Patent Application
20230287860
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
The disclosure relates to electricity generating assemblies and more particularly pertains to a new electricity generating assembly for continuous generation of electricity. The present invention discloses an electricity generating assembly comprising trays hingedly engaged to an endless track, which is operationally engaged to a generator. Water diverted from an uphill water source is conveyed by a supply pipe to an upper end of a tower, to which the endless track is engaged. The water sequentially fill the trays when positioned at an upper end of the endless track.
The prior art relates to electricity generating assemblies. The prior art may comprise water wheels and fluid driven rotary engines. What is lacking in the prior art is an electricity generating assembly comprising trays hingedly engaged to an endless track, which is operationally engaged to a generator. Water diverted from an uphill water source is conveyed by a supply pipe to an upper end of a tower, to which the endless track is engaged. The water sequentially fill the trays when positioned at an upper end of the endless track.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising an endless track, which is rotationally engaged to a stand. The endless track extends substantially between an upper end and a lower end of the stand. Each of a plurality of trays is hingedly engaged to the endless track. The trays are uprightly positioned on a first side of the endless track and invertedly positioned on a second side of the endless track. A generator is operationally engaged to the endless track and is configured to generate an electrical current. A supply pipe is engaged to and extends from the stand so that a first end of the supply pipe opens above the first side of the endless track. The supply pipe is configured to extend to a water source at an elevation higher than the upper end of the stand. The supply pipe is configured to divert water from the water source to the stand so that the water fills the trays on the first side of the endless track. The mass of the water is configured to rotate the endless track so that the generator rotates and generates the electrical current.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
The endless track 14 is rotationally engaged to the stand 12 and extends substantially between an upper end 26 and a lower end 28 of the stand 12. The endless track 14 comprises a pair of shafts 30, a plurality of sprockets 32, and a plurality of endless chains 34. The shafts 30 are rotationally engaged to and extend between the towers 22. The sprockets 32 are engaged to the pair of shafts 30. The plurality of sprockets 32 may comprise six sprockets 32, which are engaged three apiece to each shaft 30. The present invention anticipates the plurality of sprockets 32 comprising other numbers of sprocket 32, such as, but not limited to, four sprockets 32, eight sprockets 32, and the like. Each endless chain 34 is gearedly engaged to a respective sprocket 32, which is positioned on an upper one 36 of the shafts 30, and an associated sprocket 32, which is positioned on a lower one 38 of the shafts 30. The present invention also anticipates endless belts (not shown) being utilized in place of the endless chains 34.
Each of a plurality of chain guides 40 is engaged to the crossbeams 24 and extends along a respective endless chain 34 on a respective one of a first side 42 and a second side 44 of the endless track 14. Each of a plurality of tensioners 46 is engaged to a respective tower 22 and is operationally engaged to a respective shaft 30. The tensioner 46 is positioned to adjust the respective shaft 30 relative to the respective tower 22 to adjust tension on the endless chains 34.
Each of the trays 16 is hingedly engaged to the endless track 14. The trays 16 are uprightly positioned on the first side 42 of the endless track 14 and invertedly positioned on the second side 44 of the endless track 14, as shown in
The generator 18 is operationally engaged to the endless track 14 and is configured to generate an electrical current. As shown in
A supply pipe 48 is engaged to and extends from the stand 12 so that a first end 50 of the supply pipe 48 opens above the first side 42 of the endless track 14. The supply pipe 48 is configured to extend to a water source 52, such as a stream, creek, or the like, at an elevation higher than the upper end 26 of the stand 12. As shown in
The supply pipe 48 is configured to divert water from the water source 52 to the stand 12 so that the water fills the trays 16 on the first side 42 of the endless track 14. The mass of the water is configured to rotate the endless track 14 so that the generator 18 rotates and generates the electrical current. The present invention anticipates multiple water powered electricity generating assemblies 10 being positioned together, as shown in
A supply basin 54 is engaged to the stand 12 proximate to the upper end 26. The supply basin 54 is configured to receive water from the supply pipe 48. A slot 56 is positioned in the supply basin 54 above the first side 42 of the endless track 14. The slot 56 is configured to allow water to pass from the supply basin 54 to the trays 16 on the first side 42 of the endless track 14. A primary valve 58 is engaged to the supply pipe 48 proximate to the first end 50 and is configured to control a flow of water from the supply pipe 48 into the supply basin 54.
A pair of secondary valves 60 is engaged to the supply pipe 48 proximate to the first end 50. Each of a pair of secondary pipes 62 is engaged to and extends from a respective secondary valve 60 to a position above the first side 42 of the endless track 14. The respective secondary valve 60 is configured to control a flow of water from the supply pipe 48 through the secondary pipe 62 into trays 16 positioned on the first side 42 of the endless track 14. It is anticipated that the secondary valves 60 can be used to top off the trays 16 as may be required should flow through the slot 56 be insufficient to fill the trays 16.
A catch basin 64 extends from the lower end 28 of the stand 12 to the water source 52, as shown in
A bypass pipe 68 is engaged to and extends downwardly from the supply basin 54. The bypass pipe 68 is in fluidic communication with the supply basin 54 and has an upward end 70 that is positioned proximate to an upper limit 72 of the supply basin 54. The bypass pipe 68 is configured to drain water from the supply basin 54 when a water level within the supply basin 54 reaches the upward end 70 of the bypass pipe 68. The bypass pipe 68 may extend to the catch basin 64 or back to the water source 52. A weir wall 74, which extends from a second end 76 of the supply pipe 48 into the water source 52, is configured to direct water from the water source 52 into the second end 76 of the supply pipe 48.
In use, the weir wall 74 direct waters from the water source 52 into the second end 76 of the supply pipe 48. The water passes through the supply pipe 48 and fills the trays 16 on the first side 42 of the endless track 14, causing the endless track 14 and the generator 18 to rotate, thereby generating an electrical current.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
