US3848835A

US3848835A - Wind turbine powered line suspended device

Info

Publication number: US3848835A
Application number: US00358555A
Authority: US
Inventors: W Browning; W Dodge
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-05-09
Filing date: 1973-05-09
Publication date: 1974-11-19
Anticipated expiration: 1991-11-19

Abstract

Devices are disclosed which are capable of traversing a supporting line and automatically shuttling between two spaced apart points on the line in response to wind power actuation. One device is operable when the supporting line is generally aligned with the wind direction. Another device is operable regardless of the angular relationship of the supporting line relative to the wind direction.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Browning et al.

[451 Nov. 19, 1974 WIND TURBINE POWERED LINE SUSPENDED DEVICE Inventors: Walter P. Browning, 666 Devon State Rd., Devon, Pa 19333;

William L. Dodge, 526 Panmure, Haverford, Pa. 19041 Filed: May 9, 1973 Appl. No.: 358,555

US. Cl 244/155 R Int. Cl. B64c 31/06 Field of Search 244/155 R, 153 R; 46/74,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1960 Kinney 244/155 R Primary Examiner-Trygve M. Blix Assistant Examiner-Paul E. Sauberer Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Lawrence l. Field; Burton Scheiner [5 7 ABSTRACT Devices are disclosed which are capable of traversing a supporting line and automatically shuttling between two spaced apart points on the line in response to wind power actuation. One device is operable when the supporting line is generally aligned with the wind direction. Another device is operable regardless of the angular relationship of the supporting line relative to the wind direction.

16 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures WIND TURBINE POWERED LINE SUSPENDED DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to toy accessories for aeronautic devices, such as kites, and to wind powered movable display devices, such as suitable for advertising purposes. This invention relates particularly to improved devices which repeatedly and automatically traverse the length of a line under the influence of wind force.

Accessory devices for kites which are adapted to travel up a kite string and then return to the ground are well known in the art. Such prior art devices are generally provided with projecting wings or vanes so that the wind can propel them upwardly along a kite string to which they are slidably attached, and when the device reaches the vicinity of the kite it encounters a stop which actuates means for collapsing the wings or vanes so that the device will slide back down the string under the force of gravity. Typical of such devices is the kite string flyer of U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,857 to Battles. The performance of such a device is highly vunerable to erratic variations of wind intensity and the angle at which the kite suspended string is relative to the horizontal. In this latter regard, by its nature a kite string will sag in a way which will result in its having a shallower angle of inclination near ground level than higher up adjacent the kite. Accordingly, even assuming that wind intensity is sufficient to propel such a device upwardly along a kite string, the device may not be able to return downward along the line to the person flying the kite because the inclination of the string may be such that the downward force of gravity on the device would be offset by the force of wind pressure, even with the wings or vanes in a folded position.

Display devices which traverse, or shuttle along, a supporting line are known in the prior art but are generally dependent upon a source of power other than the wind. Stationary devices which impart motion to a display by means of wind actuation are well known in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One device disclosed is particularly adapted to be supported from a line having one end attached to a kite, balloon, or the like, wherein the device is provided with means for being driven along the line in response to wind power regardless of the inclination of the line relative to the horizontal and virtually regardless of the intensity of the wind. In the latter regard, a wind of sufficient intensity to suspend a kite is generally sufficient to operate the device of the present invention. Further, while the suspension of a line by means of a balloon is not necessarily dependent upon any particular minimum wind velocity as a practical matter, even in light winds a device constructed in accordance with the present invention will traverse a balloon-suspended line even when the line is for all practical purposes vertically suspended. The aforementioned devices are primarily adapted to operate in those situations where the wind direction is generally aligned with the supporting line. Accordingly, such devices are provided with wind turbines responsive to uni-directional wind forces.

