Abstract:
A wind driven turbine includes a perimeter rim that carries a rotor, and a stator is positioned at the annular path of the rotor with field coils positioned on opposite sides of the rotor that generate electricity in response to the rotation of the rotor. A proximity gauging means selectively maintains the field coils at predetermined distances from the rotor. The wind turbine may be mounted on a floatable support.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE 
     Applicant claims the benefit of the early filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/264,931, filed Nov. 30, 2009, in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/432,837, filed Apr. 30, 2009; a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/481,817, filed Jun. 10, 2009; a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/492,187, filed Jun. 26, 2009; a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/499,206, filed Jul. 8, 2009; and a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/607,440, filed Oct. 28, 2009. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention concerns a wind turbine assembly for generating electricity in response to the movement of atmospheric wind. The electrical generator is made up of a perimeter rim of the wind turbine functioning as a rotor of the electrical generator and a stationery stator assembly straddling the rotor rim. The wind turbine may be mounted on a floatable support. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Windmills have been used for many generations for the purpose of pumping water from the ground and for generating electricity. A basic advantage of the windmill is that it uses the power of atmospheric wind to rotate a wheel having radially extending blades. This rotary movement may be converted into various useful purposes. For example, wind turbines in the form of propellers mounted on towers have been placed in areas where steady winds are prevalent and the wind turbines are used to generate electricity. 
     The blades of the conventional wind turbines are very large and made of expensive rigid material and are constructed to have the blades extend radially from a central hub, with no extra support at the outer tips of the blades. The conventional wind turbine blades rotate at a high rate of revolution and must withstand the centrifugal forces generated by the fast revolution of the blades, the cantilever bending forces applied to the blades by the wind, and the twisting forces applied to the pitched surfaces of the blades. Since the outer portions of the blades move at a very high velocity and are engaged by strong winds, the larger blades require the blades to be strong, and the stronger they are the more expensive they become. Thus, there is a practical limit as to the length and width of the blades. 
     Some of the prior art wind turbines are constructed with an outer rim that extends circumferentially about the turbine wheel and the blades are supported at their outer ends by the circumferential rim. Rubber tires are placed in positions to engage the outer rim so as to rotate the rubber tires, with the driven rubber tires rotating the rotors of generators. Thus, the rotation of the wind turbine is used to generate electricity. 
     Prior art wind turbines are mounted on upright towers and the towers are supported at their bases by mounting the towers in the earth or on some other stable platform. When the wind turbine is in operation with an oncoming brisk wind engaging the angled blades of the turbine wheel, a significant longitudinal force is transmitted from the blades of the turbine wheel to the upper portion of the tower, tending to tip the tower. This horizontal tipping force usually is significantly greater than the circumferential wind force engaging the angled surfaces of the blades of the turbine wheel and causing the rotation of the turbine wheel. This longitudinal force requires the tower for a wind turbine to be very strong to avoid tipping over. 
     While wind turbines have found use in open land areas where steady winds are prevalent, the land areas most suitable for catching the wind on wind turbine propeller blades usually are remote from the areas of greatest need of electrical power. Therefore, there is a requirement that electrical power be transmitted through conductive cables for long distances to the areas of need. 
     Winds generated over large bodies of water, particularly over an ocean, are not confronted with mountains, buildings, and the vegetation of the land masses that tend to slow the velocity of winds. The turbulence of wind usually is less over water than over land. This may be because there is a greater temperature variance between different altitudes over land than over a body of water, apparently because sunlight is absorbed further into water than into land, and for comparable conditions, the surfaces of land become warmer and radiate more heat than the surfaces of water. 
     Also, some of the largest cities of the world are positioned adjacent large bodies of water such as adjacent oceans and seas where wind velocities are not slowed and are less turbulent near the water surface and are more predictable. 
     Another advantage of wind turbines placed on bodies of water is that the less turbulent winds at the surface of the water allow the turbine wheel to be supported lower, closer to the surface of the water. This tends to reduce the expense of having a tall tower as usually required for land mounted wind turbines. 
     Accordingly, it would be desirable to locate wind turbines on bodies of water spaced relatively close to a land mass where there is a need for electricity. Also, it would be desirable to produce wind turbines with a means for reducing the longitudinal force applied by the turbine wheel to the tower or other vertical support of the wind turbine. Also, it would be desirable that a wind turbine supported on a body of water be able to turn into the oncoming wind when the wind changes directions, and that the perimeter of the turbine wheel be used to generate electricity. 
