US2385943A - Apparatus for producing power - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 2, 1945. B7 L. ROSENSTENGEL ,3

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING POWER Filed A ril 21, 1942 2 sheets -sheet 1.

.142. for)? 63 Filed A ii'l' 21, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E fw Q if llnlllli i N F Oct. 2- 1945. B. ROSENSTENGEL APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING POWER Patented Oct. 2, 1945 OFFICE APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING POWER Bernard Leo Rosenstengel, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Application April 21, 1942, Serial In Australia August 4, 1941 5 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for producing power, without the expenditure of fuel.

For the purpose of describing the invention in a practical application, it will hereinafter be considered as applied to the doing of useful workas a result of the fore and aft pitching of a vessel, such as a ship at sea.

Accordin to the invention the surging back and forth of a liquid in consequence of the pitching movement of a vessel is utilized to influence floats or pistons, and thus produce power which can be utilized to do useful Work. 1

In carrying the invention into practical effect, a pipe or pipes of suitable cross-sectional dimensions, is or are laid in a suitable position, for example through lightening holes in the girders in the bottom, longitudinally and preferably centrally of the vesseleand is or are supported upon a suitable foundation.

At either end of the said longitudinal pipe or pipes, tanks or drums, independently supported, are placed in liquid communication with the said pipe or pipes, the connections being preferably,

flexible. Within the said tanks, floats or pistons are located. Water or other liquid is placed in the system whilst horizontally disposed, until the liquid level in the tanks reaches the predetermined height or position.- It isobvious that as the system is tilted, liquid will move from the high end to the low, and thus the float or piston in the'low tank, will be carried up by the liquid beneath it while the float or piston in the higher tank will fall. Then as the system tilts in the other direction, the opposite movements ofthe floats or pistons takes place. It willtherefore be seen that at each end of the system, a reciprocating motion is produced which can be translated into rotary motion in known manner.

Since the connecting pipe (or pipes) is always full of water, it will not, at any time, affect the trim of the vessel. It is, however, important that the connecting pipe be proportioned to allow each chamber to completelyflll or empty in a given time, and as 3.61 seconds is the pitching period of an average vessel according to an authority, it is obvious that the relative dimensions of connecting pipe to chamber must be such that this period of 3.61 seconds is the maximum time required for complete movement of water into or out of each chamber when the vessel is pitching.

In vessels of approximately 100 feet, the pitching period will be quicker, especially if the vessel is among smaller waves, such as those common to coves and. harbours. Again, since the rolling period for any given vessel is longer than its pitching period, the above would; of course, not apply if it was intended to utilize the rolling motion of the vessel for the operation of the machine. It appears, therefore, that the proportional dimensions of connectin pipe to chamber will be governed by the size of the vessel, the average length of waves among which it is intended to operate the machine, and whether the machine is placed fore and aft or athwartship. It is also essential that the cross-sectional area of the annular space between the floats and the chamber walls be correctly proportioned.

A practical use of this reciprocating motion may be made by attaching upstanding rods to the floats or pistons, and utilizing them as the connecting rods of pistonsworking in separate cylinders for the purpose of compressing air, ump-- ing water, and the like operations.

At the top of. each tank, an air hole may be provided, adapted to be opened and closed by the movement of independent floats loosely around the said rods. As the water, in its upward movement, reaches a predetermined position, it carries its respective independent float V which in turn closes a valve thus entrapping a quantity of air in the tank, above the surface of the liquid. This air acts as a cushion which smooths out the movements of the system and prevents overflowing from thesystem. Below the tanks rams may be fitted, adapted to move, each in its separate casin by the alternate increase and decrease of liquid pressure above it, the two ram casings being placed in communica tion by a tube of smaller diameter.

At all suitable or necessary points, valvular means or bulkheads may be placed, to control the amount of liquid to be moved, or the amplitude of the pressures involved. In some cases, where desirable or necessary, the floats or pistons may be counter-balanced to provide for their smooth operation in the tanks.

Where desirable, a further. system may be arranged, across the vessel, to utilize in the same manner, the rolling movements of the vessel.

By a suitable arrangement of a valve or valves, bulkheads and the like, the apparatus may be. employed to. steady the movements of a vessel in a heavy sea, by breaking the synchronism of the rolling of the vessel, and the wave and roll period. t

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustratean embodiment of the invention, wherem- Figures 1, 2 and 3 are diagrammatic side elevaits bottom a pipe B which would preferably be rectangular in cross-section, but could be of other shape, and is located beneath the ceiling passing through the lightening holes, where such are available. This pipe B is in communication with chambers C and D located respectively in the fore peak E and aft peak F at correct positions therein. As shown in Figure 1 the vessel A is in a horizontal position and the liquid such as water completely fills pipe B and a little more than half fills chambers C and D. The c-apacitiesof pipe B and chambers C and D will be correctly proportioned so that the vessel assuming other attitudes, as in Figures 2 and 3, chamber C will be wholly or nearly emptied and chamber D will be filled or nearly filled, or vice versa.

Within chambers C and D floats G and H are respectively placed and these floats have upon them axial rods J and K passing through glands L and M.

The essence of the invention is the use of the upward pressure exerted by a water-tight vessel filled with air, when that vessel is immersed in a liquid. 7 The force required to overcome this pressure will equal the Weight of the water it displaces less the' weight of the vessel and other minor frictional losses. 7

Referring to Figure 4; the said floats G and H are shown as guided by rollers G 'and H running upon the inside walls of chambers C and D.

