 it reciprocates along the axis X of the stator 38 in response to the oscillatory motion of the walking beam 10. Indeed, the armature 46 is connected to the head 14 of the walking beam 10 through a cable 48 and a rod 50. The cable 48 extends over the arcuate surface 16 of the head 14 and is attached to the head 14 at the upper end of that surface. The rod 50 is attached to the armature 46. The cable 48 and rod 50 are joined together at a dielectric coupler 52 so that the cable 48 and drive unit B are electronically isolated from the armature 46. When the head 14 is elevated, the cable 48 extends over most of the arcuate surface 16. However, when the head 14 is lowered, the cable 48 contacts only the upper region of the arcuate surface 16. The configuration and location of the arcuate surface 16 is such that the section of cable 48 that extends between the lowermost point of contact with the surface 16 and the rod 50 remains aligned with and along the axis X, this irrespective of the angular position of the walking beam 10. The weight of the armature 46 maintains the cable 48 taut irrespective of the position of the beam 10. Indeed, the armature 46 weighs enough to overcome the electrical drag imposed on the armature 46.
The armature 46 may be a permanent magnet or an electromagnet, but with either type it preferably has its poles located along the axis X. The field comprises the coils 42 in which a current is induced as the armature 46 passes the coils 42 when the armature 46 reciprocates back and forth within the housing 40. The current from the coils 42 is used to power the motor 24 through copper wires 54 and also provides electrical energy to power other devices through the electrical power grid after the current has been rectified and inverted to the appropriate 60 Hertz frequency. Additionally, a large capacitor 54 may be employed to temporarily store energy to power the motor 24 and the grid as the armature 46 comes to halt at either end of its travel before continuing in the opposite direction.
The drive unit B may be coupled with other generating units, and they need not be oriented vertically, but instead may operate along an axis X that is inclined to the vertical, perhaps at 45°, or other angles including horizontal. Moreover, modified units may produce single phase or three phase alternating current or direct current. An internal combustion engine may be substituted for the motor 24. Also, a fuel-powered motor-generator set may supply the electrical energy for the motor 24.
A modified generating unit D (FIG. 3) includes a stator 58 that lies along the axis X and has steel shell 60, the center of which coincides with the axis X. The shell 60 along its sides is lined with coils 62, there being a separate row of coils 62 along each side. In addition, the unit D has an armature 64 that reciprocates within the stator 58 along the axis X. The armature 64 includes a steel rod 66 that lies along the axis X and at its upper end is connected to the cable 48 through the coupler 52. The cable 48 extends over the arcuate surface 16 of the head 14 on the walking beam 10 of the drive unit B. The rod 66 carries magnets 70 that are arranged such that their poles alternate, that is to say the north pole of any magnet 70 lies next to the south poles on adjacent magnets and vice versa. At its lower end the rod 66 is fitted with a counterweight 72.
When the motor 24 of the generating unit B is energized, the walking beam 10 oscillates back and forth on its bearings 6. The armature 64, being connected to the head 14 on the walking beam 10, reciprocates in the stator 58. The magnets 70 produce a magnetic flux which passes through the field represented by the coils 62, inducing electric current in the coils 62. Small spaces should exist between the coils 62 so that the unit D produces alternating current.
Another modified generating unit E (FIG. 4) includes a stator 74 having at least one steel plate 76 located in a fixed position and coils 78 mounted on the plate 76. The stator 74 also has grooved tracks 80 that are fixed in position with respect to the plate 76 and lie in a plane that is parallel to the plate 76.
The tracks 80 guide an armature 82 that reciprocates on them past the coils 78 that are attached to the plate 76. The armature 82 includes a center plate 84, the edges of which are received in the grooves of the tracks 80. The center plate 84 carries magnets 86 that are arranged along its face opposite the coils 78 with their north and south poles alternating. The center plate 84 is connected to a rod 88 that is in turn connected through the dielectric coupler 52 and cable 48 to the head 14 on the walking beam 10 of the generating unit B.
The magnets 86 produce a magnetic flux, and as the armature 82 moves upwardly and downwardly between the plates 76, the flux passes through the coils 78, inducing an electrical current in them.
