US984266A - Current-motor. - Google Patents

Description

C. S. DONBY.

CURRENT MOTOR. rum-r1011 FILED APR. 5, 1910. nnnnwnn 1120.22, 1910.

984;,2 66. Patented Feb. 14,1911.

ami/Memes Gym/6e6- alley attorneys.

THE NORRIS Ps'rsna to, WAJNINGION. n c.

TINTTED STATES PATENT ()FFTCE.

CHARLES S. DONEY, OF CCLUMBIA. FALLS, MONTANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO CHARLES H. FOOT, OF KALISPELL, MONTANA, AND ONE-THIRD 'IO GEORGE D. \VATT,

OF COLUMBIA FALLS, MONTANA.

CURRENT-MOTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. let, 1911.

Application filed April 5, 1910, Serial No. 553,602. Renewed December 22, 1910. Serial No. 598,822.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ciuinais b. Dower, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbia Falls, in the county of Flathead and State of itlontana, have invented certain new and usetul Im n'ovcments in Current- Motors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in current motors and the object of my invention is to utilize the currents Off rivers and streams for the purpose of producing power which may be utilized in any desired way.

\Vith this object in view my invention consists in certain constructions, combinations and arrangement of parts, the preferred term of which will be lirst described in connection with the accompanying drawings and then the invention particularly pointed out: in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings wherein the same part is designated by the same reference numeral wherever it occurs: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing one form of my invention in position on a stream; Fig. 2 is a side view of the boat or pontoon; and Fig. 3 is a section, taken on line I, 23 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow.

l, 1 designate a pair ot piers, one constructed on each side of the stream and projecting into the stream so that an eddy is termed behind each pier. In the form shown, these piers also carry the operating mechanism.

designates a cable which extends from the top of one of the piers to the top of the other, and on this cable runs a traveler (3, the traveler being in the t'orm ot' a block 7, on the top of which are mounted a pair of pulleys S, which run on the cable 9 is a boat structure of any desirable 't'orm, preferably and as shown, the samebeing lat-bottomed and squ:n'eended, with the bow 10 inclined. I have also shown this boat as being decked over by the deck 11, making the same water-tight. Extending downward from this boat or scow are the plates 12, which, in the Form of my invention shown, are secured to the sides of the scow. The number and location (it these plates may be varied, as desired.

13 designates a cable which is secured at one end of the traveler (3 and at the other end to an eye 11 mounted in the center of the boat or seow. The cable 13 passes beneath a U-shaped iron 15 mounted on the bow at the boat or scow to limit the angle which the boat can be turned to the dircction o't' current of the stream.

In the construction so tar described, it will be seen that when the boat or scow is turned at: an angle to the flow of the stream that the impact of the water upon the plates .12 will cause the seow to move across the stream, the direction of movement being toward the side 01 the stream, to ward which the bow points; as for example, in Fig. l. the current at the water on flowing in the direction indicated by the arrow It). will cause the scow to move in direction of the arrow 17. It' now the scow is turned so as to point toward the opposite bank from that toward which it points in Fig. 1, then the scow will. under the influence of the current. move in a direction opposite the arrow 1?. In order to utilize this movement; ot' the scziw under the influence of the current and to cause the angle thereof to be automatically changed as the scow reaches each bank ol the stream. I provide a pair oti eyes 18 on the sides of the scow to which are connected the ends of a cable 15), the cable running over a pair of pulleys 20 on the underside of the traveler block 7, the cable then running around a pulley 21 on one of the piers amt on, a pair of pulleys 92, 22, on the other pier from which it passes around the pulley 21 of" an air compressor or the like indicated at 25.

Preferably, and as shown, I provide a pair of springs or other form of butter 26, one on each side of the bank extending over the eddy formed by each of the piers 4, which butters are in position to be struck by the forward portion of the scow as it swings into the eddy.

The operation of my motor is as follows: Supposing the scow is moving toward the left-hand bank. as shown in Fig. 1, it will continue to move in this direction until it passes into the eddy formed behind the lettuhand abutmcnts t and strikes the butter 26. As the scow moves across the stream. it will cause the cable 19 to travel in the direction of the arrows and consequently drive the pulley 24: of the air compressor or other engine. This driving movement will cause a pull to be exerted upon the eye 18 on the upstream side of the scow and hold the scow angularly to the stream, the amount of such angular movement being limited by the cable 13 and the iron 15. When the scow passes into the eddy or dead water, and strikes the spring bufier 26, it will start the scow to turn and to point its bow toward the opposite shore. This turning is then completed by the momentum of the flywheel 2-1, which, as it continues to rotate, will give slack to the cable connected to the upstream side of the scow and pull on the cable from the downstream side of the scow. This pulling and consequent turning of the scow will cause the bow to project out of the eddy or dead water and as soon as the current strikes one of the plates 12, it will cause the scow to complete its turning movement and assume a position opposite that shown in Fig. 1, or pointing toward the righthand shore. The current will now force the scow across the stream when the operation just described will be repeated.

I realize that considerable variation is possible in the details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I therefore do not intend to limit myself to the specific form shown and described.

\Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a current motor, the combination 7 with apair of abutments, one located on each side oi a stream, a cable extending between the abutments, a traveler mounted on the cable, a scow, a second cable connecting the scow to the traveler, a pulley to be driven, and a third cable having its ends connected to the scow and running over the driven pulley.

2. In a current motor, the combination with a pair of abutments, one located on each side of a stream, a cable extending between the abutments, a traveler mounted on the cable, a scow, a second cable connecting the scow to the traveler, a pulley to be driven, pulleys mounted on the abutment, a third cable having its ends connected to the scow and running over the pulleys on the abutments, and also passing around the driven pulley.

In testimony whereof I a'l'lix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLIE? S. DQNEY. Witnesses FnANoIs M. PHELPS, F. L. Bnownvn.

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