Patent ID: 7318702

Claim:
A water wheel assembly for use with a flow of water, said water wheel assembly comprising: a water wheel including: a wheel plate having a central rotation axis and a plurality of circumferentially-spaced vane-receivers, each vane-receiver including a first slit defined through the wheel plate, relatively proximal to the axis, and a second slit defined through the wheel plate, relatively distal to the axis, a plurality of vanes provided one vane for each vane-receiver, said vane including: a vane body hingedly connected to the wheel plate to permit movement of said vane body between a lowered position, whereat it lies flush with the wheel plate, and a raised position, whereat it extends from the wheel plate in angular relation; and a pair of flaps extending from the vane body so as to project through respective slits and beyond the wheel plate when the vane body is disposed at the lowered position, and so as to define, in combination with the vane body and the wheel plate, a scoop, when the vane body is disposed at the raised position, and mount means for holding the wheel plate, in use, in said flow of water such that the rotation axis is orientated normal to said flow and such that the wheel plate is free to rotate about the axis.