Patent ID: 7748947

Claim:
A wind turbine, comprising: a tower; a housing being pivotally secured atop said tower, said housing including: a bottom wall having opposite sides; a pair of side walls, each of which being affixed to a respective one of said opposite sides of said bottom wall, and each of which having a front end and a rear end, and each of which further having an upward extension at said rear end thereof serving as a rudder in passing winds; and a front wall being affixed to said front ends of said side walls, said front wall being inclined so as to slope upwardly and rearwardly toward said upward extensions; a wheel being mounted within said housing between said front ends and rear ends of said side walls and being rotatable about a horizontal axis when struck by winds passing over said front wall of said housing, said wheel having a hub and a plurality of paddles radiating outwardly from said hub and above said front wall of said housing; an electrical current generator being affixed to said housing and being connected to said wheel so as to be powered thereby; and, a wind shield being mounted within said housing for selectively preventing winds passing over said front wall of said housing from reaching said wheel, said wind shield including: a pair of semicircular side plates each having a linear back edge and an opposing arcuate edge; a deflector plate being normally positioned within said housing between said front wall of said housing and said wheel, said deflector plate connecting together the arcuate edges of the side plates and being pivotally secured to said housing; a lever arm extending upwardly from said deflector plate and above said housing; and, a first vane being affixed atop of said lever arm for pivoting said deflector plate upwardly and above said front wall of said housing when high winds strike said first vane.