Vertical axis wind or water turbine
AssigneeWaB Energy Systems Limited
InventorLeonard Haworth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mechanical device consisting of two horizontal shafts (4 & 5) in cruciform each rotating axially within two sets of bearings (6), each set positioned near either end and interfaced upon a rotor base (10) which itself is fixed to a vertical power shaft 11 centrally. The powershaft rotates within two other sets of bearings (12). The horizontal shafts are each bolted to and pair of aerofoil section wings (2 & 3) through their respective flange plates (7), each wing being regulated axially by a cam (8) in 90 degree relationship. At any given moment, one wing will always resist (2b & 3b) the external power source (1) of wind or water current thereby bringing about rotation of the powershaft, whilst the opposite wings (2a & 3a) will transiently adopt a free flow posture.
Claims22
A wing engine comprising two pairs of vanes, each pair of vanes being attached to a respective horizontal shaft, each pair of vanes being diametrically opposed on the respective shaft, each horizontal shaft being mounted immediately adjacent to each other on a common central rotor base which is operative to rotate about a vertical axis, each horizontal shaft being mounted on the rotor base such that each horizontal shaft can pivot through 90° about the respective shaft axis, the pivotal movement of each shaft being governed by a cam such that, in use, one vane of each pair of vanes is at 90° to the other vane in that pair of vanes, wherein each horizontal shaft is mounted on a respective pair of bearings, the bearings being mounted on the rotor base, the bearings in each pair being relatively spaced apart from each other such that each horizontal shaft is supported at two spaced apart positions on the rotor base.
A wing engine comprising:
- a base that is operable to rotate about a vertical axis;
- at least first and second pairs of bearings mounted on the base, the bearings in each pair being mounted at spaced apart locations from each other, each bearing being mounted on an upwardly facing surface portion of the base;
- at least first and second horizontal shafts, each shaft having a respective shaft axis and being mounted on one of said pairs of bearings for rotational movement about its respective shaft axis;
- and
- at least two pairs of vanes, each pair of vanes being attached to a respective one of said horizontal shafts, each pair of vanes being diametrically opposed to each other on the respective shaft, the shafts being supported for rotational movement about their respective shafts such that, in use, one vane of each pair of vanes is rotationally offset about the respective shaft axis from the other vane in that pair of vanes by about 90 degrees;
- wherein the horizontal shafts, the vanes, the bearings, and the base rotate about the vertical axis when a flow of fluid imparts a motive power onto the vanes.
A wing engine comprising:
- a vertically upright power shaft operable to rotate about a vertical axis;
- a base that is mounted on top of the power shaft and operable to rotate about the vertical axis, the base comprising first and second support portions arranged in cruciform when viewed in plan;
- first and second pairs of bearings mounted on the first and second support portions, respectively, of the base, the bearings in each pair being mounted at spaced apart locations from each other, the bearings being mounted on upwardly facing surfaces of the first and second support portions of the base, the vertical axis extending through the upwardly facing surfaces;
- first and second horizontal shafts, each shaft having a respective shaft axis and being mounted on one of said pairs of bearings for rotational movement about its respective shaft axis;
- and
- two pairs of vanes, each pair of vanes being attached to a respective one of said horizontal shafts, each pair of vanes being diametrically opposed to each other on the respective shaft, the shafts being supported for rotational movement about their respective shafts such that, in use, one vane of each pair of vanes is rotationally offset about the respective shaft axis from the other vane in that pair of vanes by about 90 degrees;
- first and second pairs of stops mounted on the first and second support portions, respectively, of the base;
- each horizontal shaft having a pair of cams mounted thereon that rotate about the shaft axis of the respective shaft, each cam being positioned relative to one of said stops such that clockwise rotation of each shaft is limited by contact between one of said cams in the respective pair and one of said stops and counterclockwise rotation of each shaft is limited by contact between the other said cams in the respective pair and another of said stops;
- a central suspension tower comprising a plurality of elongated support members extending downwardly from an apex portion of the tower and extending radially outwardly from the vertical axis, each support member having a lower end portion fixed at a location on the rotor base;
- a plurality of suspension stays for supporting the vanes, each suspension stay extending downwardly from the apex portion of the tower to a respective vane;
- wherein the horizontal shafts, the vanes, the bearings, the tower, and the base rotate about the vertical axis when a flow of fluid imparts a motive power onto the vanes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.