     Also, it would be desirable to produce and use a wind turbine or other rotary device that operates an electrical generator with a reduction in the drag and friction in the course of producing electricity, and to permit a wider range of rates of rotation of the turbine wheel while producing electricity. The wind turbine may include an outer perimeter rim that may be used for both stabilizing and supporting the sail wings or propellers of the wind turbine wheel and for forming a rotor for a stator that, together, function as an electrical generator. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Briefly described, this disclosure concerns a wind turbine assembly for generating electricity that may include a floatable support, a single turbine wheel or a pair of turbine wheels rotatably mounted on the floatable support about a longitudinally extending central axis, the turbine wheels including a circular rim concentric with and rotatable about their respective central axes, and an electrical generator in operable relationship with respect to each of the turbine wheels. 
     In one embodiment, a wind driven turbine wheel may be mounted on a floatable support that is located on the surface of a large body of water, with an anchor system that ties one or several of the wind turbine assemblies to a location where they each may move in a circular arc so as to turn into the wind in response to the wind force, without the turbine wheels clashing with one another. 
     Another feature of this disclosure is the electrical generator that registers with the perimeter rim of the turbine wheel, with the rim including the rotor of the generator. The stator assembly is constructed so as to move laterally as may be necessary so as to accommodate for the lateral movements of the rotor while continuing to generate electricity in response to the movement of the rotor. 
     Other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent upon reading the following specification, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of a floating wind turbine, showing the turbine wheel in its upright position. 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the wind turbine of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of the wind turbine of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a plan view of the wind turbine of  FIG. 1 , but showing the turbine wheel tilted in its inoperative position. 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the wind turbine of  FIG. 4 , showing the turbine wheel tilted in its inoperative position. 
         FIG. 6  is a front elevational view of a modified wind turbine wheel, similar to the turbine wheels of  FIGS. 1-5 , but including an intermediate circular rim that is concentric with the outer circular perimeter rim, with inner sail wings supported between the axle structure and the intermediate support rim and outer sail wings supported between the intermediate support rim and the outer circular perimeter rim. 
         FIG. 7  is a front elevational view of a double wind turbine assembly, including a pair of wind turbine wheels mounted on a common floatable support. 
         FIG. 8  is a side elevational view of the double wind turbine of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 9  is a plan view of the double wind turbine of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 10  is a front elevational view of a double wind turbine similar to  FIG. 7 , but including a modified anchoring structure. 
         FIG. 11  is a plan view of the wind turbine of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 12  is a side view of one of the floatable wind turbines tied to and rotatable about a stabilized anchor system. 
         FIG. 13  is a front view of a floatable wind turbine, showing the stabilized anchor system of  FIG. 12 . 
         FIG. 14  is a plan view of the wind turbine and the anchor system of  FIGS. 12 and 13 . 
         FIG. 15  is an end view of the lower portion of the wind turbine, showing the perimeter rim of the turbine wheel passing through the stator. 
         FIG. 16  is a top view of the stator, showing how the perimeter rim moves between the pairs of wheels of the stator. 
         FIG. 17  is a side view of the stator, showing the wheels of the stator in engagement with the perimeter rim. 
         FIG. 18  is an end view of the modified form of the stator, showing how the stator is applied to the perimeter rim of the rotor. 
         FIG. 19  is a top view of the stator of  FIG. 18 , showing how the perimeter rim is engaged by the stator. 
         FIG. 20  is a side view of the stator of  FIGS. 18 and 19 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now in more detail to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views,  FIG. 1  shows a wind turbine  20  that is designed for catching the wind and rotating for the purpose of generating electricity. The wind turbine includes a turbine wheel  22  having an outer perimeter  23  formed by a series of angle braces  24  and an outer perimeter circular rim  26  that extends continuously about the turbine wheel. The outer perimeter circular rim may be formed of arcuate segments and, as explained in more detail hereinafter, the perimeter rim may function as the rotor of an electrical generator or may function to drive a rotor of an electrical generator. 
     An axle structure  28  is at the center of the turbine wheel  22  and a plurality of sail wing assemblies  30  are mounted to the axle structure  28  and extend radially toward the angle braces  24  that form the perimeter of the turbine wheel. The turbine wheel rotates about the central axis  29 . 
     The wind turbine assembly may be used on a body of water such as an ocean or lake  31  where the atmospheric wind  37  usually is of higher velocity, less turbulent and more predictable than the atmospheric wind over a land mass. When used on water, the turbine assembly may include a floatable support  33 , such as a pontoon boat, barge or other suitable floatable support. The floatable support of  FIGS. 1-5  is a pontoon boat having parallel pontoons  35  and  36 . The wind turbine assemblies of  FIGS. 1-5  include a foldable tower assembly  32  that includes a pair of tower arms  32 A and  32 B that are connected at their lower end portions to pontoons  36  and  35 , respectively, and converging upwardly toward one another in a vertical plane to an upward apex that is in support of the bearing housing  38  at the axial structure  28  of the turbine wheel  22 . The tower arms  32 A and  32 B are foldable about their lower ends to an attitude more horizontal, as shown in  FIG. 5 , so that the turbine wheel  22  moves more toward a supine position over the pontoons  35  and  36 . 
     Stabilizing arms  40  and  41  are parallel to one another and sloped upwardly from the pontoon boat and may be pivotally mounted to the bearing housing  38 . The lower ends of the stabilizing arms  40  and  41  may releaseably connect to the cross frames of the pontoon boat, such as cross frame  44 . When the turbine wheel  22  is to be tilted toward its supine position, the lower ends of the stabilizing arms  40  and  41  are detached from the cross frame member  44 , allowing the turbine wheel  22  to tilt toward its supine position. 
     Hydraulic cylinder  46  is mounted at its lower end to depending framework  48  and at its upper end to the bearing housing  38 . When the hydraulic cylinder  46  is distended, it holds the foldable tower assembly  32  in its upright attitude, allowing the stabilizing arms  40  and  41  to be connected at their lower ends to the cross frame member  44 , thereby holding the turbine wheel  22  in its upright position. However, when the stabilizing arms  40  and  41  are disconnected at their lower ends from the cross frame member  44 , the hydraulic cylinder  46  may be retracted, causing the turbine wheel  22  to tilt toward its supine position as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     The foldable tower assembly  32  may be collapsed and used when transporting the wind turbine assembly to and from its site of operation, and for maintenance or repair. The wind turbine also may be supported on a non-foldable, more permanent upright tower carried by the floatable support, if desired. 
     The floatable support  33  of the wind turbine assembly  20  is considered to have a bow at  50  and a stern at  52 . The turbine wheel  22  faces the bow  50 . Lateral thrusters  54  may be mounted to the pontoons  35  and  36 , typically at the stern  52  of the pontoons. The bow  50  may be connected by a first anchor line  53  or other appropriate means to an anchor such as to an anchored buoy  56  that functions as an anchor. The anchored buoy  56  may comprise a pier, anchor, dock, or other means that generally is not removable from a designated position in or adjacent a body of water. The anchor line  53  may be a chain, cable, twisted hemp rope or other conventional means or combination of these and other connectors for connecting the floatable support to an anchor. The buoy  56  may be anchored to the bottom of the body of water by anchor  59   
     When the atmospheric wind  37  moves against the wind turbine assembly  20 , the anchor  56  (buoy, pier, etc.) to which the wind turbine assembly is tied stabilizes the bow  50  of the floatable support, usually causing the wind turbine assembly to move downwind of its anchor. In order to assure that the turbine wheel  22  faces the oncoming atmospheric wind, the lateral thrusters  54  shown in  FIGS. 1-5  and  11  may be actuated in response to a wind direction finder (not shown), tending to turn the floatable support and, therefore, the turbine wheel more directly into the atmospheric wind. 
     The lateral thrusters  54  of  FIGS. 1-5  typically are mounted to the stern  52  of the floatable support  33  so that the anchor  56 ,  59  stabilizes the bow of the floatable support while the lateral thrusters tend to swing the stern in alignment with the bow and atmospheric wind. This assures that the turbine wheel  22  more directly faces the oncoming atmospheric wind, taking advantage of the wind movement through the sail wing assemblies  30 , causing efficient rotation of the turbine wheel  22 . Lateral thrusters, sometimes known as “bow thrusters” are conventional in the art and may be found at Mabru Thrusters, Miami, Fla. 33142. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 5 , the anchor, such as a buoy  56 , pier or other stationary docking point for the wind turbine assembly includes an electrical connection (not shown) to the electrical generator  150  of the wind turbine assembly  20  and an electrical conductor  62  to a receiver that may be on an adjacent land mass for transmitting the electrical power generated by the wind turbine assembly. 
     The turbine wheel and its floatable support may be very large in length, width and height. Because of the uncontrolled velocity of the atmospheric wind and because of the large height and other large size dimensions of the wind turbine assembly, it is desirable to construct the wind turbine assembly so that it resists capsizing or tilting or other deviation from facing the atmospheric wind and it is desirable to minimize the application of longitudinal and other horizontal forces to the tower  32  and its stabilizing arms  40 ,  41 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , in addition or alternatively, a second anchor line  57  may be connected at one of its ends to the axle structure  28  of the turbine wheel  22  and connected at its other end to an anchor  59 . The second anchor line  57  may be made of materials the same as or similar to those described above for the first anchor line. The second anchor  59  may be any device that resists movement, including stationary structures such as piers, buoys, conventional anchors and other devices suitable for holding the wind turbine assembly in its predetermined position, including but not limited to those described above for the first anchor. Typically, if the anchor line is to be connected to a submerged anchor, the anchor line may be long enough to have a length to height ratio of at least about seven to one. 
     The connection of the second anchor line  57  to the axle structure  28  of the turbine wheel  22  is at the center of the wind forces applied to the turbine wheel. The centered connection of the anchor line to the turbine wheel provides a balanced longitudinal support for the wind turbine, directly opposite to the direction of the on-coming wind  37 , and relieves force otherwise applied by the turbine wheel to the tower structure that extends from the turbine wheel to the floatable support. Since the turbine wheel usually is centered over an intermediate portion of the floatable support, the restraining forces applied by the anchor line to down-wind movement of the wind turbine assembly tend to maintain the wind turbine assembly in its upright attitude and facing the oncoming atmospheric wind. The connection of the anchor line  57  to the axle structure at the upper end portion of the tower assembly  32  opposes and resists the longitudinal forces applied by the oncoming wind forces that are being applied to the wind turbine wheel  22 . Thus, the force applied by the anchor line resists the tipping of the tower  32  and allows the tower structure to be less strong, less expensive and lighter than would be required without the anchor  59  and anchor line  57 . 
       FIG. 6  shows a modified form of the turbine wheel. Turbine wheel  64  includes an outer rim  66  and a smaller intermediate rim  68 , both rims being circular and concentric with the axis of rotation of the turbine wheel. A plurality of inner sail wings  70  extend between the axle structure and the intermediate rim  68 , and a plurality of outer sail wings  72  extend between the intermediate circular rim  68  and the outer circular rim  66 . The pitch of the outer sail wings  72  typically will be different from the pitch of the inner sail wings  70  since the circular velocity of the outer sail wings is greater than the circular velocity of the inner sail wings. Also, the use of the intermediate circular rim  68  stabilizes the inner and outer sail wings so that the total length of the inner and outer sail wings  70  and  72  may be greater than the length available on a single set of sail wings. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  5 , the axle structure  28  of the turbine wheel is of greater thickness than the circular perimeter rim  26 . A plurality of spokes  76  extend from the ends of the axle structure  28  outwardly and converge into supporting relationship with respect to the circular perimeter rim  26 . This provides lateral and radial stability to the circular perimeter rim  26 . 
       FIGS. 7-9  show a wind turbine assembly  80  that is a “twin” assembly of the wind turbine assembly of  FIGS. 1-5 , that includes turbine wheels  82  and  83  that are substantially identical to the turbine wheel  22  of  FIGS. 1-5 . The floatable support  33  is modified so as to provide a central pontoon  84 , with parallel outer pontoons  86  and  88 , all pontoons supporting the turbine wheels as described in connection with  FIGS. 1-5 . 
     The sail wings  90  of one turbine wheel  82  may be oriented with a pitch so that the atmospheric wind will rotate the turbine wheel in a clockwise direction, whereas the sail wings  90  of the other turbine wheel  83  are oriented at a reverse pitch from that of the turbine wheel  82 . This causes the turbine wheels to rotate in opposite directions when facing the oncoming atmospheric wind. This tends to neutralize the gyroscopic effect of the rotation of the turbine wheels of the twin wind turbine assembly  80 . 
