US1701146A - Wave and tide motor - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 5, 1929. 1,701,146

0. L. DARWIN WAVE AND TIDE IO'I'OR Filed lay 31, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 Patented Feb. 5, 1929.

UNITED STA OLIVER L. DARWIN, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

WAVE AND TIDE MOTOR.

Application med May 31,

This invention relates to wave and tide motors.

Objects of this invention are to provide a novel form of wave and tide motor which may be placed in the surf and which is automatic in its action and :so constructedthat reciprocatory motion of a float is transformed into rotary motion in such a manner that each direction of travel of the float H) imparts rotary motion to the rotary member, and to provide means for equalizing the intermittent or unequal rate at which the energy is supplied the wave motor, so that the unit transmits-continuous rotary motion which may be used ingany suitable Further objects are to provide a very simple type of wave motor which has few parts and in which the parts are of rugged in and reliable construction and not likely to get out of order.

Further objects are to provide a wave motor having the above characteristics, which is compactand consequently does not present a large surface to the wind or other disturbing elements, but which nevertheless functions in a regular and reliable manner and is capable of picking up a large amount of power. 1

An embodiment of the invention isshown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the device; Figure .2 is a sectional view on theline 2-2 of Figure 1.; t

Figure 3 is a detail .of one of the ratchet devices.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the wave motor comprises a series of uprights 1 which are carried by a suitable base :2 and which carry the working mech anism. The uprights :arebraced by suitable cross members, as shown in the drawing, to secure :the requisite strength. They form a substantially rectangular frame relatively high :and of comparatively small lateral dimensions. l l

The lower portion of the frame carries a grooved pulley 3 which isrevolubly mounted upon a fixed shaft 4. This pulley is provided with a triangular framework constituting a projecting arm 5 which carries a float 6 at its outer end. The float .isof sufficient size and also of the proper weight to operate the apparatus, as will hereinafter appear. The arm 5 has spaced feet which are secured by bolts 7 to the wheel or pulley 3 1927. Serial No. 195,438.

at widely spaced points tothus secure the requisite strength and stability. j

The upper portion of the apparatus carries a transverse shaft 8 which is" provided with a pair :of pulleys 9 preferably :smaller than the pulley 3, although obviously these proportions may vary. These pulleys 9 are loosely mounted upon the shaft 8 and are adapted to be thrown into connection therewith by means of pawils 10 carried by the pulleys 9 cooperating with ratchet wheels 11 rigid with the shaft 8. A cable 12-is-passed over the pulleys 9 and around the pulley 3, and its downwardlyextending ends are held taut by means of the weights .13. Thus,

when the float 6 rises and falls,=due either to tides or waves, the pulley 3 is rocked first one way and then the other and, consequently drives the cable orbelt 13. Thismotion is transformed into rotary motion at the pub leys 9, the pulleys 9 rotating in opposite directions. The ratchet mechanism is such that the shaft 8 is rotated in the same direction, irrespective of the direction of rocking or rotation of the pulley13, as is apparent from a consideration of Figures 1 and It is to be noted particularly from Figure 1 that the ratchets 10-extend in-opposite directions so that while one ratchet slides pasttheteeth the other ratchet operatively engages the teeth. Thus, the shaft 8 is intermittently driven in the same direction by the oscillatory motion of the fioat 6.

A second shaft 14 is journaled on the upper portion of the frame 1.. The shafts 8 and 14 are each provided with spur wheels or sprocketwheels 15 and .16, respectively. A chain 17, preferably of the silent chain type, isformed in a continuous loop, asshown in Figure 2, and passes over the sprocket wheels 15 and. 16. It also passes over a fiat faced roller 18 attachedto a heavy weight 19. The downwardly looped portion passing beneath the roller .18 is positioned between the sprocket wheels 15 and 16, and the free stretch of the chain hangs downwardly, as j The weight in descending, rotates tinuous and uniform manner, and irrespective of the intermittent supply of energy furnished by the float, the shaft 14 is driven at a continuous and uniform rate.

It is apparent that power may be taken from the shaft 14- in any desired manner and that this power will be delivered at a uniform rate.

It will be seen that a novel form of wave and tide motor has been provided by this invention which is of extreme simplicity and which is so constructed that the weight acts as an equalizer to store up energy in a portion of the unit itself before this energy is passed on in a uniform manner to the driving shaft or power shaft 14. The jack shaft 8 is intermittently rotated, as stated, but this obviously produces no eifect upon the continuous rotation of the shaft 14, as the weight 19 stores up any energy in excess of that demanded at the shaft 14 at any given instant.

It will be seen also that the device is extremely compact in comparison to the amount of energy that it is capable of absorbing from the waves and tides.

Although the invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as illustrative rather than limiting as the invention may he variously embodied and as the scope of such invention is to be determined as claimed.

While I have shown the power takeoff pulley 20 having a belt connection, obviously I may, without departing from the spirit of the invention, employ any suitable gear wheel or gear train in connection with the shaft 14, whereby the slow moving shaft will speed up the driving connection, the ratio of the speeding up being arbitrarily arranged as the case may warrant.

I claim:

1. A wave and tide motor comprising a unitary structure consisting of a frame, a pulley pivotally mounted upon said frame and having an outwardly projecting arm, a float carried by said outwardly projecting arm, a jack shaft having a pair of pulleys loosely mounted thereon, ratchet mechanism for automatically connecting said last mentioned pulleys to said jack shaft when they are rotated in a predetermined direction, a cable passing over said first mentioned pulley and said last mentioned pair of pulleys, means for holding said cable taut, a )ower delivering shaft mounted adjacent sai jack shaft and carried by said frame, a continuous flexible member passing over said jack shaft and said power delivering shaft and having a downwardly looped portion, a roller carried within the downwardly looped portion of said chain, and a weight for urging said roller downwardly to thereby equalize the energy intermittently supplied by said jack shaftand transmitting said energy to said power delivering shaft in a continuous and uniform manner.

2. A wave and tide motor comprising a unitary structure consisting of a fraule, a pulley pivotally mounted upon said frame and having an outwardly projecting arm, a float carried by the outer end of said arm and adapted to rock said pulley first in one direction and then in the other, a jack shaft carried by the upper portion of said frame and having a pair of pulleys loosely mounted thereon, a cable passing over said pair of pulleys and around said first mentioned pulley and having downwardly extending free ends, weights carried by said free ends for holding said cable taut, ratchet mechanism for connecting said pair of pulleys to said jack shaft for intermittently rotating said jack shaft in a predetermined direction, a sprocket wheel carried by said jack shaft, or power delivering shaft mounted adjacent said jack shaft, an endless chain passing over said sprocket wheels and having a downwardly looped portion between such sprocket wheels, a roller fitted within the downwardly looped portion of said chain, and a heavy weight carried by said roller and urging said looped portion downwardly.

3. A wave and tide motor comprising a unitary structure consisting of a frame, a pulley pivotally mounted upon said frame and having an outwardly projecting arm. a float carried by the outer end of said arm and adapted to rock said pulley first in one direction and then in the other, a jack shaft carried by the upper portion of said frame and having a pair of pulleys loosely mounted thereon, a cable passing over said pair of pulleys and around said first mentioned pulley and having downwardly extending free ends, weights carried by said free ends for holding said cable taut, ratchet mechanism for connecting said pair of pulleys to said jack shaft for intermittently rotating said jack shaft in a predetermined direction, a sprocket wheel carried by said j ack shaft, a power delivering shaft mounted adjacent said jack shaft, an endless chain passing over said sprocket wheels and having a downwardly looped portion between such sprocket wheels, a roller fitted within the downwardly looped portion of said chain, and a heavy weight carried by said roller and urging said looped portion downwardly, and a flywheel carried by said power delivering shaft.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin.

OLIVER L. DARWIN.

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