Wind and solar electric generating plant

Claim 2

A wind energy collection and conversion system, comprising: (a) a base having a periphery; (b) a turbine assembly rotatably supported on said base and said turbine assembly including a plurality of wind current engaging vanes so that wind current impinging on said vanes causes said turbine assembly to rotate; (c) generator means operably connected to said turbine assembly for generating electric power while said turbine assembly is rotating; (d) a plurality of support members spaced from said turbine assembly proximate said periphery and said support members extending upwardly generally from said base and generally parallel to the axis of rotation of said turbine assembly; (e) a plurality of shutter assemblies spaced from said turbine assembly, each of said shutter assemblies disposed between and adjacent two of said support members; (f) each of said shutter assemblies including a plurality of pivotal shutter means and the shutter means of a shutter assembly are mutually positionable between an open and a closed position for regulating the wind current flowing between the associated support members toward said turbine assembly; (g) pivot drive means operably interconnecting each shutter means of a shutter assembly for simultaneously pivoting the shutter means of a shutter assembly and for thereby mutually positioning the shutter means of a shutter assembly between the open and closed positions; (h) wind current direction sensing means; (i) control means operably associated with said wind current direction sensing means and with each of said pivot drive means for causing the shutter means of each shutter assembly to be selectively positioned between the open and closed positions based upon the direction of the wind current and for thereby regulating the speed of rotation of said turbine assembly; (j) a wall assembly outwardly extending a substantial distance from each of said support members for intercepting wind currents and for directing the wind currents generally towards an associated shutter assembly and said wall assemblies extending generally tangential to said periphery; and, (k) a roof assembly connected to an upper end portion of said wall assemblies and substantially spanning the distance between said wall assemblies so that wind currents intercepted by said wall assemblies are directed toward said shutter assemblies.

Claim 3

The system as defined in claim 1, wherein: (a) control means are associated with each of said pivot drive means for independently controlling pivoting of said shutter assemblies.

Claim 4

The system as defined in claim 1, wherein: (a) each of said shutter means includes a longitudinally extending shutter member having substantial length and width; (b) a rotatable shaft extending from said base and said shutter member being secured thereto and pivotal therwith; and, (c) said pivot drive means being associated with each of said shafts for rotating said shafts and thereby pivoting said shutter members.

Claim 5

The system as defined in claim 3, wherein: (a) pivoting means being associated with each of said shafts at generally one end thereof; and, (b) said pivot drive means being associated with said pivoting means for causing pivoting of said shutter members.

Claim 6

The system as defined in claim 4, wherein: (a) said pivoting means including a gear; and, (b) said pivot drive means includes a worm drive assembly operably engaged with said gear.

Claim 7

The system as defined in claim 5, wherein: (a) said worm drive assembly of each shutter member of a shutter assembly being interconnected to adjacent worm drive assemblies whereby said shutter members of each shutter assembly are pivoted an equiangular amount.

Claim 8

The system as defined in claim 6, wherein: (a) said worm driven assembly including a worm gear associated with each of said gears; (b) a flexible coupling connecting adjacent worm gears; and, (c) electric motor means being connected to an end one of said worm gears for thereby causing corresponding rotation of said worm gears.

Claim 9

The system as defined in claim 1, wherein: (a) a plurality of turbine assemblies are rotatably disposed on a common axis in spaced longitudinal relation; (b) generator means being operably associated with each of said turbine assemblies; (c) a plurality of shutter assemblies being associated with each of said turbine assemblies; and, (d) control means being associated with said plurality of shutter assemblies for independently controlling pivoting of the shutter assemblies of each of said turbine assemblies for permitting regulation of rotation of each of said turbine assemblies.

Claim 10

The system as defined in claim 8, wherein: (a) said common axis is generally transverse to said base and thereby providing an upper and a lower turbine assembly; (b) each of said wall assemblies including a portion thereof extending upwardly beyond said upper turbine assembly; and, (c) wind current pressure diverting means being associated with one of said roof assembly and said portion for venting excess pressure.

Claim 11

The system as defined in claim 9, wherein: (a) each of said shutter assemblies includes a shutter member having substantial length and width; and, (b) said shutter members are spaced from the associated turbine assembly vanes a distance exceeding the shutter member width.

Claim 12

The system as defined in claim 9, wherein: (a) said wind current pressure diverting means includes at least a first back pressure vent assembly; and, (b) means being associated with said at least a first back pressure vent assembly for automatically operating said at least a first back pressure vent assembly.

Claim 13

The system as defined in claim 8, wherein: (a) battery means being associated with at least one of said wall assemblies and being electrically connected to each of said generator means for storing excess electric power; and, (b) solar collector means being associated with said roof assembly and electrically connected to said battery means and being adapted for converting solar energy to electric power whereby said electric power is stored by said battery means.

Claim 14

The system as defined in claim 12, wherein: (a) said solar collector means including a plurality of solar panels secured to a support frame; and, (b) displacement means being associated with said roof assembly and said support frame and being adapted for continuously aligning said solar panels with a source of solar energy.

