Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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WINDMILL
BAC~GROUND OF T~IE INVENTION
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This invention relates to new and useful improve-
ments in windmill constructions and although it is directed
to windmills, nevertheless it will be appreciated that, under
certain circumstances, the invention can be utilized with
air turbine construction of a similar type.
Conventionally, windmills comprise a plurality of
radially extending blades mounted upon a spindle with the
blades being situated so that the longitudinal axis of the
spindle faces into the wind and the wind strikes the blades
which are situated slightly obliquely to the plane of
rotation so that wind spills past the blades and causes same
to rotate.
In such constructions, it will be appreciated that
a given wind speed will only generate a certain speed of
rotation unless the diameter of the blades is increased which
leads to the relatively unwieldy structure.
Attempts have been made to reduce the diameter of
the blade assemblies by placing one behind the other either
with both rotating in the same direction or with the blades
of the rear set being reversed so that they rotate in opposite
- directions but unfortunately, the supporting structure together
with turbulence created by the first set of blades r often
causes a reduction of the effective wind passing through the
second set of blades.
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It will b~ appreciated that .if the blades could
be mounted upon a sha:Et which is maintained at ric~ht angles
to the direc-tion of wind so tha-t -the blades act as scoops,
an improvement in efficiency may well be obtained but un-
fortunately with such a construction, the wind pressure acts
upon the upper run of blades as well as the lower run of
blades and even if the rear surfaces thereof are streamlined,
they present a considerable cross sectlonal area against
which the wind pressure may act thus reducing the efficiency
considerably.
The present invention overcomes these disadvantages
whetner incorporated as a single set o-f blades or as mul-
tiple sets of blades by providing a wind diverter acting
upon the lower run of blades so that when pressure does not
effect same and in fact with one embodiment, may even utilize
the wind pressure by diverting same to the rear side of the
lower run of blades.
In accordance with the invention there is provided
a windmill comprisin~ in combination a support structure, a
turret head mounted for rotation upon said support structure,
a rudder assembly operatively connected to said turret head
fox mainta,ining said windmill into the wind, and at least
one windmill assembly journalled for rotation within said
turret head, said windmill assembly including a substantially
hori20ntal shaft journalled for rotation within said turret
head and extending therefrom, a plurality of blades secured
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in equidistant radial assembly to the clistal end of said
shaft, said shaft being maintained by said rudder at right
angles to the direction Erom which the wind is blowing with
sa d blades facing the direction from which said wind is
blowing,-and a wind diverter assembly shielding substantial-
ly the lower run of said blades from the wind, for conveying
moving air to the rear side of the lower run of blades, said
diverter including an open ended horn component having a
front wall, an intake opening in said front wall for the in-
gress of wind, said front wall having a width at least aswide as the width of the windmill blades and a height ex-
tending from adjacent the base of the outer path swept by
said blades to a point just below the axis of said shaft,
said horn extending downwardly and rearwardly under said
base of the outer path and then extending upwardly and over
towards the rear of the blades of the lower run, and a dis-
charge opening at the rear end of said horn facing substan-
tially into the direction from which the wind is blowing but
being shielded therefrom by said front wall, the cross sec-
tional. area of said discharge opening being less than thecross sectional area of said intake opening.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the in-
vention, there is provided in a windmill which includes at
least one windmill assembly journalled for rotation by air
reacting therewith and including a shaft maintained at right
angles to the direction of wind and a plurality of scoop type
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blades securecl in equidistant radial array around said shaft
and facing :into the wind; the improvement characterized by
a wind diverter assembly shielding substantially the lower
run of blades from the effect of said wind, said diverter in-
cluding an open ended horn component having a front wall, an
intake opening in said front wall for the ingress of wind,
said front wall having a width at least as wide as the width
of the windmill blades and a height extending from adjacent
the base of the outer path swept by said blades to a point
just below the axis of said shaft, said horn extending down-
wardly and rearwardly under said base of the outer path and
then extending upwardly and over towards the rear of the
blades of the lower run, and a discharge opening at the rear
end of said horn facing substantially into the direction from
which the wind is blowing but being shielded therefrom by
said front wall, the cross sectional area of said discharge
opening being less than the cross sectional area of said in-
take opening.
