Abstract: An immersible solar heater comprising a light-absorbing panel attached to a frame for absorbing heat energy from the light and transferring the absorbed heat energy directly to the fluid in which the heater is immersed. The heater can be used to heat a swimming pool, for example, and is held in position and at a preselected angle by a system of floats, weights and tethers so that the panel can operate efficiently. A skid can be used in one embodiment to prevent lateral movement of the heater along the bottom of the pool. Alternative embodiments include different arrangements of the weights, floats and tethers and methods for making the heater.

Abstract: A gas burning apparatus detects a gas pressure existing between a nozzle for supplying gas to a burner and an adjusting valve for adjusting combustion amount by means of a pressure sensor. A central control device, including a microcomputer, drives the adjusting valve so as to obtain a combustion amount desired by a user. This construction controls thermal power accurately. In addition, a different kind of gas stored by the microcomputer can be used by operating a switch corresponding to the kind of gas to be used.

Abstract: A gas radiant tube heater and method of operating the heater. The heater has a housing and a radiant tube mounted within the housing. The heater further has a modular control box mounted within the housing in which serviceable parts can be easily removed as a unit and replaced. The housing and control box are sealed against the elements for outdoor as well as indoor use. The control box is divided into two chambers, with the inlet air flowing from a first chamber into a second chamber. The first chamber is subjected to a vacuum pressure, in which the heat sensitive equipment is mounted, and the second chamber is subjected to a positive pressure, in which the combustible gas and air mix prior to combustion. The heater further has a pressure switch to shut off the gas supply if the air flow through the heater is blocked, and a flame sensor to shut off the gas supply if the ignition element fails to ignite the air/gas mixture.

Abstract: A transportable igniting device utilizing burn fuel especially ,adapted for use in forestry management practices is disclosed. The invention has a fuel storage tank which is fluidly coupled to a pressurizing assembly which includes; a pump and a pressure fuse which is in turn coupled to an application wand having igniting means associated therewith. The pump removes fuel from the tank and delivers it to the pressure fuse. The pressure fuse remains open during normal operation but interrupts fuel flow if line pressure varies from predetermined parameters. The fuel expelled from the application wand is ignited by the igniting means and is delivered to a distant target. Features of the invention provide for a hose to couple the pressurizing assembly to the application wand so that the wand may be distant from the assembly. In addition, a bypass valve may be located fluidly intermediate the pump and the pressure fuse to return unused fuel to the tank, thus creating a continuously cycling pressurizing assembly.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for creating a stable combustion flame from natural gas and an oxygen containing gas which is useful for the pyrometallurgical treatment of finely divided materials such as metal ores. In particular, natural gas and the oxygen containing gas are injected in a manner which forms recirculation zones between the natural gas and oxygen containing gas thereby maintaining the stability of the combustion flame. The apparatus of the invention encourages the formation of the recirculation zones by using a bluff body orifice plate to provide a dead space between the injections of the oxygen containing gas and natural gas. Additional gas injection is used downstream in the combustor to create turbulence and further stabilize the combustion flame.

Abstract: A cooking hob comprising at least one gas burner 17, 18, 19 disposed beneath a glass top 25, said burner including a heat resistant rod 46 extending across at least part of the burner 17, 18, 19 and a thermocouple element 47 connected to the rod 46 for sensing the temperature of the glass 25 (FIG. 1).

Abstract: A portable gas range with a folding tripod. The portable gas range includes a bracket mounted on the gas range housing and rotatably supporting the inner ends of the pair of rotatable tripod members hinged to opposed sides of the bracket by hinge pins. This bracket has a pair of arcuate guide slits centering about the hinge pins. The guide pins are fixedly mounted on the inner ends of the rotatable tripod members and received in the arcuate guide slits. The moving plate is placed on the bracket such that it is linearly moved on the bracket. This moving plate mounts the rear tripod member on its rear end and is provided with a pair of longitudinal openings for receiving the guide pins penetrating the arcuate guide slits. The tripod folding lever has a push handle at an end thereof projecting out of the range housing. The other end of the tripod folding lever is connected to the moving plate, thus to linearly move the moving plate when the push handle is pushed.

Abstract: A camping stove includes a pair of bases pivotally coupled together, the bases can be opened and fixed in parallel to each other for cooking food, and the bases can be folded to a compact configuration for facilitating transportation purposes. A pair of legs are coupled to the bases for supporting the base when the bases are opened, the legs form a handle for carrying the camping stove when the bases are folded. The burning device includes a board having a number of air holes for uniformly distributing gas.

Abstract: A bag-rack mounted on an aircraft ceiling has a handrail secured to a recessed lower front portion thereof by a mount which also spaces the handrail from the bag-rack. The handrail is dimensionally shaped to conform to the inner surface contours of a user's hand and the recessed portion is curved to accommodate the back of the user's hand when reach into the recessed area to grip the handrail. The handrail also has an electroluminescent panel light mounted in a channel therein. The channel and light are positioned so that the light illuminates the recessed portion of the bag-rack and back-illuminates the handrail. The back-illumination of the handrail and the color contrast between the bag-rack and handrail provide visual differentiation between the handrail and bag-rack as well as other nearby structures enabling the user to more easily discern the handrail from other vehicle structures.

Abstract: A heating system for barbecue grills and other gas appliances is disclosed, the system having a U-shaped tubular burner and shield. The system may also include a radiant material disposed below the burner.

Abstract: A central solar receiver comprising a housing with a frusto-conical window for the admission of incident concentrated solar radiation, a volumetric solar absorber within the housing surrounding the window, means for the injection of working fluid into contact with the volumetric solar absorber and means for the withdrawal of heated working fluid. The frusto-conical window makes the receiver suitable for operation at elevated pressure.

