Patent ID: 8262337

Claim:
A wind or ocean flow extraction mechanism, comprising: a passively vented Savonius Rotor assembly, including a base support ring, a space frame support structure supported on the base support ring, sails supported on the space frame support structure, said space frame support structure having building block cube elements which facilitate the ease of on-site assembly and erection, said sails including louvered panel assemblies for venting the sails of each of the building block cube elements, wherein said louvered panel assemblies close passively when facing into the wind or ocean flow and open passively when moving into the wind or ocean flow; and a distributed gearbox including planetary power takeoff assemblies located on the perimeter of the base support ring, such that transmission of the extracted wind or ocean flow is transferred to the planetary power takeoff assemblies at points arrayed about the perimeter of the base support ring, wherein said sails have panel assemblies positioned on the backside of the convex outer surfaces, or vertical faces of the sails, such that the sail area is placed parallel to the wind or ocean flow.