Abstract: A domestic appliance system and method are provided for storing and processing food by exchanging heat between the food and a latent heat storing material by forced circulation of a liquid thermal exchange fluid. A plurality of appliances, each having a single heat exchanger for receiving the thermal exchange fluid, connect across supply and return mains which contain the thermal exchange fluid at a differential pressure. Hot supply and return mains are part of a liquid thermal exchange fluid circuit which also includes a heat exchanger for exchanging heat with latent heat storing material in a hot reservoir, a pump, and the appliance heat exchangers with selector and regulator valves to control flow and temperature of thermal exchange fluid within the appliances. Cold supply and return mains are part of a similar liquid thermal exchange fluid circuit for exchanging heat between a cold latent heat storing material and a plurality of appliances.

Abstract: Heat is transferred from a hot reservoir to an intermittent user such as a domestic appliance through an intermediate heat exchanger. Heat storing material maintains a substantially constant temperature at its phase transition point. When the intermittent user is operating, a heat exchange fluid such as NaK transfers heat from the heat storing material to a thermally degradable organic thermal exchange fluid through the intermediate heat exchanger to the intermittent user at substantially the temperature of the heat storing material. When the intermittent user is not operating, circulation of the fluids stops which allows the thermal exchange fluid to cool thereby reducing its thermal degradation. The heat storing material is selected for a high latent heat of phase transition, the heat exchange fluid is selected for thermal stability, and the thermal exchange fluid is selected for intermittent user needs such as mobility in a liquid phase at hot and cold temperatures.

Abstract: An oven, which maintains food at a low temperature to preserve its properties for subsequent unattended cooking at high oven temperatures, is cooled and heated by a flowing liquid thermal exchange fluid which is cooled and heated by flowing through thermal sources separate from the oven. Within a food processing compartment of the oven, heat is exchanged between an enclosed chamber heat exchanger and the food by air convection.In a preferred embodiment, the oven is one of a plurality of domestic appliances similarly heated and cooled by a liquid thermal exchange fluid. The oven and the other appliances share in common an assembly of thermal reservoirs which provides thermal exchange fluid under pressure at substantially the temperatures of the thermal reservoirs which include a hot and a cold reservoir.

Abstract: A facsimile transmitter and a facsimile receiver are combined into a common assembly having a single endless band which is driven at a constant velocity to scan an image of an advancing document and to sweep modulated columns of ink drops which deposit upon an advancing sheet of paper. In a preferred embodiment, the endless band has a plurality of uniformly spaced apertures which correspond to a plurality of elongated photodetectors and it also has a similar plurality of orifices which correspond to a plurality of charging electrodes.As the moving apertures scan an image of the document across the photodetectors, a signal is generated to control the charging electrodes and the endless band of a remote printer. When the facsimile transmitter and receiver operate as a copier, the signal is connected internally to control the charging electrodes.

Abstract: A signal responsive printer selectively deposits drops of liquid ink onto a moving sheet of ordinary paper to form a line of characters. A flexible endless orifice band having a plurality of uniformly spaced orifices traverses a stationary ink source to form ink drops which are chargeable between a corresponding plurality of charging electrodes. Charged ink drops are deflected in direct proportion to their charge between deflecting electrodes to form successive columns of a character dot matrix as the orifice band advances. In order to prevent distortion of a character, an additional deflection compensates for paper motion. Uncharged ink drops deposit on an ink catcher, are drawn into an ink reservoir, and are pumped back to the ink source.

Abstract: The liquid metal sodium-potassium alloy called NaK reacts with water and air to release energy and to form hydroxides of NaK. The hydroxides are transported in solution by pipeline to be regenerated to NaK metal by electrolysis, the NaK metal being transported by a second pipeline to be dispensed to automobiles. The present invention is an internal combustion engine based on an explosive reaction of NaK and water sprays in the presence of air. A two cycle piston engine with NaK and water injected near maximum compression is preferred.

Abstract: A signal responsive printer selectively deposits drops of liquid ink onto a moving sheet of ordinary paper. Columns of monodisperse drops traverse a linear array of stationary selective structures consisting of alternating signal and transfer members. The signal members are directly signal responsive. The transfer members switch between adjacent signal members synchronously with the traversing ink drop columns assuring that when an ink drop column is proximate to a junction gap between the selective structures, both adjacent members are at the same selection intensity level.In one embodiment, the selective structures are deflecting electrodes through which columns of uniformly charged ink drops pass. When an ink drop column is proximate to a junction gap, adjacent signal and transfer deflecting electrodes are at the same selection intensity level which is an intensity level of an ink drop deflecting electrostatic field.

Abstract: A signal responsive printer selectively deposits drops of liquid ink onto an advancing sheet of ordinary paper. A flexible endless band having a plurality of uniformly spaced orifices is drawn through a stationary ink source. Liquid ink emerging under pressure from the orifices forms columns of ink drops which have the linear and constant speed motion of the orifice band. Frictionless constraint of the orifice band is provided by air bearings and noncontacting drive is provided by a linear induction motor acting on the orifice band. Simultaneous printing on both sides of a sheet of paper is attained by a configuration wherein a common orifice band loops through two printers which project selected ink drops toward advancing paper.

Abstract: A system and method for printing by delivering monodisperse ink drops from a capillary array to a paper surface in an electrostatic field. Forces within selected capillaries allow said capillaries to be filled with ink from a supply which enters the capillary through a communication port. A valving and motor action is provided to open and close said ink port in a selective manner, said actions provided by a body of mercury partly filling the capillary under pressure, by developing a magnetic field within the capillary, and by inducing a potential between electrodes in a capillary which causes current flow across the magnetic field which results in a force that moves the body of mercury to open the communicating port. Terminating current flow restores the mercury in partly filled relationship within the capillary to again close off the port.