US566961A - Windmill - Google Patents

Description

L. BALLBACTLI.

(No1/loam.)

WINDMILL.

Patented Sept. l, 1896.

ZZ Illlllllllllllllllll C Wz'vesses f (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2', L. BALLBACH.

WINDMILL.

No. 566,961. Patented Sept. l', 1896.

LauzIsaZZac/L,

IINiTED STATES Partnr OFFICE.

LOUIS BALLBAOH, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

WINDMILL..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 566,961, dated September 1, 1896.

Application tiled July 30, 1895. Serial No. 557,552. (No model.)

To @Zt whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Louis BALLBACH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of lVayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVindmills, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The object of this invention is to combine in one mill the power of several wind-wheels; and to this end my invention consists in the v particular arrangement and construction of a mill comprising any desired number of wheels arranged in pairs and in a manner which is safe and economical and capable of producing great power, all as more fully hereiuafter set forth, and shown in the accom panying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a general elevation of a inill embodying my invention with the deflectors partly broken away. Fig. 2 is a perspective of the top portion of the mill, showing-the rudder for keeping the wheels in the wind and the vane for operating the delectors which cut off the wind from the wheels. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the axis of one pair of wind-wheels. Fig. 4 is a vertical central section on the axis of the revolving tower with parts broken out.

A are the wheels, arranged in pairs vertically above each other in a rotary tower E, which is supported at or near the ground upon a central antifriction step-bearing O of any suitable construction, and the upper end of which is provided with an upwardly-eXtend ing hollow spindle D, which passes through a vertical antifriction guide-bearing E, which latter is supported by the stationary outer tower F. The sole purpose of the outer tower is to hold the revolving tower in its vertical position against all the contingent pressures of the wind, anda skeleton structure of any kind may be used, as in the construction of the various kinds of windmill-towers, and if desired guy-ropes maybe used for a tower of great height.

In the drawings, the outer tower is represented by four tubular iron posts c c, secured in the ground in any convenientway and connected at top by the spider-frame ZJ, which holds the guide-bearing E in place. The step-bearin g C, which supports the inner a bed-plate for the air-compressing device,

as hereinafter more fully described.

Between the cross-girths ofthe rotary tower are supported the wind-wheels A, which are arranged in pairs vertically above each other, the manner of securing them being alike for each pair, and is as follows: Suitable brackets g are secured to the uprights CZ of the rotary tower to form with their inner ends suitable supports for the fixed shaft h, upon which the wheels are journaled. These wheels A are of the type known as solid wheels,and the sails of each pair are inversely inclined, all so arranged that if one wheel is exposed to the wind the other wheel is directly behind it and is driven by the wind which passes through the first wheel in the opposite direction. As shown, the'wheels are suitably journaled on antifriction ball-bearings. To the outer face of the hub of each wheel is secured a bevel gear-wheel t', which meshes with the horizontal bevel gear-wheels j, the latter being secured to vertical shafts lo, which are j ournaled in vertical guide-bearingsZ in the cross-girths c, and are provided at their lower end with a pinion m. The two pinions m engage upon opposite sides of the central master-wheel n, which revolves the shaft o, provided with the crank p.

G G are two air -compressing cylinders mounted opposite each other upon the bedplate f of the rotary tower, and the pistons of these air-compressin g cylinders are geared with the crank p in any known manner to operate the air-coinpressin g cylinders through the crank p.

I is a pipe through which the compressed air is conducted to the outside into any suitable tank (not shown) forstoring. This pipe passes through the center'of the step-bearing O, and is provided with a suitable rotary joint connection J between the xed and movable portion. To the upper end of the spindle D ICO of the rotary tower is secured the rudder K, of suitable size to freely revolve the rotary tower by the force of the wind and thereby hold the front wheel of each pair ot' wheels directly into the path of the wind.

L L are two vertical wind-defiect0rs, preferably of segmental cylindrical shape, and extending the distance required to screen the wheels when placed in front thereof. To this end the defieetors L L are secured to radiallyswinging arms rr, pivotallysupported in the axis of the rotary tower. The rotary arms fr 1 at the upper end of the detlectors are secured to the spindles s s', which extend npward through the hollow spindle D, and are provided at the upper end with arms t t, corresponding with the arms r r. Near the rear end of the rudder K and astride the saine is located a vane M, pivotally secured by means of an arm N to the rudder, allso arranged as to oppose the force of the wind to the tension of a pair of springs O, which tend to hold the vane in vertical position in the wind. The Vane M is pivotally connected by means of links o o with the arms t if', respectively, all so arranged that the movem ent of the vane is comm unicated by means of the connection described to the detiectors L L', and thereby cause them to turn in a circular path, the adjustment being such that by a wind et' ordinary force the vane M remains upright or nearly so, and thereby through the connection hold the deiiectors L L' diametrieally opposite each othernear the rim of the wheels, as shown in Fig. 3, and thereby admitting the full force of the wind to the wheels. By the increased wind force, the vane M becoming` depressed, the detlectors L L move into the path of the wind, thereby shutting off part of the wind and moving completely into the path of the wind when the wind becomes too strong, thereby detlecting the wind entirely from the wheels.

By using the power of the windmill in the manner described for compressing air and storing the same it is obvious that the coinpressed air thus obtained will at all times furnish a ready source of power, whether the wind is blowing or not, and can be used for raising water or for all other purposes for which power is required.

I do not want to limit myself to any speciiic device for storing or transmitting power, as it is obvious the wind-power may be used directly for driving machinery, if desired.

My device, as will be seen, is not limited in the amount of wheels which can be used, and thus great power may be obtained. At the same time the expedient of placing the wheels in pairs saves in the height of the structure and prevents creeping.

Vhat I claim as my invention is- 1. In a windmill, the combination with a fixed outer supporting frame or tower, of a movable frame adapted to rotate in said tower, a vertical win d-wheel carried by said movable frame, a rudder carried by and adapted te rotate said movable frame a plurality of winddetlectors carried by and adapted to move with the movable frame, a vane, and connections between said vane and the detlectors for automatically moving each of said deeetors, independently of the movement of the rudder, upon an abnormal condition of the wind, substantially as described.

2. In a windmill, the combination with a fixed frame or tower, of an inner rotating frame, a vertical wind-wheel carried by said rotating frame, a rudder carried by and adapted to turn the rotating frame to hold the wheel continuously into the wind, a pair of wind-detlectors pivotally mounted in said rotating frame, a pivotal vane carried by said rudder having its surface opposed to the wind, a spring for holding the vane in its normal position, and connections between each dctlector and said vane whereby the detlectors are moved in front of the windwheel on an abnormal condition of the wind, substantially as described.

3. In a windmill, the combination of a iixed outer supporting-frame provided with the guide-bearing E, and the turn-table C, a rotary frame provided with a hollow spindle passing through the guide-bearing E, a windwheel carried by said rot-ary frame, a rudder mounted on said hollow spindle, a vane pivotally astride the rudder, deiiectors provided with spindles passing through the hollow spindle, an arm on each of said spindles, links connecting each arm with the vane, and a spring between the rudder and the vane, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afi-ix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS BALLBACII.

Vitnesses:

O. F. BARTHEL, M. B. ODoennurr.

IOO

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