Patents by Inventor Peter L. Fraenkel
Peter L. Fraenkel 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).
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Patent number: 9605400Abstract: A method and apparatus for mounting a column/pile in an upstanding position on a supporting surface comprising the steps of lowering the column/pile to be installed from a support vessel into contact with the supporting surface, using the lower/toe end of the column/pile as a drill such as to form a bore in the supporting surface into which the lower region of the column/pile is to be located and leaving the column/pile in situ in the bore after the completion of a drilling operation.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2010Date of Patent: March 28, 2017Assignees: MARINE CURRENT TURBINES LIMITED, BAUER MASCHINEN GmbHInventors: Peter L. Fraenkel, Richard Montague
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Patent number: 8794875Abstract: A method for mounting at last one tidal turbine and its associated support structures in a river or sea bed. The turbine and associated support structures are joined to a base of such weight as to involve gravitational forces of such magnitude as to be sufficient to withstand forces acting to tend to displace the turbine and its associated support structures. The base structure can be pre-assembled and transported to a required location of installation by lowering to the sea or river bed. Conveniently, the transportation is by means of an installation vessel incorporating a facility for lowering the entire assembly including at least one turbine, a support column, and the base structure in a controlled manner to rest at a desired position on the river or sea bed.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2007Date of Patent: August 5, 2014Assignee: Marine Current Turbines LimitedInventor: Peter L. Fraenkel
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Patent number: 8579576Abstract: A support system for at least one water drivable turbine (1) that when in operation is immersed in a column of flowing water, characterized in that the system includes a deck or raft (3) for supporting said at least one turbine when immersed, the deck or raft (3) having an inherent buoyancy which is such as to enable the deck or raft (3) to rise through the column of water upon reduction of the buoyancy, the arrangement being such that the associated turbine or turbines (1) can be raised above the surface of said column in order to access the turbine for maintenance purposes.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2004Date of Patent: November 12, 2013Assignee: Marine Current Turbines LimitedInventor: Peter L. Fraenkel
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Publication number: 20120177447Abstract: A method and apparatus for mounting a column/pile in an upstanding position on a supporting surface comprising the steps of lowering the column/pile to be installed from a support vessel into contact with the supporting surface, using the lower/toe end of the column/pile as a drill such as to form a bore in the supporting surface into which the lower region of the column/pile is to be located and leaving the column/pile in situ in the bore after the completion of a drilling operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2010Publication date: July 12, 2012Inventors: Peter L. Fraenkel, Richard Montague
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Publication number: 20110318113Abstract: A method of installing a support structure required to be installed in a sea or river bed, involving so constructing the support structure that is capable of being temporarily self standing on the sea or river bed prior to and throughout the carrying out of operations required permanently to anchor the support structure to the sea or river bed.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2010Publication date: December 29, 2011Inventor: Peter L. Fraenkel
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Patent number: 7980785Abstract: A locking arrangement for selectively preventing displacement of a tubular article/load support structure (2) circumscribing the upstanding elongate support (1) and adapted for lengthways displacement along upstanding elongated support, wherein the tubular support structure (2) incorporates means (13) for releasably locking the tubular support structure against said lengthways displacement in such manner as to be able to maintain the article/load at any required position relative to the elongate support.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2006Date of Patent: July 19, 2011Assignee: Marine Current Turbines LimitedInventors: Peter L. Fraenkel, Angela S. Robotham
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Patent number: 7948107Abstract: An energy conversion system comprising a support structure upstanding within a volume of water subject to the occurrence of both wave motion and tidal flow, a first apparatus mounted from the support for deriving usable power from the tidal flow, and a second apparatus operationally supported relative to the support structure for deriving usable power from the occurrence of wave motion independently from that derived from tidal flows and power transfer apparatus for facilitating the transfer of such usable powers to a land based location, or for making some alternative use of such power elsewhere.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2006Date of Patent: May 24, 2011Assignee: Marine Current Turbines LimitedInventor: Peter L. Fraenkel
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Publication number: 20100183377Abstract: A method for mounting at last one tidal turbine and its associated support structures in a river or sea bed. The turbine and associated support structures are joined to a base of such weight as to involve gravitational forces of such magnitude as to be sufficient to withstand forces acting to tend to displace the turbine and its associated support structures. The base structure can be pre-assembled and transported to a required location of installation by lowering to the sea or river bed. Conveniently, the transportation is by means of an installation vessel incorporating a facility for lowering the entire assembly including at least one turbine, a support column, and the base structure in a controlled manner to rest at a desired position on the river or sea bed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 18, 2007Publication date: July 22, 2010Inventor: Peter L. Fraenkel
