EP0111485A1

EP0111485A1 - Energy conversion arrangement

Info

Publication number: EP0111485A1
Application number: EP82902497A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Humberto Perez-Cano; Roman Perez-Cano
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-06-14
Filing date: 1982-07-02
Publication date: 1984-06-27
Also published as: WO1984000052A1

Abstract

Un agencement à accumulateur de conversion d'énergie gravitationnelle (12) tire de l'énergie de masses en mouvement. Un cadre vertical (14) possède un axe supérieur (24) et un axe inférieur (20) ayant chacun un pignon de chaîne (32, 30) montés respectivement sur chaque axe et une chaîne (34) tourne sur les pignons de chaîne (32, 30). Une roue à cliquet (40) fixée sur le pignon de chaîne inférieur (30) entraîne le pignon de chaîne inférieur (30) lorsque la roue à cliquet (40) tourne. La roue à cliquet (40) tourne d'un cran à la fois sous l'action d'un levier (42) dont l'autre extrémité (46) est placée de manière à tirer parti d'un flot d'objets en mouvement tels des automobiles. Lorsqu'une automobile enfonce le levier (42) en roulant sur une route, le levier (42) tourne la roue à cliquet (40) qui entraîne le pignon de chaîne (30) et la chaîne (34). Un poids (66) fixé à la chaîne (34) fait monter lentement le cadre (14) jusqu'à ce qu'il atteigne l'axe supérieur (24). Après être passé par dessus l'axe supérieur (24), le poids (66) tire la chaîne (34) vers le bas provoquant la rotation de l'axe supérieur (24) et de l'axe inférieur (20). Un volant (68) monté sur l'axe inférieur (20) élimine les à-coups de puissance.A gravitational energy conversion accumulator arrangement (12) draws energy from moving masses. A vertical frame (14) has an upper axis (24) and a lower axis (20) each having a chain sprocket (32, 30) mounted on each axis respectively and a chain (34) rotates on the chain sprockets (32 , 30). A ratchet wheel (40) attached to the lower chain sprocket (30) drives the lower chain sprocket (30) when the ratchet wheel (40) rotates. The ratchet wheel (40) rotates one notch at a time under the action of a lever (42) whose other end (46) is placed so as to take advantage of a flood of moving objects such as automobiles. When an automobile depresses the lever (42) while driving on a road, the lever (42) turns the ratchet wheel (40) which drives the chain sprocket (30) and the chain (34). A weight (66) attached to the chain (34) slowly raises the frame (14) until it reaches the upper axis (24). After passing over the upper axis (24), the weight (66) pulls the chain (34) down causing the rotation of the upper axis (24) and the lower axis (20). A flywheel (68) mounted on the lower axle (20) eliminates power surges.

Description

1 ENERGY CONVERSION ARRANGEMENT

2

3

4 TECHNICAL FIELD

5

6 This invention relates to the mechanical

7 power conversion art, and, more particularly, to a

8 gravitational energy conversion accumulator which

9 derives energy from moving masses such as automobiles. 10

11

12 BACKGROUND ART

13

14 Energy used throughout the world is

15 escalating rapidly as the standard of living increases.

16 More energy is used per capita in the United States

17 than in any other country of the world. Between the

18 years 1960 and 1979, energy use increased 73%. In

19 1979, the sources of energy included imported oil 23%,

20 domestic oil 23%, natural gas 25%, coal 21%, nuclear

21 5%, and other 5%. Between the present and the year

22 2000, the uses of oil and gas are expected to decline

23 or remain approximately the same. The greatest

24 percentage increase in the traditional energy sources

25 is expected to occur in coal. Nuclear power will also

26 increase significantly.

27 All of the traditional major sources of

28 energy have problems associated with their development

29 and use. Oil is becoming increasingly more difficult

30 to find as the major fields are depleted. Only small

31 pockets of oil appear to remain. The only possibili-

32 ties for discovering large fields of oil now exist only

33 in Alaska and o fshore where the costs of production

34 and discovery are extremely high. Consequently, the

35 price of oil will continue to rise in the future.

