Abstract:
A wind turbine built on a vertical axle rotationally mounted within a base. A plurality of frame assemblies mounted to the axle in spaced apart radial positions where each frame assembly engages a plurality of vertically oriented peaked screens, the peaked screens arranged in radially directed side-by-side fixed positions. A plurality of light-weight flexible fabrics, each one of said flexible fabrics pivotally engaged adjacent to one of the peaked screens and of sufficient size for covering the peaked screen.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a non-provisional continuation-in-part application of an earlier filed non-provisional application Ser. No. 13/086,148, filed on Jun. 13, 2011, and being filed during co-pendency therewith claims date priority therefrom for common matter and is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure relates to the field of wind driven turbines, i.e., wind engines. Conventionally, a wind engine is classified as a horizontal axis wind engine or a vertical axis wind engine based on the orientation of rotating axes of its vanes. For vanes of the vertical axis wind engine they are pivotally mounted in a frame. The frame is fixedly coupled to a vertical axis. Its transmission is provided near the ground. To the contrary, in the horizontal axis wind engine each vane has its horizontal axis provided above the ground by a relatively long distance Moreover, each of a plurality of vanes of a vertical axis wind engine can adapt itself to wind by providing a wide contour in a windward condition for fully taking advantage of the force of wind and thus for generating larger torque. To the contrary, each vane can adapt itself to wind by providing a narrow contour in a leeward condition for decreasing wind friction. As an end, wind&#39;s rotation on the vanes can be maximized for rotating the wind engine. As such, many power companies have spent much time and cost in research and development of commercial wind engines which almost all are vertical axis type wind engines due to the above reasons. The vertical axis wind engine comprises a plurality of vanes of flat surface each pivotally mounted near a free end of one of a plurality of arms of a star configuration. The arms are adapted to rotate in response to wind blowing over surfaces of the vanes. Also, the vanes orbit a central, vertical axis. Each vane can adapt itself to wind by providing a wide contour in a windward condition for fully taking advantage of the force of wind. To the contrary, each vane can adapt itself to wind by providing a narrow contour in a leeward condition for decreasing wind friction. In prior art wind turbines, an abrupt operation often occurs when the wind engine rotates. That is, its operation is not smooth. Further, the vanes tend to cause the wind engine to rotate intermittently due to centrifugal force. As such, the rotating speed of the wind engine may decrease greatly. And in turn, both the arms and the vertical axis rotate in a speed less than wind speed. The presently described wind turbine avoids this problem by providing very low mass vanes. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an example plan view of one embodiment of the presently described wind turbine apparatus; 
         FIG. 2  is a partial perspective view thereof as seen sighting along arrow A in  FIG. 1  showing one frame assembly of the turbine as mounted to a central axle; 
         FIG. 3  is a partial perspective view thereof as seen sighting along arrow B in  FIG. 1 , again showing one frame assembly of the turbine as mounted to the central axle; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic plan view of a further embodiment of the wind turbine; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic elevation view thereof showing one frame assembly and including a partial plan view; and 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic elevation view thereof showing an alternate embodiment with vertically staggered screens. 
     
    
    
     Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a top plan view of a driving portion of a wind turbine of a first embodiment comprising a plurality of frame assemblies  10  mounted to a vertical axle  20  in spaced apart radial positions. A rigid circular support  30  may be coaxially positioned with respect to the vertical axle  20  and engaged with struts  40  of the frame assemblies  10  to provide a rigidizing influence over the entire rotating portion of the turbine. Many other structural systems may be utilized to assure that the frame assemblies  10  are maintained in their positions. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a typical one of the frame assemblies  10  of the driving portion of the wind turbine. Each of the frame assemblies  10  has a vertically oriented flat screen  50  fixed between a pair of spaced apart struts  40 , and a pivot arm  60  which is vertically oriented and rotationally mounted between the struts  40  within upper  62  and lower  64  bearings. Arm  60  may also be non-rotating. As shown, arm  60  is positioned to one side of screen  50 . A flexible sheet  70  is fixedly mounted along one of its edges  72  to arm  60 . The bearings  62  and  64  are attached to struts  40 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the screen  50  may be of the type made up of crisscross wire construction or may be of other structural wire fabric construction with relatively open weave to minimize wind drag by allowing the maximum amount of wind to flow through screen  50  with least resistance.  FIG. 2  shows a frame  10  with sheet  70  positioned away from screen  50 .  FIG. 3  shows a frame assembly  10  with its sheet  70  pressed against screen  50 . 
     The operation of the wind turbine embodiment described above and shown in  FIGS. 1-3  is readily understood.  FIG. 1  shows the direction of the wind with three heavy arrows at the twelve o&#39;clock position in the figure. The wind force impacts the frame assemblies  10  on the right side of the turbine by pressing sheets  70  against their respective screens  50  as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The sheets  70  may be a light weight and highly flexible, impermeable fabric such as plastic sheeting or other material. At the same time, the wind flowing around the left side of the turbine forces the sheets  70  away from their respective screens  50  as shown in  FIG. 1 . As the turbine rotates, in the present case, as shown in  FIG. 1 , in a clockwise direction, each frame assembly  10  moving through the 12 o&#39;clock position receives a wind force pinning the sheet  70  of that frame assembly  10  against its screen  50 . As that frame assembly  10  moves from 12 o&#39;clock to 6 o&#39;clock it is subject to wind forces that deliver driving forces to the turbine. At the 6 o&#39;clock position, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the sheet  70  starts to be delaminated from its screen  50  by wind forces, and moves to the position shown by the other frame assemblies  10  on the left side of the turbine. Wind resistance of those frame assemblies  10  is light since the wind moves easily through the screens  50  and the sheets  70  are aligned with the wind direction so that they offer little wind resistance. In summary then, each of the frame assemblies  10  participate in generating turbine power as they move between the 12 and 6 o&#39;clock positions and provide little wind resistance as they move between the 6 and 12 o&#39;clock to thereby produce a clockwise rotation as viewed from above the machine. 
       FIG. 4  is a simple schematic showing a top plan view of a driving portion of a further embodiment of the wind turbine which comprises a plurality of frame assemblies  100  mounted to a vertical axle  200  in spaced apart radial positions. Frame assemblies  100  may number two or more.  FIG. 5  illustrates a typical one of the frame assemblies  100 . Each of the frame assembly  100  has plural vertically oriented peaked screens  500  fixed between a pair of spaced apart struts  400  secured to axle  200 . A flexible sheet  700  is fixedly mounted along one of its edges between struts  400  and such attachment may be by use of a rotational pivot arm  60  as previously described or by other means know to those of skill. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the screen  500  may be of the type made up of crisscross wire construction or may be of other structural wire fabric construction with relatively open weave to minimize wind drag by allowing the maximum amount of wind to flow through screen  500  with least resistance. As shown in  FIG. 4  with wind direction as shown at the bottom of the figure, sheets  700  are forced to cover screens  500  on the frame assembly  100  directed toward three o&#39;clock and this produces thrust for driving the axle  200  in counter-clockwise rotation. Thrust is produced in the same manner during the rotation of this frame assembly until it reaches the 12 o&#39;clock position where by sheets  700  are stripped away from screens  500 . No further thrust is produced by the frame assemblies after the 12 o&#39;clock position until each frame assembly  100  reaches approximately the 8 or 7 o&#39;clock position depending on the shape of triangle that peaked screens  500  are formed. In the range of these positions, as shown in  FIG. 4 , wind W impacts sheet  700  at an oblique angle producing a counter force F, as shown, which produces positive thrust. Such positive thrust continues, as previously described until the frame assemblies reach the 12 o&#39;clock position. 
     In previously designed vertical windmills, positive thrust is only able to be produced over approximately 180 degrees of rotation, while in the above described embodiment positive thrust is able to be produced over a range of about 220 degrees of rotation a very significant improvement. 
     In  FIG. 6  is shown a further embodiment wherein the peaked screens  500  and sheets  700  are vertically staggered so that wind shadowing does not occur. 
     A number of embodiments have been described herein. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.