CA1041872A - Fluid driven power producing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

FLUID DRIVEN POWER PRODUCING APPARATUS

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

An apparatus for generating electric current by the force of a fluid in motion. The device comprises a support structure; two substantially parallel axles positioned in an alterable vertically extending plane detachably supported by said housing and capable of rotation within the support means therefor; two substantially parallel wheels positioned on each of said axles and the wheels on one axle being in substantially the same vertically extending Planes as the wheels on the other axle; two belts, one of which connects the two wheels in one plane and the other belt connects the other two wheels in the other plane; and a series of blades each one of which is detachably connected at the opposite ends thereof respectively to the two belts. In operation.
fluid entering a second stage of a two-staged cascaded flow device consists only of fluid from the exhaust of the first stage of such device.

Description

~041~72 F I ELD OF I NVENT I ON

The ~resent invention relates in general to fluid flow and particularly to the converfiion of a fluid in motion to electrical energy by an apparatus herein described.
The energy cri8i8 ~ the 1970's presents a r~al challenge to man. The p~esent invention provide~ one solu-tion to a facet of this e~ergy crisi~. In general, the pre-sent invention provides a fluid drivan power producing appa-ratus which takes advantage of naturally occurring fluids in m~tion and converts such motion into mechanical energy which in turn may be converted into electrical energy. This con-version is accomplished by a ~eries of blades which rotate in an alterable vertically ascending and descending manner via mean~.of two belts, two pairs of wheels positioned one pa~E Q~ ~ch qn two sep~rate axle~ and a housing fQr structural and ~uid flow alignmen~ purpose~. Such ratation is used to power a genRratar. This avQrall apparatus is more specifiçally desc~ibed hereina~ter.

', ~

~ j BACKGROUND OF T~IE INVENTION

2 Wind and water motion producing machines have been around for several hundred years. We are all quite familiar with the 4 hundreds of windmills that dot the landscape of the Netherlands.
6 In considering wind power and water power producing ~ apparatuses, one should recognize that there are two distinct 7 types of operation involved. They are lift and drag. These ter~s 8 refer to the motion involved in the apparatuses operations.
~ lln a lift device, the reaction to the wind energy is at riaht 10 langles to the fluid flow, while in a drag apparatus it is not.
~1 In a drag device the appa~atus responds parallel to the direction 1~ of the flow . If the fluid is flowing horizontally, it is seen the movement of the apparatus iq horizontally. I~ the fluid is moving at another ~ngle, then the apparatus moveq at such angle.
In a lift based device, such as the instant one, the resultant ~qlllreaction force that transpires is at 90 to the vector of the rel-ative fluid flow. By the term relative fluid flow, it is meant 8 ~ithe sector of the fluid fl~w as seen by an aix foil.
i It i~ well unde~stood that a device constructed to operate in a drag configuration wil~ have little o~ no operative capability a~ 'in a lift confisuration and vice-versa. Thus jet airplanes work ~ 'on a lift principle and ~ttemptS to make them work in drag should 23 'ifail. On the other hand~ i~ a lift operating machine is place in 24 a plane parallel to the fl~id flow, it should stop operatina.
2~ In addition to the patents p~eviously recited, the 2~ ,,applicant herein ip also f~miliar with such patents as that of a7iDoak, 1~502,296,which oPerates in a drag configuration.

~8 i A water operative devi~e known to applicant i8 disclosed in Swisfi patent 313850 to ~berha~d, In that device the blades that ~0 ;contribute to power output travel qoncurrently with the vector of 31 the fluid flow 50% of the ti~e and during quch time contribute to 32 power output . In the 2nd operAtional _tage they move counter the flo~

~ -3_ _._ .. ... , , , , ;, , . . . , . , . , . ;

~04~8r72 1 As will be seen from the discussion herein,the apparatus of the 2 instant invention is able to operate effectively with fluid S flowing in a vector from either face, such as in a tidal flo~
~ basin, a fact which could not transpire in the ~berhard unit.
6 Another patent known to applicant is that of Mance, ~ 763,623, i~sued in 1904. In that patent, the foils in the second 7 stage are so situated as to receive direct input of fluid as 8 llwell as fluid directed from the ~ront foils after glancing off 9 ~of same. The instant apparatus operates significantly more effectively in that the second stage of the instant apparatus 11 ~utilizes only fluid from the first stage as the operating fluid for the ~econd stage. Nance suffers from a turbulent confluence 1~ of the air that is influenced by one foil to the next foil,due to 1~ ~,the disruptionof the laminar flow of fluid. Nance further suffers 1~ Ifrom the fact that with his two streams of fluid, instead of 1~ working together,by becoming confluent, they are disrupted and ~7 Iagitated, causing a confuged fluid environment when the two 18 Istreams 8trike each other,at the second stage. --~ Th~ priar art considered in conjunction with the 20 ~lpreparation o~ the presen~ specification is as follows: U.S.
2,542,522~ U.S. 2~939,017; U.S. 3~22~,533; U.S. 3~473,038 22 U.S. 3,513,326, U.S. 3,720~840; U.S, 3,740,565; and U.S.
25 l,3,743,848. All of these prior art ~ublications are to be ~4 l~con~idered as inco~porated in toto herein by reference.

~ ,' 28, ` ;

~0 1 ' 51 , .. .
'''' ' '' ' ' ~7 - - - - -10~8~72 1 ~; SUMMARY OF THE;~ INVENTION
2 The present invention includes a hou~ing havin~ axles positioned and supported in said housing parallel to each other.
Two of these are the minimum required and these are interconnected by tension bound belts as shall be described hereinafter,which are situated in the same horizontal extending plane.There ma~
~ also be employed additional axles or axle portions interposed 8 between the two terminal axles or axle portions. A series of 9 `blades are detachably and adjustably connected to said belts hy 10 ihinges or other attachment mean~ positioned at the midpoint of ~1 Ithe chord of said blade~. The~e blades ,also referred to as foils ~2 Ijare designed according to fluid dynamic principles, and are ~5 ,~sltuated with respect to eaoh other on said belts as to be ~ parallel to each other and at ri~ht angles to the belts. Since the belts define a pair of parallel continuous loops, it is seen ~ that there i~ formed a first driving stage ~nd a second return 17 Il ~tage of said apparatu~,whe~ein the blades are oriented 18 l,pa~allel to the laminar flow of the fluid entering said device.
19 ~ There i~ thus formed a two-staged hydrofoil or airfoil, dep~nding upon the operatio~al environment,which depends upon 21 foil area for it~ lift coefficient, the number and spacing of the 22l~faila ~nd the fluid velocity among other factors for its ~5 operation. ~t is to be seen that the instant apparatus permits 24 , maximum use of th~ coefficient of lift variable in the power 2~ jconversion farmula for fluids in motion, ~ ~s ~urther seen from 2~!l the discussion of the pri~ art and the general description of the a7 i apparatu~ th~t thi~ is the fir~t liftin~ t~anslating device 28'~ to be articulated ~t both ends of t~e lift members.
:~9 li ,j i ~0 32 ~

, : .. ......... .. ... .. .. . . . .. . .. . .. .. ... .. ... . . . . .. .

