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US 4,299,537 AGranted
Interlinked variable-pitch blades for windmills and turbines
OwnerFrederick C. Evansinventor
Life of this patent
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OwnerFrederick C. Evansinventor
Estimating the term…
Disclosed herein is a windmill comprising a vertical shaft mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis, a number of blades each pivotally mounted for angular orientation about a longitudinal axis disposed parallel to the axis of rotation of the vertical shaft, supporting arms extending radially outwardly from the vertical shaft for supporting each blade, and interconnecting links connecting each of the blades to a junction adjacent the vertical shaft longitudinal axis for controlling the angular orientation of the blades relative to the supporting arms. The interconnecting links have inner ends connected to the junction and connect the blades together at corresponding points so that the blades counterbalance each other to resist centrifugal force during rotation of the windmill. A control or spring arrangement in the form of a rod is connected to the main shaft and to the junction of the links for allowing and controlling displacement of the junction to allow pivoting of the blades due to the force of the wind, the instantaneous pitch angles of all the blades being interdependent.
A windmill comprising a vertical shaft mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis, a number of blades each pivotally mounted for angular orientation about a longitudinal axis disposed parallel to the axis of rotation of the vertical shaft, supporting arms extending radially outwardly from the vertical shaft for supporting each blade, and interconnecting link means connecting each of said blades to a junction adjacent said vertical shaft longitudinal axis for controlling the angular orientation of the blades relative to the supporting arms, said interconnecting link means comprising a plurality of elongated rigid non-extensible members each having an inner end and a radially outer end, said inner ends being fixedly joined together at said junction, and said members extending radially outwardly from said junction and having outer ends connected to said blades, and means for resiliently preventing movement of said junction away from said vertical shaft longitudinal axis.
A turbine comprising a shaft mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis, a number of blades each pivotally mounted for angular orientation about a longitudinal axis disposed parallel to the axis of rotation of the shaft, supporting arms extending radially outwardly from the shaft for supporting each blade, and interconnecting link means connecting each of said blades to a junction adjacent said shaft longitudinal axis for controlling the angular orientation of the blades relative to the supporting arms, said interconnecting link means comprising a plurality of elongated rigid non-extensible members each having an inner end and a radially outer end, said inner ends being fixedly joined together at said junction, and said members extending radially outwardly from said junction and having outer ends connected to said blades, and means for resiliently preventing movement of said junction away from said vertical longitudinal axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.