Did You Know...
...that the video game, Pong, was invented by a guy who graduated at the bottom of his engineering class? Nolan Bushnell spent more time running the games at a local amusement park than he did on his studies at the University of Utah. His dreams of working for Disney's amusement empire were dashed when the company wouldn't hire him. Taking a boring job, Nolan daydreamed about electronic versions of popular games. He invented Pong, the first video game, and went on to found Atari Co.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8152577 | Electric boat An electric boat comprising a boat housing with a rechargeable battery bank; two wind turbines disposed in sides of the boat housing, the wind turbines are driven by oncoming wind; a first turbine system operatively connected to the wind turbines via a first drive s... | 04/10/2012 |
| 8038490 | Wind powered boat A watercraft, typically a catamaran, has at least two spaced hulls; at least one seat mounted on or between the hulls; a vertical axis wind turbine (“VAWT”, e.g. Savonius) having a rotatable shaft operatively mounted to the hulls aft of the seat; and at least on... | 10/18/2011 |
| 7775843 | Wind turbine boats, watercraft drives, and wind turbine enhancements A wind powered watercraft, and improved individual components utilizable with the watercraft or elsewhere, does not require the user to have sailing skills, and can go directly into the wind. A vertical axis wind turbine (such as a Savonius or modified Savonius) is ... | 08/17/2010 |
| 7371135 | Vertical axis wind turbine rotor construction A Savonius vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) rotor is easily and simply constructed while having enhanced functionality. The rotor includes a shaft that is vertical in use, a number (desirably at least four) of vane support hubs each having a number (desirably three... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7267530 | Windmill apparatuses and methods of mounting blades to enhance their performance A windmill apparatus has multiple pairs of blades to enhance power output and lift performance. The apparatus has multiple double acting piston/cylinders actuated by the windmill, which includes several clutches that are used to engage and disengage the windmill fro... | 09/11/2007 |
| 7241105 | Watercraft with vertically collapsible vertical axis wind turbine and propeller flexible drive shaft A vertically collapsible vertical axis wind turbine may be used on land, or on a watercraft (e.g. a multihull such as a catamaran). The turbine may include a substantially vertical shaft; at least two vane supports mounted by the shaft; and at least two vertically c... | 07/10/2007 |
| 7105940 | Mobile renewable energy generator A method and apparatus for a portable renewable energy generator includes; a movable platform adapted for one of towing and transport to a remote area, a redundant renewable energy source generator including a wind energy extraction device configured for transport o... | 09/12/2006 |
| 7001227 | Personal floatation and rescue device The present invention is a device to be used in emergency situations requiring floatation and rescue. An inflatable raft with a waterproof cover is connected to a telescopic shaft equipped with electric generators and wind catchers. The electricity, which is produce... | 02/21/2006 |
| 6999043 | Amphibious antennas for providing near vertical incidence skywave communication An amphibious antenna for providing Near Vertical Incidence Skywave (NVIS) communication when grounded to a conductive fluid. The amphibious antenna has a support member for supporting a helix. The helix includes a first helical arm that is not insulated and grounde... | 02/14/2006 |
| 6945752 | Azimuthal driving system for wind turbines Wind power installations generally have an active drive for wind direction tracking. The active drive rotates the machine housing of the wind power installation in such a way that the rotor blades of the rotor are oriented in the direction of the wind. Multiple azim... | 09/20/2005 |
| 6927502 | Three-phase asynchronous motor driven azimuthal drive for wind power installations Wind power installations generally have an active drive for wind direction tracking. The active drive rotates the machine housing of the wind power installation in such a way that the rotor blades of the rotor are oriented in the direction of the wind. That drive wh... | 08/09/2005 |
| 6902447 | Rotary wind-powered propulsion system for boats A propulsion drive system for boats that is operated by wind power is disclosed. Upon initial observation of a boat equipped with the invention, it looks like a conventional boat. However, after closer inspection, it can be seen that a mast located at the rear of th... | 06/07/2005 |
| 6688925 | Wind and water motor This is a totally new way to harness the power of wind and running water as in rivers and ocean currents. It consist mainly of two supporting wheels mounted permanently on a main shaft. Between those two wheels are four blades, or sails, that will transfe... | 02/10/2004 |
