Method for producing energy and an apparatus producing energy

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing energy, in such a way that the apparatus is based on weights (4) and floats (3), and in which the weights/floats are situated, for example, on arms set to rotate on bearings around a pivot point (1), so that at least one weight (4) can be moved in an essentially radial direction. The arm (2), to which the weight (4) is attached and locked in a position moved towards the axle (1), is moved from a position deviating from a vertical position, locked there, and the weight (4) is released, so that it carries out work, such as pumping the liquid. The arm (2) being released to return to its initial position, so that the means (5, 6) connected to the weight, returns the weight (4) by resting against a counter-surface (7) with a diminishing radius.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing energy and an apparatus producing energy.

[0002] Over the years, various solutions for producing energy have been developed, embodied in the most diverse constructions. Many of these are based on the buoyancy prevailing in water and on various movements of weights incorporated in them.

[0003] The general principle of the apparatus according to the present invention is according to the above embodiments. Thus, in general, the invention is based on weights.

[0004] In the following, certain characteristics of the invention are depicted in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show certain basic principles of the invention,

[0005] Thus;

[0006] FIG. 1 shows one embodiment, which shows, in the same figure, two positions of the arm connected to one apparatus according to the invention;

[0007] FIG. 2 shows an otherwise identical arrangement, except that the arm shown at the right-hand side has now carried out pumping work with the aid of its weight;

[0008] FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the invention, in which the pump effect is created by means of a pump connected to the arm itself and its weight;

[0009] FIGS. 4 and 5 show how the weight essentially related to the invention is guided to be always set at an advantageous angle in relation to the counter-surface;

[0010] FIG. 6 shows, in turn, one solution for moving the weight laterally;

[0011] FIG. 7 shows the case of FIG. 6 in the form of a simplified diagram;

[0012] FIG. 8 shows an additional adaptation of the apparatus according to the invention; and

[0013] FIG. 9 shows yet another embodiment of the apparatus.

[0014] In the following, the method is described by describing the apparatus, in which case the method too will become apparent. Thus, it is an essential feature of the apparatus according to the invention, that the arm 2 attached, or a combination of several arms, attached to the axle 1 by bearings, is made to move backwards and forwards in such a way that the arrangement of weights connected to the arm 2 performs work, such as pumping a liquid. The arrangement operates especially in water, the surface of which is shown by the wavy line in FIG. 1. The entire apparatus can, however, be completely submerged in water.

[0015] The apparatus includes a float 3 attached to a suitable point on arm 2, the float having a weight 4 inside it, which is attached to the arm 2 in such a way that it can move essentially parallel to the arm 2, and/or with the aid of guide arms 5 or similar supported on the float 3. At the end of the same arm, a wheel 6 is also attached, which acts against a counter-surface 7 and causes, as it moves against the counter-surface, the weight 4 to rise towards the axle 1. There may be one or several weights, just as there may also be one or several floats, for example, so that there are several floats to each weight, or several weights to each float.

[0016] In the position of the arm 2 at the right-hand side of FIG. 1, the arm 2 has been turned to the slanting position shown, in such a way that the weight 4 has been locked to its upper position. Once the arm has come to the position shown, it is locked in place and the rod 8 of a piston 10 of a pump 9, 10, which is outside the counter-surface, is pressed downwards by the released weight 4, so that the piston 10 pumps high-pressure liquid into the pipeline 11, where it is used to carry out work of any kind whatever.

[0017] Once the weight and piston have reached their lower position, as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2, the connection between them is disconnected and the arm 2 is released from the locking, after which the weight 4 causes the arm 2 to begin moving ‘downhill’, because the torque of the weight is greater that the buoyancy caused by the float, while the wheel 6 that moves against the tightening counter-surface 7 guides the weight 4 to its upper position. When the arm returns from the position shown on the left-hand side of FIG. 1 to the position shown on the right-hand side, the buoyancy caused by the float is exploited to the full.

[0018] If desired, the counter-surface can be made adjustable, so that the optimal conditions for the highest possible efficiency are achieved under all circumstances. Similarly, the counter-surface and also the operating point and the length and other characteristics of the arm 2 of the apparatus can also continue to another position to that shown in the figure. Thus, the operation can take place from the six o'clock position in one or both directions, i.e. towards the nine o'clock position and/or towards the three o'clock position. The counter-surfaces can also be discontinuous.