Claim 15

The system as defined in claim 12, wherein: (a) supplemental generator means being associated with said base for independently generating electric power; and, (b) computer control means being operably connected to said solar collector means, to said shutter assemblies of each of said turbine assemblies, to said supplemental generator means and to said battery means for regulating electric power output thereof.

Claim 16

A wind energy collection and conversion system, comprising: (a) a generally circular base having a periphery; (b) a plurality of spaced parallel support elements disposed in longitudinally spaced parallel relation; (c) a plurality of turbine assemblies, each of said turbine assemblies rotatably supported by one of said support elements and each of said turbine assemblies including a plurality of wind current engaging vanes; (d) each of said turbine assemblies includes a cylindrical frame rotatable on an axis and said vanes depending generally radially outwardly from the periphery of said frame; (e) said turbine assemblies are rotatable on a common axis; (f) five equiangularly disposed upwardly extending support members depend from said base and each of said support members equiradially spaced from said common axis; (g) a plurality of shutter assemblies spaced from each of said turbine assemblies, each of said shutter assemblies disposed between and adjacent two of said support members; (h) each of said shutter assemblies including a plurality of pivotal shutter means and the shutter means of a shutter assembly are mutually positionable between an open and a closed position for regulating the wind current flowing between the associated support members towards the associate turbine assembly; (i) pivot drive means operably interconnecting each shutter means of a shutter assembly for simultaneously pivoting the shutter means of a shutter assembly and for thereby mutually positioning the shutter means of a shutter assembly between the open and closed positions; (j) wind current direction sensing means; (k) control means operably associated with said wind current direction sensing means and with each of said pivot drive means for causing the shutter means of each shutter assembly to be selectively positioned between the open and closed positions based upon the direction of the wind current and for thereby regulating the speed of each of said turbine assemblies; (l) a wall assembly outwardly depending from each of said support members a substantial distance and tangential to said periphery for intercepting wind currents and for directing the wind currents generally toward associated ones of said shutter means; (m) said wall assemblies have substantial height so that an upper portion thereof extends beyond an upper one of said turbine assemblies; (n) generator means operably associated with each of said turbine assemblies generating electric power upon rotation of an associated turbine assembly; and, (o) a roof assembly covering said turbine assemblies and said wall assemblies so that intercepted wind currents are directed by said shutter assemblies toward said vanes for thereby rotating said turbine assemblies.

Claim 17

A wind energy collection and conversion system, comprising: (a) a generally circular base having a periphery; (b) a plurality of spaced parallel support elements disposed in longitudinally spaced parallel relation; (c) a plurality of turbine assemblies, each of said turbine assemblies rotatably supported by one of said support elements and each of said turbine assemblies including a plurality of wind current engaging vanes; (d) each of said turbine assemblies includes a cylindrical frame rotatable on an axis and said vanes depending generally radially outwardly from the periphery of said frame; (e) said turbine assemblies are rotatable on a common axis; (f) five equiangularly disposed upwardly extending support members depend from said base and each of said support members equiradially spaced from said common axis; (g) a plurality of shutter assemblies spaced from each of said turbine assemblies, each of said shutter assemblies disposed between and adjacent two of said support members; (h) each of said shutter assemblies including a plurality of pivotal shutter means and the shutter means of a shutter assembly are mutually positionable between an open and a closed position for regulating the wind current flowing between the associated support members towards the associate turbine assembly; (i) pivot drive means operably interconnecting each shutter means of a shutter assembly for simultaneously pivoting the shutter means of a shutter assembly and for thereby mutually positioning the shutter means of a shutter assembly between the open and closed positions; (j) wind current direction sensing means; (k) control means operably associated with said wind current direction sensing means and with each of said pivot drive means for causing the shutter means of each shutter assembly to be selectively positioned between the open and closed positions based upon the direction of the wind current and for thereby regulating the speed of each of said turbine assemblies; (l) a wall assembly outwardly depending from each of said support members a substantial distance and tangential to said periphery for intercepting wind currents and for directing the wind currents generally toward associated ones of said shutter means; (m) said wall assemblies have substantial height so that an upper portion thereof extends beyond an upper one of said turbine assemblies; (n) generator means operably associated with each of said turbine assemblies generating electric power upon rotation of an associated turbine assembly; and, (o) a roof assembly covering said turbine assemblies and said wall assemblies so that intercepted wind currents are directed by said shutter assemblies toward said vanes for thereby rotating said turbine assemblies.

Claim 18

The system as defined in claim 15, wherein: (a) each of said shutter assemblies includes a longitudinally extending shutter member having substantial length and width; (b) a rotatable shaft extending from each of said support elements and said shutter member being secured thereto and pivotal therewith; and, (c) said pivot drive means being associated with each of said shafts for rotating said shafts and thereby pivoting said shutter members.

Claim 19

The system as defined in claim 15, wherein: (a) pivoting means being associated with each of said shafts at generally one end thereof; and, (b) said pivot drive means being associated with said pivoting means for causing pivoting of said shutter members.

Claim 20

The system as defined in claim 17, wherein: (a) said pivoting means including a gear; and, (b) said pivot drive means including a worm drive assembly operably engaged with said gear.