Action of Currents of Wind.
Year: 1886

page_text: Action of Currents of Wind.
GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the General Patent Office No. 4, South Street,
Finsbury in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the construction of improved machinery or apparatus for
obtaining motive power from the action of currents of wind and provided with an
automatic regulator and capable of being instantaneously set to the wind.
The apparatus is for the purpose of receiving the action of atmospheric currents in
order to produce power. The erection of the apparatus is easy and inexpensive, as it is
not necessary to construct an apparatus of large size, its arrangement enabling it to be
applied without special construction to ordinary buildings. The dimensions of the
apparatus are calculated in such a manner as to cause it to produce under the normal
conditions in which it is erected an amount of work t, the consequence being that in
order to produce an amount of work T, it will only be necessary to couple several of
these apparatus fogether, the proportion indicating the number of similar apparatus
required to be erected in order to obtain the desired result.
It will be understood that the mode of erecting this apparatus depends upon the
peculiar arrangement of the buildings to which it is to be applied; the coupled
apparatus having such dimensions as will enable them to fit closely in the space
allotted to them respectively; the only required condition is that the algebraic sum of
the different amounts of work accomplished by the coupled apparatus should be equal
to the total amount of work which it is desired to obtain.
The atmospheric currents by reason of their inconstancy and of ceaseless variation
in their power are with difficulty applicable for the production of regular work, the
requirements being that the resistance or weight should be subjected to the same
variations as the power, the ratio between these two quantities remaining constant.
Supposing the apparatus erected in such a manner that the work produced thereby

page_text: 75
under the normal conditions for which it is established is directly utilized, the said
apparatus will present to the action of the wind a surface S, determined by calculation
and the work in horse-power will be proportionate to the formula SV. V being the
speed of the wind. As the quantity V is essentially variable, it is necessary to cause the
quantity S to vary simultaneously therewith in order that the above proportion should
retain the same value; such a result is obtained by the use of an automatic regulator.
When the speed of the wind increases, the action of the regulator comes into play for
diminishing the surface exposed to the action of the atmospheric currents, and even
to render it inoperative when the speed of the wind reaches a limit beyond which the
apparatus would become deteriorated. When the speed of the wind decreases, the
sails present to its action a surface which gradually increases until it reaches its
maximum of development. At this time should the speed of the wind decrease until
it becomes nil, the apparatus would naturally stop and cease to produce any work.
This objection forms the greatest obstacle to the useful application of this class of
apparatus. By this invention the said objection is overcome.
It has just been stated that the automatic regulator is capable of decreasing the
surface exposed to the action of the wind when the speed of the latter exceeds that
which is necessary for producing the required work, it can however be caused to
previously set in operation when required another mechanism for the transmission of
motion in order to produce a supplementary amount of work capable of being used
intermittently, the resistance of such mechanism being added to that of the ordinary
work so as to maintain in a constant ratio, the power of the apparatus and the
resistance which it has to overcome. This additional resistance should obviously not
exceed a limit determined by the conditions under which the apparatus is erected;
when this limit is reached, the regulator will then act upon the surface of the sails.
All the above actions being carried out automatically, when the regulation is once
accomplished, the apparatus will require no further attention except to keep it in order,
its regular working being then ensured.
To the supplementary power which can be obtained in certain cases must obviously
be added that produced by the apparatus at night and during days of rest. All this
can be employed for setting in operation certain parts which could form a kind of
reserve or storage and yield at a given time the power accumulated therein.
In this matter, the useful application of this apparatus is rendered efficient, as at
times when there is no wind, there will be an amount of power at disposal which has
been produced and is supplied by the apparatus.
The means for obtaining this storage of power will vary according to the apparatus
or machines at hand and according also to the greater or less facility with which they
can be erected. It will be sufficient to enumerate some of these.
A suction and force pump having a variable stroke may be employed, or a pump
having a limited stroke the speed of operation of which may be varied in such a
manner that the ratio between the power and the resistance is maintained automatically.
