US1164403A - Current-motor. - Google Patents

Description

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BEN T. SAMS .AND WALTER H. HOUT, 0F WARRENSBURG, MISSOURI.

' CURRENT-MOTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1d, i915.

Application filed July 15, 1914. Serial No. 851,076.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, BEN T. SAMS and WALTER H. HOUT, citizens of the United States, and residents of Varrensburg, in the county of Johnson and State of Missouri, have invented a new and Improved Current Motor, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates to current motors, and has reference more particularly to a water wheel in the shape of a spiral formed by a cone surface and mounted to float in a water current at a suitable angle to the direction of the current with the cone surface of the spiral. The current motor vis further characterized by the provision in the spiral wheel thereof of means between the adjacent surfaces of the spiral for receiving the maximum energy from the current and which means will prevent any back pressure during the operation of the wheel.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple, strong and eilicient current motor of the spiral type which is adapted to support itself on the fluid by which it is actuated. Y

l/Vith the above and other objects in view, the nature of which will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as herein fully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of the application, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and Figure l is a perspective of a current motor embodying our invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a fraction of the wheel showing in dotted lines the various positions of the paddles as the vsaid part of the spiral emerges from the water; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the spiral with the paddles therebetween showing in the dotted lines the different positions thereof as the spiral with the paddles enter the water; and Fig. 4- is a cross sec- -tion showing the connection of the paddles with the spiral and the means limiting the movement of the paddles in a predetermined direction.

Before proceeding to a more detailed description of our invention, it must be clearly understood that the provision o f a coneor funnel-shaped spiral without the paddles is in itself a power-producing machine substantially without any back pressure, and the addition of the foldable paddles to this spiral greatly increases the etliciency of the motor. 'lhe said foldable paddles can be used with an y other shaped spirals and the efficiency of said` spirals will be increased, but the total efficiency of the motor will not be as large as when the said paddles are combined with a coneor funnel-shaped spiral.

Referring to the drawings, 5 represents a hollow shaft the ends of which are hermetically sealed and supported in suitable bearings carried by a suitable support. rlhe ends of the shaft with its bearings and support are not shown, as they do not form part of the invention. rlhe voluminal displacement of the shaft 5 in water is such as to sustain the spiral and the paddles carried thereby at least half submerged in. water. found spirally on the shaft 5 is a coneshaped surface 6 forming on the shaft a funnel-shaped spiral between the adjacent cone surfaces of which paddles 7 are provided. The said paddles 7 are preferably hinged to the concave surface of the spiral, while the facing convex surface is provided with members 8 substantially parallel with the element of the cone surface and forming abutments for the corresponding non-hinged edge of the paddles. Each member or abutment S prevents. any further movement of the corresponding paddle past the plane passing through the aXis of the spiral. The number of paddles in each turn of the spiral will vary with the diameter of the spiral, also the pitch of the spiral will vary in accordance therewith.

Although any angularity less than 909 between the concave surface of the coneshaped spiral and the axis thereof will produce a good current motor, the maximum efficiency from the current is obtained by making the angulari'ty between the axis of the spiral and the concave surface thereof equal substantially to 45. The paddles a, l), c, d and e of the successive turns of the spiral are stepped relatively to each other Vso that when the paddle e has reached a point where it would begin to produce a bach pressure in its further movement 1f 1t were prevented from moving relatively to the spiral the paddle a is just entering the water, while the intermediate paddles, that is, c and d, are in a position such that the `water is pushing directly against them and Yit maintaining said paddles against the members 8. The movement of the paddle e as the same emerges from the water, is illustrated in Fig. 2. The dotted lines e', e, 6 and 6 indicate the gradual displacement of said paddle c, as the same, after having done its work, reaches the point where the back pressure commences to equalize itself by the forward pressure produced by the currentgand due to the back pressure the paddle `gives way and equalifzes the said back pressurev by slowly folding back against thei concave surface of 'the spiral, and lthe said 'paddle moves upward and edgewise out of the water, as illustrated by the consecutive `'dtted lines shown in Fig. 2. ',As -soon as't'his ypart of the spiral wheel passes lthe vertical plane, after it 'emerges from water, the force of gravity 'will swing the .paddle against the l'abutment 8 before it enters `:the `water level, the vsuccessive positions of paddle e being lshown i'n Fig. 3 i'n dotted line andindicated in el, e2, 6 'and e4. The stepped relation of the swinging or release paddles a Ito e inclusive'is such as to obtain a regular and 'steady -mve'ment of ythe motor,*thereby obtaining a regular and steady power. `fI'he .provision of the airtight hollow shaft 5, making the motor Vself supporting, eliminates the 'necessity of a complicated Ymechanism for raising and lowering 'the motor due t0 the change 'of water level. It may be remarked that any number of such motors may Ywork Vside by side ina stream, Ithe necessary arrangement being made for-collecting the power independently or collectively from said motors.

y, The current strikes the concave lsurface ofthe spiral atan angle shown by the arrow in Fig. l. The paddles between the concave and convex surfaces of the spiral form a dam or I'blockade for the directionl of the 'current Vso that water must push through ,and by so `,doing turn the Nwheel or stop flowing.. The angle at which the current strikes the concave surface of the wheel lmay-*be varied, but preferably it should not strike the -spiralsurface at right angles to the V'axis' of the spiral yor parallelly thereto. Therefore, .the angle of variation is within 45 with the axis ofthe spiral.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantage of the construction and operation of the device shown will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, and while We have described the principle of operation, together with the device which we now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, we desire to haveiit understood that the device 'shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made when desired as arel within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, we

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. In a current motor, a funnel-shaped spiral, paddles associated therewith and positioned within the turns of said spiral, said paddles adapted to close with the normally operative flow of the iuid against the motor.

2. In a current motor, a funnel-shaped spiral and paddles hinged to the concave surface of said spiral within the turns thereof, said spiral having means limiting the movement of said paddles under the normally operative iiow of the fluid against the motor.

3. In a current motor, a 'funnel-shaped spiral, 'paddles hinged to the concave surface of said spiral Vwithin each turn thereofand members extending von the convex surface 'of said spiral adapted to form abutments for said paddles when the same are forced thereagainst under the normally operative flow of the iiuid 'against the motor.

l. In a 'current motor, a funnel-shaped spiral, paddles hinged to the concave surface of said spiral within each turn thereof, said paddles being 'adapted to move on their hinges 4from the concave surface to the facing convex surface of the spiral, and 'members xcarried Aby the convex surface adapted to form an 'abutment foreach paddle when the paddle is rengaged by the normally operative flow ofthe fluid.

5. In 'a current motor, a floating shaft, a funnel-shaped spiral on the shaft rigid therewith, paddles hinged to the concave surface of the spiral within the turns thereof, and 'means associated with lthe convex surface 'of the spiral and adapted to co-act with each vof the paddles and to arrest the movement of the same under the operative flow ofthe fluid. n

16. In Va current motor, a spiral and a plurality 'of paddles in each turn thereof, means connecting each paddle to the spiral and vpermitting the movement of the paddle from the concave ysurface of the spiral to the facing 'convex surface thereof, and means associated with the 'spiral preventing each paddle from moving beyond a vplane passing through the axis of the spiral when said 'paddle moves under the normal operative vflow yof the fluid.

7. In -a current motor, a 'spiral and paddles carried thereby and mounted to move relative to said spirals so as to engage opposite `spiral surfaces under the normal operative fl'o'w of the fluid.

8. In a current m'otor, a spiral and paddles carried thereby, 'said paddles being hinged to said spiral at predetermined intervals 'so that opposite spiral surfaces are engaged by the paddles under the normal operative flow -of the fluid.

9. In a current motor, a spiral, paddles carried thereby, means permitting the dislse placement of said paddles relative to said spirals, and means associated with the spirals adapted to prevent the paddles from passing beyond the aXis of the spiral when moved relative to said spiral under the operative flow of the fluid.

10. In a current motor, a funnel-shaped spiral and paddles between the turns of said spiral adapted to engage the facing spiral surfaces under the operative ilow of the fluid.

11. 1n a current motor, a hollow shaft having hermetically sealed ends, a funnelshaped spiral on said shaft, paddles hinged to the concave surfaces of the spiral, and

means associated with the convex surface of the spiral and adapted to co-act with the paddles whereby said paddles are prevented from moving on said hinges under the operative How of the fluid beyond a plane passing through the axis of the spiral.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BEN. T. SAMS. WALTER H. HOUT.

Witnesses:

J. R. ROTHWELL, M. C. DRAPER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1D. C.

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