Patent US4032257A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4032257A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Mill, particularly windmill
Assignee: BURO VOOR WETENSCHAPPELIJKE EN TECHISCHE ONTWERPEN WTO BV
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Filing: 1975-12-09
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Granted: 1977-06-28
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Expires: 1995-12-09
Abstract
Abstract A mill, particularly windmill of the horizontal or Chinese type having a l shaft supporting a vane rotor provided with a plurality of vane shafts rotatably mounted therein and with vanes secured to these vane shafts which vanes, when engaged by a wind flowing in a direction perpendicular to the mill shaft, will swing about their vane shafts from an operating position in which the vane is held by a stop on the rotor at an angle to the wind, to a free position parallel to the wind when reaching the lee-side of the rotor. Each vane shaft is coupled to an individual gear means carried by the rotor and engaging a stationary annular ring gear common to all gear means which gear means comprises a one-way free-wheel drive whereby when a vane swings about at the lee-side of the rotor an additional rotary driving force is transmitted to the latter.
Inventors
- 👤 Hendrik Antoon Lorentz de Haas
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 12:10
CPC Classifications
F; F03; F03D; F03D3/00; F03D3/06; F03D3/062; F03D3/066; F03D3/067; F03D3/068; F05; F05B; F05B2260/00; F05B2260/50; F05B2260/503; F05B2260/70; F05B2260/72; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/70; Y02E10/74; Y10; Y10S; Y10S416/00; Y10S416/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
270 words
A windmill, intended to be driven by a flow of fluid, comprising a stationary frame having a central axis; a vane rotor rotatably mounted in said frame coaxially with said central axis; a plurality of vane shafts rotatably mounted in said vane rotor in a circular array about said central axis; a plurality of vane members each fixedly secured to one of said vane shafts for rotation therewith with respect to said vane rotor, each vane member having at least a major portion thereof extending to one side of its associated vane shaft; a plurality of vane stop means on said vane rotor each associated with one of said plurality of vane members for defining an operating position of each vane member in engagement with its associated stop means whereby, when orienting the mill in a flow of fluid with said frame axis perpendicular to the direction of flow, said fluid flow will swing some of said plurality of vane members about their vane shafts to their operating positions to drive said vane rotor and will tend to swing the remaining vane members to a position parallel to said flow; an annular member fixedly secured to said frame coaxially with said central axis, said annular member comprising a circular gear track; and a plurality of gear means supported by said vane rotor and coupled to one of said plurality of vane shafts, respectively, each of said gear means including a unidirectional free-wheel clutch means, and each of said gear means engaging said circuar gear track, the transmission ratio between each gear means and said gear track being greater than one.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
270 words
A windmill, intended to be driven by a flow of fluid, comprising a stationary frame having a central axis; a vane rotor rotatably mounted in said frame coaxially with said central axis; a plurality of vane shafts rotatably mounted in said vane rotor in a circular array about said central axis; a plurality of vane members each fixedly secured to one of said vane shafts for rotation therewith with respect to said vane rotor, each vane member having at least a major portion thereof extending to one side of its associated vane shaft; a plurality of vane stop means on said vane rotor each associated with one of said plurality of vane members for defining an operating position of each vane member in engagement with its associated stop means whereby, when orienting the mill in a flow of fluid with said frame axis perpendicular to the direction of flow, said fluid flow will swing some of said plurality of vane members about their vane shafts to their operating positions to drive said vane rotor and will tend to swing the remaining vane members to a position parallel to said flow; an annular member fixedly secured to said frame coaxially with said central axis, said annular member comprising a circular gear track; and a plurality of gear means supported by said vane rotor and coupled to one of said plurality of vane shafts, respectively, each of said gear means including a unidirectional free-wheel clutch means, and each of said gear means engaging said circuar gear track, the transmission ratio between each gear means and said gear track being greater than one.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The mill of claim 1 in which said transmission ratio between each gear means and said fixed gear track is approximately 3/2 to 2.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
The mill of claim 1 in which said annular member is a toothed ring gear, said plurality of gear means each comprising a toothed pinion engaging said ring gear and coupled to its associated vane shaft through said free-wheel clutch means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The mill of claim 1 in which said annular member comprises a friction gear ring, said gear means comprising friction wheels engaging said friction gear ring and each coupled to its associated vane shaft through said free-wheel clutch means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
55 words
