Patent ID: 8511297

Claim:
A system for controlling the rotational position of a solar collector trough, said trough being rotatably supported for movement over an angular range of motion of greater than 180 degrees based on the relative position of the sun to the trough, said position controlling system comprising: a single hydraulic cylinder having an output end; a linkage assembly interconnecting the output end of said cylinder and said trough, said linkage assembly comprising: a linkage member having a distal end and a proximal end; and a pair of pivot arms attached to said linkage member, said pair of pivot arms including a first pivot arm and a second pivot arm each pivotally attached to said at least one linkage member and said trough, in which the first pivot arm is pivotally attached to an intermediate portion of said linkage member and the second pivot arm is pivotally attached to the distal end of said linkage member wherein the fixed attachment of said first pivot arm and said second pivot arm form respective parallel horizontal first and second pivot axes and said output end of said hydraulic cylinder is pivotally attached to the proximal end of said linkage member creating a third pivot axis enabling said trough to be entirely movable over said angular range of motion based totally on the linear movement of the output end of said hydraulic cylinder; and a hydraulic pressurization system for controlling the displacement of said output end of said cylinder.