Abstract: An artificial ice structure for use as, for example, a base for oilfield operations or a road, is constructed in an offshore frigid environment where the water is covered by a sheet of floating ice. A berm or dike enclosing a predetermined area is built on the ice sheet to contain flood water and a trench is cut through the ice sheet around the perimeter of the dike to separate the predetermined area from the parent ice sheet and thereby form an island. The island of predetermined area is flooded with water and the water is allowed to freeze and weight the island down until essentially the entire ice mass of the island is resting on the ground underlying the body of water. After the structure is grounded, flooding with water is continued until the island has sufficient mass, in combination with other defensive measures, to resist the forces imposed by movement of the surrounding fast ice.

Abstract: A passive device for automatically feeding a candle to a fixed support ring is mounted upon a base member. A lower drive ring is urged upwardly to force the candle against the fixed support ring by a weight ring. The weight ring is linked to the lower drive ring by flexible linkages which are looped over plural pulley-like guideways secured to the fixed suport such that the weight of the ring urges the candle upwardly. The upward movement of the candle ceases when the candle is burned out and the lower drive ring engages the fixed support ring.

Abstract: A control arrangement for a heating system including a furnace having a fuel-fired burner apparatus and a vent stack with a motor driven damper plate pivotally mounted within the stack, includes a stack damper control circuit including first and second limit switches which permit energization of a drive motor in response to a request for heat, premitting the damper plate to be driven to an open position, and for energizing an interlock switch which prepares an energizing path for fuel supply valves of the system, the first limit switch being operated when the damper plate approaches the open position to complete the energizing path for the fuel supply valves prepared by the interlock switch, and the second limit switch deenergizing the motor when the damper plate is driven to the fully open position. The motor is reenergized at the end of the heating cycle to drive the damper plate to the closed position, and the second limit switch deenergizes the motor when the damper plate reaches the closed position.

Abstract: A control system for air conditioning apparatus particularly of the type utilizing a variable displacement compressor, the capacity of which is modulated in response to a cooling demand control signal. More specifically, the capacity of the compressor is controlled in response to a first signal developed in response to the temperature of air within the space to be controlled and a second signal which is indicative of potential freezing of the evaporator coil. Both of these signals are applied to a control valve actuator which directly varies the capacity of the compressor in a modulated fashion above a predetermined combination of coil and air temperatures and reduces the capacity to zero when below said predetermined combination.

Abstract: A high-voltage type photoflash lamp having a nonconducting, noncombustible, fibrous material, such as zirconia wool, positioned around the lead-in wires at the base of the lamp to prevent shorting across the wires.

Abstract: A temperature control system for monitoring and controlling a zone supplied with low pressure steam is disclosed. The system comprises a series of balanced Wheatstone bridges which, when calibrated, provide a variety of manual and automatic control conditions to maintain the temperature in the zone. Means are provided for obtaining direct readings of room or zone temperature, and monitoring the position and movement of a steam control valve which is utilized as the heat metering apparatus. In order to compensate for environmental differences which may exist in various zones under control, there is disclosed apparatus for selectively varying the effect of sensors utilized in the system, and in particular, the effect of a resistance thermometer located within the zone which may be subject to variations in accuracy in terms of placement.

Abstract: An improved static solid switching device is disclosed for activation by radiant energy when a flash lamp located adjacent thereto is flashed. The multiple flash lamp array having a plurality of lamps fired individually and in sequence for use with said improved static solid switching devices is further disclosed. The switches are prepared from compositions which include the presence of a non-conductive particulate solid to provide improvement in switch manufacture as well as switch operation.

Abstract: An improved wire anvil member for a percussion ignitable type flash lamp is described having projection means to deflect hot primer particles upon ignition but which has openings permitting some of the hot primer particles to pass through for improved ignition of the principal combustible material contained in the lamp envelope. The present wire anvil can also be die-cast as an integral member utilizing commercially available zinc alloy materials.

Abstract: A lighter having an igniter of the piezoelectric type has a swinging portion of its housing serving as the actuator and operating on the igniter by a force-transmitting arrangement having a cam and a cam follower to transform the pivotal movement of the actuator into a linear displacement of the movable member of the igniter.

Abstract: The heating system comprises at least one vertical heating duct through which is passed an upward stream of vapor and a downflowing stream of condensate, heating units placed in each of the premises to be heated and each comprising a condenser connected to a heating duct by means of a vapor withdrawal pipe and a condensate return pipe, a liquid-vapor separator for collecting the condensate at the lower end of the heating duct, an evaporator for delivering vapor to the central portion of the heating duct, at least one unit of the heat pump type for superheating the vapor of the heating duct.

Abstract: A manually operated gas lighter for use for lighting barbecues, fireplaces, camp fires, ovens, and the like, which once ignited can be maintained ignited by providing a locking member to positively maintain the valve actuator in its depressed position. The locking member circumscribes the lighter body so as to be relatively rotated with respect to the lighter body, and which circumscribing member is provided with a slot which is constructed to receive and lock the valve actuator in its igniting position by effecting a predetermined relative rotational movement between the lighter and the circumscribing member.