~7~
Accordi"gly, one object of the prcsent invention is th~ provision of an apparatus ~hich throu~h the arranye-m~nt of the blades, stators, shroud, cou~les, belts, wheels, axles, and housing (frame) provides a means for po~itioning the blades, in a first stage, optimally oriented with the pattern of fluid dynamics and with each oth~r such that the fluid movement i~ caused to exert a maximum lifting (in this case for gaseous fluids) or driving (in this case for liquid fluids) reaction force for a certain portion of the power rotating cycle and for al~o kee~ing the planes of the returning blades ~invQrted-herein designated as the second stage) sub-stanti~lly Qriented to the patterns af fluid dynamics o~ the fluid exhau~t or di~charge from the first stage with the re~ult that the blades are ret~rned to the primary power ( firEt stage) fluid driven position with not only a minumum ~f fluid opposition but al80 ~i~h a positive ~eaction force exerted as derived from the flUid dynamics of the first stage exhaust or discharge fluid on the ~econd stage.
Another ob~ect of the p~esent invention is the provi-~ion of a fluid tunn-el QX fluid "scoop inlet" which provides for directing~ accelerating and concentrating the fluid ~n motion upon the blados which are delivering ~ower to thc y~tem.
Anothar object Qf the p~esent invention i5 to provide ~n 4pp~r4tu~ of the type de8¢ri~ed herein which is ~imple i~
~ ign~ i~4xy~nsive to manufacture, rugged in construc~an, e~y ~o u~e ~ efficie~t i~ op~ratian.
Oth~r advAntag~s ~f the present inYenti~n will ke app~rent to tho~e famili4~ with the a~t ~rom the following db~a~iption ~nd ~y referenc~ tq t~e drawings wherein like nu~.ber~ ~e~ignate like parts.

Figure 1 i5 a ~ ~oss-section view of the apparatus of the present inventionS
Figure 2 is a front-sectional view along the line 2-2 of the entire upper portion of the apparatus partially shown in figure l;
Figure 3 is an enlarged partial view of the attachment of the blade to the belt;
Figure 4 is an enlarged view of another embodiment of the present invention and comp.rising a chain-type structure as the belt, as will be described in detail hereinafter.
~ igure S is a perspective view of an apparatus within the scope of this invention,but a different embodiment than that of Figure 1, Figure 6 is a fragmented per.~pective view of another embodiment of the instant l~vention.

_7_ 1041~7Z
While perspective views of invention embodiments are shown in Fig. 5 and 6, general discussion of the invention is based upon ~igs. 1 ~ 2. T~ing to the drawings and particularly Figures 1 and 2, there is shown the overall apparatus 2 of the present invention. Particularly, this apparatus 2 comprises A pal~
of inverted Y shaped members 4 and 5 having interconnecti~
and support means 6, 8 and 10 therebetween and which all collectively constitute a hou~ing for the other portion of ~aid apparatu~. Further support means can be utilized if one so desires including features permitting r~ady adjustment of the inclination of the plane of the two axles 16 and 18, and movement of the entire apparatus on it9 base to provide any desired align~ent of the apparatus with the energy souxce fluid;
however, there i~ no criticality attached to the configuration of the ~upporting members. It is to be understood that there is no criticality t4 be attached to the type of materials ~f construction.
Within said housing, th,~re are positioned, two pair af substantially parallel whee~s 12 and 13 and 14 (nat shown) an~ 15 whlch are detachably connected respectively to axles 16 ~nd 18, i.e, two wheels are ~qsitioned on substantially opposite en~s of axle 16 and the other two wheel~ are positioned on sub~tanti~lly oppasite ends of axle 18. It is to be under-stood ~s n~ted $n Pi~ure 1 that one wheel 13 on axle 16 and one ~heel lS on ~xle 18 ~re in subs~antially the ~ame vertically extending pla~e. Likewis~, whee~ 12 on axle 16 and wheel 14 (nqt shown) on axle 18 are also in substantiall,v the same -a-.

~0~187Z
vertically ext~nding plano, ~ut in ~ fer~nt plane th,~n that mentioned above with reference to w~leels 13 and 15.
It is to be unders~ood that the particular type of conficJura-tion or size of the wheels is not critical so lon~
as such wheels function in the manner hereinafter described.
Preferably, however, the perimeter of each wheel has a V or u shaped cross section for use with V or round shaped belts, or toothed for u~e with a chain type belt, or otherwise mo~ified to optimally accomodate the transmission of power from the belts to the axles.
The axle~ 16 and 18 are detachably supported by said housing and are substantially horizontally positioned and are substantially parallel to each other, one being positioned above the other in a substantially alterable ve~tically e~tendlng plane. ~egarding axle 16, this is supported by said housing via a pair of tension-bound slidable memhers 20 a~ 21 contiguous with the upper portion of the inverted Y
member~ ~ and 5. Such members 20 and 21 are so constructed to receive axle ~6 and permit r~tation therein. Members 20 and 21 slide in a contiguous manner via the use of springs 28 and 29 which respectively connect members 20 and 21 with ~uppo~t member 6 via hooks 30 a~d 32 and 31 and 33. The ten~ion per 8e ifi provided by the length of the belts 34 and 36 which ~or.nect the wheels, Furthermore, members 20 and 21 are maintained in th~ cantiguous relationship with Y sh4ped members 4 and 5 via t~e use of guide members 24, 25, 26 and 27 and ~4a, 25a, 26a a~d 27a. While these guide members a~e shown in a~ L type ~hape and the ten~ion is establi hed between the belts, spri~yY, block~ and hqok-up har~ware by ar~an~ment~ ~ shown, it is within the scope o~ the present inVention that othe~ type co~figu~ation~ can be used so long a8 the de~ired end re~ult 1~ a¢hi~v~d~

_g_ ~04~87.~
Referring to axle 18, this is supported by a pair of substantially u shaped members 22 and 23 (not shown) and which are respectfully located on one "arm" of the inverted Y shaped members 4 and 5. While members 22 and 23 are shown in a u shaped cross-section, it is to be understood that it is within the scope of the present invention that these members 22 and 23 can be of any cross sectional area or design as long as they function as a means to hold axle 18 and permit rotation thereof, and could be modified if so desired to regulate the tension of the belts 34 and 36.
Axles 16 and 18 are preferably circular in cross-sectional area and threaded so as to permit the wheels to be "locked" therein by means of washers and nuts. However, other means can be utilized and it is within theiscope of the present invention to include mechanical equivalents thereof.
~he term axle also includes portions sized for wheel holding & mountable. Referring again to Figures 1 and 2, it will be noted that the pairs of wheels 12 and 13 and 14 and 15 are respectively in sub-stantially the same vertically extending planes and are connected to each other by belts 34 and 36.
It is to be understood that the term "belt" as used herein encompasses flexible, ~ami-flexible, and non-flexible material which can also have any cross-sec-tional configuration as long as it is adaptable to the pPrimeter cross-sectional configuration of wheels 12,13,14 and 15. Furthermore, it is to be ~nderstood that this belt can be constructed of any material ~'- 10 -1~)4~372 such as rubber, cloth, synthetic fibers, metallic fibers, metal in chain formation or otherwise such as that shown in Figure 4 (hereinafter discussed), and the like. It is to be understood that the materials of construction are not critical tG the present invention apparatus.
One preferred cross-section configuration of said belt is circular.

.. .... ...

