Abstract: System for multiple harnessing and complemented conversion of energy from sea waves. The system includes a structure of vertical guides along which the central floating body moves, a submerged captive-air tank, held up by the floating body, with the body and the tank so arranged that the movement of the submerged tank is contrary to that of the central floating body. The movement of the central floating body and of the submerged tank is transmitted to the means of conversion of the movement into pneumatic, electrical or hydraulic energy. The system shows high energy harnessing efficiency.

Abstract: A gyro wave-activated power generator utilizing wave energy which has, as a component, a control moment gyro, and which comprises a floating body (1), a control moment gyro (5) supported by the floating body, and a power generator (10) connected to the gimbal shaft of the gyro through a gearing to increase speed(9), and is characterized by the gimbal (6) of the gyro being rotated by the movement of the floating body by wave energy to drive the power generator (10) for power generation.

Abstract: The wave force machine as such is constructed in such a way that it is capable of utilizing the upward force from the waves with (FIG. 1) the force from float (1) and rocker arm (3) via rocker arm pipe (4), wherein 1 or more lock bearings are provided, which transfer the upward force causing the driving force shaft (8) to rotate in the same direction. On each driving force shaft (8) may be one after the other of mounted float, rocker arm and rocker arm pipe with lock bearings after the other, and several driving force shafts (FIG. 6) (6,7,8 and 9) may be interconnected both horizontally and vertically to toothed wheel (1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14) shown here with 4 driving force shafts, but in principle any number of shafts may be interconnected. The total force from the driving force shafts may be brought to gearbox and electric generator and used in electricity production. 3 wave force machines may e.g. be interconnected to form e.g.

Abstract: A wave energy conversion apparatus is described. It comprises at least two devices (3, 4), each comprising a surface float (5, 6), at least one of the surface floats being rigidly attached to a submerged body (9, 10). The movement of the two devices in response to a passing wave may be used to effect an energy transfer.

Abstract: A power generation apparatus utilizing energy produced from ocean level fluctuation includes a working platform having a plurality of guy rods provided around its circumference each attached with a buoy under the working platform in the water; and a damper installed on top of each guy rod above the working platform; a connecting rod extended to the inner part of a generator unit installed coaxially on the working platform is connected to the center of a ratchet wheel clamped in each clamper. With such a structure, when the buoys move up and down following ocean level fluctuation, the dampers on top of the guy rods drive the ratchet wheels to rotate and the rotating torque of the ratchet wheels is transmitted to the generator unit thereby being converted to electric power.

Abstract: A wave motion energy harvesting apparatus of the invention comprises a float portion detachably interfitted with and axially moveable with respect to a hydrodynamically resistive portion. The float portion of this apparatus is moored by means of a line attached adjacent its vertical axis, but the hydrodynamically resistive portion is neither anchored nor moored except by its being interfitted with the float portion. Both the float and the hydrodynamically resistive portions are separately configured to have their mass distributed evenly about a common vertical axis of the apparatus. The float portion of the apparatus is nearly neutrally buoyant and comprises an automatically filled water ballast tank.

Abstract: A wave energy device comprising a tube assembly comprising a plurality of open pipes of different lengths and natural resonant frequencies each (FIG. 8) where each tube (13) floating upright in the water (FIG. 2), with the tower end of the tube open to the water and generally disposed below the effective wave base. There is an air column above the water in the tube. Turbine (17) is provided for harnessing power from fluctuations in the air column caused by the changing water level (16) in the tube as a result of the wave motion of the surrounding water (11).

Abstract: A device for buoy based wave power apparatus, where the buoy (30) coacts with a cylinder piston arrangement which is connected to the sea bed, and where the arrangement is provided with the valve means (34, 35) enabling fluid flow through a piston (32) and possibly a piston rod (33) in said arrangement, a pressure being formed in one chamber (37) of the arrangement during the upward movement of the buoy (30) and simultaneously a suction via a snorkel or via focusing conduits/means (30', 44, 47) into that part of the cylinder which is adjacent the top face of the piston and which forms a second chamber (36). The piston rod (33) has mounted thereon a submarine buoy (29) or a sink member (80) and is articulated or flexibly (46) connected to a sea bed base member (40, 81). The cylinder (31) may be fixedly or articulated (68) connected with the buoy (30, 55, 67).

Abstract: A hydraulic motor comprises at least two tanks each having an arrangement of upper and lower telescoped, relatively reciprocating tubular members. The lower tubular member extends from the bottom of the tank, the upper tubular member being guided during reciprocation. A liquid contained in the tanks is capable of floating each upper tubular member relative to the lower tubular member associated therewith. Each upper and lower tubular member arrangement forms a variable volume chamber containing a gaseous fluid. The variable volume chambers communicate with each other for equalizing the pressure therebetween. The tubular members of the respective chambers being alternately floated as the respective tanks are filled with and emptied of the liquid to cause commensurate, alternate reciprocation of the upper tubular members. A mechanical energy source is provided due to such a reciprocation.

Abstract: This invention relates to a system for the generation of useful energy from the power in ocean waves. The wave power generation system is an array of individual absorber units each consisting of a buoyant raft, connected to a stable mooring assembly by means of a yoke so as to allow relative motion between the buoyant raft and the mooring assembly in response to the motion of the waves. A linkage between the buoyant raft and the yoke allows conversion of the relative motion into mechanical, hydraulic and/or electrical power. The system is designed to be responsive to the broad spectrum of frequencies present in ocean waves. The response characteristics of the individual absorber units can be changed to match the conditions of the incident waves in order to provide maximum power conversion efficiency. Each unit of the array is tuned to a condition for maximum power absorption by control of the shape, mass, moments, and power extraction impedance.

Abstract: The assembly comprises an elongated float member which floats on the surface of a body of water having waves moving therealong. A support arm freely pivotally connects to the float member for maintaining the float member parallel to the surface of the water. The support arm member is effective to maintain the float member with its longest dimension disposed in a direction parallel to the length of the waves moving along the surface of the body of water. A transmission assembly is responsive to the support arm member as the float member moves up and down with the movement of the waves to produce a rotational movement in a transmission shaft from which energy may be derived. Various features directed to the specific configuration of the float member, support arm member, transmission mechanism including the structure of a transmission shaft and a clutch mechanism are also disclosed.

Abstract: A man-made floating island includes platform units above the water with vertical members extending downwardly therefrom on which movable floats are mounted which move in response to wave action. Motion of the floats operates air compressors and the resulting compressed air is either converted to transmissible energy or stored in reservoirs for future use. Wave amplifiers may be disposed beneath the movable floats.

Abstract: Apparatus and process for use in converting the energy of ocean waves to useful power form wherein two floats supporting a rigid structure are spaced apart to maximize the end movement of said rigid structure, and an energy extraction device preferably of the cylinder and piston type is operated by the movement of the end of said structure producing movements of four times the wave height when the two floats are spaced one-half the wave length of the wave and the energy conversion device is spaced further away from said floats by a similar amount.

Abstract: An installation for exploiting the energy of oceans, comprising at least one floating-member, or float, capable of moving along the surface of the sea under the action of waves, at least one reference-member deeply submerged, said reference-member being substantially unaffected by the waves and at least one variable-capacity hydraulic device, said device comprising a fixed member connected to said reference-member and a movable member, adapted to slide with respect to said fixed member, said movable member being connected to said float.

Abstract: An apparatus for converting the wave motion of a body of water to electrical energy includes a housing having a pair of opposed counter rotating shafts mounted to a common output shaft for driving the output shaft in a single direction and includes counterweights for restraining the shafts against rotation during oscillation of the housing about the axis of the shafts for thereby converting oscillating motion of the housing into intermittent unidirectional motion of the two counter rotating shafts and a substantially continuous motion of the output shaft which is connected to a generator unit for generating electrical energy. A torque storage spring is utilized to store the rotary energy and maintain a substantially constant speed output of the shaft to the electrical generator.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for generating electric power in response to the rise and fall of tidal water. The system comprises a movable container which is mounted on a float to move up with the tide with reference to a coaxially enclosed fixed plunger, which comprises and forces a body of liquid in the movable container to overflow into a first trough adjacent its upper end. The movable container is rigidly coupled to a movable plunger which depends coaxially into a fixed container, the plunger moving down with the tide to compress a body of liquid in the fixed container, causing it to overflow into a second trough adjacent its upper end. The two troughs are interconnected vertically through a gravity flow system, including a turbine which is constantly operated by the liquid falling from one or the other of the troughs, as the tide rises and falls. One embodiment comprises two fixed containers with movable plungers and two movable containers with fixed plungers.

Abstract: A wave pump apparatus includes a number of upstanding cylinders connected together by a subframe. Each cylinder mounts a float on the outside of the cylinder connected to a piston within the cylinder. The upstanding cylinders are spaced approximately a distance of half of an average wave length from the main floats of a particular wave pattern such that as certain floats are moving upwardly, other floats are moving downwardly. Each cylinder is connected to a chamber at the bottom thereof with an inlet valve and an outlet valve, such that as the piston in the cylinder is moving upwardly, it will draw in water, and as the piston moves downwardly in the cylinder, it will pump the water.

Abstract: The invention is an improvement in the economical generation of energy by providing a system for utilizing the wave action of bodies of water, such as ocean waves. The system consists of a pair of floating units, each separately connected to a shaft member by a connecting arm, a ratchet-like gear affixed to the shaft member is indexed forward alternately or concurrently by spring loaded pawls affixed to each of the connecting arms from the floating units to the shaft members. The wave action alternately raising and lowering the floating units concurrently turns the ratchet-like gear through the action of the pawls. Thus, the turning shaft, properly geared can turn an electric generator, air compressor, or other device of generating another form of energy which can be used or stored for future use.

Abstract: Apparatus for generating power from wave action comprising a barge (12) and at least one float (14, 15) connected thereto by rigid members (16, 17, 18, 19) pivotally connected thereto by sockets (20). A watertight cylinder (37) including a piston (40) is attached to the barge. Cables (32, 34) connect with the piston and pass through pulleys to the barge. As the wave action rocks the float relative to the barge the piston is moved longitudinally in the cylinder to pump water used for driving a turbine (57) for generating electrical power. Wind vanes (24) and water vanes (27) are also included in the float to enhance the rocking action.

Abstract: Apparatus for extracting energy from fluid motion, i.e. waves, comprising spacing a plurality of floating modules, which may be single floats or arrays, on the fluid's surface far enough apart to minimize apparatus cost and close enough together to utilize the vortex-like action of the waves to extract a maximum amount of wave energy. This spacing is preferably about half the wavelength of the incident waves. The energy extracted by the modules is converted to hydraulic, electrical, mechanical, or chemical energy.

Abstract: A water wave energy transducer comprises a boat having pivoted arms projecting out over the water, a float being mounted on the outboard end of each arm so that the arms are oscillated by wave action on the floats. Drive sprockets fixed on the arms coaxially with their pivots are connected by drive chains with two driven sprockets coaxial, respectively, with two gears which mesh with one another and one of which meshes with an output gear. The driven sprockets are coupled with the coaxial gears by one-way clutches which are oppositely arranged so that one drives when the sprockets turn in one direction and the other drives when the sprockets turn in the opposite direction. Hence, the output gear is driven in the same direction by both upward and downward movement of the floats. The output gear is connected by a speed increasing gear train with an electric generator which can supply current to a motor for propelling the boat, or through a cable to the shore when the boat is anchored.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for converting a standard buoy design into an electrical power producing apparatus. The vertical arms slide in sleeves attached to the buoy body and terminate in feet in the form of flat discs. As the buoy bobs and pivots in the water, the resistance of the feet to motion cause the arms to reciprocate, operating pneumatic piston pumps within the buoy. These piston pumps power pneumatic turbines which activate generators for producing electrical power. The moving parts of the linkages connecting the arms to the pumps are protected by a plastic casing which keeps out sea water. The casing includes facets which act as sails. Annular wipers are provided between the arms and sleeves within which the arms reciprocate, so as to prevent sea water from seeping therebetween.

Abstract: The invention provides a device for converting wave energy into useful work, and comprises a body adapted to be moved to and fro by waves on a liquid, and means such as a hydraulic piston in a cylinder for converting this movement of the body into a power output. The body may be disposed about a horizontal cable along which the to and fro movement of the body is arranged to occur, the cable being secured to the piston so that relative movement between the body and the cable results in displacement of the piston in the cylinder.A plurality of said cables may be threaded through the body, and some of these cables may be in mutually perpendicular relationship to each other to provide a device having an omnidirectional wave energy conversion capability.

Abstract: A wave action power plant powered by the action of water waves has a drive shaft rotated by a plurality of drive units, each having a lever pivotally mounted on and extending from said shaft and carrying a weight, in the form of a float, which floats on the waves and rocks the lever up and down on the shaft. A ratchet mechanism causes said shaft to be rotated in one direction by the weight of said float after it has been raised by wave and the wave has passed, leaving said float free to move downwardly by gravity and apply its full weight to pull down on the lever and rotate the drive shaft. There being a large number of said drive units so that there are always some of the weights pulling down on their respective levers while other weights are being lifted by waves and thereby causing continuous rotation of the drive shaft in one direction.

Abstract: An articulated marine structure for an offshore body of water which is subject to wave movement. The structure includes at least two floating elements which are pivotally joined along a common edge to permit relative movement between the respective elements in response to wave action. An energy accumulator is operably connected to the respective floats, and is actuated by movement of either float whereby to initiate conversion of wave energy into an alternate, usable energy form.

Abstract: A wave pump apparatus includes a number of upstanding cylinders connected together by a subframe. Each cylinder mounts a float on the outside of the cylinder connected to a piston within the cylinder. The upstanding cylinders are spaced approximately a distance of half of an average wave length of a particular wave pattern such that as certain floats are moving upwardly, other floats are moving downwardly. Each cylinder is connected to a chamber at the bottom thereof with an inlet valve and an outlet valve, such that as the piston in the cylinder is moving upwardly, it will draw in water, and as the piston moves downwardly in the cylinder, it will pump the water.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of and device for generating energy from waves in water. The device includes a cylindrical buoyant body which has a regular shape in cross-section and annular tracks on its end faces. Gears adapted to constrain the body for rotation about its axis in one direction only are engaged in axial alignment with the tracks on one side of the center of gravity of the body and movable and rotatable means such as a cam or the like is engaged with the track on the opposite side of the center of gravity of the body to inhibit buoyant upward movement of the body on that side of its center of gravity and encourage rotary movement of the other side of the body relatively to the constraining gears.

Abstract: Apparatus for deriving power output from wave energy is disclosed. A rotatable member is provided which is capable of rotating in only one direction. A float is provided which rises and falls in response to wave action, and thereby moves relative to the rotatable member. The float is coupled to the rotatable member so that the movement of the float rotates the rotatable member in its available direction to provide power output.In its preferred form, the present invention provides an elongate floating barge flanked by a pair of elongate floats. Transverse movement of the floats relative to the barge is limited. A rotatable power output shaft is mounted on the barge parallel to the elongate floats. A plurality of pulleys circumscribe the shaft and are spaced along its length. Tension members attached to the floats circumscribe the respective pulleys to rotate the pulleys and thereby the shaft as the floats move relative to the barge to achieve power output.

Abstract: New and improved methods and means are described for the efficient, expeditious, economical, and safe conversion to usable form of almost all subsurface wave energy available within a predetermined annular region spanned by an array of submerged wave energy removing impellers mounted upon an annular outrigger surrounding and secured to a seagoing central platform. Maximal progressive inward attenuation of practically any state of the open sea is achieved over a very broad wave frequency band by buoyant, nonbuoyant, and neutrally buoyant impellers that function approximately as generalized simple pendulums whose natural frequencies fall at regular intervals throughout that frequency band. Optimal functioning of the impellers is achieved by assigning to their working members suitable degrees of omnidirectional response to water movement interial and drag forces, respectively.

Abstract: An energy conversion device is disclosed which utilizes the natural movements of ocean waves to produce electrical energy. The apparatus is contained in a tank which is adapted to float near the surface of the water and tilt from side to side about a pivot point located below the tank, thereby simulating a pendulum-like movement. A sinker weight is employed to produce the appropriate movement of the tank and maintain the floating tank in balance at the ocean surface. The pendulum motion of the tank is used to roll a plurality of gravity wheels or their respective horizontal platforms in the tank in such manner that shafts associated with the gravity wheels are caused to rotate. Electrical generators are operatively connected to the rotating shafts for producing electrical energy from the mechanical rotative energy of the shafts as the tank tilts from side to side with the wave motion.

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.

Abstract: A novel tidal and wave-power collection apparatus is disclosed which is well suited for oceanic installations. In the preferred embodiment, a matrix of power collection units is easily assembled at sea, each being bridged and reinforced by catwalks extending therebetween which form trilateral power collection modules having such units at each of the corners thereof. Each power collection unit comprises a central tubular pilaster embedded in the ocean floor around which is disposed a toroidal float which moves up and down with the waves and tide and which acts to drive an air compressor while rising and falling. The output of the air compressor, i.e. compressed air, is stored in the float's chamber and is transmitted through conduits in the bridging structure to a remote power consumption site. The apparatus is efficient, economical and capable of capturing and storing large quantities of power which may be utilized to satisfy peak load power demands.

Abstract: A tide operated pump has piston and cylinder members establishing a vertically expansible chamber, one member fixed and the other including a float that is adapted to contain ballast water. Valve controlled inlet and outlet conduits enable the chamber to become expanded and charged with water as a tide rises, the water trapped therein until the tide has ebbed to a wanted extent and then released under the head established by the float. The float may be flooded when in an elevated position to further increase the head and the ballast water later drained to restore normal float buoyancy if desired. A series of such pumps provide a continuous flow and the pumps are interconnected in a manner permitting one or more of the pumps to expand the chamber of at least one of the pumps with its float substantially above the height established at high tide to further increase the pumping capacity of that pump.

