Abstract: The present invention provides a stove having the following features: a firebox for initiating the combustion of fuel, the firebox including a lower portion with a draft inlet therein; a first conduit disposed under the firebox for conveying combustion air to a draft inlet and for insulating the underside of the firebox; a secondary combustion chamber for receiving hot gases of combustion from the firebox and continuing the combustion; a second conduit which receives air from the first conduit adjacent the draft inlet and which conveys all the air which has not passed through the draft inlet along the periphery of the firebox and into the secondary combustion chamber, thereby increasing the flow of air through the secondary combustion chamber during periods of low combustion and for continuing the insulation of the firebox; and a third conduit for conveying the gases of combustion from the secondary combustion chamber to a flue.

Abstract: Flue gases from fuel-fired appliances such as household gas furnaces contain water vapor which may form condensate on the walls of the external flue pipe leading from the appliance. The present invention provides a special flue pipe connection between the internal flue pipe and the external flue pipe. The connection accepts the lower end of the external flue pipe, directs condensate moving down the walls of the external flue pipe to a condensate drain outlet provided in the connection and passes flue gases from the internal flue pipe upwardly into the external flue pipe while isolating those gases from the condensate being drained. In the preferred construction the connection is a collar having an upwardly facing cylindrical recess into which the lower end of the external flue pipe fits and, within the recess, a short pipe section having a lower end connectable to the internal flue pipe and an upper end through which flue gases pass into the external flue pipe.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for operating a gas furnace system (100) having an air intake (102) for supplying external air into a sealed chamber (110) for input to a gas burner assembly (118). Exhaust air from within the combustion burning chamber (140) is applied through an exhaust duct (170) directly into an environment (174) which is external to the furnace system (100) but which is still within the environment to be heated. The furnace system (100) also includes a conventional fan limit assembly (142) wherein the typical high limit setting is substantially decreased so that a blower fan (160) is activated at lower than normal temperatures. In addition, the conventional gas furnace burner is replaced with a burner assembly (118) having substantially small burner ports (130).

Abstract: A condensing furnace utilizing a pulsating combustion process discharges flue gas and condensate from the furnace through a flue gas conduit. A drain leg assembly is coupled to the flue gas conduit for effectively separating the condensate from the flue gas, whereby the flue gas is discharged to the flue gas vent and the condensate is discharged to a drain line. The drain leg assembly includes tubular body means having a flue gas outlet at the upper end thereof and means defining a condensate reservoir at the lower end thereof. A vent pipe within the tubular body means and having a bore smaller than that of the tubular body communicates at one end to a condensate outlet means, and the other end of the free end of the vent pipe extends toward the bottom of the tubular body, but is spaced therefrom. The normal level of condensate collected in the tubular body means is above the bottom of the vent tube so as to assure separate discharge of flue gas and condensate from the drain leg assembly.

Abstract: A compact secondary heat exchanger, installed above the preliminary heat exchanger in a down draft-type gas burning furnace, so greatly reduces combustion gas temperature as to recover a portion of the latent heat in the water vapor created by burning the hydrocarbon gas.

Abstract: A dual adjustable gas intake assembly for a barbecue grill which can be utilized with various types of gas barbecue grill burners. The venturi tube and an intermediate supply tube telescope together as does the intermediate supply tube and the gas intake member of the burner. Adjustable securing mechanisms are provided between the intermediate supply tube, the intake member and the venturi tube. The adjustable securing mechanisms are preferably compression nuts positioned on the intake member and the venturi tube for engagement with threads on the intermediate supply tube. The dual adjustable intake assembly affords both horizontal and vertical adjustment between the gas supply and the burner.

