Abstract: A solar pool heater is defined by a submersible tubular ring attached to the perimeter of a floating sheet. The ring is perforated to permit the entry of water within the ring to induce at least partial submersion. The submersed ring prevents overlapping of adjacent heaters and reduces the likelihood of the heaters being blown off the pool by wind. The sheet includes a plurality of captive air bubbles to provide a floatationcapability while simultaneously insulating the water surface from the ambient air. By developing the sheet from material transparent to at least a spectrum of the solar rays, the underlying water will become heated by the received radiant energy.

Abstract: A solar heat collector features a collector panel of double compartment form. One compartment provides a dead air space and the other compartment is provided for heat collection purposes. Such other compartment is subdivided into a series of chambers by means of permeable heat transfer devices. One chamber at one end of the series is provided with a cold air inlet and the opposite end of the compartment is provided with a hot air outlet. Air passes from one compartment to the other by passage through the permeable transfer devices and intermediate chambers are provided with labyrinth baffling means to retard and slow down the flow of air to assure an even cross sectional air flow.

Abstract: A solar collector comprising a heat exchanger having a corrugated surface and an entrance window composed of evacuated transparent tubes respectively in contact with the corrugations.

Abstract: A solar energy collection device includes an oblong pedestal with a heat absorbing hollow cylinder carried upon the pinnacle of the pedestal through which a heat absorbing fluid is moved. A transparent, generally cylindrical member is carried by the pedestal and encircles at least a portion of the cylinder for concentrating and transferring radiant energy incident to the periphery of the member to the heat absorbing cylinder, and thence to the fluid passing therethrough.

Abstract: There is disclosed an apparatus and method for a thermosensitive safety valve to restrict a supply of fluid in a fluid delivery system when the temperature of the fluid reaches a predetermined temperature. A bimetal reed is utilized in which its unattached portion flexes outward from its normal, non-flexed position when the fluid temperature reaches a predetermined value into a flexed intermediate position with the mainstream of the fluid flow subsequently providing the pressing force for placing the unattached portion in a fluid restricting position. Furthermore, the reed may be reinstated in at least its flexed intermediate position so as to allow for subsequent fluid flow when the temperature of the same has been adjusted to a value less than the predetermined value of temperature.

Abstract: A solar heat collector apparatus is disclosed which includes a reflective surface of appropriate geometric form for receiving the solar radiation and reflecting said solar energy to a tube which is mounted at a point to maximize the collection of radiant energy. The collector is formed by moulding a plastic insulation material in a container which is then covered by a reflective metal film. The surface forms a series of compartments or cells which may be parabolic in shape. The cells communicate with each other to form a continuous fluid circuit. A second circuit is provided within the tube located in each compartment of the collector. The insulation characteristics of the container have been maximized to avoid heat losses through conducting parts.

Abstract: The present invention consists of a novel solar liquid vaporizing chamber for receiving liquids for vaporization. Hot vapors are released from the chamber and piped to desired locations while additional liquids are introduced into the chamber for vaporization.

Abstract: An openable rotor chamber structure for a vertical blower which is disposed on a floor provided within the base section of a smokestack or the like to exhaust smoke within a flue and discharge the same up the stack. The rotor chamber structure has a rotor chamber divided into two equal longitudinally extending portions which can be coupled or separated at a transverse dividing plane including the axis of the chamber, the respective parts of the blower being mounted on one of the two casing portions. A support frame is rotatably anchored on the floor by pins and the casing portion on which the parts of the blower are mounted is fixedly secured thereto. A mechanism is provided for moving the other of the two casing portions on which the members of the blower are not mounted in a horizontal direction.

Abstract: A clutch control valve serves to cut off the supply of hydraulic fluid pressure to a hydraulic operated clutch to render the clutch ineffective in response to the operation of a transmission for obtaining a change of gear ratio and serves similarly also when the brake is applied.

Abstract: A dump valve mechanism for a wet clutch wherein the clutch includes a plurality of friction elements supplied with lubricating and cooling oil when the clutch is engaged and including a fluid pumping means as a part of a release mechanism, the release mechanism being axially movable to a position engaging a brake for a transmission input shaft. The dump valve is defined by a pair of annular surfaces which are opened and separated when the brake is engaged due to relative movement between parts of the release mechanism to divert the lubricant and cooling fluid from the clutch discs as the brake is applied to prevent viscous drag from providing unwanted drive between the friction elements when the clutch is disengaged.

