US1423717A - Current motor - Google Patents

Description

E. S. HICKS. CURRENT MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29, 1919. 1,423,?17.

RENEWED FEB.H,1922.

Patented July 25 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVENTOR Key iggin Y ATTORNEYS E. S. HICKS.

CURRENTMOTOR. APPLICATION FI LED MAR. 29 1919- RENEWED FEB. H, 1922.

1 A2 3,? l 7, Patented y 25, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mass STANLEY HICKS, or YAKIMA, wAsHIivs'roN.

conunnr Mos s.

Specification of Letter sfatent.

Patented July as, 1922.

Application filed March as, 1919, Serial in. 285,370. Renewed February 11, 1922. Serial No. 535,946.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIAS STANLEY HIoKs,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Yakima, in the county of Yakima and State or lVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Current Motors, of which the iollowing is a specification,

This invention has reference to that class of current motors in which is embodied a current wheel adapted to be'submerged in a river, brook, artificial water tall or other body of water in which there is a swift current and which is more especially useful at places where the propulsive power of a moving body of water could not otherwise be economically utilized.

Among objects to be hereinafter explained, my present invention seeks to provide "a current wheel of a simple and economical construction, that can be readily put up without the aid of skilled labor or special machinery and the parts adapted for being cooperatively so combined that, when put in operative condition, they effectively serve for their intended purposes and are not readily disarranged or put out of their operative condition by debris floating with the current.

In its more specific nature, my present invention contemplates certain improvements in the construction of the current or water wheel disclosed in my Patent No. 1,071,918, dated September 2, 1913.

In my aforesaid patent, wings or paddle members are included, whose construction is such whereby to concentrate the force of the water flowing against them for acquiring a maximum impelling power or the current and, at the same time, causing the current of water to continuously flow to and pass the outenedges of the wings or paddles in such manner that the current is held within its natural course, as well as overcoming the tendency of the water flow racing toward the central or axial point of the wheel and to thereby overcome formation of eddies or back pressure against the said wings or paddles.

Primarily, my present invention seeks to so improve the general construction of my patented current wheel stated, as to materially increase the efficiency thereof, produce a more suitable arrangement of the wing and paddle connection and in which the said wings or paddles are so designed as to practically eliminate all resistance while revolving through the water.

Another and essential object of my present invention is the provision for allowing a larger flow of water between the paddles or blades and furnishing -more leverage on the shaft, whereby the paddle portion of the blade or wing, as it reaches the position for receiving the full impact force of the current, is entirely below the horizontal line of the shaft, therebyproviding torque and effect to the shaft while revolved under the force of the currentengagi'ng the submerged wings or paddles.

Again, my present invention provides for so supporting the wings or paddles, that the arms to which the wings or paddles are attached, may be made wider and more firmly secured to the central support or spoke, to

thereby permit the using of lighter material in the construction of the paddle than is possible in my patented construction of current wheel referred to.

With still further objects in view andherein'after apparent, my invention consists in the peculiar construction and novel arrangement of parts which will be first explained in detail, specifically pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of two paddle wheel units mounted on a power transmission shaft and constructed in accordance with my present invention. 7

Figure 2 is a plan View of one of the current wheel units mounted on the power transmission shaft.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the central support or spoke frame that carries the wings or paddles.

Figure 41s a diagrammatic detail view that illustrates the manner in which the paddle carrying arms or spokes are mounted and its position for offering least resistance tothe current.

Figure 5 is a face View of one of my im proved constructions of paddle.

Figures 6 and are cross sections thereof taken on the line 6'-6 and 7'-7, respectively on Figure 5.

ioe

Figure 8 illustrates a somewhat modified arrangement of my invention and hereinafter again referred to.

In the practical application of my present invention, like in my patented current motor construction before referred to, as many of the current wheel units may be mounted on a common or power transmitting shaft 1. as conditions of the current into which the wheels are to be mounted and the character of the mechanism to be driven may make clesirable.

In the installation of my improved current wheel, the same may be set up as illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing in my patent before mentioned.

In my present showing, Figure 2 of the drawings illustrates a portion of the power shaft 1 mounted in a bearing 2 and carrying a transmission pulley 45 and equipped with one of my improved current wheel units.

Figure 1 shows two of said current wheel units in end elevation, each of like construction, one of said units being mounted on the shaft relatively at right angles to the mounting of the other wheel unit, in the same manner and for the same purposes as the wheel units are mounted on the shaft 1 in my patented construction.

