United States Patent (19) 11) 4,326,132

Bokel 45) Apr. 20, 1982

54
(54) ULTIMATE ENERGY
y WHEELL DRUM FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
76 Inventor: A: le,29 Alice La., 2276479 1/1976 France .................................. 60/495
emet, Calif.
Primary Examiner-J. V. Truhe
21) Appl. No.: 190,244 Assistant Examiner-Shelley Wade
22 Filed: Sep. 24, 1980 57) ABSTRACT
3 A power generatingg apparatus,
power g app in which air is dis
51) Int. Cl. ................................................ F03B 9/00 charged into a lower portion of a rotatable, underwater
52 U.S. Cl. ..................................... 290/1R; 60/99: wheel or the like, so as to provide buoyancy, in order to
o 415/5 rotate the wheel and drive an electric generator; the
58 Field of Search ..................... 41.5/5, 7; 416/7, 84; apparatus including, in one design thereof, an endless
417/62; 60/495, 496; 290/1 R bucket-line around a periphery of an upper and lower
56) References Cited rotatable wheel, the buckets at a lower end of the line
being turned into inverted position where an air nozzle,
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS directed under the buckets, fills them with air, so as to
3,984,698 10/1976 Brewer .................................. 290/54 cause the buckets to lift.
4,054,031 10/1977 Johnson . ... 415/7
4,242,868 1/1981 Smith ...................................... 415/5 3 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures
U.S. Patent Apr. 20, 1982 Sheet 1 of 4 4,326,132

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U.S. Patent Apr. 20, 1982 Sheet 2 of 4 4.326,132

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U.S. Patent Apr. 20, 1982 Sheet 3 of 4 4,326,132
U.S. Patent Apr. 20, 1982 Sheet 4 of 4 4,326,132
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4,326,132 2
buckets of the other side. Each bucket is tapered at its
ULTMATE ENERGY WHEEL DRUM closed end, and each bucket is rigidly fixed in position
on the chain, by means of a pair of the chain cross pins
This invention relates generally to power generating 21 extending through a flange 22 thereof.
apparatus. 3 .. . . A pair of computerized air injectors 23 protrude up
A principal object of the present invention is to pro wardly, at an inclined angle from the base, each injector
vide an apparatus wherein air is computerizedly in aligning with one of the rows 19, so that air from the
jected under a mass of water, exerting a specific anti nozzle of the injector bubbles upwardly in a precise
gravitational or buoyancy force, so as to drive a power } area, therefrom, inside the lowermost bucket, this re
10
Another object is to provide a power generating sulting in closing the flap valve. The air bubbles replace
generator. . . . . . . .. . . . . . .

