Electrical power plant driven by ocean waves and tides

Claim 2

A power plant for generating electricity from ocean waves and tides, comprising: platform means floating on ocean surface adjacent a selected ocean shore, said platform means having edge portions and being shaped to be positionable with one of its edge portions facing the flow of waves and tides towards the selected ocean shore and one other of its edge portions facing the flow of waves and tides away from the selected ocean shore; structure means mounted on ocean floor in a fixed position and slidably interconnected with said platform means for guiding in a substantially vertical path the up and down movement of said floating platform means caused by changes in the level of the ocean surface and for maintaining said platform means orientated with said one edge portion facing the flow of waves and tides towards the selected ocean shore and said other edge portion facing the flow of waves and tides away from the selected ocean shore; means associated with said platform means for directing waves and tides flowing against said one edge portion along a first path of flow across said platform means and for directing waves and tides flowing against said other edge portion along a second path of flow across said platform means; first generating means mounted on said platform means to be driven by the flow of water along said first path of flow for generating electrical energy from the flow of waves and tides towards the selected ocean shore; second generating means mounted on said platform means to be driven by the flow of water along said second path of flow for generating electrical energy from the flow of waves and tides away from the selected ocean shore; third generating means connected between said structure means and said platform means to be driven by the up and down movement of said platform means relative to said structure means for generating electrical energy from the changes in level of the ocean surface; and means for summing the electrical energy generated by said first, second and third generating means.

Claim 3

The invention defined in claim 1, wherein: said first generating means includes at least one paddle wheel means and at least one electrical generator, said one paddle wheel means being positioned across said first path of flow and being connected to drive its associated electrical generator; and said second generating means includes at least one other paddle wheel means and at least one other electrical generator, said other paddle wheel means being positioned across said second path of flow and being connected to drive its associated electrical generator.

Claim 4

The invention defined in claim 1, wherein: said first generating means includes a plurality of first paddle wheel means and a plurality of first electrical generators, said first paddle wheel means being positioned substantially parallel with respect to each other at spaced apart points along said first path of flow to extend transversely thereacross, each of said first paddle wheel means being connected to drive at least one of their associated electrical generators; and said second generating means includes a plurality of second paddle wheel means and a plurality of second electrical generators, said second paddle wheel means being positioned substantially parallel with respect to each other at spaced apart points along said second path of flow to extend transversely thereacross, each of said second paddle wheel means being connected to drive at least one of their associated electrical generators.

Claim 5

The invention defined in claim 1, wherein: said first generating means comprises at least one paddle wheel means and at least one electrical generator, said one paddle wheel means including a first paddle wheel positioned across said first path of flow to be rotated by the flow of water thereunder and a first cover member positioned to shield the upper half of said first paddle wheel from the flow of water, said one paddle wheel means being connected to drive its associated electrical generator; and said second generating means comprises at least one other paddle wheel means and at least one other electrical generator, said other paddle wheel means including a second paddle wheel positioned across said second path of flow to be rotated by the flow of water thereunder and a second cover member positioned to shield the upper half of said second paddle wheel from the flow of water, said other paddle wheel means being connected to drive its associated electrical generator.

Claim 6

The invention defined in claim 1, wherein said third generating means includes gear means, mechanism for driving said gear means, and at least one electrical generator, said gear means and said driving mechanism being connected in driving engagement with each other between said structure means and said platform means to be moved relative to each other by the up and down movement of said platform means relative to said structure means, said gear means being connected to drive said electrical generator.

Claim 7

The invention defined in claim 1, wherein: said structure means includes a plurality of uprights having vertically extending slots of predetermined length defined therein; said platform means includes arms positioned in slidable engagement with said slots to interconnect said floating platform means with said structure means so that the up and down movement of said platform means caused by changes in the level of the ocean surface is guided in a substantially vertical path.

Claim 8

The invention defined in claim 1, wherein said means for directing waves and tides along said first and second paths across said platform means includes fin structure mounted on said platform means to direct water onto said platform means, inclined surfaces formed on said platform means to channel the flow of water directed onto said platform means along either said first or said second path, and an opening defined in said platform means for discharging water back into the ocean after its flow across either said first or second path.

