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US 4,228,658 AGranted
Method and apparatus for converting pressure into rotative motion
OwnerAlan E. Belcherinventor
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OwnerAlan E. Belcherinventor
Estimating the term…
A fluid engine comprising a coiled conduit having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet and supported to rotate about its axis in a partially immersed condition within a first fluid which interfaces with a second fluid having a different fluid density. Rotation of the conduit about its axis causes the fluid inlet to alternately be immersed in the first and second fluids whereby a quantity of each fluid is entrapped within each convolution of the conduit resulting in an unbalanced fluid condition producing a gravitational turning moment. Pressure differential across the coiled conduit between the inlet and the outlet maintains fluid flow through the conduit from the inlet to the outlet thereby sustaining the unbalanced condition which causes conduit rotation. The required differential may be provided by a head of water or may be created by evaporating a liquid or by thermally expanding a gas.
A fluid engine comprising at least one coiled conduit having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, means supporting said conduit for rotation in one direction about its axis and in a partially immersed condition within a first fluid having an interface with a second fluid of a different fluid density than said first fluid to alternately immerse said fluid inlet in said first and second fluids, and means for maintaining the pressure of the fluid at said fluid outlet below the pressure of the fluid at said inlet whereby to maintain an unbalanced fluid condition within said conduit resulting in a gravitational turning moment about said axis.
A fluid engine comprising a housing having evaporation and condensing chambers therein, means defining at least two coiled conduits disposed in fixed position within said housing for defining at least two separate flow paths between said chambers, one of said conduits having a fluid inlet in fluid communication with said evaporating chamber and a fluid outlet in fluid communication with said condensing chamber, the other of said conduits having a fluid inlet in fluid communication with said condensing chamber and a fluid outlet in fluid communication with said evaporating chamber, means supporting said housing for rotation about an axis and and quantities of two different fluids contained within said housing, said two different fluids being of different specific densities and in interfaced relation to each other.
A method for converting pressure into rotary motion comprising the steps of rotating a coiled conduit in one direction about its axis and in a partially immersed condition within a first fluid having an interface with a second fluid and a different fluid density than said second fluid to alternately immerse a fluid inlet of said coiled conduit in said first and second fluids whereby to start said rotary motion, and maintaining the fluid pressure at an outlet of said coiled conduit below the fluid pressure within said coiled conduit whereby to maintain an unbalanced fluid condition within said conduit resulting in a turning moment about said axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.