GB109353A - Improvements in Tidal Motors. - Google Patents

Abstract

109,353. Knowlton, J. A. Dec. 7,1916. Tidal energy, utilizing.-Relates to tide motors which are operated continuously by floats during the rise and fall of the tide. Three tanks 11, 13. 14 are formed with their bases below low water level. The tank 11 is always open to the tide at 12, and the tanks 13, 14 mav be opened to the tide by opening the valves 61, 62. Each tank contains a float 15 carrying a vertical rack 16, Figs. 2 and 3, which engages with a pinion mounted on the spindle 19 and similar to the pinion 33. When the float rises, the spindle 19 is rotated by means of the pawl 21. When the float falls, the abovementioned pinion rotates freely, and the rack 16 actuates the pinion 25 and consequently the pinions 31 and 33, so that the spindle 19 is rotated by the pawl 34. The effect of the gearing is to allow the float to fall more slowly relatively to the speed of the spindle 19 than it rises. Power is transmitted from the spindle 19 by the pulley 36 and belt 77. The tanks 13. 14 are connected by pipes 55, 58 controlled by valves 56, 59 with the reservoir 40 containing a supply of water above high-water level. The valves 61 and 62 are opened when the tide is high and water allowed to rise in the tanks 13, 14 at a rate equal to that of the rise of the tide. When the water level in the tanks is nearly the falling tide level, the valves 61, 62 are closed and the valves 56, 59 opened to allow the tanks to fill from the reservoir 40 at a similar rate. The floats in the tanks 13, 14 thus operate in the same manner as if acted upon directly by the tide. Each tank is closed at 65, forming an air space 67 in which air is compressed when the water rises and forced through the pipe 69 to an air reservoir 70, Fig. 3, from which it may be supplied to a compressed-air motor. The reservoir 70 is connected to the air space 73 of the reservoir 40, from which it receives a further supply of compressed air. The belt 77 may drive an air pump 80, Fig. 3, of special construction. A number of radial pockets 81 are partly closed by circumferential flanges 82 while their inner ends are connected by spring-controlled valves 87 with the chamber 83 which is connected with the air reservoir 70. On rotation of the cylinder 80 in the direction a, the air in the pockets 81 is compressed by the immersion of the lower part of the cylinder in water, and the compressed air is stored in the reservoir 70. The water in the reservoir 40 is maintained at any desired level by the provision of a float 96 which controls the switch of an electric motor 43 actuating a pump 41 which supplies water to the reservoir. In operation, the float in the tank 11 rises with the tide, and at its highest point the valves 61 and 62 are opened, the tank 13 being empty and the tank 14 full. The float in the tank 13 then rises half way, while the floats in the tanks 11, 14 fall correspondingly. The valve 56 is then opened and the float finishes its upward movement while the other two floats fall to their lowest points. This operation is then repeated with the tank 14 instead of the tank 13.