# US 2014/0196450 A1 · Electric generator powered by bucket conveyor driven by massive buoyant objects > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0196450 A1 - Document ID: US20140196450A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/743,420 - Filed: 2013-01-17 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-17 - Inventors: Roger A. Boyd; Danny W. Boyd - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140196450A1 ## CPC - F03B 17/04: Alleged perpetua mobilia {(with closed loop circulation or similar F03B17/005)} - F03B: MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS (positive-displacement engines for liquid F03C; machines for liquids and gases F01; positive-displacement machines for liquids F04, rotary fluid gearing of the hydrokinetic type F16H41/00) ## Abstract An electric generation system includes a plurality of connected water filled chambers, each having a pivoting door that sequentially covers and exposes an access port through which buoyant objects travel to an ascending water filled tube leading to a bucket conveyor that drives a generator. The pivoting doors are synchronized so that one is opened while the other is closed. The doors are opened and closed by hemispherical cams driven by a motor. The pivoting doors propel buoyant objects towards the tube. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electric generation system comprising a conveyor, a liquid-filled tank, a liquid filled buoyancy column, an inclined chute extending from the buoyancy column to about the conveyor, a plurality of buoyant objects and a generator assembly; each of said buoyancy objects being objects having an outer diameter and being buoyant in the liquid-filled tank and in the liquid filled buoyancy column, and having a mass sufficient to cause the conveyor to rotate; and said conveyor comprising an upper sprocket, a lower sprocket, a continuous chain engaging and entrained about the upper sprocket and the lower sprocket, a plurality of carriers coupled to the continuous chain, said conveyor including a descending side at which the carriers move in a downward direction from the upper sprocket to the lower sprocket, said conveyor also including an ascending side at which the carriers move in an upward direction from the lower sprocket to the upper sprocket, each of said plurality of carriers providing a surface for supporting one of the buoyant objects when the carrier is on the descending side; and said liquid filled tank including an entry chamber, an entry port and an entry door, and a transitional chamber, a transitional port and a transitional door, the entry chamber being positioned below the lower sprocket, the entry port providing an opening through which a buoyant object enters the entry chamber, the entry door being hingedly mounted to the liquid filled tank, the entry door being pivotally movable from a closed position to an open position, and in the closed position the entry door providing a watertight seal over the entry port, and in the open position the entry door allowing access for a buoyant object to pass through the entry port, and the entry port being positioned to receive buoyant objects deposited from the conveyor, and pivoting motion of the entry door propelling the buoyant object in the entry chamber towards the transitional chamber; and said transitional chamber being in fluid communication with the entry chamber and positioned in a path of flow from the entry chamber to the transitional chamber, the transitional port providing an opening through which a buoyant object enters the transitional chamber from the entry chamber, the transitional door being hingedly mounted to the liquid filled tank, the transitional door being pivotally movable from a closed position to an open position, in the closed position the transitional door providing a watertight seal over the transitional port, and in the open position the transitional door allowing access for a buoyant object to pass from the entry chamber into the transitional chamber through the transitional port, and the transitional port being positioned to receive buoyant objects floating from the transitional chamber, and pivoting motion of the transitional door propelling the buoyant object in the transitional chamber towards the buoyancy column; and said buoyancy column being an elongated tubular container fluidly coupled to the transitional chamber and extending upwardly to a height above the chute, and said buoyancy column having an outlet at a height about level with the chute, and said buoyancy column being filled with a liquid to about the outlet, and said buoyancy column have an inner diameter that is greater than the outer diameter of each of the buoyancy objects; and said chute extending from a position adjacent to the outlet of the buoyancy column to the descending side of the conveyor; and a motor operably coupled to the entry door via an entry door coupling and to the transitional door via a transitional door coupling, said motor causing the entry door to pivot open only when the transitional door is closed, and said motor causing the transitional door to pivot open only when the entry door is closed, and said motor causing the entry door to remain open for a first time duration sufficient to allow a buoyant object to enter the entry chamber, and said motor causing the transitional door to remain open for a second time duration sufficient to allow a buoyant object to enter the transitional chamber from the entry chamber, and said first duration being about equal to the second duration, and said second duration repeatedly commencing after the first duration, and said first duration repeatedly commencing after the second duration; and said generator assembly comprising an electric generator and a generator coupling rotatably connecting the electric generator to the conveyor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An electric generation system according to claim 1, each of said buoyant objects comprising a hollow sphere. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) An electric generation system according to claim 2, each of said hollow spheres including a sealable fill port providing access to an interior compartment of the hollow sphere, said fill port being used to partially fill the interior compartment with water. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) An electric generation system according to claim 1, each of said buoyant objects weighing between 200 to 500 pounds. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An electric generation system according to claim 1, said entry door coupling comprising a first cam with a hemispherical cross section shape, and said transitional door coupling comprising a second cam with a hemispherical cross section shape, and said first cam being oriented to cause the entry door to pivot open only when the transitional door is closed, and said second cam being oriented to cause the transitional door to pivot open only when the entry door is closed, and said first cam and said second cam being rotatably driven by the motor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) An electric generation system according to claim 5, said first cam acting against the entry door and said second cam acting against the transitional door. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) An electric generation system according to claim 5, said entry door coupling further comprising a first crank coupled to the entry door and said first cam acting against the first crank. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) An electric generation system according to claim 7, said transitional door coupling further comprising a second crank coupled to the entry door and said second cam acting against the second crank. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) An electric generation system according to claim 1, said buoyancy column being substantially vertical. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) An electric generation system according to claim 1, said buoyancy column being inclined. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) An electric generation system according to claim 1, said generator assembly comprising a gearbox coupled to the electric generator between the generator coupling and electric generator, said gearbox converting a first rotational speed of the generator coupling to a second rotational speed input of the electric generator. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) An electric generation system according to claim 11, said generator coupling comprising a drive shaft. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) An electric generation system according to claim 11, said generator coupling comprising a continuous drive chain and a generator sprocket. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) An electric generation system according to claim 11, said generator coupling comprising a continuous drive belt and a generator pulley. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) An electric generation system according to claim 1, each of said buoyant objects comprising a hollow sphere, each of said hollow spheres including a sealable fill port providing access to an interior compartment of the hollow sphere, said fill port being used to partially fill the interior compartment with water, and each of said hollow spheres weighing between 200 to 500 pounds. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) An electric generation system according to claim 15, said entry door coupling comprising a first cam with a hemispherical cross section shape, and said transitional door coupling comprising a second cam with a hemispherical cross section shape, and said first cam being oriented to cause the entry door to pivot open only when the transitional door is closed, and said second cam being oriented to cause the transitional door to pivot open only when the entry door is closed, and said first cam and said second cam being rotatably driven by the motor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) An electric generation system according to claim 16, said buoyancy column being substantially vertical. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) An electric generation system according to claim 16, said buoyancy column being inclined. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) An electric generation system according to claim 16, said generator assembly comprising a gearbox coupled to the electric generator between the generator coupling and electric generator, said gearbox converting a first rotational speed of the generator coupling to a second rotational speed input of the electric generator. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) An electric generation system according to claim 19, said generator coupling comprising a rotational transmission from the group consisting of a drive shaft, a continuous drive chain and a generator sprocket, and a continuous drive belt and a generator pulley.