US 7,969,034 B2 · Paddle wheel electric generator

Abstract

A minimal maintenance paddle wheel electric generation device for producing no cost electricity includes an A-frame base disposed in a fast flowing stream with a paddle wheel mounted between A-frame supports, with the supports resting on the base, and the paddle wheel including radially arranged dip blades with the rotation of the paddle wheel by the swiftly running water turning a drive gear that engages a series of reduction gears that, in turn, actuate a generator for producing electricity. A pair of paddle wheels can be ganged together on several floating members with the floating members tethered by cables to stanchions fixed on opposed banks of the stream. The paddle wheel can also be supported on buoyant inflatable tubes that have curvilinear members attached to the rear ends for directing water into the channel formed between the tubes thereby enhancing water flow and the angular speed of the paddle wheel for increased power generation.

Claims4

Dependent claims

A paddle wheel electric generation device for disposition in a hard flow stream having a stream bed and opposed banks for producing electricity, comprising:

an A-frame base for placement upon the streambed;
a pair of opposed A-frame supports mounted upon the A-frame base and upwardly projecting therefrom;
a main drive shaft extending between and mounted to the A-frame supports;
a paddle wheel concentrically mounted to the main drive shaft for rotation thereon;
a main drive gear coaxially mounted to the paddle wheel and the main drive shaft for concomitant rotation with the main drive shaft;
a plurality of dip blades mounted to the paddle wheel and radially arranged thereon;
the dip blades projecting from the paddle wheel so that at least three dip blades are always in continuous contact with the hard flow stream;
a gear support mounted to one of the A-frame supports;
a plurality of reduction gears mounted to the gear support and drivingly interconnected to each other with one reduction gear drivingly engaged by the main drive gear;
and
a generator interconnected to the reduction gears whereupon the rotation of the paddle wheel by the hard flow stream rotates the main drive shaft and the main drive gear thereupon rotating the reduction gears resulting in the actuation of the generator for the production of electricity.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Paddle wheel electric generator

Life of this patent

Paddle wheel electric generator

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims4