Method and apparatus for utilizing moving traffic for generating electricity and to produce other useful work

Claim 1

An apparatus for producing useful work by utilizing the energy of moving traffic comprising: a chamber having a flexible wall portion disposed in the path of moving traffic to define a first expansible chamber, a cylinder, a conduit interconnecting said chamber into communication with said cylinder, said conduit having a cross-sectional area which is substantially smaller than the cross-sectional area of said chamber, a piston slideably disposed within said cylinder, said chamber and conduit defining a predetermined volume filled with a incompressible fluid which is trapped between said flexible wall portion and said piston of said first and second expansible chambers, whereby the flow of traffic over said flexible wall portion of said chamber pressurizes the trapped fluid therein to effect the displacement of said piston in response to said pressurized fluid accordingly, a work producing means operatively connected to said piston for translating the displacement of said piston into useful work, and means for restoring said piston to its initial position after the movement traffic has passed over said chamber.

Claim 2

An apparatus for producing useful work by utilizing the energy of moving traffic comprising: a chamber having a flexible wall portion disposed in the path of moving traffic to define a first expansible chamber, a cylinder, a conduit interconnecting said chamber into communication with said cylinder, said conduit having a cross-sectional area which is substantially smaller than the cross-sectional area of said chamber, a piston slideably disposed within said cylinder, said chamber and conduit defining a predetermined volume filled with a incompressible fluid which is trapped between said flexible wall portion and said piston of said first and second expansible chambers, whereby the flow of traffic over said flexible wall portion of said chamber pressurizes the trapped fluid therein to effect the displacement of said piston in response to said pressurized fluid accordingly, a work producing means operatively connected to said piston for translating the displacement of said piston into useful work, and means for restoring said piston to its initial position after the movement traffic has passed over said chamber.

Claim 6

An apparatus for producing useful work by utilizing the energy of moving traffic comprising: a traffic way over which traffic flows, said traffic way having a deflectable portion, a chamber having a flexible wall portion to define a first expansible chamber disposed continguous to said deflectable portion, means for maintaining said chamber filled with an incompressible fluid, a cylinder disposed in communication with said chamber, a piston slideably disposed within said cylinder to define a second expansible chamber whereby said fluid is trapped between the flexible wall of said first expansible chamber and the piston of said second expansible chamber, a drive shaft connected to said piston which is rendered responsive to the displacement of said piston when the flow of moving traffic over said deflectable portion effects displacement of said flexible wall to pressurize the fluid in said chamber and which is transmitted accordingly to said piston and, a work producing means connected to said drive shaft activated by said piston.

Claim 7

An apparatus for producing useful work by utilizing the energy of moving traffic comprising: a traffic way over which traffic flows, said traffic way having a deflectable portion, a chamber having a flexible wall portion to define a first expansible chamber disposed continguous to said deflectable portion, means for maintaining said chamber filled with an incompressible fluid, a cylinder disposed in communication with said chamber, a piston slideably disposed within said cylinder to define a second expansible chamber whereby said fluid is trapped between the flexible wall of said first expansible chamber and the piston of said second expansible chamber, a drive shaft connected to said piston which is rendered responsive to the displacement of said piston when the flow of moving traffic over said deflectable portion effects displacement of said flexible wall to pressurize the fluid in said chamber and which is transmitted accordingly to said piston and, a work producing means connected to said drive shaft activated by said piston.

Claim 9

A method of producing useful work by utilising the flow of moving traffic comprising the steps of: locating a chamber of a flexible wall portion in the path of moving traffic defining a first expansible chamber whereby the weight of the traffic passing over said flexible wall portion effects a displacement thereof, connecting a second expansible chamber having a moveable piston in communication with said first expansible chamber, trapping an incompressible fluid between said expansible chambers so that the displacement of said flexible wall by the flow of moving traffic thereover pressurizes said incompressible fluid which transmits a fluid pressure on the moveable piston of said second expansible chamber, and translating the displacement of said piston into useful work.

Claim 10

A method of producing useful work by utilising the flow of moving traffic comprising the steps of: locating a chamber of a flexible wall portion in the path of moving traffic defining a first expansible chamber whereby the weight of the traffic passing over said flexible wall portion effects a displacement thereof, connecting a second expansible chamber having a moveable piston in communication with said first expansible chamber, trapping an incompressible fluid between said expansible chambers so that the displacement of said flexible wall by the flow of moving traffic thereover pressurizes said incompressible fluid which transmits a fluid pressure on the moveable piston of said second expansible chamber, and translating the displacement of said piston into useful work.