Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
174 words
A self-adjusting wind motor with a wind receptor that moves substantially in a plane of the wind, which automatically presents the wind receptor to the wind in a position of high wind resistance when moving in the direction of the wind and moves it into a position of low wind resistance when moving against the wind, said automatic self-adjustment of position or feathering being caused by the action of the wind and centrifugal force on the receptor, which comprises a rotatable shaft, an arm operatively connected to said shaft and extending from it and a wind receptor of curved or hollowed shape with the open face of the curve or hollow facing the wind in the position of high wind resistance, said wind receptor being held to the arm by pivot means at or near an end of said arm away from the shaft and said arm being of a shape to conform with the shape of the receptor when the receptor is in said position of high wind resistance and against the arm.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
174 words
A self-adjusting wind motor with a wind receptor that moves substantially in a plane of the wind, which automatically presents the wind receptor to the wind in a position of high wind resistance when moving in the direction of the wind and moves it into a position of low wind resistance when moving against the wind, said automatic self-adjustment of position or feathering being caused by the action of the wind and centrifugal force on the receptor, which comprises a rotatable shaft, an arm operatively connected to said shaft and extending from it and a wind receptor of curved or hollowed shape with the open face of the curve or hollow facing the wind in the position of high wind resistance, said wind receptor being held to the arm by pivot means at or near an end of said arm away from the shaft and said arm being of a shape to conform with the shape of the receptor when the receptor is in said position of high wind resistance and against the arm.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A wind motor according to claim 1 wherein a plurality of such wind receptors is operatively connected to the shaft.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
75 words
A wind motor according to claim 2 wherein the shaft is vertical, the receptors rotate horizontally, are of cup-like or similar shape and are pivoted on the mounting arms, with the pivot locations being on outer portions of the cups or similar shapes, so as to present concave surfaces of the receptors to the wind when they are moving with it and sides of the receptors to the wind when they are moving against it.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
A wind motor according to claim 3 wherein the receptors are of depths less than one-half the widths thereof and the arms are curved to fit the receptor shapes when the receptors are against the arms, thereby helping to steady them in position during operation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
A wind motor according to claim 4 wherein the receptors are tethered to the arms and spring or cushion means are provided on the arms, in locations facing the back surfaces of the receptors to prevent shocking contacts thereof with the arms during operation.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
53 words
A wind motor according to claim 5 wherein the receptors are flat cups and curved portions of the arms facing the cups contain recesses for the tethers in which the tethers fit when the cups are against the arms, thereby allowing conforming of the shapes of the cups to those of the arms.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
A wind motor according to claim 6 wherein each of a plurality of arms is removably held to a collar which is removably fastened to the shaft.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
A wind motor according to claim 7 wherein a plurality of collars, each holding a plurality of arms and receptors, is removably held to the shaft and is interfitted with each other.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
A wind motor according to claim 6 wherein the receptors and arms contain stops which contact each other at maximum desired feathering position to prevent over-feathering which might otherwise occur due to centrifugal force.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
A wind motor according to claim 1 wherein the arm on which the wind receptor is mounted is removably held to a collar which is removably fastened onto the rotatable shaft.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
A wind motor according to claim 26 wherein a plurality of such collars, each holding a plurality of arms and receptors, is held to the shaft.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
A wind motor according to claim 3 wherein the shaft is vertical, rotates within a central bearing and has a plurality of cups or similarly shaped receptors mounted on arms held to the shaft above and below said bearing.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
49 words
A wind motor according to claim 1 wherein the receptor is a thin, strong, light-weight material and has the inner curved or hollowed surface thereof coated with a hydrophobic coating to prevent sticking thereto of snow, soot and other deposits and thereby aid in maintaining the receptors properly balanced.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
A wind motor according to claim 13 wherein the hydrophobic coating is polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
A wind motor according to claim 14 wherein the receptors which are flat cups are curved or otherwise constructed so as to drain any water therefrom in normal operating position.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
71 words
A wind motor according to claim 1 wherein four arms, each curved to fit the wind receptors, are positioned at 90* from each other on a collar held to the shaft, with the curves of the arms and the positions of the receptors being such that the open ends of the receptors are facing in the same direction when each of the receptors is in its position of high wind resistance.