       FIGS. 10 and 11  show a twin wind turbine assembly, similar to  FIGS. 7-9 , but having a cross brace  87  rigidly connected at its ends to the central axle structure of each turbine and which functions as a horizontal tower. Anchor line  85  is connected at its distal end to the anchor  86  and connected at its proximal end to the horizontal cross brace  87  at a position between the turbine wheels. The cross brace  87  includes a rigid connector  88  connected to and extending forwardly between the wind turbine wheels  82 ,  83  and connects to the more flexible anchor line  85 . This avoids contact between the more flexible anchor line  85  and the turbine wheels  82 ,  83 . Also, this places the longitudinal support applied by the anchor  86  and anchor line  85  at the axial center of the turbine wheels, at the desired mid-height of the turbine wheels, above the base of the tower and extended out in front of the turbine wheels, where the force applied by the anchor is centered at the height of axle structures of the turbine wheels. 
       FIG. 12  is a side view of a wind turbine, such as wind turbine  20  of  FIGS. 1-4 , and shows the stabilized anchor system  100  connected to the wind turbine. The wind turbine  20  includes its anchor line  57  connected to the axle structure  28  of the turbine wheel  22 . The anchor line  57  extends into the water and is connected to the stabilized anchor system  100 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 12-14 , the stabilized anchor system  100  includes three submerged anchor lines  102 ,  103 , and  104  that are connected at their upper ends to the central connector  118 . Central connector  118  is suspended in the water  109  by a connector line  116  that is tied at its lower end to the central connector and at its upper end to buoy  106  that floats on the surface  107  of the water. The submerged anchor lines  102 ,  103  and  104  all extend downwardly from the central connector and each are connected at their lower ends to an anchor  112 ,  113  and  114 , respectively. The anchors hold the stabilized anchor system in a fixed position on the bottom  108  of the body of water  109 . 
       FIG. 14  shows that the anchors  112 ,  113  and  114  are spaced from each other at approximately 120° so that the submerged anchor lines  102 ,  103  and  104  tend to form a “tripod” that engages the bottom  108  of the body of water  109 . The anchor line  57  leads from central connector  118  to the wind turbine  20 . 
     The submerged anchor lines  102 ,  103  and  104  maintain central connector  118  in a substantially fixed position beneath the surface  107  of the body of water  109 . Buoy  106  and its connector line  116  maintain the central connector  118  at a predetermined distance below the surface  107  of the body of water  109 . This tends to avoid having anchor line  57  and the submerged anchor lines  102 ,  103  and  104  interfere with naval traffic at the surface  107  of the body of water  109 . Also, the anchor line  57  of the wind turbine  20  may be disconnected from either of its ends, from the central connector  118  or from the wind turbine  20 , and the central connector  118  will remain substantially fixed in its original position, with the buoy  106  maintaining the central connector at the predetermined depth below the surface  107  of the body of water  109 . 
     Also, the stabilized anchor system  100  allows the wind turbine  20  to be moved in a circular path about the buoy  106  and the central connector  118 , as indicated by the arrows  120  of  FIG. 14 . The wind turbine may move a full 360° circle about the buoy  106  and the central connector  118 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 12-14 , the stabilized anchor system  100  also may include stabilizing cables  122  and  123 . Each stabilizing cable  122  and  123  may be connected at its proximal end to central connector  118  and at its distal end to the floatable support  33  at the bow  50 . As shown in  FIG. 14 , the floatable support  33  may be a catamaran having two parallel floats with one turbine wheel  22 , or may be a floatable support with two or more wind turbines or  82 ,  83  mounted thereon as shown in  FIG. 11 , or the floatable support may be other floatable structures, such as a barge or a ship. The stabilizing cables  122  and  123  are connected at their distal ends to the bow of the floatable support, with the cables connected at opposite sides of the centerline of the floatable support. The spread apart connections of the cables to opposite sides of the bow  50  of the floatable support  33  causes the floatable support to face the buoy  106 , and the prevailing winds typically will move the wind turbine assembly  20  downwind of the buoy  106  with the wind turbine facing the buoy. The stabilizing cables  122  and  123  assure that the wind turbine assembly  20  will not turn away from facing relationship with respect to the oncoming wind in response to wind turbulence, tides, wave action, or, in the case of a pair of turbine wheels mounted on the floatable support, in response to higher wind velocities on one turbine wheel than on the other or other atmospheric conditions. 
