Abstract: A heat pipe includes an elongated, heat conductive shell containing heat transfer fluid which is vaporizable and condensable, and cooling means within the shell to condense the heat transfer fluid from the vapor form to the liquid form and thereby to cool the shell to approximately the same temperature throughout its length. The cooling means can include a conduit or conduits running longitudinally inside the shell of the heat pipe and carrying a circulating coolant which can be a liquid or a gas. The substantially uniform cool surface temperature of the heat pipe adapts it for use as an efficient solar energy collector with the circulating coolant serving as a heat extracting medium. Alternatively, a row of photovoltaic cells may be mounted on the uniformly cool heat pipe shell and an elongated lens used to refract solar rays to impinge concentrated or high intensity solar energy onto the targets of such cells.

Abstract: A solar energy collector is mounted for adjustable azimuth rotation about a vertical axis and adjustable elevation tilting about a horizontal axis for pointing toward the sun. The collector is driven for rotation about the vertical axis and for tilting about the horizontal axis by drive mechanism controlled by the angle of incidence of the sun's rays to the collector when the insolation is above a predetermined intensity. When the insolation is below such predetermined value, the drive mechanism is controlled by a stored computerized program. Control responsive to the sun's rays is effected by at least one light sensitive photoelectric cell. Preferably one pair of cells is arranged in a horiziontal axis and another pair is arranged in a plane perpendiuclar to such horizontal axis. The photoelectric cells are buried in shield tubes to shield the cells from stray light. However, the outer end of the tubes are canted to increase the field from which direct rays from the sun will activate the photoelectric cells.

Abstract: Tread plates on mutually opposed endless belts clamp and move a pack of boards horizontally lengthwise between electrodes for setting adhesive between the boards by dielectric heating. The tread plates are engaged by backing members spaced transversely of the length of the belt, and the tread plates are connected by a chain located between the backing members. The portions of the tread plates engageable with a surface of the board pack are of a suitable plastic to deter passage of radio-frequency energy from an electrode to an electrically-grounded portion of a tread plate or to the chain. Air bags are inflatable to press at least one endless belt against the board pack or to move such belt relative to supporting means away from the board pack. Adjusting means for prepressing rollers ahead of the endless tread belts on one side of the board pack and adjusting means for the endless tread belt on the same side of the board pack are interconnected for synchronized adjustment.

Abstract: Tread plates on mutually opposed endless belts clamp and move a pack of boards horizontally lengthwise between electrodes for setting adhesive between the boards by dielectric heating. The tread plates are engaged by backing members spaced transversely of the length of the belt, and the tread plates are connected by a chain located between the backing members. The portions of the tread plates engageable with a surface of the board pack are of a suitable plastic to deter passage of radio-frequency energy from an electrode to an electrically grounded portion of a tread plate or to the chain. Air bags are inflatable to press at least one endless belt against the board pack or to move such belt relative to supporting means away from the board pack. Adjusting means for prepressing rollers ahead of the endless tread belts on one side of the board pack and adjusting means for the endless tread belt on the same side of the board pack are interconnected for synchronized adjustment.

Abstract: Tread plates on mutually opposed endless belts clamp and move a pack of boards horizontally lengthwise between electrodes for setting adhesive between the boards by dielectric heating. The tread plates are engaged by backing members spaced transversely of the length of the belt, and the tread plates are connected by a chain located between the backing members. The portions of the tread plates engageable with a surface of the board pack are of a suitable plastic to deter passage of radio-frequency energy from an electrode to an electrically-grounded portion of a tread plate or to the chain. Air bags are inflatable to press at least one endless belt against the board pack or to move such belt relative to supporting means away from the board pack. Adjusting means for prepressing rollers ahead of the endless tread belts on one side of the board pack and adjusting means for the endless tread belt on the same side of the board pack are interconnected for synchronized adjustment.