Heliostat-adjusting solar sight
A solar sight having a scale calibrated in terms of solar declination angle and reflector angle is provided with diffraction pattern forming means comprising a movable sighting tube which, when directed at the sun, provides a fresnel pattern on a viewing surface, which pattern indicates when said sighting tube is in proper alignment such that its axis is parallel to that of the incoming rays of the sun. The solar sight is portable and may be moved about on a heliostat so as to adjust the operation of the heliostat clock drive to agree with local sun time and to adjust the heliostat reflector tilt angle so that the sun's rays are reflected along or parallel to the polar axis. Movement of the sighting tube causes the movement of a vernier plate bearing an index which permits readout of the solar declination in degrees north or south declination. The vernier scale permits the reading of solar declination angles to 0.1/sup 0/ and the establishment of reflector angles to 0.2/sup 0/. No optical elements (lenses) are employed within the diffraction tube. Use of the solar sight herein disclosed makes practical the use of a heliostat by persons of average economic means.
- Assignee:
- EDB-83-057135
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4364183
- OSTI ID:
- 6441029
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: Filed date 21 Jan 1980; Other Information: PAT-APPL-113774
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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