Foundation-based solar heating system

Claim 1

A foundation-based solar heating system for use with conventional buildings, comprising in combination: a foundation erected upon the earth and defining an enclosed perimeter, said foundation including: a plurality of horizontally extending preformed concrete beams connected to each other to form said enclosed perimeter, each of said beams having top, bottom, and inner and outer side surfaces; and means engaged with the bottom surfaces of said preformed concrete beams for supporting said beams upon the earth, whereby the top surfaces thereof are elevated above the surface of the earth enclosed by said enclosed perimeter and are adapted to receive and support a building: said horizontally extending beams being arranged so that one thereof is south-facing and the beam opposite said south-facing beam is north-facing, and said beams having horizontally extending internal air flow channels extending from said south-facing beam around the perimeter of said foundation to said north-facing beam; a building of conventional construction erected upon said top surfaces of said preformed concrete beams, and including a floor that is spaced above the surface of the earth enclosed by said beams; the floor of said building, the inner side surfaces of said horizontally extending preformed beams forming said enclosed perimeter, and the surface of the earth enclosed by said perimeter defining an enclosed plenum chamber for containing heated air; solar collector means mounted upon said south-facing preformed concrete beam, and designed and arranged to heat air flowing therethrough; port means connecting said solar collector means with said horizontally extending internal air flow channels, whereby air heated by said solar collector means can flow into said air flow channels and will be effective to heat the inner side surfaces of said preformed concrete perimeter beams; return duct means disposed to extend across said plenum chamber from said north-facing beam to said south-facing beam, and connected between the internal air flow channel of said north-facing beam and said solar collector means, said return duct means being effective for returning air from said north-facing beam to said collector means, and the wall of said duct means functioning to transfer heat from heated air flowing therethrough to air contained within said enclosed plenum chamber; and blower means connected with said internal air flow channels, and adapted to assure the movement of air through said channels, said duct means and said solar collector means; whereby air contained within said enclosed plenum chamber is heated by radiation from said inner side walls of said preformed concrete perimeter beams and the wall of said duct means, and is available to heat said building erected upon said beams.