The mill of claim 1 further comprising a mill shaft mounted for rotation in said frame in a vertical position coaxially with said central frame axis, said mill shaft supporting and being secured to said vane rotor, and said annular member and said gear means engaging said member being arranged closely below said vane rotor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The mill of claim 1 further comprising counter weights for said vane members secured to said vane shafts on the side of said shafts opposite of said vane member major portion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
The mill of claim 1 in which said vane shafts extend in radial planes through said central axis, said stop means including stop members arranged substantially in said radial planes between said vane shafts and said central axis.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The mill of claim 7 in which said vane shafts extend substantially parallel to said central axis, said vane members each having a substantially rectangular shape.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The mill of claim 7 in which said vane shafts are inclined at equal angles to said central axis, said vanes having a substantially triangular shape.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The mill of claim 9 in which said central axis extends vertically and said inclined vane shafts converge upwardly.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
The mill of claim 9 in which said central axis extends vertically and said inclined vane shafts converge downwardly.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The mill of claim 9 in which said annular member and said gear means are located on the side of said vane rotor to which said inclined vane shafts converge.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
47 words
The mill of claim 1 in which said vane shafts extend radially outwardly from said vane rotor perpendicularly to said central axis, said stop means defining operating positions for said vane members in which said vane members extend substantially in radial planes passing through said central axis.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
258 words
A windmill of the horizontal type comprising a stationary frame having a vertical central axis; a mill shaft rotatably mounted in said frame coaxially with said central axis and projecting upwardly from said frame; a vane rotor supported by said mill shaft and secured thereto for common rotation, said vane rotor comprising an upper circular ring member and a lower circular ring member; a plurality of vane shafts extending between said upper and lower vane rotor ring members and rotatably mounted in said members, said vane shafts being arranged equally angularly spaced in a circular row, each vane shaft extending in a radial plane of said central axis; a plurality of vane members each having a side edge and each fixedly secured to one of said vane shafts adjacent said side edge; a plurality of vane stop members secured to said vane rotor substantially radially inwardly of said vane shafts, respectively, each stop member determining an operating position for its associated vane member in which the latter abuts the stop member; an annular toothed gear ring fixedly secured to said frame coaxially with said central axis; a plurality of gear means supported by said vane rotor and each associated with one of said plurality of vane shafts, each gear means comprising a toothed pinion engaging said toothed ring gear, the ratio between the radius of said ring gear and the radius of said pinion being greater than 1 and preferably between 3/2 and 2; and a free-wheel clutch means connecting said pinion to the vane shaft associated therewith.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
258 words
A windmill of the horizontal type comprising a stationary frame having a vertical central axis; a mill shaft rotatably mounted in said frame coaxially with said central axis and projecting upwardly from said frame; a vane rotor supported by said mill shaft and secured thereto for common rotation, said vane rotor comprising an upper circular ring member and a lower circular ring member; a plurality of vane shafts extending between said upper and lower vane rotor ring members and rotatably mounted in said members, said vane shafts being arranged equally angularly spaced in a circular row, each vane shaft extending in a radial plane of said central axis; a plurality of vane members each having a side edge and each fixedly secured to one of said vane shafts adjacent said side edge; a plurality of vane stop members secured to said vane rotor substantially radially inwardly of said vane shafts, respectively, each stop member determining an operating position for its associated vane member in which the latter abuts the stop member; an annular toothed gear ring fixedly secured to said frame coaxially with said central axis; a plurality of gear means supported by said vane rotor and each associated with one of said plurality of vane shafts, each gear means comprising a toothed pinion engaging said toothed ring gear, the ratio between the radius of said ring gear and the radius of said pinion being greater than 1 and preferably between 3/2 and 2; and a free-wheel clutch means connecting said pinion to the vane shaft associated therewith.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The mill of claim 14 in which said mill shaft is drivingly coupled to an electric generator.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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US1292225A
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-06-27 | 1980-12-27 | 1981-06-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-06-27 | 1984-12-27 | 1985-06-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-06-27 | 1988-12-27 | 1989-06-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |