GB2357554A

GB2357554A - Water powered rotary output device

Info

Publication number: GB2357554A
Application number: GB9924243A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Andrew Wells; Mark John Gainsbury
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-10-14
Filing date: 1999-10-14
Publication date: 2001-06-27
Also published as: GB9924243D0

Abstract

A loop 3 including a series of buoyancy units 5 has a rising portion 3a in a column of liquid 7 arranged such that buoyancy units in the rising portion passing through the liquid generate lift. Movement of the loop produces an upward movement of liquid in the column which discharges to drive a liquid-driven loop 15 including a descending portion 15a. The weight of liquid causes a downward movement of said descending portion, whereupon the liquid returns to the lower end of the column. Both loops are arranged to drive a rotary power output shaft 12 to produce an output torque.

Description

2357554 P917 William Andrew Wells Mark John Gainsbury TORQUE GENERATOR

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a torque generator which utilises various properties of a liquid to generate output torque.

BACKGROUND

The present invention seeks to provide a new and inventive form of torque generator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention proposes a torque generator comprising: - a buoyancy-driven loop including a series of buoyancy units, said loop having a rising portion; - a column of liquid arranged such that buoyancy units in the rising portion of the loop pass through the liquid to generate lift, and in which movement of the loop is arranged to produce an upward movement of liquid in the 2 P917 column; - a liquid-driven loop including a descending portion which is arranged to receive liquid discharged from an upper end of the column whereby the weight of liquid causes a downward movement of said failing portion, and whereby the liquid returns to the lower end of the column; and - rotary power output means arranged to be driven from both of the loops to produce an output torque.

In a preferred form of the generator there are a plurality of buoyancy loops each arranged to drive the power output means.

The buoyancy units preferably incorporate integral cups which carry a quantity of liquid from the upper end of the column. The buoyancy units preferably sealably enter the lower end of the column through an entry passage. The buoyancy units are preferably arranged to transfer liquid into the column. The passage preferably contains at least two buoyancy units at the same time so that a quantity of liquid is carried through the passage between the buoyancy units.

A preferred form of buoyancy unit is substantially spherical with a collar which forms a lifting cup. The collar is preferably part-conical, and is preferably flexible to form a liquid seal with the wall of the passage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following description and the accompanying drawings referred to therein are included by way of non-limiting example in order to illustrate how the

3 P917 invention may be put into practice. In the drawings:

Fi-gure 1 is a front view of a torque generator in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the torque generator; and Figure 3 is a detail of one of the buoyancy units of the generator.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to Fig.s 1 and 2, the torque generator comprises a housing 1 containing guides 2 for a pair of buoyancy loops 3. Each loop 3 is constrained to move around a continuous path and includes a rising portion 3a. Each of the loops comprises a flexible element 4 such as a chain, belt or the like, to which are secured a series of sealed gas- filled ball-shaped buoyancy units 5, shown in detail in Fig. 3, which incorporate external partconical flexible collars 6 forming integral lifting'cups.

The rising portion 3a of each loop passes through a column of liquid (in this example water) contained within a pressure chamber 7. A seal is maintained at the lower end of the pressure chamber where the buoyancy units pass through a funnel-mouthed entry tunnel 8. The length of the tunnel is sufficient to contain at least two buoyancy units at any one time. The back-pressure of water in the tunnel causes the outer lip of the collars 6 to make a seal with the wall of the tunnel.

4 P917 As the buoyancy units pass through the column of water they generate lift causing a continuous upward movement of the rising portions 3a. When the buoyancy units leave the upper end of the column they each carry a quantity of water in the collars 6 so that water continuously discharges from the upper end of the column.

The continuous movement of the loops 3 is used to drive respective wheels 10 adjacent to the upper end of the loop, which are drivably engaged by the loops. The wheels are secured on a common shaft 11 which in.turn drives an output shaft 12 via a belt or chain drive 13 to generate an output torque which can be used to drive an electrical generator etc.

Also mounted within the housing 1 between the loops 3 is a further loop 15 which is drivably engaged with upper and lower wheels 16 and 17. The upper wheel 16 is secured on the shaft 11 to transmit torque to the output shaft 12. The loop 15 may again comprise a belt or chain and includes a descending portion 15a. The loop carries a series of pivotable cups 18 which are normally balanced to attain a horizontal position as shown in the upper part of the loop.

Water discharging from the collars 6 of the buoyancy units 5 at the upper end of the chamber 7 spills into the cups 18 which causes the loop 15 to rotate the wheels 16 and 17 due to the resulting increase in weight in the descending portion 15a, which in turn causes an increased drive torque on the output shaft 13.

Then the water-filled cups reach the bottom of the descending portion 15a they engage a fixed tipping cam 20 which causes the cups to tip and empty P917 their contents into a reservoir 21 at the bottom of the housing 1. A righting cam 22 assists the emptied cups to right themselves again. The column of water is continuously replenished from the reservoir 21 since the buoyancy units act as a form of fluid pump carrying water through the entry tunnel 8 in the spaces between each adjacent pair of units.

The torque generator thus utilises both buoyancy forces and the energy of flowing water to attain a very high level of efficiency.

The use of two buoyancy loops is not essential, although it is preferred since it increases the throughput of water and hence the available output torque.

Claims

It will be appreciated that the features disclosed herein may be present

in any feasible combination. Whilst the above description lays emphasis on those areas which, in combination, are believed to be new, protection is claimed for any inventive combination of the features disclosed herein.

6 P917 CLAIMS I.

A torque generator comprising:

a, buoyancy-driven loop including a series of buoyancy units, said loop having a rising portion; - a column of liquid arranged such that buoyancy units in the rising portion of the loop pass through the liquid to generate lift, and in which movement of the loop is arranged to produce an upward movement of liquid in the column; -:- liquid-driven loop inckiding a descending portion which is arranged to receive liquid discharged from an upper end of the column whereby the weight of liquid causes a downward movement of said descending portion, and whereby the liquid returns to the lower end of the column; and - rotary power output means arranged to be driven from both of the loops to produce an output torque.
2. A torque generator according to Claim 1, in which there are a plu-ality of buoyancy-driven loops each arranged to drive the power output means.
3. A torque generator according to Claim 1 or 2, in which the buoyancy units incorporate integral cups which carry a quantity of liquid from the upper end of the column.
4. A torque generator according to any preceding claim, in which 7 P91 7 the buoyancy units sealably enter the lower end of the column through an entry passage.
5. A torque generator according to Claim 4, in which the buoyancy units are arranged to transfer liquid into the column.
6. Atorque generator according to Claim 5, inwhich the passage contains at least two buoyancy units at the same time so that a quantity of liquid is carried through the passage between the buoyancy units.
7. A torque generator according to any preceding claim, in which each buoyancy unit is substantially spherical with a collar which forms a lifting cup.
8. A torque generator according to Claim 7, in which tha collar is partconical.
9. A torque generator according to Claim 7 or 8, in which the collar is flexible to form a liquid seal with the wall of the passage.
10. A torque generator substantially as described with reference to the drawings.