Patent ID: 8143740

Claim:
An apparatus for storing and using wind energy comprising: a hub; a plurality of blades extending radially outwardly from said hub; a shaft interconnected to said hub; a generator connected to said shaft, said shaft extending through said generator, said shaft extending outwardly of an end of said generator opposite said hub; a first coupling means for coupling and decoupling said shaft from said hub, said first coupling means positioned between said shaft and said hub; a first tank having an inlet and an outlet; a second tank having an inlet and an outlet; a line connecting said first tank and said second tank, said line being interconnected to said shaft, each of said first and second tanks being movable between an upper position and a lower position, said first tank being in said upper position when said second tank is in said lower position, said second tank being in said upper position when said first tank is in said lower position; a second coupling means for coupling and decoupling said shaft from said line, said second coupling means positioned between said shaft and said first and second tanks; an elevated reservoir having a first discharge port and a second discharge port, said first discharge port being connected to said inlet of said first tank when said first tank is in said upper position, said second discharge port being connected to said inlet of said second tank when said second tank is in said upper position; a base reservoir having a first receiver port and a second receiver port, said first receiver port being connected to said outlet of said first tank when said first tank is in said lower position, said second receiver port being connected to said outlet of said second tank when said second tank is in said lower position; and a pumping means for pumping a fluid from said base reservoir to said elevated reservoir, said pumping means being electrically connected to said generator.