US1537560A - Tide motor - Google Patents

Description

' May 12, 1925. 1,537,560

C. F. STEG TTTTTTT OR May 12,1925. 1,537,560 C. F. STEGMEIER TIDE MOTOR I Filed Sept. 16. 1924' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A u V I INVENTOR WITN Cflar/esfif S/gymgzer;

ATTORNEYS Patented May 12,

UNITED STATES 1,537,560 earner oFFics.

CHARLES F. STEGMEIEB, 0F VAN NUYS, CALIFORNIA.

TIDE Moron.

Application filed September This invention relates to tide motors and aims to provide a machine of this character which generates an abundance of power in an eflicient manner and without any material expense except the initial cost of instal lation and a comparatively slight upkeep, the present invention convertin the natural force or energy of the rise and fall of the water into a form of power which may be readily adapted to industrial purposes Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of construction combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an apparatus embodying the present invention,

Figure 2 is a view thereof in elevation, with parts shown in section for the sake of illustration,

Figure 3 is a view in vertical section on the line 33 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail view partly in top plan and partly in horizontal section showing the mounting of the lazy tongs.

Referring to the drawings wherein is shown a tide motor embodying the present invention the numeral 10 designates a foundation or bed of concrete or other suitable material in which the lower ends of piling 11 are embedded and secured. The foun dation 10 is relatively heavy so that the piling 11 will be securely and rigidly held in position and will not be liable to be pulled out. A rail 12, which is C-shaped in cross section, is rigidly and securely fastened to the piles 11 and provides a mounting for a lazy tongs, designated generally at 13.

The lazy tongs 13 consists of a plurality of pairs of bars 14, the members of each pair of bars 14 being pivotally connected to each other, as at 15, intermediate the ends 16, 1924. Serial No. 738,038.

of the bars and the ends of the bars of one pair being pivotally connected to the adjacent ends of the bars of the adjacent pair, as indicated at 16. Atthe ends of the lazy tongs short bars 17 are provided which terminate at the point of their pivotalconnection to each other.

The pivot pin 15 which connects the bars of each pair of lazy tongs to each other is extended, as indicated at 18 in Fig. 3 and arries a roller 19 which travels in the guide provided by the rail 12. With this arrangement the pivots 15 may travel along the rail 12 during the extension or contraction of the lazy tongs but these pivots 15 are con strained against vertical movement and consequently the lazy tongs as a whole cannot nove vertically although the pivots 16 thereof change their vertical position.

The extension and contraction of the lazy tongs is controlled from a float, designated generally at 20, the float 20 being of any suitable construction and having suitable air chambers or suitable ballast, as may be required by the conditions met with in any particular installation. The float 20 is connected with the lazy tongs in such manner that the fall of the float serves to contract the lazy tongs and the rise of the float serves to extend the same. For this purpose hangers 21 depend from the lazy tongs and carry rollers 22 which operate in a guide channel 23 fixed to the top of the float and having flanges 2 1 which extend over the upper portion of the rollers 22, as illustrated in Fig. 3, so as to prevent the rollers from being pulled from the guide channel 23 when the float falls. the hangers are pivotally connected to the lower pivot 16 of the lazy tongs.

The extension and contraction of the lazy tongs may be converted into a suitable type of power or a suitable form of energy in any approved manner but preferably these movements of the lazy tongs are utilized for the purpose of driving variable speed electric generators which may be equipped with pole changes similar to those employed on railway lighting systems. In carrying out this purpose a clip 25 is pivotally connected to each end of each lazy tong and each clip 25 is connected to one end of a cable or flexible element 26. Each flexible element 26 is trained over a pulley or guide sheave 27 carried by a suitable support 28 Preferably the upper ends of v and has an end 29 wound on a spool or drum 30 fixed to a shaft 31 which is connected by any suitable gearing or motion transmission devices to a variable speed electric generator 32. As will be understood from the drawings the cables 26 are pulled when the float 2O falls and the lazy tongs 13 contract and this pulling of the cables 26 will cause the ends 29 thereof to unwind from their drums 30, thereby rotating the drums 30 and the shafts 31 and consequently driving the generators 32.

In order that the rise of the float and the consequent expansion or extension of' the lazy tongs may also be utilized to drive the generators 32 a cable or flexible element 35 is connected to each end of the lazy tongs. The cables 35 extend inwardly above the lazy tongs and are trained over pulleys 36 mountedon one of the piles 11 and these cables 35 have ends 37 wound on the drums oppositely with respect to the winding of the ends 29 of the cables.%, With this arrangement although the cables are pulled in an opposite direction from that in which the cables 26 are pulled nevertheless these cables 35 rotate the drums 30 in the same direction as the cables 26 rotate these drums.

Although the power generator or tide motor is especialy adapted for use in tide water where the rise and fall of the tides produce a corresponding movement of the float 20 and a consequent actuation of the generators 32, the motor is also adapted for use in conjunction with the inland rivers, a basin being provided for the float, the float controlling the filling and emptying of the basin from and into the river. It is to be noted that with the present invention it is not necessary to construct big dams or to develop high water pressure.

'It is to be understood that during lapse or change of tide power is taken from the battery station equipped with modern installments such as automatic cut-ins and automatic cut-outs to insure a continuous service. It is to be understood that the batteries of the station may be electrically connected with the generators or dynamos and suitable arrangements made for charging of the batteries and discharging from the same at the proper time.

I claim: 7

1. In a motor of the character described including a support, lazy tongs mounted on the support, a float connecting with the lazy tongs, power generating devices, and motion transmission means between the lazy tongs and the power generating devicesand comprising cables connected with the ends of the lazy tongs, guide pulleys for said cables, and drums upon which the cables are wound, there being two cables connected to each end of the lazy tongs and two cables wound on each drum,each drum having its cables oppositely wound.

2. In a motor of the character described,

asupport, horizontally extensible and contractable lazy tongs mounted on the sup port, a float, a guide channel mounted on the float and having flanges, hangers depending from the lazy tongs and having rollers operating in the guide channel and confined therein by the flanges of said channel, and means for converting the extension and contraction of the lazy tongs into power.

CHAS. F. STEGMEIER.

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