US746851A - Wind-motor. - Google Patents

Description

No. 746,851. PATENTED DEC. 15, 1902.

' E. A. LAWVER.

WIND MOTOR.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 12. 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

H0 MODEL.

Patented December 15, 1903.

FFICE.

EDGAR A. LAVVVER, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

WI D-MOTOR.

PECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent'No. 746,851, dated D b r 15, 1903. Application filed February 12, 1903. Serial Ilo. 148,065. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR A. LAWVER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Deuver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wind-Motors, ofwhich' the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in wind-motors;v and its object is to provide a strong and durable wind wheel which requires little attention to regulate, and is therefore suitable for use in the open field or prairie for pumping Water or for other useful purpose.

A further object is to provide means for putting the power-wheel out of service in case of severe storm or when otherwise desired.

in open position.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side view of the wind-wheel at rest, showing the tower or casing and the main shaft broken and showing means for transmitting the power of the shaft to a pulley. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same, showing the positions of the several blades when the wind is blowing in the direction of the arrow a. Arrow b indicates the direction of the turning of the wheel. Fig. 3 is a perspective of one of the arms or spokes, showing its feathering-blade Fig. 4 is an end viewof one of the arms orspokes, showing the blade open. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the blade folded or closed by the bell-crank lever.

The wheel or motor consists of a multiple of arms or spokes 1,'which are secured to and extend radially from a hub 2, secured upon a vertical shaft 3, preferably by set-screws 4, and blades or sails 5, hinged lengthwise to and depending from the said spokes.

The shaft is'journaled in a hollow casing 6, which is suitably supported in vertical position and forms the tower for the wind wheel. At the lower end of the shaft 8 is a bevelgear 7, which meshes with a bevel-gear 8 and transmits the power of the motor to a beltwheel or the like device for any useful pur- 0se. p The spokes 1 are preferably fastened to and project radially from the hub-sections at equal distances apart, and the hub-sections are fastened on the shaft at equal distances apart and so that the spokes of the different hubsections will extend in the same radial planes .additionallstrength.

about the middle of each spoke, and a vertical brace 10 is secured to the outer ends of the vertically-adjacent spokes and coiiperates with braces 9 to maintain the relative positions of the spokes. Braces or tie-bars'll connect the outer ends of the horizontally-adjacent spokes. The spokes of the'several wings are thus thoroughly braced and strengthened and may therefore be made of very light material.

The blades 5 are preferably made of light sheet metaland are fastened lengthwise along the under side of the spokes by the strap hinges 12, Fig. 4, on which they turn or fold up under the spokes when coming against the wind. Coil-springs 13 are fastened at suitable distances to the under sides of the spokes and have a long end depending down on that side of the blades opposite to which they fold up, so as to check the sudden "jar on the open ing of the-blades and to form stops to limit their opening. A small slot 14 is out in the hinge edge of the blades for the play of the coil of the spring. 7 The inner end of each blade is rounded off, so that it may fold up between the spokes, as shown in Fig. 2.

When in opera-tiom'the blades of the wheel which are coming into the wind are folded up, as shown in Fig 2, and offer practically only their edges against the wind. The blades of the spokes which are going from the wind are unfolded and hang down, as shown by the blades on the left of the shaft in Fig.1, and form a vertical wing or wall to receive the full blast of the wind.

When it is desired to put the wheel out of service, all the blades may be folded up by means of the levers 15, which are fulcrumed in the boxes 16 on top and near the inner end of each spoke. 'One arm 17 of said lever extends down along the spring-stop side of the blade, while the other arm 18 reaches out from the spoke on the opposite side of the blade slightly down in a curve, so as to clear the spokes, and is provided with an eye 19 on its end. i

The lever-arms 18 on the vertically-adjacent spokes are connected by vertical pushrods 20, which are secured at their lower ends in eyes 21 on a loose collar 22, encircling the casing of the shaft. Below said collar 22 is another flanged collar 23, also encircling the shaft-casing. A lever-bar 24, having a fulcrum-bearing 25 on the side of the shaft-casing, carries at its shorter end 26 a short curved distance rod or pitman 27, which is secured at its upper end to the push-collar 23. A spiral spring 28, hanging from an eyed bracket 29 below the collar23, is secured at its lower end in an eye 30 on the long end of the leverbar 24 and tends to lift said lever-bar, and thereby hold the push-collar 23 down out of the way of the revolving loose collar 22. A hand pull-cord 31 hangs down from the end of the lever-bar 24 to the foot of the shaft, where it may be secured in any suitable way.

To turn or lift all blades to'a horizontal position, so that they will ofier only the edges both coming against and going from the wind, the long end of the lever-bar 24 is pulled down by means of the hand-cord, and this lever operates to push the collar 23 up against the loose collar 22 and pushing with it the pushrods 20, attached to the bell-crank levers 15. The upward movement of the arm 18 of said bell-crank levers will turn up their arms 17, which bear against and lift or turn up the blades.

While myinvention,as shown and described, is primarily intended for use as a windmill, it is obvious that it may be used for any purpose for which it is adapted and may be modified in details of structure and arrangement to adapt it for various purposes without departing from the spirit of the concluding claims.

I claim- 1. In a wind-wheel and in combination, a shaft, a plurality of radial spokes fixed thereto in coaxial sections corresponding spokes of each section being in the same radial plane, of independently swinging blades loosely hinged lengthwise to, and depending from each of said spokes, yielding spring-stops depending from said spokes to limit the opening of said blades and means for lifting said blades to close the same, substantially as described.

2. In a wind-Wheel and in combination, a shaft, a plurality of radial spokes fixed thereto in coaxial sections corresponding spokes of each section being in the same radial plane, of swinging blades loosely hinged lengthwise to and depending from said spokes and yielding spring-sustained cushioning-arms depending from said spokes upon that side of the blades opposite to which they fold up and arranged to limit in a yielding cushioning manner the opening swing of said blades, substantially as described.

3. In a wind-wheel and in combination, a shaft, a plurality of radial spokes fixed thereto in coaxial sections corresponding spokes of each section being in the same radial plane, swinging blades loosely hinged lengthwise to and depending from said spokes, and means for closing said blades consisting of bell-crank levers having a hearing by one arm on said blade and a push-rod connection to their other arm and means for lifting said push-rods substantially as described.

4. In a wind-wheel, a plurality of spokes each having a loosely-hinged depending independently-swinging blade, spring-arms depending from said spokes on that side of the blades opposite to which they fold up and adapted to arrest the opening of the blades substantially as described.

5. In a wind-wheel, and in combination, a shaft, a plurality of spokes fixed thereon in coaxial sections corresponding spokes of each section being in the same radial plane, bellcrank levers journaled lengthwise of said spokes,swinging blades loosely hinged lengthwise to and depending from said spokes, bellcrank levers journaled lengthwise upon said spokes having one arm depending transversely of and adapted to bear against and lift that side of-the blades opposite to which they fold up and their other arm connected to a vertical push-rod and means to lift said push-rod whereby to close said blades substantially as described.

6. In a wind-wheel and in combination, a shaft, a plurality of spokes fixed thereon in coaxial sections corresponding spokes of each section beingin the same radial plane, looselyswinging blades hinged lengthwise to and depending from said spokes, bell-crank levers fulcrumed on said spokes and turning transversely thereof, and having one arm depending on one side of said blade and their other arm projecting out from said spokes at the opposite sides of the blade, vertical push-rods connected to said projecting lever-arms and secured at their lower end to a loose collar encircling the shaft,'and means for raising said collar whereby to lift said push-rods and close said blades substantially as described. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

1 EDGAR A. LAWVER. Witnesses:

A. ROLAND JOHNSON, HANNAH J. OTooLE.

Images