Floating electric generator using the driving energy of water

Claim 2

Floating electric power generator using water energy in the form of a hollow volumetric body capable of floating or navigating in a natural or artificial water-course and mounted for free rotation around a fixed horizontal shaft, the projecting ends of which are connected by means of moorings to a berthing station, while the periphery thereof includes blades for its rotational drive by the energy produced by the water stream, characterized in that said body forms a rotary shell permitting internally by reason of its volumetric hollow section the mounting of a plurality of electric generators disposed in a plane, each one of said generators being connected mechanically by its stator to the fixed shaft while the rotor is driven in rotation by the periphery of said shell by means of a driving device for the production of electric power by the assembly of said generators, characterized further in that the driving device of each generator is formed by a head mounted elastically at the end of a spindle that is returned elastically and associated with the rotor for abutting action on one of the faces of a flange connecting diametrally to the inside of the hollow section of the shell and bearing along the appropriate diameter in order to constitute a speed multiplying device, characterized further in that the stator of each generator is hingedly mounted on the stationary shaft for the adjustable angular pivoting thereof in relation to the flange so that the driving head is presented along a circle of varying diameter for varying the speed.

Claim 3

Electric generator according to claim 1, characterized in that the shell receives internally a circular rim the opposite faces of which are toothed for the meshing of heads mounted on the end of the sliding spindles returned elastically and associated with the rotors.

Claim 4

Electric generator according to claim 1, characterized in that the moorings are adjustable endwise to permit the shell to be adapted to the level of the water, characterized further in that the adjustable moorings are mounted elastically upstream by means of drums circularly returned by springs in order to be adapted to the level of the water.

Claim 5

Floating electric generator according to claim 3, characterized in that the protruding ends of the stationary shaft are coupled to lever arms disposed upstream to abut automatically with their free ends, when the hollow body is rotated, on a fixed point in order to permit said shaft to be secured against rotation by the moorings holding same; telescopic arms fixed on the shaft forwardly of the shell being coupled to a transverse bar connecting and coupling adjustably two moored floats spaced apart along the vertical axis of said shell and receiving axially vertical and adjustable vanes forming the admission device that constitutes a water neck-injector in front of the blades of the shell; blades in the form of bowls being disposed circularly and along one or more vertical rows on the periphery of the shell for the driving in rotation; vertical radial and symmetrical arms being mounted axially within the shell to permit endwise adjustable fastening of a block forming a speed multiplying device with a central gear meshing with the toothed rim; and lateral and opposite toothed wheels for driving two electric generators being disposed in pairs and cooperating with the speed multiplying device.

Claim 6

Generator according to claim 4, characterized in that the said radial arms permit endwise adjustable fastening of a roller holding support lined with a soft material to cooperate with a medial groove formed within the thickness of the toothed rim for the centering and positioning thereof without abutting stress on the toothing thereof.

Claim 7

Generator according to claim 5, characterized in that one of said radial arms receives endwise a speed multiplying block driven by the toothed rim, the output wheel of said block cooperating with the gearing of a hydraulic pump for the drive thereof, the fluid admission and discharge hoses of said pump passing through and within the stationary shaft in order to be connected externally to a hydraulic motor disposed outside said generator for driving another machine.

Claim 8

Generator as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the rollers cooperating in pairs with the groove of the toothed rim are disposed respectively on an arm angularly associated with the said radial arm for driving a pair of alternators.

Claim 9

Generator according to claim 6, characterized in that the speed multiplying blocks are adjustably mounted in relation to the plates fixed at the end of the radial arms by means of screw threaded rods with nuts and counter nuts.

Claim 10

Electric generator according to claim 6, characterized in that the radial arms are interreinforced along their common plane by braces that form a triangulation, and transversely by bracing stays abutting on the stationary shaft.

Claim 11

Electric generator according to claim 6, characterized in that the hydraulic motor operated by means of the hoses connected to the hydraulic pump located within the shell is mounted on a mobile undercarriage and drives by means of its flywheel a rotary spindle connected by belts to a plurality of electric generators in line.

Claim 12

Electric generator as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that other apparatus is mechanically driven by the hydraulic motor.

Claim 13

Generator as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the openings of the bar connecting transversely the floats, besides the fastening of the telescopic arms for holding down the fixed or stationary shaft, permit the engagement of vertical pins that constitute positioning and fastening pins for the opposite vertical vanes forming the water neck-injector disposed in front of the blades of the shell.

Claim 14

Generator according to claim 12, characterized in that the vertical vanes are angularly adjustable forwardly of the transverse bar while being interbraced and interlocked to constitute an axial and vertical triangulation forming the water neck-injector, the rear portions, inserted and disposed symmetrically and parallel in relation to the blades along the axis of the shell, forming in continuation of the water neck-injector a distributing chute or channel.

Claim 15

Generator according to claim 12, characterized in that each blade is comprised of reinforced plastics and is made axially integral with a squared arm linked to each collar of the half-portions of the shell, while a second rectilinear arm fixed endwise along the fastening point of the next blade forms an abutment while cooperating by its opposite end with a slot of the initial arm for adjusting in tangential position said blade on the periphery of the shell.

