Water-supported wind actuated power generating assembly

Patent · Tue Feb 23 04:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:5064443

Hoar, R A

A counterweighted elongate buoyant body that floats on the surface of the sea or a lake has at least one sail supporting mast extending upwardly therefrom as well as vanes that tend to maintain the sails substantially normal to the direction of movement of the wind. The buoyant body is by frame means maintained within the confines of a circular series of piles. The counterweight and means for pivoting each sail from a position normal to the direction of the wind to substantially parallel thereto cooperate to impart a transverse rocking motion to the buoyant body that has an eccentric transverse arcuate member depending therefrom that is engaged by a pair of rollers, as the transverse member moves relative to the pair of rollers a bellows is receprocated upwardly and downwardly to draw water into and discharge it from a check valve controlled confined space to a reservoir situated at a substantial distance above the surface of the body of water. Water discharges by gravity from the reservoir to a turbine or the like to power a generator to produce electricity for power purposes. Power means pivot the sails substantially parallel to the direction of the wind after the latter has rolled the buoyant body to a first position. The counterweight then rolls the buoyant body to a second position where upon the power means pivot the sails to positions substantially normal to the direction of the wind to start another power generating cycle.

• Assignee: EDB-82-140426
• Patent Number(s): US 4316361
• OSTI ID: 5064443
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

17 WIND ENERGY
170602* -- Wind Energy Engineering-- Turbine Design & Operation
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
DESIGN
ELECTRIC GENERATORS
ELECTRIC POWER
EQUIPMENT
FLOW REGULATORS
FOUNDATIONS
GRAVITATION
LAKES
MACHINERY
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
OFFSHORE PLATFORMS
POWER
PUMPS
SAILS
SEAS
SUPPORTS
SURFACE WATERS
TILT MECHANISMS
TURBINES
TURBOMACHINERY
VALVES
WATER PUMPS
WATER RESERVOIRS
WIND TURBINES