Another device disclosed herein, and particularly adapted to traverse, or shuttle along, a horizontally disposed line fixedly secured at both ends, is best suited for providing movable advertising displays. This wind turbine powered device is provided with an omnidirectional turbine means whereby the device may traverse, or shuttle along, a support line regardless of the relationship of the supporting line relative to wind direction, i.e, angle of the line relative to the wind or to horizontal.

Devices constructed in accordance with the present invention generally comprise a frame adapted to be slidably suspended from a line. A capstan mounted on the frame, and driven through a gear reduction and reversing means by wind turbine power has the line wound around it. Power fed to the capstan from the wind turbine through the gear train causes the capstan to rotate thereby causing the device to be frictionally driven along the line substantially regardless of the forces of gravity acting upon the device. Further, the reversing means associated with the gear train cooperate with stop members, generally carried by the support line, to effect a reversal of the direction of rotation of the capstan so as to cause the device to reverse the direction of travel. It will be appreciated that devices constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention can' traverse a supporting line even when the direction of travel of the device is directly into the wind.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention is described in greater detail with reference to the drawings wherein:

FIG. I is a perspective view of a uni-directional wind responsive wind turbine powered line suspended device constructed in accordance with the present invention and illustrated as suspended from a kite string;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2 showing the device of FIG. 2 subsequent to actuation of a direction reversing means;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an omni-directional wind responsive wind turbine powered line suspended device constructed in accordance with the present invention and illustrated as suspended from a line secured between two fixed points;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged side elevational view of the device of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to that of FIG. 6 showing the device of FIG. 6 subsequent to actuation of a direction reversing means;

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line V 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an alternate construction for an omnidirectional wind responsive turbine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS constructed in accordance with the present invention can be utilized, for example, in conjunction with a line such as tethering a balloon or the like. The turbine powered trolley device includes a frame indicated generally at 16 provided with means indicated generally at 18 for releasably supporting the frame 16 from the line 12 for generally slidable movement therealong. The frame 16 carries a wind turbine means indicated generally at 20 which drivingly coacts with the line 12 to drive the trolley device 10 along the line 12 in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter.

As seen best from a simultaneous consideration of FIGS. 1 and 2 or FIGS. 1 and 3, the frame 16 includes

cross beams

22, 24 and 26 connected by

side struts

28 and 30, which side struts are slidably carried in a slide bar 32 by means of elongated apertures 34 in the slide bar 32 which, as best seen in FIGS. 2-4, slidably receive normally projecting

end portions

36 and 38 of the side struts 28 and respectively. The means 18 sup porting the frame 16, more specifically the slide bar 32, from the line 12 may comprise suspending hooks 19 comprising, for example, resilient books which may be manually opened to be hooked over the line 12 and subsequently be permitted to close to thus releasably secure the device 10 to the line 12 in a manner which avoids the possibility of the device 10 being blown off the line 12 by erratic wind gusts.

Turning now more specifically to the wind turbine means 20 it will be seen that the turbine means includes a gear train indicated generally at 40 which includes a turbine power input means 42 including a turbine 44 provided with a plurality of equidistantly spaced turbine blades 46 carried by a hub fixedly secured to a shaft 48 rotatably journalled in a normally projecting end portion 50 of the cross beam 26 and the side strut 28. On its inboard end shaft 48 is provided with spur gear 52 which meshes with a rotatably and slidably journalled shift gear 54 which is non-rotatably carried by a shaft 56 slidably and rotatably journalled, such as by passage through suitable apertures, in the

side struts

28 and 30. As will be described more fully hereinafter, the shift spur gear 54 and itsassociated shaft 56 comprise a portion of an automatic direction reversing means indicated generally at 57 which coacts with stops 58 fixed to the line 12 to cause the device 10 to automatically shuttle back and forth along the line 12 i stantly engaged with the power input spur gear 52, but

