Vertical axis wind turbine

Abstract

A vertical axis wind turbine having a plurality of upright airfoils pivotally engaged. A continuous adjustment of the angle of attack of the airfoils to oncoming wind is provided by rotation of a control plate connected to the vanes which are mounted upon a rotating drive plate. A vane can be employed to rotate the control plate to affect the continuous adjustment of the airfoils.

1 . A vertical axis wind turbine, comprising:
 a base plate disposed on a support surface and rotatable about a first axis;   a drive plate rotatable about said first axis, said drive plate supporting a plurality of substantially upright vanes in a pivotal engagement and configured to act as airfoils;   a drive shaft engaged to said drive plate, said drive shaft rotatable about said first axis;   a base plate rotatable about said first axis;   a control plate;   means for rotatable engagement of said control plate upon said base plate;   said control plate rotatable about a second axis substantially parallel and spaced apart from said first axis;   means to synchronize rotation of said control plate around said second axis with concurrent rotations of said drive plate around said first axis;   means for engagement of each respective vane to said control plate;   means for rotatory positioning of said base plate about said first axis relative to wind direction; and   rotation of said control plate about said second axis in combination with said rotary positioning during concurrent rotation with said drive plate, providing means to pivot each said vanes and thereby communicate a continuous pitch adjustment to said vanes.   
   
   
       2 . The vertical axis wind turbine of  claim 1  wherein said means for rotatable engagement of said control plate comprises:
 a plurality of idler gears projecting from a top surface of said base plate;   an aperture formed in said control plate defined by a circumferential edge; and   said edge toothed for an engagement with said idler gears.   
   
   
       3 . The vertical axis wind turbine of  claim 1  wherein said means to synchronize rotation of said control plate around said second axis with concurrent rotations of said drive plate around said first axis comprises:
 a first gear engaged to said drive shaft;   a second gear rotatably engaged to said base plate and engaged with said first gear;   a third gear rotatably engaged to said base plate, and communicating between said second gear and said toothed surface of said circumferential edge of said aperture; and   ratios of teeth on said first, second, and third gears, with said toothed circumferential edge, adapted to provide a synchronization of rotation of said control plate with said drive plate.   
   
   
       4 . The vertical axis wind turbine of  claim 2  wherein said means to synchronize rotation of said control plate around said second axis with concurrent rotations of said drive plate around said first axis comprises:
 a first gear engaged to said drive shaft;   a second gear rotatably engaged to said base plate and engaged with said first gear;   a third gear rotatably engaged to said base plate, and communicating between said second gear and said toothed surface of said circumferential edge of said aperture; and   ratios of teeth on said first, second, and third gears, with said toothed circumferential edge, adapted to provide a synchronization of rotation of said control plate with said drive plate.   
   
   
       5 . The vertical axis wind turbine of  claim 1  wherein said means for rotatory positioning of said base plate about said first axis relative to wind direction comprises:
 a secondary vane engaged to said baseplate.   
   
   
       6 . The vertical axis wind turbine of  claim 2  wherein said means for rotatory positioning of said base plate about said first axis relative to wind direction comprises:
 a secondary vane engaged to said baseplate.   
   
   
       7 . The vertical axis wind turbine of  claim 3  wherein said means for rotatory positioning of said base plate about said first axis relative to wind direction comprises:
 a secondary vane engaged to said baseplate.   
   
   
       8 . The vertical axis wind turbine of  claim 4  wherein said means for rotatory positioning of said base plate about said first axis relative to wind direction comprises:
 a secondary vane engaged to said baseplate.   
   
   
       9 . The vertical axis wind turbine of  claim 1  wherein said means for engagement of each respective vane to said control plate comprises:
 a respective control member engaged between each said vane and respective engagement points on said control plate;   each control member in a rotational engagement at a first end to said vane;   each control member rotationally engaged at a second end to said to said respective engagement points on said control plate; and   said rotatory positioning of said base plate adjusting an angular displacement of said control plate relative to said drive plate thereby imparting a force through a respective said control member to pivot the said vane engaged thereto.   
   
   
       10 . The vertical axis wind turbine of  claim 2  wherein said means for engagement of each respective vane to said control plate comprises:
 a respective control member engaged between each said vane and respective engagement points on said control plate;   each control member in a rotational engagement at a first end to said vane;   each control member rotationally engaged at a second end to said to said respective engagement points on said control plate; and   said rotatory positioning of said base plate adjusting an angular displacement of said control plate relative to said drive plate thereby imparting a force through a respective said control member to pivot the said vane engaged thereto.   
   
   
       11 . The vertical axis wind turbine of  claim 3  wherein said means for engagement of each respective vane to said control plate comprises:
 a respective control member engaged between each said vane and respective engagement points on said control plate;   each control member in a rotational engagement at a first end to said vane;   each control member rotationally engaged at a second end to said to said respective engagement points on said control plate; and   said rotatory positioning of said base plate adjusting an angular displacement of said control plate relative to said drive plate thereby imparting a force through a respective said control member to pivot the said vane engaged thereto.   
   
   
       12 . The vertical axis wind turbine of  claim 4  wherein said means for engagement of each respective vane to said control plate comprises:
 a respective control member engaged between each said vane and respective engagement points on said control plate;   each control member in a rotational engagement at a first end to said vane;   each control member rotationally engaged at a second end to said to said respective engagement points on said control plate; and   said rotatory positioning of said base plate adjusting an angular displacement of said control plate relative to said drive plate thereby imparting a force through a respective said control member to pivot the said vane engaged thereto.   
   
   
       13 . The vertical axis wind turbine of  claim 5  wherein said means for engagement of each respective vane to said control plate comprises:
 a respective control member engaged between each said vane and respective engagement points on said control plate;   each control member in a rotational engagement at a first end to said vane;   each control member rotationally engaged at a second end to said to said respective engagement points on said control plate; and   said rotatory positioning of said base plate adjusting an angular displacement of said control plate relative to said drive plate thereby imparting a force through a respective said control member to pivot the said vane engaged thereto.   
   
   
       14 . The vertical axis wind turbine of  claim 6  wherein said means for engagement of each respective vane to said control plate comprises:
 a respective control member engaged between each said vane and respective engagement points on said control plate;   each control member in a rotational engagement at a first end to said vane;   each control member rotationally engaged at a second end to said to said respective engagement points on said control plate; and   said rotatory positioning of said base plate adjusting an angular displacement of said control plate relative to said drive plate thereby imparting a force through a respective said control member to pivot the said vane engaged thereto.   
   
   
       15 . The vertical axis wind turbine of  claim 7  wherein said means for engagement of each respective vane to said control plate comprises:
 a respective control member engaged between each said vane and respective engagement points on said control plate;   each control member in a rotational engagement at a first end to said vane;   each control member rotationally engaged at a second end to said to said respective engagement points on said control plate; and   said rotatory positioning of said base plate adjusting an angular displacement of said control plate relative to said drive plate thereby imparting a force through a respective said control member to pivot the said vane engaged thereto.   
   
   
       16 . The vertical axis wind turbine of  claim 8  wherein said means for engagement of each respective vane to said control plate comprises:
 a respective control member engaged between each said vane and respective engagement points on said control plate;   each control member in a rotational engagement at a first end to said vane;   each control member rotationally engaged at a second end to said to said respective engagement points on said control plate; and   said rotatory positioning of said base plate adjusting an angular displacement of said control plate relative to said drive plate thereby imparting a force through a respective said control member to pivot the said vane engaged thereto.