Abstract: An improvement in a condensing furnace where gaseous products of combustion are ducted through fin tube condensers that act to heat incoming air. The improvement involves spraying water into the products of combustion upstream of the fin tube condenser, so that the sprayed water droplets mix intimately with the products of combustion and are thus vaporized. In this manner, the combined water vapor and gaseous combustion products can condense in the fin tube condenser to create a liquid condensate of which the pH is closer to neutral than would have been the case in the absence of the sprayed water.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a furnace having an elongate, cylindrical, combustion chamber surrounded by a water jacket. Air is blown into the combustion chamber through a loop-shaped distributor having a front bight and a rear bight and parallel horizontal side members. Axially-oriented jet ports are disposed in said bights which direct jets of air toward each other into the center portion of the combustion chamber and chord-oriented jet ports in the side members which direct jets of air downwardly toward the bottom center of the combustion chamber. Fire-tubes are located in the top portion of the water jacket through which the combustion products flow in heat exchange with the water introduced into the water jacket and second fire-tubes in heat exchange with the outlet water lead the combustion gases to a stack. A special band of scraper-deflectors is provided on at least some of the fire-tubes.

Abstract: In a process for the production of a solar collector panel assembly, a pipe arrangement for carrying a heat exchange fluid and a carrier panel for carrying same and for absorbing solar energy are intimately jointed together as by soldering or brazing. The pipe arrangement has straight pipe sections and curved pipe sections connecting same. A joining agent such as solder is applied to the carrier panel along the lines of the pipe arrangement, and the pipe arrangement is then applied thereto. A filling material comprising a substance which repels the joining agent is disposed in the spaces defined between the pipe runs of the pipe arrangement. The intermediate assembly consisting of carrier panel, joining agent, pipe arrangement, filling material and possibly a heat barrier layer disposed on the side of the assembly remote from the carrier panel is fitted between two pressure plates which are clamped together.

Abstract: A gate valve for selectively blocking and unblocking a flow path has a valve body filled with hydraulic liquid and provided with a pair of shutters displaceable by fluid pressure against respective seating surfaces of a valve housing. The valve body is shiftable between a blocking position, in which the shutters are aligned with their seating surfaces, and an unblocking position by means of a plunger projecting into the hollow body in a fluidtight manner but with freedom of relative displacement in the shifting direction. In a valve-closing stroke, the plunger pushes that body into its blocking position solely via the confined liquid; when the body is arrested in that position by a stop, the continuing plunger stroke displaces the liquid to press the shutters onto their seats against a biasing force such as that of elastic membranes holding them onto the body.

Abstract: A freestanding stove is provided including an elevated firebox mounted atop a tubular pedestal having a horizontally enlarged downwardly opening hollow base at its lower end. The firebox includes a combustion air inlet opening downwardly into the pedestal and the lower end of the pedestal opens downwardly into the hollow base which includes a damper for controlling the flow of combustion air from within the hollow base into the lower end of the pedestal. The base includes feet supporting the base a spaced distance above a horizontal surface upon which the feet rest and the feet are removable whereby the base may rest directly upon and over a horizontal support surface upwardly through which a combustion air opening is formed. The front of the firebox includes an openable transparent window equipped door and combustion air inlet passage structure for sweeping curtains of combustion air across the inner surface of the window from selected marginal portions thereof.

Abstract: A freestanding stove is provided including an elevated firebox mounted atop a tubular pedestal having a horizontally enlarged downwardly opening hollow base at its lower end. The firebox includes a combustion air inlet opening downwardly into the pedestal and the lower end of the pedestal opens downwardly into the hollow base which includes a damper for controlling the flow of combustion air from within the hollow base into the lower end of the pedestal. The base includes feet supporting the base a spaced distance above a horizontal surface upon which the feet rest and the feet are removable whereby the base may rest directly upon and over a horizontal support surface upwardly through which a combustion air opening is formed. The front of the firebox includes an openable transparent window equipped door and combustion air inlet passage structure for sweeping curtains of combustion air across the inner surface of the window from selected marginal portions thereof.

Abstract: The solar receiver for use e.g. with a solar-powered Stirling-type hot gas engine includes an internally mounted fused silica window for sealing the receiver aperture against thermal energy convection losses. The window has a folded cone configuration with an inverted radially outer truncated conical window member, and a radially inner conical window member joined at the base to the smaller base of the outer member. The larger base of the outer conical member is attached to the receiver housing to surround the aperture, and the angle of revolution of both members is about 20.degree.. At least 50% of the solar radiation escaping the receiver through the aperture undergoes at least three reflections prior to escaping.

