Apparatus for utilizing the energy of wave swells and waves

Apparatus for utilizing the energy of sea swells and waves, characterized by the following combination:

• (a) a vessel anchored at a place of anchorage and adapted to float on the surface of and to follow the undulations of the sea swells at the place of anchorage, said vessel having a bow, a stern, a hull, an upper deck disposed above the water internally of the hull and at least one intermediary deck located between the upper deck and the bottom of the hull;
• (b) means positioning said vessel to face the sea swells so as to enable said vessel to pitch and not roll while anchored, said positioning means including anchoring means to anchor the vessel and maneuvering means to prevent the vessel from swinging at anchor;
• (c) control means to modify the amplitude of the pitching of the vessel, said control means including at least one hollow, vertical air cylinder located at the bow and at the stern, respectively, of the vessel, said cylinders being closed at their upper ends;
• (d) plural water-tight compartments disposed on at least one of the decks of the vessel and extending longitudinally of the vessel, each compartment comprising a conduit for containment and flow of a drive liquid which moves back and forth internally of the hull along the length of the vessel with the frequency of the pitching thereof;
• (e) at least one prime mover located in the path of the moving liquid and adapted to harness the energy from the moving liquid and convert it to mechanical energy which can be utilized to drive at least one electric generator, said prime mover including a rotatable power output shaft;
• (f) deflectors located at the extremities of the water-tight compartments and adapted to reduce the impact of the moving liquid when the liquid reaches the end of a compartment during completion of its downstroke as the result of the pitching of the vessel;
• and
• (g) longitudinal bulkheads defining and separating parallel water-tight compartments to prevent lateral flow of the drive liquid, thereby minimizing listing of the vessel.