'Other means of guiding and locating the said floats G and H in chambers C and D may be used such as a series of radial plates secured longitudinally at intervals around the floats G and H, said plates being freely accommodated in registering channels in the internal walls of the 'the double bottom probably most conveniently running through thelightening holes in the girders.

With the vessel A'on an even Figure 1, water is placed in the pipe B and chambers C and D, or in channel irons secured thereto.

"The axial rods J andK at their lower ends pass through passages G and H in floats G and H, said passages G and H being of larger diameter than rods, J and K. The extremities of rods J and K are provided with discs J and K upon which floats G and H rest. Floats G and H in their upper surfaces have semispherical cavities axial with'passages G and H and accommodate semispherical rockers secured to rods J and K, thus, with the play of rods J and K in passages G and H compensating for sway of 'floats G and H. Small floats O and O are slidably mounted upon rods J and K between rockers N and springs P and P secured at their upper ends to valves Q and Q which are slidably mounted upon and are axial with said rods J and K in air chambers R and R. Guide rods Sand S pass .through'glands in the head of air chambers R and RT and at their lower ends are secured to valves Q and Q, springs I and T normally holding valves Q and Q open whilst floats O and 0' are in lowered position. Buffer springs U are provided in chambers C and D above and below'floats' G and H. Valves V and V are located inside chambers W and W by guide rods W and springs W and are normally closed by said springs. X and X are plungers on rods' J and K working in cylinders Y and'Y. A cock B is provided in pipe B to open and close it as and when required.

Hydraulic means Z and Z may be provided for V raising'and lowering chambers C and D in which chambers C and D until the latter are about half full. It is obvious that when a wave causes the stem to lift and the stern to dip, the water in the chamber C recedes and water rises in chamber D'(see Figure 2). In this manner the fore float G descends to the bottom of chamber C and the aft float H is lifted to the top of chamber D. This, however, would only be a half stroke of floats G and H; but as the wave in passing'the vessel causes the stern to lift and the stem to dip (see Figure 3) water moves the fore float G from the bottom to the top of container C whilst the aft float H simultaneously moves in the opposite direction. If the rods J andK are connected to pistons X and X or pumps Y and Y which have been secured to fixed positions in the ship A, the reciprocating movements of floats G and H, when the ship A oscillates, operate the pumps and compress air or create a head or water. By means of a motor or turbine compressed air or water pressure can be employed directly or be used to generate electricity which can be collected in storage'batteries and be used as required. The rods J and K may be conventionally coupled to machinery to operate same by converting their reciprocatingmotion to rotary motion. To stop the movement of the water, cock B is closed, and by a quick action the volume of water on opposite sides of a cock centrally placed could be made approximately equal. So that the action of the floats G and H in chambers C and D may be controlled and prevented from causing damage primarily buffer springs U are provided. However to further cushion the final upward movements of floats G and H, the valves Q and Q are provided. When'either float G or H (and only Gwill now be referred to) ascends, aux-' iliary float O is carried with it until it contacts cushion. Actually if float G should become tem- V porarily jambed (which is not contemplated) or' is unable to overcome the resistance of plunger X, float 0 will still rise and close valve Q. The

essence of the invention is the submergence of float G (or H) prior to its exertion of pressure upwards and float O rising ahead of float G and closing valve Q enabling air to be entrapped be-:

fore float G arrives at the end of its ascent.

Valve V is normally closed'and only opens upon the descent of liquid to allow air to enter chamber C (or D) thus avoiding a partial vacuum therein.

I claim: V 1. A device for transforming the rolling and pitching of a vessel into useful work, said device" keel, as in comprising means forming a pair of closed chambers located at a distance apart in said vessel, a pipe interconnecting said chambers at their lower ends, whereby said chambers when half filled with liquid are in liquid connection with each other, a separate float in each chamber, a separate axial rod connected with each float, and a separate gland in each chamber through which the rod passes, separate means in each chamber for guiding and cushioning the float situated therein, comprising rollers for maintaining parallel movement of the floats with the walls of the chambers, each of said floats having an axial passage and a semi-spherical cavity formed therein, said passage leading into said cavity, each of said rods being loosely accommodated in a separate cavity, a separate semi-spherical member secured to each rod and snugly accommodated in a separate cavity, and a separate disc connected to each rod at the lower end thereof beneath the float to compensate for slight loss of parallelism, whereby on a movement of the vessel causing liquid in the system alternately to rise and fall in said chambers, said rods are reciprocated.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1, comprising a separate disc valve located axially around each rod and being normally open to allow air to leave a chamber, and a separate subsidiary independent float located loosely around each float and enabled to rise before said float and close said valve to provide an air cushion against the upward movement of said float.

3. A device in accordance with claim 1, comprising a separate valve at the head of each chamber, said valve being normally closed and being opened by atmospheric pressure enabling air to enter the chamber during the descent of the float.

4. A device in accordance with claim 1, comprising means for raising and lowering said chambers, and means of variable length for connecting said pipe With said chambers.

5. A device for transforming the rolling and pitching of a vessel into useful work, said device comprising means forming a pair of chambers located at a distance apart, a pipe interconnecting said chambers, a separate float in each chambensaid float being smaller than said chamber, a separate rod carried by each float and projecting through the top of each chamber, a separate valve in each chamber, said valves being normally open to enable air to leave said chambers on the ascent of liquid therein to a predetermined level, and a-separate auxiliary float in each chamber free to rise upon the ascending liquid level irrespective of said float and seat said valve, whereby the air exhaust is closed to form a cushion for the main float and prevent over-flow of the liquid from the system.

BERNARD LEO ROSENSTENGEL.

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