Still another modified generating unit F (FIG. 5) produces three-phase electrical current. It includes an armature 90 having a core 92 of triangular cross section. The armature 90 is connected to the head 14 of the walking beam 10 through a rod 94 that is attached to the core 92 at the center of its upper triangular face and through the coupler 52 on the cable 48. The armature 90 also has magnets 96 mounted on the three side faces of the core 92 with their north and south poles alternating. Thus, each side face of the core 92 possesses a series of magnets 96 arranged in a row, one after the other.
As the armature 90 reciprocates the magnets 96 move past coils located on a stator, there being a separate set of coils located opposite each row of magnets 96. The magnetic flux created by the changing magnetic field induces current in each of the three sets of coils. The current is rectified and inverted into alternating currents of 60 Hertz that are out of phase by 120°.
A modified electrical generating facility G (FIGS. 6-9) is in many respects similar to the facility A. It includes a drive unit H and a vertical/linear generating unit J. The latter produces enough electrical energy to power the former and supply electrical energy to a power grid as well, all without producing any air or water pollution.
The drive unit H is in essence a pumping unit—a so-called “pump jack”—of the type used in oil fields to extract oil from the earth. Any of a variety of pump jacks will suffice, provided that it has a stroke great enough to accommodate the generating unit J. In this regard, the typical pump jack imparts a reciprocating motion to a rod that extends downwardly into a drill hole, and with each upstroke the rod lifts oil from the drill hole. In the electrical generation facility G the drive unit H, that is to say the pump jack, reciprocates a component of the generating unit J.
The drive unit H, being basically a pump jack, includes (FIGS. 6 & 7) a base 102 and frame 104 that extends upwardly from the base 102. The frame 104 supports a walking beam 106 having trunnions 108 intermediate its ends, and they rotate in bearings 110 mounted on the frame 104. At one of its ends the walking beam 106 has a head 112 provided with a convex surface 114 that is presented away from the trunnions 108. The base 102 also supports an electrical motor 120 and a transmission 122. Delivering torque through the transmission 122, the motor 120 turns a crank 124 including a counterweight 126. The crank 124 is connected to the walking beam 106 through connecting rods 128. The arrangement is such that the crank 124, when rotated, imparts an oscillating motion to the walking beam 106, causing the head 112 at the end of the walking beam 106 to move upwardly and downwardly.
The vertical/linear generating unit J includes (FIGS. 8 & 9) a stator 140 and several armatures 142, the latter of which reciprocate in the former under power supplied by the drive unit H. To this end, the reciprocating motion produced by the drive unit H is transferred to the armatures 142 through cables 144 that extend over the convex surface 114 on the head 112 of the walking beam 106 and are secured to the head 112 at the upper end of the surface 114. The armatures 142 reciprocate along an axis Y.
The stator 140 includes a frame 150 having vertical tracks 152 along its sides. In addition, the stator 140 has coils 154 which extend transversely across the frame 150, and are thus oriented horizontally. The coils 154 are organized in sets 156, with each set 156 including an equal number of coils 154 on each side of a space 158 in which the armatures 142 are located. The sets 156 are arranged vertically with gaps 160 between successive sets 156. The distance between the upper and lower coils 154 in each set 156 corresponds generally to the length of the stroke for the head 112 on the walking beam 106 of the drive unit H.
The armatures 142 are arranged vertically on a carrier 168 within the space 158 between the coils 154 of the stator 140, there being a single armature 142 for each set 156 of coils 154. The carrier 170 includes a rod 170 that extends from its upper end to its lower end and in between passes through the armatures 142. At its upper end the rod 172 is connected to the cable 144 through a dielectric coupling 172. Thus the armatures 142 reciprocate in the space 158 as the walking beam 106 oscillates. The carrier 168 has guides 174 projecting laterally from it, and they follow the tracks 152 of the stator 140 such that the carrier 168 and the armatures 142 on it are confined in all directions horizontally, but are free to move vertically, both upwardly and downwardly. To this end, the guides 174 may include rollers 176 that follow the tracks 152. The armat