Buoyant Motor Patents (Class 417/337)
  • Patent number: 11920588
    Abstract: A compressor assembly for further pressurizing pressurized fluid using motion of waves, the pressurized fluid being pressurized by a previous compressor assembly, is provided. The compressor assembly includes: a compression piston having a first side and a second side; a first rod portion coupled to a buoyant member coupled to the first side of the compression piston, wherein movement of the buoyant member is transferred, via the first rod portion, into movement of the compression piston between a top and bottom end of a compression chamber; and a second rod portion coupled to the second side of the compression piston and including a terminal surface, wherein the second portion is sized such that the terminal surface is located within an equalizer assembly during an entire range of motion of the compression piston. A diameter of the second portion is equal to or greater than a diameter of the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Inventor: Joseph David Sieber
  • Patent number: 11680554
    Abstract: A buoyant hydrodynamic pump is disclosed that can float on a surface of a body of water over which waves tend to pass. The pump incorporates an open-bottomed tube with a constriction. The tube partially encloses a substantial volume of water with which the tube's constriction interacts, creating and/or amplifying oscillations therein in response to wave action. Wave-driven oscillations result in periodic upward ejections of portions of the water inside the tube that can be collected in a reservoir that is at least partially positioned above the mean water level of the body of water, or pressurized by compressed air or gas, or both. Water within such a reservoir may return to the body of water via a turbine, thereby generating electrical power (making the device a wave engine), or else the device's pumping action can be used for other purposes such as water circulation, propulsion, or cloud seeding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: LONE GULL HOLDINGS, LTD.
    Inventors: Garth Alexander Sheldon-Coulson, Brian Lee Moffat, Daniel William Place
  • Patent number: 9890761
    Abstract: A hydro-electric power system includes two containers and a support beam having two ends, each end holding one of the containers. The ends allow the containers to travel along a length of the support beam. The support beam pivots about a pivot point, giving each container a maximum height and a minimum height. Fluid flows into each of the containers when located near their maximum height, the flow of water weighting each container and causing it to descend, each container moving longitudinally outward from the pivot point along the support beam as it descends. A dumping mechanism causes each container to release fluid near its minimum height, each container ascending after releasing water and moving longitudinally inward toward the pivot point along the support beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Inventor: Gene D. Kasten
  • Patent number: 9297353
    Abstract: An apparatus has a base and a flow path assembly movably supported by the base and defining a serpentine flow path having an entry opening and an exit opening. An actuator is coupled with the flow path assembly and the base and is configured to rotate the flow path assembly between a vertical and an angled position relative to the base. The flow path is configured to allow a column of a first fluid with a first density to be trapped between columns of a second fluid with a second density higher than the first density. The first fluid column has a first height and the second fluid columns have second heights, so that a volume of the first fluid and a volume of the second fluid flow through the flow path and through the exit opening as the flow path assembly is rotated between the vertical and angled positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Inventor: Wayne S. Travis
  • Patent number: 8628303
    Abstract: A self priming gravity wave water pump, double acting, vertically self adjusting incorporating a submerged column platform as shown in FIG. 4A, the submerged column platform (22) can be tethered (28) or secured by a pivot to a weight (29) or fixed into the water bed (31). The column (22) can be incorporated into an additional submerged water filled column chamber (23), to operate as a hydraulic tidal adjustable column platform. The gravity wave pump (9) is a wave energy converter using wave energy in the form of wave motion to displace a float (2), to lift the pumps reciprocating piston (12) and uses gravity, causing a weight (3) to push a piston down as the wave passes. The pump could pressurise piped water to a head of up to 100 meters or more and could pump pressures in excess of 150 pounds per square inch when adjusted accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Dartmouth Wave Energy Limited
    Inventor: Alvin Smith
  • Patent number: 8308449
