GB2262793A

GB2262793A - Rotation promoting means, and a power generating system using the rotation promoting means.

Info

Publication number: GB2262793A
Application number: GB9218988A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Takeo Suehiro
Original assignee: WADA SAKUMI
Current assignee: WADA SAKUMI
Priority date: 1991-12-27
Filing date: 1992-09-08
Publication date: 1993-06-30
Also published as: CA2077026A1; GB9218988D0; DE4234842A1

Description

2262793 ROTATION PROMOTING MEANS, AND A POWER GENERATION SYSTEM PROVIDED

WITH THE ROTATION PROMOTING MEANS This invention relates to a rotation promoting means for accelerating rotation of a rotatable shaft, and also to a power generation system provided with the rotation promoting means.

In Japan, electric power is generated by nuclear, hydroelectric, and thermoelectric power plants. Despite severe controversy relating to safety, the Government intends to rely on nuclear power generation because it is more advantageous in cost than thermoelectric and hydroelectric power generation at present.

In obtaining energy through rotation of a power generator directly rotated by a motor, there is obviously no benefit viewed from the law of energy conservation. Thus, no basic concept is known yet to obtain enhanced electric power industrially through rotation of a power generator by a motor.

According to the present invention, there is provided a rotation promotion means for a rotating shaft, characterized in that a plurality of weights are rotatably mounted at spaced apart locations in an outer peripheral region of a rotatable wheel, which is capable of being fixedly mounted on a rotatable shaft, wherein the arrangement is such that the weights are set in an open position and project outwardly from the peripheral region when moving down as the wheel rotates, and such that the weights are set in a closed position disposed in the peripheral region when moving up as the wheel rotates.

Preferably a groove is provided in the outer peripheral region of the rotatable wheel, and each of the weights is pivotally supported on its respective pivot pin which extends across the groove.

The present invention also provides a power generation system which comprises:

a rotatable shaft; a rotation promoting means defined above and fixedly mounted on the rotatable shaft; a start-up motor for initiating rotation of the rotatable shaft; and a power generator for generating electric power when rotated by the rotatable shaft.

The present invention is based on a principle that the rotatable shaft is equipped with means for promoting rotation by gravitational force when a power generator is directly rotated by a motor, and surplus energy is obtained by gravitational force, and thus power is generated in an economically and industrially feasible manner.

For a better understanding of the present invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a general side view schematically illustrating an embodiment of a power generation system of the present invention; and Figure 2 is a view at right angles to that in Figure 1 schematically illustrating the same embodiment of the present invention.

The embodiment illustrated in the drawings comprises a starting motor 1, a belt (or chain) 5 extending around a small diameter pulley 2 on the drive shaft of the starting motor 1 and a large diameter pulley 4 on a rotating shaft 3, rotation promoting means 6 mounted on the rotating shaft 3 on both sides of the large diameter pulley 4, and a belt (or chain) 10 extending around a small diameter pulley 8 on a shaft of a power generator 7 and a large diameter pulley 9 on the rotating shaft 3.

As shown in the drawings, each of the rotation promoting means 6 has a plurality of weights 14 rotatably supported on a plurality of pins 13, which 1 -1 are mounted on a groove 11 in the outer periphery of a rotating wheel 12. Therefore, when the wheel is rotated in the direction of the arrow in Figure 1 and the weights are moved down in the rotating direction, they automatically "flip" to an open position and project outwardly. When the weights are moved up in the rotating direction, they fall into a "closed" position and are brought into contact with the recessed groove 11. As the result, the weignts on the right side of Fig. 1 mounted on the wheel 12 are in open position and the weights on the other side are in closed position at all times. Thus, rotary moment is generated, and the rotation of the rotating shaft 3 is promoted.

In the above embodiment, the rotation promoting means 6 are mounted one on each side of the shaft, while more than one, e.g. 10 each, of such means may be provided, and the number of such means may be properly selected according to the size 'of the rotation promoting means and electric power to be generated.

The rotating shaft 3 of the rotation promoting means 6 is supported by bearings 16 and 161. The power generator 7 is rotated through the belt 10, which connects the large diameter pulley 9 mounted on one end of the rotating shaft 3 and the small diameter pulley 8 of the power generator 7, and power is generated.

In the above embodiment, a recessed groove 11 is formed on outer periphery of the wheel 12 so that the weights 14 are brought into contact with and stopped by said recessed groove 11. However, the invention is not limited to this, and stoppers may be used, for example.

In the above embodiment, the pulley 2 mounted on the rotating shaft of the motor is designed with small diameter and the pulley 4 mounted on the rotating shaft 3 is designed with large diameter. The reason for this is to slow down the rotating speed of the rotating shaft because, if the rotating speed of the shaft is too fast, all weights may be set in open positions by centrifugal force.

Because the rotating shaft 3 is also rotated by the rotation promoting means 6, there is no need that the starting motor 1 is operated at all times, and the motor may be turned on and off with a certain time interval.

The application of the rotation promoting means 6 of the presbnt invention is not limited to the rotation of the power generator, and it may be used for rotating any type of wheels. In summing up, it can be used for any application for promoting and accelerating the rotation of a rotating wheel by mounting on a rotating shaft of the rotating wheel.

Next, description will be given on the operating principle of the present invention with the above arrangement.

When the rotating shaft 3 is rotated by the rotation of the starting motor 1 through the belt 5, the wheel 12 is - 5 rotated as shown in the figure. The weights 14 on the wheel 12 are set in open position when the weights are moving downward, and the weights are set in closed position when moving up. Thus, rotating force generated by rotary moment is given to the rotating shaft 3, and the rotation is promoted. When the rotating shaft 3 is rotated, the power generator 7 is rotated through the belt (chain) 10, and electric power is generated.

According to the present invention, a force to push the rotating shaft downward is applied by the principle of seesaw and this force is converted to surplus electric power generated by energy other than the motor.

As described above, it is possible according to the present invention to promote the rotation of the rotating shaft be6ause the rotation promoting means operated by gravitational force are provided without supplying energy from outside. Thus, electric power with higher energy can be generated than the energy given to the power generator by the motor. This surplus energy corresponds to the energy given by the gravitational force, which is supplied free of charge.

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Claims

1. Rotation promoting means for a rotating shaft, characterized in that a plurality of weights are rotatably mounted at spaced apart locations in an outer peripheral region of a rotatable wheel, which is capable of being fixedly mounted on a rotatable shaft, wherein the arrangement is such that the weights are set in an open position and project outwardly from the peripheral region when moving down as the wheel rotates, and such that the weights are set in a closed position disposed in the peripheral region when moving up as the wheel rotates.

2. Rotation promoting means according to claim 1, wherein a groove is provided in the outer peripheral region of the rotatable wheel, and each of the weights is pivotally supported on its respective pivot pin which extends across the groove.

3. A power generation system, which comprises: a rotatable shaft; a rotation promoting means according to claim 1 or 2 and fixedly mounted on the rotatable shaft; a motor for rotation of the rotatable shaft; and a power generator for generating electric power when rotated by the rotatable shaft.

4. A power generation system according to claim 3, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.