Method and apparatus for generating power

A method of generating power comprising the steps of:

• providing a plurality of elongated chambers each having an open top and each having a float mounted therewithin for axial and reciprocative movement with an inlet and an outlet communicating with the interior of said chambers;
• disposing vertically said chambers in an intermediate portion of a constantly downwardly flowing body of water from an upperelevational portion thereof to a lower elevational portion thereof with their inlets and outlets communicating with said water;
• positioning said inlets in fluid communication with the upstream flow of said water and positioning said outlets in fluid communication with the downstream flow of said water;
• arranging said chambers substantially in a common plane;
• alternatingly interrupting and permitting the flow of said body of water in said inlets through said chambers and out said outlets to cause their floats to be carried by said water in said chambers reciprocatively upwardly and downwardly within said chambers, said interrupting causing water to rise in said chambers and said permitting causing water to fall in said chambers;
• providing ratchet means;
• extending at least partially said ratchet means through the open tops of said chambers and connecting mechanically said ratchet means and said floats;
• utilizing the thus caused reciprocative movement of said floats via said ratchet means;
• disposing vertically the chambers in said intermediate portion of said flowing body of water in a side-by-side arrangement with the first mentioned chamber and extending in the direction of flow of said flowing body of water;
• and
• positioning the inlets of said chambers in fluid communication with the upstream flow of said water via adjacent outlets of the adjacent chambers so that the inlets are upstream of the outlets.