    Abstract: A Self Priming Gravity Wave Water Pump, Double Acting, vertically Self Adjusting incorporating a Submerged Column Platform as shown in FIG. 4A, the submerged column platform (22) can be tethered (28) or secured by a pivot to a weight (29) or fixed into the water bed (31). The column (22) can be incorporated into an additional submerged water filled column chamber (23), to operate as a hydraulic tidal adjustable column platform. The Gravity Wave Pump (9) is a wave energy converter using wave energy in the form of wave motion to displace a float (2), to lift the pumps reciprocating piston (12) and uses gravity, causing a weight (3) to push a piston down as the wave passes. The pump could pressurize piped water to a head of up to 100 meters or more and could pump pressures in excess of 150 pounds per square inch when adjusted accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Dartmouth Wave Energy Limited
    Inventor: Alvin Smith
  • Patent number: 8148840
    Abstract: An engine for reducing the temperature at the surface of a body of water during a storm includes at least one floatation member for supporting the engine, an elongate tube mounted on the floatation member configured to receive a stream of air therethrough, the elongate tube having first and second ends, a constricted center section therebetween and means for distributing water into the tube adjacent the constricted center section, a wind turbine having at least one rotor, a differential and a shaft connecting the rotor to the differential, a pump operatively connected to the wind turbine and extending into the body of water to a depth where the temperature of the water is less the water temperature at the surface and wherein water from beneath the surface of the body of water is pumped into the manifold and distributed into the elongate tube to cool the stream of air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Inventor: Randall Gradle
  • Patent number: 8102068
    Abstract: A buoyant hydro turbine(31) for capturing and utilizing energy in the currents of flowing water. A driven component(33) produces electricity or other energy is coupled to and supported by a buoyant rotor(64), increasing efficiency and eliminating the need for an independent supporting structure. Tethered in flowing water, the current(71) rotates the rotors(32) and transfers rotatable energy to the central driven component(33) where electricity or other mechanical work is produced. A number of embodiments are adapted for optimizing and maintaining positioning in a stream of moving water. Additional embodiments optimizing the efficiency and effectiveness of the turbine in capturing and utilizing the current's kinetic energy as well as hydrostatic pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Inventor: Brent Lee Gutekunst
  • Patent number: 7980832
    Abstract: A stationary structure is mounted on the floor of an ocean or other body of water subject to wave motion. The structure provides a floatation body that moves with the waves and is able to drive a sealing plate in a compression chamber. When the water level changes, or wave action magnitude changes, a second sealing plate is able to move automatically to maintain a constant size of the compression chamber. Air compressed in the chamber is let into a tank to maintain a constant elevated pressure in the tank and the air pressure is used to power a turbine to generate electricity. In an alternate embodiment, a mechanical linkage drives the turbine directly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Inventor: Ned M. Ahdoot
  • Patent number: 7963750
    Abstract: A hydraulic pump comprises a moving pressing member to compress a lower reservoir to move downward, and to move upward according to the change of buoyancy by the supply and discharge of the water into an inner space of the moving pressing member. A pumping pipe transports water in the lower reservoir outside of the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Inventor: Tuyoshi Yasoshima
  • Patent number: 7464546
    Abstract: A water-powered generator having a vessel and a variable density body situated within the vessel. The vessel is partially filled with a fluid, such as water. The variable density body moves between a first position near the bottom of the vessel to a second position between the bottom of the vessel and the top. The variable density body is configured to have a changeable total density such that the total density may be changed from a first density which is greater than the fluid and a second density which is less than the fluid. The movement of the variable density body is converted to a useful form of energy, such as electric current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Inventor: Emory Grant Peacock
  • Patent number: 4726188
    Abstract: A motor utilizing, at least in part, buoyancy forces of different materials in a fluid is disclosed characterized by a piston assembly that requires only a single level fluid pool utilizing no pump to operate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1988
    Inventor: Martin Y. Woolfolk
  • Patent number: 4720976
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for power generation which comprises a first cylinder and a second cylinder, a first float member and a second float member disposed in the first and second cylinders, respectively, and a lever arm pivotably disposed above the cylinders, the ends portions of the lever arm being operatively connected to the respective float members. The lever arm contains weight members and defines a path for guiding the weight members to traverse the lever arm between the end portions. An inlet and outlet is provided for introducing and removing water into and from the first and second cylinders, the water being supplied from a dam whereby when the water is introduced into the first cylinder and simultaneously removed from the second cylinder, the first float member is caused to rise in the first cylinder and the second float member is caused to fall in the second cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1988