36 Alternative sources of oil including oil sands and .

f O PI shale oil will become more important, but their potential is limited because of the high costs associated with the extraction of the oil from the sand or shale. Similarly, existing gas fields are rapidly being depleted. Gas also is not a source of energy that is easily transported from foreign nations. Consequently, any new developments in the area of gas will come from small pockets, offshore fields, and fields located in the remote sections of Alaska. Coal, on the other hand, appears to be available' in almost an unlimited supply. The United States has 28% of the world's coal reserves. Unfortunately, coal is not easy to develop or use. It requires large amounts of capital for its production and use. The supply is subject to strikes by miners. Transportation is expensive and difficult. And the use of coal creates numerous environmental problems. Included in the environmental problems are reclamation of mine sites -and air pollution. In addition to the immediate concerns is the possibility that the carbon dioxide produced in the burning process may lead to an increase in the worldwide temperature. A few years ago, uranium appeared to be the panacea for the world's energy problems. _. Uranium contains three million times the energy content of an equivalent weight of coal. Unfortunately, its use is extremely complicated and technical. Plant construction, operation and the safe disposal of uranium waste pose difficult and expensive problems. The public in the United States has become increasingly leery of the utilization of uranium in nuclear power plants located near their homes. Resulting regulatory and safety concerns have virtually paralyzed the nuclear power industry in the United States. / / / Other forms of energy have, consequently, gained added attention. These other sources include wood, waste materials, windmills, small hydroelectric plants, geothermal wells, ocean currents, ocean temperature differential converters, solar electric devices, solar active water heating systems, and passive solar construction heating and cooling techniques. While development is being pursued in all of these alternative areas of energy production, the greatest change has occurred not in the production of energy, but in the conservation of energy. In 1979, 38% of all energy derived from the above identified sources was effectively used. The remaining 62% was lost entirely without achieving any useful purpose. Thus, most energy is thrown away in the process of converting it to a useful form. For example, the production of electricity and use of electricity is extremely wasteful. The production of electricity occurs at one location and is distributed over long distances through energy losing transmission networks. Increased use of electricity because of its desirable characteristics of cleanliness, controllability, and ready accessibility has meant that the ratio of useful energy production to waste has declined. Likewise, our present forms of transportation are extremely poor utilizers of available energy. Most of the energy contained in gasoline, aviation fuel, and diesel fuel is dissipated in the form of heat or is lost during deceleration by our present modes of transportation. Only 25% of the potential energy is actually put to effective use. The remaining 75% is lost. Between the years 1960 and 1979, the effective use of energy has actually declined due to the increased demand for individual forms of 1 transportation and the production and use of

2 electricity. In 1960, 45% of all energy was

3 effectively used. In 1979, as noted above, only 38%

4 was effectively used.

5 The present invention is involved with the

6 conservation and accumulation of energy derived from

7 moving masses. Much of the energy loss noted above in

8 vehicles results from deceleration and braking. Some

9 attempts have been made to conserve the energy of

10 slowing vehicles through the use of batteries or

11 flywheels. As the vehicle decelerates, a generator is

12 engaged charging the batteries or the flywheel is

13 engaged and some of the energy is transferred to the

14 flywheel for future use.

15. Other types of energy conservation through

16 the use of mechanical or electrical conversion devices

17 are extremely limited. One common example is the

18 typical^"elevator. The descending elevator raises the

19 elevator weight on the opposite side of a pulley. When

20 it is time for the elevator to rise, the weight

21 descends due to gravity providing the majority of the

22 power for raising the elevator. A similar system is

23 used in mining to produce usable energy. Mines located

24 on mountains or hillsides have the ore carried to the

25 bottom of the mountain by the use of tramways or

26 conveyor belts. The side of the tramway or conveyor

27 having the ore is heavier than the side not having the

28 ore, thereby causing the weighted side to progress

29 downhill because of gravity. Rock crushers or other

30 devices linked to the conveyor belt or tramway take

31 advantage of the energy developed by the descending ore

32 on the conveyor or tramway.