by virtue of means to be described more fully hereinafter, only engages face gear 60 at one or the other of two positions on the face gear 60 which are offset by 180. As will become clearer hereinafter, the aforedescribed selective engagement of the shift spur gear 54 with the face gear 60, such as in one extreme position as in FIG. 2 as opposed to the opposed extreme position of FIG. 3, wherein the two gears are meshed at positions displaced by l80, facilitates driving the device 10 along the line 12 in a shuttling fashion between the stops 58 even though the wind powering the turbine 44 is blowing .in a constant direction, such as for example, is in general alignment with the longitudinal axis of the slide bar 32 as would generally be the case when one considers that the kite 14 derives its aeronautical lift from the flow of the wind thereover. The face gear 60 is nonv rotatably fixed to a shaft 64 rotatably journalled in the

cross beams

22 and 24, and wherein in the exemplary embodiment 10 illustrated, the shaft 64 passes through an elongated aperture 66, shown in phantom lines, in FIGS. 2 and 3 and in full lines in FIG. 1, provided in a projecting tab 68 carried by the slide bar 32. The shaft 64 is provided with a gear train power output means indicated generally at 70 for driving coaction with the line 12. In the exemplary embodiment 10 illustrated frictional driving coaction with the line 12 is accomplished by utilization of a capstan 72 non-rotatably secured to the shaft 64 and having an intermediate portion 74 of reduced diameter, as best seen in FIG. 4, about which the line 12 is looped one or more turns whereby rotation of the capstan 72 about an axis coinciding with the longitudinal axis of the shaft 64 will cause the device 10 to be power driven along the line 12 in one direction or the other depending upon the direction of rotation of the capstan 72, which can be a tier of pulleys of different diameters.

Returning now to a more specific description of the automatic direction reversing means 57 it will be seen that a pair of reversing

levers

76 and 78 are pivotally journalled to the upper cross beam 22 and lower cross beam 24 by means of suitable pivot pins 77 and 79 respectively. In addition, at their adjacent ends, which in the embodiment illustrated herein overlap, the

reversing levers

76 and 78 are provided with a floating pivot 80 such as fixedly secured to the lever 76 which floats within a slot 82 provided in the reversing lever 78. In addition, in the exemplary embodiment 10 illustrated the reversing lever 78 is slidably journalled in a slot 84 in the lower cross member 22 merely to preclude twisting of the

levers

76 and 78 in a manner which would effect disengagement of the floating pivot provided at their overlapping portions. As best seen from a consideration of FIGS. 2 and 3 the

levers

76 and 78 are biased into the at rest positions illustration therein by resilient means such as the spring 86 having one end 88 received in a suitable aperture in the slide bar 32 and the other end 90 received in a suitable aperture adjacent the lower end of the reversing lever 76. Further, as best seen from a consideration of FIGS. 2 and 3 relative sliding movement between the slide bar 32, which in FIG. 2 is disposed toward the left hand side of the slots 34, and in FIG. 3 is disposed generally to the extreme right hand position in slots 34, results in the relative movement of the end 88 of the spring 86 past top dead center, which in the embodiment illustrated herein, coincides with an imaginary line passing through the pivot 77 and the point of attachment of the end 88 of the spring 86 to the slide bar 32, whereby the reversing levers are snapped from the position of FIG. 2 to the position of FIG. 3. In this regard, and again referring to FIG. 1, assuming the wind is blowing uni-directionally as indicated by the arrow 90, and that the turbine 44 is turning clockwise, the gear train 40 will be actuated as illustrated by the directional arrows thereon and the capstan 72 will wind its way downwardly along the line 12 until the lower suspension hook 19 comes to rest against the lower stop 58. At this point, the capstan 72 will continue to drive along the line 12 causing its associated frame 16 to slide from the position shown in FIG. 2 to that shown in FIG. 3 whereby the end 88 of the spring 86 passes over top dead center and causes the reversing

