Abstract: This invention can take-off like a helicopter and then roll forward as a single unit to fly faster and further than any conventional helicopter. Just like the seats in a Ferris wheel, the payload of passengers or freight can remain upright and comfortable as this aircraft rotates from take-off to fast forward and back to landing mode. Prior inventions claiming similar performance generate lift for take-off and landing by relative rotation of major aircraft components or by vectoring a thrust through large angles of deflection which produces inherently unstable flight characteristics. This invention requires neither rotation of major assemblies nor highly vectorable thrust, making it simpler and more reliable than the aircraft with major rotating assemblies and more stable and efficient than aircraft relying on vectored thrust for lift.

Abstract: This invention captures hydrokinetic energy to do work such as produce electricity. The hydrokinetic flow exerts a torque on a turbine wheel. The wheel causes a set of tanks to rotate around a horizontal centerline. Working fluid drains from tanks near the top of the wheel to drive a conventional turbine before draining into lower tanks. Although a mechanical power transmission driven by the turbine wheel is simpler in concept, scale up to large slowly rotating wheels encounters increasingly difficult design problems: transmission of 1 kW at 1 rpm requires 6,959 ft-lb. In contrast, the conventional turbine of the fluid drive system provides mechanical power for use at a much higher speed than the turbine wheel. Therefore, very large engines can be built without a step-up transmission or components that must withstand extremely large torque loads. One unit can produce reliable 24/7 utility-scale base-load electrical power.

Abstract: This invention captures hydrokinetic energy to do work such as produce electricity. The hydrokinetic flow exerts a torque on a turbine wheel. The wheel causes a set of tanks to rotate around a horizontal centerline. Working fluid drains from tanks near the top of the wheel to drive a conventional turbine before draining into lower tanks. Although a mechanical power transmission driven by the turbine wheel is simpler in concept, scale up to large slowly rotating wheels encounters increasingly difficult design problems: transmission of 1 kW at 1 rpm requires 6,959 ft-lb. In contrast, the conventional turbine of the fluid drive system provides mechanical power for use at a much higher speed than the turbine wheel. Therefore, very large engines can be built without a step-up transmission or components that must withstand extremely large torque loads. One unit can produce reliable 24/7 utility-scale base-load electrical power.