WO1993018932A1

WO1993018932A1 - Electrical generating system driven by muscle power and a wind generator

Info

Publication number: WO1993018932A1
Application number: PCT/IT1992/000037
Authority: WO
Inventors: Francesco Cusumano
Original assignee: Francesco Cusumano
Priority date: 1992-03-25
Filing date: 1992-03-25
Publication date: 1993-09-30
Also published as: AU1657392A

Abstract

An electrical generating system including one or more cycles with pedals (1) driving a large primary gear (2) driving the shaft (4) of two large secondary gears (7) via a chain (3), said secondary gears being provided with a ring gear which meshes with the ring gear (9) of the shaft of one or more coupled alternators (10) and rotates the shaft at a standard speed; and a wind generator with a rotor connected to the shaft of another alternator. One or more electrical generating systems may be used mainly to power the electric motors of air, sea and land vehicles for use in competitive sports, as well as similar vehicles for use in everyday life.

Description

DESCRIPTION

"Generating complex, activated by muscular force and by a wind generator".

Technical branch: electricity.

This generator complex, in the simplest form, is made up of 2 alternators: one alternator is activated by muscular force, the other by a wind generator. Overall it includes

- a bicycle, whose large pinion (by means of pedals) rotates the axis of a large pinion of greater radius; this last large pinion turns the shaft of an alternator, producing electrical energy; - a wind generator (with horizontal or vertical blades, or with Darrieus or Musgrove genus blades, etc.): the generator rotor is joined to the shaft of another alternator. The generator complex is particularly suitable for locomotion of air, nautical and land vehicles for sports competitions, and even suitable for locomotion of vehicles, similar to the preceding vehicles, for common (non-sporting) uses; finally it can be intended for different uses. The invention, which is characterized by the claims, opens up new horizons for air, sea and road sports; and it gives to many young people and adults the possibility of competing in the sports competitions, national and international, by practicing - air cycling by means of electromotorized planes, relatively light, and of airships (airships of small and medium-sized) electrically powered; - nautical cycling by means of electro-boats and ¹ small and medium gauge electro-submersible;

- autocyclism by means of ¹ 4-wheeled autocycles, also with 3 wheels, and electric self-propelled sleds and sleds.

In practice: if we ride a bicycle, we can produce electrical energy by pedaling, after having connected the chain of the large pinion of the pedals not to the rear wheel but to another large larger pinion, which rotates the tree a small alternator - for example - at the speed of 1500 revolutions per minute (frequency 50 Hz). If we use two bicycles (or chamber bicycles; placed side by side), one or two alternators and some other means, we can form a generator with pedals of greater power; And so on.

We take into account that a double pedal stroke (a double pedal stroke = 360 degrees), done without haste, requires on average 2 seconds of time; therefore in one minute 30 double pedal strokes are possible. Now let's see how, by 30 double pedal strokes, the shaft of one or more coupled alternators rotates 1500 times per minute.

Let us observe the diagram with 1, with 2 and with 3 alternators (see figures 1-2-3): the choice of the number of alternators can be determined - for example - by the shape of the boat (monohull, catamaran or trimaran) or by other reasons of the manufacturer.

This is the legend of the diagram: (1) pedals of a bicycle; instead of the bicycle we could use a seat with a tool similar to the rowing machine next to it: the person remains seated and, turning his arms (as if he is rowing), spins a toothed wheel which has the same circumference and the same function of the large pinion of the bicycle; the best way to carry out the invention is that of using pedals; (2) first large toothed pinion, like that of the bicycle: inner or base circumference = cm. 76;

(3) chain, which connects the first large sprocket to the axis of the second large sprocket: length = cm. About 290;

(4) axis of the second large pinion: circumference = cm. 19; (5) toothed crown: inner circumference = cm. 19; this ring gear is in correspondence with the chain, which connects this axis to the first large pinion; (6) toothed crown: inner circumference = cm. 19; this ring gear is meshed by the starter pinion, powered by an electric accumulator

12 V; to simplify the diagram I did not indicate the starter and the electric accumulator by considering this quotation sufficient; (7) second large gable: inner circumference =

= cm. 237.5; the second large pinion is a steel disc, which also works as a flywheel (flywheel, in Italian "volàno"): it has a toothed crown, which meshes with the shaft of the alternator or coupled alternators; the second large gear can be double (see figures

1-3); (8) alternator shaft or coupled alternators;

(9) toothed crown: inner circumference = cm. 19; this crown meshes with the second large gable; if the second large pinions are two, the shaft has two crowns of equal circumference;

(10) alternator: 4 poles, 1500 revolutions per minute, frequency 50 Hz; if, on the contrary, an alternator with a number of revolutions less than or greater than 1500 is used, the measurements of the large pinions etc. must be modified.

Made the calculations by the above measures, it is clear as

- in 2 seconds, duration of a double pedal stroke, the shaft of one or more coupled alternators rotates 50 times;

- in 60 seconds, duration of 30 double pedal strokes, the shaft rotates 1500 times.

So that the cyclists (that is to say those who pedal while riding a bicycle) know what rhythm they must follow when pedaling, on their handlebars they have a tachometer, to which is added an acoustic warning device of my invention. Each of them, barely mounted in the saddle, puts on his head an ear helmet by means of which he hears an intermittent signal, if his double pedal strokes are less than 29 per minute; if his double pedal strokes are more than 30 per minute, he hears a continuous whistling sound (at the moment a contactor-circuit breaker is working to cancel the effects of the boost); if, on the contrary, his double pedal strokes are 29 or 30, he hears no signal. By the tone of the acoustic signal cyclists, who pedal in tandem, understand if they have to accelerate or slow down without often having to look at the tachometer (this would tire their eyes).

The use of the horn is the best way so that the alternator shaft can make the number of turns standardized by the factory (1500, 1800 etc. rpm); and therefore obtain maximum efficiency from the alternator.

The first large pinion (2) is, therefore, at a single rhythm of the double pedal stroke: 30 double pedal strokes per minute.

Similar to the 3-speed bicycle, you can build the first large pinion with 3 rhythms by double pedaling; in this case the first large pinion, instead of having a toothed wheel, has 3 toothed wheels on the same axis of the pedals:

- first gear: inner circumference = cm. 114; this is why 20 double pedal strokes per minute are possible;

- second gear: inner circumference = cm. 95; this is why 24 double pedal strokes per minute are possible;

- third gear: internal circumference = cm. 76; this is why 30 double pedal strokes per minute are possible. The first large sprocket with 3 rhythms of the double pedal stroke requires a longer chain, that is to say such that it is adjustable in length by means of the lever for changing the rhythm of the double pedal stroke; this allows the cyclist (or cyclists who pedal in tandem) to sort the desired rhythm: 20, 24 or 30 double pedal strokes per minute, keeping the number of turns of the alternator shaft constant. An acoustic warning is paired with each rhythm of the double pedal stroke: 3 rhythms of the double pedal stroke, consequently 3 acoustic warning signals with the same characteristics (intermittent signal, no signal, continuous whistling).

First of all, I declare that only one is the invention: the generator complex; while the applications are numerous. However I stop briefly on some vehicles, which I indicated on pages 1 and 2, to demonstrate the usefulness of this complex:

- the electromotive plane, whose international mark "SAGITTA ITALICA" was by me deposited on September 25, 1991 in the ϋ.P.I.C.A. (Provincial Industry Office

Trade Crafts) from Palermo (see Register D, n ° 15102 -91): SAGITTA in Latin means "arrow"; in fact, as the arrow (thrown by the muscular force of the arm by means of the bow) cleaves the air, so the SAGITTA (propelled by the muscular force of the legs by means of the alternators) cleaves the air; SAGITTA is called ITALICA because it denotes its Italian origin.

In recent decades laudable attempts have been made to fly airplanes without an internal combustion engine. I recall some of the best known tests:

- on June 12, 1979, the GOSSAMER ALBATROSS plane, powered by muscular force by pedals, produced by the American Paul MacCready and piloted by Bryan Allen, crossed the Channel;

- on August 7, 1980, the GOSSAMER PENGUIN plane, powered by an electric motor powered by 4 solar panels, directed by the same Paul MacCready and piloted by Janice Brown, completed his first major flight at Edwards Air Force Base;

- on December 17, 1980 the SOLAIR I airplane, with silicon solar cells, produced and piloted by the German Gunter Rochelt, completed its first flight over the field of Oberpfaffenhofen, near Munich;

- on July 7, 1981 the SOLAR CHALLENGER solar-powered aircraft, produced by Paul MacCready and piloted by Stephan Ptace, crossed the Channel.

The SAGITTA ITALICA aircraft is characterized by the fact that it is powered by one or more generator complexes: the number of alternators, operated by cyclists and by one or two wind generators with horizontal blades, is proportional to the power of the engine or motors.

The plane, projected by me, marks a step forward compared to the aforementioned planes: the SAGITTA ITALICA,

rotation, at alternative periods. The SAGITTA ITALICA with its electric motors has the advantage, compared to existing planes today, of being fairly silent and having unlimited autonomy.

The electro-craft, whose international mark "CUFRA" was deposited by me on February 7, 1991 in the UPICA of Palermo (see Register D, n ° 15101-91); CϋFRA derives from the first letters of my name, CUsumano FRAncesco; the five stars indicate the excellent quality of the materials by which each electro ^¬ boat is built.

Currently there are two kinds of electric propulsion boats:

- small boat (in Italian "native"), powered by an engine, powered by photovoltaic cells (solar panels): this is not very fast and can only sail during the day because it is conditioned by the rays of the Sun; indeed the incidence of the sun's rays on the solar panels is not constant because it varies with the hours of the day, with the seasons of the year and with the latitude of the Earth;

- boat powered by an engine, powered by an electric accumulator battery, the number of which is in proportion to the weight of the hull: she can sail day and night, but she cannot go too far from the coast because, after a certain number of hours of navigation, the accumulators are discharged.

The CUFRA electro-boat has these characteristics, which differentiate it from the above-mentioned types of boat:

- the CϋFRA is powered by one or more generators, which is why it is the first motorized boat with electric propulsion with unlimited autonomy, since it needs neither sunlight nor fuel nor recharging accumulators (returning to shore); the CUFRA is able to navigate at high speed day and night (because the cyclists, who form two crews, take turns periodically); it can sail on the high seas and in the ocean, in the bonace and in the storm, and at any latitude;

- each alternator is activated by 1, 2, 4, ... cyclists (depending on the power of the alternator or of the coupled alternators); - the wind generators, which activate as many alternators, are such that they facilitate navigation: even if the wind does not blow, the blades of these generators rotate due to the movement of air, relatively to the speed of the CUFRA (speed imprinted by muscle strength); the wind generators, placed on the deck, are with horizontal blades (similar to those of anemometers); the diameter of each pair of blades does not exceed the width of the hull.

The motor device is made up of three parts:

- one or more generator complexes, depending on the power of the engine or engines;

- one or two electric motors; - one or two propellers; much better one or more hydrojets (maximum four hydrojets). Obviously each alternator, actuated by means of pedals, must be proportioned to the muscular force of the people who pedal in tandem; in other words the alternator or the alternators coupled must be of a determined power, such that their shaft can be easily rotated at the speed of 1500 revolutions or little less per minute.

The power of both electric motors, propellers and hydrojets must be proportional to the power of the alternators: all based on the search for the best weight / power ratio (weight of the boat; power of the power unit).

Example: if in a boat in the shape of a catamaran, about 27 meters long, we install 18 groups of alternators (see Figure 2), we have 2 lines (one line on each hull) of 18 alternators arranged along the direction keel; without taking into account - for now - the cockpit, where two pilots, two navigators and an electrical technician are seated.

Overall, the alternators, actuated by the pedals, are 36 + 4 alternators, actuated by the wind generators: a real floating power station on a small scale, endowed with efficient cooling and soundproofing systems, etc.

Each of the 2 engines must have a power equal to the overall power of well 20 alternators. The power of hydrojets must correspond to the power of engines. Compared to the offshore gasoline of class 1, this CUFRA, having a higher motive power, is among the first motorboats either for speed and for silence, in full ecological respect being electric powered .

the autocycle, the international brand "ALCO" was deposited by me on September 25, 1991 in the UPICA Palermo (see Register D, No. 15103-91); ALCO is the abbreviation for "Automobile de Longue COurse"; the mathematical symbol oc, which means "infinite" and is written under the letters LC of ALCO, indicates that the autonomy of the ALCO is unlimited, - I would say - infinite (it is understood, until l automobile is at full capacity): the sign co should not be taken literally but by what it symbolizes.

ALCO with 4 wheels (all four drive), for sports competitions,

- externally resembles an uncovered, rather elongated automobile;

- it has 4 electric motors (one motor for each wheel), powered by 2, 3 or 4 alternators: the number of cyclists who operate each alternator can vary from 2 to 4;

- something unusual for an automobile, at a certain height (in the safety zone for cyclists) it has 1 or 2 wind generators with horizonta¬ blades; the diameter of each pair of blades is slightly less than the width of the bodywork; each wind generator, whose blades (even if the wind does not blow) are moved by the movement of air during the race, provides an electric power supply to the motors.

The ALCO with 4 wheels (all four drive), for non-sporting uses, - has the front passenger compartment more spacious than that of a common automobile to fix one or two bicycles, according to the power of the alternator; it has 4 electric motors (one motor per each wheel), powered by a mixed circuit, that is to say by a generator complex and by a nickel-cadmium accumulator battery (rechargeable in 15 minutes only): this allows the driver to continue his journey without having to interrupt it to recharge the accumulators, since they are recharged, during the march, by the same generator complex: in other words the driver during periods of rest (without pedaling because the ALCO moves with the electrical energy supplied by the accumulators) follows periods of relative fatigue by pedaling without excessive effort; indeed the starter also has the function of servo pedals: the servo pedals makes pedal strokes light; bearing in mind that charging a nichel cadmium storage battery allows the ALCO to run for 250 km at a speed of 70 km: h, it is sufficient to pedal for one hour (for 15 minutes each 250 kilometers) to perform a 1000 km drill; if the speed of the ALCO exceeds 70 km: h, in the inversely proportional measurement, the autonomy decreases: the faster the ALCO is, the faster the battery discharges; when the driver hears an acoustic signal (the sound of which is different from those which regulate the rhythm of double pedal strokes), emitted by a mechanism (connected to the battery) to indicate that the battery charge is half, shortly afterwards it resumes pedaling until when a double acoustic signal warns it that the battery has barely detached from the alternator it is recharged to the maximum; it must be taken into account that the acoustic signals, which regulate the rhythm of double pedal strokes, are not heard when the above-mentioned mechanism warns the driver that the battery is already charged: this to avoid the superimposition of different acoustic signals; in addition: the acoustic signals are emitted either by an earphone (see page 4) or by a small loudspeaker (whose driver can adjust the sound volume), placed on the dashboard of the ALCO; all in all: this allows the driver to make a long journey, without stopping, at a speed of 180 km: h provided that the 4 electric motors of the ALCO are of adequate power;

- it has 1 or 2 wind generators above the roof with horizontal blades.

Today in the trade there are electric cars European and Japanese, good for their operation but of limited autonomy. The respective Houses are still very much involved, like those in the United States, in solving the difficult problem of the electric automobile with a greater autonomy than the current one.

I too looked for the solution of this problem and at the end I convinced myself that, for the moment, the only solution is to use the generator complex in utomobilism also while waiting for someone, sooner or later, can invent a new electric battery that lasts several years. In the old days

- for example - we only had the spring clock with a 24 hour charge, now we can also have the quartz clock with a charge of well 4 year.

Scientific progress is in the hands of God and in the intelligence of men.

This ALCO can be used

- for work reasons and for family requirements, as a sedan; - for public service, as a taxi;

- for tourist trips, like a motorhome (that is to say with the structure of a real auto-caravan; in this case the cyclists are two, since the generator complex is of greater power); - for the transport of passengers, as a small coach (that is to say with the structure of a real motor coach; etc. - see the parenthesis of "motor home");

- for the transport of goods, as a truck and as a van (i.e. with the structures, respectively, of a real truck and a real van; in this case the cyclists are two for the truck and two for the van, since the generator complexes are of greater power);

- for field work, as an agricultural machine (that is to say with the structure of a real agricultural machine; etc. - see the parenthesis of "auto¬ caravan").

Finally the generator complex, whose wind generator has vertical blades (or blades of the genus Darrieus or of the genus Musgrove, etc.), can be intended for other uses: - recharge electric accumulators also of large amperage (that is to say stationary, non-portable accumulators, of 9000 amps and even more) to use

- in wind power plants, - in hospitals,

- in industrial establishments, etc .;

- illuminate the polar dwellings, the huts of the steppe, the country houses, the oases of the desert, the camping tents, the villages of the Third World and other places, where the current of a power plant does not arrive .

Claims

1) Generating complex, formed by one or more coupled alternators (actuated by muscular force) and another alternator (actuated by a wind generator with the horizontal blades), particularly suitable for locomotion by air vehicles, nautical and land for sports competitions.

2) Generating complex, formed by one or more coupled alternators (actuated by muscular force) and another alternator (actuated by a wind generator with horizontal blades), suitable for the locomotion of air vehicles - nautical and land for non-sporting uses.

3) Generating complex, formed by one or more coupled alternators (actuated by muscular force) and another alternator (actuated by a wind generator with vertical blades, or with blades of the genus Darrieus or of the genus Musgrove, etc.), generally suitable for the production of electrical energy for various uses. 4) Generator complex, according to claims 1-2-3, characterized by a "first large pinion" (2) toothed solidly joined to the pedals (1): the "first large pinions" (2) are as much as the people who pedal ¬ slow in tandem; the "first large pinion" (2) can have one or three gears on the same axis of the pedals (1), respectively at one or three rhythms of double pedal stroke (360 degrees). 5) Generator complex, according to claims 1-2-3-4, characterized by one or two "second large pinions" (7), whose axis (4) is connected with each "first large pinion "(2) by means of a chain (3), similar to that of the bicycle. 6) Generating complex, according to claims 1-2-3- -4-5, characterized by the shaft (8 ) one or more coupled alternators (10): the shaft (8), endowed with a toothed crown (9) (if the "second large pinion" is only one; see figure 2) or endowed with two toothed crowns (if the "second large pinions" are two; see Figures 1-3), is driven by the "second large pinion" (7) (or by the two "second large pinions") at standard speed, preset by the manufacturer : 1500-1800 rpm, if the alternator or alternators have 4 poles; 3000-3600 rpm, if the alternator or alternators have 2 poles; etc. 7) Generating complex, according to claims 1-2 -3- -4-5-6, characterized and completed by a wind generator, which activates another alternator: the rotor of the wind generator is joined to the shaft of the alternator. st part of the same generator complex.