levers

76 and 78 to snap into the positions shown in FIG. 3. At this point, and although not described heretofore, it will be seen that the lower end 92 of the reversing lever 78 coacts with stop members 94 and 96 fixed to the shaft 56 to throw the shifting spur gear 54 from the position of FIG. 2 to the position of FIG. 3 whereby the shifting spur gear disengages from one side of the annular ring of teeth 62 of the face gear 60 and engage therewith at a point 180 opposed to the initial point of engagement so as to effect a reversal of direction of rotation of the face gear 60 and its associated shaft 64, and capstan 72. It will be noted that shift gear 54 goes through a neutral position of complete disengagement with face gear 60. In the embodiment illustrated the lower end 92 of the reversing lever 78 is U- shaped so as to partially encircle the shaft 56 thereby assuring that the lower end 92 of the reversing lever 78 is retained in operative position between the stop members 94 and 96. From the foregoing it will be appreciated that under the influence of a uni-directional flow of wind the wind turbine powered toy will shuttle back and forth along the line 12 between the stops 58 regardless of the inclination of the line 12 relative to the horizontal by virtue of the fact that the device 10 is positively driven along the line 12 and need not rely upon gravity to effect movement of the device in one direction as is generally required for operation of prior art devices of the general nature disclosed herein. In addition, from the foregoing it will be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 4 is generally only suitable for the intended operation disclosed when the wind is blowing steadily or intermittently from generally one direction. While the device will operate to some degree when the wind direction is frequently shifting, the device of FIGS. 1 through 4 would most likely not function in the manner intended and is thus not well suited for operation under those circumstances where the actuating flow of wind, or other gaseous fluid, is not flowing generally uni-directionally.

Further, although not essential to the operation of the device 10 in the manner intended, it will be seen that in a preferred embodiment, such as the embodiment 10, the shaft 48 supporting the turbine 44 is inclined somewhat to the horizontal so that as the device 10 ascends or descends a line, such as having one end secured to the kite and the other end held by a person flying the kite, such inclination of the shaft 48 will tend to maintain the turbine 44 generally normal to the wind, assuming the flow of wind is generally parallel to the ground.

Slide bar 32 is designed so that the end which is nearest to the kite is bent upwardly so that its related line attachment 19 is raised above the other line attachment of slide bar 32. This will also serve to maintain the frame so that the turbine is oriented close to normal to the wind when the suspending line is steeply inclined. In addition, it will be appreciated that driving coaction between the gear train 40 and the line 12 can be affected by means other than the. capstan 72. In this regard, for example, the line 12 might be pinched between a roller carried by the shaft 64 and an idler roller supported by a stub shaft carried by the frame 16.

Still further, to enhance the amusement value of the device 10, means for indicating reversal of direction of the device along the line 12 coincident with the device encountering a stop 58 may be provided by an indicator such as comprising a T-shaped flag 91 pivotally secured as at 93 to the frame 16. As seen from a comparison of FIGS. 1 and 2, the flag 91 is maintained in the position illustrated by a hook-shaped detent 95 integral with the reversing lever 76 which detent passes through a slot 97 in the flag 91 and hooks the flag. As seen in FIG. 3, upon actuation of the reversing means 57, the hooked end of the detent 95 moves downwardly suffciently so that the hooked end clears the end of the slot 97 to permit the flag to drop, under the influence of gravity, into the position of FIG. 3. Modifications and additions to this basic mechanical action can be cffected for the releasing of parachutes or other such items for the further enhancement of the device's amusement value.

Turning now specifically to FIG. 5, there is indicated generally at an omni-directional wind responsive wind turbine powered display carrier device, which for purposes of illustration only, is suspended from a line 112 suspended between two fixed points, such as provided by spaced apart poles at a shopping center, automotive service center, or other commercial establishments where an eye-catching advertising display is desired. While the description of this embodiment of the invention is primarily in conjunction with an outdoor wind actuated display, it will be understood that devices constructed in accordance with the invention are suitable for indoor use such as by being actuated by a fluid flow generated by a pump such as a blower or fan.

