Undershot current motor

An undershot current motor comprising:

• a float or barge adapted to be moored on the surface of moving water and having an opening vertically through the center thereof,
• support means on said float for supporting a horizontal, rotatable drive shaft above said water over said opening, the drive shaft extending transversely to the direction of water flow,
• a horizontal drive shaft rotatably supported above said water by said support means,
• at least two sets of 3-bladed paddle assemblies affixed to said drive shaft, each paddle assembly comprising 3 blades and each blade extending lengthwise along said drive shaft and radially outwardly from said drive shaft, each blade in each assembly being positioned substantially 120 degrees from each other blade, and said blades in each said set being positioned so that they bisect the angles formed by the blades in an adjacent set,
• the blades extending through said opening and into said water during a portion of each revolution of said paddle assemblies and drive shaft,
• said drive shaft being connected to, in appropriate sequence, an optional gear box, an optional electrical generator, and thence to a power takeoff device such that, when moored on moving water, the water causes the paddle assemblies and drive shaft to rotate, thereby generating power at said power takeoff.