Abstract: An improved piston-cylinder internal combustion engine alters the volume of the combustion chamber without relying on movement of the piston to change the volume of the combustion chamber.

Abstract: An improved apparatus in an internal combustion engine for causing a piston to remain generally at the top dead center position for a period after the crank has passed top dead center, permitting constant volume combustion of a fuel mixture. A rotatable disc mounted in the upper sleeve end of a connecting rod as an eccentric bore for receiving the wrist pin of a piston. Another eccentric bore in the disc pivotally receives an upper end of a rigid shifter bar. An intermediate portion of the shifter bar is slidably attached to a pin mounted to a lower portion of the piston and a lower portion of the shifter bar is slidably attached to a pin mounted to an intermediate portion of the connecting rod. Thus, angular movement of the connecting rod relative to the pin will cause the shifter bar to rotate the disc imparting an upward motion to the piston to counteract for a time the downward motion of the connecting rod.

Abstract: A piston-connecting rod assembly for a crank shaft creates periods of transition, such as dwell, in engines or compressors. The piston, which reciprocates in compression and power strokes, is connected to the connecting rod by upper and lower piston pins. The connecting rod has (a) a lower end portion for connecting the connecting rod to the crank shaft, (b) a central portion having a central portion opening for receiving the lower piston pin, and (c) an upper end portion having an upper end portion opening for receiving the upper piston pin.

Abstract: A landscape care tool can take the form of a vegetation-cutting tool incorporating circular-shaped blades having teeth or an earth-working tool incorporating hoeing tines. Drive linkage for such tool forms, as well as other tool forms, imparts linear movement in response to rotation of a shaft. The drive linkage includes a worm element which rotates with the shaft and a tooth carrier which moves linearly in response to rotation of the worm element. The worm element has one set of threads angled in one direction and a second set of threads angled in the opposite direction. The tooth carrier carries one tooth which engages threads of the first set of threads in order to move the carrier in one linear direction and a second tooth which engages threads of the second set of threads to move the carrier in the opposite linear direction.

Abstract: A solar energy concentrator and collector having a concentrator made up of one or more anticlastic panels that feature a non-developable doubly curved surface. The panels are concave in the north-south direction and convex in the east-west direction. In one embodiment, the panels are formed to have parallel circular arcs in the north-south direction of increasing radius from the center of the panel to its edges and having a curved cross-section in the east-west direction. The concentrator reflects light to a narrow zone of concentration which moves within a plane in response to changes in the angle of incidence of sunlight thereon. A method for forming the specially shaped reflective fiber reinforced plastic panel is also disclosed.

Abstract: A solar energy concentrator and collector having a concentrator made up of one or more anticlastic panels that feature a non-developable doubly curved surface. The panels are concave in the north-south direction and convex in the east-west direction. In one embodiment, the panels are formed to have parallel circular arcs in the north-south direction of increasing radius from the center of the panel to its edges and having a curved cross-section in the east-west direction. The concentrator reflects light to a narrow zone of concentration which moves within a plane in response to changes in the angle of incidence of sunlight thereon. A method for forming the specially shaped reflective fiber reinforced plastic panel is also disclosed.

Abstract: A solar energy concentrator and collector having a concentrator made up of one or more anticlastic panels that feature a non-developable doubly curved surface. The panels are concave in the north-south direction and convex in the east-west direction. In one embodiment, the panels are formed to have parallel circular arcs in the north-south direction of increasing radius from the center of the panel to its edges and having a curved cross-section in the east-west direction. The concentrator reflects light to a narrow zone of concentration which moves within a plane in response to changes in the angle of incidence of sunlight thereon. A method for forming the specially shaped reflective fiber reinforced plastic panel is also disclosed.

Abstract: An energy transfer device includes a rotatable driveshaft supported within a cylinder and including first and second pistons slidably mounted within the cylinder. The driveshaft has first and second generally helical tracks formed thereupon and extending in opposite rotational directions about the driveshaft. First and second ratcheted cam clutches are coupled to the first and second pistons, respectively, and engage the first and second tracks within the driveshaft for converting reciprocating sliding motion of the first and second pistons into rotational motion of the driveshaft. The first and second pistons may be reciprocated by a valving mechanism which alternately admits pressurized fluid to one end portion of the cylinder while exhausting fluid from the opposite end portion thereof. The first and second pistons may also be reciprocated by magnetizing the first and second pistons and surrounding the cylinder by an alternating electromagnetic field.