US4019828A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Wind driven apparatus
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1974-11-01
•
Granted: 1977-04-26
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Expires: 1994-11-01
Abstract
Abstract Wind driven apparatus is disclosed in the form of a windmill, and in the form of an electric generating unit for a vehicle such as a boat or an airplane or the illustrated automobile. The apparatus includes a base mounted for rotation, preferably about a vertical axis, and along its periphery carrying a series of cones each with an open mouth for receiving air or other fluid, to rotate the base about its axis. The apex of the base deflects the air as the apex moves into the direction of flow of the air. A partition secured across the cone inwardly of the mouth limits the amount of fluid received in the mouth and prevents passage of the fluid to the apex of the cone. When installed as a windmill, the base is horizontally mounted atop a column or other support and is drivingly connected with a pump or electric generator, or other suitable apparatus. As an electric generating unit for a vehicle the base is mounted within a housing having an air scoop for directing the air into the mouths of the cones as they are rotated past the inlet and the base is fixed to an axial shaft connected through a speed regulating mechanism for driving an electric generator connected with batteries or other equipment. An adjustable baffle is provided for limiting the flow of air into the scoop, and for closing the scoop to the passage of air, if desired.
Inventors
- 👤 George J. Bunzer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 17:28
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60L; B60L8/00; B60L8/006; F; F03; F03D; F03D13/00; F03D13/10; F03D3/00; F03D3/06; F03D3/061; F03D7/00; F03D7/06; F03D9/00; F03D9/20; F03D9/25; F03D9/30; F03D9/32; F05; F05B; F05B2240/00; F05B2240/20; F05B2240/21; F05B2240/211; F05B2240/216; F05B2240/90; F05B2240/94; F05B2240/941; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/70; Y02E10/728; Y02E10/74; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/60; Y02T10/7072; Y02T10/80; Y02T10/90
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
198 words
Wind driven apparatus comprising, a base, means mounting said base for rotation about an axis, means responsive to the flow of wind past the base for rotating the base about said axis, said means including a plurality of wind receiving members operatively associated with the base and each having a mouth for receiving the wind passing the apparatus and responsive thereto rotating the base about said axis, and each member having a closed end opposite said mouth and converging from said mouth toward said end for deflecting the wind about the member, each member further including means spaced slightly inwardly of the outer periphery of the mouth and defining an inner portion of the mouth and substantially preventing passage of wind from said mouth into said end portion, said members being mounted on said base in a spaced apart series about said axis with the mouth of each member spaced from the end of the adjacent member and facing in a generally contrarotational direction of said base with the mouth substantially unobstructed by the adjacent end as the mouth moves into the path of the wind, and the converging ends directed in the rotational direction of said base.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
198 words
Wind driven apparatus comprising, a base, means mounting said base for rotation about an axis, means responsive to the flow of wind past the base for rotating the base about said axis, said means including a plurality of wind receiving members operatively associated with the base and each having a mouth for receiving the wind passing the apparatus and responsive thereto rotating the base about said axis, and each member having a closed end opposite said mouth and converging from said mouth toward said end for deflecting the wind about the member, each member further including means spaced slightly inwardly of the outer periphery of the mouth and defining an inner portion of the mouth and substantially preventing passage of wind from said mouth into said end portion, said members being mounted on said base in a spaced apart series about said axis with the mouth of each member spaced from the end of the adjacent member and facing in a generally contrarotational direction of said base with the mouth substantially unobstructed by the adjacent end as the mouth moves into the path of the wind, and the converging ends directed in the rotational direction of said base.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said members are generally conical and each including one said mouth at the base thereof and the apex being at said end.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which the radially outermost portion of each cone mouth is flared in the contrarotational direction of the base.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 in which each cone includes flange means securing the cone to the base.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 in which said axis is generally vertical.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 in the form of a windmill including a generally vertical support, and said base is generally horizontal and is mounted on said support for rotation about said axis.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
72 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 in the form of an electric generator unit for a vehicle, the unit including a housing having wind inlet means, said base being mounted within the housing with mouths of the cones facing the inlet means as the mouths are rotated past the inlet, a shaft concentric with said axis and secured to said base, and means drivingly connecting the shaft with an electric generator.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
A unit as set forth in claim 7 in which said inlet means is in the form of a scoop converging to an outlet radially offset from said shaft and positioned for directing the wind into the mouth of each cone as the cone is rotated past the outlet.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
A unit as set forth in claim 8 in which said inlet means includes an adjustable baffle for regulating the flow of wind therethrough, and the means connecting the shaft and the generator including means regulating the speed at which the generator is driven by the shaft.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-04-25 | 1980-10-25 | 1981-04-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-04-25 | 1984-10-25 | 1985-04-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-04-25 | 1988-10-25 | 1989-04-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |