Abstract: This invention discloses a solar still comprising a plurality of twin conduits routed through a plurality of solar collectors wherein the liquid is evaporated in the evaporation conduit constituting the first of the twin conduits and the vapor is condensed in the condensation conduit constituting the second conduit of the twin conduits. The evaporation conduit and the condensation conduit are separated from one another by a heat conducting element. A plurality of vapor conduits branching off from the evaporation conduits are connected to the condensation conduits via at least one pump or blower. The liquid fed to the evaporation conduit evaporates to vapor under an evacuated state provided by the pump or blower after being heated by the solar energy collected and supplied by the solar collector and/or by the latent heat released in and supplied by the condensation conduit wherein the vapor is condensed to liquid under a pressurized state provided by the pump or blower.

Abstract: An ultra-compact planetary drive provides a high reduction ratio and high power transmission without sacrificing the transmission efficiency. The compactness and versatility of the present invention is achieved by using an orbiting ring gear instead of the orbiting spur gears traditionally employed in the construction of the conventional planetary gear drive. The planetary drive of the present invention may be constructed by using gears on friction rollers or combination of gears and friction rollers.

Abstract: This invention discloses a linear position detector including a pair of elongated electrically conducting members disposed in a parallel arrangement and a plurality of magnetically activated normally open switches disposed at regular intervals following the lengthwise direction of the two elongated electrically conducting members, wherein each of the magnetically activated normally open switches provides electrical connection between the two elongated electrically conducting members when the magnetically activated normally open switch is closed. The combination of the two electrically conducting members and the plurality of the magnetically activated normally open switches are enclosed within a sealed elongated tubular container. A float including at least one magnet is secured to the sealed elongated tubular container in a sliding relationship.

Abstract: This invention discloses a control valve comprising a plurality of circular cylindrical wall partitions separating a first compartment open to an inlet port from a second compartment open to an outlet port of the control valve, wherein each of the circular cylindrical wall partitions including a plurality of groups of holes disposed therethrough and arranged in an axially distributed pattern in groups is wrapped by the belt under tension provided by at least one idler roller disposed in an orbiting relationship about the central axis of the circular cylindrical wall partition, which belt covers up all of the groups of holes except one group when the idler roller is orbited to each of the predetermined positions about the circular cylindrical partitioning wall by a rotary actuator.

Abstract: A vortex shedding flowmeter comprising vortex generator of an elongated cylindrical shape having a cross section of a blunt geometry disposed across a first cross section of a flow passage and a vortex sensor including a wing disposed across a second cross section of the flow passage in a parallel relationship with respect to the vortex generator, wherein the wing vortex sensor is secured to the wall of the flow passage at one extremity, while the other extremity is connected to one extremity of a lever that transmits the flexing movement of the wing vortex sensor to a transducer disposed at the other extremity of the lever. The vortex shedding frequency detected by the combination of the wing vortex sensor-lever amplifier-transducer provides the information on the fluid velocity through the flow passage as the vortex shedding frequency is proportional to the fluid velocity.

Abstract: This invention relates to a solar energy collecting device that concentrates the intensity of the sunlight by funneling the sunlight with one or more light funnels having a substantially V-shaped cross section made of light reflecting surfaces. The sunlight funneled to the apex zone of the light funnel is absorbed by one or more substantially flat fins radially extending a short distance from a conduit and dividing the wedge angle of the light funnel. The sunlight absorbed by the light absorbing fins heats the heat transfer fluid moving through the conduit disposed adjacent and parallel to the apex line of the light funnel. The opening of the diverging end of the light funnel is covered with a simple transparent cover or a two dimensional Fresnel lens cover. The solar trap may be used independently as a solar energy concentrating and collecting device or in conjunction with prefocusing reflectors or lenses.

Abstract: This invention discloses a subassembly for geodesically reinforced honeycomb structures, which comprises shear force and bending moment bearing structural members arranged into a hexagonal assembly that is reinforced by axial load bearing members arranged into a triangular assembly. The subassemblies are assembled and joined into a planar structure that results in a geodesically reinforced honeycomb dome or shell or plate.

