US953600A - Tide-motor. - Google Patents

Description

N. S. EDBNS.

@mi messes TIDE MOTOR.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. s, 1909.

Patented Mar.29,1910.

2 SHEETS-BHBET 1.

@Hof/m43 N. S EDENS.

TIDE MoToR.

g5 396%@9 APPLICATION FILED MAB. 5, 1909. Mar' 29,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

Witwe/.mao l NOAH S, EDENS, OF HIGHLAND, CALFORNIA.

TIDE-MOTOR.

ceases.

Application 'filed March 5, 1909.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 29, 191).

Serial No. 481,263.

lo all whom fit may concern:

Be it known that I, Noarr S. Ennns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Highland, in the county of San Bernardino and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tide-Motors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wave and tide motors, the object of the invention being to provide a simple and eflicient construction of apparatus which will receive the impact and lifting power of the waves and the swell of the tides of a river, ocean or sea. and convert their forces into mechanical energyT in such a form as to be readily and economically utilized.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this character which will compress air for storage and use, which is not liable to be injured under ordinary conditions and will, to a large extent, compensate for variations in the roughness of the water to prevent the transmission of undue strain to its working parts, and, which, when the water is very rough, as in the case of a severe storm, may be readily thrown out of operation.

lith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construetion, combination and arrangement of parts as herein fully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a vertical. section through the lower portion of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a similar view through the upper portion of the same. F ig. 3 is a detail view of the rod connection between the head of the motor shaft and piston of one of the compressors.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a pier, wharf or other suitable supporting structure, having an opening Q for the upward passage of an upright motor shaft or axle 3, which is of suitable length according to the power of the motor and preferably tapers uniformly toward its upper end. The lower end of the shaft is threaded to receive a nut 4, upon which rests a washer 5 against which bears the lower' l'langed end of a sleeve 6, which terminates below the top of the pier and is free for upward sliding movement on the shaft. Journaled upon the sleeve is a motor comprising a hollow chamber or float 7, preferably formed of metal and having a hemispherical upper portion and a tinted l l l i lower portion, the liutcs providing a series of pockets or concavities 8 contracting the base portion of the float and extending outwardly and upwardly on proper arcs to provide curved impact faces against which the waves and currents of the body of the `water in which the vfloat is immersed are adapted to strike, so that irrespective of the direction of motion of the waves or currents, either lateral or vertical motion will be communicated thereby to the float, so that the applied power in either case may be utilized. The inner curved walls of the pockets or concavities also provide surfaces against which the impulse of the water from the rising and falling of a stream influenced by tides will affect a vertical movement of the float and shaft, whereby motion of the water in any direction may be converted into working energy. rhe lower contracted portion of the iioat is lilled with a suitable ballasting material S), acting by gravity to maintain it in a more or less erect position at all times.

rllhe float is free for an easy revoluble movement on the sleeve G, so that it may turn to prevent injury to the apparatus in case there should be a dangerous swirl or maelstromic action of the water around or in the vicinity of the same. Flanges 10 and 11 hold the float from upward or downward displacement on the sleeve, and to the flange 11 of said sleeve are pivoted dogs 12 having inwardly curved upper ends to engage recesses 123 in the shaft to normally hold the sleeve and float against upward movement. The locking ends of the dog are connected by links .14k with a collar 15 encircling the shaft, from which collar rods, ropes or cables 1G extend upwardly through the opening Qv in the support to a point above the same for convenient manipulation to adjust the collar up and down and thereby, through the action of the links, throw the dogs into and out of locking position. By an upward pull, the dogs will first be released and the float may then be elevated a safe distance above the surface of the water to prevent injury to the apparatus during violent storms or when the water is exceptionally rough.

A power storer or generator is operated by the action of the float under the intluence of the water and comprises an air compression apparatus, from which the air may be pumped into a suitable storage tank and employed to drive a dynamo or other machinery. Said power' storer or generator comprises a supporting frame formed ot a series otl rods or standards ll' extending upwardly from the pier or wharf l and united by armed brackets, heads or spiders 1S and 19 and an armed crosshead or traveler 20, arranged above the lower head l) and having its arms provided with eyes slidably engaging the rods. The body portion ot' the said crosshead or traveler forms a bearing for the upper end ot the shat't and provided with an opening 2l for the passage of said shaft. the lower end ot' said opening being flared. as at Secured to the upper surface ot the body portion is a cap plate 23 having a central opening 24, the walls ot' said openings 2l and 24 forming a curved seat or socket for Jthe reception ot a partially spherical head or journal 25 on the shaft, whereby the shaft and traveler are connected for vertical movement in unison, while the shat't is free to turn about its axis and move laterally in any direction, thus providing a practically universal point bearing to permit the shaft to have these movements without binding. Clamped upon the upper end oit the shaft between a collar or tiange and a nut 2T is a coupling head comprising bottom plate 2S and a top plate detachably secured thereto. This head is connected with the arms ot the traveler by a series of coiled springs BO. These springs are annularly arranged around the upper end of the shaft and yieldingly resist i the rotary movement ot the shat't in either direction. By this means the shat't is permitted to turn to a necessary degree to compensate for any twisting strain falling thereon7 but is prevented from turning' to such an extent as to strain or damage the pump mechanism. The plate Q8 is provided at its outer edge with semicircular seat recesses 3l and the plate 29 is provided with tlaring openings 32 registering with said recesses.

