US1018678A - Wave-motor. - Google Patents

Description

F.. M. NELSON.

WAVE. MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY20,1911.

Patented Feb. 27,1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

P. M. NELSON.

WAVE MOTOR. APPLICATION FILED JULY20,1911.

Patented Feb. 27, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

-. to holdthe device from .moving with water citizen of thei U-nitechStates, residingfi'at \Vestville,iri the county of-Adair and Stateof Oklahoma,have ful \VaveMotor,

is a specification.

invented a new and useof which the following '-Thi s invention has Eret'erence to improvements 1n weave. motors, and its l)]80t1 is to in the powerisider poses solely-"from the-up and. down moveprovide'a structure: of this character whereived to 'all practical pur;

inthe form of waves.

where the devicejis -so";generated? is -;tra nsformed by suitable tobe responsive to the installed, and the power mechanism. into other *gto'rms of energy caipable-of.transmiss onato. a point of ut1l1za- In accordancepresent invention .the floats employed are connected together flexibly, so as to respond readily to the rise and fall of waves,

but have no connection with any fixed structures further than where necessary one-or more anchors are employed or air currents.v Tli e rise and fall of the floats are utilized b bers to store energy asby the pumping of ings is largel to show any, merit of the 's,r'and,' therefore, the inventeeny strict oonfo'rin'ity r established in the ta'nkl :While notso shown,

so' long as thelcliangesfdo not mark a dbalte'nt'features of the in i accumulatingwithinthe tank. It will also with the show Pa i oe ljlthje air or water y means of rocking memfor the drivlng of engines,

which in turn are caused to actuate dynamos and the current-generated by the latter may be carried to any point of utilization,

such

as an adjacent shore to be from there dis tributed to various points where needed.

The invention .will'be best understood from a considerationot, the following detailed description, tak n 'in connection with f the accompanying draw p .th fsrel lfi a ing', however,ft h:

tion is not lim v'ention. 1 i

ings forming apart on with the understand:

showing of 'the draw indicative without attempt proportions or arrangep of 'the drawings, butft-iay be varied and modified in numerous' ways,

, agure is .aimore-or lessi-dia-grammatic? VIQME withisome parts in sections showing angrarrangement embodying the present invention 'in'one phase of operation. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing another 'phase of operation. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view on a smaller scale than the other figures,- showing an arrangement wherein more than three floats may be utilized.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a float 1, which in practice is of suflicient size for the purpose, and this float is accompanied by other floats 2, 3, respectively, where but threeflo'ats are employed, and wheremore than three floats are employed other floats may be included, and in Fig. 4 a float tis shown as installed betweenthe float l and the float 3. These examples are sufli'cient to illustrate the-invention and to show how four or morefloats may be employed instead of three.

In-the construction shown, the float 1, which may be in the form of a barge or other sufficiently bulky vessel to sustain the necessary machinery, has mounted thereon a tank 5 and pumps 6, the number of pumps depending upon the size of the installation. Sincethe pumps are all alike, a description of a single pump and its action will be suflicient. Each pump 6 is shown as a doubleacting pump, although this is not mandatory, and is provided with an intake pipe 7 which may be so arranged as to dip into the water sustaining the float to a depth insuring the intake end of the pipe as being always covered. The delivery side of the pump is connected by a pipe 8 to the tank 5. Each pump has a piston rod 9 connected to a slideflO, and this slide is connected by a pitman 11 to an actuator to be described,- the constructionbeing such that the floats rise and fall the piston rod reciprocated and' thepumpf will draw water from the supporting bodyfo f water and deliver'j the comes compressed until. a desired pressure it will be understood, of course, that suitable "devices, such as stay blow-ofl's and the "like, are provided-to prevent undue pressure .gllw

.. bi understood that. a; single tank of .jtanks' may be em-' loyed, or the sing e tank may be relatively" is shown, a batte the water in the tank ma be utilized to drive either' or both. turb nes, as desired.-

1 The turbines are shown as directly connected to dynamos 1'5, andthe delivery side of these dynamos may be'connected to conductors in the form of a cable 16 which may be carried to the shore wherefrom current may be distributed to any point of utilization. The

cables may, of course, be carried to the shore in any way desirable. v

In the drawings, and especially in Fig. 3, the float land the float 3 are shown as of about the same length, while the float 2 is shorter than the float 1, and there is a companion float 2 -separat'e from the float 2 and together approaching the length of the float 1. This is simply illustrative of diflerent'means whereby the purposes of the present' invention may be accomplished and indicate some of t e many modifications: of which the invention is susceptible.

