Wave action power source

• US 3,894,241 A
• Filed: 03/08/1974
• Issued: 07/08/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Saul Kaplan
• Original Assignee: Saul Kaplan
• Inventors: Kaplan, Saul
• Primary Examiner(s): Dobeck, B.
• Application Number:
  US05/449,248
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 290/42,53
• US Class Current: 290/42
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/1865 where the connection between wom and conversion system takes tension only F03B13/187, F03B13/1875 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/30 Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient

Abstract

A power source which is powered by the energy in water waves has a frame which supports a shaft above the waves. A large number of floats are constrained by the frame to be moved up and down under the shaft by the waves. Above each float a first pulley having a first releasable rachet and a non-releasable rachet has a chain pass over it to hold a first weight at one end. On each float there is mounted a second pulley which engages the other end of the chain, the second pulley having a second releasable rachet. Each chain passes through a passage in a float to terminate at a second lighter weight. As waves move each float up, a second releasable rachet allows its second pulley to turn. As each float moves down, it pulls a chain about a first pulley raising a first weight, a first releasable rachet allowing its first pulley to turn and a non-releasable rachet allowing it to turn without rotating the shaft. As each first weight reaches a desired height, a means releases both releasable rachets to drop each first weight to turn the shaft by means of the first pulley and the non-releasable rachet. Sufficient floats and associated weights and apparatus ensure that the shaft will be constantly turned by falling weights to provide a power source.

Claims

1. A power source powered by waves comprising, in combination, a frame having a plurality of pairs of legs extending into water and having a top member fixed to the upper ends of said legs, a horizontal shaft journalled in said frame above the water, a first pulley rotatably mounted on said shaft between each pair of said legs, a first releasable rachet mechanism preventing rotation of each of said first pulleys in a first direction, a non-releasable rachet in each of said first pulleys driving said shaft when each of said first pulleys is rotated in the other direction, a chain hanging over and engaging each of said first pulleys and having first and second ends, a first heavy weight fixed to the first end of each of said chains urging rotation of said first pulleys in the first direction, a float constrained to rise and fall on waves between each pair of legs, a second pulley rotatably mounted on each of said floats, said second pulleys each engaging the second end of one of said chains, a second releasable rachet mechanism on each of said second pulleys allowing rotation of said second pulleys when said floats on which said second pulleys are mounted rise on waves, a second lighter weight at the second end of each of said chains below said floats so that rising and falling of said floats raises said first weights, and means sumultaneously releasing both of said releasable rachet mechanisms associated with each of said first weights when said first weights are raised to a given height to drop said first weights and rotate said shaft by means of said non-releasable rachets, said means releasing said releasable rachet mechanisms allowing said releasable rachet mechanisms to engage when said first weights fall a given distance.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein each of said second pulleys is centrally mounted on one of said floats, wherein each of said floats contains a vertical passage, and wherein the second end of each of said chains makes a turn about one of said second pulleys and then extends through a passage in one of said floats.

3. The combination according to claim 2 with the addition of a generator on said top member, and transmission means connecting said shaft to said generator so that said shaft drives said generator providing power.

4. The combination according to claim 3 wherein each of said first and second rachet mechanisms have first and second rachets and first and second pawls associated therewith, said means releasing said first and second rachet mechanisms raising said first and second pawls from said first and second rachets.

5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein said means raising each of said first and second pawls is a pair of bell cranks associated with each of said chains and being mounted on one of said legs of each of said pairs of legs, said bell cranks each having an arm containing an opening through which one of said chains extends, a cam block on each of said chains between a pair of said bell crank arms, a laterally moveable rod connected to said bell cranks, a first laterally slidable release rod having a cam face and being connected directly to each of said laterally moveable rods, said cam face of each of said first release rods lifting one of said first pawls, and a second laterally slidable release rod having a cam face each being mounted on one of said floats, said cam face of each of said second release rods lifting one of said second pawls, each of said second laterally slidable rods having a ring through which one of said laterally moveable rods passes, said rings moving up and down about said laterally moveable rods as said floats are moved up and down by waves.