Abstract: This invention discloses a vortex shedding flowmeter comprising a vortex generating member disposed across one cross section of the flow passage and a pair of vortex sensing wings respectively disposed across two cross section of the flow passage straddling the vortex generating member in a parallel relationship thereto, wherein one extremity of each wing is secured to a stocky container member housing a piezo-electric element by a flange of a thin diaphragm construction, which stocky container member is rigidly secured to the wall of the flow passage, while the other extremity of each wing is secured to the opposite side wall of the flow passage in a resilient manner.

Abstract: This invention relates to the ball plug valves comprising a ball plug of a cylindrical geometry with a hemispherical end rotatably engaging a matching cylindrical cavity with a closed hemispherical end formed within the valve body in a close tolerance wherein a hole bored through said ball plug in an oblique angle with respect to the central axis of said ball plug lines up with the fluid passage hole included in said valve body when said ball plug is rotated to the "open" position, while said hole through said ball plug takes a position substantially perpendicular to said fluid passage hole included in said valve body when said ball plug is rotated to the "closed" position, at which position said ball plug blocking the fluid passage hole shuts off the fluid flow.

Abstract: This invention relates to a device for transporting a person or persons vertically that comprises a closed loop of cord depending from a cylindrical roller with frictional braking means on which roller the cord is wound over a plurality of laps wherein the speed of the lowering motion of one member of the closed loop of cord depending from the cylindrical roller is effortlessly controlled by a small amount of tension exerted on the other member of the closed loop of cord depending from the cylindrical roller as the small amount of tension exerted on the other member of the closed loop of cord controls the magnitude of the frictional braking on the cylindrical roller. Consequently, a person secured to the one member of the closed loop of cord is able to lower oneself at a safe speed with ease by exerting a small amount of pull on the other member of the closed loop of cord.

Abstract: This invention discloses a vortex shedding flowmeter comprising a vortex generating member disposed across one cross section of the flow passage and a vortex sensing member including a wing disposed across another cross section of the flow passage parallel to the vortex generating member, wherein one extremity of the wing is secured to a stocky container member housing a piezoelectric element by a flange of a thin diaphragm construction, which stocky container member is rigidly secured to the wall of the flow passage, while the other extremity of the wing is secured to the opposite side wall of the flow passage in a resilient manner.

Abstract: This invention relates to a device including a combination of a porous filter and ultraviolet light source, that is for purifying fluid media. The porous filter filtering out particles suspended in the fluid medium and the ultraviolet germicidal lamp killing germs in the fluid medium are arranged in a combination in such a way that the porous filter distributes the fluid flow in a pattern that exposes the fluid medium to the germicidal radiation uniformly and thoroughly, while the ultraviolet germidical light destroys the bacteria and other germs contaminating the fluid medium, and at the same time cleans the porous filter continuously by oxidizing the organic particles clogging the porous filter wherein the oxidizing process utilizes oxygen naturally dissolved in the fluid medium or that artificially injected into the fluid medium.

Abstract: This invention relates to a distillation device that employs a plurality of twin tubings of coaxial arrangement or of side-by-side arrangement wherein the vaporization takes place at an evacuated state in one tubing and the condensation takes place in the other tubing of the twin tubings. A blower or pump moves the vapor from the vaporization tubing to the condensation tubing and, consequently, creates an evacuated state in the vaporization tubing and a pressurized state in the condensation tubing. As the condensation takes place at a higher pressure in the condensation tubing compared with the vaporization in the vaporization tubing, the temperature of the condensation tubing is higher than the temperature of the vaporization tubing, and consequently, a very high percentage of the latent heat released by the condensing vapor is recycled from the condensation tubing to the vaporization tubing by conduction through the metallic wall dividing the condensation tubing from the vaporization tubing.

