Wind driven power generator

Claim 1

A rotary power generator for disposition in a fluid flow path and to be driven thereby, said generator including a base, a rotor journaled from said base for rotation about a first axis for disposition transverse to said path, said rotor including a plurality of mounting portions spaced radially outwardly from and circumferentially about said axis and including a plurality of vane assemblies rotatably mounted, therefrom for angular displacement about axes generally paralleling said axis, vane assembly displacement control means operatively connected between said base and said vane assemblies for angularly displacing said vane assemblies relative to said mounting portions 180 degrees each 360 degrees of angular displacement of said rotor and in directions opposite to the direction of angular displacement of said rotor, upon rotation thereof, said vane assemblies being variously optimumly angularly positioned relative to said mounting portions and each other to effect substantially maximum thrust therefrom on said rotor as a result of fluid flow thereagainst in one radial direction, said vane assembly displacement control means including angularly displaceable fluid flow sensing means operative to sense angular changes in the radial direction of fluid flow toward said axis to accordingly simultaneously variously angularly position said vane assemblies about their axes of rotation relative to said mounting portions, whereby said vane assemblies are maintained in said optimum position, said control means further including angularly displaceable operator means drivingly connected to said vane assemblies for angularly displacing the vane assemblies in response to angular displacement of said operator, reversible motor means drivingly connected to said operator means selectively reversely angularly displacing said operator means, first and second support structures angularly displaceable with said operator and fluid flow sensing means, respectively, and motor operation controlling switch means and switch actuating means carried by said structures and operatively associated with each other and said motor means for driving said operator means to an angular position corresponding, at least generally, to an angular positional change of said fluid flow sensing means as a result of a change in said radial direction, one of said support structures being angularly displaceable relative to the corresponding angularly displaceable means, and key means operative to releasably key said one support structure in predetermined angular position relative to the corresponding angularly displaceable means.