Patent ID: 8319360

Claim:
A generator adapted to exploit surface waves of a body of water to generate electrical power, comprising: a structural frame; a plurality of floats coupled to the structural frame and constrained by the structural frame to oscillate vertically responsively to passing of surface waves; a rotatable power collector disposed to be rotated in one and only one direction by oscillation of the floats, each float being individually coupled to the rotatable power collector; a rotary generator supported on the structural frame; and a drive disposed to receive rotary inputs from the rotatable power collector and to transmit rotation to the rotary generator, wherein each float comprises a rod projecting upwardly therefrom, and a drive finger fixed to the rod, and further wherein the rotatable power collector comprises a plurality of driven members each drivably engageable with the drive fingers of the floats, whereby the drive fingers of the floats push one driven member about an arc of travel as the floats oscillate vertically responsively to passing of the surface waves.