Patent ID: 8157501

Claim:
A vertical axis sail-type windmill power transfer device designed to enhance the capacity of transforming multi-directional wind power to the rotational power of an electric generator by increasing the effective surface of interaction with the wind, said device comprising: a rotational vertical output shaft; a plurality of vertically spaced apart freely rotating horizontal rods each penetrating through said vertical output shaft; sails formed by a plurality of pairs of blades, each blade of said pairs of blades being securely mounted on portions of one of said freely rotating horizontal rods on directly opposing sides of said vertical output shaft, with the blades on one side of said vertical output shaft being parallel to one another and normally oriented at 90 degrees with their associated other blades on the other side of said output shaft, whereby said blades are constantly self-adjusting when impacted by wind so that at least one sail formed by blades on one side of said vertical output shaft is always in an optimal driving position, whereas the opposite sail formed by blades on the other side of said vertical output shaft is in a leeward position; wherein each pair of blades utilizes both the force of gravity and the force of wind to harvest the energy of the wind in a highly efficient manner which consequently rotates the vertical output shaft; wherein each blade of each pair of blades has an airfoil shape, with the center of the weight of each blade being offset from its associated horizontal rod, thereby enhancing the self-adjustment feature of said blades so that when they are impacted by wind one blade assumes a driving position with its main surface perpendicular to the wind for maximizing the wind force against it, and its associated opposite blade assumes a leeward position and has a leading airfoil edge parallel to the wind for minimizing the wind force against it; a foundation comprising a bearing block and an electrical generator or other mechanical device utilizing the energy so produced, where said foundation is attached to the rotational vertical output shaft; and a spring-type mechanism individually mounted on a portion of each rod on opposing sides of said output shaft for both securing associated blades in place when they are in their optimal driving position, and for also forcing the wind driven blades of each pair of blades to narrow the angle between their horizontal opposing blades to less than 90 degrees under extreme-wind conditions so that the area of wind reception is reduced in order to protect the blades, as well as the entire structure, from damage.