Patents by Inventor William J. Stepp

William J. Stepp has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 4406584
    Abstract: A windmill of the vertical axis type having a plurality of circumferentially and radially outwardly spaced rotatably mounted vanes vertically parallel to the axis shaft wherein means are provided for controlling multistage feathering of the vanes in conjunction with said vanes feathering to rotate on their individual axes in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the windmill assembly in increments of 45 degrees twice for each blade before finally feathering a final half rotation completing the rotation of 360 degrees on its individual axis while the windmill makes one revolution, thus repeatedly repositioning the blades to the most optimum resistance angle to the wind as the windmill rotates increasing the power angle to near seventy-five percent of the circle of the windmill rotation, a construction option prevailing to routinely cause all the blades to feather when near a zero angular position to the wind, and having associated therewith a conglomerate of mechanical phenomena to perform said
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1980
    Date of Patent: September 27, 1983
    Inventor: William J. Stepp
  • Patent number: 4203707
    Abstract: A windmill of the vertical axis type having a plurality of circumferentially-spaced rotatably-mounted vanes wherein means are provided for controlling the feathering of the vanes so that, upon feathering they rotate in a direction opposite to that rotation of the windmill assembly, wherein means are provided to assure that the entire assembly heads up into the wind, and wherein means are provided for disengaging of the entire vane assembly when the wind velocity reaches a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1976
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1980
    Inventor: William J. Stepp