The water collected in a vessel can be caused to act upon a hydraulic receiver. The
water vessel may be arranged upon the ground. while the hydraulic receiver is
placed in a suitable pit or shaft. Or the said vessel can be erected above the ground
and utilized either for actuating, the hydraulic receiver or for the purposes of water
supply or distribution, irrigation and the like or even for all the said purposes
simultaneously. In this case, the construction of the vessel could be utilized for
applying thereto the apparatus for feeding it.
Instead of employing water, it will be more convenient in some cases to make use of
compressed air which could be utilized by employing any known motors.
Another means of storing the supplementary work produced consists in utilizing it
for raising a mass or weight capable of producing a useful result under the action of
gravity, such mass or weight being placed above the ground or within a pit or shaft.
This apparatus may be arranged in such a manner that the work produced under the
action of gravity will allow the power tending to raise it to operate continuously.
These two forces may in certain cases be equal, the mass or weight remaining

page_text: stationary, but should one of them predominate, the mass or weight will move in the
direction in which it acts.
To obtain such a result the weight is guided in a vertical direction; at its upper
part is fixed a pulley over which passes an endless chain passing over two toothed
wheels, one of which is keyed upon the shaft to which is applied the power for raising
the weight and the other upon the shaft for transmitting the power produced by
the gravity of the said weight. The endless chain is of sufficient length to allow for
the motion of the weight. It will be obvious that fine and well dried sand having the
property of acting in the same manner as a semi-fluid body could also be used to form
a mass or weight having an entirely different application.
A dynamo-electric machine may also be employed for utilizing an excess of power
and be applied for the transmission of power to long distances, or even for storing in
accumulators a quantity of electricity which may be ultimately used as motive power
or for electric lighting.
.
:
These various means which may be applied singly or simultaneously will allow of
obviating the objection hitherto existing from the inconstancy of atmospheric currents.
The apparatus is constructed mainly of a horizontal shaft as short as practicable,
one end of which carries a set of sails imparting thereto a rotary motion upon its
axis. This rotary motion is transmitted to a vertical shaft by means of two bevil
wheels; when this vertical shaft is made to project within a building it becomes the
motor shaft for the work which has to be effected by the apparatus.
The automatic setting of the apparatus is effected by means of the following
arrangement:The horizontal shaft is supported by bearings fixed upon the bar
of a bracket forming part of the framework. The standard of this frame is hollow
and the vertical shaft passes through it. The lower part of the standard is provided
with an annular pivot traversed by the said vertical shaft, which pivot may be formed
by rollers arranged in the shape of a ring. The standard is held near its upper part
by a socket fixed to a platform firmly connected to the framework of the building by
ineans of tie-bars. By means of steps and an opening formed in the floor the
platform can be reached in order to examine the apparatus and keep the same in
working order.
The framing of the sails consists of a kind of wheel the nave of which is keyed upon
the horizontal shaft. The spokes upon the said nave are inclined at an angle of from
about 75 degrees to 80 degrees and strengthened by tie-bars which may be supplemented
by cross-bars, whilst rods are employed serving to connect them two by two at their
ends opposite the nave so as to form a kind of polygonal felly which keeps them
separate and ensures the solidity of the whole arrangement.
The spokes may be 6, 8, 10 or 12.in number.
The sails properly so called are made of metal (zine or sheet iron) so that they shall
be durable and light; their form is that of a trapezoid. When made of large size,
their rigidity is further ensured by means of a metal frame fixed upon the face
opposite to that which receives the action of the wind. Each sail is mounted upon a
shaft which divides the. surface of the sail into two unequal parts and can turn upon
bearings fixed upon the spoke of the frame. The bearings which are nearest to the
centre may be connected together in such a manner as to form a single piece of
annular shape.
In order to regulate the motion of each shaft of the sails in a longitudinal direction,
the bearing which is farthest from the centre is provided with a screw threaded copper
ring which is secured in a suitable position by means of a spring.
In the normal position of the apparatus, the action of the wind tends to cause each
sail to pivot upon its shaft; and the force required to be exerted in order to oppose
such motion is proportioned to the difference between the two parts of the surface of
the sails. As this strain or force is produced by the automatic regulator, the result is
that this part of the apparatus must be so much the more sensitive the weaker the force
which has to be exerted.
