Savonius rotor with spillover

A Savonius vertical axis wind turbine rotor comprising:

• first and second at least partially curved vanes having remote edges widely spaced from each other, and proximate edges closely spaced from each other, said vanes of flexible, collapsible, material;
• first and second sets of a plurality of substantially rigid substantially radially extending spokes operatively connected to said first and second vanes, respectively, at least one spoke of each set having a collar adjacent said proximate edge of the vane with which it is associated;
• first and second horizontally spaced substantially vertical rotatable central shafts operatively connected to said first and second sets of spokes, respectively, said collars encircling said shafts so that said spokes are movable along said shafts from a position in which said vanes are operative to a position in which said vanes are collapsed;
• and said shafts mounting said vane proximate edges so that they are overlapped and so that there is spillover from one vane proximate edge to another vane during rotation of said vanes.

An omni-directional Savonius vertical axis wind turbine rotor comprising:

• first and second curved vanes having remote substantially vertical edges widely spaced from each other, and proximate substantially vertical edges more closely horizontally spaced from each other and horizontally overlapping;
• and a substantially vertical central shaft construction operatively connected to said vanes and mounting said vanes adjacent said proximate edges so that, during use, there is spillover of wind from the proximate edge of one vane to another vane during powered rotation of the vanes in response to wind;
• wherein said shaft construction comprises first and second horizontally spaced substantially vertical shafts adjacent said proximate edges of said first and second vane, respectively;
• and further comprising curved substantially rigid spokes operatively connected to said vanes and said shafts and extending substantially radially outwardly from said shafts.

An omni-directional Savonius vertical axis wind turbine rotor comprising:

• first and second curved vanes having remote substantially vertical edges widely spaced from each other, and proximate substantially vertical edges more closely horizontally spaced from each other and horizontally overlapping;
• and a substantially vertical central shaft construction operatively connected to said vanes and mounting said vanes adjacent said proximate edges so that, during use, there is spillover of wind from the proximate edge of one vane to another vane during powered rotation of the vanes in response to, wind;
• wherein said shaft construction comprises first and second horizontally spaced substantially vertical shafts adjacent said proximate edges of said first and second vane, respectively;
• and wherein said vanes are of relatively rigid, substantially non-collapsible, material, and wherein said vanes are operatively connected to said shafts at said proximate ends thereof.