US1385083A - Wave-motor - Google Patents

Description

T. A. McCULLEY.

WAVE MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29. 1920.

Patented July 19 1921,,

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[hi/B17701 T. A. McCULLEY.

WAVE MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, I920.

hassmsam Patented July 19,1921

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T. A. IVICCULLEY.

WAVE MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1920.

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To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS A. M CUL- LEY, a citizen of the United States, reslding in the city and county of San Franclsco, State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Wave-Motors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in wave motors wherein oppositely acting ratchets are impelled by pawls actuated by wave-oscillated buoys for rotating a shaft and the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide an improved means for deriving useful power from waves;

Second, to provide a motor adapted to derive power from both the upward and downward movement of waves;

'llhird, to provide means for balancing the driving power on a wave actuated shaft.

Fourth, to provide means for rotating a wave actuated shaft in one direction only.

I accomplish these and other objects by means of the novel device disclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present specification in which like characters of reference are used to designate similar parts throughout said specification and drawings and in which- Figure 1 is a broken side elevation of my improved wave motor;

Fig. 2 is a broken front elevation of the device on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 3 is a broken plan view of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 is used to designate a horizontally disposed shaft mounted upon a framework 2 securedto a suitable supporting structure 10 such as a pier. Buoys 3 adapted to be oscillated with an upward and downward movement by the action of waves are connected with the shaft 1 by driving arms 4 secured at one end thereof to the buoys 3 and pivotally mounted upon the shafts 1 by bearings formed at the opposite end of said arms 4.

Ratchets 6, having the teeth 5 thereof disposed in opposite directions, are rotatably mounted on the shaft 1. Upwardly acting pawls 7 are pivotally mounted upon diagonally opposed arms 4 in engaging relation with the ratchets 6; and downwardly acting pawls 8 are pivotally mounted upon the opposing arms 4 in the engagement with the ratchets 6 thereby providlng for an upward pressure to be applied to one sideof each ratchet 6 and a downward pressure to be app on t e pp s e s e of said Specification of Letters Patent.

1920. Serial No. 365,363.

ratchet. The downwardly acting pawls 8 are retained in engagement with the ratchet 6 by suitable springs 9 secured to the pawls 8 and the pawl bearing pins 11.-

Pawls 12 are suitably secured above, and adapted to engage the ratchets 6 for a purpose hereinafter more fully explained.

A vertical shaft 14 is rotatably mounted in a bearing 16 at substantially right angles to the shaft 1, said shaft 14 being provided at the lower end thereof with a pinion gear 17 secured thereon. Inwardly facing gears 18 are rotatably mounted upon the shaft 1 adjacent the ratchet 6 and secured thereto in such manner as to engage the pinion 17 at opposite sides whereby the driving force is applied equally upon opposing sides of said pinion 17. The oppositely disposed teeth 5 of the ratchets 6 cause said ratchets to be driven in opposite directions thereby rotating the gears 18 secured thereon in opposite direction. The pinion 17 being engaged by the gears 18 on opposite sides thereof, the shaft 14 must necessarily be driven in the same direction by either gear 18 and may derive power from either gear or from both simultaneously.

Braces 21 are secured to the buoys 3 and pivot-ally mounted upon the shafts 1 near the outer ends thereof to resist cross currents that may occur, thereby relieving the driving arms 4 of the bending stress to which said driving arms would otherwise be subjected.

In operation my invention is as follows: The floating buoys 3 are caused to alternately rise and fall with each wave thereby oscillating the driving arms 4 upon the shafts 1. As the driving arms are raised the upwardly acting pawls 7 engage the ratchet teeth 5 thereby imparting a rotative movement to the ratchets 6 and the gears 8. As the crest of the wave passes and the buoy begins to descend, the downwardly acting pawls 8 engage the teeth 5 of the opposite ratchet 6 thereby causing rotation thereof until the buoy begins to ascend the next wave. In practice the driving arms 4 are of a length adapted to deliver the maximum of power from one buoy while the opposite buoy is inert at the crest or trough of the average wave, thereby delivering a maximum of power at all times. In case the wave length should be such as to cause an upward movement of one buoy coinciding exactly with the downward movement of Patented duly I9, 192i. 7

the opposite buoy it is possible that the shafts 1 would receive an oscillating movement due to the equalizing of pressure from the opposing buoys. To prevent such an occurrence the pawls 12 are provided to prevent any backward movement of the ratchets 6.

As the downward movement of one buoy combines with the upward movement of the opposing buoy to cause rotation of the gears 18 in opposite directions it is obvious that a substantiall uniform motive force will be applied to the vertical shaft 14 through said ears l8 and the pinion 17 which may be utilized in any desired manner.

When tide changes are to be considered the actuating arms are made of a length adapted to give eflicient leverage at both high and low water levels, and in all cases the length is sufficient to permlt the buoys to descend to the trough of the most extreme waves without danger of lowering the actuating arms into contact with the supporting structure 10.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A wave motor comprising a power shaft; a pinion secured thereto; gears rotatably mounted adjacent said pinion and adapted to engage said pinion at opposing sides thereof, to drive said power shaft; oppositely acting ratchets rotatably mounted adjacent said gears and secured thereto; actuatin arms pivotally mounted ad acent said rate ets; buoys engaging said actuating arms and adapted to oscillate said arms by the action of waves; and upwardly and downwardly acting pawls mounted upon said actuating arms and engaging said ratchets to impart a rotativo movement to said ratchets when said actuating arms are actuated.

2. A wave motor comprising a vertically disposed power shaft; a horizontal shaft mounted adjacent thereto; a pinion secured to the lower end of the power shaft; gears rotatably mounted upon said horizontal shaft adjacent said pinion and ada ted to engage said inion at op osing sides 1; ereof, to drive sai power sha oppositel acting ratchets rotatably mounted upon t e honzontal shaft adjacent said gears and secured thereto; actuating arms lvotally mounted upon said horizontal sha buo s enga 'ng said actuating arms and adapted to osci ate said arms by the action of waves; upwardly and downwardly acting pawls pivotally mounted upon said actuating arms and engaging the ratchets to impart a rotative movement to said ratchets when the actuating arms are actuated.

3. A wave motor comprising a verticall disposed power shaft; a horizontal sha t mounted adjacent thereto; a pinion secured to the lower end of the power shaft; gears rotatably mounted upon said horizontal shaft adjacent said pinion and adapted to engage said pinion at'opposing sides thereof, to drive said power s aft; oppositely acting ratchets rotatably mounted upon the horizontal shaft adjacent said gears and secured thereto; actuating arms pivotally mounted upon said horizontal sha -t; buoys engaging said actuating arms and adapted to oscillate said arms by the action of waves; upwardly and downwardly acting pawls ,piv-

otally mounted upon said actuating arms and engaging the ratchets to impart a rotative movement to said ratchets when the actuating arms are actuated; and means for preventing a return movement of the ratchets.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my signature.

THOMAS A. McCULLEY.

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