Abstract:
A rotor rotates about a spindle and has one or more sliders which are movable between two stop points. An actuator is activated by pressurized fluid and causes the slider or sliders to move back and forth between the stop points. The back and forth movement causes the spindle to rotate and the rotational energy of the spindle is harnessed to produce electricity.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to an apparatus for converting one form of energy to another and more particularly to an apparatus for converting the energy from fluids under pressure to electrical energy. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In mines and at construction sites, pressurized fluid is the usual source of energy for driving heavy machinery such as drills, power shovels and buckets. On farms, pressurized fluid is used in a wide variety of machines. It is used for example to raise and lower heavy machinery such as the cutting heads of combines, ploughs, mowers and the like. 
     Fluid under pressure is usually produced by compressors powered by gas, diesel fuel or gasoline. In most circumstances it is more economical to compress fluid on a continuous basis rather than periodically when it required. Where the pressurized fluid is produced continuously however, pressure tanks are required to store it until it is required for use. If the pressurized fluid is stored for relatively long periods of time, its pressure will dissipate and it will become unusable during those long periods and the fuel used to pressurize such fluid will be wasted. Accordingly, for the most efficient use of the fuel, the fluid should be used immediately after it is compressed. 
     I have invented an apparatus for converting the energy of pressurized fluid such as air and water to electrical energy. Unused pressurized fluid need not be stored in pressure tanks for long periods but may be converted to a form of energy which is a much more versatile than pressurized fluid. Since in most workplaces, there is a constant need for electricity, the electricity produced by my apparatus will be used immediately. There will be no need to store it and moreover, when it is used, there will a reduction in the use of electricity from other sources with resulting savings in the cost of electricity. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly, the apparatus of my invention includes a spindle rotatable about a horizontal axis and a slider adapted to rotate about the axis. The slider is movable between two stop points on opposite sides of the axis. The apparatus also includes an actuator activated by pressurized fluid for causing the slider to move back and forth between the stop points. Also included are means for controlling the back and forth movement such as to cause the slider to rotate. Means is also included for harnessing the rotational energy of the spindle for the production of electricity. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The apparatus of the invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the components of the apparatus; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective of three components of the apparatus, namely a slider, an actuator and a rotor; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an array of rollers on the rear face of the slider together with a groove in which the slider moves; 
         FIG. 4  is a elevation of the slider and groove; 
         FIGS. 5 to 8  are elevations of the slider and an actuator which controls the movement of the slider. The Figures show the various positions of the slider as it completes one full revolution; 
         FIG. 9  is a simplified elevation of a rotor and sliders according to a second embodiment of the apparatus of the invention; 
         FIG. 10  is an elevation of a portion of the rotor and slider illustrated in  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a simplified elevation of each slider illustrated in  FIG. 9  in conjunction with the central portion of the rotor; and 
         FIG. 12  is an elevation of a rotor and sliders according to a third embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 13  is a simplified elevation of a rotor and sliders according to a third embodiment of the apparatus of the invention. 
     
    
    
     Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the description of the drawings. 
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , the apparatus of the invention, generally  10 , includes a rotor  12 , a slider  14  and an actuator  16 . The rotor is mounted to spindle  18  and revolves about a horizontal axis of rotation  20 - 20 . The rotor has a longitudinal axis  12   a - 12   a  which passes through the axis of rotation. 
     A fluid such as oil is store in a tank  19  and when required, flows to a motor and pump, generally  20 . The pump pressurizes the fluid and causes it to flow through an internal passageway in the spindle. The fluid flows from openings in the spindle to the actuator. The actuator is described below. The fluid may being either in the form of a gas such as air or a liquid such as oil or water. 
     The spindle is connected to speed accelerating apparatus, generally  22  for increasing the rate of rotation of the input shaft of a turbine generally  24 . The apparatus is described below. 
     The rate of rotation of the spindle is controlled by the combination of a governor, generally  26  and brake generally  28 . The governor and brake are conventional and are well known to those familiar with the art. 
     With reference to  FIG. 2 , the slider is formed of a single sheet of steel or other relatively heavy material and is composed of a pair of terminal plates  30 ,  32  interconnected by an elongated coupling  34 . The two terminal plates are of equal weight and shape and are spaced apart an equal distance from the centre  34   a  of the coupling. The slider is symmetrical about the centre of the coupling. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1-4 , an array of rollers, generally  36  is formed on the under-side of each terminal plate  30 , 32 . The rollers travel in elongated grooves  38   a,b  formed on the outer wall of the rotor. The grooves are aligned with each other and each groove receives a separate array of rollers. 
