GB1588600A

GB1588600A - Wind-motors

Info

Publication number: GB1588600A
Application number: GB5040977A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-05-26
Filing date: 1978-05-26
Publication date: 1981-04-29

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO WIND-MOTORS (71) 1, GODFREY BLACKMAN, a British Subject, of 23 Beeches Road, Upper Totting, London SW17, do hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- The invention relates to wind-motors.

According to the present invention there is provided a wind-motor comprising means defining a trackway, said trackway comprising a closed loop, at least one sail mounted on transportation means moveable around the trackway, means for converting into a source of power the movement of the sail or sails, and means for changing the orientation of aforesaid trackway the trackway being mounted on a base, and the orientation means comprising means to pivot the base.

Preferably the trackway comprises two rail systems, one mounted vertically above the other and each defining a loop ,the transportation means including at least one frame supporting the or at least one of the sails, and said frame having a plurality of wheels in contact with said rail systems.

Each rail system may comprise two parallel rails.

Preferably the or each frame of the transportation means carries a plurality of sails, the orientation of each sail being adjustable with respect to said frame or frames by means of hydrulic rams or the like.

Preferably there is a plurality of said frames, adjacent frames being connected together, and preferably the plurality is a sufficient number to form a continuous chain of frames around the trackway.

Preferably the wheels on each frame in contact with the upper of said rail systems are arranged with their axes generally vertical and preferably the wheels on each frame in contact with the lower of said rail systems have their axes inclined at an acute angle to the horizontal.

A generator may be powered by this continuous chain of frames.

Preferably, said base is pivotably mounted for rotation in a horizontal plane.

The base may be pivoted substantially centrally, and at its extremities be further supported by trolleys mounted upon arcs of railway.

One embodiment of a wind-motor according to the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference-to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a wind-motor according to the invention; Figure 2 is a side view of sails mounted upon transportation means being part of the - wind-motor of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a sectional end view taken along line III-III of Figure 2; and Figure 4 is an enlarged plan view of one end of the wind-motor of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, a base 1 supports a trackway which comprises a lower twin rail system 2 and an upper twin rail system 3, the latter being mounted above the former by supports 4, in the form of gantries.

The base 1 rests on a central pivot 5 and is further supported by wheels at the ends of the base 1 for travelling along arcs of railway 6 and 7.

A continuous chain of transportation frames 10 is supported by the rails systems 2, 3 for movement around the trackway.

Each transportation frame 10 is generally rectangular comprising two horizontal members, an upper member 13 and a.lower member 14, supported in parallel spaced apart relationship by a number of masts 11. The minimum number of masts is two but in the embodiment shown there are three on each frame 10.

Each end of each horizontal member 13, 14 is attached to a bogey 15, each bogey having four wheels 16, 17 respectively by means of which the frame is supported on the rails 2, 3. The wheels 16 of the bogies 15 on the upper member 13 are arranged with their axles vertical to support sideways forces on the frame 10. The wheels 17 of the bogies 15 on the lower member 14 are arranged with their axles tilted slightly from the horizontal so that the wheels 17 support the weight of the frame 10 and also resist some of the sideways forces on the frame.

The frame 10 is supported on and between the rail systems 2, 3 by the bogies 15 and is movable around the trackway.

Each mast 11 carries a sail 18 supported on the mast by booms 19 pivoted to the mast in the manner of a conventional sail.

The booms 19 may be pivoted about the mast 11 in order to trim the sail by hydraulic oars (not shown) or other suitable devices.

Adjacent ends of adjacent frames 10 are connected to common bogies 15 to form the continuous chain of frames.

A driving wheel 8 (a twelve sided polygon in the embodiment shown) is driven by the continuous chain of frames 10 by means of interengaging means 20 on the wheel and frames. The wheel in turn drives an electricity generator 9. A brake ring 21 is fixed concentric with the wheel 8 and may be acted on by shoes or calipers (not shown) to brake the wheel.

In operation the base is rotated so that the wind approaches perpendicular to the major dimension of the base 1 in the direction Z shown on Figure 1. This rotation is effected by a locomotive on railways 6 or 7.

The orientation of each sail is adjusted relative to its respective transportation frame ("trimming") so that the chain of frames reaches maximum speed.

The sails on the long straight section of the wind-motor are trimmed to move away from the driving wheel and the sails on the shorter straight section (the lee-side) are trimmed to move towards the driving wheel.