The turbine powered display carrier device 110 includes a frame indicated generally at 116 provided with means indicated generally at 118 for releasably supporting the frame 116 from the line 112 for generally slidable movement therealong. The frame 116 carries an omni-directional wind-responsive turbine means indicated generally at 120 which drivingly coacts with the line 112 to drive the trolley device 110 along the line 112 in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter. As seen best from a simultaneous consideration of FIGS. 5 and 6, or FIGS. 5 and 7, the frame 116 includes

cross beams

122, 123, 124, and 126 connected by side struts 128 and 130, which side struts are slidably carried in an inverted U-shaped slide bar 132 by means of elongated apertures 134 in the slide bar 132, which, as best seen in FIGS. 6-8, slidably receive normally projecting

end portions

136 and 138 of the side struts 128 and respectively. The means 118 supporting the frame 1 16, more specifically the slide bar 132, from the line 112 may comprise suspending hooks 119 comprising, for example, resilient snap hooks which may be manually opened to be hooked over the line 1112 and subsequently snapped closed to thus releasably secure the device 1 10 to the line 112 ina manner which avoids the possibility of the device 110 being blown off the line 112 by erratic wind gusts.

' Turning now more specifically to the omnidirectional wind-responsive turbine means 120, it will be seen that the turbine means includes a gear train indicated generally at 140 which includes a turbine power input means 142 including a turbine 144 provided with a plurality of equidistantly spaced turbine blades 146 fixedly secured to a tubular shaft 148 having an integral spur gear 149 which shaft 148 is rotatably journalled on a shaft 150 fixed to a rotatably joumaled bearing block 151. The bearing block 151 is freely rotatable about shaft 152 which has face gears 153 and i 154 non-rotatably fixed thereto, and the shaft 152 is rotatably journalled, such as by passage through suitable apertures, in

cross beams

124, 125 and 126. The face gear 154 meshes with a rotatably and slidably journalled shift gear 155 which is non-rotatably fixed to a shaft 156 slidably and rotatably journalled, such as by passage through suitable apertures, in the side struts 128 and 130. As will be described more fully hereinafter, the shift spur gear 155 and its associated shaft 156 comprise a portion of an automatic direction reversing means indicated generally at 157 which coacts with stops 1S8 fixed to the line 112 to cause the device 110 to automatically shuttle back and forth along the line 112 between the stops 1S8.

Returning now to the description of the gear train 140, it will be seen that the shift spur gear 155 drivingly engages both face gear 154 and face gear 159 nonrotatably fixed to a power output shaft 164 rotatably journalled, such as by passage through suitable apertures, in

cross members

122 and 123. As best seen in FIG. 8, face gears 152, 153 and 159 are provided with axially extending teeth which comprise an annular ring of teeth. In this regard, and as best seen from a simultaneous consideration of FIGS. 6 and 7, the shift spur gear 155 is constantly engaged with the power input face gear 154, at one position, which in the embodiment shown, is the left hand side of annular ring of teeth of gear 154. However, by means to be described more fully hereinafter, the shift spur gear 155 only engages power output face gear 159 at one or the other of two positions on the face gear 159 which are offset by 180. As will become clearer hereinafter, between the opposed positions the shift gear 155 momentarily passes through an intermediate neutral where it is disengaged from the output face gear 159 of the shift spur gear 155 with the face gear 159, such as in one extreme position as in FIG. 6, as opposed to the second extreme position of FIG. 7, wherein the two

gears

155 and 159 are meshed at positions displaced by 180, facilitates driving the device 110 along the line 112 in a shuttling fashion between the stops 158. The shuttling of the device is achieved regardless of the direction from which the wind is blowing by virtue of the omni-directional wind-responsive turbine means 144 in a manner to be more fully described. The shaft 164 is provided with a gear train power output means indicated generally at 170 for driving coaction with the line 112. In the exemplary embodiment 110 illustrated, frictional driving coaction with the line 112 is accomplished by utilization of a capstan 172 non-rotatably secured to the shaft 164 and having an intermediate portion 174 of reduced diameter, as best seen in FIG. 8, about which the line 112 is looped one or more turns whereby rotation of the capstan 172 about an axis coinciding with the longitudinal axis of the shaft 164 will cause the device 110 to be power driven along the line 112 in one direction or the other depending upon the direction of rotation of the capstan 172.

