GB2062113A

GB2062113A - Apparatus for Harnessing the Hydraulic Power of the Sea

Info

Publication number: GB2062113A
Application number: GB8030060A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Ortega I M
Current assignee: Ortega I M
Priority date: 1979-09-19
Filing date: 1980-09-17
Publication date: 1981-05-20
Also published as: FR2465896A1; DE3035123A1

Abstract

An element 7 displaceable in response to movement of the sea, in particular the rise and fall of the waves, has unidirectional means 29, 32 for transmitting movement of the element to a rotary shaft 3 whereby the shaft will be rotated in one direction only by displacement of the element. A cable 8 attached to the float 7 is wound around a reel journalled on shaft 3 and is anchored at 12 on the sea bed. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for Harnessing the Hydraulic Power of the Sea The invention relates to apparatus for harnessing the hydraulic power of the sea.

The efforts which are being made at present in order to achieve a greater saving of energy or obtain that energy by natural means, such as wind and sea power, solar heat etc, have crystallized into a series of more or less fortunate realizations with which, in some cases, the desired object has been achieved. An object of the present invention is to provide an improved form of apparatus by means of which the hydraulic power of the sea can usefully be harnessed.

According to the invention there is provided apparatus for harnessing the hydraulic power of the sea comprising an element displaceable in response to movement of the sea, and unidirectional means for transmitting movement of the element to a rotary shaft whereby the shaft will be rotated in one direction only by displacement of the element.

The element is preferably a buoy which floats on the surface of the sea. Several buoys spaced in the longitudinal direction of the rotary shaft may be provided so that due to the waves of the sea several buoys will be rising and falling alternately so as to transmit substantially continuous movement to the shaft and the shaft will be accumulating the energy of all the waves converted into a rotary movement.

Each buoy is preferably connected to a reel on the rotary shaft, said unidirectional means being arranged between the reel and the shaft and the cable being wound around the reel so that displacement of the buoy in said one direction will turn the reel so as to transmit drive to the rotary shaft through the unidirectional means. The reel is preferably made of nylon or another material of suitable characteristics so that, when rotating in the opposite direction relatively to the rotary shaft, its friction will not offer any problems and the reel will slip on the shaft with a maximum of smoothness.

Preferably, return means is provided for each buoy, so that when the buoy is moved in said one direction as a result of varying sea level so as to unwind cable from the reel, the return means provides a rewinding bias for the reel which urges the buoy towards its initial position. The reel may comprise two separate sections around which the respective cables are wound.

The unidirectional means may comprise a pawl and rachet device. The pawls may be mounted on a cylindrical member rotatably secured to the rotary shaft which is received within a cavity in one end of the reel, the pawls being co-operable with ratchet teeth formed on a peripheral wall of the cavity.

An isolating or spacer element may be disposed between the cables on the reel so as to prevent the cables from getting entangled, the spacer preferably being swivel-lhounted on said rotary shaft.

Preferably a plurality of rotary shafts and associated displaceable elements are provided and drive transmission means is provided to transmit drive from the plurality of shafts to a single drive output shaft. The rotary shafts are associated with the required number of buoys to provide a continuous powerful movement, similar to the shaft of any motor, producing an exploitable force suitable, say, for driving an electric generator.

Apparatus in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which.

Figure 1 is an elevation of apparatus according to the invention, to a reduced scale, showing two buoys and two pinions mounted on a rotary driving shaft, with a transmission between said driving shaft and a central shaft, all this having been represented in a schematic form and with no details of couplings, Figure 2 is an elevation similar to Figure 1 and showing an alternative arrangement, Figure 3 is an elevation similar to Figures 1 and 2 showing a system including a rack and pinion drive transmission, Figure 4 is a longitudinal section through a reel for cables connected to buoys, Figures 5 to 7 are end views of a reel as shown in Figure 4 illustrating various forms of pawl and ratchet unidirectional devices, Figure 8 is an elevation of a reel as shown in Figure 4 together with a spacer for separating cables connected to the buoys, and Figure 9 is a perspective view of the reel of Figure 4 showing the use of a tubular net for separating the cables for the buoys.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 to 3, a framework or chassis 1 is strongly fixed through legs 2, or by a weight of suitable characteristics, to the bottom of the sea in order to be able to counteract its own hydrostatic thrust. The framework will normally be emplaced at a predetermined depth in the sea near to the coast in order to achieve maximum efficiency.