     While the drawings show the stabilizing cables  122  and  123  connected to a wind turbine assembly having a single turbine wheel, the stabilizing cables may also be connected to a wind turbine assembly having more than one turbine wheel, as shown in  FIG. 11 . If one turbine happens to get more wind than the other turbine and if there is a tendency of the floatable support to turn away from facing the buoy  106 , the stabilizing cables  122  and  123  will resist the tendency of the wind turbine assembly to turn away from the oncoming wind. 
     In the event that the wind turbine must be disconnected from the stabilized anchor system  100  for repair or because of severe weather conditions, the anchor line  57  and the stabilizing cables  122  and  123  may be disconnected at either of their ends, either from the wind turbine  20  or from the central connector  118 , and the wind turbine towed to another location such as a maintenance and repair location. The buoy  106  remains at the site of the stabilized anchor system  100  so that it is available for reconnection of the same wind turbine  20  or a substitute wind turbine, etc. 
     Also, electrical conductor cables (not shown) may be mounted to the buoy  106  or to the central connector  118 , with the electrical conductor cables extending from another location to the buoy/central connector, and a second electrical conductor cable (not shown) may be extended from the wind turbine  20  so as to connect with the first cable. Thus, the buoy  106  and central connector  118  provide a connector point for the electrical conductor leading from the wind turbine  20 , allowing the electricity generated by the wind turbine to be transmitted to a delivery point. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  5 , and  10 , electrical generators  150  may be positioned at the lower portion of the perimeter of the turbine wheel  22  of the wind turbine assembly  20 . One type of electrical generator is known as a bellows actuated perimeter generator  130  that is illustrated in  FIGS. 15-17 . The outer perimeter circular rim  126  of the turbine wheel  22  functions as a rotor of the generator. Electrical coils and magnets (not shown) are positioned in the hollow portion of the outer perimeter circular rim  126  so when the turbine wheel  22  is rotated, the rim  126  functions as the rotor of the generator. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 15-17 , the stator assembly  132  is mounted at the perimeter of the turbine wheel and is positioned to straddle and receive the outer perimeter circular rim  126  that functions as the rotor of the generator. The rotor  126  is formed in arcuate segments about the perimeter of the turbine wheel, and each arcuate segment of the rotor includes its own magnets and coils. 
     The stator assembly  132  includes a pair of substantially identical cup-shaped stator housings  136  and  137  having open ends that face the adjacent surfaces of the outer perimeter circular rim  126  of the turbine wheel  22 . Electrical coils (not shown) are contained within the cup-shaped stator housings  136  and  137  so that the movement of the outer perimeter circular rim between the cup-shaped stator housings induces electrical current. 
     Spacer wheels  156  and  157  may be made of soft material that will engage the outer perimeter circular rim  126  without substantial wear to the rim. Such suitable materials would be a soft plastic or a rubber tire of the type used on current automobiles or trailers. In addition, the wheels riding on the rim could be replaced by other linear type bearings, including sliding surfaces or air bearings. 
     The stator assembly is supported on a platform  140  by a framework  141 , and guide rails  142  extend below the cup-shaped stator housings  136 , with the guide rails extending normal to the direction of movement of the outer perimeter circular rim  126  of the turbine wheel  22 . Support wheels  144  engage the guide rails  142 , and the support members  145  are mounted on the support wheels  144  and extend upwardly to support the cup-shaped stator housings  136  and  137 . As the cup-shaped stator housings move laterally, the support wheels rotate along the guide rails  142  to continuously support the cup-shaped stator housings. 
     Framework  141  includes end supports  147  and  148 , and pairs of air actuated bellows  161  and  162  are supported at their outer ends on the end supports and extend inwardly into engagement with the cup-shaped stator housings  136  and  137 . Air under pressure is applied to the bellows  161 ,  162  to urge the cup-shaped stator housings  136 ,  137  inwardly toward the outer perimeter circular rim  126  of the turbine wheel  22 . When the air pressure is relieved, the bellows  161 ,  162  retract to withdraw the cup-shaped stator housings  136 ,  137  from the outer perimeter rim. 
     Spacer wheel support frames  154  and  155  are mounted to the cup-shaped stator housings and support the spacer wheels  156  and  157  on opposite sides of and adjacent the outer perimeter circular rim  126 . The pairs of spacer wheels  156  and  157  engage opposite surfaces of the outer perimeter circular rim  126  of the turbine wheel  22 . Adjustment screws  166  and  167  connect the cup-shaped stator housings to the spacer wheels support frames. There are four adjustment screws, one at each corner of the cup-shaped stator housing, that function to position the rims of the cup-shaped stator housings in close juxtaposition with the facing surfaces of the outer perimeter circular rim. The spacer wheels rotate and move laterally in response to the movements of the outer perimeter circular rim  126 . The lateral movements of the outer perimeter circular rim  126  moves the cup shaped stator housings  136  and  137  a corresponding lateral distance so that the cup-shaped stator housings move laterally in unison with the lateral movements of the outer perimeter circular rim, and maintain their close juxtaposition with respect to the outer perimeter circular rim. 
     If one or both of the cup shaped stator housings  136  and  137  are not disposed properly adjacent the outer perimeter circular rim  126 , adjustment can be made through the rotation of the adjustment screws  166 ,  167 . Typically, there will be four adjustment screws, one at each corner of each cup-shaped stator housing  136  and  137 , so as to tilt the cup-shaped stator housings into proper attitude. 
     The pairs of spacer wheels  156  and  157  assure that the cup-shaped stator housings  136  and  137  are maintained at the proper spacing adjacent and facing outer perimeter circular rim  126 , and the spacer wheels  156  and  157  also assure that if the outer perimeter circular rim  126  tends to move laterally at the position of the bellows actuated perimeter generator  130 , the pairs of spacer wheels  156  and  157  move the cup-shaped stator housings  136  and  137  in the same direction, thereby maintaining the close juxtaposition of the cup-shaped stator housings  136  and  137  with respect to the outer perimeter circular rim  126 . 
       FIGS. 18-20  illustrate the linear actuated perimeter generator  170  that includes a stator assembly  172  mounted about the outer perimeter circular rim  176  of a turbine wheel  22  of the wind turbine assembly  20 . A framework  177  is mounted on a platform  178 , and cup-shaped stator housings  180  and  181  are mounted on the framework in opposite facing directions and facing toward the surfaces of the outer perimeter circular rim  176  of the turbine wheel  22 . The cup-shaped stator housings  180  and  181  are supported on guide rails  183  by support wheels  184 , as previously described. 
     Linear actuators  186  and  187  extend between the framework  177  and the cup-shaped stator housings  180  and  181 , with a pair of linear actuators  186  positioned at opposite ends of the cup-shaped stator housings  180  and a pair of linear actuators  187  engaging the opposite ends of the cup-shaped stator housing  181 . 
     Proximity sensors  190 ,  191 ,  192  and  193  are supported by the cup-shaped stator housings  180  and  181  at positions adjacent the linear actuators  186  and  187 . The proximity sensors  190 - 193  function to control the movements imparted to the cup-shaped stator housings  180  and  181  so that when the outer perimeter circular rim  176  moves laterally toward or away from the cup-shaped stator housings  180  or  181 , the proximity sensors  190 - 193  detect the movement and control the linear actuators  186  and  187  so as to move the cup-shaped stator housings in the same direction. This arrangement maintains the cup-shaped stator housings  180  and  181  in the optimum close juxtaposed relationship with respect to the facing surfaces of the outer perimeter circular rim  176  of the turbine wheel  22 . 
     It is anticipated that the diameter of the turbine wheel is very large, in some instances by more than 100 feet in diameter. Because of the great size of the turbine wheel and because of slight lateral movement of the turbine wheel induced by intensity and direction of the atmospheric winds, and by other imperfect surfaces and movements of surfaces, the perimeter rim is likely to move laterally as it moves through its circular path. The structures that are described herein compensate for the lateral movement. For example, if the perimeter rim at its lower arc moves laterally as well as longitudinally, the stator moves latterly in unison with the movement of the lower arc of the perimeter rim. 
     While the stator structures described herein are designed for engagement with a turbine wheel, multiple ones of the stator structures may be applied to a single turbine wheel, and multiple turbine wheels may be used on a single floatable support as described earlier herein. 
     Also, while the stator structures disclosed herein are described in connection with floatable supports, it should be apparent that the same or similar stator structures may be used in connection with land mounted wind turbine assemblies. 
     While the expression “electrical generator” has been used herein, it should be understood that this term may identify other rotary devices that may be driven by the wind turbines disclosed herein, such as alternators, pumps, etc. 
     It will be understood by those skilled in the art that while the foregoing description sets forth preferred embodiments in substantial detail, modifications, additions, and changes might be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the structures set forth herein.