Wave powered energy generator

Apparatus for pumping a fluid in response to natural wave action on a body of water such as an ocean, the apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of stages coupled one to another in series to sequentially increase the pressure in a fluid and to move fluid progressively from a first of the stages to a last of the stages via the other stages, each of the stages including fluid storage means for containing the fluid;
• each of the stages including at least one unit having a first member having a float for moving on the surface of the water for responding to wave action in the water and a second member anchored to remain essentially fixed vertically so that the wave action will cause vertical relative motion between the first and second members;
• a plurality of positive displacement pumps, each of which has a discrete swept volume for each cycle of the pump, each pump being coupled to one of the units of one of the stages and operated by relative movement of the associated first and second members, and the pump being exposed to ambient pressure in the stage and operable by said relative movement to elevate the pressure of the fluid so that fluid is passed to the next stage at the ambient pressure of said next stage;
• and
• the pumps at each successive stage operating between a range of intake and outlet pressures greater than the corresponding pressures at the preceding stage and the total swept volume of the pumps at any one of the stages being smaller than that of the preceding stage whereby as the pressure of the fluid is increased at each successive stage, wave action will cause all stages to pump and to move fluid through the stages at increasing pressure and decreasing volume for use at the outlet from the last of said stages.