Apparatus for supporting solar collectors on a building

Apparatus for mounting panels of adjacent pairs of panels in spaced, overlying relation on a structure comprising:

• (a) base mounting means including a rail and a plurality of blocks adapted for supporting one panel of each said adjacent pair of panels, said rail having a surface and an opening through said surface into a channel, and said blocks disposed on and along said surface;
• (b) means fixedly mounting said rail on a series of structural members disposed in a parallel family toward the exterior of said structure, and each said one panel disposed on a respective surface of said blocks spaced from said structural members and substantially contiguous with their facing edges extending substantially perpendicular to said structural members;
• (c) intermediate mounting means of a length substantially coextensive with the length of said facing edges, said intermediate mounting means including
• (1) a pair of side elements and
• (2) a web connecting said side elements between their ends to locate said side elements in spaced apart, substantially parallel relation;
• (d) first bearing means;
• (e) second bearing means;
• (f) means mounting said first and second bearing means on first and second ends of said side elements, respectively, said intermediate mounting means received on each said one panel so that said first bearing means acts against a surface thereof within the region of said facing edges, and each said other panel received on said second bearing means, likewise, to be substantially contiguous and with their facing edges extending substantially perpendicular to said structural members;
• (g) top cover means extending between said other panels along their facing edges and including side members projecting from said top cover means toward said other panels;
• (h) third bearing means mounted on said side members for supporting said top cover means on said other panels, each said bearing means formed of a resilient, deformable material;
• and
• (i) securing means extending through each said block, intermediate mounting means and top cover means for mounting the same, said securing means acting between the underside of said rail surface adjacent said opening within said channel and an outer surface of said top cover means whereby each said bearing means is moved into tight bearing relation with the surface with which it is in contact and wherein said second and third bearing means are of a length coextensive with the length of said edges of said other panels to form a seal toward the interior of said structure.