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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Solar tracking drive mechanism

Patent ·
OSTI ID:5201933
A solar tracking mechanism is used to orient a solar collector to directly face the rays of the sun using a hydraulic actuator and gear motor to both adjust the orientation of the collector and to stabilize it against spurious movement. One or more hydraulic cylinders are connected to act through at least one crank pin to rotate the collector about an axis. Hydraulic fluid is transfered between chambers in the cylinders by means of a low power gear motor. The collector itself is constructed without perforations through an insulating shell, but instead mounting brackets are molded into the shell and are configured to faciliate mounting of the collector.
Assignee:
American Solar
Patent Number(s):
US 4328789
OSTI ID:
5201933
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English