- lOa -, " . . ,: ., .: , ~04187Z
Detachably and adjustably connected to bel-ts 34 and 36 are a series of blades 38 (38a shows th~ blades in the first stage, fluid input, position and 38b shows the blades in second, fluid exhaust or discharge,position) which comprise a substantially elongated concavoconvex shaped member. In general, these blades have a surface area (including variability of area as by reefing), leading and trailing edge, arcing cross-section configur-ations, orientation in space, and spacing between ad-jacent blades which are prescribed according to fluid dynamic principles. For exempary purposes only, such members may have cross-sections of configurations of cylindrical, ellipical, parabolic and hyperparabolic concanoconvexes. It is within the scope of the present invention that such blades can have any cross-sectional configuration so long as when fluid in motion moves across the surface thereof, there is imparted lift or drive on said blade. It is to be understood that such blades when dynamically shapedland positioned for use in gaseous fluid energy transformation would be properly termed "airfoils", and when dynamically designed for use in a liquid fluid, such configurations would be termed impellers.
Referring to Figure 3, this shows an enlarged view~
of a portion of one of the belts having affixed thereto blade 38(as shown in partial view). Specifically, blade 38 has connecting member 40 passing through the outermost extremity thereof and being in a substantially U shaped cross-section having outward extending arms ,li which lie within substantially the same plane. The opposite ends of connecting member 40 are attached to . .
.

109~372 -the belt by means of fasteners 42 and 44 which comprise individual members respectively containing a perforation or hole therein. These fasteners permit the insertion of connecting member 40 which is also slightly curved on the uppermost ends thereof in order to permit insertion thereof in the respective fastener and keep it in place during opera-- lla -. .

1~4113172 ,,,ation of the overall apparatus. Whi]e fasteners 42 and 44 are shown (F'igure 3) in an L shped conf`iguration, it is to be understood that other type fasteners of similar or unlike configurations can be employed. For example, belt and blade could also utilize "snaps" (with male-female type joints) to provide the detachable connecting means and means for automatically attaching and removing the blades or ad~justing the pitch of the blades while either stationa~y or in motion.
Figure 4 encompasses another embodiment of the pres-ent invention and specifically relates to a different type of belt 82 which comprieses a chain link having fas~eners 86 and 88 positioned thereon and adopted to accept the outermost extremeties of connecting member 84 in a similar fashion as that set fo~th in the discussion regarding Figure 3 above. The connecting member 84 in turn is adopted to support blade 80 as shown in Figure 4 and as equivalently shown in cross section of Figure 3.
As mentioned hereinbefore, these belts can be of any type of configuration as long as they are adaptable to be used with the wheels positioned on the axles 16 and 18.
Referring again to Figures 3 and 4, it is to be noted that members 40 and 84 are shown with a sub-stantially U shaped cross-section with outwardly ex-tending extremeties. This type of configuration is not critical and other types of cros-section configurations can be utilized in order to detachably affix the blade to the belt. Furthermore, it is also within the scope of the present that the fasteners as shown in Figure 4 are not critical and any other type fastener can be utilized which would be functionally equivalent to those herein shown.

, , ~, ,, ' , ' ' 10~1~7;~
Figure 5 pertains to another embodiment of the instant Schneider apparatus. Hereto the apparatus comprises a pair of inverted Y shaped members 4 and 5 having in~erconnectincJ and support means 6,8, and 10 therebetween as well as members 100 and 101 interconnecting 8 and 10 along the bottom of said device. ~heels 13 are seen to contain a plurality of spokes which extend~and radiate from the bore area for the axle to the outer edge of the wheels 12,13,14 & 15. Foils 38 (blades) are seen to have spars 103, the number thereof not being critical considered unto itself,as well a~ leading edge members 104 and trailing edge members 105, The articulation mea~s for said foils can be any of those previously recited and shown herein as well as others within the ~kill of the arti~an. It is seen that this embodiment utilizes neither stator6 11, nor a shroud 90.
The embodiment of Figure 6 employs a modified V shaped structure as the housing wherein member 107 is ~een to be a sub-stantially vertical member , connected to a companion member in the same vertical plane ~ut ~ot shown in this view 107a, by support means 6. Bottom member 100 i5 seen to interconnect with vertical member 107 and extend ~eyond same. Corresponding bottom memberlOl,not seen is ~oined to 100 by support means 8. Optionally a front crossmember 10 may be e~ployed. Inclined member 116 is seen to connect 107 at one extreme a~d bottom member 100, thereby forming a triangular assembly. In this embodiment only axle stubs lha and 18a are employed rather than full axles across the diameter of the apparatus. These- axle stubs conStitute the axles upon which are det~chably aonnected wheels 13 and 15 on the terminal portions thereof. Wheels 12 and 14 both ~ot 8how~ are similarly mounted on axle stubs 16b and 18b ~ not sh~wn. Naturally wheel 12 on stub 16b and wheel 14 on ~tUb 18b arç in substa~tially the same vertically extendi~g p~ane/ and ~tube 16a and 18a with their wheels 13 ~ 15 are also in sub~antially the ~ame vertically exte~ding plane,but in a different one from that ~or wheels 12 & 14, 1041~372 In this embodiment there are also employed in-terior axle stubs 109, lO9a not shown a..d 110 and llOa not shown.
These are suitably mounted in inclined member 116 by hardware assemblies 113 and 114, which assemblies are also employed for the mounting axle stubs 16a and 18a. In-terior axle stubs 109 & 110 are suitably positioned be-tween the outer axle stubs 16a and 18a, and are employed to aid belt 34 to maintain its desired configuration of a loop by preventing sag thereby ensuring smoother opera-tion of the device. Tension is established between the belts, and axles, by suitable positioning of the mount-ing hardware assemblies 113 and 114 for the exterior axle stubs. Further discussion on the belts and wheels may be had by reference to the discussion of the embodi-ment of Fig. 1. The detachably sypported axle st~bs are positioned with respect to each other in like manner as in Fig. 1 differing only in their mounting means as discussed above.
Detachably and adjustably connected to belts 34 and 36 (shown only in the embodiment of Fig. 5) are a plur-ality of foils (blades)38a. Those depeicted to the left of inclined member 1~6 are ir. the first stage, the pri-mary stage, and those to the right are in the return stage, but still power producing. These blades are -designated 38a due to the different configuration from those of Fig. l's foil 38. While referred to above as belt 34, in point of fact this embodiment employs a chain 82 similar to that of Fig. 4, on which are detachably , connected the blades. To simplify the drawing, not all of the blades that one would emply are depicted in this Figure. These blades however, similar to those of FIG. 1 have arcing cross-section, spatial orientation, ~ - 14 -,, , .

leading and trailing edges and are designed according to fluid dynamics in like manner as those of the embodiment of Fig. 1 and as discussed wlsewhere herein. Said foils 38a are articulated on both ends (one end not viewable in this drawing) by articulation means 108 to said chain 82. The articulation means can be the mode of Fig. 4 or any other capable of producing the desired result No. 1~ , power takeup wheel is also toothed for transferring power by a chain from said device to a generator (not shown).

