Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
I
BACKGROUND
This invention relates to an apparatus for
focused use of sun rays, which apparatus comprises a heat-
insulated closed space with opaque walls, which is provided
on the upper side thereof with at least one slot for the
sun rays, an oblong concave mirror for receiving and
reflecting said sun rays, which extends mainly on one side
of the slot with its lengthwise direction in parallel
relationship with said slot and which is hingedly mounted
above said space, around a hinge axis which lies near the
lowermost lengthwise edge thereon, and an oblong additional
mirror which is arranged substantially on the locus line
of said concave mirror and with the reflecting surface
thereof facing the reflecting surface of said concave mirror
and said slot -to reflect par-t at least of those sun rays
collected and reflected by said concave mirror, -through
said slot into said space.
In apparatus of this kind, the concave mirror
receives the sun rays which are then further focused at
Yeast by the additional mirror and fed through the slot
into the hollow space where they may for example be spree
to irradiate plants grown inside said space.
The invention has for object to provide an
apparatus for using focused sun rays owe the above mentioned
kind which can collect in all conditions an optimized
amount of sun rays into said space.
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Tie INVENTION
For this purpose, the concave minor is in the
shape of a surface which is described by a straight line
which moves Lo parallel relationship with said slot on a
directrix which forms at the most half of a parabola.
Preferably said concave mirror is hingedly
mounted above said space about a hinge axis which extends
in parallel relationship with the slot and passes by the
parabola vertex.
In a remarkable embodiment of -the invention,
the apparatus comprises a second oblong concave mirror
for collecting and reflecting indirect sun radiation,
which is mounted opposite said first concave mirror above
said space, extends with the lengthwise direction -thereof
15 in parallel relationship with said slot, faces with the
reflecting surface thereon said slot, and is hingedly
mounted relative to said space about a hinge axis which
runs in parallel relationship with said slot near the
lowermost eye thereof and on the other slot side as
20 the side along which said first concave mirror mainly
Issue.
In this embodiment, not only direct sun radiation
but also indirect sun radiation, for example with an
overcast sky, can be reflected through said slot in-to said
25 space. The amount of sun energy brought into the space
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can be considerably increased, particularly in certain
countries with a limited number of sunny days.
l'he.apparatus preferably comprises further a plane
mirror cooperating with the second concave mlrror,which
plane mirror is mounted above said space on the same side
as the hinge axis ox the second concave mirror relative
to the slot, underneath said second concave mirror, and the
reflecting surface thereon races the concave reflecting
surface ox said second concave mirror.
In a preferred embodiment ox the invention,
the apparatus comprises in the slot two mirrors err
collecting that radiation reflected towards the slot and
leading same through the slot to the space inner side,
said mirrors extending opposite one another aloncJ the slot
lenythwlse direction, reflecting towards one another end
converging towards the space inner side.
In this embodiment, the concave mirror and possibly
the second concave mirror do not have necessarily to be
mounted directly on the top space side. When said mirrors
are mounted sum distance above said space also, the mirrors
inside the 510t which may possibly extend above -the top
space side, insure that the radiation still reaches the
winner side of said space.
Other details and advantages owe the invention
will stand out from the following description ox an
apparatus for focused use ox sun rays according to the
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invention; this description is only given by way of
example and does not limit the invention; the reference
numerals pertain to the accompanying drawings.
THE D RAW IN S
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side view of an
apparatus for focused use of sun rays, according to the
invention.
Figure 2 is a cross-section along line II-II
in figure 1, but drawn on a larger scale.
Figure 3 shows a detail from the cross-section
in figure 2, but on a still larger scale and with parts
cut-away.
Figt,lre 4 is a cross-section along line IV-IV
in figure 1, also drawn on a larger scale.
Figure 5 is a cross-section along line V-V in
figure 1, drawn on the same scale as figure 3.
In the various figures the same reference numerals
pertain to the same elements.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The apparatus for focused use of sun rays as shown
inn the figures comprises a beam-like hea-t-insulatec'l closed
spook l Wil:i.CIl it bourlclod by a bittern 2, two ~Ipstand:i.rlcJ
walls 3 thereon and a horizontal top wall 4. The bottom 2
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its made from the ground proper or as shown in the figures,
from a floor of heat-lnsulating material, such as insulation
concrete. The upstanding walls 3 and the top wall 4 are
made Eros opaque insulating material, such as polystyrene.
