GB2145164A - Buoyancy reciprocating engine - Google Patents

Abstract

An airtight cylindrical piston F, housed in pen A rises due to buoyancy and falls due to gravity when pen A is alternately flooded and emptied by water from reservoir C, by means of timed valves inlet B and outlet D. Outlet valve E is an alternative. Piston F is guided by an arrangement comprising four stanchions K each being fitted with wheels L engaging four U-section plates M fixed vertically to side of piston F. Fixed vertically to piston F is drive shaft H the end of which passes through a collar I housed in overhead framework. Clamped to drive shaft H is cogged driving plate N, for transferring power produced to outside machinery by way of ratchet gear wheels P and O. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Buoyancy Reciprocating Engine This invention relates to a buoyancy reciprocating engine.

Buoyancy tanks are well known in their capacity for raising or supporting heavy objects in the sea. Whilst an airtight tank will rise with great force after being submerged, achieving the inverse direction and upwards again is a laborious and expensive operation.

The potential of buoyancy used in harmony with gravity and put into use for industrial purposes remains relatively idle.

According to the present invention there is provided a buoyancy reciprocating engine comprising a pen built to receive contain and empty water by gravity, through the means of timed butterfly valves. The pen houses a cylindrical airtight piston of steel or aluminium.

Piston is fitted with vertical steel drive shaft, clamped to which is a cogged driving plate. Piston is positioned by four channel section stanchions bolted to floor of pen. Each stanchion houses a series of axled wheels engaging four u section plates attached vertically to side of piston. Supply of water is from an external reservoir and there is an acceptable drainage area or system. With the piston at rest on four pads on pen base, the inlet valve (synchronised with the outlet valve) open, the pen is flooded to a predetermined height and the piston rises smoothly with pressure stroke commensurate in power with the size of piston employed. The timed outlet valve opens near moment of pressure stroke limit, then the lesser powered gravity stroke commences. The buoyancy reciprocating engine is now in automatic motion.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows in diagram form (not to scale) the essentials for the functioning of the buoyancy reciprocating engine.

Figure 2 illustrates (not to scale) the plan view of piston in position in the pen.

Referring to the drawings, the buoyancy reciprocating engine comprises a pen A built to withstand internal water pressure. Pen A has a butterfly inlet valve B, receiving water from externally situated reservoir C. Inlet valve B is a little below the level of head of piston when it is at the top of pressure stroke. In the opposite wall of pen A are two outlet butterfly valves D and E.

The lower valve D is at a height which would leave a residual amount of water in pen A when left open. The airtight piston F is shewn at rest in Fig. 1 on four pads G two only shewn. Size of piston F for asessment purposes two metres diameter, sixty centimetres in height. Steel tube drive shaft H is fixed vertically fastened at centre point of bottom plate of piston F, passing through and collared at centre point of upper plate of piston F, terminating after passing through splined collar 1. Splined collar I is housed in overhead girder complex J which houses conventional flywheel, machinery or electricity generating plant. Piston F is held in position by four stanchions K in Fig. 2 plan view, two shewn in side elevation in Fig. 1. These four channel section stanchions K each have axled wheels of phosphor-bronze and project from stanchions K half their radius.These axled wheels L engaged four u section plates M which are welded or fixed vertically on the side of piston F, two of these u section plates M shewn in Fig. 1. four shewn in Fig. 2. This arrangement allows the piston F with its drive shaft H to move up and down its strokes with smooth precision.

Clamped to drive shaft H is a cogged driving plate N as shewn in Fig 1 and Fig 2. This cogged driving plate N reaches from the top of piston F to a point where it engages two ratchet gear wheels 0 and P. These two ratchet gear wheels 0 and P are held rigidly in position with heavy gauge steel arms which are bolted to the over-head girder complex J. The cogged driving plate N being double edged is now in permanent contact with both ratchet gear wheels 0 and P. For assessment purposes the limit of upper surface of piston F will be when piston F has risen to twice its height, that is one hundred and twenty centimetres.