The, floats 2 and 3 are'joined together to the float l by connectors 17 which may be crossed to maintain the general relative positions of the floats and prevent side movement, but these connectors are so disposed that the up and, down movements of the floats are not interfered with.

Each float 2 and 3 carries one or more connecting rods or bars 18 connected at. one

i .end by a 1omt 19 to the float preferably at a middle oint thereof, andat the other end the bar is connected by a flexible link 20 to the corresponding end of a-beam 21 on the float 1, these connections being such as to r permit the free rise and fall of the floats to accommodate the action of the waves without the floats changing their general relation other than by r se and fall.

At one end ofeii ch rod 18 there is an upstanding post 22 and the upper end of this post is connected by a brace 23 continued toward the end of the rod carried by the joint 19. The end of the post 22 to which the brace-23 is connected is in turn connected 60. to a. respective pitman 11 leading to a ump 6.

.Each float 2, 2 and 3 is shown as provided with two bars 18 and each bar is connected to a'respective pump on the float 1. To hold 55 the floats 2 and 2' 1n proper relation one to turbines, so that pumps 6 controlledby the connected up to the tank 5 )y flexhle concessive rocking t links 24 jointed to the respective floats, so as to permit independent movement of these floats for limited distances.

In the particular showing of the drawings the float 3 is provided with a mast 25 carryinga sail 26,v this mast being supported against the stress f the sail by braces 27. The ends of the bar-s18 where mounted on the floats 2 and 2" are connected by chains 28 or other suitable flexible means to a buoy ,29, and the latter is connected by a ehain 30 to an anchoring means which may con sist of an or inary anchrr, but such anchor is not shown in'ihe drawings. Since the waves follow the general course of the wind, the sail 26 will constrain t'-e series of floats to line up with the wind with the buoy 29 to the windward, thus maintaining the floats in roper relation to the waves.

11 'the' arrangement shown in Fig. 4 pumps 6 maybe mounted on the bars 18 collecting the float {l with the float 1, and these pumps are controlled by the bars 18 connected to the float 3. It wiil be understood that. in this instance the pump or float 3 will he nections permitting-the float 4- and the pa rs carried thereby to'rise and fall win. respect to the float 1 under the action-of the waves. Should an unusually heavy wave strike the windward float 2 or 2, there. is a possibility of the float rocking excessively, since the bars 18 are pivoted to an intermediate; point on the floats, allowing the latter-to rock under the action of the waves while rising and falling. To prevent such excessive movement there are provided connections 31 in the form of chains or other suitable flexible means which will permit moderate rocking of'the floats without exliereof, and the floats 3 and 4 may be likewise provided with chains 31. It will be observed that the power storing and utilizing machinery is carried mainly on thc float 1 which is an intermediate float, and is made large enough for the purpose,

and also to provide room for attendants,

wherefore it may be provided with a deck house 32, as indicated in Fig. 1.

By employing a large floatlin connection with a smaller float and utilizing the large float for'the carrying of the storing and power transforming machinery, the large float while rising'and falling with the rise and fall of the water. in the waves does not rock on the waves as do the smaller floats, but the rocking movements of thesmaller floats are not utilized, since these floats may quite readily. rock on an axis transverse to the direction of movementv of the waves, so that it is only the rising and falling movement of these smaller floats which is utilized.

the other, the are secured together at adjacent ends in spaced relation by spacing It because of the practicailv unchanging posite sidesof the main float, said auxiliary ,positiol ;t the intermediate float exceptv floats being connected to the main float by s Iw-QQCI azll'iand t'h'e flexibility of the bars hinged-,atj-the ends to the respectiveotlie r floa'tshigherehy tn las the rise and fall floats, and connections betweensaid. bars thereof trlized thatsthe; full force due andthe pressureproducing,meansioni the Y -11 .material-nloss due to any tipping; 0f ,the flloats. whereby they are brought. into E more :or -less -fconformity even I thoughfjrising, andinfalling-won the. waves. ,Therockingiof;theifloatslhas only a neg- 1igible-,=,efl3 ac itqufiudi,ineutralizing the rise dfrr'. 8H i of; lfijfioatszt ornthei generation of powers at .sdqi-rba fin? ,dii?

