US475451A

US475451A - Machine for utilizing ocean-power

Info

Publication number: US475451A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1892-05-24
Anticipated expiration: 1909-05-24

Description

(No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 1. R. L. JOHANSEN. MACHINE FOR UTILIZING OCEAN POWER &c'.

No. 475,451. Patent d May 24,1892.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

R. L. JOHANSEN.

. MACHINE FOR UTILIZING OCEAN POWER & 6. No. 475,451.

Patented May 24, 1892.

'4 She ets-Sheet 3.

Patented May 24, 1892.

R. L. JOHANSEN. MACHINE FOR UTILIZING 00mm POWER 6w.

(No Model.\

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUDOLPH LQJOHANSEN, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

MACHINE FOR-UTILIZING OCEAN-POWER, 800.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 475,451, dated May 24, 1892.

Application filed May 21, 1891- Serial No. 393,645. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH L. JoHANsEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Utilizing Ocean-Power and for Converting Intermittent Motion into Continuous Rotary Motion, of which the following is a specification.

My improved machine is designed to be operated by the rise and fall of a float moored out beyond the breakers, where it will not be subject to the action of the breakers, and it is designed that the machines be used in series with their respective floats arranged with relation to the swell, so that they will be raised and lowered one after the other as the swell comes in toward land.

One object of my invention is to utilize the direct buoyant action of the swell with the smallest possible amount of friction.

Parts of my invention are adapted for use wherever it is desired to convert reciprocating motion into continuous rotary motion.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 is a plain side elevation of one of the motors complete. It is to be understood that the power is to be derived from a series of motors having their floats arranged in aline diagonal to the line of the swell of the ocean, as indicated in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a series of floats and their piers. It is to be understood that each of the cables Bis designed for connection with motion-converting mechanism corresponding to that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plain side view of one of the floats and the end of the pier on a larger scale than that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plain side elevation of the motion-converting portion of the machine. Fig. 5 is a plain side view of the improved ratchet employed by me, the face-plate 36 shown in Fig. 11 being removed to expose the parts. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the motion-con verting portion of the machine. Fig. 7 shows a plan view of an intermediate portion of the mechanism, showing the tension-carriage arranged to take up the slack of the cable and maintain suitable friction upon the driving-drum, which is shown in this figure, as well as in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 shows a plan of the projecting .angles to the power-shaft.

truss or frame and a portion of the float. Fig. 9 is a detail of the lower part of the device for placing and holding the cable-depression pulley in position, one of the side timbers being removed to expose the parts. Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the motion-converting portion of the mechanism. Fig. 11 is a section on line 00 as, Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is an elevation of the device for governing the motion. Fig. 13 is a fragmentary View of the same at right Fig. 14 is a plan view of a portion of such mechanism. Line y y, Figs. 12 and 13, shows the point at which the upper portion of the mechanism is broken away.