My present invention is embodied in the wheel structure and the same includes a central support or hub 1 which is fixedly attached to the shaft 1 and from which oxtends a pair of oppositely projecting spokes 55 which are preferably formed integral. with the hub 1, as shown.

Referring now more particularly to F igures 1 and 8 of the drawings, it will be ob served that the outer end of each spoke 5 terminates in an inclined bearing member 6. The bearing member 6 on the said two spokes 55 extend laterally and in opposite directions from their respective spokes and each of the said bearing members 6 is inclined at an obtuse angle to the shaft 1.

To each of the inclined spoke members 66 is bolted a forked angled bracket 7, the forked bearing faces of which are inclined in a plane parallel wit-h the inclination of their respective members 6-6 to which they are riveted, as shown. 1

88 designate arms of suitable metal, one of which is secured at one end to each forked bracket .7, the said arms 8 being of some width to provide a wide bearing surface for attaching to their respective wings or paddles, the detailed construction of which is best shown in Figures 1, 5, 6 and. 7.

The wide bearing arms provide for using relatively light sheet metal for the paddles, presently described.

In my present construction, the blades or paddles are inclined at approximately right angles to each other, as is best shown in Figure 2 and each of the blades or paddles comprises a body that includes a flat impacting face 16 of a shape best shown in Figure 5, by reference to which it will be noticed that the face 16 has one straight edge 10, a pair of opposite parallel edges 11 and 12 and a pair of edges 13 and 14:, the latter tapering to a point, whereby to constitute a V-shaped portion.

Each blade or paddlealong the edges 12 and 14 has integral extensions that are bent up at obtuse angles to the flat or impacting face 16 and constitute flanges 15 and 17, one of which 15, in my present form of wheel, constitutes a supplemental surface for receiving the impact of the current flow and the other 17 serves as a combined impacting face and deflector for directing the current flow, after striking the faces 15, 16 and 17, toward and beyond the rear edge of the wheel back into the longitudinal plane of the shaft 1, thereby avoiding undue side force or strain of the current flow against the said shaft. 7

Forming the blade or paddle in the manner stated and shown, provides a wide clearance space between the adjacent inner edges 10-10 of the water or main impact receiv: ing face 16, such clearance being further augmented, in my present construction, by reason of the said edges being, at all times, as the wheel. is revolved through the water, at an obtuse angle to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 1 instead of. in a plane parallel to such shaft, as is the case in my patented wheelstructure before referred to.

The flange 17 of each paddle constitutes a water penetrating member and the said member is disposed at an obtuse angle with respect to the shaft 1, as shown.

The blades or paddles being mounted at obtuse angles to the shaft 1 and the two opposite blades set or inclined at relatively right angles to each other, as before stated and shown in the drawings, it follows that, when the paddles are set in the current with their fiat portions 16 facing the incoming stream, the current flow engages the said portion 16 and, owing to the angle set of the blade relatively to the shaft 1, the current, as it impacts the face 16, is continuously deflected under an impacting force against the flanges 15 and 17 and caused to flow over the outer edges, thereby effecting a second thrust action on the paddle, as the current strikes the flanges in passing along them and over the outer edges, back into the direct line of current, it being understood that the direction of the current is but slightly changed as it is momentarily retarded by impact with the paddle, particularly since ample space is provided between the paddles and the central support and the shaft, owing to the triangular shaped end and the angular positions of the paddles.

Owing to the relative inclination of the rent wheel unit, it is apparent pair of paddles that constitute a single curtha since the uppermost one of the pair of paddles inclines in the direction of the current flow and the other or lower one of the said pair of paddles inclines toward the incoming cur rent, the latter paddle receives the maximum impact force of the current, while the other paddle is being lifted, and thereby effects a continuous rotation of the wheel and the shaft l in one direction.

The important advantage in constructing the paddles, as before stated and illustrated in my present drawings, is that, while turning, the paddles cut through the water in such manner that frictional resistance of the paddles during such rotation through the water, is reduced to the minimum.

Again, in my present construction of cur rent wheel, since the flanges l5 and 1! are bent up, at obtuse angles, to the impacting face 16, see Figures 5, 6 and 7, the said flanges or rim members gather in the current and the latter coming in contact with the outer edge of the plane face, causes more pressure to bear at this point, by reason of the current, in striking the fluid impacting surface, rushing to the said outer edge. Thus, as the currents of water impound on the paddles at the points stated, they cause a greater leverage and consequent pressure to turn the paddles, than is incident in the use of my patented construction of current wheel before mentioned.