The framework of the sails may be of two different forms, namely
1. The spokes and consequently the shafts of the sails may instead of converging

page_text: Towards the axis or the have, have their own axis tangential to a cylinder having the
same axis as the nave.
2. The spokes and the shafts may converge directly towards the axis of the naye.
In the first case, the rotary motion which has to be imparted to each shaft of the
sails may be transmitted thereto in two different ways:
1. By means of a simple crank keyed perpendicularly upon the shaft near the nave
and converging towards the axis of the said nave. The length of the crank is less than
that of the spoke.
2. By means of a sector arranged in a similar manner and serving to replace the
said crank.
In the second case two arrangements may be employed.
1. The sails may have the shape described in the first case, their shafts converging
towards the axis of the nave, whilst upon each shaft a sector is keyed perpendicularly.
2. Each sail having the form of a regular trapezoid is in this case placed between
two consecutive spokes in such a manner that the shaft upon which the sail pivots is
perpendicular to a line bisecting the angle formed by the two spokes.
The bearings of the shaft are fixed upon the spokes and between two such spokes
several rows of sails can be arranged. The necessary inclination for the sail is
obtained by keying the same in a suitable manner. The shaft of the sails may be
replaced by a cranked shaft in such a manner that the axes of this shaft may comprise
the angle of inclination of the sails. Or a retilinear shaft may be employed on one of
the axes, the difference between the axes being compensated by increasing the height
of the bearing. Instead of being inclined upon the axis of the nave the spokes may be
arranged perpendicularly thereto.
The automatic regulator has for object as hereinbefore stated to increase up to its
maximum the surface of the sails exposed to the action of the wind, when the normal
speed of such wind decreases and to decrease this surface until it becomes nil when the
speed of the wind is beyond the limit determined upon. This regulator consists of a
lever of the second order in which the power is represented by the force tending to
cause the sails to pivot upon their shaft while the resistance is obtained by means of a
weight fixed upon a graduated rod of this lever in order to equilibrate these two forces
according to the wind speed which is considered normal. The surface of the sails is
regulated by means of a screw arranged upon a rod placed in any suitable position.
This part of the regulator is arranged inside the buildings to which the motor is
applied and close at hand; it is connected with the sail mechanism in different
manners according to the arrangement adopted for the said sails. These arrangements
will now be described in connexion respectively with the various cases already mentioned
when referring to the sail mechanism."
In every case the horizontal and vertical shafts are made hollow; a rod placed
within the vertical shaft without partaking of its rotary motion is connected on the one
hand to the lever of the regulator and on the other to a sector the support of which is
fixed upon the arm of the moveable frame. This sector has for object to connect the
said rod to a piece arranged inside the horizontal shaft and which can move upon the
axis of this shaft and participate in its rotary motion.
The various means for connecting the said piece with the shaft of the sails are as
follows: In case 1 when each sail shaft carries a crank the said piece has formed in
its end as many notches as there are cranks in order to allow of the passage of small
rods connected on the one hand with these cranks and on the other hand with a ring
placed in a groove formed in the said piece at the rear of the said notches.
When the cranks are replaced by sectors the above described small rods are replaced
by rack rods united in one piece which is connected to the said piece.
In case 2, the first arrangement consists of a wheel free upon the prolonged
extremity of the horizontal shaft but in gear with sectors. A rod connects the
hereinbefore described piece with a crank keyed upon the axis of a sector whose
support is fixed upon the horizontal shaft and which gears with teeth formed upon a
portion of the said wheel sufficing for the extreme positions of the sails.
In the second arrangement the said sail shaft carries at one end a jointed crank for

page_text: two consecutive shafts of the same concentric row these cranks being placed at the
nearest extremities. The said cranks are connected to a bar secured to a sector the
oscillating point or pivot of which is fixed to the nave. This sector is otherwise
connected with the hereinbefore described piece in order to obtain an automatic
regulation. The said piece may be prolonged beyond the end of the horizontal shaft
in order to simplify the connections.