In practice the float A is of such size and weight that it will operate both by its buoyancy and by its weight to drive the mechanism of the motion-converting machine. B O are the extreme members of a suitable machine-operating cable and are attached, respectively, to the top and bottom of the float. The member B passes over the supportingpulley b, which is sustained by a suitable truss or frame D, which projects out from the pier E. The member 0, which is attached to the bottom of the float, passes down around the depression-pulley c, which is secured by suitable means to the masonry a at the bottom of the ocean and in the same vertical plane with, or vertically beneath, the supporting-pulley b. By this arrangement the float A is secured between the supporting and de-. pression pulleys and floats in the water and rises and falls without friction upon a track or guides, thus avoiding wear. The pulley c is secured, preferably, to the pulley-carriage F, which is arranged to travel up and downa suitably-inclined track d, so that when it is desired to draw the pulley with its cable up above the water for inspection it may be done by means of the carriage-operating and pulley-adjusting cable 6, which is oppositely secured to the ends of the carriage F and passes over the carriage cable-pulleys ff, secured, respectively, to the anchor-masonry a and the pier E. The depression-pulley c is secured to a suitable anchoring-hook g, which is secured to and projects down through the carriage F to engage with a suitable anchoring-eye h, fixed in the masonry a, so that when the carriage F is down in position at the bottom of the track, as shown, the hook will pro ject through the eye h, and will thus sustain the strain caused by the uplifting of the float A and the lower member G of the cable. The hook is preferably so attached to the carriage as to allow some vertical movement, so that no strain will come upon the carriage when the carriage is in place. The cable B and C is passed around the friction-drum G, and by its friction upon such drum causes the drum to rotate partially first in one direction and then in the other as the float rises and falls with the swell. Where the cable passes around the drum, the loop B Gis formed andis made to pass around the tension-pulley H, which is mounted upon the tension-carriage I, which is arranged to travel back and forth upon the track J, and is attached to a suitable weight K by means of a cable L,passed over the pulley M, thus to form a tension or take-up device to maintain an even frictional pressure upon the drum Gand to allow the cable to be slackened when desired. This tension is light enough to allow the cable to slip upon the drum in case of great strain caused by sudden application of the governor-brake. The drum G is journaled upon the drum-supporting shaft N and is connected with the driving sprocket-wheel O by a suitable clutch P, operated by lever P, so that the sprocket-wheel O and revolving drum G can be thrown out of or into connection with each other at pleasure when it is desired to start or stop the machine. This clutch mechanism is not shown in detail, as it is of the ordinary well-known construction. The sprocket-w heel O is connected with the sprocket-wheel Q, through the medium of the sprocket-chain R and the sprocket-wheel S, which is fixed to wheel Q, both being journaled to revolve upon the shaft T, which is provided with a crank t, to which a pump may be attached. The two wheels Q and S are operatively connected by suitable pawl 'i and ratchet j tothe shaft '1 to drive the shaft in one direction. The sprocket-chain R is led to the s1: rocket-wheel S over the ratchet-wheels 7c and Z, which are fixed together and mounted upon the shaft m, the purpose of this being to strengthen this part of the machine and prevent injury from the backlash of the chain when the action is reversed. The sprocketwheel Q is connected with the reciprocating motiou-rcceiving wheel U by means of the sprocket-chain V. The sprocket-wheel U is journaled upon the power-shaft WV and is connected therewith by the positive ratchet n, which is arranged to drive the shaft W in one directioni. e, in the direction indicated by the curved arrows in Figs. 4 and 10. The sprocket-wheel U is fixed to the driving cogwheel X, which meshes with the reversing cogwheel Y, which is journaled upon the shaft Z. A sprocket-wheel 0 is fixed to the cog-wheel Y and connected by means of the sprocketchain p to the shaft-drivin g sprocket-wheel g, which is journaled upon the power-shaft W' and connected therewith by the ratchet 'r.

It will be observed that the movement of'the chain V in either direction will cause the rotation of the shaft W in the direction indicated by the curved arrow in Figs. 4 and 10. If the chain V moves in the direction indicated by the straight arrow in Fig. 4, the reciprocating motion-receiving sprocketwheel U will be rotated in a direct-ion opposite to that indicated by the curved arrow, thereby causing the cog-Wheel a; to rotate in the same direction with U, thus driving in a reverse direction the cog-wheel Y, to which the reversing sprocket-wheel o is fixed, and thus driving the reversing sprocket-chain p and wheel q in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figs. 4 and 10, and thereby, through the medium of the reversing-ratchet r of the sprocket-wheel q, rotating the power-shaft W in the direction it is driven by the positive ratchet n. The reverse movement of the chain V will drive the sprocket-wheel U in the direction indicated bythe curved arrows in Figs. 4 and 10, thereby causing theratchet n to engage the power'shaft W to drive it in the direction indicated by the curved arrows in Figs. 4 and 10. When the wheel U is rotated in the direction indicated by the curved arrows, the cog-wheel X drives the cog-wheel Y, sprocket-wheel 0, and sprocket-wheel q in the direction opposite to that in which they are driven when the chain Vis driven in the direction indicated by the straight arrow in Fig. 4, and the ratchet T, when driven in the direction opposite to that indicated by the curved arrow, will not engage the power-shaft W, and therefore will not prevent its rotation.

In order to secure great strength and compactness in the pawl and ratchet employed, I provide the hubs of those gear-wheels which are mounted upon axles designed to revolve in one direction only with a chamber 1 surrounding the axle to inclose the ratchetwheel j, which is fixed to the axle to be driven. In the chambered Wheel, at intervals around the chamber, I provide radial pawlseats 2, in which I mount spring-pressed plugpawls z. The spiral springs 3, which press these pawls, are seated in the cylindrical spring seats or chambers 4 and operate to force the plugs '11 against the notched face of the ratchet-wheel j. The plugs are beveled on the end which engages the ratchet. The beveled face 5 thereof is arranged at such an angle with the axis of the plug that when one of the notches6 is brought opposite such face the face will fittl1ereupon,as shown in Fig. 5.