This is the most efficient direction of movement; taking into consideration the windforces on the sails on the long straight being greater than the wind-forces on the short straight (lee-side). Furthermore the sails are twisted slightly over their length, so that even though as is well known the wind strength increases with altitude, the sails are uniformly powered-over their length.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, various modifications are possible. For example: the base may be pivoted at one end, rather than at the centre; individual generators may be driven by wheels on the frames, the single generator and wheel being dispensed with; the trimming df the sails may be controlled by computer; the base may be mounted on a vessel anchored in the sea or a lake; the chain of transportation frames may generate power other than through an electricity generator by suitable connection to a pump, chains, belts, turbines, gearstor the like.

WHAT I CLAIM IS:- 1. A wind-motor comprising means defining a trackway, said trackway comprising a closed loop, at least one sail mounted on transportation means moveable around the trackway, means for converting into a source of power the movement of the sail or sails, and means for changing the orientation of aforesaid trackway, the trackway being mounted on a base, and the orientation means comprising means to pivot the base.

2. A wind-motor as claimed in claim 1 in which the trackway comprises two rail systems, one mounted vertically above the other and each defining a loop, the transportation means including at least one frame supporting the or at least one of the sails, and said frame having a plurality of wheels in contact with said rail systems.

3. A wind-motor as claimed in claim 2 in which each rail system comprises two rails.

4. A wind-motor as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 in which the or each frame of the transportation means carries a plurality of sails, the orientation of each sail being adjustable with respect to said frame or frames by means of hydraulic rams or the like.

5. A wind-motor as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4 in which there is a plurality of said frames, adjacent frames being connected together, and the plurality being a sufficient number to form a continuous chain of frames around the trackway.

6. A wind-motor as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5 in which the wheels on each frame in 'contact with the upper of said rail systems are arranged with their axes generally vertical.

7. A wind-motor as claimed in any of claims 2 to 6 in which the wheels on each frame in contact with the lower of said rail systems have their axes inclined at an acute angle to the horizontal.

8. A wind-motor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further comprising a generator arranged to be driven by movement of said transportation means.

9. A wind-motor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the base is pivotably mounted for rotation in a hori zonal plane.

10. A wind-motor as claimed in any preceding claim in which the base is pivoted substantially centrally, and at its extremities is further supported by trolleys mounted

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. some of the sideways forces on the frame. The frame 10 is supported on and between the rail systems 2, 3 by the bogies 15 and is movable around the trackway. Each mast 11 carries a sail 18 supported on the mast by booms 19 pivoted to the mast in the manner of a conventional sail. The booms 19 may be pivoted about the mast 11 in order to trim the sail by hydraulic oars (not shown) or other suitable devices. Adjacent ends of adjacent frames 10 are connected to common bogies 15 to form the continuous chain of frames. A driving wheel 8 (a twelve sided polygon in the embodiment shown) is driven by the continuous chain of frames 10 by means of interengaging means 20 on the wheel and frames. The wheel in turn drives an electricity generator 9. A brake ring 21 is fixed concentric with the wheel 8 and may be acted on by shoes or calipers (not shown) to brake the wheel. In operation the base is rotated so that the wind approaches perpendicular to the major dimension of the base 1 in the direction Z shown on Figure 1. This rotation is effected by a locomotive on railways 6 or 7. The orientation of each sail is adjusted relative to its respective transportation frame ("trimming") so that the chain of frames reaches maximum speed. The sails on the long straight section of the wind-motor are trimmed to move away from the driving wheel and the sails on the shorter straight section (the lee-side) are trimmed to move towards the driving wheel. This is the most efficient direction of movement; taking into consideration the windforces on the sails on the long straight being greater than the wind-forces on the short straight (lee-side). Furthermore the sails are twisted slightly over their length, so that even though as is well known the wind strength increases with altitude, the sails are uniformly powered-over their length. The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, various modifications are possible. For example: the base may be pivoted at one end, rather than at the centre; individual generators may be driven by wheels on the frames, the single generator and wheel being dispensed with; the trimming df the sails may be controlled by computer; the base may be mounted on a vessel anchored in the sea or a lake; the chain of transportation frames may generate power other than through an electricity generator by suitable connection to a pump, chains, belts, turbines, gearstor the like. WHAT I CLAIM IS:-

1. A wind-motor comprising means defining a trackway, said trackway comprising a closed loop, at least one sail mounted on transportation means moveable around the trackway, means for converting into a source of power the movement of the sail or sails, and means for changing the orientation of aforesaid trackway, the trackway being mounted on a base, and the orientation means comprising means to pivot the base.

upon arcs of railway.

11. A wind-motor substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.