- 14a - -,,,,,,, , , .' ' :

10~1~72 Power takeup wheel 11~ is detachably mounted upon an extension of axle stub 16a, external to said inclined member 116,by means known to the art, Interior wheels 111 and 112 are seen to be of similar diameter as those external, namely 13 and 15. Due to the tension applied to the chain 84, it is seen that said chain engages both the internal and external wheels at all times.

1041~72 Again with reference to the drawings it is seen that 2 foils 38 and 80 of FIG~ 3 6 4 respectively are aliqned at right angles to the tensed belts 34. See ~pecifically FI~.2 where ;,it is also seen that the foils are articulated at both ends at the mid-point of the chord length.the preferred articulation point, Returning to FIG. 1, it i8 seen that within the housin~
~there are but two axles,between the tensed belts, namely one lat the top and one at the bottom. As indicated previously, it is g within the scope of the invention to employ additional axles 1 `or axle portions supported within the housing and positioned 11 between the belts in axial alignment therewith to serve as guide members for the moving belts. It i8 further to ~e seen that it is not necessary to employ full axles such as 16 where axles are used, since axle portions which are discontinuous, as opposed to the Iunified structure of an axle e.g. 16 positioned at the axes of 1~ 'wheels 12,13,14 and 15 apd supported by the housing, detachably i7 will suffice,so long a8 the plurality of axle portions 18 ;are subqtantially horizontally positioned and 18 are substantially parallel to each other in a pair of horizontal and vertical plane~,similar to axles 15 6 16. Note Fig. 6 for example.

.! It is seen that si~ce the course travelled by the moving 21 li~ I
belts is an oval, that the,re are in fact p~eæent two stages of moving foils. The first ~tage is that face of the apparatus to have the initial impact of the moVing fluid. This stage is called 2~ the driving stage. In this ~tage, depending upon the angle of ~ 'incidence of the fluid, th~ foils will either risq or fall. In the 2~ ~econd ~tage, which is th~ return stage, the foils move in the 28 opposite direction 8uch a~ ~a co~tinue the loop orbit movement of 49 the blades and belts. For the greatest portion of the coursetra~ele~

~in both the ~tages,Up8tream and down6trea~, ~he chords of the foil~

5~ are dlspofied parallel to the veator of the fluid flow with the resul-32 tant lift force being 90~ to the relatiue fluid flow vector.

. .
. '1 , I
.. . . . . . . .. . .. . ... . . .

11~)4~37Z
In operation, the present invention apparatus, asse-bled as shown in Figures 1 to 6 is designed and positioned for use in gaseous fluid energy transformation so that the fluid in motion such as air proceeds in the direction as shown by arrows 46 in Figure 1. As the fluid passes over the convexly curved surface of the blades, (in this ca~e properly termed airfoils-in the first stage position 38a) there is imparted a lift reaction force on said blades and which produces a quasi-counterclosckwise motion to belts 34 and 36 and a counterclockwise movement to wheels 12, 13, 14 and 15 and axles 16 and 18. Vanes 11, posi-tioned at an appropriate fluid dynamic angle in relation to the fluid exhaust from the first stage blades perform the function of'~tabilizing" and ~'focusing" such exhaust fluid onto the concave su~face of the second stage blades (38b) to impart a second (lift) reaction force effected -via movement of the second stage blades and which lift reaction force is additive tot he `lift reaction force im-parted to the first stage blades.
It is to be understood that while the above dis-cussion has been directed in general to use of the pre-sent invention apparatus in a gaseous fluid such as air, -: -said apparatus can also be effectively used in a liquid fluid system sych as water via minor modifications thereo.
For example, blades 38a (first stage) can be so positioned on the belts so as to have the liquid fluid impart an -impluse or drive force theron. The blades per se, for eKample, can be substantially solid, concavocovex members whereby the upper cross-sectional and leading edge is higher than the lower trailin~ edge, in relation ~r - 17 -.: ,. , ~ , :
, 10~1872 to the angle of impact of the liquid in motion. Such modifications are to be considered as within the scope of the present invention.

- 17a -',' ' lO~lB7;~
1 The blade~ or foils employed in this invention ~re designe~
2 fluid dynamically. That i8 to say those intended for water operatiOn are designed to operate best in water and those intended for air operation are aerodynamically deslgned. Thus water configured blades are different from air designed blades. ~owever the oper-ation of both in the instant device is such that these 7 high lift configuration foils operate in the same manner in 8 either environment. The foils are spaced, and oriented within the g ;apparatus such that all of the flow of fluid entering the second 10 ; stage of operation i6 made up of fluid which has interacted 11 dynamically with the foils of the first stage.
It is further to be seen that while an inverted Y-shaped 13 ll structure has been disclosed as the housing for the operative 1~ portions of the device, that no criticality is attached to the 1~ housing, Thus it can be H-shaped or any other shape acceptable IB I to a design engineer to hold the axles,wheels, belts and foils lq ~Iconstit~ting the ope~ative portion of the apparatus. In this 18 ,same vein, while wood may suffice for air operation, rust proof metal is preferred for-a water situat~d housing, It is also seen th~t the mode Or articulation has little or ~1 no effect upon the operatipn of the device. The articulation fashion 2~ Ican howeve~ influence the ~elative positioning ofthe foils in each 2~ of the two stages of operation. It is within ~he scope of this 2~~invention to articulate the blades such that when those of the 2~ first stage reach the top arc section of the loop that the top ~ surface of any ~oil in the d~ive mode is either reversed and be-a~ comes the bottom ~urface in the retUrn mode, or is balanced such 28 that the top surface of.a drive foil remains as the top surface j~ in a retur~ foil~ simulating the movement of a ferris wheel gondola?

3~ Needless to ~ay, the ~ra~itio~ of a blade from 2nd stage back to 3~ first ~tage would take place in like manner as from drive to return ~2 _ ... . .... . .. . . . .. .

~4187Z
~ Two accessories that contribute to improved performance, but 2 which are not essential for operation of the devi~e are stators 3 and a shroud. While the use of stators is old per se, it is to be noted that stators are used in this invention not to conform the ambient air or water to the configuration of the device, but ~, rather to help the device conform to the ambient air such as to 7 achieve the re-establishment of laminar flow and the subsequent 8 re-re-establishment thereof upon exit of the fluid from the 9 second stage. Thus it is seen that the stators are also to be designed according to fluid dynamic principles if they are to ll ,be employed.
12ll The use of a shroud is seen to accelerate the fluid movement such that one can achieve a m~re efficient energy transformation due to the exponential relationship of velocity to energy. It serves to accelerate the ~elocity of the fluid as it interacts wit~
the device, The shrowd provides venting of some of the fluid that ~asses into the fir~t ~tage whereby it can exhaust laterally out of the first stage and thu~ pasfi around the seaond stage. It is seen 19 'that as the quantUm of fluid interacts with the first stage, there 20 i~ a resultant decrease in velocity,which fact gives ri~e to energy transformation~and thiS creates a need for effective fluid 22,lexhaustion or diffusion as the fluid ,since not all of fluid that a3 exits from the first stage passes thru the ~çcond stage. However, 24~as indicated before, only flUid that has pa~ed through the first &~ stage, enters the second stage. Though the device will function a~ suçcessfully witho~t a shrawd, efficiency is increased with it.
~7 While it ~ay be pos~i~le to attach t~e foils to the belts 2~1I that are para~lel, in an askew manne~ and ~till achieve the desi~e~
2i,~ fl~id ~ynamic condi~ion oi all of the stag~ two fluid consi ting ., !
30 !l only o~ exh~u~t from ~tagÇ ~ne,it i~ preferred that the axi~ of 3~ thç ~ils between attachme~t (detach~ble connections) be 90 to b~th bol~.
., ' , .. ... . . . . . . .