[0019] FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, in which an overhead counter-surface 7 is used. In this embodiment, the weight 4 itself acts as a piston, by moving tightly-sealed in a suitably dimensioned cylinder. Once the arm has turned to the position at the right-hand side of FIG. 3, with the weight 4 locked into the upper position, the channel 11 is connected in a suitable manner tightly to the end of the cylinder, after which weight 4 is released to carry out the pumping movement and to pump liquid into the channel 11.

[0020] If necessary, both overhead and underneath counter-surfaces can be used, for example, to carry out different operations in the apparatus.

[0021] FIGS. 4 and 5 show arrangements intended to always keep the moving weight 4 at a suitable angle in relation to the counter-surface, for example, in a vertical position. FIG. 4 shows a construction of the float 3 equipped with an internal weight 4 while FIG. 5 in turn shows the float with an external weight arrangement. Operating device 12 is attached to the construction between two pivot points 12′, 12″ at its ends, A third pivot point 13 acts as a pivot for changing the angle of tilt, under the control of the operating device 12. In other respects, the illustration should be self-explanatory. It is obvious, that adjustment by means of the operating device 12 can take place once or several times during an operating cycle, or can be continuously adjustable, if so desired. The operating device 12 is of a type conventionally used in control operations in other fields.

[0022] The embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 has the additional characteristic that the weight 4 can be moved laterally. Thus, the movement can take place with the aid of suitable operating devices 12, which can be of the type described above. The operating devices 12 are pivoted suitably both to the components attached to the arm 2 and to the components supporting the weight 4, so that by operating the operating devices 12, the weight is made to move, in FIG. 6, from left to right and from right to left. As will be known, though the horizontal movement of a weight consumes very little energy it will substantially alter the length of the lever arm in the entire system.

[0023] FIG. 7 shows a top view of the case of FIG. 6. A weight 4 that can move along the guides 14 moves easily on the rollers 15 supported on the guides 14.

[0024] In the embodiment shown above in FIGS. 6 and 7, the movement of the weight and the tilting of the weight arrangement must be carried out simultaneously, because the operation to different extents of the operating devices 12 will naturally also cause tilting. In fact, if tilting and movement of the weight can be performed simultaneously, a single operating device will suffice, allowing a fixed pivot to be used in place of the second operating device.

[0025] It can be seen from FIG. 7, that, if necessary, the guides 14 can be made quite long, as there are no limits to the length of the movement, if suitable operating devices are used. It is obvious that the guides can also be shaped differently to the essentially straight guides shown in FIG. 7. The guides 14 can also be made adjustable, if such an alternative will give a better result.

[0026] FIG. 8 shows yet another embodiment of the invention, from which everything unnecessary has been removed, i.e. the figure is an extremely simplified depiction of the functioning of the apparatus. The reference numbers signify the same as described in connection with the other figures. Thus, the apparatus is intended to operate in water with a backwards and forwards motion and with the axle 1 acting as a pivot point. One or several arms 2 are attached to the axle 1. A float 3, which has a certain buoyancy effect when under water, is attached to the arm 2. Arm 2 also includes a weight 4, which moves inside a sleeve 16 or similar.

[0027] The general principle of the invention is the same as above; the movement of the weight lengthens/shortens the lever arm attached to the axle 1, which also results in a change in the mutual positions of the float 3 and the weight 4, due to which, under certain conditions, the buoyancy of the float 3 in the water is able to raise the weight in a horizontal direction, while under other conditions the mass of the weight 4 is sufficient to press the float 3 downwards.

[0028] The entire operation can be outlined as follows. In the initial situation, the arm 2 is in a nearly vertical position, as shown in the right-hand part of the figure. Even in this connection, it should be noted that the positions of the arm 2, the float 3, and the weight 4 can be different in practice, and are not restricted to the situation shown in the diagram. The arm 2 with its float 3 and its weight 4 has come from the left-hand side position to this position in such a way that the counter-surface 7 has caused the weight 4 to be lifted to the upper position, in which the weight 4 is locked. This position is indicated with the reference number I.

[0029] By means of a suitable mechanism, which is not shown in this figure, but which can be one of the types described in connection with the other figures above, the weight 4 is moved horizontally to the position II and the weight 4 with its tube 16 is tilted in the direction shown.