The framework 1 carries one or more driving shafts 3 which themselves carry reels 4. A unidirectional drive to be hereinafter described is arranged between the shaft 3 and each reel 4.

The reels are made from a durable material such as nylon. The driving shaft 3 is mounted on the framework 1 by means of bearings 5 so that the shaft can rotate freely when submerged at a point intermediate the surface and the bottom of the sea.

In order to harness energy from the sea, the apparatus according to the invention utilises the difference of level between the highest part and the lowest part of the combs of waves 6 relative to the bearing points on the driving shaft 3. For this purpose, buoys 7 which float on the surface of the water are connected at different distances to the reels 4 by cables, ropes, chains or the like (hereinafter called cable) indicated at 8. At the lower end of a descending cable 8, there is a counterweight 9 which urges its associated buoy downwardly so as to return it to its initial position immediateiy after being raised by a wave 6.The counterweight may be replaced if desired by a relatively smaller buoy 10, situated to a certain depth, which effects return movement of the buoy 7; a descending cable 11 with anchor means 12 being provided for fixing to the bottom of the sea, or a weight 13 being provided, where the sea bed is of sand.

The force generated by the movement of the buoys is transmitted to each of the driving shafts 3 and is subsequently transmitted to a central drive output shaft 14 by means of transmissions 1 5 between pinions or pulleys 16 drivably connected to the shafts 3 and 14. The shaft 14 is located above the water is capable of transmitting the generated force to any machine, motor, etc.

As shown in Figure 2 a direct transmission 17 may be provided between the reel 4 and a pulley or pinion 18 mounted on the shaft 14. A cable 19 hanging from the pulley 18 descends into the water and has a counterweight 20 fixed to its lower end which provides a return bias for the buoy 7. The assembly is anchored or weighted to the bottom of the sea as in Figure 1.

As shown in Figure 3 it is possible to provide toothed pinion 21 on the central shaft 14 with which a rack 22 connected to a buoy 23 will mesh so that the alternate up and down movement of the waves will directly force the central shaft to rotate. At the end of the descending cable 8 there is a counterweight 9 in order to facilitate the recovery of the buoys normal position after displacement by the waves.

The pinion 21 preferably drives the shaft 14 through a unidirectional drive device.

As shown in Figure 4, each reel 4 has a section 24 for the cable of the buoy or counterweight, the end of this cable being fixed to a lashing ring 25 linked with the reel itself next to the housing 24.

Each reel 4 is also provided with another section 26 for the buoy 10 whose cable will be fixed by its end to a lashing ring 27 forming part of the reel. Said buoy will act as a counterweight.

At one of its ends, the reel 4 comprises a cylindrical body 28, having an internal cavity provided with ratchet-like teeth 29. A substantially cylindrical member 30 is drivably connected to the shaft 3 by means of keys 31.

The member 30 can alternatively be fixed to the shaft by any other conventional means. The member 30 carries pawls 32 or other forms of interlocking pieces which locate in relievings 33 between the teeth 29 so as to provide a unidirectional drive between the body 28 and member 30. In that manner the reel 4 will drive the shaft 3 in one direction only. The pawls 32 are urged into the relievings 33 by any element acting as a spring. The element may comprise a steel wire spring 34 as shown in Figure 5, treated and coated so as to avoid corrosion, or coated helical springs 35 radially disposed in sockets in the member 30 so that one end of the spring rests on the bottom of said socket and the other end engages the underside of the associated pawl 32, forcing the pawls into the relievings 33 as shown in figure 6.

In Figure 7 the pawls 32 are urged outwardly by means of studs 36 impelled by compressed air ducted through an axial orifice 37 in the shaft 3 and finally through radially disposed conduits 38 thus obtained in effect a pneumatic spring.

In all cases, the reel 4 when rotating in one direction forces the driving shaft 3 to rotate because the pawls 32 abut the teeth 29. When the reel 4 rotates in the opposite direction, as a result of movement of the waves, the pawls override the teeth 29 and do not rotate the driving shaft. Therefore, the shaft is driven only when the reel rotates in the said one direction.