The means which I employ to regulate. the speed of the power-shaft W consists of the friction-govornor, which isillustrated in Figs. 12, 13, and 14. i

The vertically-moving sleeve 15, which is operatively connected byintermediate means 35 with the centrifugal balls 29, is connected by the lever-operating rods 16 to the outer ends of brake-band operating-levers 17, pivoted upon the shaft 18, fixed to the frame 19 of the machine. A brake-band 20 is connected by its ends, respectively, to the levers between their fulcrum 18 and the point of attachment of the rods 16. The governor-rod 21, provided with the centrifugal balls 29, is geared to the power-shaft WV through the medium of the cog-

wheels

22 and 23, governor-driving shaft 24:, the governor-pulley 25, fixed thereupon, the governor-driving pulley 26, fixed upon the power-shaft, and belt 27, connecting pulleys.

25 and 26. The brake-band 20 is arranged around a suitable friction-hub 28, fixed to the power-shaft W, and is arranged to engage therewith when the band is drawn upward by the levers 17 when the sleeve 15 is elevated by the too-rapid rotation of the centrifugal balls. The pressure of the band 20 upon the friction-hub is designed to retard the rotation of the shaft, thus communicating the strain to the cable B 0 through the connecting mechanism, and the cable operates upon the tension carriage I, which yields sufficiently to permit the cable to slip upon the friction-drum G, thus to prevent driving the machinery too rapidly in case the float should at any time be raised or lowered with an unusually quick movement. The weight K can be regulated to bring the proper amount of strain to bear upon the friction-drum G to give sufficient friction to transmit the desired amount of power, and as soon as the governor applies the brake to the shaft the cables will slip upon the drum and so allow the speed to become reduced, whereby I avoid racking the motion-converting mechanism by too great speed. Immediately the movement of the shaft is reduced the sleeve 15 is forced down by the weight of the centrifugal balls 29, thus relieving the brake-band 28 from the frictionhub. A spiral spring 30 is arranged to press the sleeve 15 downward to assist in relieving the brake, and 31 is a shoulder, which sustains the brake-operating cross-head 32, which is journaled upon the sleeve 15. It is desirable that the floats be arranged broadside tothe swell in order that the whole float will rise and fall with the swellwithout rocking,

as it would if it were arranged transverse to the swell. Otherwise much of the power will not be transmitted to the cable.

ward to cut the waves and break their force. The floats are moored near the shore beyond the breakers by means of suitable cables 7 and anchors 8 and are arranged, respectively, with their centers immediately beneath the sustaining-pulleys b and above the pulley-anchoring eyes 71. y

In practice the cable 0 is first secured to the bottom of the float and is then passed through the depression-pulley O, which is secured to the shank of the hook which is carried by the carriage F, which at the time of adjusting the cable is drawn to the surface of the water by means of the pulley or carriage-handling cable 6. When the cable I provide. each float with .the side prow 12, arranged at' the middle of the float, so as to project sea-- 0 has been passed through the pulley, the carriage F is drawn down again by means of the cable 6 until the hook g passes through the eye 72, as shown in the drawings, thus securing the pulley against being drawn to the surface. When adjusting the cable 0 and its depression-pulley c in operative position, advantage is taken of low tide and the tension-carriage I is temporarily relieved of its weight K to allow the cable 0 to slacken. The carriage F is supported by wheels q, and while being drawn up and down the track 01 it is sustained against the uplifting force of the float by means of suitable retaining devicessuch as the rollers or wheels 10which are arranged at the sides of the carriage with their peripheries arranged to projectinto the retaining grooves or runways 11 in the inner faces of the track-beams d. WVhen the hook has been forced into place, the weight K is again allowed to operate the tension or evener carriage I to hold the cable taut. Those portions of the cable B O which pass over the sustaining and depression pulleys are formed of chain in order to give greater durability and allow the use of smaller pulleys than could be used with wire cables, and it is to be understood the peripheries of the pulleys Z) and c are to be provided with depressions to fit the links, as is common in chain-pulleys. The cables of the several floats are conducted to the shore by means of pulleys 33, arranged along the main wharf or pier 34.

Now, having describedmyinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the pier, the truss projecting from such pier and provided at its outer end with the supporting-pulley, such pulley, the masonry at the bottom of the ocean, the depression-pulley secured to such masonry vertically beneath the supporting-pulley, the friction-drum operatively connected with motion-converting mechanism, and the cable passing around the friction-drum and having its end members respectively passed about the supporting and depression pulleys and secured to the top and bottom of the float.

2. The combination of the float,the supporting and depression pulleys arranged, respect ively, above and below the float, the frictiondrum operativelyconnected with motion-converting mechanism, the tension-carriage provided with the tension pulley, means for drawing such pulley away from the drum, and the cable passing around the frictiondrum and tension-pulley and having its end members respectively passed about the supporting and depression pulleys and secured to the top and bottom of the float.

