Abstract: Lighting apparatus comprising a long span lightweight luminaire beam with a cross section that is substantially in the shape of an equilateral triangle and is formed in multiple sections secured together. One apex of the triangle is pointed downwardly. The side panels of the beam are used as mounting and reflecting surfaces for fluorescent lights or the like, while the ballast and wiring are mounted inside the beam to protect them from weather. The mounting hole for the ballast also serves as the access hole for assembly of the span, and the ballast may be inverted in its mounting for servicing. The beam is supported in an elevated, substantially horizontally extending position by one or more support posts. This apparatus is particularly advantageous for use in illuminating large outdoor areas such as tennis courts.

Abstract: A ballast can be mechanically and thermally isolated from the mounting plate which acts as a heat sink by securing a pair of L-shaped channels to the bottom of the ballast with the depending leg of each channel being disposed in intimate sliding engagement with the flat surface of a respective C-shaped channel member which is secured to the mounting plate. Vibration damping washers are disposed between the L-shaped channel member and the C-shaped channel member to prevent vibrations from being transmitted from the ballast to the base while still permitting heat dissipation through the superimposed sliding surfaces of the channels.

Abstract: A device for mounting on a sailboat to provide a visual indication of the optimum boat-to-wind angle to achieve maximum distance per unit of time to windward. A pivotally mounted wind vane includes a pair of flexible struts extending outwardly at equal angles on each side of the vane centerline and are deflected from a normal, unflexed position inwardly in proportion to apparent wind velocity. A flexible elongated member is affixed at one end to the support upon which the vane is pivotally mounted and is likewise flexed in accordance with apparent wind direction and velocity. Steering the boat to bring the flexible member into predetermined positional relationship to one of the flexible struts provides the desired optimization, for upwind travel, of boat-to-wind angle. The device is also useful in downwind sailing by aligning one of the struts on the windvane with either the transverse or longitudinal axis of the boat, depending on apparent wind velocity.