Said walls 3 and 4 are supported by or made fast -to a metal
frame 5 which is anchored in the ground. On the inner
side thereof the walls 3 and 4 are reflecting and are
coated therefore for example with mirrors or aluminum
foil. Said walls 3 and 4 spread those sun rays entering
the closed space l, in all directions.
The Sloan rays can enter said space 1 but through
a slot 6 which extends along the lengthwise direction of
space 1, in the center of top wall 4, over the whole
length thereof. The sun rays have consequently to be
collected, focused and lead to slot 6, which is obtained
with a number of oblong mirrors which are mounted above
said space 1 and which extend with the lengthwise
direction thereof in parallel relationship with slot 6,
that is thus along the lengthwise direction of space 1.
A first mirror 7 is a concave mirror in the
Norm of a surface which is described by a straight line
which moves in parallel relationship with slot I, on a
directrix which forms substantially half a parabola. Said
parabola may be refined with formula y = x . cm, whereby
x is the tangent to the parabola in the vertex thereof,
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and y is the symmetry axis of said parabola. Said kink
mirror is mace fast to a frame 8 from metal tubes which
extend respectively along tune lengthwise direction and the
parclholic.llly-cllrved cross direction of mirror one the
lower side thereof. The mirror 7 is for example formed by
a foil from polished aluminum. Said frame is then
preferably made from aluminum tubes and the foil is welded
to said frame or fastened by means of rivets. Those two
parabolically-curved tubes from frame 8 which lie at the
lo end, project somewhat outside the lowermost lengthwise
edge of mirror 7. By means of said projecting tube ends,
the concave mirror 7 is hingedly mounted about a geometrical
hinge axis ') which extends in parallel relationship with
slot 6 and through the parabola vertex. On -the projecting
end of each said latter tubes from frame stand therefore
an outwarclly-directed journal 10 which runs along the
lengthwise direction of mirror 7 and is supported in a
support if which is borne by a pillar 12. At each short
end of said space l, such a pillar 12 is hastened with
the foot thereof, by means ox two clamps lo, -to a section
from frame 5 which extends along the cross-wise direction
below top wall I.
Lowe hinge axis 9 lies some distance above top
wall I, directly above slot 6. To avoid concave mirror
7 hampering or preventing access to slot 6 for part of
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the sun rays, said mirror 7 ends a short distance away
from hinge axis 9.
Hinging and retaining in required position of
said concave mirror 7 occurs by means of two jack devices,
one at each end from mirror 7. Mach jack device comprises
screw-threaded rod I which is screwed next to a
lengthwise tube from frame 8, through a small block 15
which rotatable surrounds said lengthwise tube. The lower-
most end of rod 14 is connected to the axle of a motor 19,
the house of which it provided with a journal 16 which
runs in parallel relationship with the hinge axis 9 and
which bears in a support 17 which is mounted on a pillar
18 in the same way as said support 11. me motors 19 for
both jack devices are so synchronized that both rods 14
are driven at the same time and in the corresponding
direction. The pillars I are made fast in the same way
a the pillars 12 on frame 5, but some distance away from
pillars 12 on that side the concave mirror extends along.
Sail pillars I extend through top wall 4. When both rods
14 are driven, -the small blocks 15 move over said rods 14
whereby thus frame and consequently also concave mirror
7 tilts about hinge axis 9. The concave mirror 7 is
naturally always so located as to direct the parabola
symmetry axis towards the sun.
The concave mirror 7 cooperates with a convex
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mirror 20 which is arranged substanticllly on -the focus
line o-f mirror 7, namely accurately on said focus line
or somewhat on the side of mirror 7 Thor. Those sun
wrier collected by concave mirror 7 are thus convergently
relocated towards convex mirror 20 which in turn reflects
said rays in parallel relationship with one another or
converging towards slot 6. The convex mirror 20 is formed
by a curved reflecting plate, for instance an aluminum
plate which is provided on the concave top side thereof
with strengthening ribs. Said convex mirror 20 is retained
in the suitable position relative -to concave mirror 7 my
means of two battens 21, one on each short end of mirrors 7
and 20. Each batten 21 is hingedly secured with the
laurels end t~lereo~, by means of a hinge pin I to an
outermost cross-tube of Lame I, and it is hinged
fastened with the other end thereof, by means of a hinge
pin 23, to the one end of convex mirror 20. The bat-ten 21
is somewhat clamped on the hinge pins 22 and 23, in such
a way that without external forces on batten 21 or mirror
20, said batten will not swing about said pins. The
convex mirror 20 is thus actually adjustable relative to
concave mirror 7 for reflecting the maximum amount of
sun rays towards slot 6, or when required to adjust the
amount of sun rays falling into slot 6, but without acting
either on convex mirror 20 or bat-tens 21, the convex mirror
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will always take -the same position relative to concave
mirror 7. Adjusting of convex mirror 20 may occur once and
owe all by hind, For example when assembling the apparatus.