A still further advantage in the practical operation of my improved construction of current wheel, is that portion or point of the down going paddle which receives the greatest impact thrust of the current flowing against it, is entirely below the horizontal plane of the shaft 1; see for example as indicated by the dash lines a. and Z) on Figure 1, thereby insuring a continuous and uniform available leverage power, while the wheel is turning.

In my present invention, the paddle has a greatly increased impacting surface at the foremost or penetrating end and thereby gathers in more current than is possible in my patented form of wheel, the triangular shape of the outlet end of the said paddle and the angular position of the paddle and the shaft providing for a free flow of the current, while lifting the paddles.

While my invention is more particularly designed for use as a current wheel, the same may be, with but slight modifications in the mounting of and the shape of the paddles. see Figure 8, be readily utilized for wind power or undershot water wheel power.

In my present construction of current wheel, the peculiar shape and set of the paddles provides for practically eliminating the creation of eddies or back pressure on the paddles, since the space between the opposing pair of paddles and around the shafts and the paddle supports, is ample to overcome any danger of the fluid flowing freely I'Gt'XX-BSD. the paddles and around the shaft and the said supports.

The shaft power developed may be readily transmitted from the belt pulley 4-5.

lVhat I claim is:

1. A. current motor comprising a shaft adapted to be projected in the direction of the current, a pair of paddles transversely mounted with respect to the shaft, a pair of supporting spokes or members fixedly attached to and projected radially from the shaft, the outer end of each supporting spoke including a bearing face disposed at an obtuse angle in a direction transverse to the shaft to the flow of the current, one of the aforesaid paddles being attached to-each of the said bearing faces, the bearing face for one paddle being inclined at right angles in the same direction to the bearing face for the other paddle.

2. A current motor comprising a shaft adapted to be projected in the direction of the current, a pair of paddles transversely mounted with respect to the shaft, a pair of supporting spokes or members fixedly attached to and projected radially from the shaft, a bracket member attached to the outer end of each supporting spoke, said members each including a bearing face disposed at an obtuse angle in a direction transverse to the shaft to the flow of the current, one of the said paddles being attached to each of the said faces, the bearing face for one paddle being inclined at right angles in the same direction to the bearing face for the other paddle.

3. A current motor comprising a shaft adapted to be projected in the direction of the current, a pair of paddles transversely mounted with respect to the shaft, a pair of supporting spokes or members fixedly attached to and projected radially from the shaft, the outer end of each supporting spoke including a bearing face disposed at an obtuse angle in a direction transverse to the shaft to the flow of the current, one of said paddles being attached to each of the said bearing faces, the bearing face for one paddle being inclined at rightangles in the same direction to the bearing face for the other paddle, each of said paddles including a flat impacting surface, and flanges at the outer edges that extend forwardly at obtuse angles to the flat impacting surface, the innermost or opposing edges of the pair of paddles and the body of the paddles being positioned at an obtuse angle to lines parallel to the shaft.

4-. A. current motor comprising a shaft adapted to be projected in the direction of the current, a pair of paddles transversely mounted with respect to the shaft, a pair of supporting spokes or members fixedly at tached to and projected radially from the shaft, the outer end of each supporting spoke including a bearing face disposed at an obtuse angle in a direction transverse to the shaft to the flow of the current, one of the aforesaid paddles being attached to each of the said bearing faces, the bearing face for one paddle being inclined at right angles in the same direction to the bearing face for the other paddle, each of said paddles including a flat impacting surface, and flanges at the outer edges that extend forwardly at obtuse angles to the flat inipacting surface, the flat impacting surface of the said paddles including a rearwardly extended \/'-shaped portion.

5. A current motor comprising a shaft adapted to be projected in the direction of the current a pair of oppositely disposed spokes radially projected from and fixedly mounted on the shaft, a paddle mounted'on the outer end of each spoke, the said paddles being inclined at right angles in a direction transverse to the shaft to each other and each disposed at an obtuse angle in that direction to the flow of the current, each of the said paddles including a flat surface that receives the impact of the current and Which is constantly projected ahead of the shaft in the direction of rotation hile turning through the Water, and a forwardly projected flange along the outer edge of the said flat surface, the said flange being projected at an obtuse angle from the said flat surface.

E. STANLEY HICKS.

Images