Arranged between and supported by the heads or spiders 1S and 19 is an annular group of main compressorcylinders 33 inclining inwardly and upwardly in compact t'orm. said cylinders beingl disposed tor operation in pairs, the cylinders ot each pair being provided in the upper portions ot their adjacent t'aces with slots S' and having at their lower ends discharge nipples Zio. In the lower portion ot each cyiinder operates a piston 3o. whose rod 3'? extends upwardly and is connected by a cross bar with the piston rod ot the companion c vlinder7 said bar moving in the slots -i. whereg l head 1S and connected at their upper ends by a crown piece 4-0. These cylinders 3S) are arranged for individual cooperation with each pair of the cylinders 33, each cylinder 39 having its lower end, open and arranged between the upper ends of the associated pair of cylinders 33,aiid being' provided at its upper end with a discharge nipple 4l. In each cylinder 39 works a piston 42 whose rod 43 extends down vard through the open end thereof and is connected with the cross bar 38. which thus couples all three pistons t'or synchronous operation. Discharge pipes in practice may lead from the nipples 35 and il to a tank in which the air supplied from the compressors may be stored for use. or provision may be made for supplying the air direct to the apparatus to be driven. The cross bars 38 are connected to the coupling head ot the shaft 3 by rods d each threaded atv its lower end, as at dal to adjustably receive a threaded sleeve 46, provided with a ball or rounded portion ell, the upper end of each rod being formed with a similar ball or rounded portion -lS. The sleeves 46 of the series ot rods work in the flared openings 32 in the upper plate 29 of the coupling head. while the rounded portions are fitted to articulate in the sockets formed between the two coupling head plates 2S and 29 by the seats 3l and walls ot the. openings 32. by which the rods are attached to the coupling head for universal pivotal motion. The rounded portions otf the upper ends ot the rods seat in semicircular recesses if) in angular bosses or bearing portions 50 formed on the cross bars 3S. which bosses are externally threaded to receive internally threaded retaining caps 51. each having an opening 52 flared at its outer end and communicating at its inner end with a semicircular recess 53, the recesses di) and forming a socket in which the rounded portion 48 of the associate rod articulates` whereby the rods are attached to the respective cross bars for universal pivotal motion.

It will be seen that provision is made for adjusting' the rods as to length and adjustingl the balls within the sockets to compensate for wear and operate with great-er or less freedonn and that the rods are adapted f to move both vertically and laterally.

by the pistons ot each pair of cylinders are 1 coupled to operate in unison. Disposed above the cylinders is an annular group of auxiliary cylinders 39 which also incline 1I :inwardly and upwardly in compact relation and are supported at their lower ends by the As the float rises and falls with the tide. waves or currents. it will be apparent that the shaft 3 will be reciprocated vertically. and that as a consequence motion will be transmitted through the connecting' rods to reciprocate the pistons within their cylinders whereby charges ot compressed air will be on the working strokes ot the pistons discharged through the nipples and into the storage tank or proper portion ot the machine connected therewith. Arny action ot the vater on the float which vibrates or moves the float laterally will also vibrate the shaft. and in this operation the coop ling head will tilt or cant the couplingl head and thus operate oertain of the. piatons in alternation with the othere'. it the tioat is both moved veitioalljyv and late lall)VY bv the waten the rods will compensate tor auch movements and5 aS in the ease et' lateral intr tion solely, reverse #Sonie or the pistone on their working' Stroke and Home on their tiirn Stroke. ltwill then be apparent that proviaion is made tor utilizing` and convert ing into mechanical. energyi the toi-eee resulting from an)7 and all the motion@` of the water troni winda, tides and other aiiiaea and that this ia accomplished bv adapting' the tloat to have what might be milled nnivereal motion and adapting' the partey optor siieh ino- "ed to the erated therebv to compensate tion. it the tloat elioiild be Siibie 2o action ot a swirling oiiirent it will Hinipljf '-otate on ita axis; and thiisl prevent injirv to the remaining partel ot the apparat whilef it any oi" tliia rotarv n'iotioii slioiild be tranfsinitted to t ahattt seit-,h

25 the Shaft will be limited bjr the e -i' wherebfiv iniiiiv in this` event to t generator storer will l p evented t; motion et the 'Vater if; veri-i violent. aS liiri i i the lioat inav be eje :io fi rribed to pre tent dann/ig",

fr ad lonf red ritter the wai' in early calmed.

From the foregoing dear-,riptionr` t in eonneetion with the dra-wing the eonati tion and inode ot operation oi wave and tide water nioni w il;7 understood and apiirecir-rted1 and it be eeen that a jvpe ot apparati-ia is prodiieed which ma;T be operated in an eronoinical manner.

' thiie deeei'ibed inv invention what vor of the Pharaoter deeeribed eing a tinted lower porb l .i5 tion pooletn or vitieal and a irte Spare and ballaei meer aeter t eeeribezil al -i for ietraoting Said ivatn yaid tloat.

- d oeribed ina rofl i1, (.ablj. and hatt., locking` tron sliding i n while perand ineana a id elevatatl .. i Y t dablv and on the :ehiltr` pivoted -Leeiirmg said tloat against SOG aml tor ietiaetingA ie. tloat.

motor al the e 'i ao-ier desoiibed including' a .'oii or slia'ttf a leeve alidablj. Eioiznted thereonl a tloai ionrnaled for rota- -l aleeve and adapted to Slide lof'l i nl Llleove to ,lilf btlltl eleeve and (i, inoior ot' the Cliarai'iter deseiibed Comprisingv a support, a rod or ahait nioiinted 'tor rotarY vertical rei-.iproeatorj and lateral pivotal inoveinente on said support, a tioat carried bv the rod or elialit, means tor vieldingl'v i'eaiating rotary movement oit the eliat't. a power generator, and a nniveraallv jointed connection between A#aid rod or slia'tt and generator.

'i'. i motor ot the Character described toinprising' a trame, a rod oi? Shaft mounted for vertical and lateral inoveinentet on the 'trainer a tioat Jor imparting,` motion thereto.. a group ol piinip evlindere. pietona operatiirej therein`r and roda pivotallv Connecting :said rod and pistons.

A motor olf he Cha 'aeter described eilnnpiiing a traine, a 'zliatt moiinted tor ing the eame7 a serie ot Compression eylin dere` piatona operating in cylinders and oonneeted in multiple5 and roda pi\'ot.;in},' oonneeting; said sshatt with the groupe o'l" inaltiplv Connected piatona.

il. motor ot the Character described eoinprieing a traine, a Shatt inoiinted 'tor Vertical reeiproeatorv and lateral pivotal inovementis on said traine, a inain group ot eonipieasor cylindershaving' pistons operatingl therein and connected in multiple, a `group ot auxiliary compressor Cylinders, having' pistons operating therein and oonneotei with the pistone ot the main gronin a tloat Ator operating' said Shaft, and rods pivetall)v connecting the Shaft with Said iniiltiplv connected piatona.

l0. motor et the character described comprising a support, a. rod or Shaft inoiint.- ed tor vertical reeiproeatorv movement and 1ateral pivotal movement on said Supportl` a i'loat lslidablv mounted on eaid rod or shaft, looking' means 'for holding` the tloat in norinal poaition, menne tor releasing' braid loelA ing means and elevating' the 'flo-at, and a power generator operated b v the vertical and lateral inovementa ot the ehalt.

11. motor of the elniraeter described eonipriaing a vertieall)Y and laterallyv inovable rod or shaft, a 'Float slidabl;Y and rotatabliY mounted thereon. locking' means Vfor holding' tloat neri il wor-hingl position. mein tor releaeing and elevating the floatyq rimer gjeiie ator raving a reeiproeating; member.` and a ooiiiiei'rtion tor reriplocating said lnembell under the Vertical and lateral movement of the l'od.

12. A motor of the character described Comprising a frame, a l'od having a Sliding pivotal connection with the frame, a float carried by J(he rod, a group of power generators having leolprocatng elements, a head earned by the rod, Jolnted eonneotlons bet-Ween the Saud reolprooatlng elements and I the head, and controlling springs connecting 10 Said head with the frame.

In testimony whereof I ax lny signature in presence of two Witnesses.

NOAH S. EDENS.

fitnesses C. F. LA FOLLETTE, J. KUNZMANN.

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