Claim 9

A power plant for generating electricity from ocean waves and tides, comprising: rectangular platform means floating on ocean surface adjacent a selected ocean shore, said platform means having seaward and landward edge portions and defining an opening substantially midway between said seaward and landward edge portions through which water may be discharged into the ocean, said seaward and landward edge portions sloping upwardly to a predetermined height above ocean surface, said platform means sloping downwardly from said predetermined height of said seaward and landward edge portions to said discharge opening to define, respectively, first and second paths of water flow across said platform means; structure means mounted on ocean floor in a fixed position and slidably interconnected with said platform means for guiding in a substantially vertical path the up and down movement of said floating platform means caused by changes in the level of the ocean surface and for maintaining said platform means orientated with said seaward edge portion facing the flow of waves and tides towards the selected ocean shore and said landward edge portion facing the flow of waves and tides away from the selected ocean shore; fin structure mounted at the corners of said platform means for directing waves and tides flowing against said seaward edge portion along said first path of flow across said platform means and for directing waves and tides flowing against said landwArd edge portion along said second path of flow across said platform means; first generating means mounted on said platform means to be driven by the flow of water along said first path of flow for generating electrical energy from the flow of waves and tides towards the selected ocean shore; second generating means mounted on said platform means to be driven by the flow of water along said second path of flow for generating electrical energy from the flow of waves and tides away from the selected ocean shore; third generating means connected between said structure means and said platform means to be driven by the up and down movement of said platform means relative to said structure means for generating electrical energy from the changes in the level of the ocean surface; and means for summing the electrical energy generated by said fist, second and third generating means.

Claim 10

A power plant for generating electricity from ocean waves and tides, comprising: rectangular platform means floating on ocean surface adjacent a selected ocean shore, said platform means having seaward and landward edge portions and defining an opening substantially midway between said seaward and landward edge portions through which water may be discharged into the ocean, said seaward and landward edge portions sloping upwardly to a predetermined height above ocean surface, said platform means sloping downwardly from said predetermined height of said seaward and landward edge portions to said discharge opening to define, respectively, first and second paths of water flow across said platform means; structure means mounted on ocean floor in a fixed position and slidably interconnected with said platform means for guiding in a substantially vertical path the up and down movement of said floating platform means caused by changes in the level of the ocean surface and for maintaining said platform means orientated with said seaward edge portion facing the flow of waves and tides towards the selected ocean shore and said landward edge portion facing the flow of waves and tides away from the selected ocean shore; fin structure mounted at the corners of said platform means for directing waves and tides flowing against said seaward edge portion along said first path of flow across said platform means and for directing waves and tides flowing against said landwArd edge portion along said second path of flow across said platform means; first generating means mounted on said platform means to be driven by the flow of water along said first path of flow for generating electrical energy from the flow of waves and tides towards the selected ocean shore; second generating means mounted on said platform means to be driven by the flow of water along said second path of flow for generating electrical energy from the flow of waves and tides away from the selected ocean shore; third generating means connected between said structure means and said platform means to be driven by the up and down movement of said platform means relative to said structure means for generating electrical energy from the changes in the level of the ocean surface; and means for summing the electrical energy generated by said fist, second and third generating means.

Claim 11

The invention defined in claim 8, wherein: said first generating means comprises at least one paddle wheel means and at least one electrical generator, said one paddle wheel means including a first paddle wheel positioned substantially parallel with said seaward edge portion across said first path of flow to be rotated by the flow of water thereunder and a first cover member positioned to shield the upper half of said first paddle wheel from the flow of water, said one paddle wheel means being connected to drive its associated electrical generator; said second generating means comprises at least one other paddle wheel means and at least one other electrical generator, said other paddle wheel means including a second paddle wheel positioned substantially parallel with said landward edge portion across said second path of flow to be rotated by the flow of water thereunder and a second cover member positioned to shield the upper half of said second paddle wheel from the flow of water, said other paddle wheel means being connected to drive its associated electrical generator; and said third generating means includes gear means, mechanism for driving said gear means, and at least one electrical generator, said gear means and said driving mechanism being connected in driving engagement with each other between said structure means and said platform means to be moved relative to each other by the up and down movement of said platform means relative to said structure means, said gear means being connected to drive its associated electrical generator.

Claim 12

The invention defined in claim 9, wherein: said structure means includes a plurality of uprights having vertically extending slots of predetermined length defined therein; and said platform means includes air tanks for maintaining it floating on ocean surface and arms positioned in slidable engagement with said slots to interconnect said floating platform means with said structure means so that the up and down movement of said platform means caused by changes in the level of the ocean surface is guided in a substantially vertical path.