Other

The J.m. Smucker Company

Johnston, Barry Woods

Barry Woods Johnston

Charles H Brain

Rusty Don Soward

A grab handle has a U-shaped hollow body. The U-shaped body has a water dispensing section which is configured to dispense a flow of water from an interior of the U-shaped body where the flow of water may be used, among other uses, as a hand wash station, an eye wash station, or for providing water for utilitarian purposes. The grab handle may be attached to a panel of a vehicle and also function to provide assistance to a person to climb up or onto the vehicle. The water dispensing section may have a slot, a plurality of nozzles, an outlet with a fixture, or any combination of the same.

Vehicle grab handle with integral handwash/eye wash fixtures

A near-adiabatic engine has four stages in a cycle: a means of near adiabatically expanding the working fluid during the downstroke (expansion stroke); a means of cooling the working fluid at Bottom Dead Center (BDC); a means of near adiabatically compressing that cooled fluid from the lower pressure/temperature level at BDC to the higher level at Top Dead Center (TDC); and finally, a means of passing that working fluid back into the high pressure/temperature source in a balanced condition with minimal resistance to that flow.

Near-adiabatic engine

A near adiabatic engine has four stages in a cycle: (1) a means of adiabatically expanding the working fluid during the downstroke from a high pressure/temperature level to a low level; (2) a means of cooling the working fluid at Bottom Dead Center (BDC); (3) a means of adiabatically compressing that fluid from a low pressure/temperature level at BDC to the higher level at Top Dead Center (TDC); and finally, (4) a means of passing that working fluid back to the high pressure/temperature source in a balanced pressure environment so as to minimize the resistance of that flow. This disclosure teaches the means of achieving (2) and (3) as follows: (2) a means is disclosed of BDC cooling of the expanded working fluid in the working chamber, and (3) a means is disclosed of adiabatically compressing the working fluid into the pump chamber before cycling the fluid.

Nearly full adiabatic engine

In an adiabatic expansion heat engine, adiabatically expanded low pressure fluid is returned to a source of high pressure fluid through a balance of internal pressures or forces that balances out the resistance to the flow of the fluid being pumped from the low pressure to the high pressure with the high pressure fluid metered into the working chamber.

Adiabatic expansion heat engine and method of operating

A fluid pump for moving a fluid from a first fluid source of the fluid in a low pressure state to a second fluid source of the fluid in a high pressure state, includes a chamber; a partitioning member displaceable in the chamber and dividing the chamber into first and second sub-chambers of varying volumes; the first sub-chamber having an opening controllably communicable with either the second fluid source or a third fluid source; the second sub-chamber having inlet and outlet openings controllably communicable with the first and second fluid sources, respectively; and a cooling element for cooling a fluid in the first sub-chamber.

Fluid pump

Calf pen feeder bucket

A skimmer for removing debris off the surface of a river includes a float line installed across the river at an angle with respect to the river current, and a collecting net installed at the downstream end of the float line. The ends of the line are slidable upwards, along inclined supports, to unsnag the line when a heavy object hooks onto the line. A second mechanism, assisting in raising the line, is a series of rods which swivel in a pole-vaulted fashion from their leverage at the bottom of the river to lift the line out of the water and allow the heavy object to pass underneath. If the object hits the line with an excessive force, the line will reliably break at a desired weak point. The rods may have elbow joints that would provide better leverage in shallow water.

Floating river debris skimmer

An improved uniflow engine has a plurality of vertically extending cylinders distributed in-line along a horizontally extending common crankshaft connected to pistons reciprocating in the cylinders. A working fluid vapor is supplied to those cylinders in which the respective pistons are in their working strokes to initiate rotation of the crankshaft in a predetermined direction regardless of where the crankshaft has stopped last. Once rotation is initiated and a predetermined mode change speed attained in a &ldquo;start-up mode&rdquo; engine operation, vapor inlet valves are controlled by an inlet valve control mechanism to change engine operation over to a &ldquo;running mode&rdquo;. In the start-up mode, incoming vapor is admitted over a substantial portion of the piston working stroke, whereas in the &ldquo;running mode&rdquo; vapor inflow is terminated relatively early in the working stroke so that a vapor change does work in expanding against the piston. A mode switch valve including a check valve and a control piston controls a closing rate of each of the vapor inlet valves. A wedge fixed to a head portion of each piston cooperates with a wedge fixed to each vapor inlet valve to close the vapor inlet valve at a predetermined position of the piston.

Multicylinder self-starting uniflow engine

A cable braced, open air chapel or meeting hall is formed from a series of cables interconnected to each other in countertension to provide a rigid structural support to provide basic definition for the building structure. One set of cables is preferably tensioned through weights or spring assemblies imparting tension in the downward direction in turn transmitted to the second set of cables in countertension. The second set of cables may extend upwardly in a curved configuration for connection to the upper end of a support tower. The cables slidably pass through the tower through a series of passageways formed in a honeycomb-like mounting structure enabling the back ends of the cables to be anchored to the ground in a spread, fan-like configuration. The weighted or spring tensioned ends of the first cables and the ability of the second cables to pass slidably through the tower support enable the cabled arrangement to breathe as a result of thermally induced expansion and contraction.

