GB2259117A

GB2259117A - Buoyancy motor

Info

Publication number: GB2259117A
Application number: GB9118645A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Ball
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-08-30
Filing date: 1991-08-30
Publication date: 1993-03-03
Also published as: GB9118645D0

Abstract

A piston action float engine with an alternating valve system, is powered by a float (4) reacting to the constant and regulated rise and fall of liquid (2) within a vessel (1). The vessel is supplied with liquid through a liquid inlet valve (3) and liquid is obtained from the vessel through a liquid outlet valve (5). When the liquid inlet valve is open the liquid outlet valve is closed and when the liquid inlet valve is closed the liquid outlet valve is open, consequently the float rises and falls with the liquid level in a piston like movement and is contrived to rotate a crank shaft (8) or wheel by means of a crank arm (7) fitted to the top of the float. The piston action of the float could also be contrived to turn a beam. <IMAGE>

Description

PISTON ACTION FLOAT ENGINE WITH ALTERNATING VALVE SYSTEM This invention relates to a Piston Action Float Engine with Alternating Valve System.

Engines are widely used to convert energy.

In general, however, engines are inefficient and cause pollution.

According to the present invention there is provided a vessel which is supplied with liquid, the liquid pours into the vessel by means of a liquid inlet valve (or valves). The inlet valve is part of a valve system which regulates the rise and fall of liquid within the vessel. A float is provided within the vessel which rises and falls with the liquid level.

Liquid pours from the vessel by means of a liquid outlet valve (or valyes). The liquid outlet valve is contrived to be open when the liquid inlet valve is contrived to be closed, consequently liquid flows from the vessel through the liquid outlet valve. As the float drops with the liquid level to a precise point, a mechanism closes the liquid outlet valve, and opens the liquid inlet valve. As the float rises with the liquid level to a precise point a mechanism opens the liquid outlet valve and closes the liquid inlet valve, the float begins to fall again and so the process continues.The float moves within the confines of a cylinder or other construction which allows the float to rise and fall but prevents the float from drifting sideways, the vessel itself could be used to prevent the float from drifting sideways, the float would cover a large surface area of the liquid within the vessel and could be a close fit to the side wals of the vessel, the liquid inlet valve could pour liquid into the vessel from below the float. The power generated by the engine depends on the size of the float and the volume of liquid supplied.

Attached to the top of the float by a flexible joint is a crank arm which is contrived to rotate a crank shaft as the float rises and falls with the liquid level. The constant rise and fall of the float results. in a comparatively slow crank action, however when gears are applied the problem is resolved. A number of float engines could be contrived to rotate a single crank shaft, as some floats rise others are falling insuring a smooth rotation of the crank shaft.

Perhaps the most practical valve systems would use an automatic timing device, computers could be used to control the valve system, alternatively the valve system could be operated by the movement of the float or crank, electronic eyes could be used to gauge the level of liquid or pressure pads could indicate the liquid level, siphon valves are a possibility. The float engine could take advantage of comparatively short falls of water such as a weir, the lock of a canal or the ebb and flow of the tide. A bank of float engines could be placed in graded positions from the top of a dam, liquid would flow from one float engine at the top of a dam to a lower float engine and so-on in sequence.One of the advantages the float engine has over the water wheel is that the water wheel supports the liquid, the greater the distance the liquid must fall the heavier the water wheel must be which limits the potential power of the water wheel. However in the case of the float engine the liquid supports the float increasing the potential size of the float without increasing stress on the structure of the float. The water wheel takes advantage of falling liquid. However the float engine not only takes advantage of falling liquid, it also takes advantage of the liquid rising within the vessel.The float engine may be more efficient than the water turbine, it is possible for liquid to pass between the blades of a water turbine whether it is rotating or not, this waste of energy would not occur in the case of the float engine, energy could be obtained from almost every drop of liquid passing through the vessel providing the float covers the maximum surface area of the liquid. Alternatively instead of a crank arm, a rod could be attached to the float which would slide piston fashion within a fixed cylinder. A wheel with a horizontal axis could be attached to the end of the rod. The wheel would run in a continued virtically undulating slot fixed around the rim of a wheel revolving on a fixed virtical axis.As the float rises, the rod rises through the fixed cylinder, the wheel attached to the rod pushes against one of the upward sloping surfaces of the undulating slot, turning the wheel with the undulating slot around the rim in a similar transfer of energy to that of the force exerted on a turbine blade, the slope ends as the float reaches the top of it's ascent. As the float beings to decend the smaller wheel with the rod begins to decend pushing down on the down side of one of the undulations turning the wheel with the undulating slot further. As the float reaches the end of it's decent it begins to rise again with the liquid, the wheel on the end of the rod beings to push against the next upward sloping surface of an undulation around the rim of the main wheel, turning it still further and so the process continues.Perhaps the greatest advantage the piston action float engine has over the water turbine is that the float engine takes advantage of a rising liquid level as well as a falling liquid level. The water turbine takes advantage of falling liquid only.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 illustrates in section, the float decending with the liquid level, the liquid inlet valve is closed and the liquid outlet valve is open.

Fig. 2 shows in section, the float at it's lowest point of decent just before the liquid inlet valve opens and the liquid outlet valve closes.

Fig. 3 illustrating in section, the float ascending with the liquid level, the liquid inlet valve is open and the liquid outlet valve is closed.

Fig. 4 shows in section, the float at it's highest point of ascent just before the liquid inlet valve closes and the liquid outlet valve opens.

Referring to the drawings, the float engine comprises a vessel 1 which is supplied with liquid 2 the liquid pours into the vessel by means of a liquid inlet valve 3. The inlet valve is part of a vavle system which regulates the rise and fall of liquid within the vessel. A float 4 is provided within the vessel which rises and falls with the liquid level. Liquid pours from the vessel by means of a liquid outlet vavle 5.

The liquid outlet valve is contrived to be open when the liquid inlet valve is contrived to be closed as shown in Figures 1 and 2, consequently liquid flows from the vessel through the liquid outlet valve. As the float decends with the liquid level to it's lowest point, the liquid outlet valve is contrived to close when the liquid inlet valve is contrived to open as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

The float which rises and falls with the liquid level in a piston like movement is contrived to turn a crank shaft. The technique I have chosen to illustrate is as follows. Attached to the top of the float is a flexible joint 6 which in turn is attached to a crank arm 7. The crank arm is contrived to rotate a crank shaft 8 or wheel.

Curved arrows show in which direction the crank shaft rotates in this particular case.

Claims

1 A piston action float engine with alternating valve system comprising a vessel supplied with liquid, within the vessel is provided a float which rises and falls within the liquid level in a piston motion, the regulated rises and fall of the liquid and float within the vessel is controlled by an alternating valve system, the float engine is contrived to convert energy from a falling liquid level within the vessel and also from a rising liquid level within the vessel by means of the float which rises and falls with the liquid level.

2 A piston action float engine with alternating valve system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein a valve system comprising both inlet valve (or valves) and outlet valve (or valves), when the inlet valve (or valves) is open, the outlet valve (or valves) is closed and when the inlet valve (or valves) is closed the outlet valve (or valves) is open, resulting in the piston like movement of the float.

3 A piston action float engine with alternating valve system as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the piston like movement of the float is contrived to rotate a wheel or crank shaft.

4 A piston action float engine with alternating valve system substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.