~041~7Z
Another embodiment of the present inventlon is the pxovision of a ~luid dynamic shroud 90 and 92 (or "fluid ~oop inlet") attached at least to the front portion of the i.nverted Y shaped member in order to "f~nnel" the fluid to the present invention apparatu~. ~uch a shroud can take the form of any configuration as lon~ as the desired fluid dynamic end result i6 achieved, Typical designs for such shrouds that can be employed include those disclosed in U.S. 3,720,840 (Figure 1, member 4), U.S~ 2,5~,522 ~Figure 1, member 16), and U.S. 3,740,565 (Figure 1, member 16).

-2~

In view ofi'the above subject matter then, a preferred embodiment prov~des an apparatus for use in converting the knietic energy of an accelerated fluid into electrical energy whi,ch comprises (a) a housing;
(b) two substantially parallel axles detachably supported by said housing and capable of rotation within the support means therefor; (c) two substantially parallel wheels positioned on each of said axles and the wheels on one axle being in substantially the same vertically extend-ing planes as the wheels on the other axle; (d) two b~lts one of which connects the two wheels in the one plane and the other belt connects the other two wheels in the ohter plane; and (e) a series of fluid dynamically designed blades each one of which is detachably connected at 'tbe~opposite ends thereof respectively to the tw~
belts. Furthermore, the housing comprises two substan-tially inverted Y shaped member and connecting members therefor and includes a base member adapted to maintain proper alignment of said apparatus with the energy source fluid. There is also provided means whereby said parallel axles can be in a substantially horizontal position and/or in a substantially vertical extending plane, and which can be suitable alterable in an~le of inclination so as to control the overall vertical angle of the apparatus with relation to the flow of the energy service fluid.
This angle of the plane of the axles may be suitable altered by providing means to alter the geometric align-ment of the support housing componentt.~ In this embodiment, one of the support means for one of the axles comprises a pair of tension-bound, ~ - 21 -1~J4187Z
positioned at the top portion of said inverted Y shaped member. Regarding the wheels, the outer perimeter there-of can be either ~ubstantially V shaped in cross-section or U shaped in cross-section. In conjunction with the blade this comprises a substantially elongated concavo-convex member which has a space orientation, surface area, leading and ~ ' ' ' ' ':

- 21a -`~,.
,.. .

' ::.

~041872 trailing edge, and arcing cross-section configuration designed accoring to fluid dynamic principles and the blades are detachably connected to the belts by means of fasteners and couplers suitable for attaching,de-taching, adjusting pitch angle and otherwise controlling the position of the blades in relation to the bel~s. In close relationship to the blades there are stator vanes attached to the housing and so positioned thereon so as to impart a stabilizing and focusing effect on the fluid in motion as it traverses the apparatus. In the front of the apparatus there is provided a shroud detachably connected to ~he housing and which shroud imparts fluid dynamic acceleration and flow of fluid into, thrDugh and out of said apparatus to effect energy transformation.
It is important to note that the blades can have a cross-section configuration designed according to either gaseos fluid dynamic principles or liquid fluid dynamic principles This embodiment provides means so that the combination of axles, wheels and belts project two planes substantially paralle~ to and substantially equidistant from each side of the plane of the two axlesJand the planes parallel to -the plane of the two axles together with the cylindrical arcs formed by the portion of the belts in contact with the wheels form the cause for the travel of the blades.
In another embodiment of the present invention, there -is provided an apparatus for use in converting the kinetic energy of an accelerated fluid into electrical energy --which comprises (a) a housing which comprises two sub-stantially inverted Y shaped members and connecting - -~
members therefo~; (b) two substantially horizontal ~ .,, . . . ' ,: '" :' .'': , ,: ,,:,.... .
,, ,, .. .. -. , ,, .. , . ~ -, . .. .
~ ,',,~, .~ J~",, ' , , ~ ." :, ,,, ~ .

parallel axles detachably supported by the housing and capable of rotation within the support means therefor and having a circular cross-section configuration; . -~,: ."' ' ',:, ' - , .
,~ . - .

',' ~'-' ' .' ~ , . ':
. , ,- :-. -- 22a -,'' ' ' : , :

~ , .. .
, , -,"' ' ''"'' "' , :- : . -,, ,- '', . :.
, ... . . . . . ....... .

~041872 (c) two substantially parallel wheels positioned on each of the axles and the wheels on one axle being in substan-tially the same vertically extending planes as the wheels on the other axle; (d) two belts, one~of which connects the two wheels in one plane and the other belt connects the other two wheels in the other plane; and (e) a series of gaseous fluid dynamically designed blades each of which is detachably connected at the opposite en~ thereof re-spectfully to the two belts. In this embodiment, one of the support means for one of the axles comprises a pair of tension-bound, movable members positioned at ~ither end of said inverted Y shaped members and each of the wheels comprises an outer perimeter which is substantiall~
V shaped in cross-section.
In a still another embodiment, the present invention :~ -provides an apparatus for use in converting the kinetic ~:
energy of an accelerated fluid into electrical energy -~
which comprises (a) a housing which comprises two sub- - -stantially inverted Y shaped members and connecting mem-bers and connecting members therefor; (b) two substan-tially horizontal parallel axles detachably supported by said housing and capable of rotation within the support ~ ~ .
means therefor and wherein one of the support means for one of said axles comprises a pair of tension-bound, movable members having springs attached thereto and :
positioned at either end of said inverted Y shaped members;
(c) two substantially parallel wheels positioned on each of ~aid axles and the wheels on one axle being in sub-stantially the same vertically entending planes as the wheels on the other axle and each of said wheels having an outer perimeter which is substantially V shaped in ~ -- ~ - 23 -" , ., ., , , , ,. . ,. , ., : ,,., , , , ;. :.;, , , 10~1872 in cross-section; (d) two belts, o~ of which connects the two wheels in one plane and the other belt connects the other two wheels in the other plane; and (e) a series of gaseous fluid dynamically designed blades each one of which is detachably connected at the opposite ends thereof respectively to the two belts.

j, ~. ,.. :, -.

- 23a - -:
'' ~"' "'' ""

~ 104~872 Regarding the above mentioned embodiments and re-ferring to Figure 1, the Y shaped members are provided with means to suitably alter the angle of inclination of the longer memeber thereof, so as to control the overal~ vertical angle of the apparatus with relation to the flow of the energy source fluid. Specifically, ~ -there are provided pivots 100 and 102 and joint 90 having slot 96 and fasteners 92 and 94, all of which permit the adjustment of said angle of inclination. It is to be understood that it is within the scope of the present invention that other mechanical equipment could be utilized in place of said pivots and adjustable joints in order to accomplish the desired end result.

, . ; ~ .
, " : ,, , -, ~ 1041~7Z
1 This is a t7~o-staged cascaded flow hydrofoil or airfoil, ~hich 2 depends upon foil area for its lift coefficient, some dra~
3 I coefficient, the number o~ and spacing of the foils and fluid ~ velocity as its primary governing operation actors. Most 6 ' important of all these is the fact that the instant app~atu~
e 1l permits the maximum use of t~e coeff$cient of llft variable in ,,.,.~
q the power conversion formula for fluids in motion. Thus, if one a 'I assumes appropriate s~iacing of foils by fluid mechanics determi-~ 1 nations, such that one can calcul~te lift, it is C~een that the 10 1 lift performance available from said power conversian formula is:
= C~ t~) AVRaN where L = lift force t coefficient I ~ = foil are,a (hydro-or air-) N, VR~ g and g i9 ~luid density There is al9Q a hydrodynami~i drag force present, = CD(~)~VR2 0 ll 2g i! I
which actually contributeE tq the power outPut at thç one end of ~' -the ~chnei~er apparatua ~ ~hich the foil i~, ~urning over the axle anq traYeli~s downstr~ With the dire~tion fluid current flo~ ~hile at th~ p~ t@ e~d it i~ shielded rom the fluid ~low 1 to requc~ ~rag.
a~ 1 In the Sch~ç,id,e~ ~F~ar~us, in both the first and second 2~ 1l stages~ fQilc (hydro or ai~) are d~iven substantially at right 1l angles to the flui~ w vectQr, rat~er than in line with the ' I
e¢tor o~ fluidi ~low as i~ p~iox a~t deyices 7 T~e two stages travel in pd~ el pl~q~ ~y~ a ~o~t~nuaus lo~p course in this ~ vention, ~u~h that ~s~ lly ~o~ the e~ti~ up~t~eam and 2~ '~ downst~eam sta~e~ in~ a~n~ ~a~ g ~ascades) the chords of thel i fo~ls are di~p~ed p~ral~-l t~ ~he ve~tqr a~ the ~uid flow, withI :
~q jj the ~e~41tant li~t ~!Q~ce bei4~ at ~ight angle~ to the relative ', ,, ,,,,!, .. . . .

. . .
,.. ... .. .. ... .. .. . . . ..
. .
;, .. . . ..

104~87Z
~ fluid flow velocity vector. Thu~, it should be noted that the 2 ' Schneider apparatus is designed to have the maximum possible S I lift-to-drag ratio.

~ , In the Schneider apparatus, the momentum exchange between 6 ,, the fluid ~low and the foils (hydro- ox air-) is designed to be ~ 1l accomplished in both the first gtage and the second stage such 7 1,' that fqils (hydro- or air-) contribute to power output through-` out most of their full cycle. In the Schneider apparatus, the 9 foils (hydro- or air-) are traveling at essentially right angles 10 ,I to the vQcto ~ ~ ~luid flcw in b~th the first and second stages while in many pri~r art apparatuses the foils are traveling with the ~luid flow in Qne ~tage and countar the flow in the anala-3 ¦¦ gous second stage. This ~aat i8 the basis of ~he Schneiderapparatus being able to o~erate e~sentially as effectively with flUid flowing i~ a vector ~rQm eith~r ~ace, such as in a tidal ~B 1¦ flow ba~in, ~7 li The blades or foils aXe cambered to create a high IFT
! reaction fQrc~ T,his ~yp~ o~ fluid dynamically designed con- ,1 figu~atiq~ h minima~ drag enables the instant a~paratu- to ~Q jl achieve the efficienQy it ~s a~q t~ pe op~rative when designed r air a~ tho flUiq~ at wind speeds as low as 4 m~ph. It i~, of cours~ u~d~rstQod the fluid dynamic desig~ i6 greatly influenced a3 1!- by the nature of the flUid a~ t,he envi~pnment o~ operation, and ¦¦ as such whilo ~oth mode~ xe~ui~ ~igh lift camber design, that'~oils P~ed ~o~ wa~er will di~ex f~om ~ho~eused ~or air. T~e ability Z~ ! t~ de~ign ~Uch ~oil~ is wl~hi~ the skill o~ the art, a7l Due in part ~o ~hè de~ign~ being e,m,pl~yed, I ~m ablç in the i 2~¦~ r~turn mo~e to su~tan~ ly~q~ient t,h0 ~lades (foil~) to the 9 ~ attern of t~o ~lUid ~y~io~ 4~ th~ t or drive mode, - ,1 ,, , -2 : ' , " ' ~ , 1 JUgt a9 Collfiguration i8 important, 90 too is spatial 2 orientation, When one foil in the drive mode and one foil in 3 the return m~de are vi~wed as a pair, it i6 seen that their chords are situated at some point on the chain during their revolution in substantially the ~ame heri20ntal plane. While at the other points in the drive and return ~tages, the chords 7 would be in ~arallel planes with respect to each other and paral-8 ` lel to the layered flow of the fluid.
9 In this v~in, it is impoFtant to consider appropriate lli spacing ~f the foil~ around the chains, One objective ef this 11 device i8 to achieve maximum lift, minimum drag, and minimum interference of flow ~attern of any one f~il into the pattern of fluid flow ove~ the a~jacs~t mem~ers, In determining the appro-priate ~pacing af the foils a~ound the lopp formed by t~e chains ;
~ qitua~ed Qn the axles~ ~ mathem~tical a~alysis must be made - 1~1 which inco~pQr~te~ chor~ ~ength, lePgth of ch4rd, camber, angle 7,1 of attack o~ the ~luid upon th~ foil, fluid ve~ocity, transla- I
' tiQnal vel~q~y ~i thq ~luid in ~pace, ca~cade 810pe, and foil ~i ~ length the~ . Tbese ~aFt~r~ determine the optimum ~pacing 20~ b~ween ~qil~ and the spacing between the fir~t and second stage~
~ uch a~ ermit as ~m~Qth a~ ~ossibl~ d flow of fluid from t~e : ~,i fi~t sta~e ta ~he s~q4nd stage without establishing turbulence, ~5 , Wbilq the exact miathematical relatio~hip~ between the plurali~y - 2~'~ of facto~ qnumexated above have not been determined, ~till th~ i 2~ verall d~ixed ~e~ f~ a given ~et o~ speci~ications has ~ ~1 lead me to dote~in~ th~t ~he prefe~red ~odus operandi ~or the a~ ! app~atud i~ t~ haV~ tho enti~ input e~ ~luid to stage 2 ~e c~mp~1~ed of flUid ~hi~h ha~ interacted wit~ the fails af utage L
t ~ in d~ JniPitl~ ~pa~ing~ ~imi~ar fa¢torY must ke - ;- ~ on~lder~d i~ the .~nit~al de~ig~ o~ th~ ~oils to have an optimum ¦

"
,, - , ~ , -r27-J

~0418t7Z
1 coefficient of lift to drag ratio, thus among those enumerated 2 above, ~luid veloclty of the operational environment, the river's speed, or that of the air at the intended operational altitude mu~t be conside~ed.
In designing an apparatus according to this invention, ~ another aspect to be considered is the slope of the total appar-7 atus.Needless to say, it is readily seen that it can be positioned 8 at a plurality of angles vis a vis the earth or river bottom.
Slope variance sho~ld be considered in one's attempt to achieve a maximu~ coe~ficient of lift to drag ratio. The same factor~ as 1~ ' enumerated above should be considered to minimize turbulence &
1~ interferenc~Such calculations are within the skill of the art.
1~ l Previously lt ha~ been indicated that the foils are artic-14 ll ulated at both ends, In ~igure~the hlnge point was seen to be at ! the midpoint along tho chord, In point of fact, it may vary 1~ 1 therefrom, It is sele¢te~ to be dynamically effective with lr,'~ respect to the cent~ Qf li~t, The exact lacation may vary from ! the centre of li~t in Qrder to achieve the opti~um mechanical contro~ depending on'~he operational enyi~onment o~ the apparatus.
~0~ll Her~ta the d~terml~atlQn is within the ~kill of the art, Else~here he~eln it is indicated that stators pr van~ can 2~I be emplqyed t~ h~lp direct thç fluid from stage 1 to stage 2.
~5,1 While beneficial, th~y a~e not critical and may be omitted. An- I
2~'I other means tQ aid in fluid di~ection fc,ausing is to employ foils or blade~ wlth self-adjustlng angle of attach çhanging ~, mech~nisms in the bladçs ~hems~lves and the articulation means.