the water
apparatus, which differs from solar energized apparatus thereto. Thus, inside the bucket, thus giving buoyancy
by incorporating operating principles that have already side of the apparatus,the vertical rows of buckets along one
all being inverted, hold a total
today been well developed for an ultimate practical use quantity of air having sufficient buoyancy so as to cause
instead of relying on developments to be yet made in the 15 these buckets to rise upwardly in the water, and thus
future in order to be practical some day. carry the chain therewith, and accordingly rotate the
Yet another object of this invention, is to provide an gears.
ultimate energy wheel drum apparatus, which also can uprightAtasthe upper end of the bucket travel, they invert
be built on any desired scale, so as either to provide their downwardtravel
they around the upper gear, so that, on
energy for a limited need, or else provide energy on a 20 buckets fill with water. the flap valve will open and the
travel,
large scale to meet the requirements of a power com Air to the injectors is supplied from a compressed air
pany for a large metropolis. tank, externally located, (not shown). As stated, the air
Other objects are to provide an ultimate energy is computerizedly
wheel drum, which is simple in design, inexpensive to advanced computerinjected. compressor
The most technologically
dynamo and associate
manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use, and equipment should be used. The percentage
25
of free en
efficient in operation. ergy will depend on material design and balance of the
These, and other objects will be readily evident, upon design.
a study of the following specification, and the accompa
nying drawings, wherein: A power take-off could be attached to the lower
FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of the ultimate energy 30 shaft, so as to run an electric generator, (not shown).
wheel (endless bucket lines); It is to be understood that more rows 19 of the buck
FIG. 2 is a side elevation view thereof; ets could be incorporated into the design, as wished, for
FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail of a chain link thereof; producing greater power, as needed.
FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of another design Referring now to FIG. 4 of the drawings, another
thereof; 35 design of ultimate energy wheel drum assembly 24 is
FIG. 5 is a similar view of still another design, (drum shown wherein a plurality of wheels 25 are affixed on a
design); shaft 26 supported rotatably free in roller bearing
FIG. 6 is a front cross-sectional view of a precast, clamps 27 of a stationary frame 28, standing upon a base
reinforced concrete water tank for the ultimate energy or bottom wall of a tank, or the like, containing the
wheel and endless bucket lines; body of water 13 to a depth so that the wheels are fully
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view, on line 1, 4, 7-1, 4, submerged.
7 of FIG. 6; A plurality of rows 29 of hollow, streamlined cap
FIG. 8 is a side view of the drum and dynamo sup sules 30 are rigidly affixed to the periphery of the
port; . wheels; each capsule having a rear opening 31 and a
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view in direction 9-9 of 45 simple flap valve 32 at its forward end; the flap valve
FIG. 2, and illustrating a modified design, wherein a being closable by air pressure.
double row of receptacles are carried on a peripheral A computerized air injector 23, as above-described, is
rim of a wheel; this could be increased to 3, 4, 5, 6, etc. extendible, as shown, in order to direct compressed air
rows; through the rear opening and into the capsule, the injec
FIG. 10 is a modified design thereof, wherein there is 50 tor thus forming an air pump for the capsule. This air
a single row of receptacles; and filling occurs immediately after a capsule is moved past
FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the a bottom center of the wheel periphery, so that the air
wheel rim shown in FIG. 10. provides the buoyancy necessary for causing the cap
Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, and sule to rise, and thus turn the wheel. When the capsule
more particularly to FIGS. 1 to 3 thereof, at this time, 55 arrives above the water level 33, and passes a top center
the reference numeral 10 represents a power generating of the wheel periphery, the combined effort of air rush
apparatus, according to the present invention, wherein ing outward plus the capsule dipping under water,
there is a tall tank 11, standing upon a base 12, for con causes the flap valve to open. Thus, water is admitted
taining a deep body of water 13. An upper cross shaft into the capsule, while the air rushes outward therefrom
14, and a lower cross shaft 15, are supported between through the rear opening. Thus, during the capsule
opposite side walls 16 of the tank, so as to extend descent, it is filled with water. When it again gets into
through the water body. Upon each cross shaft, there is position for being refilled with air, the flap valve closes,
mounted a gear 17, and an endless chain 18 extends so as to repeat the cycle.
around both gears, engaging the teeth thereof. Two As shown in the drawing, a time activator 34 is pivot
rows 19 of buckets 20 are mounted along the chain in a 65 able at the opening 31. As also shown, an electronic
rigid manner, so that an open end of each faces a closed timer 35 is provided, but may be eliminated if the rotat
end of an adjacent bucket. As shown in FIG. 2, the ing speed is constant. The computerized injector will
rows 19 are on opposite sides of the chain, with the inject to set intervals.
 4,326,132
3 4.
Referring now to FIG. 5, another design of ultimate gears 17, the buckets being on the outer side of the rim.
energy wheel drum assembly 36 is shown, wherein The wheel may be made spoked.
submerged drum 37 is supported rotatably in roller In FIG. 10, a similar construction is shown, wherein
bearing guides 38. An adjustable support is provided at a single row ofbuckets are carried on the rim. As shown
39, for a dynamo 40. The assembly 36 is of advanced in FIG. 11, the rim may be bolted to the wheel periph
type, working on the same principles as assembly. 24. ery, using plastic nuts and washers, as shown at 58 and
Supports are shown at 42, and computerized, elec 59.
tronically controlled pumps are shown at 43. An inlet is While various changes may be made in the detail
shown at 44 and an outlet at 45. construction, it is understood that such changes will be
The wheel drum, properly designed and operated, 10 within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as is
will produce between ten to thirty percent of free en defined by the appended claims.
ergy. Wheels and drums could be joined together to any What I now claim is:
length, as wished. 1. An ultimate energy wheel drum assembly, com
In the design of assembly 36, air flow is in a direction prising, in combination, a tank filled with water, at least
as indicated by arrow 46. The toothed wheel 37 drives 15
one wheel inside said tank affixed on a horizontal shaft
the gear 37a of the dynamo. supported rotatably free, a plurality of receptacles car
In FIG. 5, the air is pumped as shown. When the air ried around a periphery of said wheel, and computer
reaches the culmination point (O), it will be replaced to ized air and gas injectors at the bottom of said tank for
the low point of the drum (180°-184). This will result filling said receptacles with air and gas; said receptacles
in continuous clockwise movement of the drum. 20
FIGS. 6 and 7 show a type 47 of the invention, comprising capsules, and said injectors protrude up
wherein a water tank 48 measures four by eight by wardly at an inclined angle from said tank bottom, said
twenty-four feet, for individual home use. The tank may injectors being extendible for directing said air and gas
be made either of concrete, plastic or metal. The assem through a rear opening in each said capsule and into said
bly includes a storage battery 49, and a computerized air 25 capsule.
compressor and generating unit 50. A dynamo wheel 2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein
support is shown at 51. FIG. 8 shows the drum 52, and each said computerized air and gas injector is connected
the dynamo supports 53, mounted on a concrete founda to a hydrazin gas generator and air compressor.
tion 54. It shows, also, a pump line 55. 3. The combination as set forth in claim 2, wherein a
FIG. 9 shows a modified construction, wherein two 30 power take-off from said horizontal shaft is connected
rows of buckets are mounted on a rim 56, attached to a to an electric generator.
is :
periphery of a wheel 57, affixed on the shafts 14 of the

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