IL46662A

IL46662A - Apparatus or plant for conversion of the energy of movement of a body of water into mechanical drive

Info

Publication number: IL46662A
Application number: IL46662A
Authority: IL
Original assignee: Goldberg E
Priority date: 1975-02-19
Filing date: 1975-02-19
Publication date: 1977-12-30
Also published as: IL46662A0

Description

APPARATUS OR PLANT FOR CONVERSION OF THE ENERGY MOVEMENT OF A BODY OF WATER INTO MECHANICAL DRIVE The present invention relates to a plant intended to make use of the movement of waves of the ocean and to derive power therefrom. Already in the specification of my earlier patent No. 4199 I have described an apparatus which comprises a float attached to an axle by a rigid connection, the said float rising and falling with the undulating movement of water, so that an oscillating movement is imparted to that rigid connection, xifhich movement is transformed by an appropriate gear into a continuous rotating movement.

The present invention constitutes an improvement of a construction which is based on the same idea of exploiting the energy of the ocean's waves.

According to the invention there is provided a float to which is connected a member consisting of two oppositely disposed racks, extending in parallel and facing one another with their toothed sides, the teeth on both racks being undercut - into different directions in relation to one another - a toothed wheel being positioned between the racks and meshing therewith, said toothed wheel being keyed on a rotatable shaft, means being provided to transmit the rotative movement of the shaft to any kind of machine.

These and further features of the invention will become clear from the following description of the accompanying drawings; Pigs. 1 and 2 being two executioned forms of practical embodiments of the new plant.

Turning first to Fig.1: within a skeleton framework generally indicated by the numeral 1 is positioned a float 2 which is hingedly connected at 3 to a lever 4, in turn hingedly attached at 5 to an upright of the skeleton frame- work 1. Two such arms and respective connections are provided, thus preventing unintended lateral movement of the float, but permitting free up-and down movement and also turning movement of the float 2 on arms 4. To the topside of the float 2 is fixedly attached a base plate 6 from which rise two parallel ears 7 in and between which is journalled a member 8 which will presently be described in detail. The member 8 comprises two racks 8a and 8b which extend parallel to one another with their teeth facing each other. The teeth of both racks are undercut, those of rack 8a in a direction opposite to those of rack 8b. From the upper and lower ends of rack 8a extend at right angles cross bars 8c and 8d.

Incidentally, cross bar 8d is the portion of member 8 by means of which the whole unit is journalled between ears 7. The free ends of bars 8c and 8d are slotted and rack 8b is held in these slots. Between the two racks 8a and 8b extend springs 9 urging the racks towards one another.

Between the two racks is positioned a toothed wheel having undercut teeth meshing with both racks. This toothed wheel 10 is keyed on a shaft 11 turning in bearings 12.

To the end of shaft 11 is keyed a sprocket 13 over which is slung a chain 14 in mesh with a smaller sprocket 15· On a platform 16 is mounted a generator 1 of electricity to the rotor shaft of which is keyed a friction wheel 18 driven by a larger friction vrheel 19 integral with or fixedly connected to the sprocket 15 already mentioned.

The new plant functions as follows i with the up and down movement of the float 2 the two racks - in contact with toothed wheel 10 - move up and down and due to the fact that the teeth of the racks are undercut the wheel 10 is With the downward movement - the opposite occurs. Thus the wheel 10 is turned continuously. The springs 9 assist this arrangement, urging the racks against the wheel so that the ^ one in mesh with the wheel has good meshing contact. Wheel 10 being fixed on shaft 11 imparts rotative movement to it and consequently to sprocket 13 which over chain 14» sprocket 15» wheel 19 and friction coupling 17» 18 drives the generator.

It is clear that the means for transmitting the rotative movement of the shaft to the generator may b§ any other, conventionally used transmission means. It is also obvious that instead of a generator 17, a pump, a compressor or any other machine might be driven by the new hydro-power plant.

Finally, the chain 14 - as can be gathered from the drawing -may at the same time drive additional sprockets (not shown in the drawing) and thus drive further machinery.

The shaft 11 may be extended to both sides and further power take-off means arranged thereon, such as pulleys and the like.

In the executioned form of Fig.2, the float 2 is partly filled with water (or any other liquid) indicated by the numeral 1G0. It is jouraalled between two uprights 101 of the skeleton f amework 1 , within an elongated aperture 102, so that the float 2, with the rising and falling of tides can rise or descend, as the case may be. On top of the float 2, near the two opposite ends thereof, are fixedly positioned two pairs of ears 70 in which are positioned rack and toothed wheel units (not shown) as described in connection with Fig.1. Thus, no detailed description of these units seems necessary.

The respective toothed wheels transmit the rotative movement imparted to them, in the same way and by like means as described in connection with Fig.1.

This variant of the plant functions as follows i-Assuming the waves flowing in the direction of the arrow X in Fig.1, the float will rise at that end and the movement will be assisted and accelerated by the liquid 100 flowing towards the opposite side of the float. This movement causes the right hand rack unit to perform an upward movement, acting on the toothed wheel in the manner described. With the force of the wave spent and flowing back, the float will perform a reverse movement, bring the opposite (left hand) unit into action, the movement of the float being again assisted by the liquid 100 flowing in the direction opposite to that of arrow X.

With every roiling movement of float 2 the two units perform corresponding movements, imparting corresponding rotative movement to the toothed wheels thereof, which in turn over the respective transmission drive a machine, as described in detail in connection with Fig.1 The fact that the rack arrangement rises directly from the float is of great advantage since it prevents loss of power due to indirect transmission of the up and down movement, but it would be within the scope of the invention to connect the rack unit - placed distant from the float -only functionally with the float , e.g. by a system of levers and gear wheels.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. Apparatus or plant for the conversion of energy of the movements pf a body of water into mechanical drive comprising a float to which is connected a member consisting of two oppositely p

2. Apparatus or plant as claimed in Claim 1* characterised thereby that the float is hingedly connected to a lever* which in turn is hingedly connected to a supporting structure*

3. Apparatus or plant as claimed in Claim 1» characterised thereby that the float is journalled between two uprights*

4. Apparatus or plant as claimed in Claim 3* characterised thereby that the journal is movable in a vertically extending elongated aperture permitting up and down movement only.

5. Apparatus or plant as claimed in Claim 4, characterised thereby that the float is partly filled with liquid.

6. Apparatus or plant as claimed in Claim 1* characterised thereby that the two racks are spring urged towards one another.

7. Apparatus or plant as claimed in Claim 3* characterised thereby that on top of the oat are positioned two rack-and-toothed wheel unit* one near each end of the float.

8. Apparatus or plant, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference t and as illustrated in thi accompanying drawings.