When an adju3temen-t is also desired during the operation of
the apparatus, such adjustment may occur from the round
for example by means of an electric motor, cables or
similar, not shown in the Figures.
Said concave mirror 7 and convex mirror 20 insure
collecting and reflecting to slot 6 of the direct sun
radiation. To be able to use also indirect sun radiation,
for example with an overcast sky, a second concave mirror 24
has further been arranged above space 1. Said second concave
mirror is in the shape of a small portion namely somewhat
less than 1/8 of a cylinder surface with a long radius,
Lo which preferably reaches about 220 cm. Said concave mirror
24 it similar in structure to concave mirror 7 and is also
made vast in the same way -to a frame 25 which is formed by
round metal tubes. Said concave mirror 24 is for example
also made Eros aluminum foil which is welded or secured
with rivets on an aluminum tube frame 25. The concave
mirror I lies on the bottom side of frame 25 and the
reflecting surface thereof faces downwards, that is -towards
slot I Said concave mirror I is also hingedly mounted
about a geometrical axis 26 which runs in parallel relation-
whip with slot 6 and lies next to the lowermost edge ox said
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mirror I The hinged mounting of mirror I is obtained duo
to cross-tubes from frame 25 lying at -the short ends of
mirror I projecting outside the lowermost lengthwise
edge of mirror I and being provided on the end thereof
with outwardly directed journals 27 which bear in the same
way as journals 10 in a support 2~3. Both supports I
are borne in the same way us supports 11, by a pillar 29.
On each short end of space l stands, a-t a distance prom a
pillar 12, such a pillar 29 which is identical with a
pillar 12 and is made fast in the same way by means of
clamps 13, on the same cross-wise section of frame 5.
Said pillar 29 extends outside above top wall I. On each
short end of the apparatus lies a support 28 level with
a support if. Both said supports if and 28 are further
connected together by a horizontal section 30.
Said concave mirror 24 is mechanically connected
at both short ends thereof, by means of a batten 31, -to
the corresponding short end of said concave mirror 7.
Mach batten 31 is Handel connected by means ox a hinge
pin 32, to frame 25 adjacent the uppermost edge of concave
mirror I and is hingedly connected by means of a hinge
pin 33 some distance away from the uppermost edge of
concave mirror 7, to a lengthwise tube Erom:.~rame 8. Said
concave mirror 24 is consequently swung about the hinge
US axis 26 thereof each time the concave mirror 7 is swung
about the hinge axis 9 thereof by said jack devices 1~--19.
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Said concave mirror 24 cooperates with a flat
mirror I which is arranged horizontally on the side of
said concave mirror relative to slot 6 anal thus below
said concave mirror 24, and is secured to the top side of
two sockets 30.
The slot 6 converges downwards. Inside said riot
6 are lounged two slat mirrors 35 and 36 running along the
slot lengthwise direction and the reflecting sides ox which
face one another. Both mirrors 35 and 36 project on the
lo top side above top wall respectively up to against said
concave mirror 7 when same has been swung to the lowermost
position thereon, and nearly to against the horizontal
flat mirror 34. The *fat mirror 35 is made fast against
that flat side wall of slot 6 lying on the side of concave
mirror 7, for instance by gluing. In ye lowermost position
thereof, that is the position as shown in the figures said
mirror 7 extends barely past the uppermost edge of said
fixed mirror 35. The other flat mirror 36 is made fast
with the lowermost eye thereof, by means of hinges Tao
tile cruises sections of name 5 and the angle thereon
inside slot 6 is thus adjustable. adjusting of mirror 36
may occur once and -or all during the assembly, in which case
the top wall may reach up to against said mirror Andy
said mirror 36 may be secured to said -top wall I, for
I instills by gluing. The flat mirror 36 may also remain
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adjustable during the operation of the apparatus. The
hinges 37 are then of a type which opposes enough resistance
to retain said mirror 36 in position once the mirror has
been adjusted, but still let said mirror hinge when a strong
encage errs is exerted. Both top wall and horizontal
flat mirror 34 are so arranged as to reach against or
nearly against said flat mirror 36 when said mirror 36 lies
at the smallest angle thereof, as shown in dotted finest in
figure 1.
In any case both mirrors 35 and 36 form a funnel
which leads those sun rays reflected by convex mirror 20
and second concave mirror 24, through slot 6 into space 1.
In some cases, for instance in Northern countries,
entering of that sun radiation reflected by the second
I concave mirror I in-to said slot 6 is further enhanced
by a small flat mirror 38 which runs with the lengthwise
direction -thereof in parallel relationship with said slot
and the reflecting surface of which peaces both -the second
concave mirror I and the elite mirror 36~ The mirror 38
which may be made as well as horizontal mirror I of a
rl:.tElecting foil, for example an aluminum foil, is adjustable
yin the angle Thor about a hinge axis 39 running along
the lengthwise direction of the slot, to be able to reelect
always according to the position of said concave mirror I
that radiation reelected by mirror I -towards the flat
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mirror 36. Said hinge axis 39 is formed by a rod which is
made fast to the back side of mirror 38 and which bears
with both ens thereof in both supports 11, in the
immediate vicinity of hinge axis of concave mirror 7.
Toe hinge axis 39 thus lies precisely above slot button
the uppermost ends of both flat mirrors 35 and 36.
With -the above described apparatus it is possible
to bring a maximum amount of sun radiation into space 1
substantially in all conditions. Due to the first concave
mirror 7 forming in the cross-wise direction but half a
parabola and being hingedly mounted adjacent the lowermost
edge thereof above space 1, said mirror can collect a
maximum amount of sun rays substantially in every position
of the sun and thus even with a very low sun. Said space 1
Lo cannot hamper the tilting of concave mirror 7 an said
concave mirror may even be mounted kowtow low above space 1,
in such a way -that the complete apparatus is relatively
low. Due to the shape and the specific mounting of conclave
mirror 7, there is also room enough to mount the second
concave mirror I and the flat mirror I in such a way
that indirect sun radiation may also be collected. In
view of the above, the efficiency of the apparatus is
kowtow high and said apparatus may also be used in countries
Ear away from the equator.
The space 1 is preferably so designed as to have
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the slot extend along an East-West direction.
Said space 1 may form as well a greenhouse wherein
vulture Budweiser arranged as a par of a heating apparatus
or eludes, in which case in said space 1 are mounted one
or pa plurality of heat-transfer fluid lines.
Ire invention is in no way limited to the above
embodiments and within the scope of the invention many
changes may be brought to the described forms of embodiment,
notably as regards the shape, composition, arrangement and
lo nature of those components being used for embodying the
invention.
For instance the mirror which receives -those
rays reflected by the firs-t concave mirror to reflect
same towards the slot, does not have necessarily to be
a convex mirror. When said mirror is mounted accurately
on the locus line from -the concave mirror, it may be flat
and when said mirror is mounted somewhat on that side no-
moved from the concave mirror of said ekes lunate may
be concave. When the mirror is convey, the mirror cross-
section is preferably in the shape of flattened parabola.
The second concave mirror does not have necessarily
to form a portion of a cylinder. Said mirror may also
have a parabolic cross-section or such a cross-sec-ticn as
to connect with the lowermost Ed whereof to the uppermost
edge of a flat mirror inside said slot.
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When mention it made hereinabove of a concave
or convex mirror, this should no-t be construed as meaninct
necessarily a mirror with a geometrically perfect curved
surface. The mirror may also he comprised of segments
and but approxima~0 said curved shape. The mirror may
thus have a cross-sectlon which forms a polygon which
inscribes or circumscribes the ~eometrically-perfect arc
shape, for example the parabola.
In the top wall of the space, a plurality of
slots may also be provided. To bring a maximized indirect
radiation into said space, all of the slots are preferably
coated with down-conver~ing mirrors.
Above said space a plurality of concave mirrors
for the direct radiation may also be mounted. In some
cases, for example on the equator, two such mirrors may
be arranged on either side of one and the same slot with
the reflecting sides thereof opposite one another, whereby
then both concave mirrors cooperate with one and the same
convex mirror, but at any moment but one concave mirror
I is beincJ used. An additional concave mirror for indirect
radiation is then naturally it provided.
