Solar oven with orienting apparatus

• US 5,617,843 A
• Filed: 07/12/1996
• Issued: 04/08/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samuel F. Erwin
• Original Assignee: Samuel F. Erwin
• Inventors: Erwin, Samuel F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yeung, James C.
• Application Number:
  US08/678,983
• Time in Patent Office: 270 Days
• Field of Search: 126/681, 126/680, 126/600, 126/608, 126/593
• US Class Current: 126/681
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 20/30 Solar heat collectors for heating objects, e.g. solar cookers or solar furnaces
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 20/50 Rollable or foldable solar heat collector modules
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2025/023 Means for preventing theft; Locking means
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/70 with means for adjusting the final position or orientation of supporting elements in relation to each other or to a mounting surface; with means for compensating mounting tolerances
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 30/425 Horizontal axis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/18 using renewables, e.g. solar cooking stoves, furnaces or solar heating
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/47 Mountings or tracking

Abstract

An apparatus for supporting and adjusting a solar oven with respect to the sun, the apparatus having a horizontally disposed main frame and a pair of vertical, spaced apart supports mounted to the main frame, the solar oven being pivotally mounted to the vertical supports; with means to lock the solar oven in a variety of positions with respect to the sun.

Claims

1. Apparatus for supporting and adjusting the orientation of a solar oven with respect to the sun, said apparatus comprising:

a) a horizontally disposed main support frame;

b) a pair of vertically disposed and spaced apart support members and secured to said main support frame;

c) a solar oven disposed between said vertically disposed support members and pivotally mounted to said support members so that the inclination of said oven can be adjusted with respect to the sun;

d) means for locking said oven in a variety of positions with respect to the sun, said means including;

i) a rigid arcuate shaped locking strap positioned beneath said oven and secured to said main frame, the convex side of said strap positioned downwardly, said strap being provided with a series of spaced apart openings;

ii) a rigid arcuate shaped locking bar positioned immediately above said locking strap with one end of said locking bar hingedly secured to the bottom of said oven, with said locking bar provided with locking means which can engage with said opening in said locking strap; and

iii) means for moving said locking bar toward or away from said locking strap whereby said locking means on said locking bar can be engaged or disengaged from said locking strap openings.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said locking bar is curved on an arc of a circle having a radius less than that of said locking strap.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the pivotal mounting of said oven to said vertically disposed support members is approximately midway between the top and bottom of said oven.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said means for moving said locking bar toward or away from said locking strap is a pull rod, one end of which is attached to the free end of said locking bar with the opposite end thereof slidably attached to said oven.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said engaging means of said locking bar is a locking pin positioned approximately midway of the length of said bar.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein spring means are positioned between the bottom of said oven and said locking bar to force said locking bar against said locking strap whereby said locking pin may be engaged with an appropriate opening in said locking strap.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein wheels are mounted to said main support frame.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said apparatus is mounted for rotation about a vertical axis.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said oven is provided with a fan to move air within said oven.