Cable braced, open air chapel/meeting hall

A uniflow engine has a plurality of cylinders disposed symmetrically around a common crankshaft connected to pistons reciprocating in the cylinders. In response to the availability of a working fluid vapor at a predetermined condition, such as a high pressure or temperature, incoming vapor is supplied to those cylinders in which the respective pistons are in their working strokes to thereby initiate rotation of the crankshaft in which the crankshaft had stopped last. Once rotation is initiated and a predetermined mode change speed attained in a 'start-up model' by engine operation from start, vapor inlet valves are controlled to change engine operation over to a 'running mode'. In the 'start-up mode' incoming vapor is admitted over a substantial portion of the piston working stroke, whereas in the 'running mode' vapor inflow is terminated relatively early in the working stroke so that a vapor change does work in expending against the piston.

A uniflow engine has a plurality of cylinders disposed symmetrically around a common crankshaft connected to pistons reciprocating in the cylinders. In response to the availability of a working fluid vapor at a predetermined condition, such as a high pressure or temperature, incoming vapor is supplied to those cylinders in which the respective pistons are in their working strokes to thereby initiate rotation of the crankshaft in a predetermined direction regardless of the position in which the crankshaft has stopped last. Once rotation is initiated and a predetermined mode change speed attained in a 'start-up mode' by engine operation from start, vapor inlet valves are controlled to change engine operation over to a 'running mode'. In the 'start-up mode' incoming vapor is admitted over a substantial portion of the piston working stroke, whereas in the 'running mode' vapor inflow is terminated relatively early in the working stroke so that a vapor change does work in expanding against the piston. A relief valve is provided in the head portion of each piston and is actuated by inertia forces to facilitate evacuation of exhausted working fluid vapor from the corresponding cylinder.

Multicyclinder self-starting uniflow engine

A uniflow engine has a plurality of cylinders disposed symmetrically around a common crankshaft connected to pistons reciprocating in the cylinders. In response to the availability of a working fluid vapor at a predetermined condition, such as a high pressure or temperature, incoming vapor is supplied to those cylinders in which the respective pistons are in their working strokes to thereby initiate rotation of the crankshaft in a predetermined direction regardless of the position in which the crankshaft had stopped last. Once rotation is initiated and a predetermined mode change speed attained in a 'start-up mode' by engine operation from start, vapor inlet valves are controlled to change engine operation over to a 'running mode'. In the 'start-up mode' incoming vapor is admitted over a substantial portion of the piston working stroke, whereas in the 'running mode' vapor inflow is terminated relatively early in the working stroke so that a vapor change does work in expandiing against the piston.

A closed loop thermodynamic system that recirculates a vaporizable working fluid between its liquid and vapor states includes a thermal regeneration unit that receives exhausted working fluid after its utilization in an energy-utilizing device and transfers a portion of the enthalpy contained therein to a pressurized flow of condensed working fluid to a vaporizing unit in the system. Uncondensed exhausted vapor, after regenerative heat has thus been extracted, is then directed to a condensing unit of known type for condensation therein and collection in a condensate-holding unit. Condensation formed from the exhausted vapor during the course of the regenerative heat transfer therefrom is collected in a pool in the regeneration unit and is transferred to join the condensate in the condensate-holding unit to be flowed through the regeneration unit for regenerative heating therein. A pump is provided between the condensate-holding unit and the vaporizing unit to ensure that the regenerative heating is provided to liquid working fluid at the highest pressure in the system regardless of the different heights at which the various units are located.

Closed loop system with regenerative heating and pump-driven

An improved closed loop thermodynamic system that recirculates the vaporizable working fluid between its liquid and vapor states include a thermal regeneration unit that receives vaporized working fluid after its utilization and transfers a portion of the enthalpy contained therein to condensate, the pressure of which has been raised to the highest vapor pressure in the closed loop system by communication with a vaporizing unit therein. The vaporized working fluid, from which the regenerative heat has thus been extracted, is then directed to a condensing unit of known type for condensation therein and any incidental condensation formed during the course of the regenerative heat transfer from the vaporized working fluid is collected in a separate portion of the regeneration unit and is periodically transferred to join the condensate flowing from the condensing unit to the regeneration unit for regenerative heating therein. This improved closed loop recirculating thermodynamic system effects all fluid transfers by natural convection, force of gravity, and judicious application of the highest and lowest pressures available within the system by selective communication between portions of the system.

Closed loop recirculation system for a working fluid with regeneration

A closed loop solar collector system (10) includes a fluid receiver (12) for collecting solar heat to vaporize a working fluid therein. A uniflow engine (15), connected to the receiver (12), is powered by the vaporized fluid to power a water wheel (19). The engine (15) includes a single piston (37) acting directly upon a pair of normally closed intake valves (50) projecting into the engine cylinder (35). Under low boiler pressure conditions, a spring loaded connecting rod (62) having depending arms (64) each engaging one of the intake valve rods (54b) when in a normally raised position coordinates simultaneous opening or closing of the valves (50) with a detent mechanism (63), enabling the piston (37) to operate in a nonexpanding state. At high boiler pressures, the connecting rod (62) disengages from the intake valve (50) by means of a transmission rod (90) and follower (96) acted upon by outwardly displaced weights (100) provided on a flywheel ( 19a) powered by the engine drive shaft (44) so that the piston operates in the expanding state. Exhausted vaporized fluid discharged from the engine (15) enters a condensor (20) alternately connected in series with first (25a) and second (25b) holding tanks so that the receiver (12) fills with water draining from one of the tanks (25a, 15b) while the other tank refills with water from the condensor (20). The alternating cycle is controlled by steam actuated valves (30, 30') in response to fluid levels inside the holding tanks (25a, 25b). The tanks are mounted to feed water to the receiver under gravity and under pressure of vaporized fluid entering the tanks from the receiver.

Growing community of inventors

Baltimore, MD, United States of America

Barry Woods Johnston