Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 0222~82 1997-12-22
.
TITLE
Device for providing rotational output.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Global development and progress has caused depletion of natural resources
such as coal, petroleum and other forms of fuel. There is a need to find
alternative means of generating power to replace the presently available
generators which use energy sources that are fast depleting. Further, the
generators commonly found emit pollutants to the environment or are
- generally hazardous to the environment.
The said generators are costly to build, use massive power grid and long
distance power cables. Such high start-up costs will inevitably be passed on
to the consumers. In the case of industries or non-domestic consumers such
high costs for energy consumption will add to the costs of production thereby
increasing prices of goods and utilities. All these costs will no doubt be finally
forced upon the end purchaser.
The high costs of building a power generator prevents the supply of power to
the outback, isolated places such as the islands and mountain ranges.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention seeks to overcome the shortcomings of the known
power generators by providing a rotational output comprising a circular rail
and a rotational hub structure within the rail, wherein the rotational hub
structure includes a flexible-walled chamber on each end of a diametral
spoke, wherein an output shaft is connected to the spoke substantially at the
centre of the spoke, wherein the chambers are in fluid communication and
the spoke is construed such that the output shaft can be offset from the
centre of the circular rail thereby causing one chamber to expand in volume
and the other to decrease in volume by an equal amount, wherein in use, the
CA 0222~82 1997-12-22
device is immersed in a liquid and the output shaft is offset from the centre ofthe rail such that the larger volume chamber is more deeply immersed and
thus more buoyant than the other chamber, whereby a rotation of the output
shaft is produced by the differential buoyancy of the chambers.
In essence the apparatus consists of a device having the ability to self-rotate
in water. It is the constant movement of the spokes in the water in circular
motion that creates energy. The device does not emit any smoke or pollutant.
The device is not a hazard to the environment. This apparatus is
comparatively cheaper to build and easier to operate.
The apparatus is modular, compact and easy to install. It can be installed
above or below ground level, in the air or submerged in water'
The device is powered by using floatage energy derived from the flexible-
walled chambers attached to the ends of spokes which rotate in the circular
rail. The flexible-walled chambers are made from preferably rubber or other
flexible material having the capacity of expanding and contracting. The spoke
has extendable means to shorten and lengthen the spoke. This is made
possible by each spoke having a centre rod and two end rods wherein the
end rods are slidable within the centre rod, wherein each spoke includes an
air passage in communication with the interior of each flexible-walled
chamber on each end thereof.
Once rotation starts, some spokes are then shortened or lengthened by the
extendable mearis found in the spoke. The fle~tiL'e walled chamber expand or
contract depending on the position of the spoke. The longest spoke having
the most floatage energy will be the first to float to the surface of the water
and thereby maintaining the rotation of the other spokes.
The output shaft includes gear means for extracting a rotational output from
the device. The speed of the rotation is dependent on the type of gears used
and the size of the spokes and the flexible-walled chambers.
i
CA 0222~82 1997-12-22
.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
In order that the invention may be clearly understood, some embodiments of
the invention will now be described, by way of examples with reference to the
accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:
Figure 1 is the elevation view of the device.
Figure 2 is the side view of one pair of spokes on a holder.
Figure 3 is the side view of three pair of spokes on a holder.
(
Figure 4 is the top view of the spoke when it is at its maximum length.
Figure 5 is the top view of the spoke when it is at its minimum length.
Figure 6 is the side view of a spoke with one end of the spoke in the rail.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The device comprises a circular rail (8) which is held by holders (4) of
a water tank (2). A frame (6) for supporting the device may be provided. A
rotational hub structure within the rail (8) consists of a central output shaft
(14) from which diametral spokes (10) radiate. On each end of each spoke
(10) is a flexible-walled chamber (12). Each spoke (10) comprises two parts,
namely a centre rod (10b) within each end of which a smaller diameter rod
(10a) can slide. The innermost end walls of chambers (12) are fixedly sealed
around rods (10b) as indicated at (20) (see Figure 6) and rods (10a) pass
through the outermost end wall of the chambers (12), which end wall is
fixedly sealed to the rods (10a) as indicated by reference (22) (see Figure 6).
The outermost end of each rod (1 Oa) is held captive by rail (8) such that it can
rotate around the rail, for example it includes rollers (24) (see Figure 6). Thechambers (12) one each end of a spoke (10) are in fluid communication by
CA 0222~82 1997-12-22
means of an air passage (not shown) that passes through each spoke (10). It
will thus be appreciated that if output shaft (14) is displaced or offset from the
centre of the circular rail (8), one chamber (12) on one end of a spoke (10)
will be expanded in volume whilst the chamber (12) on the opposite end of
that spoke (10) will be reduced in volume by an equal amount by virtue that
the rods (10a) slide within the rod (10b). Supports (26) for the output shaft
(14) (see Figures 2 and 3) contain apertures (28) through which the output
shaft (14) passes. These apertures must be of sufficient size to
accommodate the amount of offset movement experienced by the output
shaft (14). The output shaft (14) may also include gears (18) (see Figure 2)
for extracting an output from the device. The gap referenced (30) between
two gears is for accommodating the offset movement of shaft (14).
In operation, the tank (2) is filled with a liquid such as water and shaft
(14) offset from its centre position by some power input in a direction such
that the flexible-walled chambers (12) that are more deeply immersed are
expanded in volume and are thus rendered more buoyant than the others.
These more buoyant chambers (12) will have a tendency to rise in the liquid
and will thus set up a rotation of the hub structure within the rail (8). As therotation continues the chambers (12) that are moving deeper in the liquid are
expanding in volume whilst each opposite chamber is reducing in volume by
an equal amount. Thus the buoyancy of each chamber (12) is cyclically
expanded and reduced to maintain the rotation. It will, of course, be
necessary to supply a power input to establish an offset for shaft (14) to
maintain an output rotation of shaft (14). This output may be extracted from
shaft (14) via gearing (18).
This position can vary depending on the revolutions desired. The positioning
of the spokes can bè manipulated by adjusting the rail holder (14) by
adjusting means such as screws or hydraulic pumps.
The speed of the revolutions made by the rotating device is dependent on the
type of gears (18) used, the position of the spokes in relation to the rail and
generally the size of the device.