Abstract: a gas-using water heater having a water pressure-controlled gas general switch, wherein the water pressure-controlled gas general switch is disposed outside the water heater and is combined with the original manually operated gas general switch to form a dual general switch and with respect to a site provided with low water pressure, the water heater is additionally equipped with a pressurizing motor pump, fuses being disposed inside and outside the water heater, whereby when consuming the hot water, the movement of the water flow can activate an electric controlling system and a water guiding tube, making the water pressure-controlled gas general switch automatically cooperatively turn on/off the gas or turn on/off the pressurizing motor pump, and when the fuses burn down, the power is shut off, making the gas general switch automatically turn off the gas, so that the leak of gas can hardly take place and the user provided with low water pressure can obtain greater water pressure and in case of a fire, the g

Abstract: A lantern hood can be inverted from an upright, light reflecting position in which it permits the lantern to be used as a lighting device to an inverted position in which it is usable as a support for cooking utensils and permits the lantern to be used as a stove. The hood includes a lid having apertures formed therethrough which can be opened when the hood is used as a cooker and closed when the hood is used as a reflector. The hood also preferably includes a cooking cylinder shaped so as to support standard sized camping utensils when the hood is inverted, and springs for pulling the globe of the lantern into contact with the inverted hood to channel the heat from the lantern through the cooking cylinder, thereby enhancing the hood's operation as a cooker.

Abstract: A solid fuel burning stove includes a firebox having front side and rear walls, a top and a bottom, and a secondary combustion unit formed from high temperature insulative refractive material mounted on the top and rear wall of the firebox. The unit is connected to the firebox by a mouth located in the rear wall adjacent the floor of the firebox and by a perforated plate on the firebox top wall. A vertical combustion passage extends from the mouth up to a mixing and combustion chamber located in the unit above the top wall of the firebox. The secondary combustion unit efficiently burns secondary combustion gases flowing into the unit through the mouth and plate during different stages of burning solid fuel, particularly wood.

Abstract: An apparatus for distributing heat between the heat source and grill of a gas burning barbecue or kettle, vaporizing and controlling food liquids that fall through the cooking grill, and for easily converting the cooking characteristics of a barbecue to that of a range if so desired. The apparatus is comprised of two articular parts including a flat apertured plate and cap. The plate is horizontally situated so that an aperture is located directly over a gas burner. The plate includes an array of inwardly and upwardly projecting teeth around the aperture for supporting a cooking vessel just above the heat source for range style cooking. The cap fits over the aperture for spreading heat from the gas burner for conventional barbecue style cooking.

Abstract: A propane heater suitable for orchards, having a cylindrical combustion chamber and an exhaust tube which extends from one end thereof, the exhaust tube being substantially longer than the combustion chamber. A fuel inlet is located in the cylindrical surface of the combustion chamber at the other end thereof, at approximately 30.degree. from top dead center thereof. An ignition and air supply tube is located approximately 80.degree.-110.degree. circumferentially away from the fuel inlet, past the top dead center of the chamber.

Abstract: A solar panel (FIG. 7) comprises an extruded plastics matrix (20) comprising a plurality of side-by-side compartments each of which provides an actual fluid-flow channel without the need for providing separate metal pipework. Each compartment may include a filler (62) to define a fluid-flow channel between the upper surface of the filler and the lower surface of a membrane (28) of the matrix. The provision of the filler (62) is optional and the cross section of each compartment may be optimized to the fluid-flow channel size requirements. At least part of a surface of each fluid-flow channel has a covering comprising a solar radiation absorber; for example, the absorber may comprise a channel-shaped foil (72) which exhibits high absorbence of solar energy together with low emittance of infra-red radiation.

Abstract: An improved outdoor cooking device is provided, which consists of a barbeque grill. A base is for supporting the barbeque grill. Components are for mounting the support base to a structure in a level stabilized manner, so that the barbeque grill cannot be knocked over when in use.

Abstract: A clipping attachment for releasably fixing a cigarette lighter to a substantially parallelepiped-shaped pack of cigarettes having an outer jacket and an inner sleeve. The outer jacket of the cigarette pack having a front wall, a back wall, and a pair of opposite side walls. The inner sleeve of the cigarette pack being adapted to slidably move up and down relatively to the outer jacket in order to respectively allow access to the cigarettes and to prevent access to the latter. The clipping attachment has a substantially elongated and flat tongue adapted to be slidably inserted between the inner sleeve and one of the side walls of the outer jacket. A spacing section extends substantially perpendicullarly from the top end of the tongue for spacing the tongue from the lighter. A fixing device for fixing the clipping attachment to the lighter extends integrally from the spacing section.

Abstract: A portable heater is made up of a cylindrical outer case 2 with at least one end thereof opened; a container to be heated 6 fixedly housed in the outer case 2 with a gap between the container and said outer case for the updraft of a combustion gas, the container being made of a cylindrical heat resisting container body 6c having a top 6b provided with an opening tab 6a; a burner 3 which is equipped with an ignition means 8, and is fixedly housed in the outer case 2 at a lower inside thereof so as to heat the container 6; and a fuel tank 4 fixed in a lower inside of the outer case 2 for supplying fuel to the burner 3. The container 6 holds contents to be heated when the heater is in use, and the outer case 2 has vent holes for supplying air from the outside to the burner 3. Thereby, contents of the container can be heated at any desired time and place without drawing the contents of the container by opening the top of the container.