These connections may be made upon a sleeve surrounding the nave, the said piece
being then connected by means of a bolt passing through mortices formed in the
horizontal shaft.
The axes of rotation of the said shafts in the same concentric row may in some cases
be connected together by means of a universal joint consisting of a small sphere
connecting the two journals having different diameters. The larger journal is
traversed by the smaller and is consequently fixed while the smaller journal is
held by a spring placed in a recess formed in the sphere so as to enable the parts
to be easily taken to pieces. This journal may also have the form of a cylindrical key
or bolt secured by a split pin. In this case the connection with the regulator is
obtained by means of one bar and of a sector. The crank placed straight is then
fixed upon a double joint. The nut for the herein before described regulating screw or
the butting piece of the graduated rod are moreover connected with the sleeve of a
centrifugal regulator and whose action can be thus made to supplement that of
the weighted lever the two actions however being entirely independent. The
accumulation of the excess of power would in some cases as hereinbefore stated
facilitate the useful application of this apparatus. For this purpose the regulator is
connected with the apparatuses intended to produce supplementary power in such a
manner that they may be set in motion by reason of the variation to which the position
of this regulator is subjected by the action of wind whose speed exceeds that which is
necessary for ordinary work, instead of utilizing such variation to modify the surface
of the sails.
The transmission of the motion of the vertical shaft will be effected according to the
different cases by means of driving belts or gearings. A fly-wheel may be used for
regulating the motion, care being taken however to interpose a suitable disengaging
mechanism in order to avoid the irregularities produced by the constant variations of
the wind or its sudden stoppage.
For lubricating the parts of the apparatus the gearing as well as the parts situated
at the opposite end of the shaft are enclosed by a box, so as to be protected from water,
dust and snow.
The lubricating cup rests upon the bearings which support the pivot of the sector.
This cup is constructed with two compartments one containing the oil and the other
petroleum. The drops issuing, composed of oil and petroleum, are conveyed from
this cup and along a small groove formed upon a small rod as far as a stop or knob at
its end, whence they run inside the shaft passing subsequently through perforations
formed in the sides of the shaft into the bearings while the surplus of lubricant reaches
the gearing and falls afterwards upon a small and concave metallic platform which
conveys it to a box. By surrounding the pivots of the sails with a packing of copper
there could be no fear of friction even if the lubrication should not be regularly
effected.
Another arrangement of apparatus having reference to the first form of sail herein-
before described allows of shortening the distance from the centre of gravity of the
sails to the vertical axis of the pivot, the load acting thus upon a shorter lever arm
the parts supporting it will be relieved accordingly. This arrangement consists in
mounting the sails at the side of that face of the framework which is turned towards
the vertical axis of the apparatus. In order to still further lighten the apparatus the
spokes of the framework may be caused to converge towards the centre of the nave
and be formed of round rods serving as fixed pivots for the sails. The said rods may
be hollow except at their two extremities so as to impart greater solidity to the
necessary connections and at the same time simplify them. In this case each sail is
fixed upon a hollow rod enclosing the spoke while rings fitted inside this hollow rod

page_text: towards its centre and at each end thereof allow only slight friction to take place in
the oscillating motion of the sail.
The cranks serving to act upon the hollow rods can be made straight; by giving
them a curved form however they can be reciprocally crossed between the spokes and
be thus connected within a small space close to the centre of the sails and the diameter
of the central piece to which these cranks are connected by small rods can be con-
sequently decreased. Towards the end of each spoke a nut and lock-nut allow the
position of the sail upon the spoke to be regulated and at the same time the action of
the apparatus to be controlled while in operation.
The point farthest from the centre of each spoke is connected to a tie bar fixed to a
cross-bar and to rods on the perimeter of the framework. Moreover, in order to
prevent as much as possible the horizontal shaft from taking a wrong bearing (which
can always be avoided by the application of a counter weight) and at the same time
to lengthen the said shaft, the frame supporting the horizontal shaft may be replaced
by a kind of fork.