    Assignee: Myung Kyoon Kim
    Inventors: Myung K. Kim, Se E. Lee
  • Patent number: 4691513
    Abstract: Method of and apparatus for generating energy from a rolling or swiveling float tank utilizing the buoyant force of water contained therein. The float tank is mounted upon a central pivot to continuously swivel therearound. A series of flotation devices are mounted within the tank and forced upwardly by the buoyancy of the fluid volume shifting therein. The series of flotation devices are coupled to hydraulic cylinders or the like for transducing the energy resulting from the rolling flotation tank into a usable form. Swiveling of the tank is effected through a flow ballast fluid around the tank, the ballast transfer being affected by a central ballast discharge tank. The ballast fluid can be pumped from the tank or supplied externally to provide an efficient transducer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1987
    Inventor: James Gillilan
  • Patent number: 4599857
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for the generation of power and its method comprising two cylinders, and pistons disposed in the cylinders, and a lever arm containing weighted balls disposed therein and connected to the pistons, whereby the balls are transferred from one end portion of the lever arm to the other end portion thereof and the lever arm, moves up and down about its axis by the force of floats or pistons and the weighted balls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1985
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1986
    Inventors: Myung K. Kim, Se E. Lee
  • Patent number: 4497173
    Abstract: Method of and apparatus for generating energy from a rocking float tank utilizing the buoyant force of water contained therein. The float tank is mounted to rock between first and second off center positions wherein the center of gravity of the water contained therein is shifted. A pair of flotation devices are mounted within the tank and forced upwardly by the buoyancy of the fluid volume therearound. The flotation devices are coupled to hydraulic cylinders or the like for transducing the energy resulting from the rocking flotation tank into a usable form. Rocking of the tank is effected through sequential shifting of ballast about the tank, ballast transfer being effected by compressed air in one particular embodiment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 5, 1985
    Inventor: James Gillilan
  • Patent number: 4415314
    Abstract: A fluid pump for location within a reservoir and which is operable with rise and fall of liquid within the reservoir. The pump comprises a tube of a resiliently deformable material, an abutment surface which is engaged by the tube and a float device which is mounted to the tube. Liquid entering the reservoir causes upward movement of the float device and such movement of the float device causes increasing engagement between the tube and the abutment surface. The increasing engagement between the tube and the abutment surface causes the tube to deform resiliently and a localized reduction in the contained volume of the tube is thereby effected to cause expulsion of fluid from the tube. Conversely, as the liquid level falls in the reservoir, the float device moves downwardly to reduce the extent of engagement between the tube and the abutment surface, so that the tube tends to resume its initial contained volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1982
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1983
    Assignee: Wellcome Australia Limited
    Inventor: Anthony G. Chappell
  • Patent number: 4309154
    Abstract: A pumping system uses flowing water to operate a pump or pumps intermittently, each pump having a vertically expansible chamber established by piston and cylinder members of which one is fixed and the other float supported. Each pump chamber is filled and expanded to a predetermined extent by flowing water and is discharged, with the water flow interrupted, under a head greater than the flowing water affords. The discharge of the chamber water of each pump may be used for various purposes including the operation of another pump to further increase the head on its chamber water, increase the volume of such water, or both. The head afforded by the flowing water is usually inadequate to effect wanted expansion of a pump chamber only by the delivery of the flowing water thereto and most situations call for each pump being within a reservoir which can be flooded by the flowing water to lift the float to a desired height and later drained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1979
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1982
    Inventor: Francis E. Daddario
  • Patent number: 4265599
    Abstract: A system for converting a constant pressure head of water into compressed air which may be utilized to transfer the potential energy of the pressure head to remote work sites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 1979
