Other

Carl E Lawrence

John E Schumacher

Steven R Wickins

A pressure differential containment structure, including a vacuum chamber and a pressure vessel, for operation in the pressure range of 1 to 2 atmospheres of pressure differential, using relatively thin wall material and incorporating strengthening members by folding or forming the walls of the containment structure itself. The structural configuration of the preferred embodiment is of rectilinear geometry with four lateral walls and two end walls. Each lateral wall component is preferably fabricated from at least one sheet, such as stainless steel, aluminum, or synthetic material including polymers and composites, to comprise reinforcing ribs or corrugations transverse to the longitudinal direction of the wall and include transverse flanges at each end. The lateral walls are preferably joined, such as by welding or adhesion, along longitudinal joints with four corner members, along with separate reinforcing corner plates and gusset plates, to form a lateral wall structure with two open ends, oriented either as front and back ends or as top and bottom ends. The end walls are preferably joined at transverse flange faces or can be sealed as with sealing rings under removable fastening means. An alternative embodiment is of cylindrical geometry with a laterally arcuate wall structure terminating in annular flange plates and two end walls. The lateral wall component is preferably first fabricated from at least one sheet to comprise reinforcing flutes or channels longitudinally along the full length of the lateral wall, such formed wall sheet component is subsequently arcuately rolled to be joined, as by welding or adhesion, along opposing longitudinal edges to configure the cylindrical wall structure. Annular flange plates are then welded along the fluted arcuate profile of each end of the cylindrical wall structure. As with the rectilinear configuration, the end walls are preferably welded at the transverse flange faces or can be sealed as with sealing rings under removable fastening means. Longitudinal corrugations in a rigid tube would support compressive or expansive loads as long as the length of the tube is appropriate to the material properties. The end flanges can be much thinner than those on a conventional cylindrical chamber due to support from the corrugations.

Pressure differential containment structure

A device for constraining cargo in a vehicle, the device having expandability, flexibility and portability. The extendibility embodies adjustments in barrier length to a short length for storage of the cargo barrier and adjustments in barrier length to fit the requirements of the cargo configuration. The flexibility embodies both horizontal and vertical deviations from a straight line configuration of the cargo barrier as a device to adapt to the cargo and cargo storage area configuration. The portability embodies a device for rapid deployment and removal of the cargo barrier.

Flexible automotive cargo barrier

Apparatus using outdoor air as a cooling medium for an enclosed space, including a single thermostat controlling a conventional mechanical refrigeration system and electric fan means, and a temperature sensor responsive to outdoor air temperature which is adapted to energize the thermostat, rendering it operative to deactivate the refrigeration system and to activate the fan means, thereby drawing outdoor air into the enclosed space when the outdoor air temperature is below a predetermined level.

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Longmont, CO, United States of America

Carl E Lawrence