Abstract: An automatic ventilation regulating device for windows, doors and the like, which have a movable portion and a fixed portion, including a spindle; a slide displaceable on the spindle; driving means for displacing the slide on the spindle, the spindle and the slide being connectable with the movable and fixed portions, respectively; and a settable thermostat arranged for controlling the operation of the driving means in response to the temperature in the room to be ventilated.

Abstract: An energy conservation enthalpy control system utilizes a sensing unit for sensing the wet bulb temperature of sampled air, both outside air and return air, under conditions which approximate adiabatic saturation. The unit includes a housing adapted to pass filtered air through the unit. Water circulated throughout from a sump in the housing is intimately contacted and mixed with the air by a spray or an evaporative pad. A temperature sensing element located in the sump or in the airstream provides a signal indicating the wet bulb temperature of the air under adiabatic saturation conditions. The unit provides the inputs to a control system which operates to coordinate the operations of return air dampers, outside air dampers, and air conditioning equipment.

Abstract: A refrigerant flooding type capacity control for air cooled condensers used in compression type mechanical refrigeration systems where the liquid receiver is located in a bypass around the condenser so that the controlled heating, which is applied to the liquid refrigerant in the receiver to create the flooding effect, does not cause a warming of the cold liquid refrigerant leaving the condenser.

Abstract: This disclosure pertains to wall burners which are used to raise the temperature of a gas stream flowing through a duct. Wall burners are mounted outside the duct and fire into the duct through a porthole formed in the duct wall. The present invention is uniquely characterized by a pre-main combustion chamber wherein a combusting fuel-air mixture is generated using only a small amount of the total fuel expended by the burner. The combusting mixture travels downstream through an accelerator ring and into the duct at high velocity and momentum. On the downstream side of the accelerator ring, main fuel ports inject the major portion of the fuel expended into the combusting fuel-air mixture whereupon a transfer of heat and momentum takes place which carries the unburned main fuel into the duct where the main combustion process takes place.

Abstract: A heating system that includes a solar collector assembly exterior of a building that is fluidly connected by inlet and return conduits to separate chambers in a heat transfer tank located in the building, a heat pump furnace unit having an evaporation-condensor coil located in the heat transfer tank so that as the liquid flows in the tank from one chamber to the other it flows in heat transfer relationship to the coil, the heat pump furnace unit being located outside of the tank and being provided for supplying heat to the building heating system, and a plurality of vertically elongated ground heat exchangers extended into the earth and connected by conduits so that there is provided a liquid flow path from one of the tank chambers through the ground heat exchangers, and then back to the other chamber. Pumps are provided in the above conduits for pumping the liquid between the tank and the solar collector assembly, and the tank and the ground heat exchangers.

Abstract: A vent apparatus is mounted on an automobile door at the forward edge of the window opening, and the apparatus has a transparent plate which is secured permanently at an acute angle relative to the door glass. The apparatus includes two unitary die cast brackets each of which has a channel in its outer surface and in which the leading edge of the transparent plate is fixedly mounted. The shapes of the channels and the adhesive material employed for securing the transparent plate therein are such as to avoid creation of stress points in the transparent plate if the brackets are slightly misaligned during assembly on the automobile.

Abstract: An air distribution ceiling for clean rooms is disclosed which includes a first or primary plenum chamber at the top of a room with a clean air supply communicating with it, the top of this chamber being bounded by the room ceiling and the bottom being bounded by a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal interlocked upper panels, a second plenum chamber bounded at the top by the upper panels and at the bottom by lower horizontal interlocked panels and forming the ceiling of the room. The panels are carried on spaced parallel supporting bars suspended from the top wall of the room and extending therealong, the supporting bars being held in spaced relation by spacer bars extending therebetween and having ledges to carry the upper and lower plates and to permit the insertion and removal of the lower panels from below. The panels each has a plurality of nozzle holes therethrough for downward air delivery and to provide for uniform air displacement within the room.

Abstract: A helical screw rotary compressor is provided with oppositely oriented slide valves at the suction and discharge sides of the machine to control compressor capacity and balance the closed thread pressure at discharge with discharge line pressure in a main closed loop heat pump refrigeration system. The compressor may be bidirectional if the function of the slide valves is reversed. Additional slide valves carried by the compressor may be employed to vary the injection point of intermediate pressure refrigerant gas to a compressor closed thread and to control flow to and/or from closed threads and a secondary loop for subcooling the main loop refrigerant or for other functions.

Abstract: The swirling burner comprises a vertical combustion chamber and an annular blast member located beneath the combustion chamber and provided with a central cylindrical space and a plurality of alternately superposed fuel gas passages and air passages. These passages are communicated with the cylindrical space through blow openings which are inclined in the same direction with respect to the radii of the cylindrical space. In a modification, the burner is further combined with straight blowing type burner for promoting the effect of the air-gas mixing.