Benjamin S Sherman

US Patent:

41482980, Apr 10, 1979

Filed:

Jun 14, 1978

Appl. No.:

5/915448

Inventors:

Benjamin F. Sherman - McLean VA

International Classification:

F24J 302

US Classification:

126270

Abstract:

A collector of waves, such as of solar radiations entering from any direction, concentrates them upon a receiver that converts them to useful purposes. Moderate concentration factors are achieved without the necessity of tracking the sun. The reflective surface of the collector is a semicircular arc developed by rotation about an axis either in the plane of the arc passing through the center of curvature to form a hemisphere, or in the plane of the arc and tangent to one end to form a hemitoroid with a central cusp, or about some other axis; or some combination of these shapes. The device is compounded to provide an increased concentration factor. Means are taught for adapting the device to heat-collecting plates, heat pipes, or photovoltaic conversion devices (solar cells) of either disc, ribbon, or tube construction and for installing the device on surfaces of buildings with or without the capability of tracking the sun.

US Patent:

41482999, Apr 10, 1979

Filed:

Jun 14, 1978

Appl. No.:

5/915449

Inventors:

Benjamin F. Sherman - McLean VA

International Classification:

F24J 302

US Classification:

126270

Abstract:

A collector of waves, such as of solar radiations entering from any direction, concentrates them upon a receiver that converts them to useful purposes. Moderate concentration factors are achieved without the necessity of tracking the sun. The reflective surface of the collector is a semicircular arc developed by rotation about an axis either in the plane of the arc passing through the center of curvature to form a hemisphere, or in the panel of the arc and tangent to one end to form a hemitoroid with a central cusp, or about some other axis; or some combination of these shapes. The device is compounded to provide an increased concentration factor. Means are taught for adapting the device to heat-collecting plates, heat pipes, or photovoltaic conversion devices (solar cells) of either disc, ribbon, or tube construction and for installing the device on surfaces of buildings with or without the capability of tracking the sun.

US Patent:

40313840, Jun 21, 1977

Filed:

Jan 24, 1975

Appl. No.:

5/543925

Inventors:

Benjamin F. Sherman - McLean VA

International Classification:

G02B 510
G01J 120

US Classification:

250203R

Abstract:

A light concentrator of paraxial rays emanating from at least one point source and/or of multidirectionally dispersed rays, employing at least two confocal warped shells generated by the revolution of a conic section, has in a preferred embodiment two truncated confocal paraboloids, an outer of a larger dimension and an inner of a smaller dimension, mounted about a common axis with their vertices in line on one side of the common focal point of their surfaces. The inner face of the outer shell and the outer face of the inner shell are developed at least over selected portions thereof as reflectors. The vertex of the outer shell has an exit orifice for the passing of a concentrated beam therethrough, said beam originating in unconcentrated form from an area spaced opposite from the open ends of the paraboloids. The direction of paraxial rays from the source, the arrangement of the confocal warped shells, and the angles of the reflectors are correlated into a multiple reflection system to produce the desired concentration and emission of a high-intensity beam through the vertex of the outer shell. A paraxial ray reflected from the interior face of the outer paraboloid toward its focal point, impinges on the exterior face of the inner paraboloid, having the same focal point, and is reflected from there parallel to the direction of the original light ray and the common axis of the two paraboloids in continuous or stepwise successive reflections, whereby the light intensity of each ray contributes to the light intensity of the resultant common beam.

US Patent:

45574847, Dec 10, 1985

Filed:

Sep 24, 1984

Appl. No.:

6/653597

Inventors:

Benjamin F. Sherman - McLean VA
Samuel Francis - McLean VA

International Classification:

A63F 908

US Classification:

273153S

Abstract:

A three-dimensional sliding element puzzle has a spherical support with circular tracks receiving legs and feet of slidable outer shell members defining either a spherical octahedron, cuboctahedron, or icosidodecahedron.

US Patent:

44784180, Oct 23, 1984

Filed:

Feb 2, 1982

Appl. No.:

6/345051

Inventors:

Benjamin F. Sherman - McLean VA

International Classification:

A63F 908

US Classification:

273153S

Abstract:

A three-dimensional sliding element puzzle has a spherical support with circular tracks receiving legs and feet of slidable outer shell members defining either a spherical octahedron, cuboctahedron, or icosidodecahedron.

US Patent:

41482972, Apr 10, 1979

Filed:

Jul 8, 1976

Appl. No.:

5/703461

Inventors:

Benjamin F. Sherman - McLean VA

International Classification:

F24J 302

US Classification:

126270

Abstract:

A collector of waves, such as of solar radiations entering from any direction, concentrates them upon a receiver that converts them to useful purposes. Moderate concentration factors are achieved without the necessity of tracking the sun. The reflective surface of the collector is a semicircular arc; developed by rotation about an axis either in the plane of the arc passing through the center of curvature to form a hemisphere, or in the plane of the arc and tangent to one end to form a hemitoroid with a central cusp, or about some other axis; or some combination of these shapes. The device is compounded to provide an increased concentration factor. Means are taught for adapting the device to heat-collecting plates, heat pipes, or photovoltaic conversion devices (solar cells) of either disc, ribbon, or tube construction and for installing the device on surfaces of buildings with or without the capability of tracking the sun.

US Patent:

44321201, Feb 21, 1984

Filed:

Aug 3, 1982

Appl. No.:

6/404650

Inventors:

Benjamin F. Sherman - McLean VA
Samuel Francis - McLean VA

International Classification:

B65D 5516

US Classification:

24299

Abstract:

An automobile fuel tank cap retaining device includes a flexible member interconnecting a pair of mounting ends having adhesive surfaces. One end of the device can be adhesively secured to a cap and the other end to a stationary surface so that when the cap is removed from its reservoir inlet the cap will hang adjacent thereto.

US Patent:

45511110, Nov 5, 1985

Filed:

Aug 25, 1983

Appl. No.:

6/526282

Inventors:

Benjamin F. Sherman - McLean VA

International Classification:

A63H 3306

US Classification:

446120

Abstract:

A hollow ball-like construction is disclosed as including a plurality of hollow wedges having a variety of different shapes and angles, which wedges are mounted on a central disc to form a unitary assembly. Cylindrical and spherical wedges of different configurations are utilized to complete the constructions into a plurality of outlines, such as a trapezoid, a rhombus, a square, a triangle, a pentagon, a hexagon and other irregular outlines.