US 6,269,636 B1Granted

Wave-energy chain-driven power generator

AssigneeConstantinos A. Hatzilakos

InventorConstantinos Hatzilakos

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Abstract

The waves of the sea, move a float 1 vertically upwards and downwards. This motion is transferred and converted to rotational energy along a horizontal shaft 8. The float 1, an empty plastic sphere filled with ballast 11, floats half-immerged and moves the vertical metal beam 2, the length of which can be increased or decreased in order to deal with the tidal changes. The beam 2, attached with knuckle joints to the ends of a biparallel metal lever 3, transfers the vertical motion to the other end, to the saw 5, with the attached and vertically moving due to the biparallel lever chains 6, which rotate two gears, each chain to the diametrically opposite side of each gear, so that in every up/down movement, one gear is producing action while the other moves freely 20. The gears rotate the horizontal shaft 8 which is fitted on them and the horizontal shaft gives motion to the generator. Thus, every movement of the float 1, whether upwards or downwards, small or big, rotates the shaft 8. This device, from float to generator, forms one unit. Many units placed in parallel side by side, activate a common shaft 8, which activates the generator. The floats are restricted inside metal cages 21 or inside recesses built in piers 24 and act as the cylinders of a multi-cylinder engine, independently one from the other, but cumulatively with enhancing power, on the same shaft. Many units form a group of units.

Claims5

Dependent claims

A wave action power plant for generating electric energy comprising a plastic spherical float (1) filled with ballast (11), a vertical metal beam (2) having metal ends (12) being fitted with plastic ends (13) at the bottom of said float, said metal beam and said float moving vertically as one body and said body being protected inside a metal cage (21) or in a recess of a pier (24), said vertical beam being attached with knuckle joints to the two ends towards the sea side of a biparallel lever (3) which said fulcrum (4) is based on at the pier, at the other two ends of said biparallel lever in the other side towards the shore being attached with knuckle joints to a saw (5), the turned points of said saw are attached with stretchers including two chains (6) in vertical, aligned and stretched position, in order to transfer the vertical movements of said float and vertical beam, said chains rotating a pair of gears (7) each located on the diametrically opposite side (20), said gears move dynamically towards one rotational direction and freely towards the other rotational direction for converting the vertical motion of the sea waves to rotational motion on a shaft (8), said shaft activating a generator, said biparallel lever (3) keeping the float and metal beam in vertical diraction at one side of the lever and the saw with the chains are also in vertical direction at the other side of the lever, shields (18) protecting said chains for preventing said chains from unmeshing with the gears (7).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.