Returning now to a more specific description of the automatic direction reversing means 157 it will be seen that a reversing lever 176 is pivotally journalled to the upper cross beam 122 by means of a suitable pivot pin 177. In addition, in the exemplary embodiment 110 illustrated the reversing lever 176 is slidably journalled in a slot 184 in the cross beam member 123 merely to preclude twisting of the lever 176. As best seen from a consideration of FIGS. 6 and 7, the lever 176 is biased into at rest positions illustration therein by resilient means such as the spring 186 having one end 188 received in a suitable aperture in the lever 176 adjacent the lower end of the reversing lever 176. The other end of the spring is attached to slide bar 132 by being received in a suitable aperture in the slide bar. Further, as best seen from a consideration of FIGS. 6 and 7, relative sliding movement between the slide bar 132, which in FIG. 7 is disposed toward the left hand side of the slots 134 and in FIG. 6 is disposed generally toward the right hand side of slots 134, results in the relative movement of the end 188 of the spring 186 past top dead center, which in the embodiment illustrated herein, coincides with an imaginary line passing through the pivot 177, and the point of attachment of the end 188 of the spring 186 to the slide bar 132, whereby the reversing lever 176 is snapped from the postiion of FIG. 6 to the position of FIG. 7. In this re gard,'and again referring to FIG. 5, regardless of the direction the wind is blowing the omni-directional windresponsive turbine 144 gear train will be actuated so that the capstan 172 will rotate and wind its way" along the line 112 until one of the suspension hooks 119 come to rest against one of the stops 158. At this point, the capstan 172 will continue to drive along the line 112 causing its associated frame 116 to slide from the position shown in FIG. 6 to that shown in FIG. 7 whereby the end 188 of the spring 186 passes over top dead center and causes the reversing lever 176 to snap into the position shown in FIG. 7. At this point, and although not described heretofore, it will be seen that the lower end 192 of the reversing lever 176 coacts with

stop members

194 and 196, fixed to the shaft 156, to throw the shifting spur gear from the position of FIG. 6 to the position of FIG. 7 whereby the shifting spur gear 155 disengages from a position at one side of the annular ring of teeth of the face gear 159 and engages therewith, after moving through an intermediate neutral position, at a position opposed to the initial point of engagement so as to effect a reversal of direction of rotation of the face gear 159 and its associated shaft 164 and capstan 172. In the embodiment illustrated the lower end 192 of the reversing lever 176 is U-shaped so as to partially encircle the shaft 156 thereby assuring that the lower end 192 of the reversing lever 176 is retained in operative position between the

stop member

194 and 196.

As seen in FIGS. 5-7, in order to assist in maintaining the omni-directional turbine 144 in alignment with the wind by rotation about the axis provided by shaft 152, there is provided a wind vane 199 fixed to shaft 148 fixed to the bearing block 151, but not intersecting the through bore in the block 151, by which the block 151 is journalled on the shaft 151. In addition, the block 151 is rotatably, but removably, secured to the shaft 152 by a washer and cotter key indicated at 200. As seen in FIG. 9, the omni-clirectional turbine means can be modified by removal of face gear 153 and the turbine structure carried by the bearing block 151 and substituting the turbine structure of FIG. 9. In. this regard a turbine blade hub 201 is non-rotatably fixed to shaft 152 and the hub 201 is provided with two rotatable journalled normally intersecting turbine

blade supporting shafts

202 and 203 each having a pair of turbine blades 204 non-rotatably fixed to the opposed end portions of the

shafts

202 and 203 with each pair being offset on their respective shaft by 90. The

shafts

202 and 203 are each provided with a pair of stop members 205, only three of which may be seen in FIG. 9, which stop members 205 are aligned with the turbine blades 204. The stop members 205 coact with four detents 206 equidistantly spaced about the hub 201, whereby it will be seen that only one pair of the downwind turbine blades carried by each of the

shafts

202 and 203 are being acted upon by the wind and the remaining pair of turbine blades 204 are tethered at any given time.