33 Flywheels have long been used for the purpose

34 of either smoothing out power transmission or

35 accumulating power for periods of high energy use. For

36 example, the flywheel in an automobile stores energy between piston power surges. Industrial machinery such as a punch press uses a flywheel as an energy accumulator. The punching process occurs only for a fraction of the total operation time. When useful action is needed, tremendous forces are required. The remainder of the time, the flywheel rotates smoothly. Consequently, the most efficient punch press has a large flywheel turned by a small motor. The small motor slowly builds up the energy stored in the flywheel so that when a punching operation is required, the energy can be taken out of the flywheel without substantially decreasing the speed of rotation of the flywheel. A few other types of energy conservation or accumulation type devices exist. For example, the oil well pump head utilizes both the lifting weight similar to an elevator and the flywheel principle. The development of such devices has been extremely limited, primarly because energy has been cheap and readily available in the past.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a gravitational energy conversion accumulator arrangement, deriving energy from moving masses. It is another object of the present invention to provide a means for deriving and accumulating energy from moving vehicles or other moving masses. It is another object of the invention to provide low cost energy conservation. It is another object of the invention to provide energy saving techniques in industrial machinery. It is another object of the present invention to provide a means for lifting elevators. It is another object of the present invention to provide power for amusement park ride devices. These and other objects of the invention are realized in a preferred embodiment as described in detail hereinafter. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a gravitational energy conversion accumulator arrangement which derives energy from moving masses. The accumulator has a vertical frame means with a lower member and an upper member. Both the upper and lower member have axles located thereon. A power transmission means such as roller chain is connected around sprockets on either axle. Thus, the axles rotate together. The power transmission means is allowed to rotate only in a first . predetermined direction by a rotation limiting means. A ratchet wheel may be used for this purpose. The power transmission means has a rotation limiting means allowing rotation of the transmission means only in a single direction. The power transmission means is rotated by a ratchet and lever combination. The ratchet wheel is preferably located on the lower axle and engages the lower sprocket. The ratchet wheel is turned by a lever means a notch at a time'. The end of the lever opposite the ratchet wheel end has a carrier means for carrying a moving mass as it passes over the opposite end of the lever. As the moving mass moves across the carrier means, that end of the lever is depressed and causes the other end of the lever to move up and rotate the ratchet wheel. A return means is located on the lever for disengaging the pawl means of the lever from the ratchet wheel in preparation for a new action. The sequential passage of numerous masses such as vehicles, people, and the like, across the carrier means causes numerous movements of the lever and numerous movements of the ratchet wheel. The power transmission means is thereby rotated in the first predetermined direction. A first weight is attached to the power transmission means which rises in elevation in the first portion of the power cycle with each turn of the ratchet wheel. When the weight reaches the upper axle, it passes over the axle and is pulled down by gravity. The descending weight in turn causes the power transmission means to rotate in the first predetermined direction. The speed of rotation of the lower and upper axles caused by the descending weight in the second portion of the power cycle may be faster than the speed of rotation caused by the ratchet wheel. Useful energy may be taken off of either axle for various purposes by, for example, connection of the axle to an electric generator. A flywheel is installed on the lower axle to smooth out the power surges derived from the falling weight. Multiple levers and ratchet wheels may be located in appropriate sequential relationships to provide multiple impulses to raise the power transmission means. Thus, as a single moving mass moves along the multiple lever means, multiple energy impulses are transmitted to the ratchet wheel moving the power transmission means. The weight is, therefore, moved up the power transmission means a multiple number of times by a single passing vehicle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The above and other embodiments of the present invention may be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken together with the accompanying detailed drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar elements throughout and in which: FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of a gravitational energy conversion accumulator arrangement deriving ^"energy from moving masses according to the principles of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 with the lever means removed for the sake of clarity; FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 taken along the line 3-3; FIG. 4 is a partial top plan view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 along the line 4-4; FIG. 5 is a partial top plan view similar to the top plan view of^" FIG. 4 of another embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 6 is a partial side elevational view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 along the line 6-6.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT INVENTION

