An Improved Means for Collecting and Utilizing the Tidal Force of the Sea.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 19th July, 1892-Accepted, 20th Aug., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Means for Collecting and Utilizing the Tidal Force
of the Sea.
I, WILLIAM ARTHUR WELCH of 5 Strand Torquay Devon Draper do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improved means for collecting and utilizing the force
exerted by the rise and fall of the tide of the sea, and consists in employing a large
floating buoy to which is attached a cable to the upper surface of the buoy, and a
second cable to the under surface of the buoy.
The said buoy is arranged to float in a tidal harbour, or other situation where it
will be protected from the force of the waves. On the top of the sea wall, pier or
the like, are mounted on a common spindle or axle, two drums and between them in
the centre of the spindle is placed a large driving wheel which may be toothed to
engage with further machinery.
The said drums connect with and impart motion to the said spindle through the
agency of ratchetted wheels placed on the latter and spring checks attached to the
sides of the drums next the said ratchetted wheels, the object of the aforegoing,
being to cause the spindle and driving wheel to revolve always in the same
direction.
One of the cables attached to the above mention floating buoy, is wound round
on one of the drums, and the other cable is wound on the second drum. The cable
attached to the underside of the buoy is passed round a pulley wheel affixed to the
base of the sea wall, or otherwise suitably below low-water level, so that the buoy
in falling with the ebbing tide causes one drum to revolve, and in rising by buoyancy,
on the following tide, it causes the second drum to revolve thus imparting almost
continuous movement to the spindle and driving wheel above mentioned, and the
other machinery which can be actuated thereby.
Dated this 10th dor of Databar 1901
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Means for Collecting and Utilizing the Tidal Force
of the Sea.
I, WILLIAM ARTHUR WELCH of 5 Strand Torquay Devon Draper do hereby
declare the nature of this invention 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 an improved means for utilizing the force exerted by
the rise and fall of the tide of the sea, and consists in employing large floating
buoy, to the upper surface of which is attached a cable, a second cable being
attached to its under surface.
The said buoy is arranged to float in a tidal harbour, or other situation where it
vill be protected from the force of the waves. On the top of the sea wall, pier or
the like, are mounted on a common spindle or axle, two or more drums and between
hem, in the centre of the spindle, is placed a large driving wheel which may be
oothed to engage with further machinery. The said drums connect with and
mpart motion to the said spindle through the agency of ratchet wheels placed on
he latter, and spring pawls attached to the sides of the drums next the said ratchet
[Price 8d1

page_text: wheels, the object of the aforegoing being to cause the spindle and driving wheel to
revolve always in the same direction.
One of the cables attached to the above mentioned floating buoy is wound on one
of the drums, and the other cable is wound on the second drum. The cable attached
to the underside of the buoy is passed round a pulley wheel, affixed to the base of
the sea wall, or otherwise suitably below low water level, so that the buoy in falling
with the ebbing tide causes one drum to revolve, and in rising by buoyancy on the
following tide, it causes the second drum to revolve, thus imparting almost con-
tinuous movement to the spindle and driving wheel above mentioned, and the other
machines which can be actuated thereby.
In order that the chains or cables attached to the upper and lower surfaces of the
buoy may always be kept taut, so that the drums will always be in a position to
transmit the force to the shaft, springs or weights are used on the drums to turn
them back to the required position, the pawl and ratchet wheel arrangement allowing
the drum to turn freely in one direction. Any number of these floats may be used,
two drums being employed for each or for each set of two or more, a convenient
arrangement being to employ an additional small buoy or set of buoys which will
come into action when the tide is at ebb, being released by a suitable lever, so that
there will be a continuous force driving the shaft. This smaller buoy will be held in
its apper or lower position by any suitable stop until about the time when the turn
of the tide occurs, then ascending or descending as rapidly as the arrangements will
allow until the tide is again fairly in action on the larger float.
In order that my invention may be more clearly understood, reference is had to
the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a side and Fig. 2 a front elevation of my apparatus, and Fig. 3 a detail
view, shewing a drum with pawl and ratchet wheel.'
A is the shaft, carried by the standards B on the top of a suitable embankment.
and provided with a wheel C fixed to it, toothed or plain, for transmitting the
motion of the shaft to any machinery for which the energy is to be utilized. D is
the large buoy or float, turning the drums E by means of the cables F F attached
respectively to the top and bottom of the buoy, passing over pulleys arranged above
and below the floats, to the drums, being fixed to them and wound on them both ir
the same direction. D' is the second and smaller float connected in the sa.
manner to the drums E¹.
On the shaft A. at one or both sides of each drum a ratchet wheel G is fixed, and
a number of spring pawls H are pivotted to the ends of the drum, taking into the
ratchet wheels and turning them with the drum when moving in one direction, t
drum thus being free to turn in the other direction. Springs J are shown at the end
of each drum, fixed to the standards B, which are wound up when the drum turn-
in one direction, turning it back and winding up the cable when the strain from the
buoy is taken off at the turn of the tide.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
(1) An improved means for utilizing the tidal power of the sea, consisting of a
buoy or buoys D, attached by means of the cables F, F to drums E, mounted
loosely on the shaft A and actuating it through the pawls H and ratchet wheels G,
substantially as described and for the purposes specified.
(2) An improved means for utilizing the tidal power of the sea substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 19th day of July 1892
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.