[0030] In the situation described above, the mutual positions of the float and weight at the end of the lever arm 2 are such that the float begins to raise the entire system in the water towards position III, to which the arm then comes. After this, a suitable mechanism is used to move the weight system horizontally to the position IV on the left-hand side of the figure. In this position, the locking of the weight 4 is released, allowing the weight to drop downwards in the tube 16, as shown in position V. At this stage, the weight carries out exploitable work, for example, by operating a pump, as described above. Suitable tilting and movements are carried out to move the weight to its optimal position and allow the arm 2 with its weights to rotate towards the downhill direction. When the weight reaches the downward position at the end of the arm, the counter-surface 7 simultaneously raises the weight to the upper position in the tube 16, when the initial position described above is once again ready.

[0031] FIG. 9 shows yet another embodiment of a solution according to the invention. The numbering of the components corresponds to the numbers used in connection with the descriptions of the previous figures. The solution involves the location of two floats in two different positions, which are indicated in the figure with the numbers I and II. Thus, in this embodiment, guides 14, along which the weight 4 can move, are attached to a float, or in this case to two floats 3. Because the apparatus operates in water, the lower position shown in FIG. 9 ensures that the buoyancy of the floats 3 in the water is sufficient to move the floats to the upper position, which is shown on the left-hand side of FIG. 9, on the arms 2 that rotate around the axles 1. At this stage, i.e. in the upper position of the apparatus, the weight 4 is moved along an essentially horizontal transfer track from the outermost of the floats, in which case the rotational force of the apparatus forces it to the lower position. For the duration of the movement of the weight 4, the apparatus is locked in place in the upper position. Once the apparatus has reached its lower position, the weight is once again moved close to the floats 3.

[0032] It is obvious that many different kinds of solutions known from other fields of technology can be used to carry out the process described above. Thus, guide-type means, or any means at all that permit movement to be made, can be used to move and tilt the weight 4. The operating power for the movements and tilting can be taken from any suitable energy source at all, the power being, for example, electrical, pneumatic, or hydraulic power.

[0033] The arm can move or be moved over a more or a less extensive arc than that described above. The movement and tilting of the weight can also be carried out at such a time and to such an extent, as well as in such a direction, as will allow the best result to be achieved at any time. Many different ways can be used for tilting, such as the use of the counter-surface described above. The locking and release of the weight are carried out in whatever sequence is appropriate at each time and therefore the sequences of movement, tilting, and locking/releasing can differ from those described above. In addition, the movement of the floats can be in different directions to, or as mirror-images of each other and can also be varied in other ways. In the case of FIG. 9, the float-weight system can also be moved in such a way that the floats are moved physically to a parallel position, while nevertheless taking care that the path of the weight remains in the desired position. Many different means, for example, some kind of rectangular trapezoid, can be used for this purpose.

[0034] The simplified diagram examined above does not contain any kind of operating devices, movement or tilting devices, or other necessary means. All of the means can be located in suitable places, so that some of them may be external to the apparatus and some of them internal means. It is also obvious that an apparatus of this type intended to produce energy will nowadays essentially include a computer, by means of which the entire process is controlled and optimized.

[0035] A pump is depicted above as being the means for recovering energy, but the means can of course be of another kind. One means could be, for example, such in which the weight is connected to a rack, which is brought into suitable contact with a pinion when it is intended to release the weight from its upper position. The rack then rotates the pinion as the weight descends, making it easy to recover the energy from the rotating motion. It is obvious that other variations also exist for this purpose.

[0036] Other adaptations of the invention are also possible while remaining within the scope of the inventive idea and the accompanying Claims.

[0037] It is obvious that the apparatus according to the invention can be adapted in many ways while nevertheless remaining with the scope of the inventive idea and the accompanying Claims. The desired number of arms can be used, their number being in no way limited. Several floats and weights can also be used, if such an alternative seems necessary. The weights and floats can be either together or also separate from each other, and need not be as shown in the figures. Similarly, it is possible to use fixed or adjustable auxiliary weights or auxiliary floats. It should be further noted that the operation of the apparatus according to the invention is based on very larges masses, so that even a small relative difference between the produced/required amount of energy will produce a large amount of working power.