In this case the motion serving to modify the inclination of the sails is transmitted
from the centre by gear at the end of the horizontal shaft. By arranging these parts
so that they are easily accessible they can be better watched while the substitution of
fresh parts for those that are worn out can be readily effected.
In another arrangement of the sails, where the pivot of each sail has its bearing
points upon two consecutive spokes, each sail presents a surface of a certain extent the
plane of which is obliquely inclined upon the pivot which supports it and passes
through its centre.
This surface may be plain or composed of strips connected to the pivot and having
a similar inclination.
When the apparatus is stopped the plain or composite sail presents its narrowest
part to the action of the wind.
The rods serving to regulate the sails act by compression when the connecting
square pieces are arranged upon the extremity of the horizontal shaft and by traction
when these square pieces are brought in proximity to the cross-bar.. In this second
case a free space must be left on each sail for the passage of these rods, the same
remark applies to the first case when there are several rows of concentric sails with
the exception of those occupying the last row..
The formation upon the sails of passages for the said rods can be avoided by using
a suitable arrangement the cranks being fixed rigidly and perpendicularly upon the
ends of the shafts of the sails.
It is not necessary to prolong the hollow vertical motor shaft beyond the step
supporting the moveable pivot of the apparatus; any other suitable intermediate
shaft can however be applied as required, either by means of pulleys, bevil wheels,
spur-wheels or disc carrying a crank and a crank pin for communicating a to and fro
motion so that the rod in the centre of the apparatus shall always be free to operate.
This rod may rest directly upon the ground or be limited in its length in order to
reduce its weight.
One of the parts forming the long moveable pivot of the apparatus may be dispensed
with by converting the core of the frame into a kind of socket adjusted so as to have
but slight friction and equilibrated upon a corresponding pivot which is also hollow
and firmly fixed upon a pillar connected directly to the building; in this case the said
pillar forming a fixed pivot supports the whole of the apparatus.
The said pillar may be prolonged outside the building as far as the ground so as to
serve the purpose of a tower formed of several trunks rigidly connected and secured
at its upper part and towards the middle by means of simple tie-bars fixed in the
ground. A straight ladder or a spiral staircase arranged around this pillar gives
access to the platform.
If the transmission of the motion could not be effected below the base an opening
could be formed in the pillar protruding if necessary at a given place according to the
requirements of the case. When the apparatus is intended only to actuate one simple
and ordinary pump having an alternate motion, all the intermediate toothed wheels

page_text: could-be dispensed with, as the alternate motion could as well be produced by means
of an eccentric keyed directly upon the horizontal shaft. In this case the herein-
before described central rod is of the form of a tube so as to allow another rod
transmitting the to and fro motion to pass therethrough at the centre of the apparatus
in order to reach the pit or shaft.
The disc provided with a crank and a crank pin as hereinbefore described can also
be used in the case of a simple alternating motion. A perforation is formed, through
the shaft for the passage of the bolt connected to the rod and rigidly fixed to a kind of
sheath surrounding the horizontal shaft and covering over the perforation which can'
be moved longitudinally upon the said shaft and at the same time follow its rotary
motion. Upon this sheath is fixed a sleeve having a circular groove in order to hold
a guiding ring which is also guided by two fingers fixed upon the connecting rods.
thus suspended by the square connecting pieces and the levers.
Although the central rod does not extend to the ground the apparatus, can-never-
theless be regulated from this point, that is to say, from the ground floor by means of
a wire actuating a small lever which acts upon the said rod or upon its butting piece ;
or the latter piece may be arranged at any other point below the weighted lever in
order to limit the stroke of the latter which should always remain free beyond such
limit. A few stop notches for the purpose of holding this wire would allow of the
sails of the apparatus being modified and even of effecting its immediate stoppage.
It has been found by experiments that the automatic regulation of the apparatus
can be efficiently effected by employing centrifugal power with the aid of counter-
weights arranged as follows:-As regards the arrangement of the sails in which
the pivot of each sail bears upon two consecutive spokes the counter-weight consists
of a body fixed upon the sail. When the regulating rods act by traction these bodies
may be placed at their ends. The sail itself however may form the required counter-
weight it being only necessary that a portion of its weight shall be arranged
eccentrically upon its centre of oscillation. This arrangement allows of bringing one
of the sides of each sail in proximity to the spokes and thus allow a freer passage to
the wind.
With reference to the other arrangement of the sails in which the pivots are placed
in the direction of the spokes of the framework a similar result can be obtained by
using two toothed and bevil sectors, one fixed upon the shaft of the sail while the
other is carried by a pivot fixed upon the spoke the latter sector is connected to a
lever carrying the weight which by being brought farther from or nearer to the
centre of the apparatus according to the speed of motion produces the desired effect.
By arranging these counterweights on every other sail a little less than twice their
gravity would be required in order to obtain the same effect.
These toothed sectors may be replaced by small crank arms one being fixed upon
the shaft of the sail and the other upon the neighbouring spoke and both being thus
connected by a rod extending in the direction of its length from one spoke to the other
so as to facilitate the operation of these parts, the movements of which could not be
projected in one and the same plane.
Thus arranged the sensitiveness of the regulating apparatus is such that it may be
compared to a scale beam in equilibrium the regulator forming a lever of the second
order in which the resistance is represented by a sliding weight or index moveable
upon a graduated fod while the power is equal in value to that of the force tending
to cause the sails to pivot upon their axis of rotation, this force being composed
firstly of the centrifugal force developed by the small weights arranged upon the
periphery of the apparatus and secondly of a force which is the sum of the differential
pressures of the wind exerted upon each sail whose surface is divided into two unequal
parts by the axis of rotation.
The index or weight being placed upon a given point of the rod the resistance is
determined by the weight of such index and the length of the lever arm upon which
it acts.
The power on the contrary is essentially variable according to the changes in the
speed of the wind the result being that the smallest difference between this power and

page_text: the determined resistance causes the beam to move and it is just this motion of the
beam which is transmitted to the sails so as to modify their surface in the required
direction for immediately establishing an equilibrium between the two forces acting
upon the beam. This ensures the regular operation of the apparatus. Should the
apparatus be actuated by the wind in a reverse direction to the normal (a very rare
case not liable to occur except for a few minutes) the regulator will also act; at such
a time alone the transmission of motion does not take place owing to the interposed
stop or catch so that the work produced by the apparatus can only take place in the
ordinary manner. Thus absolute safety is ensured in both arrangements of this
apparatus.
This apparatus being within the reach of most people can be used as a domestic
motor its application allowing many different kinds of work to be performed at any
time owing to the storage of the different above mentioned accumulators and
consequently effecting an economy in the work performed and rendering it easy.

page_text: Improvements in Machinery for Obtaining Motive Power from the
Action of Currents of Wind.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the General Patent Office, No. 4, South Street,
Finsbury, in the county of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention (a communication from abroad by D. Hure of Chateauneuf-sur-Loire,
in the republic of France,) and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to the construction of improved machinery or apparatus for
obtaining motive power from the action of currents of wind and provided with an
automatic regulator and capable of being instantaneously set to the wind.
In order to enable the invention to be fully understood I will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawings in which figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a
machine, constructed according to this invention, for obtaining motive power from the
action of currents of wind; figures 2 to 14 and figure 17 are detached views of parts
of the machine and modifications thereof; figure 15 is a front elevation, and figure 16
a side elevation of a complete machine mounted on a building. Similar letters in
all the figures represent similar parts.
The apparatus is constructed of a horizontal shaft a (shown clearly in figure 1) one
end of which carries a set of sails, imparting thereto a rotary motion upon its axis.
This rotary motion is transmitted to a vertical shaft c, by means of two bevil wheels d;
this vertical shaft is made to project within a building and then becomes the motor
shaft for the work which has to be effected by the apparatus.
