Improvements in Means for Utilizing the Heat of the Sun for Industrial Purposes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1893-Accepted, 10th Mar., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Utilizing the Heat of the Sun for
Industrial Purposes.
I, HALBERT ELEAZER PAINE of No. 1335 Connecticut Avenue, City of
Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America, Lawyer, do hereby
declare the nature of my invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My invention relates to improved means for utilizing solar heat for industrial
purposes, wherein is employed a group, or assemblage, of mirrors adapted to move
in the arc of a circle and in a horizontal, or approximately horizontal plane, the
heat-receiver being at, or near, the centre of the circle. The invention consists of
a novel combination and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter described
and claimed.
Figure 1 is an outside end view of the mirror-car and mirror-frame, showing
the mechanism by which the vertical inclination of the mirror is adjusted.
Figure 2 is a plan of the track, showing the mechanism by which the car is
moved and the vertical inclination of the mirrors adjusted.
Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the middle part of the arc of the track,
showing the mechanism by which the car is moved and the vertical inclination of
the mirrors adjusted.
Figure 4 is the mirror-holder.
Figure 5 is a top view of the mirror-axis, with a mirror attached.
Figure 6 is a top view of the mirror-axis, with three of the mirrors attached
thereto, showing the relation between the horizontal angular movement of the sun
and that of the mirrors.
In Figure 1 of the drawings, L is the end of the mirror-frame; M the cross-tie
of the track; C the platform of the mirror-car; O, the flanged car-wheels enclosing
the ribs of the rails R, S, the mirrors; the pivots or axes of the mirrors;
T, the arms of the mirrors; U, the rod to which the arms are pivoted; P, a gear-
wheel actuated by the pinion Q, and, by means of an arm rigidly connected with
P, elevating and depressing the rod U.
In Figure 2, A is the track; B the mirror-car; C, the mirror-frame; D the
heat-receiver; E, the posts to which the cable is made fast at the ends of the
arc of rotation; F the cable; G the drums by which the cable is held in position;
H the train of gear-wheels actuating the drum I, which is encircled by the cable
and rotates the car; K the shaft bearing the pinion Q, which actuates the wheel P,
and elevates and depresses the rod U of Figure 1.
In Figure 3, A is the track; B the car; C the mirror-frame; D the heat-
receiver; F the cable; G the drums; H the train of gear-wheels, which actuates
the drum I encircled by the cable, and thereby rotates the car; K the shaft bearing
the pinion Qwhich engages the gear-wheel P and elevates and depresses the rod Ŭ
of Figure 1.
In Figure 4, Q represents the mirror-holder; the orifices for set-screws;
the screw-holes for the screws holding the upper clasp to the arm of the holder;
the screw by which the mirror-frame is bolted to the stud shown in Figure 5.
In Figure 5, c is the horizontal axis of the mirrors: Q' the mirror-holder;
ff, the set-screws and counter-acting screws holding the mirror-case; u¹ the stud
to which is pivoted the tongue rigidly connected with the mirror-holder by the
bolt t'; S the pivot; n' the front extremity of u¹; ¹ the rear extremity of u;
v² the part of u¹ which passes through c and is bolted thereto.

page_text: In Figure 6, is the horizontal axis of the mirrors; A5, B6, C³ are the mirror-
holders; O the heat-receiver; R¹ the sun; E, F and G, H³, the sun's rays
parallel to D', R'. A vertical rod is erected at O in the centre of the circle.
The adjusting device, represented by Figure 1 of the drawings, is also represented
by Figures 5 of the drawings accompanying the Specifications of two other appli-
cations for Letters Patent filed by me on even date herewith respectively numbere
22837 and 22839 of 1893. The several parts of this device and the device as a
whole as claimed in the Specifications of said applications, not as distinct invention,
but only as elements of certain combinations therein described as including said
device and the parts thereof. In this application they are claimed, not as distinct
inventions, but only as elements of the combinations herein described as including
the same.
The adjusting device, shown in Figure 5 of the drawings, is also shown in
Figure 7 of the drawings of my said application for Letters Patent No. 22837
of 1893, and is also shown in my said application, No. 22839 of 1893. It is
claimed in those applications and in this, not as a distinct invention, but only as an
element of the combinations described as including that device.
The mirror-car revolves around the heat-receiver on a track laid in a horizontal,
or approximately horizontal plane, and in the arc of a circle equal, in degrees and
minutes, to the longer arc of the circle of the horizon contained between the points
at which the sun-rises and sets, at the seat of operations, at the summer solstice.
The mirror-frame (preferably rectangular in form) is mounted on the car and
rigidly fastened thereto. It may be either vertical, or inclined from the sun at an
angle not exceeding forty-five degrees. The car moves on wheels, their number
being determined by the length of the car. The individual mirror-holders Q'
are rigidly bolted to tongues u which are pivoted, at S₁, (Fig. 5) to studs ¹ which
studs are bolted to the horizontal bent axes e. The pivots S are the vertical, or
approximately vertical, axes of the individual mirrors. The axial line of the bent
axis passes through the extremities of that axis and through the pivots S.
To prevent lateral movement of the car the rails are ribbed and the wheels double-
flanged.
The rotation of the car is effected by a train of gear-wheels, giving great power
with little speed. This train is located on the car, in rear of the mirror-frame.
It actuates a drum I, around which the cable F, coming up from below, is wound
several times. The cable is made fast to the posts E, at the extremities of the
arc of rotation, and is kept in position by the drums G, which may be either rotary
or immovable. The tension of the cable must be such that the revolution of the.
drum I, which it encircles, will effectually move the car on the track.
The mirrors may be enclosed in hermetically sealed metallic cases, the metal
covering the back and a narrow margin of the face of the mirror. The mirror is
held in the mirror-holder Q', its position therein being adjusted by set-screws and.
counteracting screws.
The first adjustment of the horizontal inclination of the mirrors is to be effected
as follows: The track having been accurately laid, with the required radius, and
the position of the centre fixed, so adjust the central mirror that a vertical plane
passing through the sun, at midday, shall bisect this mirror at right angles, the
planes of all the mirrors of that tier being in, or parallel to, the plane of the central
mirror. Then rotate the common axis of this tier of mirrors until the central
mirror reflects the rays of the sun upon a vertical rod erected at the centre of the
circle of which the track is an arc. Prepare a large scale drawing, exhibiting all
the mirrors in the middle tier and also the rod at the centre of the circle as
represented in Figure 6, wherein, for convenience, is shown only a single tier of
three mirrors. The vertical planes of incidence and reflection of the sun's
rays will
then both coincide, on the drawing, with the vertical plane O, D. The sun's rays
being regarded, at a given instant of time, as all parallel, draw E' F' and G* H³
(Figure 6), from the middle of each mirror in the horizontal tier containing the
central mirror, parallel with O, D. Draw lines E' K' and G' N' bisecting the

page_text: angles O, E, F³, and O, G, H, and draw the middle horizontal lines of
the respective mirrors perpendicular to these bisecting lines. The drawing will
then represent all the mirrors of the middle tier in such positions as to reflect the
sun's rays in a sufficiently limited field, upon the rod at the centre of the circle.
The mirrors of that tier are then to be rigidly fixed to their common axis, in the
respective angular positions shown on the scale drawing.
All the mirrors of the several tiers are, in like manner, so adjusted as to reflect
the sun's rays upon the vertical rod, at the centre of the circle, simultaneously.
with the central mirror of the middle tier. The adjustment of the horizontal
inclination of all the mirrors to the vertical rod, at the centre of the circle, is then
complete.
The adjustment of the vertical inclination of the mirrors to the heat-receiver is.
effected as follows: The arms or links, T, (Figure 1) which are rigidly attached to-
the common axes of the several tiers of mirrors, are all to be pivoted, as shown in
Figure 1, to the rod U. The link rigidly connected with the gear-wheel P is also.
to be pivoted to the rod, U, so that, when the pinion Q is actuated, uniform changes
in the inclination of the several mirrors may be effected. This is accomplished as
follows: The car being on the track, in such a position that a vertical plane passing.
through the sun bisects the central mirror at right angles, rotate the axis of the
tier of mirrors to which the central mirror is attached until this mirror reflects the
sun's rays upon the heat-receiver. All the mirrors of the same tier will then reflect
the sun's rays upon the heat-receiver, in a sufficiently limited field, if their
connection with the common axis has been accurately made.
Moving the car along the track, so as to keep the image of the sun, which is.
reflected by the central mirror, constantly on the heat-receiver, where it must
remain until the adjustment is consummated, correct any inaccuracies in the attach-
ment of the mirrors of this tier to their common axis. The rod U being made
temporarily immovable, pivot upon it the arm of this common axis, without moving
the mirrors. Then move the arms of all the other axes, in succession, until all the-
mirrors reflect the sun's rays upon the heat-receiver, and pivot their respective
arms upon the rod U, correcting any inaccuracies in the angles at which the
individual mirrors may have been fastened to the axis, and keeping the reflection
of the central mirror meantime constantly on the heat-receiver. Then pivot to the
rod U the crank-arm which is rigidly attached to the gear-wheel P, and the
adjustment is completed.
At the commencement of work, in the morning, the car is moved around on.
the track until the mirror-frame fronts the rising sun. By means of the crank K,
pinion Q, and gear-wheel P, the rod U is elevated until all the mirrors reflect the
sun's rays upon the heat-receiver. The operator then, by means of the train of
gear-wheels H, moves the car upon the track and, at the same time, depresses the
rod U, by means of the crank K, so as to keep the reflections of all the mirrors
constantly on the heat-receiver. The operator may either ride upon the car or
walk. Steam, electric, or other power may be used to effect and to regulate the
movements of the train of gearing H and the crank K.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In mechanism for utilizing solar heat for industrial purposes, the combination.
of a group of plane mirrors; a mirror-frame to contain the mirrors; a car upon
which the mirror-frame is mounted, being rigidly attached thereto; a circular
track laid in a horizontal or proximately horizontal plane; a cable made fast at
the two extremities of the arc of rotation; a train of gear-wheels actuated by a
crank, actuating a drum encircled by the cable, and rotating the car; a device for
changing the vertical inclination of the mirrors; and a heat-receiver.
2. In mechanism for utilizing solar heat for industrial purposes, the combination
of a group of plane mirrors; a mirror-frame; a circular track laid in a horizontal.

page_text: or proximately horizontal plane; a cable made fast at the two extremities of the
arc of rotation; a train of gear-wheels actuating a drum encircled by the cable and
rotating the car; and a heat-receiver.
3. In mechanism for utilizing solar heat for industrial purposes, the combination
of a group of plane mirrors; a mirror-frame; a mirror-car; a circular track laid in
a horizontal or proximately horizontal plane; a cable made fast at the two
extremities of the arc of rotation; a device for changing the vertical inclination of
the mirrors; and a heat-receiver.
4. In mechanism for utilizing solar heat for industrial purposes, the combination
of a mirror-car; a circular track laid in a horizontal or proximately horizontal_
plane; a cable made fast at the two extremities of the arc of rotation; a
crank actuating, through a train of gear-wheels, a drum encircled by a cable and
rotating a car; a device for changing the vertical inclination of the mirrors; and
a heat-receiver.
5. In mechanism for utilizing solar heat for industrial purposes, a circular track
laid in a horizontal or proximately horizontal plane; a cable made fast at the
two extremities of the arc of rotation; a train of gear-wheels actuated by a
crank, actuating a drum encircled by the cable and rotating the car; and a heat-
receiver.
6. In mechanism for utilizing solar heat for industrial purposes, a circular track
laid in a horizontal or proximately horizontal plane; a cable made fast at the two
extremities of the arc of rotation; a train of gear-wheels actuated by a crank,
actuating a drum encircled by the cable; a device for changing the vertical
inclination of the mirrors; and a heat-receiver.
7. In mechanism for utilizing solar heat for industrial purposes, a group of plane
mirrors revolving, upon a car, around the heat-receiver, in the arc of a circle, and
in a horizontal or proximately horizontal plane; a cable made.fast at the two
extremities of the arc of rotation; and a train of gear-wheels actuated by a crank,
actuating a drum encircled by the cable and rotating the car.
Dated this 28th day of November 1893.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.