Railways – Car-carried propulsion system
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-21
2002-12-17
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Railways
Car-carried propulsion system
Reexamination Certificate
active
06494144
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved assembly to facilitate the transfer of energy, specifically, the transfer of the mechanical or kinetic energy present in a moving vehicle into usable electrical power. This is accomplished utilizing a plurality of vehicles traveling on a substantially closed loop track system, wherein the track is structured to include impact members to absorb the kinetic energy from the vehicles, and lever and gear assemblies to transfer the kinetic energy to a power generator, such as a conventional electrical power generator.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the drastic and continued increase in world population, and the attendant increases in industrialization, there is an ever increasing demand for conventional fuels, such as fossil fuels. The result is the diminishment of the world fossil fuel supply resulting in shortages and continuously rising prices which have occurred in numerous industrialized nations. Although such conventional fuels are still the primary source of energy for driving conventional power generating assemblies, such as electrical power generators, there is an ever increasing demand for alternative energy sources which would effectively reduce the demand for fossil fuel and which would also be less detrimental to the environment than conventional.
Among the recognized alternative energy sources are nuclear energy and solar energy. Nuclear energy, while effective for driving conventional electrical power generators and similar power generating devices, is known to be dangerous and extremely expensive. As a result of recent accidents resulting in death to inhabitants in the vicinity surrounding nuclear power facilities, nuclear energy has become a less and less desirable alternative.
Solar energy, on the other hand, while considered to be a clean and safe alternative source of energy, has recognized disadvantages related to efficiency. As a result, utilization of solar energy has not been generally accepted for use in industrial applications or wide spread, high capacity electrical power generation.
As such, there is still an increasing demand for an alternate energy source which is efficient for driving relatively large scale, high capacity electrical generators and similar devices, and is capable of providing electrical power for both domestic and industrial facilities in densely populated areas. One area which has generally been overlooked is the utilization of mechanical energy, specifically, the kinetic energy available in moving vehicles, such as moving trains, which are plentiful throughout the United States as well as most industrialized countries of the world and are capable of being used to drive electrical generators or similar power generating devices, thereby effectively transferring their kinetic energy into usable electrical power, without the disadvantages and threats to public health and safety or to the environment, which are inherent in conventional power generating assemblies.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an improved energy transfer assembly, which allows the efficient transfer of mechanical or kinetic energy into electrical energy. The improved energy transfer assembly utilizes a generally circular track system preferably comprising a substantially closed loop configuration, along which one or more wheeled vehicles may travel, such as conventional locomotive engines and railcars. At least one pair of impact members, each including a first impact member and a second impact member, are operatively positioned along the track system, and each of the impact members are alternately movable between an extended position and a retracted position upon contact with a flange of a wheel of the vehicle(s) traveling along the track system. In one embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of pairs of impact members are operatively positioned along the track system.
The present invention further incorporates one or more lever assemblies, each interconnected to a pair of impact members such that the impact plates are in driving engagement with the corresponding lever assembly. Each lever assembly is subsequently interconnected with and operates in cooperative engagement with a corresponding gear assembly. The cooperative association between each lever assembly and the corresponding gear assembly is structured such that a drive arm, which movably interconnects the lever assembly to a primary auxiliary gear of the gear assembly, causes movement of the primary auxiliary gear.
In one embodiment of the present invention, each gear assembly includes a plurality of auxiliary gears each associated with a corresponding drive gear. In addition, each gear assembly includes a corresponding transfer drive gear, which is structured to effect the movement of a rotational component of a power generator. As a result of the movement of the rotational component, each power generator of the present invention produces usable electrical power, which may be transferred to any one of a number of remote locations via a plurality of conductor cables.
The continuous movement of the locomotives and railcars around the circular track system of the present invention may transfer enough kinetic energy to power potentially hundreds of large electrical generators, for example, 1,000,000 kilowatts, each of which can provide electrical energy to many inhabitants in numerous cities either at a very low cost, or perhaps, at no cost.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more clear when the drawings as well as the detailed description are taken into consideration.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1312131 (1919-08-01), Morton
patent: 1916873 (1933-07-01), Wiggins
patent: 4238687 (1980-12-01), Martinez
patent: 4239975 (1980-12-01), Chiappetti
patent: 4739179 (1988-04-01), Stites
patent: 6353270 (2002-03-01), Sen
Jules Frantz F.
Malloy & Malloy P.A.
Morano S. Joseph
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