Since the frame with its turbine and other acouterments is normally below the suspending line 112, a wind blowing at or close to right angles with respect to the suspending line 112 or its horizontal component will exert force on the turbine and frame tending to rock it around the line which, in this orientation, acts as a pivot for the frame. The advertising sign 300 shown in FIGS. and 7 is attached to the frame and projecting above the suspending line will also receive the force of the wind which will serve to counter the force of wind on the turbine and frame and thus offset the rocking tendency mentioned above. A pair of wings 39,9 projecting outwardly from either side of vane 199 and inclined upwardly from the inward to outward ends of vane 199 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 will also serve to prevent rocking of the device around the string by virtue of wind exerting a downward force on them.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that under the influence of a flow of wind, regardless of the direction from which it is blowing, the wind turbine powered toy 110 will shuttle back and forth along the line 112 between the stops 158 carrying with an advertising display, or the like, as indicated generally at 210, such as carried by the frame of the device by virtue of the fact that the device 110 is positively driven along the line 1 12.

We claim:

l.v A wind turbine powered device adapted to be supported by and driven along a line such as having one end carried by an aeronautic device, comprising in combination:

a. a frame;

b. means for releasably supporting the frame from a line;

c. wind turbine means carried by the frame on a shaft having a fixed axis and including a generally unidirectional rotary power output means for at least frictionally drivingly coacting with a line for driving the device along a supporting line; and

d. means responsive to a stop on a supporting line for automatically reversing the direction in which the device is driven along a supporting line.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said wind turbine means includes:

a gear train means;

a turbine blade power input means for driving the gear train means; and

a gear train power output reversing means for selectively reversing the direction of the power output means.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said power output means includes a capstan adapted to coact with a supporting line.

. 4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said capstan includes at least a first drive portion and a second drive portion of different diameters.

5. The combination of claim 2 wherein said gear train means includes a first rotatably journaled spur gear drivingly engaged with a second rotatably and slidably journaled shift spur gear drivingly engaged with a rotatably journaled face gear drivingly engaged with said shift spur gear, and

a means for slidably shifting said shift spur gear.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said first spur gear and said second spur gear are rotatably journaled on axes displaced about 5 from parallel.

7. The combination of claim 1 including means carried by the frame for indicating reversal of direction of travel of the device.

8. A wind turbine powered device adapted to be sup ported by and driven along a line such as having one end carried by an aeronautic device, comprising in combination:

a. a frame,

b. means for releasably supporting the frame from a line,

0. wind turbine means carried by the frame on a shaft having a fixed axis and drivingly coacting with a line for driving the device along a supporting line,

(I. means responsive to a stop on a supporting line for automatically reversing the direction in which the device is driven along a supporting line, said wind turbine means including a gear train means,

a turbine blade power input means for driving the gear train means,

a gear train power output means for driving coaction with a supporting line, and

a gear train power output reversing means for selectively reversing the direction of the gear train power output means.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said gear train power output means includes a capstan adapted to coact with a supporting line.

10. The combination of claim 9 wherein said capstan includes at least a first driveportion and a second drive portion of different diameters.

11. The combination of claim 8 wherein said gear train means includes a first rotatably journaled spur gear drivingly engaged with a second rotatably and slidably journaled shift spur gear drivingly engaged with a rotatably journaled face gear drivingly engaged with said shift spur gear, and

a means for slidably shifting said shift spur gear.

12. The combination of claim 11 wherein said first spur gear and said second spur gear are rotatably journaled on axes displaced about 5 from parallel.