3. The combination of the float, the supporting and depression pulleys, the friction-drum, the cable passing around the friction-drum and having its end members respectively passed about the supporting and depression pulleys and secured to the top and bottom of the float, the drum-supporting shaft N,

IIO

the driving sprocket-wheel O, mounted thereon and connected with the'friction-drum,the sprocket-wheels Q and S, fixed to each other and journaled to revolve, the sprocket-chain R, connecting the driving sprocket-wheel O with the sprocket-wheels Q and S, the powershaft W, the reciprocating motion-receiving sprocket-wheel U, journaled thereon and connected therewith by the positive ratchet arranged to rotate the shaft. in one direction, the driving cog wheel X, fixed tothe sprocketwheel U and journaled upon the power-shaft, the reversing co -wheel Y, meshing with the driving cog-wheel X, the reversing sprocketwheel 0, fixed to the reversing cog-wheel, the shaft-driving sprocketwheel q, journaled upon the power-shaft and connected therewith by the reversing-ratchet, arranged to drive the shaft in the same direction it is driven by the positive ratchet n, and such reversing-ratchet.

4. The combination of the power-shaft, the reciprocating motion-receiving wheel journaled thereon and connected therewith by the positive ratchet arranged to rotate the shaft in one direction, the driving cog-wheel,

fixed to suchmotion-receivin g wheel and journaled upon. the power-shaft, the reversing cog-wheel-meshingwith the driving cog-wheel, the reversing sprocket-wheel fixed to the reversing cog-wheel, the shaft-driving sprocketwheel journaled upon the power-shaft and connected therewith by the reversing-ratchet, arranged to drive the shaft in the same direction it is driven by the positive ratchet, and such reversing-ratchet.

5. The combination of the float, the supporting and depression pulleys, the frictiondrum, the cable passing around the frictiondrum and having its end members respectively passed about the supporting and depression pulleys and secured to the top and bottom of the float, the drum-supporting shaft N, the driving sprocket-wheel O, mounted thereon and connected with the friction-drum, the sprocket-wheels Q and S, fixed to each other and journaled to revolve,the sprocketchain R, connecting the driving sprocketwheel 0 with the sprocket-wheels Q and S, the power-shaft W, the reciprocating motionreceiving sprocket-wheel U, journaled thereon and connected therewith by the positive ratchet arranged to rotate the shaft in one direction, the driving cog-wheel X, fixed to the sprocket-wheel U and journaled upon the power-shaft, the reversing cog-wheel Y, meshing with the driving cog-wheel X, the reversing sprocket-wheel 0, fixed to the reversing cog-wheel, the shaft-driving sprocket-wheel q, journaled upon the power-shaft and connected therewith by the reversing-ratchet, arranged to drive the shaft in the same direction it is driven by the positive ratchet oz, such revers- 1 ing-ratchet, and a governor.

6. The combination of the power-shaft, the

governor-rod provided with the centrifugal balls and geared to the power-shaft, the frici tion-hub fixed to the power-shaft, the pivoted brake-band-operating levers, the brake-band arranged around the friction-hub and connected by its ends, respectively, to such levers,

the vertically-moving sleeve operatively connected withthe centrifugal balls, the leveroperating rods connecting the sleeve with levers, thefriction-drum, operative mechanismconnecting the power-shaft with such friction-drum, the float, the cable secured to the 1 top and bottom of such float and passing respectively over and under the supporting and depression pulleys and around the frictiondrum and having the loop passed around the r tension-pulley secured to the tensionecarriage,

such pulley and carriage, and the weight.

7. The combination of the float, the sustaining-pulley, the friction-drum, the tension carriage and pulley and means for operating the same, the inclined track provided with the retaining-grooves, the anchoring-eye fixed beneath the float, the traveling carriage arranged to travel up and down such track and provided with suitable retaining devices arranged to project into such grooves, the anchoring-hook secured to the carriage and arranged to engage theanchoring-eye when the carriage is at the bottom of the track, the depression-pulley fixed to the'hook, thecarriage cable-pulleys f f the carriage-operating cable e, and the machine-operating cable, arranged as set forth.

8. In an ocean-motor in which a float-operated cable is employed to transmit power, the combination, with the lower member of, the

cable, of an inclined track, a carriage arranged to travel up and down such track, a fixed anchor-eye, a hook provided with a depression-pulley and arranged to engage the eye when the carriage is at the bottom of the track, and means for moving the carriage up and down the track.

IIO