Abstract: A solar collector including at least one evacuated transparent cover tube provided with means for supplying hydrogen to and extracting hydrogen from the cover tube.

Abstract: A clutch of the single-plate dry-disc type is structured to include annular friction facings secured to opposite surfaces of a supporting plate of a clutch plate and a plurality of recesses or shallow grooves are defined in the surface of one of the annular friction facings. The shallow grooves extend from the inner periphery of the one annular friction facing and terminate short of the outer periphery thereof.Accelerated air streams are introduced from the exterior through the fly wheel into the plurality of grooves so as to aid in separation of the friction facing of the clutch plate from the engaging surface of a fly wheel as a result of a hydrodynamic force created by the air streams. Furthermore, slots are defined in the surface of the friction facing in addition to the grooves so as to provide discharge passages for powder which has been produced due to wear or attrition of the friction facings.

Abstract: A flat plate solar collector system embodying a plurality of individual conventional solar collector panels in which the frames of said panels are provided with notched portions or recesses for the reception of union type pipe couplings joining the headers of adjacent panels to permit the several panels to be assembled in butted side-by-side or precisely contiguous relation. Additionally, cover plates are provided for the recesses to present a unitary appearance to the assembly.

Abstract: A firebox having a hood or hood sections movable along or about a given line or point respectively on its hearth for positioning its opening in any one of a number of different positions.

Abstract: The solar energy collecting and trapping apparatus herein includes a pan with upstanding reflecting side walls and a black bottom, the pan being covered by a reflecting panel and a transparent front panel, whereby the sun energy incident in the apparatus will be trapped by the several reflectors in the body of fluid in the pan.

Abstract: A solar heating apparatus is disclosed herein useful as a swimming pool cover whereby the sun's rays can penetrate the apparatus and heat the water therebeneath. The apparatus includes a multiplicity of floatable individual and separate balls, pellets or units of a predetermined geometry which cooperate with each other to cover the surface of a given body of water. Each unit includes a lower surface or panel of transparent, plastic material and an upper surface or panel of opaque, plastic material. A storage container is located adjacent to the pool and a collection device including a pump and related conduits is provided for gathering the multiplicity of pellets and transporting them to the storage container. A pellet dispersal device is provided for transporting the pellets back to the pool surface which also includes the pump and conduits.

Abstract: A plural stage solar radiation fluid heater comprises a housing having a top in which there is an array of lenses. Near the inside bottom of the housing, there is a first fluid conduit located at the foci of the lenses for absorbing primary solar radiation focused thereon. One or more additional conduits are interposed between the first conduit means and the lenses and are arranged to permit passage of the ray bundles from the lenses to the first conduit means. The arrangement is such that the intervening circuit means intercept secondary terminal radiation which is re-radiated from the next adjacent hotter conduit means.

Abstract: An air type heating system includes a heat collector connected to heat air streams running through the collector by solar heat and a heat storage member containing heat-storage material for absorbing heat of the air heated by the heat collector and progressively accumulating heat, starting with one air port. A room is heated by the heated air supplied from the heat collector and/or the heat storage member through the one air part thereof.

Abstract: A solar radiation energy collecting system for receiving the sun's rays and focusing them upon a central absorber. A plurality of plane mirrors are mounted in a circular array concentric with a vertical absorber tower, the azimuth angle of each of the mirrors being fixed in the array at the particular angle necessary for it to reflect rays from the sun upon the absorber tower. The mirror array is mounted upon a boat floating on a pond and the boat and mirror array rotated in synchronism with the daily apparent motion of the sun, so as to maintain the desired focusing of reflected solar radiation upon the absorber tower. In one simple embodiment the mirrors are rotated only in a horizontal plane about the vertical axis of the absorber tower, and the varying elevation angles of the sun cause the reflected solar energy to scan up and down along the length of the absorber tower as the sun moves from east to west each day.

Abstract: A wood burning stove is formed with double front and rear side walls of heat conductive metal interconnected by heat conductive spacer fins and providing air passageways by which room air is heated by conduction from the walls which are heated by the burning of wood deposited on a firebox grate made up of spaced bricks supported by metal holders secured in heat conducting relation to said inner side walls. The rear side air passageway is divided into central and outer vertical sections the central one of which is closed at the bottom end and communicates with the atmosphere through an opening in the outer wall intermediate its vertical ends and with the stove interior above the firebox and below the grate through openings in the inner wall intermediate its vertical ends and adjacent its bottom end, respectively.