Abstract: This invention relates to a self-sufficient device enabling a person to descend and ascend with ease, which device includes a closed loop of cord depending from a frictionally controlled cord release device wherein a person secured to one member of the closed loop of cord depending from the frictionally controlled cord release device by means of a harness is able to controll one's descending speed by exerting a small amount of tension on the other member of the closed loop of cord in the descending process. In the ascending process, a person secured to one member of the closed loop of cord by a harness is able to elevate oneself by using a stirrup slidably secured to the other member of the closed loop of cord 1 which stirrup includes a locking means that grabs the other member of the closed loop of cord when one stands on the stirrup applying a weight thereon, while the stirrup slides substantially freely on the other member of the closed loop of cord when no weight is applied thereon.

Abstract: This invention relates to a pump and hydraulic or pneumatic motor comprising a flexible tubular shell enclosed within a closed rigid cylindrical shell of oblong circular cross section wherein said flexible tubular shell is stretched around four revolving rollers, each pair of said four revolving rollers are diametrically and rotatably disposed about each of two drive shafts located on the plane including the major axis of said oblong circular cross section at two diametrically opposite position with respect to the plane including the minor axis of said oblong circular cross section.

Abstract: This invention relates to slide connectors which connect a plurality of boards in Ell, Tee, and Cross, connections. The connection is made by the retaining slide rails affixed to the edges of the boards that has a cross section having a narrowed-down root, each of which slidably engages one of four retaining slide grooves included in four sides of a connecting bar wherein the retaining slide groove has a cross section matched to the cross section of the retaining slide rail, which includes a narrowed-down opening. The connecting bar includes at least one hole of a finite depth having a noncircular cross section disposed at at least one extremity thereof, or a through hole of a noncircular cross section disposed therethrough in a coaxial relationship with respect to the geometric center line of the cross section of the connecting bar.

Abstract: This invention discloses a flowmeter employing a spiral coil target coaxially disposed within a flow passage included in the body of the flowmeter, wherein the drag and/or torque imposed on the spiral coil target by the moving fluid medium is measured and converted to the flow rate of the fluid medium moving through the flow passage. A flat or conical spiral coil made of a wire or strip of a non-lift generating cross section is used as a target to generate the drag thereon, which drag is converted to the flow rate. A conical spiral coil made of a wire or strip of a non-lift generating cross section or a planar or conical spiral coil made of a strip of a lift generating cross section is used as a target to generate the torque thereon, which torque is converted to the flow rate.

Abstract: This invention discloses a device usable as a pump or a compressor or a flow meter that includes a plurality of flaps having a substantially "comma-shaped" cross section assembled in a parallel arrangement wherein the flaps are respectively pivotable about a plurality of pivoting axes axisymmetrically positioned about the central axis of the assembly of the flaps. The outer boundary of the cross section of the assembly of the flaps takes a substantially circular configuration when all of the flaps are pivoted to the fully retracted position. The assembly of the flaps is rotatably disposed eccentrically within a cylindrical cavity having a cross section of a circle or ellipse or other configuration of smooth perimeter which cylindrical cavity includes a fluid inlet and outlet disposed at two substantially diametrically opposite positions across a plane including the central axis of the assembly of the flaps and the central axis of the cylindrical cavity.

Abstract: This invention relates to wooden cabinet doors with two edges reinforced with aluminum or plastic extrusions fitted along the edge of the wooden door in a sliding method and secured thereon by means of bonding or glueing, wherein the aluminum or plastic extrusions reinforcing the edges of the cabinet door provide built-in door hard-wares such as the hinge pin retaining means in case of the swinging doors and the slide guide means in case of the sliding doors.

Abstract: This invention relates to a solar still wherein the evaporation takes place in partially evacuated tubings which are heated by sunlight. The water to be distilled is supplied from a reservoir vessel which is sealed off after batch loading. The reservoir vessel is elevated above the solar collector. The water is fed into the heater tubings routed through the solar collector by gravity, through an orifice and a heat exchanger-condenser. The steam tubing branches off from the heater tubing in the solar collector vertically, and is routed through the heat exchanger-condenser. At this end, it is connected to a vertical tubing of a sizable length that empties into the distilled water reservoir. The exit end of the heater tubing routed through the solar collector is connected to another vertical tubing of a sizable length that empties into an overflow tank.