     The grooves have aligned longitudinal axes  39  which lie on the longitudinal axis  12   a - 12   a  of the rotor so that the terminal plates travel in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis. 
     A pair of spaced outer and inner end plates  40   a ,  40   b , respectively is formed adjacent to one end of the rotor while outer and inner end plates  42   a ,  42   b , respectively are formed at the opposite end of the rotor. Each outer end plate is attached to the rotor and is connected to a separate inner end plate by four coil springs  44 . The inner end plate is not attached to the rotor but is free to move toward and away from the outer end plate. The springs bias the inner and outer end plates apart. 
     The slider is free to slide in grooves  38   a,b  whose ends define two stop points of travel. The coil springs cushion the force of impact of the slider on the inner end plates at each stop point. That force can be considerable when the rotor and slider are rotating rapidly. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the cylinder  16   a  of actuator  16  is pivotally attached to one end of the rotor. The ram  16   b  of the actuator is pivotally connected to one end of a rod  52 . A pin  54  pivotally connects the centre of the rod to the ear  12   a  of the rotor. The other end of the rod is pivotally connected to coupling  34  at its centre  34   a . The point of connection is on the axis of symmetry of the slider. 
     The actuator acts to cause the slider to move radially back and forth in grooves  38   a,b . When the ram retracts from the position illustrated in  FIG. 2 , rod  52  rotates clockwise about pin  54  with resulting radial movement of the slider to the left toward inner end plate  40   b . When the ram extends, terminal plate  32  slides radially outward and into contact with inner end plate  42   b . A conventional control  55  directs the operation of the actuator. 
     With reference to  FIG. 5 , as previously indicated, rotor  12  revolves around a horizontal axis of rotation  20 - 20 . The rotor revolves clockwise and its upper end  12   a  has passed the highest point of its travel during each revolution. The actuator has caused the terminal plate  32  of the slider to contact inner end plate  42   b . The other terminal plate  30  is adjacent to the axis of rotation of the rotor and is at its greatest distance from the other stop point defined by inner end plate  40   b.    
     The two terminal plates  30 ,  32  are of equal weight and they are spaced an equal distance from the axis of symmetry or centre of the slider. The upper plate  32 , being farther from the axis of rotation  20 - 20  of the rotor, exerts a greater moment than the lower plate which is closer to the centre of rotation with resulting acceleration in the rate of clockwise rotation. 
     The moment or turning effect of terminal plate  32 , being farther from the axis of rotation is greater than the moment of terminal plate  30 . The preferred location of terminal plate  30  is not as shown in  FIG. 5  but rather at the axis of rotation where one half of its weight is on one side of the axis and the other half is on the other side. In that location, its moment will be approximately zero since one half of its weight will cause turning of the rotor in one direction while the other half will cause turning in the opposite direction. As a result, terminal plate  30  will have essentially no turning effect on the rotor while terminal plate  32 , by contrast, will be the sole cause of turning disregarding of course the effect of inertia on the movement of the rotor. 
     The position of terminal plate  30  illustrated in  FIG. 5  is less desirable than that just described because it will exert a turning effect opposite to that of terminal plate  32 . It will accordingly tend to work against the other terminal plate in causing the rotor to rotate. 
       FIG. 12  described below shows the desirable location of terminal component  30  (numbered  92   b  in  FIG. 12 ). In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 12 , the two terminal components are not connected but the operation of the rotor is similar to that illustrated in  FIG. 5 . 
     In  FIG. 6 , end  12   a  which was previously the upper end of the rotor has now become the lower end. As the end approaches its lowest point in a revolution, terminal plate  32  continues to contact stop point  42   b.    
     In  FIG. 7 , end  12   b  of the rotor approaches its highest point and the ram of the actuator begins to retract thereby causing the slider to move upward. In  FIG. 8 , the ram is fully retracted and terminal plate  30  contacts the stop point defined by inner end plate  40   b . The momentum of the rotor carries it past the point at which its upper end  12   b  is vertically above the axis of rotation  20 - 20 . Once past that point, the moment produced by terminal plate  30  will cause the rate of rotation of the rotor to again accelerate. 
     With reference again to  FIG. 1 , the speed accelerating apparatus  22  is composed by a driving pulley  60  which is attached by a spline to spindle  18  for rotation. A belt interconnects pulley  60  to first and second conventional arrays of belts and pulleys of unequal diameter, generally  62 ,  64  for increasing the rate of rotation of the output from the spindle. The output from the second array is connected by belt  66  to turbine  24 . The turbine is of conventional construction and functions to generate electrical energy. 
     With reference to  FIG. 9 , the rotor generally  70  is trihedral having three arms  72   a,b  and  c . The angle between each arm and the adjacent arm on either side of it is 120 degrees. The arms have an elongated grooves  74  for receipt of sliders  76   a,b  and  c . The sliders are movable between inward and outward stop points  78 ,  80  respectively. The stop points are defined by the inner and outer ends of the groove. It will be observed that the inner stop point is adjacent to the axis of rotation  82  of the rotor while the outer stop point is adjacent to the outer wall of the arm. 
     An actuator  90  is pivotally connected to an L-shaped support  92  attached to the outer wall of each arm. The ram or piston rod  90   a  of the actuator is pivotally connected to a first link  94  which in turn is pivotally connected to a second link  96 , the latter link being pivotally connected to the slider. 
     Sliders  76  operate in a way similar to slider  14  of the previous drawings. As the rotor revolves, each slider is drawn radially outward by the actuator to which it is attached as the arm reaches it uppermost position on the rotor. The actuator draws the slider radially inward when the slider reaches the lowermost position on the rotor. 
     With reference to  FIG. 10 , the innermost position of slider  76   c  as arm  72   c  rotates about the axis of rotation  82  of the rotor is illustrated in broken lines. In that position, the slider is at the same elevation as the axis of rotation. 
     As the rotor completes each revolution, each slider will slide into and out of the innermost position once. Depending on the shape of the sliders, they may collide with and foul each other as they move into and out of this position. To avoid this, the walls of the grooves are constructed such that the slider in each groove travels in a path that traces out an imaginary disc but the discs of the three sliders are horizontally spaced apart from each other.  FIG. 11  illustrates the paths that the three sliders follow. 
     In  FIG. 11   a , slider  76   a  is adjacent to the centre of rotor  12  as it revolves around axis  82 . In  FIG. 11   b , slider  76   b  is spaced apart from the rotor by a space  80  which is slightly greater than the thickness of slider  76   a  and in  FIG. 11   c , slider  76   c  is spaced apart from the rotor by a space  82  which is slightly greater than the thickness of sliders  76   a  and  76   b . The sliders being spaced apart in this manner will not contact each other as they move into and out of the innermost position on the rotor. 
     With reference to  FIG. 12  rotor  90  is similar to rotor  12  of  FIG. 1 . The slider is however different. Rotor  90  is provided with two sliders  92   a,b  which are not connected to each other. Each slider is of the same weight as the other and each travels on rollers in a separate groove  94   a,b . The rollers and grooves are of the same construction as rollers  36  and grooves  38  in  FIG. 1 . A separate actuator  96   a,b  activates each slider. Pivotally interconnected links  98 ,  100  interconnect the ram of each actuator and a separate slider. The operation of the rotor and sliders of  FIG. 12  is similar to the rotor and slider of  FIG. 1 . 
     In  FIG. 12 , slider  92   a  is located at its outer stop point while slider  92   a  is at the inner stop point. Preferably the weight of slider  92   a  is evenly distributed on opposite sides of an imaginary line  100  which lies normal to the longitudinal axis  102   a - 102   a  of the rotor and which intersects the axis of rotation  104  of the rotor. 
     With reference to  FIG. 13 , the rotor, generally  110 , has a trihedral shape like the rotor of  FIG. 9 . On each arm  112  of the rotor are two parallel lines of rollers  114  which define the path along which slider  116  travels. The path radiates outwardly from spindle  118  about which the rotor revolves and is oriented approximately 120 degrees apart from the paths of the other two sliders. Each slider is movable between radially inner and radially outer stop points at opposite ends of its travel. The slider is at its inner stop point when the end wall of slot  22  formed in the slider contacts spindle  118 . The slider is at its outer stop point when the slider contacts end plate of arm  112 . 
     An actuator  130  at the outer end of each arm causes the slider to move radially inward and outward in its respective path. The radial movement is controlled such that as each slider rotates toward an upper point  134  at which the slider is vertically above the spindle, the slider travels radially outwardly in its path. Conversely as each slider rotates toward a lower point  136  at which the slider is below the axis, the slider travels radially inward in its path. 
     Each actuator has a ram or piston rod  138  which is connected to a separate slider for imparting radial movement to the slider. The piston rod extends and retracts in a direction  140 - 140  which is collinear with the direction of radial movement of the slider. The direction of movement of the piston rod in this Figure is to be contrasted with the direction of movement of the piston rods in  FIG. 9 . In the latter Figure, the piston rods extends and retracts in a direction which is spaced apart from the direction of radial movement of the sliders. 
     It will be understood, of course, that modifications can be made in the structure of the apparatus described above without departing from the scope and purview of the invention as defined in the appended claims.