Tide-operated power plant

Claim 1

A tide-operated power plant comprising a float, means for generating electricity mounted on said float and including a rotary part, a driving train connected to said rotary part and including a rotary input member, said driving train mounted on said float whereby said input member will accomplish an oscillating vertical movement with the rise and fall of the tide, a member anchored in the water bottom engaging said input member and resisting vertical displacement in both directions under forces exerted thereon by said input member, thereby converting rectilinear up-and-down movement of said float to rotational movement of said input member in both directions of rotation, a reverse mechanism operative when said float changes the direction of its vertical movement, so that said rotary part of said means for generating electricity, always rotates in the same direction, and braking means mounted on said float and acting on said rotary part to slow down the rotation of said rotary part to thereby retard the up-and-down movement of said float with respect to the rate of rising and of falling of the tide and thus to maintain the float below its normal flotation level during rising of the time and above its normal flotation level during falling of the tide, whereby the flotation forces exerted on the float and the dead weight of the float and of the elements supported thereon, are stored as potential energy to be released by the release of said braking means when the water level remains level at high and low tide, thus enabling the float to continue to rise or fall and to continue generating electricity when the tide is at rest.