Fluid mill powered vehicle

Claim 1

In an electric powered vehicle having a source of electric power supplying power to at least one electric motor operatively connected to a wheel of the vehicle, the improvement comprising in combination: a. a fluid mill for developing power in response to an air stream flowing therepast, said fluid mill comprising in combination: i. frame members secured to the vehicle for supporting said fluid mill; ii. at least one pair of axles journalled in said frame members normal to the flow of the air stream; iii. a plurality of spaced levers journalled in each axle of said pair of axles and having opposite arms extending from said axle, each of said levers being axially spaced along the respective one of said axles; iv. a first set of vanes disposed about one of said axles and a second set of vanes disposed about another of said axles, each said set of vanes comprising: a first and a second group of vanes fixedly projecting from said opposite arms, the plane of said first group of vanes being normal to the plane of said second group of vanes, said vanes being sized to engage the axially adjacent ones of said levers, said vanes having a driving position wherein said vanes engage adjacent levers and present their broad surfaces to the force of the air stream and a feathered position wherein said vanes present their respective cantilevered journalled arm to the force of the air stream, said driving and feathered positions being reversible as said axle rotates, whereby the force of the air stream bearing on each group of vanes simultaneously causes one group of vanes to assume the driving position and the other group of vanes to assume the feathered position, the functions of the groups of vanes alternating as the force of the air stream against the group of vanes in the driving position turns said levers which in turn rotate the said axle; b. means for taking power off of each said pair of axles for transmission to a point of use; c. means for producing electrical power in response to said power take off means; and d. means for transmitting the electrical power to charge the electric power source; whereby, motion of the vehicle produces an air stream to operate said fluid mill and charge the electric power source.