Abstract: A connector is provided for securing a conduit to a fluid source, which source includes a noncircular cylindrical pedestal having a fluid source outlet extending therethrough and an annular groove surrounding the pedestal. The connector includes an inlet port engageable with the fluid source outlet and an outlet port in fluid communication with the inlet port and engageable with the conduit. A collet includes a base, and a plurality of fingers extending from the base substantially parallel to an axis of the inlet port, each finger being disposed a common radial distance from the axis of the inlet port and including a radially extending pawl spaced from the base. An annular cam has a noncircular cylindrical receptacle correspondingly engageable with the noncircular cylindrical pedestal of the fluid source and having an axis coincident with the axis of the inlet port.

Abstract: A burner for gaseous fuels or gas plus liquid fuel mixtures includes flame bores distributed across a burner surface. At least some of the bores are arranged in the form of nearly equilateral triangles with a ratio of spacing of the bores with respect to one another, to the bore diameter, being in the range of 2 to 4.

Abstract: The pressure pulsations caused by the flow patterns of flue gases entering a flue gas stack from a horizontal duct are eliminated or reduced by the installation of a partition plate in the stack opposite the inlet duct. This negates the adverse interaction of the two vortices in the stack formed by the entering flue gases and allows the vortices to travel independently up the stack.

Abstract: A viscous fluid type heat generator including a housing assembly in which a heat generating chamber filled with viscous fluid generating heat due to a shearing action applied thereto, and a heat receiving chamber permitting a heat exchanging liquid to receive heat from the heat generating chamber and to carry the heat to an external heating system, a drive shaft rotatably supported by the housing assembly, and rotating a rotor element mounted thereon to apply the shearing action to the viscous fluid within the heat generating chamber, the drive shaft being provided with front and rear ends axially extending from the front and rear ends of the housing assembly, and having front and rear connecting means by which the drive shaft is connected to two different equipments when the viscous fluid type heat generator is mounted in a space extending between the two different equipments.

Abstract: A refractive energy window system which uses light energy to heat the air. The system has a solar panel which focuses the light energy on the air when the air passes through the solar panel. A frame structure is used to support and hold the solar panel. The frame has an input section which draws the air into the solar panel and an output section which outputs the air after the air has passed through the solar panel and has been heated by the light energy.

Abstract: A candle holder has candles mounted at each end of a pivoting balance arm. A snuffer is located above each candle. When the balance arm is balanced and one of the candles is lit then the lit candle will become lighter as fuel is consumed by combustion at its wick. When this happens the balance arm pivots so that the end of the balance arm bearing the lit candle rises. This continues until the lit candle is raised to a location at which it is extinguished by one of the snuffers. After the candle has been extinguished then the second candle may be lit. The candle holder prevents candles from continuing to burn for extended periods of time. The candle holder is interesting to watch in operation.

Abstract: A multiple lens solar heating unit consisting of a piping component, a housing component with a transparent housing cap, holes within the housing component for entry and exit of the piping component, multiple lens mounting braces affixed parallel wise to inner walling of the housing component, a plurality of external lens holders mounted to the braces by mounting pins and rotatably pivotable in an XY plane, an equivalent plurality of internal lens holders mounted one each to each external lens holder by mounting pins and rotatably pivotable in an XZ plane and an equivalent plurality of magnifying lens mounted one each within each internal lens holder.

Abstract: A barbecue grill including a cart with attached side work shelves is disclosed. The cart having a first frame with a plurality of vertical members joined by weldment to least an upper and lower first horizontal members, and a second frame with a plurality of vertical members joined by weldment to at least an upper and lower second horizontal members, and at least two transverse cross members joining the first frame in spaced relation to the second frame. The attachment of the side work shelves to a support member of the cart, including at least one generally vertical projection on either the support member or the work shelf, and at least one generally vertical receiver on the other, whereby the projection and receiver cooperatively dimensioned such that the projection is removably inserted in the receiver to provide cantilever support of the work shelf.

Abstract: Shutoff system for a gas fired appliance includes a shutoff for increased carbon monoxide concentration. A proximity sensor is associated with a thermocouple and conventional solenoid shutoff valve. Slight changes in the current resulting from temperature variations monitored by the thermocouple provide an indication of increased carbon monoxide levels. The thermocouple sensor is also preferably placed in the plenum to monitor the temperature of primary and/or secondary screens associated with the gas fired appliance. Moreover, a reflector, or concentrating element such as a parabolic reflector, focuses the radiant energy on the thermocouple.

Abstract: A portable space heater in which a fuel discharge nozzle discharges fuel into a combustion chamber from a fuel tank. A rigid non-flexible metal tube extends between the nozzle and tank. The tank includes an opening with a closure member in the opening. The closure member includes an opening into which a tube compression fitting can be secured for securely affixing one end of the tubing. In the preferred embodiment, the tank is plastic and the closure member is an insert which is insert molded into the top of the tank. In another embodiment, the tank can be metal with the closure member welded to the top wall thereof. In still another embodiment, the closure member is a cap threaded on a threaded opening. In all embodiments, the fuel filter is located inside the tank and is accessible by withdrawing it from the tank through an opening in the insert.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a covered canal or aqueduct having an integral solar energy concentrating system. Either photo-voltaic panels or a combination of solar energy concentrating reflectors and reflected solar energy collectors are used, among other solar energy concentrating or energy transferring elements, as part of a membrane means to gather radiant solar energy from atop the surface over a canal or aqueduct. Either the photo-voltaic panels or the reflector panels are integrated into other membrane means elements which are supported by a structural means so as to prevent evaporative loss from solar heating and wind movement of waters in the canal. Thus, the present invention results in the more efficient transfer of waters through canals while simultaneously collecting radiant solar energy.

Abstract: An apparatus 9 for diagnosing failures in the combustion system to be installed in the regenerator of an absorption chiller is adapted to automatically prepare quantitative diagnosis data from a plurality of items of measurement data. The apparatus comprises an abnormality degree calculating circuit 2 for calculating degrees of abnormality serving as indexes for discriminating failures, from different items of data obtained by a combustion system control unit 1, a binary conversion circuit 4 for converting the abnormality degrees obtained from the circuit 2 to binary data representing "normal" or "abnormal," a condition judging circuit 5 for discriminating types of states of failures from the binary data by driving a diagnosis knowledge base 7, and a diagnosis data calculating circuit 6 for calculating diagnosis data from the abnormality degrees and types of failure states by driving the base 7.

Abstract: An air flow chamber for cooking or chilling using alternating horizontal air flow has an air heating or cooling apparatus and an air recirculating flow control mechanism for forcing heated or cooled air through an enclosure wherein said air is alternatingly directed horizontally through said enclosure in a first cycle in one horizontal direction and in a second cycle in the opposite direction.

Abstract: An utility lighter including a housing having a handle at one end and a nozzle at another end and including a fuel supply connected for selective fluid communication with the nozzle. An ignitor assembly, such as a piezoelectric mechanism, is operatively connected to the housing for generating a spark proximate the nozzle and an actuating assembly is connected to the housing proximate the handle and operates to both dispense fuel from the fuel supply and to activate the ignitor assembly. A latch member is operatively connected with the handle and includes a blocking portion connected for biased movement relative to the actuating assembly. The latch member is normally biased into engagement with the actuating assembly to prevent operative movement except when the user moves the latch member against the bias. When the latch member is moved out of engagement with the actuating assembly by the user, a trigger may be pulled to release fuel and initiate a spark at the nozzle.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multi-purpose lighter mainly including a case and an igniting means associated with the case to form a union body of the lighter. The case has an integrally formed separating wall which upward projects from a bottom center of the case and defines an elongated inner space with an expanded and internally threaded opening near the bottom of the case. A long pin having one pointed end and an expanded and externally threaded head opposite to the pointed end is screwed into the threaded opening of the separating wall for serving as a toothpick. The expanded head of the long pin has a projected handle for a user to hold to easily screw the long pin into the separating wall. The handle is formed with a connecting hole for a key ring with several keys to hook thereto. A bottle-opener is fixedly attached to the case by ultrasonic or high-frequency wave. The multipurpose lighter is more useful and heavier to draw the user's attention to more carefully keep it without carelessly dropping it here and there.

Abstract: A burner arrangement for ferrous scrap melting and the like includes a fuel outlet and a primary oxidant supply outlet communicating with a mixing chamber. The burner also has a main outlet and secondary oxidant supply outlets. In addition there is a convergent-divergent nozzle communicating with the mixing chamber. Valves control the flow of gaseous fuel to the fuel outlet, and the flow of primary and secondary oxidant to the primary and secondary oxidant supply outlets. In operation, oxidant is supplied to the primary and secondary outlets, hot flame or combustion gases are accelerated through the nozzle with the result that a sonic or supersonic velocity can be created. Such high velocities facilitate the penetration of the combustion gases through a slag layer into molten metal.

Abstract: The present invention is a disposable device which is placed inside an oven to improve the cooking properties and contain splatter from food products. The interior surface of the cube is heat reflective material. Venturi holes are critically placed to circulate air flow and to improve the cooking characteristics and browning of food products.

Abstract: A powered multi-fuel burner has a burner assembly which utilizes an air aspirated nozzle. An air compressor provides air to the air aspirated nozzle and to a fuel-holding tank where the fuel within the tank is put under air pressure thereby to enhance its flow to the air aspirated nozzle. A bleed valve is positioned between the air compressor and the fuel thank thereby to increase or decrease the air pressure within the fuel tank. By increasing and decreasing the air pressure within the tank, the burner can produce heat over a range of operation.

Abstract: An improved staged combustion method useful with oxy-fuel combustion and in a furnace which contains a charge, wherein substoichiometric combustion and secondary oxidant injection are carried out in an orientation which forms a more oxidizing atmosphere proximate the charge surface and oxidizing gas recirculates from the secondary oxidant stream to the charge surface and back to the secondary oxidant stream.

Abstract: An appliance safety shield for gas-burning appliances to prevent heavier-than-air vapors from contacting a pilot light, the safety shield including a floor structure for mounting the safety shield thereon and a mounting strip mounted on the floor structure in generally fluid-tight connection therewith. The mounting strip extends circumferentially around the gas-burning appliance such that the mounting strip substantially completely surrounds the appliance. A generally flat, semi-rigid shield wall having a lower edge is mounted in the mounting strip in generally fluid-tight connection therewith such that the shield wall extends generally upright, the shield wall extending along the mounting strip such that the shield wall substantially completely surrounds the appliance. The shield wall, the mounting strip and the floor structure cooperate to restrict heavier-than-air vapor access to a gas-burning appliance whereby accidental ignition of flammable vapors is prevented.