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1981
    Inventor: Paul H. Morton
  • Patent number: 4218192
    Abstract: A pressure source to develop a stream of liquid under pressure as a consequence of the rise and fall of the surface of a body of water. The pressurizing means comprises an enclosure which bounds a chamber having a pair of portions at least one of which is movable relative to the other as a consequence of a force applied to one of them to reduce the volume of a chamber and thereby to place under pressure liquid which is contained therein. A conduit leads from the chamber through which a stream of liquid under pressure can flow for doing work. Buoyant means is floatable in the body of water to rise with its surface and to lower when the surface is sufficiently below the weight means. Force transmission means applies force from the weight means, when elevated, to the one portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1977
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1980
    Inventor: William S. West
  • Patent number: 4208875
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for obtaining useful work from or with waves includes a buoyant body having a leading edge and a trailing edge, and a convex upper surface extending between the leading and trailing edges. The upper surface is configured with a gradually sloping shape from the leading edge toward the trailing edge and terminates at the trailing edge in a sharply oppositely sloping surface, whereby the circular or orbital motion of water particles in waves is converted by the upper surface to linear flow of the water particles, and waves traveling across the surface from the leading to the trailing edge are not damped or extinguished by backwash of waves from the trailing edge toward the leading edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1980
    Inventor: Junjiro Tsubota
  • Patent number: 4207741
    Abstract: An hydraulic motor having as an energy source a cyclically controlled rising and falling level of liquid in a working tank in which is provided a piston element having a liquid-tight hollow chamber that is arranged to move vertically with the rising and falling liquid level in response to buoyant and gravitational forces acting thereon. The liquid level in the tank is varied by using a plurality of liquid-tight exchange receptacles located adjacent the tank in vertically spaced relationship between the lower and upper liquid levels in the tank, with each exchange receptacle communicating with the tank through an opening including a normally closed valve. A control means for varying the liquid level in the tank includes a system for sequentially and individually opening and closing each of the valves from the uppermost to the lowermost exchange receptacle, and vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1979
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1980
    Inventor: Don E. Rainey
  • Patent number: 4184807
    Abstract: A hydraulic engine for transforming the energy of a flowing current of water into a pressure head of water. The engine is mounted on a platform supported by floats and fitted with a series of paddles linked by drive chains which pass about a pair of drive wheels such that flow of water over the platform causes the paddles to move in the direction of flow to rotate the drive wheels with the paddles and chain being elevated above the water level for return travel. A drive wheel is joined by a shaft to a cam wheel against which an end of a piston shaft is engaged so that rotation of the cam wheel causes reciprocal travel of the piston shaft with the piston enclosed in a cylinder that pumps water up through a vertical pipe to create a pressure head of water for driving a generator engine. The cam wheel is shaped so that the reciprocal travel of the piston may be varied depending upon the radial position of the piston shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1978
    Date of Patent: January 22, 1980
    Inventor: George W. Berg
  • Patent number: 4158780
    Abstract: A power generation system for the generation of electrica power from wave motions of the sea comprising a spine on which a plurality of ducks are rockably mounted and for each duck a power generation assembly comprising a hydrostatic transmission having a pump operatively connected with a drive which is rotated back and forth by the rocking motion of the duck, caused by the wave motions of the sea and a variable displacement motor hydraulically coupled to the pump so as to be driven by the pump. The system further includes an electric generator operatively connected to the motor to be driven thereby so as to provide electrical power and a sensing means for sensing the force or velocity condition of the duck and for varying the motor displacement in accordance with such condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1977
    Date of Patent: June 19, 1979
    Inventor: Eric Wood
  • Patent number: 4081962