Referring now to the various Figures of the drawings, there is illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4 an embodiment, generally designated 10, of a gravitational energy conversion accumulator arrangement 12 of the present invention. Vertical frame means 14 has a lower member 16 and an upper member 18. A lower axle 20 is rotatably mounted in lower bearings 22 on the lower member 16. An upper axle 24 is rotatably mounted in upper bearings 26 on the upper member 18. A power transmission means 28 connects lower and upper axles 20 and 24. Power transmission means 28 has a first lower sprocket 30, a first upper sprocket 32 and a first roller chain 34. It is appreciated that other types of transmission means may be utilized including belts and webs. First rotation limiting means 36 allows •

OMFI rotation of power transmission means 28 only in a first predetermined direction indicated by arrow 38. A lever means 42 is rotatably mounted on a lever axle 44 which is attached to lower member 16. A first end means 46 has a carrier means 48 for carrying moving masses and depressing in the direction indicated by arrow 52 when carrying a moving mass. An upper stop 54 and a lower stop 56 limit the degree to which lever means 42 may rotate about lever axle 44. A pawl means 58 is located a first .predetermined distance 60 from first end means 46. Pawl means 58 detachably engages and rotates first ratchet wheel 40 and power transmission means 36 in the first predetermined direction indicated by arrow 38 ' when first end means 46 is depressed by a moving mass located on carrier means 48. Return means 62 as shown in FIG. 1 is a second weight 64 for disengaging pawl means 58 from first ratchet wheel 40 after the moving mass has passed off of first end means 46. It will be appreciated that a spring may be used in place of second weight 64 to return carrier means 48 to the upper position. Return means 62 may also simply be a different lever means where the weight of the lever means itself between the lever axle and pawl means is greater than the weight of the lever means between the lever axle and the first end means. Thus, as a moving mass moves onto carrier means 48, the first end means 46 of lever means 42 is depressed in the direction of arrow 52 until lever means 42 engages lower stop 56. At the same time as this action is taking place, the pawl means 58 is engaging first ratchet wheel 40 and is causing first ratchet wheel 40 to rotate around lower axle 20 in the first predetermined direction indicated by arrow 38. When the moving mass moves off carrier means 48, lever means 42 is brought back to the upper position by the

OMPI action of second weight 64 and return movement is limited by upper stop 54. The accumulator arrangement 12 is then in a position to receive another energy impulse from another moving mass when it reaches carrier means 48. Carrier means 48 as shown is located at road surface 50. As automobiles, trucks, people, or the like, sequentially move on and past carrier means 48, carrier means 48 is sequentially depressed slightly from the level of road surface 50. It will be appreciated that the principles of leverage may be used to adjust the force applied to first ratchet wheel 40 by a. given moving mass pressing on carrier means 48. Thus, if the distance between lever axle 44 and first end means 46 is X, the distance between lever axle 44 and pawl means 58 is 1/2 X, and first end means 46 is depressed in the direction of arrow 52 by a force Y, the force acting on first ratchet wheel 40 to move power transmission means 28 in the first predetermined direction indicated by arrow 38 is 2Y. Likewise, if the distance between lever axle 44 and first end means 46 is Z, the distance between lever axle 44 and pawl means 58 is 1/3 Z, and first end means 46 is depressed in the direction of arrow 52 by the same force Y, the force now acting on first ratchet wheel 40 to move power transmission means 28 in the first predetermined direction indicated by arrow 38 is 3Y. Gravitational energy conversion accumulator arrangement 12 takes the numerous impulses derived from the moving masses and accumulates them into a useful form of energy. Thus, the numerous impulses are transmitted from carrier means 48 into power transmission 28 moving power transmission means 28 in the first predetermined direction 38. Since the frequency of moving vehicles over carrier means 48 is highly erratic and depends upon traffic flow, an energy

OMPI accumulator in the form of first weight 66 is introduced into the system. First weight 66 is attached to power transmission means 28 and rises in elevation with each turn of ratchet wheel 40 in the first portion of the power cycle. As first weight 66 reaches upper axle 24, it passes over first upper sprocket 32 and starts descending toward first lower sprocket 30 due to the force of gravity. In the second portion of the power cycle as first weight 66 falls, power transmission means 28 rotates much faster than during the first portion of the power cycle. As first weight 66 rounds the bottom of first lower. sprocket 30, it starts going back up toward first upper sprocket 32 due to inertia: .Shortly however, first power transmission means 28 is stopped by the force of gravity on first weight 66. Power transmission means 28 is prevented from rotating in a direction opposite first predetermined direction indicated by arrow 38 by first rotation limiting means 36. FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the embodiment 10 shown in FIG. 1 with the lever means removed for the purposes of clarity. Flywheel means 68 , is coupled to lower axle 20 and is utilized to store the energy produced. A first release means 70 between lower axle 20 and power transmission means 28 releases flywheel means 68 and lower axle 20 so that they can continue rotating until first weight 66 again reaches the top of first upper sprocket 32 where it again initiates the high speed second portion of the power cycle. First release means 70 is a second ratchet wheel 72. Other types of releasing mechanism such as a first centrifugal clutch may be utilized. When first weight 66 is being raised, power transmission means 28 is rotating slowly. It is imperative that lower axle 20, preferably, is allowed to rotate freely by firs,t release means 70 in order to avoid the dissipation of the energy in flywheel means 68 from being lost in raising first weight 66 up towards upper axle 24 again. As shown in FIG. 2, first ratchet wheel 40 is rotatably mounted on lower axle 20. First ratchet wheel 40 may be located anywhere on lower member 16 as long as first ratchet wheel 40 rotates first lower sprocket 30. In order to avoid loss of energy into first ratchet wheel 40 when first weight 66 is descending from upper axle 24 to lower axle 20, a second release means 76 is provided between first lower sprocket 30 and first ratchet wheel 40 allowing first lower sprocket 30 to rotate freely in first predetermined direction indicated by arrow 38 when the speed of revolution of first lower sprocket 30 is greater than the speed of revolution of first ratchet wheel 40. When first weight 66 rounds lower axle 20 and starts climbing up again toward upper axle 24, second release means 76 again couples first ratchet wheel 40 and first lower sprocket 30 so that the energy provided by lever means 42 again raises first weight 66. Second release means 76 may be any type of disengaging device including third ratchet wheel 78 or a second centrifugal clutch. As shown in FIG. 2, power transmission means 28 further comprises a second lower sprocket 82 on lower axle 20, a second upper sprocket 84 on upper axle 24, and a second roller chain 86 connected in a continuous loop around second lower sprocket 82 and second upper sprocket 84. First weight 66 is coupled between first roller chain 34 and second roller chain 86. Second lower sprocket 82 is provided with a diameter 88 (FIGS. 3 and 4) substantially less than the diameter of first lower sprocket 30. The larger . diameter 90 of first lower sprocket 30 allows lever means 42 to easily raise first weight 66 when power transmission means 28 is in the first portion of the power cycle. When power transmission means 28 is in the second portion of the power cycle wherein first weight 66 is falling, the larger size of first lower sprocket 30 in comparison to second lower sprocket 82 causes first release means 70 to disengage from lower axle 20 thereby allowing all of the energy stored in elevated first weight 66 to be transmitted into second lower sprocket 82 and then into lower axle 20 and flywheel means 68. In order to maintain the first weight 66 in approximately the same plane throughout.its travels along power transmission means 28, two idler sprockets 92 and 94 are positioned in the same plane as second lower sprocket 82 and on either side of second lower sprocket 82 maintaining second roller chain 86 substantially in the same planes as first roller chain 34. Thus, effective diameter 98 provided by idler sprockets 92 and 94 is substantially the same as the diameter 90 of first lower sprocket 30. FIG. 4 is a partial top plan view of embodiment 10 shown in FIG. 1 along the line 4-4. Depression of carrier means 48 at first end means 46 of lever means 42 causes lever means 42 to rotate around lever axle 44 and force pawl means 58 into first ratchet wheel 40 thereby causing first ratchet wheel 40 to rotate. FIG. 5 is a partial top plan view similar to the top plan view of FIG. 4 of.another embodiment 110 of the present invention. Multiple ratchet wheels 112, 114, 116, 118, 120, and 122 are rotatably mounted on a lower axle 124 similar to lower axle 20 of embodiment 10 shown in FIGS. 1 through 4. Third lower sprocket 126 turns a power transmission means of embodiment .110 substantially identical to power transmission means 28 of embodiment 10. Multiple lever means 126, 128, 130, 132, 134, and 136 are mounted on lever axles 140, 142, 144, 146, 148, and 150 respectively and move ratchet wheels 112, 114, 116, 118, 120, and 122. Thus, as a moving mass moves across lever means 126, 128, 130, 132, 134, and 136 from left to right, lever means 126 initially engages ratchet wheel 112 and rotates lower axle 124. As the moving mass moves off lever means 126, lever means 126 returns to a neutral position. The moving mass then moves onto lever means 128. Lever means 128 then rotates ratchet wheel 114 which again turns lower axle 124. As the moving mass moves along the multiple of lever means 126 through 136, lower axle 124 is consecutively moved in the first predetermined direction six consecutive times. Thus, a single moving mass provides six times the movement when embodiment 110 is utilized in comparison to the energy captured in embodiment 10. Any number of lever means may be utilized to take advantage of a single moving mass. FIG. 6 is a partial side elevational view of embodiment 110 shown in FIG. 5 along the line 6—6. Multiple lever means 126, 128, 130, 132, 134, and 136 are located at the surface of roadway 152. As a moving mass moves across multiple lever means 126, 128, 130, 132, and 136 from left to right, lever means 126 is initially depressed in the direction of arrow 154 around lever axle 140. As the moving mass moves off lever means 126, lever means 126 is returned to the level of roadway 152 by the action of spring 156. Similar action occurs as the moving mass moves across the remaining lever means 128, 130, 132, 134, and 136. It will be appreciated that the upper or lower axles of the invention herein may be connected to any form of device such as an electric generator, pump,

*£fRE i OMPI or the like (not shown) as desired for any particular application. This concludes the description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention. Those skilled in the art may find many variations and adaptations thereof and the attached claims are intended to cover all such variations and adaptations falling within the true scope and spirit of the invention .

O PI

Claims

1. A gravitational energy conversion accumulator arrangement deriving energy from moving masses comprising: a vertical frame means having: a lower member; an upper member; a lower axle rotatably mounted on said lower member; and an upper axle rotatably mounted on said upper member; power transmission means connecting said lower and upper axles; first rotation limiting means allowing rotation of said power transmission means only in a first predetermined direction; a first ratchet wheel rotatably mounted on one of said lower and upper members and rotating said power transmission means substantially in said first predetermined direction; lever means having: a lever axle rotatably mounted on the same of said one of said lower and upper members as said first ratchet wheel; a first end means having carrier means for carrying said moving masses and depressing in the direction of gravity when carrying said moving masses; a pawl means located a first predetermined distance from said first end means and detachably engaging and rotating said first ratchet wheel and said power transmission means in said first predetermined direction when said first end means is depressed by said moving mass; and a return means for disengaging said pawl means from said first ratchet wheel after said moving mass has passed off said first end means; and a first weight attached to said power transmission means and rising in elevation with each turn of said ratchet wheel whereby said first weight upon reaching said upper axle pulls down said power transmission means by the force of gravity on said first weight causing said first and second axles to rotate.

2. The arrangement defined in Claim 1 and further comprising a flywheel means coupled to one of said lower and upper axles.

3. The arrangement defined in Claim 2 and further comprising a first release means on one of said upper and lower axles having said flywheel means allowing said axle having said flywheel means to rotate freely in said first predetermined direction .independent of said power transmission means when the speed of revolution of said axle having said flywheel exceeds the speed of revolution of said power transmission means.

4. The arrangement defined in Claim 3 wherein said first release means is a. second ratchet wheel.

5. The arrangement defined in Claim 3 wherein said first release means is a first centrifugal clutch.

6. The arrangement defined in Claims 4 or 5 wherein said one of said lower and upper axles having said flywheel means is said lower axle.

7. The arrangement defined in Claims 1 or 2 wherein said power transmission means further comprises: a first lower sprocket on said lower axle; a first upper sprocket on said upper axle; and a first roller chain connected in a continuous loop around said first lower and upper sprockets.

8. The arrangement defined in Claim 7,wherein said first ratchet wheel is rotatably mounted on said lower axle.

9. The arrangement defined in Claim 8 and further comprising a second release means coupled between said first lower sprocket and said first ratchet wheel allowing said first lower sprocket to rotate freely in said first predetermined direction when the speed of revolution of said first lower sprocket is greater than the speed of revolution of said first ratchet wheel.

10. The arrangement defined in Claim 9 wherein said second release means is a third ratchet wheel.

11. The arrangement defined in Claim 9 wherein said second release means is a second centrifugal clutch.

12. The arrangement defined in Claim 7 wherein said power transmission means further comprises: a second lower sprocket on said lower axle; a second upper sprocket on said upper axle; and a second roller chain connected in a continuous loop around said second lower and upper sprockets.

13. The arrangement defined in Claim 12 wherein said first weight is coupled between said first and second roller chains.

14. The arrangement defined in Claim 13 wherein said second lower sprocket has a second diameter less than said first diameter of said first lower sprocket and further comprising two idler sprockets positioned in the same plane as said second lower sprocket and on either side of said second lower sprocket whereby said second roller chain is maintained substantially in the same planes as said first roller chain.

15. The arrangement defined in Claim 9 wherein said power transmission means further comprises: a second lower sprocket on said lower axle; a second upper sprocket on said upper axle; and a second roller chain connected in a continuous loop around said second lower and upper sprockets.

16. The arrangement defined in Claim 15 wherein said first weight is coupled between said first and second roller chains.

17. The arrangement defined in Claim 16 wherein said second lower sprocket has a diameter less than the diameter of said first lower sprocket and further comprising two idler sprockets positioned in the same plane as said second lower sproket and on either side of said second lower sprocket whereby said second roller chain is maintained substantially in the same planes as said first roller chain.

18. The arrangement defined in Claims 1 or 2 wherein said lever axle is located between said first end means and said pawl means.

19. The arrangement defined in Claim 18 wherein said return means is the greater weight of the said lever means between said lever axle and said pawl means in relation to the weight of said lever means between said lever axle and said first end means.

20. The arrangement defined in Claim 18 wherein said return means is a separate second weight located between said lever axle and said pawl means.

21. The arrangement defined in Claim 18 wherein said retur means is a spring.

22. The arrangement defined in Claims 1 or 2 and said lower member further comprising a second end means located a second predetermined distance from said first end means and a third predetermined distance from said pawl means and said lever means having said lever axle at said second end.

23. The arrangement defined in Claim 22 wherein said return means is a spring.

24. The arrangement defined in Claims 1 or 2 and further comprising: multiple ratchet wheels rotatably mounted on the same of said one of said lower and upper members and rotating said power transmission means substantially in said first predetermined direction;, and multiple lever means whereby said multiple lever means consecutively engage said multiple ratchet wheels as said moving mass moves along said multiple lever means.

25. The arrangement defined in Claims 1 or 2 wherein said carrier means is located at the surface of a roadway.

26. The arrangement defined in Claim 24 wherein said multiple lever means are located adjacent the surface of a roadway.

27. The arrangement defined in Claim 1 and further comprising: a flywheel means coupled to said lower axle; a first release means allowing said lower axle to rotate freely in said first predetermined direction independent of said power transmission means when the speed of revolution of said lower axle exceeds the speed of revolution of said transmission means; said power transmission means further comprising: first and second lower sprockets on said lower axle; first and second upper sprockets on said upper axle; a first roller chain connected in a continuous loop around said first lower and upper sprockets; and . a second roller chain connected in a continuous loop around said second lower and upper sprockets; said first ratchet rotatably mounted on said lower axle and coupled to said first lower sprocket by a second release means allowing said first lower sprocket to rotate freely in said first predetermined direction when the speed of revolution of said first lower sprocket is greater than the speed of revolution of said first ratchet wheel; said first weight coupled between said first and second roller chains; said second lower sprocket having a second diameter less than said first diameter of said first lower sprocket and further comprising two idler sprockets positioned in the same plane as said second lower sprocket and on either side of said second lower sprocket whereby said second roller chain is maintained substantially in the same planes as said first roller chain; said lever axle located between said first end means and said pawl means; said return means comprising a separate second weight located between said lever axle and said pawl means; and said carrier means located at the surface of a roadway.