Abstract: A gas burner assembly for a poultry house heater having a head that is fabricated from a metal stamping process. The gas burner has a venturi tube which extends between a burner orifice and a burner head. The burner head is manufactured from a top plate and a bottom plate. The top and bottom plates define about forty upper half and lower half burner ports wherein the lower half ports of the bottom plate are in registry with the upper half ports in the top plate to define the ports for the gas burner. The interior of the head is shaped to form a chamber around the junction with the venturi tube having a height greater than said ports, and the interior surface of the head is smooth and free of sharp edges. The top and bottom plates are mechanically connected by a series of tabs and slots formed on the top and bottom plates.

Abstract: A shield in the form of a "cast refrac" (S.U.B.S.) for a diffuser port in a circulating fluidized bed to deflect eroding particulates away from the port. The S.U.B.S. includes an upper portion with a tear-drop shape, a lower portion, and side intermediate portions to surround the port, and an attached insert to be received by or around the port.

Abstract: An improved viscous heater is disclosed. The viscous heater has a heating chamber accommodating viscous fluid and a rotor. The rotor rotates to shear and heat the viscous fluid. The heating chamber has a pair of inner flat surfaces and an inner peripheral surface. The rotor has a pair of outer flat surfaces that respectively opposes the inner flat surfaces by predetermined gaps and an outer peripheral surface that opposes the inner peripheral surface. The outer peripheral surface has peripheral edge portions each angularly and continuously extending from the outer flat surface. The peripheral edge is chamfered so that the rotor is prevented from interfering with the inner flat surfaces.

Abstract: A safety lighter includes a fuel tank capped by a cover seat which has a fuel releasable valve communicated therethrough, a fuel lever mounted on said cover seat for operating a fuel pipe provided by the fuel releasable valve, and a flint wheel assembly adjacent the fuel lever having a flint wheel for producing spark. The cover seat has a recess subjacent the depressable platform. A blocking projection is protruded on the depressable platform underside. A catch handle comprises an insert leg vertically received in the recess and a handle extended horizontally subjacent the depressable platform of the fuel lever. The handle has a perforation into which the projection on the depressable platform is allowed to pass through.

Abstract: The invention relates to a direct vent gas fireplace adapted for attachment to a concentric flue pipe assembly having an exhaust pipe and fresh air pipe. A top wall, rear wall, bottom wall and side walls define a combustion chamber. A gas burner is disposed in the combustion chamber. A slanted flue attachment wall is attached to and extends between the top wall and rear wall. The slanted flue attachment wall is disposed at obtuse angles relative to the top wall and rear wall. A first pipe member is orthogonally attached to the flue attachment wall and is in fluid communication with the combustion chamber for conveying combustion products from the combustion chamber. A second pipe member having a diameter larger than the first pipe member is disposed concentrically around the first pipe member. The first and second pipe members define an annular space therebetween forming an air intake duct.

Abstract: A weapon simulator comprising a combustion chamber (1), means (2) for admitting fuel gas to the combustion chamber, an inlet valve (9) for admitting air to the combustion chamber, the inlet valve being biased open at ambient pressure and arranged to close in response to both pressure rise and drop in the combustion chamber, means (7) to introduce ambient air into the combustion chamber through the valve (9), ignition means (3) for igniting fuel gas in the combustion chamber to cause an explosion, and an exhaust port (2) in the combustion chamber through which exhaust gases can exit rapidly and with audible results in response to explosive pressure rise within the combustion chamber.

Abstract: Heating fluid in a chamber comprising a floor or ceiling and an upwardly or downwardly extending heat receiving wall by positioning a vortex burner substantially at or above the chamber floor in proximity to the heat receiving wall, delivering fuel and air to the vortex nozzle and burning the fuel to make a combustion product, imparting a swirling flow to the combustion product while directing the swirling flow along an elongated path, jetting fuel at a location positioned adjacent the vortex burner, and burning the jet fuel, thereby forming jet flow combustion products that mix with the vortex burner combustion products, and directing the resulting hot mixture generally vertically adjacent to the heat receiving wall for transferring heat thereto.

Abstract: A gas combustion apparatus including a housing having a top wall and a side wall, the top wall and the side wall defining vertical and horizontal openings, respectively, and the housing defining a combustion chamber having an exhaust opening; a burner mounted in the combustion chamber; and a vent assembly for venting exhaust gases generated by the burner to either the vertical or the horizontal opening, the vent assembly including two substantially identical vent conduits, each of the vent conduits having a central axis, a first end defined by a first continuous edge lying in a plane perpendicular to the central axis, and a second end defined by a second continuous edge lying in a plane at a forty-five degree angle to the central axis, the second ends of the vent conduits being connected together with the central axes of the conduits aligned to conduct exhaust gases between the exhaust opening and one of the vertical opening and the horizontal opening, and the second ends of the conduits being connected toget

Abstract: An indirect-fired climate control apparatus for modifying certain aspects or properties of air flowing through a controlled environment, with the apparatus employing a rotary air-energy exchange device with means for bilaterally introducing and extracting energy from primary and secondary air flows. The apparatus includes a feature for recycling portions of the air flow on the primary side so as to more efficiently utilize the energy resource, and deliver this energy to the secondary side. The apparatus is suited for treating air flow with thermal energy for modifying its temperature, as well as energy for controlling the moisture content of the air flow on the secondary side.

Abstract: A device for feeding and igniting in particular gasoline as fuel for the vaporizing burner of a heater, in particular a vehicle heater, is disclosed. The fuel evaporated from a porous body is mixed with combustion air and burned in a combustion chamber of the heater after being initially ignited by a glow plug. In order to simplify the design and improve the efficiency of the device, the glow plug is mounted in a pipe insulated from the outer wall of the combustion chamber and is radially surrounded by porous tubular body that projects beyond the free end of the glow plug into the combustion chamber. Combustion air is supplied in the radial direction to the porous body in the area of the free end of the glow plug and fuel is supplied in the radial direction to the opposite end of the porous body. The part of the porous body located outside the combustion chamber acts as a distributor and temporary reservoir when fuel is supplied.

Abstract: A cooking machine control system for controlling the consumption of fuel by cooking machines, including cooking machines of the type used in restaurant kitchens, such as gas/barbecue broilers, and home cooking machines such as grills, and gas flow valves usable in such cooking machine control systems. The cooking machine control system controls the flow of gas to the burners of the cooking machine to maintain the cooking surface of the cooking machine at an appropriate standby temperature when no food is being cooked, to bring the cooking surface to an appropriate cooking temperature for a predetermined period of time when food is being cooked, and then to return the cooking surface to the standby temperature. The cooking machine control system includes a first gas pipe which provides gas to each burner of the cooking machine at the standby level and a second gas pipe which in the standby mode is closed by a valve.

Abstract: A method and system to generate or provide a moving flame such as to create a varied flame pattern are provided. One or more flow switching devices joined in parallel are utilized to alter the flame port fuel supply such as to produce a moving flame or produce an apparently random flame movement.

Abstract: A process for combustion of a combustible material in which a primary combustible material is introduced into a combustion chamber having an upstream region and a downstream region, and ignited, forming a primary combustion zone. A secondary combustible material is partially combusted in a partial combustor, forming partial combustion products which are then injected into the combustion chamber downstream of the primary combustion zone, forming an oxygen deficient zone downstream of the primary combustion zone.

Abstract: A solar collection antenna has a large aperture reflective dish which is mounted on a dish support fame. When the dish is pointed at the sun, it reflects received solar radiation into a zone of concentration, at which either a solar energy receiver or a secondary reflector (supported by an ancillary support) is located. To track the sun, the dish is rotated about a first axis which is transverse the dish aperture and a second, orthogonal axis (which intersects the first axis). The center of mass of the combination of the dish, its support frame, the solar energy receiver or secondary reflector and the ancillary support is relatively close to the lower edge of the dish, and lies substantially on the transverse axis of rotation, at the point where the first and second axes intersect (or almost intersect). The dish aperture is chosen so that the dish experiences balanced wind loading about its transverse axis of rotation.

Abstract: An ignition apparatus for a gaseous fuel burner having two areas of gaseous fuel discharge comprises a primary electrode positioned within a first area of gaseous fuel discharge and a secondary electrode having a first end positioned within the first area in close proximity to the primary electrode defining a jump gap, and a second end within a second area in proximity to the burner to form a ground spark gap. The burner has an outer and an inner periphery ignition area forming a torres shaped, or donut-like, burner separated by a gaseous fuel plenum through which the secondary electrode penetrates. The primary electrode may be mounted within the inner or outer periphery ignition area.

Abstract: A temperature control system for a gas-fired appliance which uses a thermoelectric device to develop power for recharging a primary energy source, such as a rechargeable battery. The present invention provides a reliable and efficient system for controlling and powering a temperature control system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a glass-ceramic cooking plate for gas cooking apparatuses, characterized by the fact that it has at least one opening 2 intended to receive a gas burner 3 and several humps 5 of the same height distributed around this opening which are intended to support a cooking utensil which is to be heated by said burner, said humps being an integral part of the plate itself.

Abstract: A grill cart with tilting tank support incorporates a first and second leg assembly with each of the leg assemblies including a front leg, a rear leg and an upper strut. The upper struts are mounted between upper ends of the front and rear legs. Additionally, the first leg assembly incorporates a tank support strut mounted between lower ends of the front and rear legs, with the tank support strut being rotatable between a receiving position configured for engaging the base of an LP gas tank and a mounted position configured for supporting an LP gas tank in a substantially upright orientation.

Abstract: A method of generating heat and a heat generator comprising a rotor with an intake port, a plurality of inner and a plurality of outer holes. The heat generator also comprises a front rotor housing for housing the rotor. The front rotor housing has a plurality of pockets and a discharge port. The fluid enters the heat generator through the intake port and the rotor rotates forcing the fluid through said the inner holes causing the fluid to collide with the pockets and return through the outer holes and flow out of the heat generator through the discharge port.

Abstract: A configurable furniture integrated lighting system has a plurality of interchangeable symmetric and asymmetric fixture heads for indirect lighting and a plurality of different supporting structures for supporting any one of the fixture heads at a predetermined mounting height from a variety of different support surfaces associated with the furniture system, including floor level support surfaces, desk top surfaces, book shelf surfaces, and binder bins. The described invention can be mounted virtually anywhere along the partition walls of almost any open office arrangement, with different alignments with respect to the walls being possible. Free-standing fixtures can additionally be placed as required to achieve an optimum ambient lighting distribution.