    Abstract: A dynamic wave energy extraction system utilizing a suspended weight to extract energy from ocean waves. A spring-biased floating sheave is disposed to move with respect to a pair of guide posts attached to a ship. A cable having a submerged weight attached to one end thereof passes across the sheave and attaches at the other end to the ship. The spring, cable and weight are tuned to match the predominant heave frequency of the ship, thereby exciting the cable system producing maximum dynamic tension variations in the cable. The tension variations force the floating sheaves to move along the guide posts in an oscillatory or reciprocating manner, thus extracting the maximum amount of energy from the waves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1976
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1978
    Inventors: Francis C. Liu, Kwang Ta Huang
  • Patent number: 4074526
    Abstract: A pressure source for providing a stream of liquid at a substantial pressure. The pressure source includes pressurizing means such as a piston-cylinder assembly to which a force is applied to expel the contents thereof under pressure to form the stream. Weight means moving from an upper elevation to a lower elevation provides the said force. The pressure source also includes means to release, in discrete quantums of mass, the weight means for downward movement, in the preferred embodiments, without substantial impediment other than the pressurizing means. This provides sufficient force to supply a stream at a usefully high pressure, for example one which can drive a turbine wheel or a linear actuator at a useful velocity. In a preferred form, the weight means is a buoyant body, and the pressure source includes lift means to float the buoyant body to the upper elevation, and then to permit it to descend to the lower elevation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1978
    Inventor: William S. West
  • Patent number: 4048512
    Abstract: A power generating system for the generation of energy from the wave motions of the sea is buoyantly supported by the sea. The system comprises spine elements defining a spine on which ducks are rockably mounted, the system further including tension cable means pressing the spine elements towards each other thereby to define a spine, and energy conversion means for converting the rocking motion into electrical power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1976
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1977
    Assignee: Insituform (Pipes & Structures) Ltd.
    Inventor: Eric Wood
  • Patent number: 3961480
    Abstract: A pressure source for providing a stream of liquid at a substantial pressure. The pressure source includes pressurizing means such as a piston-cylinder assembly to which a force is applied to expel the contents thereof under pressure to form the stream. Weight means moving from an upper elevation to a lower elevation provides the said force. The pressure source also includes means to release, in discrete quantums of mass, the weight means for downward movement, in the preferred embodiments, without substantial impediment other than the pressurizing means. This provides sufficient force to supply a stream at a usefully high pressure, for example one which can drive a turbine wheel or a linear actuator at a useful velocity. In a preferred form, the weight means is a buoyant body, and the pressure source includes lift means to float the buoyant body to the upper elevation, and then to permit it to descend to the lower elevation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1974
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1976
    Inventor: William S. West
  • Patent number: 3952517
    Abstract: A buoyant ram motor comprising a hollow buoyant ram element movable within a housing into which liquid such as water is admitted in a manner applying a buoyant force to the ram and moving or lifting it up along the interior of the housing. After each power stroke, the liquid is removed from the housing to lower or return the ram to an initial or starting position for the next power stroke. The liquid for moving the ram can be obtained from natural water bodies. The force applied to the ram during each power stroke is augmented by providing a vacuum in the housing on and exposed to the surface of the ram opposite the surface to which the buoyant force is applied. During each return stroke, liquid is removed from beneath the ram in a manner preserving the vacuum over the ram. This is accomplished by an arrangement including a chamber communicating with the liquid below the ram and containing a weighted cylinder supported on a flexible container filled with compressed air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1973
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1976
    Inventor: Bert J. Decker
  • Patent number: 3934964
    Abstract: A plurality of piston-sealed cylinders are secured in oppositely disposed units in spaced relationship to each other about the circumference of a rotational member having substantially horizontal axes of rotation. The rotational member and all cylinders are submerged within a fluid medium. Cylinders on the vertically upwardly moving side of the rotational member have their pistons withdrawn from sealed ends of the cylinders to create a large air space, reducing the weight of each such cylinder to less than the weight of the quantity of the fluid medium which each such cylinder displaces thereby giving each such cylinder buoyancy in the fluid medium and the tendency to rise therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1974
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1976
    Inventor: David Diamond