Still another advantage oE the invention is to pro-
vide a device of the character herewithin described which issimple in construction, ecnonomical in manuEacture and other-
wise well suited to the purpose for which it is designed.
With the foregoing in view, and other advantages
as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which
this invention relates as this specification proceeds, the
invention is herein described by reference to the accompany-
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ing drawings forming a part hereof, which includes a de-
scription of the preferred typical embodiment of the prin-
ciples oE the present invention, in which:
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DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a part.ially schematlc side eleva-tion
of the device showing schematically one method of harnessing
the power generated by the windmill.
Figure 2 is a front view of Figure 1 taken from
the left hand side thereof~
Figure 3 is a fragmentary front elevation similar
to Figure 2 but showing an alternative mounting for the
turret.
Figure 4 is an isometric view of one of the blades
or scoops per se.
In the drawings like characters o~ reference indi-
cate corresponding parts in the different figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Proceeding therefore to describe the invention in
detail, although two sets of windmill blades are shown mounted
upon a shaft one upon each side of a central turret, never-
theless it will be appreciated that only one set may be used
or that a plurality of sets may be used.
In detail, reference should first be made to
Figure 1 in which reference character 10 illustrates suppor-
tin~ structure secured or supported upon the ground surface
11 and having a turret assembly collectively designated 12
mounted for rotation thereon and extending vertically up-
wardly therefrom.
A vertically situated drive shaft 13 is journalled
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for ro-ta-tion within bcar.ing assemblies 1~ within a cylindrical
casiny 14 forming part of the turret assembly 12 and this
drive shaft may be connected to an hydraulic pump 15 mounted
within the supporting structure 12 which in turn is opera-~ive-
ly connected to an oil tank 16 by means of lines 17 and to
an hydraulic motor 18 by means of lines 19. The hydraulic
motor may be operatively connected to an electric generator
20 which in turn may extend through an instrument panel 21
to be used, for example, with heating elements illustrated
schematically by reference character 22. However, it will
be appreciated that other forms of converting the energy
from drive shaft 13 may be utilized.
The casing 14 forming part of the turret is pro-
vided in the present invention with a transverse assembly 23
comprising a horizontal casing 24 within which is supported
for rotation, a horizontal shaft 25.
In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, a single shaft
25 extends clear through the casing from side to side and
is gear connected to the drive shaft 13 by means of bevel
gears 26.
EIowever, as an alternative, the enlarged casing 27
immediately above casing 14 may contain a differential assem-
bly (not illustrated), which is conventional and which will
include a pair of shafts 25 one extending upon either side
thereof.
A hub assembly ~8 is secured to the outer ends of
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the shaft 25 and a set of windmill blades collec-tively desig-
nated 29 are secured e~lidistan-tly and radially around the
hub 25.
Fi~ure 4 shows an example of the individual blades
or scoops comprising a pair of base panels 30 secured together
by common or adjacent longitudinally edges 31 and diverging
outwardly and upwardly from these longitudinal edges as clearly
shown. Triangular end walls 32 are secured to the ends of the
base panels 30 and it is desirable that the effective width
of the scoop as defined by the base panels, increases slightly
from the inner or attaching end 33 towards the outer or distal
end 34.
Supporting structure in the form of braces 35 are
secured to the inner end 33 and to the hub 28 so that the
scoops are maintained in the desired radial position during use.
A tail vane or rudder assembly collectively designated
36 comprises a rectangular vane plate 37 supported clear of
the blades 29 by horizontal strut 38 and diagonal strut 39 ex-
tending from the horizontal casing 23 and the vertical casing
14 respectively as illustrated and this tail vane or rudder
assembly maintains the turret and the two sets of blades or
scoops facing into the wind at all times.
