Apparatus for extracting power from water waves

An apparatus for extracting power from water waves, comprising:

• one or more pairs of interconnected buoyant members configured for relative movement when subjected to kinetic energy from water waves;
• each of the one or more pairs of interconnected buoyant members being connected by a universal joint permitting rotation between the interconnected buoyant members about a first axis of rotation and a second axis of rotation;
• a first pair of coaxial bevel gears configured to rotate about the first axis of rotation of each of the respective universal joints;
• and
• a second pair of coaxial bevel gears configured to rotate about the second axis of rotation of each of the respective universal joints;
• wherein each of the first pairs of coaxial bevel gears and each of the second pairs of coaxial bevel gears comprises:
• a first bevel gear configured to rotate in a first direction within its a respective plane of rotation of the respective first bevel gear and restricted from rotating in a second direction opposite the first direction within said respective plane of rotation of the respective first bevel gear;
• and
• a second bevel gear configured to rotate in the second direction within its a respective plane of rotation of the respective second bevel gear and restricted from rotating in the first direction within said respective plane of rotation of the respective second bevel gear;
• the apparatus further comprising at least one gear system connected to each of the first pairs of coaxial bevel gears and the second pairs of coaxial bevel gears, such that rotation of a bevel gear of at least one of the first pairs of coaxial bevel gears and the second pairs of coaxial bevel gears drives the gear system, the gear system configured to increase the rotational velocity imparted by each of the first pairs of coaxial bevel gears and the second pairs of coaxial bevel gears;
• a drive shaft connected to the gear system and configured to rotate upon activation of the gear system;
• at least one electric generator operatively connected to the drive shaft for generating electricity upon rotation of the drive shaft;
• wherein the apparatus is configured such that relative movement between the one or more pairs of interconnected buoyant members about the first axis of rotation of each of the respective universal joints causes a bevel gear of a the corresponding first pair of coaxial bevel gears to rotate, and
• relative movement between the one or more pairs of interconnected buoyant members about the second axis of rotation of each of the respective universal joints causes a bevel gear of the corresponding second pair of coaxial bevel gears to rotate, thereby driving the gear system to rotate the drive shaft and generate electricity continuously, regardless of the direction of the relative movement between the one or more pairs of interconnected buoyant members.