmission of vibration from the blade and blade frame to the wheeled frame.

Abstract: Apparatus for debarking logs comprising a generally horizontal rotary drum debarker having an inlet end, power drive device for continuously rotating the drum of the debarker generally about a horizontal axis, generally horizontal main conveyor element for conveying groups of tree length logs toward the drum, the main conveyor element having a discharge end below the axis of rotation of the drum, drive apparatus for continuously driving the main conveyor element, and auxiliary feed mechanism below the axis of rotation of the drum and between the discharge end of the main conveyor element and the inlet end of the drum for assisting the movement of groups of logs fed by the main conveyor element into the inlet end of the drum.

Abstract: A rotating drum debarker is provided which includes a conveyor chute to feed logs to the drum. The drum includes lifters and reinforcing rings. The improvement in drum design is obtained where the reinforcing ring at the inlet and/or outlet of the drum has an inside diameter greater than the free inside diameter of the drum.

Abstract: Apparatus request for debarking logs comprising a generally horizontal rotary drum debarker having an inlet end, power drive device for continuously rotating the drum of the debarker generally about a horizontal axis, generally horizontal main conveyor element for conveying groups of tree length logs toward the drum, the main conveyor element having a discharge end below the axis of rotation of the drum, drive apparatus for continuously driving the main conveyor element, and auxiliary feed mechanism below the axis of rotation of the drum and between the discharge end of the main conveyor element and the inlet end of the drum for assisting the movement of groups of logs fed by the main conveyor element into the inlet end of the drum. The questions raised in reexamination request No. 90/003,655, filed Dec. 7, 1994, 90/003,826 filed May 8, 1995, and 90/004,552 filed Feb.