US827889A

US827889A - Current-motor.

Info

Publication number: US827889A
Application number: US26141905A
Authority: US
Inventors: Norman R Smith
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1905-05-20
Filing date: 1905-05-20
Publication date: 1906-08-07
Anticipated expiration: 1923-08-07

Description

PATENTED AUG. 7, 1906.

N. R. SMITH. CURRENT MOTOR. APPLICATION FILED MAY20,1905.

IN VEN T 0R ml nomas nuns ca., runmmn, n. c.

PATENT OFFICE.

NORMAN R. SMITH, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

CURRENT-MOTOR.

ivo. 827,889.

i Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 7, 1906.

Application filed May 20,1905. -Serial No. 261.419.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, NORMAN R. SMITH, a citizen ofthe United States, and a resident of Seattle, King county, Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Current-Motors, of which the following is a specification. y

My invention relates to an improvement in current-motors, and comprises the novel parts and combinations thereof hereinafter described, and particularly set forth in the claims.

The object of my invention isto improve and simplify devices of this character.

The drawings accompanying herewith illustrate my invention in the form now preferred by me. l

Figure 1 shows a plan view of the device. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the blade'which lies in the water, the boom being shown in crosssection; and Fig. 3 isan elevation showing means by which my invention may be coni nected with any mechanism which it is de- 1 direction.

sired to operate thereby.

My device is intended for use in situations where it is desired to utilize a portion of the power contained in a iiowing stream of water.

' The principal features of my device com-y prise a boom pivoted to swing across the current and carrying upon its free end a blade likewise mounted upon a vertical pivot ,which pivot islocated back of the center of gravity of the blade, and means by which this blade may bereversed -in position when the boom reaches the extremity of its swing in either The manner in which this may be carried out is capable of considerable variation. That which is hereinillustrated is that which atL present is preferred by me.

The boom 2 is mounted to swing upon a` vertical pivot 3, which pivot is carried by any suitable and convenient support. That herein shown consists of a float or platform 1, secured to piles 24. In the case of a float the connection with these piles may be of such character that the float may readily rise and fall in accordance with the difference in elevation of the river surface. The particular construction ofthe support for this mechanism is, however, not material, as it would be varied under different conditions. The arrow shown in Fig.v 1 illustrates the direction of iiow of the water. The solid-line position of the boom indicates the center of its swing in opposite directions. The position of the parts at or near one extreme of their swing is shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

The blade 4 is pivoted by a vertical pivot 5 to the downstream end of the boom. The pivot 5 is located somewhat back of the center of gravity of the blade 4. As a consequence of this the effect of the flowing water upon the blade when in an inclined position tends to throw the forward or upstream end of the blade around toward'the back. This tendency is resisted when the blade reaches a certain point by means of the chain, rope, or similar member 6, which is connected with the upstream end of the .blade and which passes over guides 9, carried by the boom at a point adjacent the upstream end of the blade. The chain 6 is conducted from the guides 9 along the boom toward the pivot 3 and branches into two parts 7 and 8, which pass through guides 10, carried by the boom at a point toward but somewhat removed from the pivot of the boom. The twoV branches 7 and 8 are led, respectively, in opposite directions from the boom and are secured to fixed points located laterally from the boom.

As the water strikes the inclined blade 4 it deflects it laterally, thus swinging the boom` to one side. As the boom approaches the extremity of its lateral swing the connection through the chain 6 tends to pull the upstreamV end of the blade toward the boom until the blade has been brought straight with the current. Any further movement or any slight deflection of the current will then throw the blade to the opposite side of the center line, whereupon the blade is then inclined to the current in an opposite direction from that which previously existed, and the current acting upon the inclined blade swings the boom in the opposite direction. This reversal of the blade occurs at each extremity of the swing of the boom. This action of the blade is .due partly to the change in the posi- IOQ tiondue to the swinging of the boomand partly to the lateral direction of the branches 7 and 8, leading from the boom. As lthe boom swings in one direction the branch which lies to the direction from which the boom is swinging is tightened andthe chain IOS is drawn through its guides and 'the upper edge of the bladev pulled closer to the boom. When, however, the blade is reversed, the angular direction of the blade andboom has less divergence than when the boom is in. its

IIO

central position. This tendsto produce a v more nearly constant angular position of the blade in the current than if the blade was secured to the boom by a chain of fixed and constant length, and therefore tends to increase the eectiveness of the current upon. the blade.

The upstream end of the boom 2 is continued beyond the pivot 3 and is preferably provided with a counterweight 18 to compensate for the long extension of the boom downstream from the pivots and whatever is carried by said downstream end.

My device may be employed for any purpose for which power is desired. One obvious purpose is for the pumping of water. In Fig. 1 I have shown my device as connected with a pump. This pump consists of a cylinder 11, secured to the platform or iioat and extending transversely of the general direction of the boom. The piston 12 has its rod 13 extending outward through one end of the pump and through a fixed guide 14. This rod is connected by means of a short connecting-rod 15 withthe boom. In case it is desired to operate other apparatus than a pump or to use the power away from the platform or fioat u on which the boom is pivoted this may be one by various devices. One device is shown in Fig. 3 and consists of a lever 19, pivoted upon a pin 20, carried by a frame 23, mounted upon the platform. This lever 19 is adapted to be engaged by the boom and swung in opposite directions. The lever 19 is provided with holes 25, whereby a rod 22 may be connected therewith and led to the apparatus which it is desired to operate.

In a4 device of the character herein described it is desirable that the load may be freed from the boom at the extremity of its swing, so as .to insure greater certainty in the reversing of the blade. In other words, if

the full load is kept on the boom clear up toV the time of the reversal of the blade the power which the blade receives from the current may not be sufficient to secure this reversal. To obviate this, I have provided means by which the load may be released from the boom just before it reaches the extremity of its swing. These means, as shown in Fig. 1, consist of providing chambers 16 in each end of the pump of such character that 1 when the piston reaches them the water has free access with both sides of the piston, and the resistance is thereby removed. The same result is secured in the mechanism shown in Fig. 3 by making the arms ofthe yoke 21 of such length that they will ride j upon the to surface of the boom just before it reaches t e extremity of its swing. The same result may of course be secured in various ways.

The action of the blade at the time of reversal is very like that of a sail which is gybed with a free sheet-that is, as it passes the position where it is parallel with the current- 6 5 flow the water catches it and throws it quickly over to the opposite angular position. The blade may therefore be said to be gybed from oneI position to another by the actionv of the current.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A current-motor comprising a boom pivotally mounted to swing across the current, a blade pivoted to the free end of said boom upon a pivot which is back of its center of gravity, ropes `or like exible connection from the upstream end of the blade to fixed connection laterally removed from each side of the boom and guides for said ropes carried by the boom adjacent the upstream edge of the blade.

2. A current-motor comprising a boom pivotally mounted to swing across the current, said boom having an upstream extension beyond its pivot and a counterweight thereon, a blade pivoted to the downstream end of said boom upon a pivot which is back of the center of gravity of said blade, ropes or like fiexible connection from the upstream end of the blade to fixed points laterally removed from each side of the boom and guides for said ropes'carried by the boom adjacent the upstream edge of the blade.

3. A current-motor comprising a boom pivotally mounted to swing across the current, a blade pivoted to the downstream endv of said boom by a pivot which is located back of the center of gravity of said blade, ropes or like flexible connections from the upstream end of the blade to fixed points laterally removed from each side of the boom, guides for said ropes carried by the boom adjacent the TOO upstream edge of the blade and a powertransmitting mechanism connected with said boom and provided with means for releasing the load connection at the ends of the stroke. 4. A current-motor comprising a boom mounted to swing across the stream, a blade pivoted to the downstream end of the boom by a pivot located downstream from its center of gravity, a rope or like flexible member connected with the upstream end of said blade, a guide carried by the boom adjacent the upstream end of the blade, guides carried by said boom nearer its pivot, said rope branching and the branches passing through said last-mentioned guides and secured at fixed points located respectively on opposite sides of the boom.

5. A current-motor comprising a boom mounted to swing across the stream, a blade pivotedto the downstream end of the boom by a pivot located downstream from its center of gravity, a rope or like fiexible member connected with the u stream end of said blade, a guide carried y the boom adjacent the upstream end of the blade, guides carried by said boom nearer its pivot, said rope branching and the branches passing through said last-mentioned guides and secured at 'fixed points located respectively 0n opposite sides oi' the boom, a power-transmitting lever pivoted to swing in a plane substantially at right angles to the boom and having a yoke embracing the boom, said lever and yoke being designed to have the yoke ends ride upon the boom as the latter reaches the ends of its stroke whereby the boom is momentarily freed 'from the load resistance.

6. A current-motor comprising a boom mounted to swing across the current, a blade ivoted to the free end of the boom byapivot ack of its center of gravity, means for reversing the bladeI at the ends of the swing by the movement of the boom, and means Jfor 8. A current-motor comprising a boom mounted to swing across the current, a blade pivoted to the swinging end of the'boom by a vertical ivot located downstream from the center o gravity of the blade, means for restraining the upstream end of the blade to limit the amount of its swing, and means for reversing the position of the blade by the swing of the boom.

9. A current-motor comprising `a boom mounted to swing across the current, a blade pivoted t0 the swinging end ofthe boom by a pivot located downstream from the center of gravity of the blade and means for limiting the angular osition of the blade relative to the boom, w ereby theblade is gybed by the current as the boom reaches the extremities of its swing.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto afxed my signature, this 27th day of April, 1905 in the presence of two witnesses.

NORMAN R. SMITH.

Witnesses:-

H. L. REYNOLDS, PAUL A. TALBOT.