Abstract: Marine buoy lantern employs a heavily damped two-axis gimbal including an outer gimbal frame supported to the lantern housing by a pair of hinges and an inner gimbal member mounted to the outer gimbal frame by another pair of hinges. The hinges are made of plastic and respond very slowly to a torque applied thereto unlike gimbals employing bearings. The inner gimbal member supports the drum lens, flasher, lampchanger, and counterweights. The hinged gimbal cooperates with the counterweights immersed in a very viscous fluid to maintain the lantern vertically disposed notwithstanding angles of inclination of .+-.9.degree., or a total of 18.degree., of the marine buoy mounting the lantern atop thereof.

Abstract: Lantern employs clear lens protective cover around the drum lens and a clear dome over the solar panel mounted above the lens. A heavily damped gimbal supported by the lantern housing mounts the lens, lampchanger, and flasher above a bank of batteries suspended from the gimbal. The weight of the batteries aids in providing a righting moment to the gimbal when the marine buoy, atop of which the lantern is secured, is tilted or inclined for sustained periods due to current and/or wind. Interior of the lantern is readily accessible by merely pivoting upwardly an annulus supporting the lens cover, solar panel, and dome.

Abstract: Six silicon solar cells are arranged in three pairs on three mutually perpendicular planes. One cell of each pair will be exposed to both the direct rays of the sun and the diffuse light radiation incident from the same direction, depending upon the orientation of the device and the time of day. The other cells of each pair will be exposed only to the diffuse radiation on their respective planes. The differences in the measured radiation on each plane are squared, summed, and the square root of the sum then taken to determine the actual value of the direct rays of the sun.

Abstract: Directivity of a sound source is significantly increased when the source is positioned within the geometrical center of a ring having a diameter and height of 1 wavelength and 1/2 wavelength respectively. Sound energy radiates to the ring and is re-radiated or diffracted at the top and bottom thereof. The re-radiated or diffracted sound energy thus appears to be generated by two simple sources, in phase and vertically arranged, one source being at the top of the ring and the other at its bottom, resulting in increased intensity along the horizontal plane bisecting the sources. The two phased sources at the top and bottom of the ring may be considered to be located along any imaginary vertical plane through the single source. Sound intensity in a desired plane or direction is thus increased without a concomitant increase in power, number of sources or components.

Abstract: Solar energy concentrator system employs structure permitting ready adjustability of flexible sheet concentrators to maximize solar radiation reflectability therefrom in accordance with seasonal posture of the sun. The invention utilizes structural components which represent various parameters of an ellipse. Thus, the concentrators are shaped in the form of an inverted-V and their apexes shiftable, by means of a pivotable rod, along a curve of substantially constant radius when the free ends of the concentrators are substantially secured at points forming the foci of the ellipse to thereby vary the angles the faces of the concentrators make with the sun.