~,' `, . , I

" , , ,,~,, . I

,, il , , ,, ,,.,, .,,.. .. ,,,, ~ ,, , ., . ,,, .,. , .. . ... .~,, . ,, ., .. ,~.. .. ..... .... ... .. .. . . . . .
,, .

1 To recapitulate momentarily, it is seen that in 2 designing a system within the scope of the instant inven-3 tion, wherein a plurality of high lif`t foils are to be

4 utilized which foils are designed according to fluid dynamic principles, means that in establishing the 6 rel~tionships between foils, considering the factors 7 enumerated above, that the zone of influence of one foil 8 should be balanced with the zone of influence of the 9 succeeding foil. The concept of what is a zone of in-10 fluence and the pressure changes that take place within --11 a fluid system are all well known to the art and need 12 not be discussed. I-t is also known to the art to define 13 the pressure relationships surrounding any particular 14 foil, just as it is known how to determine the pressure differential on the top and bottom surfaces of a foil.
16 What I am attempting to achieve is a balanced system, 17 by maintaining a laminar flow in terms of the inter- -18 relationship between a stable laminar flow in the en- -~
19 vironment before the fluid enters the machine, and a re-establishment of the laminar flow after the altered flow 21 based on the effects of the fluid pattern associated with `
22 the foil while the fluid is passing through the Schneider `
23 apparatus's first stage and once again an interation in `-24 the second stage and a subsequent re-re-establishment of the laminar flow. -~
26 Thus it is to be seen that the quantum of air passia-g -~
27 through the plurality of air foils should be in an optimum ~
28 balance relationship with said foil~, such that one does -29 nQt have a portion of air going past the foils that is affected by any one foii, and another portion of air 31 that is not affected by any foil above or below, but 1, ~.
- 2g - ~ .

passes through in a straight laminar flow. It is this differential movement of fluid that creates intersecting fluid stream, givin~ rise to adverse results.

.,~

- 29a -, ,,, , "", , ,, , ,,,, , ~

1 Based on my understanding of these interlocking principles, I
2 determined in one embodiment of an air environment operating device which employed concavoconvex foils that spacing the foil~
~ about 1 chord length apart gave rise to quite ~atisactory laminar flow characteristics. It is seen however that 1 is not a magic ~ number. Thus if the slope of the device i8 altered, the optimum 7 ,spacing might turn out to be 1.1 chord length~ apart. By the term 8 `
chord length, I mean the digtance from leading to trailing edges 8 `
of a foil. ~he~efore it is sqen the spacing between foils is not ?1 a measured distance~ but rather a functional relation~hip whereby th~ p~ssure æope of onq~hydrofQil or air foil contributes to

5 ll the force field of th~ gùc~essive air foil,ie. the one above it, 41 a~d the one below it in the devla~.

~0 ij i 11 ,1 , ' -"

- %~ il i . .. :.

~I! !
i . .
~ i~
,. . .
~7 ii ",~
,. . "
,i I . .
~Q~

ii 1 ' 1 ~ 3q~ i i ' i -~041872 It is to be seen that even if there occurs a shift in wind direction, that fow is monitored through the apparatus within a variation of from right or left.
Aleration of wind direction of ~ 30 or so to right or left of the sector at right angles to the leading edge of the foils of first stag~ will have little or no effect on operation of the machine.
This is the first lifting translating device to be articulated at both end. As a lifting device, the power output is seen to be a function of the lift reaction force. This is incontrast to most other wind operated devices for deriving power in that they are dtag oriented. As a lifting translating device, the foils of theis invention, be theya-air or liquid (water being preferred liquid) are oriented parallel to the laminnr flow of the fluid, not at right angles thereto.
While the term housing has been utilized thDoughou~
this application, it is readily recognized that the bar~e minim~m that is needed is indeed a support structure for the axles and the remaining assemblages that constitute the invention. For this purpose, the drawings have been simiplified to show only such a support structure. It is intended therefore that the term housing connote both an elaborate high cost tower or other means to hold one or more of the two-staged cascaded devices of this inven-tion, as well as a simple support structure.
Similarily, it is seen that while in Figure 1, the - -tension bound members are at the top portion of the long -~
arm of said inverted Y shaped members, iti$s within the -skill of the art to ~ti~ze tension bound members at the lower end of said ling arm, and isa thus within the s~pe ,,,,, ,,, ,, ~ , :, . , . ,: .

104~872 of this invention to do so either by the means recited or an alternate to achieve the same result. If the housing comprises only substantially vertical main members with supports, then the tension bound members may be positioned at either end thereof.

- 31a -'. : : '. .
: - .

~04~8~2 The present invention makes it possible to utilize wind or water currents in order to generate electricity which can be used directly or via other devices, it can be stored and used as required. This invention also makes it possible to generate electricity without pol-luting the atmosphere or hydrosphere.
In connection with the generation of electricity the generator is not shown. However, a generator can be connected to either axle 16 or 18,for example, as an in-tegral configuration of the axle, or at the outer extre-meties thereof either directly or through a "belt-pulley"
system.- The èxact takeup type of mechanism for the gen-eration of electricity is not considered critical and can be accomplished by several ways such as those set forth in U.S. 2,542,522 (Figure 1, members 27,28, 29, 30 and 31) and U.S 3,222,533 (Figure 4), and which U.S.
patents are considered as incorporated herein by refe-rence. -It is further to be seen that the instant apparatus can be utilized not only for the generation of electri-city, but also for the creation of mechanical energy such as for turning a wheel or ~ther work efforts. ~ -~
It is also seen that the apparatuses can be used ~
in the plurality, with or w~thout a sharing of the side -members of the housing, depending on the decision of the ~ -archit~ct, to create a super device with a multiplicity of them positioned in axial alignment for upto a quarter mile or more measured from left to-ri$ht along a straight line.

- , ~ . ., ..................... , , . , ,. ..................... .:
,, ,, ,., ,, , , . , , .. ~ , : -la4ls 7~
The invention may be embodied in ~ther specif'ic forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustra-tive and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the -foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are thereofre intended to be embraced therein.

