US4101244A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vertical axle paddle motor
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1976-11-05
•
Granted: 1978-07-18
•
Expires: 1996-11-05
Abstract
Abstract A vertical axle paddle motor including a support structure with a rotor mounted on the vertical axle, the rotor having a plurality of arms with paddle members pivotally attached to the end of the same. Each of the paddle members include a plurality of adjustable vanes which move from an open to a closed position within the paddle. Vane position in the paddles is controlled by a wind velocity and wind direction control, operating a pair of cams forming a composite cam surface which is engaged by cam followers on each of the rotor arms associated separately with motors on the paddle, to adjust the position of the vanes within the paddles for maximum efficiency in rotation. The wind velocity cam may be adjusted relative to the wind direction cam to increase the amount of time the vanes of the paddles are held in an open position to reduce and stabilize rotation of the rotor. The wind velocity cam may also be adjusted by a separate motor means to prevent any of the vanes from moving to a closed position causing cessation of rotor rotation.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert B. Grotberg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 00:00
CPC Classifications
F; F03; F03D; F03D3/00; F03D3/06; F03D3/062; F03D3/066; F03D3/067; F03D3/068; F05; F05B; F05B2260/00; F05B2260/50; F05B2260/506; F05B2260/70; F05B2260/72; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/70; Y02E10/74
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
212 words
A vertical axis paddle motor comprising, an upstanding frame, a vertical axle supported by said frame, a rotor frame having a plurality of rotor arms journaled on said vertical axle for rotation on said axle and within said upstanding frame, a paddle pivotally mounted on the end of each rotor arm, each of said paddles being formed of a plurality of vanes pivotally mounted in a paddle frame and linked together to pivot from an open to a closed position with the frame, motor means mounted on each paddle to move the vanes therein from the open to the closed position, a wind direction indicator vane pivotally mounted on the top of the upstanding frame and coupled to a first shaft, a wind velocity sensor carried by the wind direction indicator and coupled to a second shaft, composite cam means mounted on the first and second shaft and separately adjustable upon rotation of said shafts, cam follower means mounted on each rotor arm and engaging the composite cam means, means connecting the cam follower means to the motor means mounted on the paddle for each arm to control the operation of the motor means in the opening and closing of the vanes, and means connected to the vertical axle and driven thereby.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
212 words
A vertical axis paddle motor comprising, an upstanding frame, a vertical axle supported by said frame, a rotor frame having a plurality of rotor arms journaled on said vertical axle for rotation on said axle and within said upstanding frame, a paddle pivotally mounted on the end of each rotor arm, each of said paddles being formed of a plurality of vanes pivotally mounted in a paddle frame and linked together to pivot from an open to a closed position with the frame, motor means mounted on each paddle to move the vanes therein from the open to the closed position, a wind direction indicator vane pivotally mounted on the top of the upstanding frame and coupled to a first shaft, a wind velocity sensor carried by the wind direction indicator and coupled to a second shaft, composite cam means mounted on the first and second shaft and separately adjustable upon rotation of said shafts, cam follower means mounted on each rotor arm and engaging the composite cam means, means connecting the cam follower means to the motor means mounted on the paddle for each arm to control the operation of the motor means in the opening and closing of the vanes, and means connected to the vertical axle and driven thereby.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
The vertical axle paddle motor of claim 1 in which the composite cam means is a pair of cam members separately journaled on said rotor frame and connected to the first and second shafts respectively for adjustment relative to one another to present a composite cam surface to the cam followers on the rotor arms.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The vertical axle paddle motor of claim 2 in which the first and second cam members are positioned in a stacked and adjacent relationship.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
The vertical axle paddle motor of claim 3 and including an idler cam positioned between the first and second cam members and coupled to the first cam through a pin and slot connection to provide continuity between the surfaces of the first and second cam members to the cam follower means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The vertical axle paddle motor of claim 2 in which the cam follower means includes a hydraulic pump and the motor means on the paddle of each cam arm is a reversible hydraulic motor coupled to the pump.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The vertical axle paddle motor of claim 5 in which the hydraulic pump is a ram type actuator operated by movement of the cam follower.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The vertical axle paddle motor of claim 6 in which each hydraulic pump and hydraulic motor form a separate hydraulic system operated by the cam followers to change vane positions in the respective paddles.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
