Abstract: A system for deploying and retrieving a cover over a swimming pool. The cover is wound onto a motor driven reel. A guide spindle aligns the cover onto the reel during the winding process. A spool, also driven by the motor, has a tow rope wound on it. The tow rope is attached through a pulley system and secured to the cover to align the cover over the pool. Torque-limiting clutches on the reel and spool drive shafts compensate for changes in speed of the winding and unwinding of the tow rope and cover by allowing slippage of the drive shafts. An overriding clutch on the spool allows the spool to spin freely so the tow rope can be easily unwound from the spool by the movement of the cover. A friction brake band provides drag on the spool to prevent slack rope from accumulating. A photoelectric sensor detects full deployment and retrieval of the cover and stops the motor. A heating element is also provided to raise the temperature above the dew point to reduce condensation and corrosion in the system.

Abstract: An open top housing member, the top being arranged to be closed by a solar radiation transparent covering, is arranged to be mounted in side by side and end to end relationship with similar members to provide a large area solar heat absorber unit, and each housing member includes passageways for the flow of fluids, such as air, and means for joining the members at the passageways, thereby providing an inlet fluid manifold at one edge of the combined housings and an outlet fluid manifold at the opposite edge of the housings providing the transfer of heat absorbed by the unit to the transfer fluid. Generally, the housing members are made of lightweight sheet metal and may be secured together either by crimping edges and flanges of adjoining members or lateral mechanical pressure at the passageways, and each is provided with an adjustable gate member for varying the flow pattern of the fluid through each individual member.

Abstract: A relatively thin solar heat collector, for solar heat collecting units, having a series of discontinuities in its surface in the form of projections, increasing surface area for absorption and heat transfer.

Abstract: An open top housing member, the top being arranged to be closed by a solar radiation transparent covering, is arranged to be mounted in side by side and end to end relationship with similar members to provide a large area solar heat absorber unit, and each housing member includes passageways for the flow of fluids, such as air, and means for joining the members at the passageways, thereby providing an inlet fluid manifold at one edge of the combined housings and an outlet fluid manifold at the opposite edge of the housings providing the transfer of heat absorbed by the unit to the transfer fluid. Generally, the housing members are made of lightweight sheet metal and may be secured together either by crimping edges and flanges of adjoining members or lateral mechanical pressure at the passageways, and each is provided with an adjustable gate member for varying the flow pattern of the fluid through each individual member.

Abstract: A solar heating system, using a pebble bed as a heat storage, includes an auxiliary heater, providing heat for the system and/or for the pebble bed during times of low solar heat accumulation and during off-peak use loading of the public utility network system in the area of the solar heating system. A plurality of temperature sensors are provided in various levels of the pebble bed to determine the availability of stored heat and to actuate the auxiliary heating system according to heat requirements and to the time of day.