Abstract: A portable cooking apparatus is provided which comprises two or more substantially planar cooking structures, hinge means connecting the cooking structures, a plurality of legs capable of detachable affixment to said cooking structures, and a leg carrier assembly affixed to the cooking structures, wherein the leg carrier assembly includes at least two guide members, each of which contains at least one aperture of a size and shape sufficient to admit at least one of said legs, the guide members being affixed to a first cooking structure such that a leg may rest in the apertures of at least two guide members simultaneously, and at least two retaining elements, each retaining element being affixed to a cooking structure such that, when the cooking apparatus is collapsed, each retaining element at least partially opposes end-wise movement of a leg as the leg rests in the apertures of the guide members.

Abstract: An apparatus for heating a fluid, as air, having a housing surrounding a heat transfer chamber. A casing having a combustion chamber is located in the heat transfer chamber. A motor driven fan mounted on the housing operates to supply air to the combustion chamber and move air through the heat transfer chamber. Fuel, as waste oil, is metered to the combustion chamber and burned. The air supplied to the combustion chamber moves the burning fuel in a circular pattern to promote combustion of the fuel adjacent the casing thereby heating the casing. The air moved through the heat transfer chamber picks up heat from the hot casing. The heated air is discharged through an open grill into the environment surrounding the apparatus.

Abstract: A fluidized bed reactor system for introducing heat energy into or removing heat energy from fluidized reactants undergoing reaction includes, in a first embodiment, a fluidized bed reactor for fluidizing a particulate material in a fluidizing medium and a heat generator for supplying heat energy to the fluidized bed. A plurality of heat pipes interconnect the heat generator and the fluidized bed reactor with the evaporator portions of the heat pipes extending into the heat generator and the condenser portions thereof extending into the fluidized bed. Thermal energy from the heat generator is absorbed by the evaporator portions of the heat pipes and conveyed through the heat pipes to the condenser portions where the thermal energy is transferred to the fluidized bed.

Abstract: A wafer damper assembly formed of a thin, flat, polymeric annulus with a central opening receiving a polymeric wafer baffle. The baffle has a non-circular transverse passage receiving a cooperative shaft pivoted in the flat annulus, with a lockable quadrant handle on one end of this shaft.

Abstract: A timer in which the re-filling of a control chamber (26) via its inlet (56) causes displacement of a resilient wall (34). A surface (62) of the wall (34) thus engages a valve seat (64) to shut-off the inlet (14) of the timer from its outlet (20). To open the timer a cap (88) is depressed. A stem (90) depending from the cap depresses an element (44) against the action of a spring (60). The element (44) is thus displaced to open the outlet bore (42) of the chamber (26). Water pressure in the casing (12) acting on the wall (34) then urges it in the direction which separates the surface (62) from the seat (64). A series of stop surfaces (86) co-operate with a stop element (100) of the cap (88). The surfaces (86) are at different heights. The distance through which the cap (88) can be depressed is varied by rotating it so that the element (100) co-operates with a selected surface (86).

Abstract: A fluid flow control valve in which flow from an inlet (14) to an outlet (16) is controlled by engagement between a surface (92) and a seat (90). The surface (92) is displaced from the seat (90) when a closure member (44) is lifted to permit flow from a control chamber (26) through a bore (42). The resultant pressure drop in the chamber (26) enables pressure externally of the chamber (26) to displace the wall (34) which lifts the spigot 40 and hence the surface 92. When the closure member (44) re-seats, the chamber (26) can fill through a bore (56) and the wall (34) returns to its initial condition to close the valve. An operating member (66) protrudes through a shower rose (20). When the member (66) is pushed up, the piston (70) attempts to slide in the cylinder (74) and causes a pressure increase which thus displaced the cylinder (74 ) and hence the closure member (44).

Abstract: A combined solar collector and storage device comprises a housing including a plurality of wire mesh racks for retaining and storing rock therein and also including a front face formed of mesh allowing solar radiation to impinge on the rock and penetrate deeply into the housing. A plurality of intersecting tunnels being formed of mesh include a plurality of sunlight entry tunnels and inner chamber tunnels wherein the inner chamber tunnels intersect the sunlight entry tunnels at closely spaced intervals so that solar radiation may be directed toward rock in the interior of the housing. The housing also includes a frame, a plurality of side walls and a base, which cooperate with the front face to retain the rock within the housing.