Patents Examined by Julio Gonzales Ramirez
  • Patent number: 6531788
    Abstract: A submersible generating plant for producing electricity from ocean currents. The apparatus consists of two counter-rotating, rear-facing turbines with a plurality of rotor blades extending radially outward from two separate horizontal axis that convey the kinetic energy from the two side-by-side turbine rotors through separate gearboxes to separate generators that are housed in two watertight nacelles that are located sufficiently far apart to provide clearance for the turbine rotors. The two generators and their gearboxes serve as ballast and are located below a streamlined buoyancy tank that extends fore and aft above and between them. A leverage system having no moving parts adjusts lifting forces to balance changing downward vector forces that result from changes in drag acting on the downward angled anchor line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Inventor: John H. Robson