Wind power generator and control therefore

A wind powered generating system for producing electric power comprising a generator assembly having a rotatable portion and producing an electrical generator output, means to mount said generator assembly for movement about a first generally vertical axis, propeller means to provide wind powered rotation of said rotatable portion of said generator assembly about a second axis, a tail control assembly mounted to said generator assembly including a frame and a wind oriented vane means adjustably mounted relative to said frame for changing the orientation of the axis of rotation of the rotatable portion relative to the wind direction comprising means to pivotally mount said vane means relative to said frame generally about an upright axis, and means between said frame and vane means to control the angle of said vane means about said upright axis relative to said frame including a link and a drive motor operable to change the effective length of the link and change the pivotal relation of the vane means relative to the frame, means to sense conditions variable as a function of the electrical generator output of said generator assembly and to drive said drive motor in response to such sensed condition.

A wind powered generating system for producing electric power comprising a generator assembly having a rotatable portion and producing an electrical generator output, means to mount said generator assembly for movement about a first generally vertical axis, propeller means to provide wind powered rotation of said rotatable portion of said generator assembly about a second axis, a tail control assembly mounted to said generator assembly including a frame and a wind oriented vane means adjustably mounted relative to said frame for changing the orientation of the axis of rotation of the rotatable portion relative to the wind direction comprising means to pivotally mount said vane means relative to said frame generally about an upright axis, and means between said frame and vane means to control the angle of said vane means about said upright axis relative to said frame including an electric motor powered from the electrical output generated by said generator assembly, and control means for said motor including means to sense current in the electrical generator output and to change the orientation of said vane means about its upright axis to change the angle of the propeller with respect to the wind direction in response to signals from said means to sense current.

A wind powered electrical generating system comprising a generator assembly producing an electrical output, means to mount said generator assembly in position to intercept the wind, said generator assembly having nonrotatable portions including an armature nonrotatably mounted on said means to mount, a housing rotatably mounted directly on said means to mount about a central axis relative to and radially outwardly of said armature, said housing having supports spaced along the axis and independently rotatably mounted on the means to mount, means carried by said housing radially outward of the armature which interacts with the armature to provide for generation of an electrical output from the armature upon rotation of the housing, propeller means connected to said housing to provide wind powered rotation of said housing relative to the armature to produce an electrical output.

A wind powered generator apparatus having an output circuit for providing output power from a rotating element comprising means to support said apparatus in position to be engaged by the wind, a wind sensitive element connected to the rotating element, said wind sensitive element having an axis of rotation under wind power, and means to adjust the interception of said axis of rotation of said wind sensitive element relative to the wind direction comprising a support member, wind vane means pivotally mounted about a generally upright axis to said support member, and means to adjust the position of said vane means about the upright axis comprising an adjustable linkage, means to connect said linkage between said support member and said wind vane means, and control means operable to adjust said linkage including means sensing variable parameters in the output circuit and means responsive to variations in the parameters to change the angle of said wind vane means about its pivotal axis to adjust the output power to a desired level.

A wind powered electrical generating system comprising a generator assembly producing an electrical output, means to mount said generator assembly in position to intercept the wind, said generator assembly including an armature and a field, a central support nonrotatably mounted on said means to mount, said armature being nonrotatably mounted relative to said central support, a housing rotatably mounted relative to, surrounding and radially outwardly of said armature, permanent magnet means mounted on said housing adjacent and radially outwardly of the armature comprising a generator field, said housing having an outer shell and end plate means at opposite ends thereof, bearing means between each end plate means and the central support to effect the rotatable mounting of the housing, and means connected to one of said end plate means to provide wind powered rotation of said housing relative to the armature to produce an electrical output.

A wind powered generator apparatus having an output for providing output power from a rotating element comprising means to support said apparatus in position to be engaged by the wind, a wind sensitive element connected to the rotating element, said wind sensitive element having an axis of rotation under wind power, and means to adjust the interception of said axis of rotation of said wind sensitive element relative to the wind direction comprising a support member, wind vane means pivotally mounted about a generally upright axis to said support member, and means to adjust the position of said vane means about the upright axis comprising an adjustable linkage, means to connect said linkage between said support member and said wind vane means including a reversible electric motor, means driven by said motor controlling the adjustment of said linkage to change the angle of said vane means about its upright pivotal axis, means connecting said generator apparatus output to said motor to permit powering said motor from the output of said generator, and control means to control the powering of said motor.