Abstract: A wave motor is described comprising a float, a displaceable member coupled to the float so as to be displaced by the ascent and descent of the float, a pair of shafts, and a transmission including a pair of one-way clutches coupling the displaceable member to the shafts to rotate one in one direction during the ascent of the float and to rotate the other in the opposite direction during the descent of the float. In one described embodiment, the displaceable member is a wheel which is partially rotated in opposite directions by the ascent and descent of the float; and in a second described embodiment, the displaceable member is a rack which is moved upwardly by the ascent of the float and downwardly by its descent.

Abstract: Booms are pivotally anchored to the ocean floor and have their angularity adjusted so that float operated power generating mechanisms on the booms are positioned at all times at optimum attitudes in relation to waves and the incoming or outgoing tide. The reaction faces of floats are arranged so that the resultant forces of wave and tide component forces act on the floats in an optimum direction so that the maximum usable energy can be derived by the mechanisms from the waves and tidal flows. The float operated mechanisms convert linear movements of the floats into rotational movements of shafts which can be coupled to power generating devices.

Abstract: A hydroelectric plant operated by wave action is supported by the ocean floor and extends above the surface of the ocean. Connected to an outer edge of the plant structure above the surface of the ocean is a plurality of pivotally connected lever arms having floats connected on the ends thereof. The floats rise and fall with the ocean waves to cause pivotal motion of the lever arms. The lever arms connect through an adjustable crosshead and hydraulic cylinder to secondary levers. The secondary levers are pivotally attached to the plant structure and operate pump rods to move pistons the same stroke length regardless of the tide or the height of the waves. The movement of the piston may be used to pump water through a turbine, or to pressurize air, either of which may be used as a driving force for generating power.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a series of off-set rows of spaced-apart upwardly and downwardly reciprocatable floats are mountedly positioned with predetermined distances and positions relative to one-another such that radially-outwardly traveling turbulances resulting from upward and downward reciprocation of the floats coincide with one-another and with current and/or wave water forces to result in amplified strokes of reciprocation of the floats, and the process of subjecting the floats to such forces, and pooling the energy of a plurality of such floats into a common driving force.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a plurality of spherical float elements mounted on levers which levers are each mounted for reciprocation along elongated axes thereof substantially vertically thereof to the sea bottom, with interconnected drive shafts for mutually contributing to a common drive, the plurality are arranged with forward and rearwardly and laterally off-set-spaced floats relative to one another and relative to a direction of wave movement from forwardly to rearwardly, such that energy in the form of water pressure waves above and below the water surface are deflected laterally and rearwardly from the forward float elements to the rearward elements to impel against the rearward elements together with the impelling of the normal waves or residual waves also impelling against each of forward and rearward waves, and the process of arranging the plurality of spherical float elements and of harnessing the deflected energy thereby.

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.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating power includes providing at least one elongated chamber having a float reciprocatively mounted therewithin for axial and reciprocative movement and having at least one opening in the chamber, and disposing vertically the chamber in an intermediate portion of a constantly downwardly flowing body of water between an upper-elevational portion thereof and a lower-elevational portion thereof with the opening in the chamber communicating with the water. The flow of water is alternatingly interrupted and permitted to enter the chamber via its opening to cause the float to be carried by the water in the chamber reciprocatively upwardly and downwardly within the chamber, and the reciprocative movement of the float is utilized by, for example, converting the reciprocative motion to rotational motion for driving an electrical generator.

Abstract: There is disclosed a device to convert water wave motion into useful energy which includes a shaft mounted to be rotatable and having fixed thereto a plurality of gears, a plurality of floats equal in number to the plurality of gears with each float connected by an arm, through a fulcrum, to a ratchet-like device on the other end of the arm from the float, which ratchet-like device drives one of the gears. The shaft drives a gear train which results in a rapidly rotating shaft which drives a pump which takes suction from a low pressure reservoir and discharges to drive a fluid-driven motor. Between the discharge side of the pump and the fluid-driven motor are a high pressure reservoir for the driving fluid, a regulating valve, and a pressure relief valve which discharges into the low pressure reservoir, whereby the action of waves in a body of water causes a continuous surge of fluid through the motor at a uniform pressure.

Abstract: This is a floating pumping station, conceived as ordinarily to be used at the shore of the ocean or large lake where wave action is very considerable and where provision must be made for tidal change and in some cases change in the force of the waves since the waves of great amplitude must be refused entry into the apparatus or attenuated. The apparatus comprises, in brief, a pair of elongated pontoons which define a channel therebetween and this channel is guarded at one end at least by the said wave attenuating apparatus, while a plurality of double-acting pumps distributed along the length of the channel operate in response to the movement of floats which are connected to the pistons of the pump.