The vertical axle paddle motor of claim 7 in which the vanes in each paddle are connected through a common linkage and bell crank at each paddle to the motor means for simultaneous movement of the vanes in each paddle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
66 words
The vertical axle paddle motor of claim 2 and including separate motor and gear means mounted on the rotor frame and connected to the cam member mounted on the second shaft and responsive to wind velocity being operative to rotate said cam member to position all of the vanes to an open position to cause rotation of the rotor frame on the vertical axle to stop.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
76 words
The vertical axle paddle motor of claim 1 in which the wind direction indicator is a pivoted vane mounted on the upstanding frame and connected to said first shaft journaled therein, and in which the wind velocity sensor is a second pivoted vane mounted on the first vane and normal to the longitudinal extent of the first vane with means coupling said second pivoted vane to the second shaft journaled in part in said upstanding frame.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
The vertical axle paddle motor of claim 10 in which the second pivoted vane forming the wind velocity sensor includes an adjustable counter balance mechanism coupled to the second pivoted vane.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
52 words
The vertical axle paddle motor of claim 11 in which the coupling of the second pivoted vane forming the wind velocity sensor to the second shaft includes pulley means mounted on the pivot of the second vane and coupled through pulley means to a pulley on the second shaft by a cable.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
46 words
The vertical axle paddle motor of claim 10 in which the first and second shafts of the wind direction and wind velocity sensors respectively are coaxial with the first shaft journaled in a tubular member defining the second shaft which is journaled in the upstanding frame.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
73 words
The vertical axle paddle motor of claim 13 in which the pivoted vane of the wind direction sensor is an elongated frame formed of interconnected parallel members mounting a plate-like member on each of the parallel members near one end of the parallel members and with the counter balance weight positioned on the opposite end of the parallel members and including hub means connected between the parallel members and mounting the first shaft.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
110 words
The vertical axle paddle motor of claim 14 in which the second pivoted vane defining the wind velocity sensor includes a pivoted shaft mounted on the elongated members of the pivoted vane of the wind direction sensor which shaft mounts a pulley wheel positioned between the plate-like members and with the shaft extending transversely of the plate-like members and mounting a pair of translationally extending paddle members normal to the extent of the elongated members defining the second pivoted vane with a cable positioned over a pulley wheel on the pivot shaft and connected to a pulley wheel on the second shaft to transmit rotation of the second pivoted vane.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
51 words
The vertical axle paddle motor of claim 15 in which the first and second shafts are journaled in part in the upstanding frame and in part on the rotor frame with the vertical axle being journaled to the upstanding frame through a journaled coupling connected to the first and second shafts.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
The vertical axle paddle motor of claim 16 in which the pivoted vanes of the wind direction sensor and wind velocity sensor are formed of metal frame parts covered with a fiberglass sheet.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
The vertical axle paddle motor of claim 1 in which the vanes of the paddles are defined by metal frames covered with a fiberglass covering.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
The vertical axle paddle motor of claim 18 in which the frames of the paddle are metal box-like frame members in which the individual vanes are pivotally mounted within the box-like frame members.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
33 words
The vertical axle paddle motor of claim 19 in which the frames of the paddle motors include two sections which bear an angular relationship to one another along their extent of approximately 15°.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
The vertical axle paddle motor of claim 1 and including means interconnecting diametrically opposed paddles on the rotor arms through their pivots to compensate for the effect of centrifugal force on the paddles.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
47 words
The vertical axle paddle motor of claim 21 in which the means interconnecting diametrically opposed paddles on the rotor arms include pulley means mounted on the shaft supporting the individual paddles on the rotor arms and interconnecting diametrically opposed paddles on the rotor arms through cable means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
33 words
The vertical axle paddle motor of claim 7 in which the hydraulic motor means mounted on each paddle frame includes spring bias means biasing the motor means in one of two operating positions.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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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) | 1981-07-17 | 1982-01-16 | 1982-07-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-07-17 | 1986-01-16 | 1986-07-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-07-17 | 1990-01-16 | 1990-07-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |