GB2254111A - Deriving power from passing traffic. - Google Patents

Abstract

A platform comprising pivotally mounted portions 3, 3a is reciprocated by traffic passing thereover to drive a shaft 20 via a bar 35, plate and dog-tooth clutch arrangement. The shaft in turn drives an electric generator. The platform may be deflected against a bias provided by a weight 43. Alternatively the bias may be provided by a spring (52) (Figure 6) and the platform portions may engage for relative movement by means of rollers (48), rolling on corner bars (47). <IMAGE>

Description

3BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to alternative sources of energy, particularly ix the field of converting reciprocating motion into rotary motion.

Well known devices such as platforms, hinges, cranks, levers, bearing housings, shafts, couplings and dog-teeth clutches have been incorporated to make this invention practical and operative.

Simt;Y OF THE INVENTION Accordingly an object of this invention is to provide the machine with a rocking platform with various moveable and turnable devices to turn generators in power stations. The constant traffic on a busy motorway (or a major road) passing through the Traffic Power Machine, would activate the line of shafts leading to a nearby small power station.

Another object of this invention is, that no fuel would be necessary to run the generators, therefore it would be economic and pollution free. Traffic Power Machines can be easily installed on motorway tolls and on suitable areas on busy major roads.

Another aspect of this invention is that in daylight when traffic on motorways is continuous, the Traffic Power Machine would produce uniform input power, especially when there is no wind or wave for wind or wave power appliances.

The arrangement of the overbalancing weights is such that if, for example, 20 kg. is placed on top of the platform nearest the hinge 13 then the platform will be subjected to descend onto the girders to be level with the road surface, in order to obtain as much left over weight as possible to turn the generator. If a weight of a car is 1020 kg. then the input power caused by a car will be only 500 kg. because only half of the car, whether the front or rear two wheels, will pass through the top centre of the platform causing it to descend. If a heavily loaded vehicle weighs 4000 kg. then the input power will be 2000 kg. If the platform is 3 metres long and raised at a 4 gradient, then the stroke of the hinge 13, will be approximately 200 millimetres.

It will make no difference to the amount of input power obtained whether the pressure bracket 24 is fastened nearest the hinge 13 or in the centre of the platform 3a. If the pressure bracket is fitted in the centre of the platform 3a, then the platform will be arranged in a manner of a lever and the input power will be doubled but the stroke of the pressure bracket 24, will only be 100 millimetres. Two wheels 2 and 15 are arranged on the platform 3 to prevent friction and wearing of the platform and the two girders. A steel or heavy duty rubber flap 16 is fixed to the platform 3, to prevent road grit entering into the gap 18.

Opening 17 between the dual platform prevents the dual platform from rising higher than is recommended when the gap closes.

Figs. 3 and 4 respectively show a mechanical movement of parts assembled in a concrete housing 28, comprising pressure bracket 24 provided with a bolt 25, secured from sliding out with a radial key lock 21 (see patent application No. G.B. 2228545). The bolt 25 is in contact with the fork 35a formed on the pressure bar 35 which is arranged to release the bolt from the fork when the traffic platform is lifted up for maintnenance purposes. The pressure bar 35 is connected to the lever plate 34 with a crank bolt 33 and secured by a radial key lock 38.

Overbalancing weight 43 is formed on the lever plate which causes a continuous contact of the bolt 25 with the pressure bar 35.

On fig. 3 the weight 43 is omitted to enable a clearer view of parts. The lever plate is mounted on a pivot 23a, situated on the clutch 23 and fastened with bolts 44. The clutch 23 is provided with dog-teeth 36 arranged to be turnable on the shaft 20. The second dog-teeth clutch 22 is provided with a sliding mechanism (see detailed description on fig. 8). A clutch 22 is provided with a coil spring 37 to engage the clutch 23. A broken part of the coil spring presents a clearer view of the sliding mechanism.

The reciprocating motion of the lever plate pushes the clutch 22 away each time the traffic platform rises, but remains rotatable with the shafts 20, 27, 41 and the generator 59,each time the traffic platform descends under the weight of a passing vehicle.

The shaft 20 is connected to an intermediate shaft 27 by a coupling 30 which leads to a small power station and rotates the generator. The shaft 20 is mounted on two bearing housing brackets 19 and 26 which are fastened to the metal plates 32 and 39 situated on the floor of a concrete housing 28. The mechanism can be removed from the concrete housing by unscrewing the bolts from the couplings 30 and 40 and the bolts 31 from the two bearing housing brackets 19 and 26. Projecting stud 29 is fastened to a girder preventing it from sliding out of position on a concrete housing wall.

Fig. 5 is a view of a pressure bar 35. The lower part of the pressure bar is slotted 45 to fit the thickness of the lever plate 34.

Fig. 6 is a broken sectional view of two platforms of similar 3a types, provided with roller plates 49 and corner bars 47, instead of hinges. Both platforms are arranged in opposite directions and raised at a recommended gradient. The first platform 46 is provided with two corner bars, one on each side of the platform (only one corner bar 47 is on view, see fig. 6). The second platform 3a is provided with two roller-plates, one on each side of the platform and fastened with bolts 51 (only one rollerplate is on view). Each roller plate is fitted with a roller 48.

The platform 46, with fastened corner bar 47, is supported on the roller 48, arranged for descent and rising purposes.

Platform 3a, provided with a coil spring housing 50, is supported on a coil spring 52 to a recommended height. Khen the platform 3a descends then the platform 46 is caused b its weight supported on the roller 48 to descend simultaneously. A second coil spring housing 53 is fastened to a plate 54 situated in the concrete housing. A steel or heavy duty rubber flap 16 can be arranged on the top pit of two platforms to prevent grit entering into the gap 18 (refer to fig. 2).

On fig. 7 is a view of the roller plate 49 removed from the platform 3a. The plate having a "S" shaped bend to accomodate the roller 48, to enable it to roll on the upper face of the corner bar 47.

On fig. 8 is a view of an enlarged dog-teeth clutch 22, mounted to be slidable on the shaft. The clutch is provided with two projecting radial lugs 57 and 58 to engage the two elongated teeth 55 and 56 formed on the shaft to rotate the line of shafts leading to a generator.

On fig. 9 is a sectional view of fig. 8 on line C-C. The two projecting radial lugs 57 and 58 are supported on two elongated teeth 55 and 56 to enable the two members to rotate in the same direction.

Fig. 10 is a view of a schematically arranged row of Traffic Power platforms I, II, III & IV arranged sideways on a motorway 71 or a busy major road. Vehicles approaching a motorway toll gradually slow BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top view of a traffic platform.

FIG. 2 is a side view of fig. 1 hinged type platform.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of fig. 2, taken on line A-A and shows a mechancial arrangement in a concrete housing.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of fig. 3 taken on line B-B.

FIG. 5 is a view of a pressure bar.

FIG. 6 is a view of the broken ends of two similar platforms without hinges.

FIG. 7 is a view of the "S" shape roller plate.

FIGS. 8 and 9 respectively, are views of dog-teeth clutches arranged on the shaft.

FIG. 10 is a view of a schematically arranged Traffic Power Machine toll on the side of a motorway.

DEThILiD DESCRIPTION OF Fig INVENTION Figs. 1 and 2 respectively, comprise a platform arranged in two parts 3 and 3a linked together by a hinge 13, which causes the platform to bend at the top centre. The platform 3a is provided with two shafts 6 and 11 which are mounted on two bearing housings 7 and 12, for rocking purposes. The bearing housings are fastened to girders 4 and 14. Two over balancing weights 8 and 9 are provided on the arms 5 and 10 which are mounted on shafts 6 and 11 to over balance the heavy platform.

down their speed, entering either of the Traffic Power Platform Machines, causing it to descend and rotate the line of shafts leading to a small power station. To maintain a uniform rotation from irregular entrance of vehicles onto the platform, a large metal or concrete wheel 74 is mounted on two bearing housings 60 and 61. The large fly wheel is connected to a gear box 75, to speed up the rotation of the generator 59. Stop barriers 63, 65, 66 and 68 are erected. Then the platforms descend under the weight of passing vehicles, the barriers will rise automatically, or manually by attendants serving in boxes 64 and 67. A small underground tunnel 73 contains a line of rotating shafts from multiple Traffic Per ;;machines to a nearby power station. Steel cover plates 62 can be lifted up for maintenance purposes of the rotating intermediate shafts and bearing housings. A gate 69 is erected across one lane of the motorway 71, which would be opened by a gate attendant for congestion relief or to enable emergency vehicles such as police cars or ambulances to pass through. Heavily loaded vehicles should use the wide platform No. I situated nearest to the power station, to minimise the strain of the long line of rotating shafts from multiple platforms.

Other items are: central line 70 on a motorway or major road, and kerb 72.

Claims (7)

THE CLAIMS

1. Traffic Power Machine comprising a hinged platform with one end mounted on the bearings in the bearing housing causing the remaining part of the platform to descend under the weight of passing vehicles and to rise from the over balancing weights or coil springs, in a reciprocating manner, each time a vehicle enters and leaves the platform, the said platform being arranged with a pressure bracket and connected to a reciprocating pressure bar, the other end of the said pressure bracket being provided with a slot connected to a lever plate and locked with a crank bolt, the other end of the said lever plate being arranged with a bore and mounted onto a pivot provided on a dog-teeth clutch, the said dog-teeth clutch being turnable on the shaft and guided by the reciprocating lever plate, the second member of the dogteeth clutch being arranged with two projecting radial lugs to engage in a slidable manner on the elongated two teeth formed on the shaft in order to rotate the line of coupled shafts, rotatable on the bearing housing brackets leading to the generator.

2. Traffic Power Machine as claimed in claim 1, the platform being mounted on the bearing housings and the said platform being fastened with the said bearing housings to girders supported on the concrete housing walls, the other portion of the said platform being provided with two rollers to prevent friction and wear, the said platform being arranged with a pressure bracket provided with a bolt releaseable from the fork formed on the pressure bar for maintenance purposes, of the machine arranged in the concrete housing.

3. Traffic Power Machine as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, a dual platform arranged to descend and rise in a reciprocating manner without hinges by providing one platform with roller plates and the other platform with corner bars supported operatively on the rollers fitted to the roller plates, the said platforms being raised to a recommended gradient by a calibrated coil spring or springs from the coil spring housing.

4. Traffic Power Machine as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, the multiple platforms being arranged sideways on a motorway toll or a busy major road, the said multiple platforms motivating the coupled aligned shafts to a large and heavy fly wheel by increasing the rotating speed with a gear ratio necessary for turning the generator in a nearby power station.

5. Traffic Power Machine substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 - 10 of the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 4. Traffic Power Machine as claimed inclaim 1 and claim 2, the multiple platforms being arranged sideways on a motorway toll or a busy major road, the said multiple platforms motivating the coupled aligned shafts to a nearby power station.

5. Traffic Power Machine as claimed in claim 1 and 4 has a large and heavy fly wheel mounted on two bearing brackets, and has the ability to prolong the rotating energy during uneven entering of vehicles on the platform thus maintaining a uniform rotation of the generator.

6. Traffic Power Machine as claimed in claim 1, 2, 3, and 4, when on a downhill road with raised platforms 3a, but set up at level position, prevents vehicles from climbing up, thereby saving on fuel consumption.

7. Traffic Power Machine Substantially as described herein to figures 1 - 10 of the accompanying drawings.