Qfi c0urse,itlre'pumpsquay.deliver directly to the turbinesaialthou l fld'ifail' bell is customarily vincofipolated ant the transmissi on line,;-a ndz 'nthe .particula1t=instance shownthe tank 5eonstitutesran-air bell, but this tank may be of suchsize-as. to act as a stor-' age tank whena greatcramount of water is supplied by the pumps than is being utilized .at the turbines. wl1erefore=-.tl1'e pressure-in the tank may rise and this pressure may be utilized for driving the turbines when the e sis-ti e milea e-res at d than 1. m and by making the parts of suflicient capacity the tank 5 may'store enough surplus power to drive the turbines for a considerable time titling over times of small power supplied by the waves, the tank being replenished when the waves are of greater. size, at which times, or when the waves are of normal size, the turbines may run constantly without depleting the storage tanks.

What is claimed is 1. In a wave motor, a main'float, other floats adjacent the main float and of smaller size than the main float, connecting mem bers between the smaller floats and the main float, and flexibly joined to each, and power means on the main float joined to the connectin g members between the floats for actuation thereby.

2. In a wave motor, a plurality of floats, connecting members between the floats hinged at each end to a respective float and provided with a lateral offset portion, a pump carried by one of the floats, and a connection between the pump and the lateral ofl'set member of the respective connecting "on the main floa-t, and-auxiliar v floats on opbars hinged-watthe ends to the respective an intermediate point. of the corresponding aux1haryfloat,-and power generating means the said -bars..

7. In a wave motor, a main float, power storing means on the main float,powcr utilizing means on the main float, auxiliary floats on opposite sides of the main float, connections between the auxiliary floats and the power storing means for actuating the latter, means for anchoring one end of the series of floats, am. a wind responsive means carried by a -series of floats remote from the anchoring means.

8.. In a wave motor. a main float, power generating and utilizing means thereon, auxiliary floats ofv smaller size than the main ing the auxiliary floats at intermediate points of said floats to the main float. at the corresponding sides thereof, said bars being pivot-ally connected at the ends to the respective main and auxiliary floats and each bar having a lateral oflset portion, and connections from the offset portion to the power generating means on the main floatfor driving the latter.

'9. In a Wave motor, a main float, power enerating and utilizing means thereon, auxiliary floats of smaller size than the main float on opposite sides thereof, bars connecting the auxiliary floats at intermediate points of said floats to the main float at the corresponding sides thereof, said bars being pivotally connected at the ends to the respectii'e main and auxiliary floats and each bar having a lateral offset portion, and c0nnections from the offset portion to the power generating means on the main floatfor driving the latter, the series of floats being providd at one end with anchoring means and member between the floats.

3. In a wave motor, a main. float, other floats on opposite sides of the main float and spaced therefrom. connecting members between the floats hinged at the ends to the respective floats, and power means on the main float'connected toand receivingv motion from the respective connecting members between the floats.

4. In a wave motor, a main float provided with power generating means responsive to pressure and pressure producing means also on. the main float, and auxiliary floats on op- "With D g ura-ting-gmeans-responsire to? pressure a nd' -px essure. pro ducm g mea ns-ialso float on opposite sides thereof, bars conuectpositesides of the main float, said auxiliary floats belng connected to, the mam float by floats'and connections between said barsand the pressure; prgduclnginean. of-the. ma1n-' float-and auxiliary floats, eachbar being plvotally connected to a correspondlngsid'e of. the mam float and atthe other end with'wind' responsive means for holding the series of floats in operative relation to'the progression of the waves.

10. In'a' wave motor, a main float provided .the other end to the corresponding side of the main float,,each bar having a lateral offset, and a pitman connection between the offset of the respective bar and a respective one of vthe pumps for the actuation of the pump by the relative rise and fall of the auxiliary and main floats. t

11. In a wave motor, a main float provided with pumps, storage means into which the pumps discharge, pressure responsive means connected to the storage means, and electric generators connected to the pressure-respon- Copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressing the Gommisslon'erjof iite ntsi h i v Washington, D. (3.1 v I sive means for actuation thereby, auxiliary floats on opposite sides of the. main float bars each pivoted at one end to a middle porj tion of a respectiveauxiliary float and atthe other end-to the corres ending side of the maingfioat, each bar havmg a lateral bit- 'c set, and a pltman connection between the ofi- I set of the respective bar and a respective one of the pumps for the actuation of the u'mp by the relativerise and fall of the auxiliary and main floats, the series of floatswbeingjat provided at one end wlth anchonngmeaiis',

yieldable to the rise and fall of t-h eflo ats and: j at the other end with a saileadapted to, hold? the series of floats in properv relatioirfolfthge,"

progressive movement of the waves. 40 In testimony that I claim the foregoing a's' my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses: Y

Gno. W. NELSON, U,F. NELSON.

FRANCIS MARION N LSON;

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