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Publication number: 20090220308Abstract: A locking arrangement for selectively preventing displacement of a tubular article/load support structure (2) circumscribing the upstanding elongate support (1) and adapted for lengthways displacement along upstanding elongated support, wherein the tubular support structure (2) incorporates means (13) for releasably locking the tubular support structure against said lengthways displacement in such manner as to be able to maintain the article/load at any required position relative to the elongate support.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 20, 2006Publication date: September 3, 2009Inventors: Peter L. Fraenkel, Angela S. Robotham
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Publication number: 20090121487Abstract: An energy conversion system comprising a support structure upstanding within a volume of water subject to the occurrence of both wave motion and tidal flow, a first apparatus mounted from the support for deriving usable power from the tidal flow, and a second apparatus operationally supported relative to the support structure for deriving usable power from the occurrence of wave motion independently from that derived from tidal flows and power transfer apparatus for facilitating the transfer of such usable powers to a land based location, or for making some alternative use of such power elsewhere.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 18, 2006Publication date: May 14, 2009Inventor: Peter L. Fraenkel
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Patent number: 7530224Abstract: A hydraulic transmission system for use with at least one water current driven turbine rotor (6), low speed high pressure pump (24) is arranged to receive operational drive from the turbine rotor, and to deliver its output to a high speed hydraulic motor or turbine (35) in such manner as to produce an increase of the shaft or motor speed accompanied by a corresponding reduction of torque required to drive electrical generators (38) or other high speed machinery.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2003Date of Patent: May 12, 2009Assignee: Marine Current Turbines LimitedInventor: Peter L. Fraenkel
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Publication number: 20080284176Abstract: A support structure for a flowing-water drivable turbine system having at least one generally horizontal deck of streamlined cross-section and at least one turbine assembly mounted thereon for operational co-operation with a flow of water in which the deck and turbine assembly is submerged above a sub-aquatic bed, an obstruction being situated between the sub-aquatic bed and deck causing most of the water flow relative to the deck to rise and accelerate over the deck upper surface through the drivable turbine assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 10, 2007Publication date: November 20, 2008Inventor: Peter L. Fraenkel
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Publication number: 20080232965Abstract: A support system for at least one water drivable turbine (1) that when in operation is immersed in a column of flowing water, characterized in that the system includes a deck or raft (3) for supporting said at least one turbine when immersed, the deck or raft (3) having an inherent buoyancy which is such as to enable the deck or raft (3) to rise through the column of water upon reduction of the buoyancy, the arrangement being such that the associated turbine or turbines (1) can be raised above the surface of said column in order to access the turbine for maintenance purposes.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2004Publication date: September 25, 2008Applicant: MARINE CURRENT TURBINES LIMITEDInventor: Peter L. Fraenkel
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Patent number: 7360993Abstract: A method and means of counteracting the effects of variation in static pressure acting upon a hollow rotor blade or hydrofoil (6, 7) for devices capable of extracting energy from a moving column (8) of water or other liquid within which the rotor of hydrofoil is located whether the device rotates as in the case of an axial flow turbine or whether it reciprocates in the flow such that cyclic static pressure fluctuations caused by vertical movement of the rotor blades or hydrofoils through the water column (8) including the step of equalising the pressure inside and outside the rotor blade or hydrofoil by filling any voids (17) within the hollow rotor blades or hydrofoils with a liquid in such manner as to allow the external surface (26) of said rotor blades or hydrofoils to “breathe”; i.e.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2003Date of Patent: April 22, 2008Assignee: Marine Current Turbines, Ltd.Inventor: Peter L. Fraenkel
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Patent number: 7331762Abstract: A support structure for a flowing-water drivable turbine system having a pair of generally horizontal decks of streamlined cross-section and at least one turbine assembly mounted thereon for operational co-operation with a flow of water in which the decks and turbine assembly is submerged.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2004Date of Patent: February 19, 2008Assignee: Marine Current Turbines, Ltd.Inventor: Peter L. Fraenkel
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Patent number: 7307356Abstract: A support system for a marine turbine installation including at least one turbine unit (3), the support system including a support column (1) or two or more support columns (1) which are arranged to be installed vertically, characterised by a turbine support assembly (2/14) including a horizontally arranged turbine support structure (4/15) adapted for displacement lengthways of the associated support column or columns, at least two turbine units (3) operationally carried by the support structure and means (41/44, 26/41, 52/55, 65/66) for enabling selective displacement of the support member (4, 15) lengthways of the associated column or columns, and in that the support structure includes an elongate member profiled in such manner that when the flow of water relative to the support assembly is bi-directional, the support structure member is so profiled so as to minimise water flow disturbance what ever the direction of the bi-directional water flow.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2003Date of Patent: December 11, 2007Assignee: Marine Current Turbines, Ltd.Inventor: Peter L. Fraenkel