In order to prevent the cables 39, 40 on the reel 4 from becoming entangled because of the movement produced by the waves, use is made of a spacer 41 mounted on the arm 42 (Figure 8).

The arm 42 is mounted on a bearing 43 which connects the driving shaft 3 to the framework 1.

Said mounting can be arranged for tilting if necessary by conventional means.

Alternatively, a protecting net 44 (Figure 9) can be connected by the arm 42 to the bearing 43 in tiltable manner to ensure that the counterweight or buoy 10 fixed to the end of the rope 40 remains at a certain dept and totally isolated from the rope 39. The protecting net 44 is provided with some additional buoys 45, which keep it vertical.

Normally there will be a sufficient number of buoys to ensure continuous or substantially continuous rotation of their associated shafts as a result of-wave motion.

Finally, one has to point out that in the apparatus for harnessing the hydraulic power of the sea according to the invention, its forms, sizes and materials used may vary. As well, said apparatus is subject to possible modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. Apparatus for harnessing the hydraulic power of the sea comprising an element displaceable in response to movement of the sea, and unidirectional means for transmitting movement of the element to a rotary shaft whereby the shaft will be rotated in one direction only by displacement of the element.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 in which the element is a buoy which floats on the surface of the sea.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, in which the buoy is connected by a cable to a reel on the rotary shaft, said unidirectional means being arranged between the reel and the shaft and the cable being wound around the reel so that displacement of the buoy in said one direction will turn the reel so as to transmit drive to the rotary shaft through the unidirectional means.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 3, in which return means is provided for the buoy so that when the buoy is moved in said one direction as a result of varying sea level so as to unwind cable from the reel, the return means provides a rewinding bias for the reel which urges the buoy towards its initial position.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, in which the return means comprises a further buoy connected to another cable wound around the reel.

6. Apparatus according to Claim 4 in which the return means comprises a weight connected to another cable wound around the reel.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 5 or 6, in which the reel comprises two separate sections around which the respective cables are wound.

8. Apparatus according to Claim 7, in which means is provided for isolating one of the cables from the other.

9. Apparatus according to Claim 8, in which the means comprises a separating spacer or a cylindrical net surrounding one of the cables, the net being provided with float means to keep it vertical.

10. Apparatus according to Claim 8 or 9, in which the isolating means is carried by and can be tilted relative to the said rotary shaft.

11. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, in which a plurality of rotary shafts and associated displaceable elements are provided and drive transmission means is provided to transmit drive from the plurality of shafts to a single drive output shaft.

12. Apparatus according to Claim 11 in which the drive output shaft is driven by means of a rack connected to a sea displaceable element, the rack meshing with a pinion which drives the drive output shaft through unidirectional means.

13. Apparatus according to Claim 12, in which return means is provided for the sea displaceable element, which return means provides a downward bias on the element.

14. Apparatus according to any of Claim 11 to 13, in which the shafts are mounted on a framework which stands on or is anchored to the sea bed.

15. Apparatus according to Claim 14, in which the shafts are rotatably mounted in bearings on the framework.

16. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, in which the unidirectional means comprises a pawl and ratchet device.

17. Apparatus according to Claim 16, and in the case where the buoy is connected by a cable to a reel on the rotary shaft, in which the pawls are mounted on a cylindrical member rotatably secured to the rotary shaft which is received within a cavity in one end of the reel, the pawls being co-operable with ratchet teeth formed on a peripheral wall of the cavity.

1 8. Apparatus according to Claim 17, in which the pawls are biassed normally radially outwardly by means of resilient elements.

19. Apparatus according to Claim 17, in which the pawls are biassed normally radially outwardly by means of fluid pressure acting on studs arranged in radially fluid receiving passages in the cylindrical member.

20. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, in which a plurality of displaceable elements are provided spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the rotary shaft so as to transmit movement substantially continuously to the rotary shaft.

21. Apparatus for housing the hydraulic power of the sea constructed and arranged substantially as described herein with reference to any of Figures 1 to 5, or Figures 6, 7, 8 or 9 of the accompanying drawings.