Method and apparatus for obtaining useful work from wave energy

A device for converting circular motion of water particles induced by waves into useful work comprising:

• a buoyant body having a leading edge and a trailing edge, a curved upper surface connecting said edges, a lower surface and a width defined between said surfaces, a length measured between said edges, said curved upper surface including a first portion defining a gentle upward slope from said leading edge and a second portion defining a sharp downward slope to said trailing edge, said buoyant body having a width not more than one-half of a wave length of the waves and a length not more than one wave length of the waves;
• said buoyant body having a center of gravity coincident with a center of flotation so that said upper surface is substantially nearly always parallel with the surface of the water as a wave passes by said buoyant body;
• said buoyant body being positioned so that said upper surface is beneath the surface of the water so that the circular motion of water particles induced by wave motion is converted into linear flow over said buoyant body upper surface;
• and
• mechanical means on said buoyant body driven by said linear flow over said buoyant body upper surface.

A device for obtaining useful work from waves comprising:

• a buoyant body floating at the surface of waving water with the upper surface of the buoyant body disposed beneath the surface of said water;
• said buoyant body having a projecting means at a leading end which protrudes into the orbital range of the rolling motion of water particles of waves and a downwardly curved edge at a trailing end of the buoyant body, a lower surface and a curved upper surface connecting said leading and trailing ends which includes a leading front slope from said leading end and a trailing slope to said trailing end with said leading front slope being longer than said trailing slope, the rolling motion of water particles of incoming waves being intercepted and converted by such projecting means into substantially linear motion of water flow over said buoyant body, said incoming waves causing heaving motion of the buoyant body, the interception and conversion of incoming waves imparting energy force to the buoyant body in a form of pitching motion thereof by way of push-pull movement of intercepted waves active on the upper as well as the lower surfaces of the buoyant body, which pitching motion automatically changes the horizontal angle of the upper surface of said buoyant body so that said body is adjusted to be substantially parallel to the surface slope of incoming waves thereby enhancing the linear flow of water over the upper surface of the buoyant body;
• and a mechanical means connected with the buoyant body to take out the energy of the incoming waves active on the buoyant body.