[0038] According to the invention, if desired, arm 2 can have a telescopic construction. Similarly, a telescopic construction can also be utilized in the arm 5. This is particularly the case in situations in which it is possible to change the direction of the arm 5 and also of the entire arrangement of weights. By withdrawing the arm 5 telescopically into itself, savings are achieved in terms of its paths of motion and other characteristics. A similar effect with a telescopic construction can be achieved by making the axle 1 movable, so that its position can be altered if necessary.

[0039] Reference has been made above to an arrangement of arms attached by bearings to the axle. This is not, however, the only alternative, as the motion can also be controlled, in a known manner, by other means. Thus, for example, it is possible to arrange guides, along which the arrangement of weights and floats can be moved forwards and backwards, or in a desired manner. Suitable auxiliary devices can be arranged to create or assist the motion, so that, for example, the components referred to can be made to move along guides with the aid of motor-driven rollers.

[0040] Naturally, cables or other known means can also be used to provide motion. The guides and similar can extend from near the floats in one direction or, if necessary, in both directions.

[0041] According to the invention, shape is not significant, for which any shapes of the weights and/or floats as have been found to be practicable can be used. To achieve the best manner of operation possible for each construction, the weight can be made lighter, equal to, or heavier than the buoyancy caused by the float. The choice will always depend on the individual case. According to the invention, auxiliary energy can, if necessary, be used to create movement, for example, between the two extreme positions shown in FIG. 1. The direction in which such auxiliary energy may be required depends essentially on the relationship between the weight and the buoyancy of the float. Solutions known from many other contexts can be used to produce the auxiliary energy.

[0042] Though only two embodiments are examined above, it is obvious that the extreme positions of the arm can of course differ from those shown in the figures, which are only intended to provide alternatives, and not to limit the invention to them.

Claims

1. A method for producing energy by means of an apparatus operating in water, which is based on weights (4) and floats (3), which are situated at, or near to the outer ends of arms set to rotate on bearings around a pivot point (1), and in which the weights/floats are set to move in such a way that at least one weight (4) can be moved, characterized in that the arm (2) and the arrangement of the float (3) and the weight (4) are moved from one position to the other principally with the aid of the buoyancy effect of the float (3), in which arrangement the weight (4) is moved to a position extending the lever arm, or the weight is allowed to descend from the said position to a lower level carrying out work and is returned to the initial situation by moving the weight back to its initial position.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the weight (4) is returned to its initial position with the aid of means (5, 6) connected to the weight, by resting against a counter-surface (7) with a diminishing radius.

3. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the weight (4) is connected to the piston rod (8) of a piston pump (9, 10) in a second position differing from the initial vertical position of the arm (2), pumping being achieved by the pressure of the released weight (4) on the piston rod (8).

4. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the movement of the weight (4) takes place along a rail arrangement (14) or similar.

5. An apparatus operating under water for producing energy, based on weights (4) and floats (3), which are situated at, or near to the outer ends of arms set to rotate on bearings around a pivot point (1), in such a way that at least one weight (4) is movable, characterized in that in the apparatus there are means (8, 9, 10) for recovering energy from the vertical movement of the weight (4) and/or means (e.g. 14) for moving the weight (4) more or less horizontally and thus for altering the torque acting on the arm (2).

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the means (8, 9, 10) comprises a pump construction, a combination of a rack and a pinion, or a corresponding device.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the pump construction is an integral part of the weight and float arrangement.

8. An apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the float (3) forms the cylinder of the pump and the weight (4) forms the piston of it.

9. An apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the pump is connected to an external channel (11) for leading liquid to it for pumping.

10. An apparatus according to any of the above claims 5-9, characterized in that it includes means (12, 12′, 13) for holding the path of the weight (4) in the desired position.

11. An apparatus according to any of the above claims 5-10, characterized in that it also includes means (14, 15) for moving the weight (4) in a direction more or less deviating from the vertical direction.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that it also includes means (14, 15) for moving the weight (4) in an essentially horizontal direction.

13. An apparatus according to any of claims 5-12, characterized in that the weight (4) is situated in a sleeve-like member (16), inside which the weight can move.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that the means for moving and tilting the weight (4) are means for moving and tilting the sleeve-like member (16).

15. An apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that it includes rail-like components (14) for moving the weight (4) laterally.