Claim 16

Generator according to claim 13, characterized in that each blade of any rounded or oblong section is provided along its convex part with a slide valve cooperating with an opening so as to seal the latter when the shell is driven in rotation, said slide valve being collapsed when the water is expelled by air pressure, in order to prevent the suction effect that would brake the rotation.

Claim 17

Generator according to claim 14, characterized in that there is an additional row of blades in relation to the main row, the adjustable fastening arms of said blades disposed alternately, permitting respectively the fastening of a transverse arm receiving the additional blade, said transverse arms being interconnected and interbraces endwise by means of thin adjustable rods that constitute a polygon circumscribed about the periphery of the hollowbody.

Claim 18

Electric generator according to claim 4, characterized in that the shell of the hollow buoyant body is made with at least two rimmed hemispheres disposed summetrically, connected by a rimmed sectional sleeve, allowing for the continuity and permitting internally the housing of plural electric generators and a hydraulic motor provided with its tank, driven by said rims with internal toothings.

Claim 19

Generator as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the shell receives internally a pump actuated by the toothed rim, the admission piping of said pump drawing directly from the water along a side of the hollow stationary shaft, while the discharge piping opens along the opposite side to be guided to an external drinking water reservoir and irrigation system.

Claim 20

Electric generator as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the shaft of the hollow body is provided with blades for the driving in rotation thereof and for the purpose of driving generators, while the shell is rendered stationary.

Claim 21

A floating electric power generator comprising: a hollow buoyant ball adapted to float on the surface of a moving body of water; an axle extending through said ball on an axis thereof, with the ends of said axle projecting beyond the surface of said ball; bearing means connecting said axle to said ball whereby said ball may rotate about said axle; said axle thereby defining a polar axis of rotation for said ball; sealing means to insure watertightness of the joint between said axle and said ball during rotation of said ball about said axle; means for mooring said ball, as it floats on the surface of said moving body of water; said mooring means comprising a pair of upstream anchors, each connected by an individual cable to a respective one of said projecting ends of said axle; said mooring means further comprising a pair of downstream anchors, each similarly connected by an individual cable to a respective one of said projecting ends of said axle; whereby each projecting end of said axle is restrained from motion, both upstream and downstream, away from the respective anchors; means connecting said cables to the respective projecting ends of said axle in such manner as to prevent free rotation of said axle with respect to the said cables; a series of vanes mounted on said ball to constitute a paddle wheel for turning of said ball by said moving body of water, whereby said ball will rotate on said axle; means within said ball, fixedly mounted on said axle, responsive to the rotation of said ball about said axle, to convert the energy of said rotation to electric energy; transmission means to feed said electric energy through said axle to a utilization point; the diameter of said ball, the weights involved and the scope of said cables being so related that the ball is held down by said cables in such degree as to float immersed with approximately one-third of its equitorial circumference immersed in said moving body of water and with approximately two-thirds of its equitorial circumference above said moving body of water; whereby said ball, considered as a hull being towed upstream by the upstream anchors, exhibits moderate drag in comparison to the drag of said vanes when electric power is transmitted from said ball; and whereby the combination of two upstream anchors and two downstream anchors prevents yawing of the ball in said moving body of water.

Claim 22

A floating electric power generator comprising: a hollow buoyant ball adapted to float on the surface of a moving body of water; an axle extending through said ball on an axis thereof, with the ends of said axle projecting beyond the surface of said ball; bearing means connecting said axle to said ball whereby said ball may rotate about said axle; said axle thereby defining a polar axis of rotation for said ball; sealing means to insure watertightness of the joint between said axle and said ball during rotation of said ball about said axle; means for mooring said ball, as it floats on the surface of said moving body of water; said mooring means comprising a pair of upstream anchors, each connected by an individual cable to a respective one of said projecting ends of said axle; said mooring means further comprising a pair of downstream anchors, each similarly connected by an individual cable to a respective one of said projecting ends of said axle; whereby each projecting end of said axle is restrained from motion, both upstream and downstream, away from the respective anchors; means connecting said cables to the respective projecting ends of said axle in such manner as to prevent free rotation of said axle with respect to the said cables; a series of vanes mounted on said ball to constitute a paddle wheel for turning of said ball by said moving body of water, whereby said ball will rotate on said axle; means within said ball, fixedly mounted on said axle, responsive to the rotation of said ball about said axle, to convert the energy of said rotation to electric energy; transmission means to feed said electric energy through said axle to a utilization point; the diameter of said ball, the weights involved and the scope of said cables being so related that the ball is held down by said cables in such degree as to float immersed with approximately one-third of its equitorial circumference immersed in said moving body of water and with approximately two-thirds of its equitorial circumference above said moving body of water; whereby said ball, considered as a hull being towed upstream by the upstream anchors, exhibits moderate drag in comparison to the drag of said vanes when electric power is transmitted from said ball; and whereby the combination of two upstream anchors and two downstream anchors prevents yawing of the ball in said moving body of water.

Claim 23

A floating electric power generator as in claim 20 comprising further; means, responsive to breaking of said mooring means, to trigger the intervention of a safety switch to electrically disconnect said transmission means.