The turret is journalled for rotation upon the sup-
porting structure 10 and two methods of such journalling is
illustrated. In Figure 2, and dealing with a relatively light
weight embodiment, sets of steel rollers or balls 40 engage
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be-tween circular plates ~1 and 42, the Eormer being secured to
the base of the vertical casing 1~ and the la-t-ter being secur-
ed to the upper end of the suppor-ting structure 10 with a cen-
tral floating plate 43 being situated between adjacent sets
of rollers or balls.
The preferred embodiment is shown in Figure 3 and is
particularl~ suitable for heavy duty construction.
A cage collectively designated 4~ surmounts the upper
end of the supporting structure 10 and consists of a lower
plate 45 and an upper plate 46 maintained in spaced and parallel
horizontal relationship by means of vertical struts 47 extend-
ing therebetween with an annular support ring 48 extending
around the vertical struts 47. The plate 45 acts as a track
for a plurality of vertically situated wheels 49 journalled upon
spindles 50 mounted upon the ends of a horizont~l spider (not
illustrated) extending from the lower end of the turret casing
14 thus mounting the turret and turret casing for rotation upon
the track formed by the lower plate 45. A plurality of hori-
zontally situated wheels 51 are journalled upon vertical
spindles 52 extending upwardly rom the upper plate ~6 with the
perimeters o the wheels being in contact with the outer of the
cylindrical casing 14 thus offering side thrust support to the
casing and turret assembly. Similar wheels 51A are provided on
lower plate 45.
With the scoop-type blades facing into the direction
of the wind, it will be appreciated that, under normal circum-
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stances, the wind pressure would effect both the scoops or
blades in the upper run abov~ the horiæontal spindle 25 and
the lower run below the horizontal spindle and even wi-th the
slightly streamlined construction of the scoops, wind pre~sure
would re~uce the torque ef~ect generated by the wind.
Consequently there is provided a wind diverter col-
lectively designated 53 and situated to shield the lower run of
the scoops or blades from the wind pressure.
The diverter preferably consists of an open ended
horn assembly having a front openin~ or air intake 54, the width
of which is slightly grea~er than the width of the scoops or
blades and the hei~ht of which extends from just below the base
or outer path swept by the outer ends of the blades, to a posi-
tion above which the wind pressure will not adversely affect
the blades. This upper portion is just below the horizontal
axis of the horizontal shafts 45.
Reference character 55 iliustrates the base of the
outer path above referred to.
An inclined wall 56 is formed in the upper part above
~20 the intake 54 so that some air is diverted upwardly as shown.
The air enterin~ the intake 56 flows into this intake and
throu~h the horn. The base 57 of the horn is substantially hor-
izontal whereas the upper surface 58 curves downwardly just
clearn of the path swept by the lower run of the blades and
then extends horizontally rearwardly as indicated by reference
character 5~, substantially parallel to- the base 57.
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Once clear of the path 55, the horn sweeps upwardly
and forwardly and terminates in a discharge aperture 60 jus-t
clear o.E the path swept by the blade tips and below the upper
extremity 61 of the front wall.
Air under pressure flows through this horn ~nd is
directed forwardly in the direction of arrow 62 to engage the
lower run of blades and to assist them in their rotation, it
being understood that wind is blowing from the direction of
arrow 63.
This materially increasesthe efficiency of the wind-
mill assembly and permits a plurality of sets of blades to be
utilized without one set interfering with the other and having
a diameter less than that required of a conventional windmill
adapted to generate th~ same amount of power.
Since various modifications can be made in my inven-
tion as hereinabove described, and many apparently widely dif-
ferent embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of
the claims without departing from such spirit and scope, it is
intended that all matter contained in the accompanying speci-
fication shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in
a limitin~ sense.
