GB2154668A - A wave motion-operated marine engine - Google Patents

Abstract

The engine of the invention utilizes the oscillatory movement of a mass 1 located in the interior of a floating structure subject to the rolling motion produced by the waves. The mass, which may be a reservoir for solid or fluid cargo, is connected to suction and pressure cylinders 2 which move fluid in pipes, compressing it in compression chambers, whence it is expelled through pipes, for example, to the stern of the floating structure to cause its movement by jet propulsion, or is conveyed to a turbine or other destination. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Wave motion-operated marine engine The utilization by land stations of the energy released by sea waves is well known.

The energy which is created by the rolling motion in ships or other floating structures has not yet been utilized.

It is precisely this utilization which is the aim of the wave-motion-operated marine engine.

All persons who are connected in any way with marine affairs know of ships which sink in bad-weather conditions because of having had on board a cargo, which has not been suitably secured, and has shifted.

Under these conditions, the propulsion of the ship is of prime importance and sometimes a matter of life or death.

In a bad-weather situation, the ship has to maintain a given position for its protection (heave to or run with the weather) and, if it does not maintain it, it runs the risk of "broadsiding", thus becoming unprotected.

It is in one of these cases that the wavemotion-operated marine engine according to the invention best demonstrates its usefulness, since it avails itself of the force of the enemy of the ship, the rolling motion, to be able to maintain it in the appropriate protective position.

It is the force which causes the shifting of masses on board, that is the rolling motion, that it is now intended to be utilized.

It one aspect the invention provides a wavemotion-operated marine engine, characterised by making use of the energy of the movement of an oscillating mass located in the interior of a floating structure subjected to the oscillatory rolling caused by waves by means of connection of the mass to a suction and pressure cylinder which feeds suction and compression pipes, the fluid coming from the outside or from reservoirs present in the floating structure and being expelled to the outside or to a reservoir present in the floating structure.

In another aspect the invention provides a wave-motion-operated marine engine comprising a mass mounted in a floating structure for oscillatory movement, and at least one pump connected to be operated by oscillatory movement of the mass, the or each pump connected to pump water into the structure from the outside.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figures 1 and 3 illustrate schematically how the invention may be put into effect, and Figure 2 shows a compression chamber.

If there is one or more weights 1 on board a ship or craft-and in movement due to the rolling motion-and, as shown in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings, these weights are attached to rods which in turn move pistons of fixed cylinders 2, there can be obtained, with the necessary adaptation, a sea water pumping system.

Water sucked in from the sea, is conveyed to one or more compression chambers 3 and from here back to the sea via an outlet through the stern part of the ship, thus imparting a forward thrust to the ship.

The water under pressure leaving the chamber may be put to a different use, such as driving a turbine.

The mass in motion-the origin of the energy-may glide along on rails, wheels, rollers or seated on an air cushion, the floor of the ship on which it is seated performing the function of an inclined plane.

The mass may also be suspended if its weight is not of a nature to cause the framework of the ship to be endangered.

The amplitude and the speed of shifting of the mass may be controlled by by-pass valves between the cylinders and the compression chambers.

The above-mentioned amplitude and speed may also be controlled by systems of cylinders, auxiliary cylinders, identical to the cylinders 2 in Fig. 1, but independent of the movement of the mass.

For this purpose they are not connected to it and the rods of the cylinders have stops fitted at their ends.

Therefore, before the amplitude of the movement of the mass exceeds the amplitude of the stroke of the pistons of the cylinders connected to it, the mass presses against the stops of the auxiliary cylinders which begin to suck in the sea water.

The mass is immediately checked.

By the action of a rolling motion of opposite sign, the mass withdraws from the stop and resumes its original position through the action of springs or a hydraulic system or some other decompression system.

Because they are well know, these damping methods are not shown in the drawing.

The whole damping system described can further be constructed in a more sensitive manner if the moving mass has the form shown in Fig. 3.

Here, the support of the mass (which may be composed of an iron tank previously filled with solid or liquid cargo) is effected by an edge 4, which performs the function of an axis on which the mass swings.

The sides 5 have an angel of 30 degrees with the floor, which means immobilization of the entire system when the inclination of the ship in which it is installed reaches 30 degrees.

Looking at Fig. 1 of the drawing, we see the wave-motion-operated marine engine with the example of an oscillatory movement from starboard to port (if we imagine the bow of the ship in the top part of the drawing).

The shifting of the mass 1 from starboard to port and in an inclined plane acts on the cylinders 2 to perform the functions of suction and pressure pumps.

These pumps suck in water from the sea, injecting it into compression chambers 3; from here it issues under pressure to the stern of the ship or to other destinations.

Claims (10)

1. A wave-motion-operated marine engine, characterised by making use of the energy of the movement of an oscillating mass located in the interior of a floating structure subjected to the oscillatory rolling caused by waves by means of connection of the mass to a suction and pressure cylinder which feeds suction and compression pipes, the fluid coming from the outside or from reservoirs present in the floating structure and being expelled to the outside or to a reservoir present in the floating structure.

2. Engine according to Claim 1, wherein the oscillating mass is mounted to move along a straight line path.

3. Engine acording to claim 1, wherein the oscillating mass is movable on an air cushion.

4. Engine according to Claim 1, wherein the oscillating mass is supported for movement about a bearing edge.

5. Engine according to any one preceding claim, wherein the mass if constituted by a chamber or reservoir carrying a solid or fluid cargo.

6. Engine according to any one preceding claim, wherein the suction and pressure cylinder actuated by the oscillating mass will move the fluid through piping, causing its storage in a compression chamber.

7. Engine according to Claim 6, wherein fluid under pressure is arranged to be expelled to the outside through the stern or at another point of the floating structure in order to cause movement of the structure by jet propulsion.

8. Engine according to Claim 6, wherein fluid under pressure is arranged to be conveyed to a turbine for propelling the floating structure or to other means for utilizing the energy.

9. A wave-motion-operated marine engine comprising a mass mounted in a floating structure for oscillatory movement, and at least one pump connected to be operated by oscillatory movement of the mass, the or each pump connected to pump water into the structure from the outside.

10. A wave-motion-operated marine engine substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.