The automatic setting of the apparatus is effected by means of the following arrange-
ment. The horizontal shaft, is supported by bearings e, fixed upon the arms or
brackets e, and el forming part of the framework. The standard or vertical portion m,
of this frame (which is also shewn in elevation at figure 2, one of the bearings e, being
here shewn in face view), as well as the central supporting column figures 15
and 16, is hollow and the vertical shaft c, passes through them. The lower part of the
standard My is provided with rollers n, arranged in the shape of a ring and forming
the pivot of the standard m. The central column m" is shewn detached in elevation
at figure 6 and is held by a socket n' fixed to a platform o, (shewn detached in plan
view at figure 3) firmly connected to the framework of the, building by means of tie-
bars ;
the line, y, in figure 6 indicates the place at which is fixed the zinc of the
ridge plate of the building on which the motor is mounted. By means of steps and
an opening formed in the floor, the platform o, can be reached in order to examine the
apparatus and keep the same in working order.
B

page_text: The framing of the sails consists of a kind of wheel, the nave, of which is keyed
upon the horizontal shaft a.
The spokes g, upon the said nave are strengthened by
tie-bars k.
The sails b, properly so called are made of metal (zine or sheet iron); their form is
that of a trapezoid, as shewn in figure 1. Each sail is mounted upon a shaft
divides the surface of the sail into two unequal parts. The bearings which are nearest
to the centre may be connected together in such a manner as to form a single piece
of annular shape.
which
By this arrangement the action of the wind tends to cause each sail to pivot upon
its shaft and the force required to be exerted in order to oppose such motion is
proportioned to the difference between the two parts of the surface of the sails. As
this strain or force is produced by the automatic regulator, the result is that this part
of the apparatus must be so much the more sensitive, the weaker the force which has
to be exerted.
The automatic regulator is represented in detached elevation at figure 5 and has for
object to increase the surface of the sails exposed to the action of the wind, when the
ordinary speed of such wind decreases and to decrease this surface mutil it becomes
nil when the speed of the wind is beyond the limit determined upon. This regulator
consists of a lever, in which the power is represented by the force tending to cause
the sails to pivot upon their shaft, while the resistance is obtained by means of a
weight, fixed upon a graduated rod of this lever in order to equilibrate these two
forces according to the wind speed. The surface of the sails is regulated by means of
a screw. This part of the regulator is situated inside the buildings to which the
motor is applied and close at hand; it is connected with the sail mechanism in the
following manner: The shafts, and e, figure 1, are made hollow a rod p¹ placed
within the vertical shaft, without partaking of its rotary motion is connected on the
one hand to the lever of the regulator and on the other to a bell crank lever r, the
support of which is fixed upon the arme. This bell crank lever, has for object
to connect, the rod to one end of a levers, having its bearing in a bracket fixed to
the arme, the other end of the levers, being connected to a horizontal rod a passing
through the horizontal shaft a, and which can move upon the axis of this shaft and
participate in its rotary motion figure 7 represents an elevation and a plan of the
lever .
The connection of this rod a' with the shafts g, of the sails is effected in the following
manner:
The rod a after passing through the shaft a, is terminated by a plate 7, shewn in
side elevation in figure 1 and in detached face view at figure 8. On the plate y, are
arranged arms in the end of which engages a small connecting rod or link &
figure 1, which serves to connect the arm with a small crank m fixed on the shaft
of the sail b. In this manner every movement of the regulator is immediately
communicated to the whole arrangement of sails.
The transmission of the motion of the vertical shaft e, will be effected according to
the circumstances by means of driving belts or (as shewn in the sectional view at
figure 10 in which IT indicates the ground line) by gearing. A fly wheel may be
used for regulating the motion, care being taken however to interpose a suitable ratchet
and click mechanism, in order to avoid the irregularities produced by the constant
variations of the wind or its sudden stoppage.
At the end of each spoke g, a nut and lock-nut h, allow the position of the sail upon
the spoke to be regulated and at the same time the play which the apparatus may cause
in working to be taken up.
The point farthest from the centre of each spoke g, is connected to a tie-bar .
Moreover in order to prevent as much as possible the horizontal shaft from overbearing,
it is only necessary to apply a counter weight P (as shown in figure 16) and at the
same time to lengthen the said shaft a.