The upper ends of stanchions K are braced into walls of pen A. These braces are indicated Q. On the outlet side of pen A at a point a little above flood level in pen A is a permanently open adequate sized overflow slit R necessary to prevent serious damage to plant in the event of an accidental over-flooding. A manually operated drain plug is provided in outlet side of pen A. This drain plug is indicated S in Fig 1 and Fig 2.

Stanchions K are bolted to floor of pen A, through plates T. Reservoir C is supplied from possible sources by a gravity feed pipe from a mountain lake, a river with sufficient fall to permit at a point way back upstream a supply to a gravity laid pipe leading to the upper level of water in reservoir C situated in or near the estuary of the river. An augmental supply of water could be obtained from redirected surface water; and exceptionally where sea level is above an acceptable drainage area. These alternative sources of water are all indicated by U. Ordinary municipal supplies of water and drainage would also be effective.

The control mechanism for inlet valve B is shewn V and for the lower outlet valve D is shewn X and for the upper outlet valve E is shewn Y.

These mechanisms are situated on the outer wall of pen A.

The control and timing mechanism is assumed to be of conventional design, and the functioning of the buoyancy reciprocating engine under the control of an operator.

With water in reservoir C the inlet valve B is, under the control of the operator, switched on and the pen A is flooded to a predetermined level and then inlet valve B is automatically closed.

Meanwhile with the piston F having been at rest position, and the cogged driving plate N already engaging the two ratchet gear wheels 0 and P, the piston F begins its powerful upward pressure stroke. This stroke may be rapid or slow according to the gearing operated by the ratchet gear wheel P which takes the upward thrust of piston F. Once momentum has been gained, a higher gear may be employed in the machinery in the overhead girder complex J.

At or near the top of the pressure stroke the lower outlet valve E is opened automatically by the timing and control mechanism V. As the water recedes the gravity stroke commences that is only the weight of the piston F and drive shaft H and driving plate N, this driving plate N activating ratchet gear wheel 0 which in turn activates a secondary set of mechanism housed in girder complex J. The timed closure of this outlet valve and the timed automatically opened inlet valve B the buoyancy reciprocating engine is now in automatic motion, always, of course able to be stopped suddenly by the operator by switch control.

Upper outlet valve E could be used instread of lower valve D should a shorter stroke be desired in the interests of efficiency or economy in the use of water. Two buoyancy reciprocating engines, acting in tandem with the upward pressure stroke of one engine say half a stroke timed half a stroke ahead of the other engine, would ensure that the P ratchet gear wheel of each engine would be transmitting uninterrupted power to the main drive shaft, flywheel, or generator housed in girder complex J. The buoyancy reciprocating engine could also be synchronised in a series.

The wheels L housed in the four stanchions K have axles of the bolt, nut and lynch-pin type, for ease of assembly, or for a replacement of slightly different diameter wheels than those in use, should such a fine adjustment be deemed necessary.

The size of pen would be that which is sufficient to cause the piston to function efficiently, and would of course depend on the size of piston employed and the height of stroke desired. In a stepped arrangement of pens, the water from the first pen could be fed to the next and so on.

Whilst the splined collar I would be advisable when heavy loads on the overhead gearing system are envisaged, a plain sleeve collar would be adequate under less demanding conditions, depending on the cogging of driving plate N and the ratchet gear wheels 0 and P.

Larger sized buoyancy reciprocating engines could be built than the example herein described, and also of sizes ranging down to working model and toy sizes, by using the same principles and ideas expressed in this specification, even though the materials used in their construction may differ from those afore stated.

For some installations of the buoyancy reciprocating engine and working and toy models, the piston F, u section plates M, drive shaft H, cogged driving plate N, stanchions K and axled wheels L could be made of fibre glass, nylon, or plastic. Aluminium as specified previously for the piston F would in some instances be suitable in the manufacture of drive shaft H, cogged driving plate N stanchions K and axled wheels L. Size for size the lighter in weight the piston F, the greater the buoyant driving force available. The piston F with its drive shaft H, and cogged driving plate N must have a combined weight sufficient for the gravity stroke to be completed; this would depend largely upon the load that the ratchet gear wheel O is connected to. For working model or toy sized buoyancy reciprocating engines the collar I which need not be splined in such instances would be held in position by a metal, nylon, or plastic structure, the collar itself being made of such materials also.

Claims (8)

1. A buoyancy reciprocating engine comprising a pen built to withstand internal water pressure, having an inlet valve synchronised with two outlet valves. The lower of the two outlet valves set at a height to leave a residual amount of water in pen.

There is also a manually operated drain plug for use during maintenance or inspection. The pen receives water from an external reservoir, which in turn receives water from gravity fed pipes located in mountain lakes, or upstream in river which has sufficient fall for the installation to be situated in or near the river estuary. An acceptable drainage area or system is always assumed to be available where a buoyancy reciprocating engine is installed. Exceptionally, where an acceptable drainage area is available sea water could be fed to the pen by gravity. Auxilary supplies could be obtained from redirected surface water. Non gravity fed water could be from the municipal supplies.The pen houses an airtight steel or aluminium cylindrical piston, to which a steel tube drive shaft has vertically been fixed, from bottom plate of piston through top plate, to a determined point above piston where the drive shaft terminates after passing through a collar which is fixed in an overhead girder complex. The piston is held in position by four upright stanchions of channel section in each channel section there being a series of wheels, one half the radius of each wheel projecting from stanchion edge. This arrangement allows for up and down movement of piston. Clamped to drive shaft is a double edged cogged driving plate one edge of which, when piston is at rest position, engages a ratchet gear wheel taking upward direction drive, and the other edge simultaneously engaging a similar sized ratchet gear wheel taking downward direction drive.These two ratchet gear wheels are rigidly attached to the over-head girder complex.

When pen is flooded with water via the inlet valve from external reservoir, to a level determined by valve timing mechanism, the piston with its drive shaft and driving plate attached thereto, rises on the principle of buoyancy to the top of its stroke, at which point, the inlet valve being closed, the lower of the two outlet valves opens and the piston begins its gravity operated stroke, at the bottom of which, the outlet valve being closed and inlet valve again opened by timed gear and the harmonious operation of buoyancy and gravity automatically continues under the direction, of course of the operator.

2. A buoyancy reciprocating engine as claimed in Claim 1 wherein guide means are provided to the cylindrical piston by four u section plates fixed vertically to side of piston to engage the four series of wheels in the four stanchions which are spaced evenly around the piston. This arrangement is to ensure precise up and down movement only during the fuctioning of the engine.

3. A buoyancy reciprocating engine as claimed in Claim 1 and Claim 2 wherein the drive shaft length is such that with the piston at rest on floor of pen, the upper end of drive shaft terminates after passing through the sleeve collar fixed in girder complex, at a height that will allow the driving plate clamped to the shaft to move fully on the upward pressure stroke without fouling the collar or adjacent housing.

4. A buoyancy reciprocating engine as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein at a point a little above flood level there is a permanently open adequate sized over-flow slit in the drainage side of pen, necessary to prevent damage to plant in the event of an accidental overflooding of pen.

5. A buoyancy reciprocating engine as claimed in any preceding claim that will supply power to electric generating plant, when piston is activated, through driving plate driving the ratchet gear wheels which in turn are connected to machinery housed in overhead girder complex.

6. A buoyancy reciprocating engine as claimed in Claim 5 that can be used in tandem with another or in a series.

7. A buoyancy reciprocating engine that can be produced in large enought dimensions suitable for industrial use, ranging down to working model and toy sizes, as described with reference to Figures 1-2 of the accompanying drawings.

8. A buoyancy reciprocating engine substantially as described herein that could supply power to industry without causing atmospheric pollution.