_ 33 - ;

, , , , ,; ,,, ,,' '' ~','', ',,''~'' ',; '','.,.,;, ',', ,., , . ", . " ~" ""~",

Claims (37)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclu-sive property or privilege is claimed are defined as fol-lows:

1. an apparatus for use in converting the kinetic energy of an accelerated fluid into mechanical or electr-ical energy and which comprises:
(a) a housing:
(b) two substantially parallel axles detachably supported by said housing and capable of rotation within the housing;
(c) two substantially parallel wheels positioned on each of said axles and the wheels on one axle being in substantially the same verti-cally extending planes as the wheels on the other axle;
(d) two belts, one of which connects the two wheels in one plane and the other belt connects the other two wheels in the other plane; and (e) a series of foils fluid dynamically designed to have a high lift configuration, each one of which is detachably connected at the opposite ends thereof respectively to the two belts, wherein (d) and (e) taken to-gether form two stages, a first drive stage and a second return stage of said apparatus, further wherein the foils are fluid dynamically designed, spaced and oriented within the apparatus such that all of the flow of fluid entering the second stage on operation of the apparatus is made up of fluid which has inter-acted dynamically with the foils of the first stage.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the housing comprises two substantially inverted Y shaped members and connecting members therefor.

- 34a -

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said housing includes a base member adapted to maintain proper align-ment of said apparatus with the energy service fluid.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said parallel axles are in a substantially horizontal position.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said parallel axles are in a substantially vertical extending plane.

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said substantially vertical extending plane is suitably alterable in angle of inclination so as to control the overall vertical angle of the apparatus with relation to the flow of the energy source fluid, such that the chord of each foil in the drive stage will be essentially parallel to the relative fluid flow vector.

7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein the angle of said plane of said axles may be suitably altered by altering the geometric alignment of the support housing components.

8, The apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein the support means for one of said axles comprises a pair of tension-bound, movable members positioned at one end of the long arm of said inverted Y-shaped members.

9. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said wheels comprises an outer perimeter which is substantially V-shaped in cross-section.

10. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said wheels comprises an outer perimeter which is substantially U-shaped in cross-section.

11. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said blade comprises a substantially elongated concavoconvex member which has a space orientation, surface area, leading and trailing edge, and arcing cross-section configuration all designed according to fluid dynamic principles to impart a lifting reaction force.

12. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said blades are detachably connected to said belts by means of fasteners and couplers suitable for attaching,detaching, adjusting pitch angle and otherwise controlling the position of the blades in relation to the belts.

13. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 and including stator vanes attached to said housing and so positioned thereon so as to impart a stabilizing and focusing effect on the fluid in motion as it traverses said apparatus.

14. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 and including a shroud detachably connected to said housing and which shroud imparts fluid dynamic acceleration and flow of fluid into, through and out of said apparatus to effect energy transformation.

15. The apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said blades have a cross-section configuration and are designed according to high lift gaseous fluid dynamic principles.

16. The apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said blades have a cross-section configuration and are designed according to liquid high lift fluid dynamic principles.

17. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the combination of axles, wheels and belts project two planes sub-stantially parallel to and substantially equidistant from each side of the plane of the two axles.

18. The apparatus as set forth in claim 17 wherein said planes parallel to the plane of the axles together with the cylindrical arcs formed by the portions of the belts in contact with the wheels form the course for the travel of the blades.

19. An apparatus for use in converting the kinetic energy of an accelerated fluid into mechanical or electrical energy and which comprises:
(a) a housing which comprises two substantially vertical parallel main members and connecting members therefor;
(b) two substantially horizontal parallel axles detachably supported by said housing and capable of rotation within the support means therefor and having a circular cross-section configuration:
(c) two substantially parallel wheels positioned on each of said axles and the wheels on one axle being in substantially the same vertically extending planes as the wheels on the other axles (d) two belts, one of which connects the two wheels in one plane and the other belt connects the other two wheels in the other plane; and (e) a series of gaseous fluid dynamically designed blades each one of which is detachably connected at the opposite ends thereof respectfully to the two belts, said blades oriented to the lift dynamics of the fluid flow, said blades defining a two staged loop whereby during operation of the apparatus only exhaust from the first stage interacts with the second stage.

20. The apparatus as set forth in claim 19 wherein the sup-port means for one of said axles comprises a pair of tension-bound, movable members positioned at the same either end of each of said main members.

21. The apparatus as set forth in claim 19 wherein each of said wheels comprises an outer perimeter which is substantially V-shaped in cross-section.

22. An apparatus for use in converting the kinetic energy of an accelerated fluid into electrical energy and which comprises:
(a) a housing which comprises two substantially in-verted Y-shaped members and connecting members therefor;

(b) two substantially horizontal parallel axles detach-ably supported by said housing and capable of rotation within the support means therefor and where-in the support means far one of said axles com-prises a pair of tension-bound, movable members having springs attached thereto and positioned at either end of the long arm of said inverted Y-shaped members;
(c) two substantially parallel wheels positioned on each of said axles and the wheels on one axle being in substantially the same vertically ex-tending planes as the wheels on the other axle and each of said wheels having an outer perimeter which is substantially V-shaped in cross-section.
(d) two belts, one of which connects the two wheels in one plane and the other belt connects the other two wheels in the other plane; and (e) a series of high lift fluid dynamically designed foils each one of which is detachably connected at the opposite ends thereof respectively to the two belts; wherein (d) and (e) taken together form two stages, a first drive stage and a second return stage of said apparatus, wherein the foils are spaced and oriented such that all of the fluid entering the second stage during operation of the apparatus consists of fluid which has exhausted from the first stage.

23. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises two substantially inverted V-shaped members and connecting members therefor.

24. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the two substitantially parallel axles comprise 2 pair of horizontally and vertically parallel axle stubs, and said axle stubs are mounted on said housing and are capable of rotation.

25. The apparatus of claim 13 including a shroud detachably connected to said housing and which shroud imparts fluid dynamic acceleration and flow of fluid into, through and out of said apparatus to effect energy transformation.

26. A device comprising a plurality of the apparatuses of claim 1 positioned in axial alignment wherein each apparatus's support structure comprises a left side wall and a right side wall, and both of said walls are shared as party walls for all interior apparatuses and the apparatuses on each extremity share common wall with the next adjacent interior apparatus.

27. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a power takeoff means and electricity generator interconnected therewith.

28. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a power takeup means and a mechanically driven apparatus connected thereto.

29. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the two belts [d] are endless chains.

30. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the blades are detach-ably connected to the belts at substantially the midpoint of the chord of said blades.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the axis of the blades between the detachable connections to said belts is 90° to each belt.

32. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each axle comprises a pair of axle stubs in axial alignment.

33. The apparatus of claim 1 further including:
at least one pair of axle stubs mounted substantially parallel horizontally on said housing and capable of rotation, said axle stub being positioned on said housing between said axles and at least one pair of substantially parallel wheels, positioned one per axle stub, on each axle stub, one of said wheels being in substantially the same vertically extending plane as the wheels on one side of said axles, and each of said pair of wheels on said axle stub being interposed between said axle positioned wheels with respect to said belts, one per belt, to engage each of said belts,

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the two belts are, endless chains.

35. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein each axle comprises a pair of axle stubs in axial alignment, and the said blades are detachably connected to the belts at substantially the midpoint of the chord of said blades.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the two belts are endless chains.

37. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the housing comprises two substantially inverted V-shaped members and connecting members therefor.