Patent ID: 7785065

Claim:
A hydroelectric generator comprising: a means of flotation, two end rollers, a continuous belt, where the continuous belt is supported by and travels around the two end rollers, where there is a lower half and an upper half of the continuous belt supported between the two rollers, where the upper half remains above water and the lower half is submerged below water when the hydroelectric generator is in use, a plurality of fabric scoops, where the fabric scoops are attached to the continuous belt, where the fabric scoops are open when submerged below water and closed when above water, where the fabric scoops each further comprise an eyelet, a spool and cable, where the cable is stored around the spool, where the cable has a hook on one end, where the hook on one end can attach to an eyelet of a fabric scoop, an electric generator, and a means for transferring the rotational movement of at least one of the two end rollers to the electric generator, whereby the kinetic energy of moving water incident upon the hydroelectric generator propels the fabric scoops, which in turn causes the continuous belt to travel around the two end rollers thereby causing the two end rollers to rotate, where the kinetic energy that causes the two end rollers to rotate is transferred to the electric generator causing it to produce electricity.