13. The combination of claim 8 including means carried by the frame for indicating reversal of direction of travel of the device.

14. A wind turbine powered device adapted to be supported by and driven along a line supported between two points irrespective of the inclination of the line relative to the horizontal, comprising in combination:

a. a frame,

b. means for releasably supporting the frame from a support line,

c. an omnidirectional wind turbine means carried by the frame on a shaft having a rotatable axis and drivingly coacting with a support line for driving the device along a support line, and

d. means responsive to a stop on a support line for automatically reversing the direction in which the device is driven along a support line.

15. The combination of claim 14 wherein said omnidirectional wind direction responsive turbine means includes:

a gear train means,

a turbine blade power input means for driving the gear train means,

a gear train power output means for driving coaction

Claims

1. A wind turbine powered device adapted to be supported by and driven along a line such as having one end carried by an aeronautic device, comprising in combination: a. a frame; b. means for releasably supporting the frame from a line; c. wind turbine means carried by the frame on a shaft having a fixed axis and including a generally unidirectional rotary power output means for at least frictionally drivingly coacting with a line for driving the device along a supporting line; and d. means responsive to a stop on a supporting line for automatically reversing the direction in which the device is driven along a supporting line.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said wind turbine means includes: a gear train means; a turbine blade power input means for driving the gear train means; and a gear train power output reversing means for selectively reversing the direction of the power output means.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said capstan includes at least a first drive portion and a second drive portion of different diameters.

5. The combination of claim 2 wherein said gear train means includes a first rotatably journaled spur gear drivingly engaged with a second rotatably and slidably journaled shift spur gear drivingly engaged with a rotatably journaled face gear drivingly engaged with said shift spur gear, and a means for slidably shifting said shift spur gear.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said first spur gear and said second spur gear are rotatably journaled on axes displaced about 5* from parallel.

8. A wind turbine powered device adapted to be supported by and drivin along a line such as having one end carried by an aeronautic device, comprising in combination: a. a frame, b. means for releasably supporting the frame from a line, c. wind turbine means carried by the frame on a shaft having a fixed axis and drivingly coacting with a line for driving the device along a supporting line, d. means responsive to a stop on a supporting line for automatically reversing the direction in which the device is driven along a supporting line, said wind turbine means including a gear train means, a turbine blade power input means for driving the gear train means, a gear train power output means for driving coaction with a supporting line, and a gear train power output reversing means for selectively reversing the direction of the gear train power output means.

10. The combination of claim 9 wherein said capstan includes at least a first drive portion and a second drive portion of different diameters.

11. The combination of claim 8 wherein said gear train means includes a first rotatably journaled spur gear drivingly engaged with a second rotatably and slidably journaled shift spur gear drivingly engaged with a rotatably journaled face gear drivingly engaged with said shift spur gear, and a means for slidably shifting said shift spur gear.

12. The combination of claim 11 wherein said first spur gear and said second spur gear are rotatably journaled on axes displaced about 5* from parallel.

14. A wind turbine powered device adapted to be supported by and driven along a line supported between two points irrespective of the inclination of the line relative to the horizontal, comprising in combination: a. a frame, b. means for releasably supporting the frame from a support line, c. an omnidirectional wind turbine means carried by the frame on a shaft having a rotatable axis and drivingly coacting with a support line for driving the device along a support line, and d. means responsive to a stop on a support line for automatically reversing the direction in which the device is driven along a support line.

15. The combination of claim 14 wherein said omnidirectional wind direction responsive turbine means includes: a gear train means, a turbine blade power input means for driving the gear train means, a gear train power output means for driving coaction with a supporting line, and a gear train power output means reversing means for reversing the direction of rotation of the gear train power output means.

16. The combination of claim 15 wherein said gear train means includes: a first rotatably journaled face gear drivingly engaged with a rotatably and slidably journaled shift spur gear drivingly engaged with a second rotatably journaled face gear, and a means for slidably shifting said shift spur gear.