US1609883A - Windmill - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 7 1926. 1,609,883 y F. i?. POTTS Dec. 7 'QZL l,609,883

F. R., PT-'n A.

WMDMILLl Filed Sept.y l0, 1925 5 Sheets-Shea?. 3

gm; muur f' M fie Patented Dec. 7, 1926.

UNITED STATES FISHER R. POTTS, OF

BOLCKOW', MISSOURI.

XVINDMILL.

Applicationy filed September This invention relates to new and useful improvements in electric current generating devices, and particularly to windwheel devices for this purpose.

One object of the invention is to provide a. windwheel device which includes novel and automatic means for shifting the blades or cups of the wheel, to regulate the speed of the wheel.

Another object is to provide a braking device by means of which the windwheel may be held against movement, and the vanes or cups of the wheel feathered out of the wind, simultaneously.

Another object is to provide a braking device which operates initially to feather the vanes, and subsequently to stop the rotation of the wheel.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure l is an elevation of the windwheel, and the mechanism associated therewith. partly broken away.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the wheel.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional `view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4 4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5h55 of Figure 1.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawings, 10 represents a tower, having the intermediate platform l1, provided with the opening 12, through which is disposed the vertical power shaft 13. Disposed vertically above the opening 12 is a tubular member 14. secured at its lower end to the platform by the braces 15. and having the trunnions 16 extending from the diametrically opposite sides. The upper end of the tubular member 14 is slightly reduced in diameter, as shown at 17, and formed on the exterior face of this reduced end, and eX- tending longitudinally thereof. are the regularly spaced ribs 18. Disposed on the reduced end 17, and having grooves 1.9 to receive said ribs, is a collar 20, the lower end of which is formed with a circumferentially extending horizontal flange 21. Encircling the collar, a short distance above the flange 21, is a ring 22, which has the 10, 1925. Serial N0. 55.537.

diametrically opposite pins 23, to which reference will be made later herein. The upper portion of the power shaft 13 extends upwardly through the tubular member 14, and above the upper end thereof, where it is formed angulaiin cross section to be received in a correspondingly formed opening in the center of the frame 24,y of the windwheel, a nut 25 being threaded on the end of the shaft above the frame, to hold the wheel tightly thereon. The upper end face of the reduced portion 17 is formed with one portion of a ball race 26, which cooperates with a similar portion 27. in the lower face of the depending ring 28, formed on the lower side of the frame of the wheel. a series of bearing balls 29 being` disposed within said race portions. Formed on the lower side of the frame of the wheel, in concentric relation to, and outwardly of the ring 2S, second ring portion 30, the lower face of which is provided with a friction face 31, against which the upper face of the collar 20 is adapted to bear frictionally, to hold the wheel against rotation, upc-n upward movement of said collar. Pirotally supported on the trunnions 1G. are the levers 32, each pivotally connected by a link 32 to a disk 14 on the tuhe 14, while the other ends are connected with an onerat-ing cable 33, through the medium of a bent link 33', said cable being wound on the (lrum 34` at the bottom of the tower.

Rotatably supported in the frame 24, and radiating therefrom. are the rock arms or rods 35, to the outer end of each of which is properly secured a vane or cup 36. In the upper face of the frame 24 there are formed a series of recesses 37. through whicl the inner end portions of the rods 35 pass, and fixed on these portions of the rods are the retaining collars 38, which prevent outward sliding movement of the rods, and too great rotation thereby of the vanes 36. On each of the rods 35. outwardly of the periphery of the frame, is adjustably secured a radial arm 39. and pivotally connected at its opposite ends to the outer end of this arm. and to the pin 23, of the ring 22, is a link 40, by means of which vertical movement of the ring is transmitted to the arm to rock the shaft for the purpose of turning the cups into or out of the wind. Pivotally supported on the upper side of the frame 24, at two diametrically opposite lill? again st rotation.

points, are the angle levers al, each of which has a we ted ball sil-2, on its vertical arm, while a comparatively strong spring t3 is connected to, and extends between the said vertical arms, to normally maintain the levers in upright position. rifhc other arm of each of the angle levers ll is formed with a slot 44 through which the upper end of a rod a extends. and is provided with a head on the upper end thereof, the lower end of said rod being,` pivotally connected with a pin 23, of the ring 22. Encircling the tube ll, between the collar 2O and the ring` 14, is a coil spring lo', which supports the collar in pro 3er spaced relation to the friction face 3l, and is adapted to be compressed, upon upward movement of the dish lil, to move the (ollar upwardly against the friction face 3l, whereby to hold the frame 2t Further upward movement of the collar 2O engages its flange 2l with the ring` 22, and moves :said ring` upwardly, with the` result that the rods will be rocl-redand the cups 36 turned out of the wind. At the sani-e time the rods rise and slide through the slots of the angle levers 42.

rllhe lower end of t-he power shaft 18 is provided with a gear t? which drives a system of `gears 48, operatively connected with an electric generator 49.

As the wind blows against vthe cups 36, the frame Q4 will be rotated, together with the shaft l, with the result that the gear train will drive the generator lr-9, to supply electric current. 1Upon the frame or wheel attaining a high speed, the balls of the levers il will cause said levers to swing` outwardly causing` the horizontal arms thereof to exert a lifting action on the ring; 2Q, through the medium of` 'the rods 415, with the result that the links -lO will roch the rods 35 to a coii'unensurate degree to turn the cups partly out of the wind, and thereby diminish the speed of the wheel, until the wind velocity has decreased to a suficientextent to pern'iit the spring; 43 to draw the lovers #".Ll into normal upright position, and permit the ring' 22 to fall and roel; the rods 35.

' it is desired to stop the wheel, tne A, j actuates tl-e handle. i arms whereby the collar pushed upward by the spring;l 46, against the face 3l. rlhis also moves the ring 22 and actuates the rods i-5 and links l0 to rock the rods 35, and turn the cups out of the wind.

Connected to the set screw of eacn of the collars 38 is one end of a spring 50, the other end of said spring being secured to the frame of the wheel, as shown, whereby to normally and yieldably maintain the rods or shafts in proper position, and to impart an initial rotary movement to the rods when being thrown into gear.

lWhat is claimed is l. l wind motor including a support, a wheel on the support, roch shafts on the wheel, wind devices on the shafts, a Abraking` surface on the wheel, a brakingelement on .the support for operative engagement with the' braking surface, means forA moving the braking' elementinto engagement with the said surface, and means operable by the braking element for rocking the shafts. f

2. A. wind motor including a wheel, a vertical support for the wheel, radially extending rock shafts on the wheel having wind cups on their ends, radial arms on the rock shafts, a braking member slidable on the support toward and away from the wheel, a ring encircling the braking member and movable thereby, and links connected to the ring and saidn'adial arms whereby upon in vement of the ring by the-braking' meinber said shafts will be rocked. V

,3. A wind motor including a wheel, radiallyvv extending rock shafts on the wheel having'wind cups on theirends. radiall arms on the rock shafts, a suppor,t,a collar slidable on the support toward and away from ythe wheel, a ,ring encircling the collar and movable by tlie latter, inks connected with said arms and ring, and means for movingthe said collar. l

A wind motor including a wheel, radially extending rock shafts on the wheel having' terminal wind cups, radial arms on vthe rock shafts, a tubular support, a collar slidble on the support toward and away from the wheell for frictional engi-virement therewith, a rlngr encircling; the collar:ind-being ino-vahle thereby, linlts connceteifl to the sirius and 3 '-l adler on the support on the supp governor means connecte and moving` `.inony whereof, l. anni my signature.

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