I
:
The automatic regulation of the apparatus is effected by centrifugal power by means
of counter-weights arranged as follows; reference being had to figure 1 and to

page_text: figure 17, which latter is a detached view of a sail provided with this automatic
regulator.
For this purpose, two toothed and bevel sectors 7, are employed, one fixed upon the
shaft R (figure 17) of the sail, while the other is carried by a pivot fixed upon the
spokey figure represents a sectional view drawn to a larger scale of the end of the
spoke, on which the sector is keyed; the latter sector is connected to a lever¹
figure 1, which, by being brought farther from or nearer to the centre of the apparatus,
according to the speed of motion produces the desired effect. When the sails are
completely turned from the wind the weights Q occupy the position indicated by the
dotted lines Q figure 17. By arranging these counterweights on every other sail
a little less than twice their gravity would be required in order to obtain the same
effect.
Rods, shewn in face and side views at figure 9, are employed to connect together
the ends of each two consecutive spokes y.
Thus arranged the sensitiveness of the regulating apparatus is such that it may be
compared to a scale beam in equilibrium, the regulator forming a lever of the second
order in which the resistance is represented by a sliding weight or index moveable
upon a graduated rod while the power is equal in value to that of the force tending to
cause the sails to pivot upon their axes of rotation, this force being composed firstly of
the centrifugal force developed by the small weights arranged upon the periphery
of the apparatus, and secondly of a force which is the sum of the differential pressures
of the wind exerted upon each sail whose surface is divided into two unequal parts by
the axis of rotation.
The index or weight figure 5 being placed upon a given point of the rod the
resistance is determined by the weight of such index and the length of the lever arm
upon which it acts.
The power, on the contrary, is essentially variable according to the changes in the
speed of the wind, the result being that the smallest difference between this
power
and the determined resistance causes the beam to move, and it is just this motion of
the beam which is transmitted to the sails so as to modify their surface in the required
direction for immediately establishing an equilibrium between the two forces acting
upon the beam.
When the apparatus is intended only to acutate a single ordinary pump having an
alternate motion, all the intermediate toothed wheels could be dispensed with, as the
alternate motion could as well be produced by means of an eccentric keyed directly
upon the horizontal shaft, as represented in figure 11 which shews a face and edge
view of this arrangement, figures 12 and 13 illustrating details of the same.
this case a rod T passes right through the apparatus in order to reach the pit or
shaft.
In
Or a crank plate provided with a crank pin can be used where a simple alternating
motion is required as illustrated in the sectional elevation at figure 14. A perforation
is formed through the horizontal shaft for the passage of the bolt connected to the
rod a¹ and rigidly fixed to a kind of collar or ferrule g' surrounding the horizontal
shaft, and covering over the perforation and which can be moved longitudinally upon
the said shaft and at the same time follow its rotary motion. Upon this collar or
ferrule is fixed a sleeve having a circular groove in order to hold the guiding ring of
the said collar.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A machine for obtaining motive power from the action of currents of wind,
having metallic sails presenting a large surface to the wind and provided with means
for automatically varying their inclination substantially as hereinbefore described and
represented in the various figures of the accompanying drawings.
2. In a machine for obtaining motive power from the action of currents of wind
the arrangement for directly regulating the action of the sails by land whereby they
B 2

page_text: can be adjusted to any degree from being rendered completely inoperative to their
being fully developed substantially as hereinbefore described and represented in the
accompanying drawings
3. In a machine for obtaining motive power from the action of currents of wind
the arrangement for regulating the pressure of the wind on the sails which can
be limited as required by means of a single moveable weight on a graduated
lever substantially as hereinbefore described and represented in the accompanying
drawings.
4. The combination of parts forming the improved machinery for obtaining motive
power from the action of currents of wind whereby an automatic regulation is obtained
which modifies the acting surface of the sails according to the speed of the atmospheric
currents, thus providing a proper relation between the power of the wind and the
resistance occasioned by the work substantially as herein before described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.