| 6497593 | Wind-powered vehicle A wind-powered vehicle having a longitudinal axis and being capable of traveling in the direction thereof across a generally horizontal and generally dense medium such as water, ice or land. The vehicle includes an air propeller assembly rotatable about a... | 12/24/2002 |
| 6293835 | System for providing wind propulsion of a marine vessel using a helical turbine assembly A helical turbine assembly capable of providing high speed unidirectional rotation under a multidirectional ultra low-head fluid flow is disclosed. The assembly comprises an array of helical turbine units or modules arranged, vertically or horizontally, t... | 09/25/2001 |
| 6261138 | Wind-driven vessel A vessel comprising a windmill mechanism having a variable pitch propeller, a generator rotatably driven by the windmill mechanism, a storage battery for storing current generated by the generator, a screw rotatably driven by the windmill mechanism, a mot... | 07/17/2001 |
| 6237521 | Sailcloth arrangement for sails of water-going vessels A sailcloth arrangement for a sail of a water-going vessel has a sailcloth base and flexible solar cells attached to the sailcloth base. The flexible solar cells have a flexibility matching the flexibility of the sailcloth, and the flexible solar cells ar... | 05/29/2001 |
| 6192821 | Boat mounted hydro-alternator A hydro-alternator for attachment to the outboard motor on a bass fishing boat. The hydro-alternator generates electrical power for charging of batteries on the boat. The alternator charges the batteries while the boat is being propelled by its large outb... | 02/27/2001 |
| 5971820 | Parallel fluid flow wind and water mills A parallel fluid flow wind or water mill having one or more pair of vanes fixed around a central mass. The vanes showing in cross section a non-aerodynamic face having a plane or concave surface, and a aerodynamic back side are constructed to rotate in a ... | 10/26/1999 |
| 5724906 | Wind resistance reducing structure of a ship A wind resistance reducing structure including a wind tunnel made longitudinally through a navigating bridge superstructure of a ship for example a tanker or bulk freighter, and two gates respectively controlled to open the two opposite ends of the wind t... | 03/10/1998 |
| 4775340 | Freely-floating wind power plant This invention concerns a wind power plant and/or wind motor-driven craft, consisting of a frame floating on a water surface and upon which has been mounted a tower with a wind-driven generator, and characterized in that the frame consists of a body which... | 10/04/1988 |
| 4522600 | Wind propulsion for all types of vehicles and stationary machines There is provided a wind propulsion device for driving a transmission shaft connected through intermediate members with devices for force transmission. The wind propulsion device comprises a wind impeller having a plurality of wind wings which are concave... | 06/11/1985 |
| 4497631 | Wind-powered water-craft A wind-powered water-craft including a seaworthy base which may either be a conventional dinghy or a specially-designed flat-bottomed hull, similar in shape to a dinghy. A cabin is supported in and over the central longitudinal portion of the base. Astern... | 02/05/1985 |
| 4419587 | Output power modulated wind responsive apparatus A wind responsive power generating apparatus (20) comprises a pair of normally mutually orthagonal cross arms (22,24) carrying impeller members (22a,22b, 24a,24b) that apply torque to a load (38) through an output shaft (26). The power output of the appar... | 12/06/1983 |
| 4418880 | Fluid flow augmentor There is described a fluid flow concentrating device suitable, for example, for concentrating the flow of tidal waters or of wind, which comprises a hollow body closed at one end and open at the other. The body has a fixed circumferential wall composed of... | 12/06/1983 |
| 4398895 | Wind propulsion devices Wind-assisted power elements comprising paired rotors of which each rotor is independently rotated at a peripheral speed of about 2 to 4 times that of the wind, and the rotors are mounted in tandem pairs in a frame positioned by rotation of the frame on a... | 08/16/1983 |
| 4371346 | System for propulsion of boats by means of winds and streams and for recovery of energy The invention relates to an improved system for propulsion of boats by winds and streams and for recovery of disposable energy from floating stations neither moored nor anchored, the improved system comprising: at least one aerial feathered propeller with its ... | 02/01/1983 |
| 4353702 | Sailing craft mainsail and auxiliary propulsion means therefor A configuration for a sailboat mainsail comprises a rotating wind-mill like sail structure mounted on a rotating pedestal base. The wind driven rotating sail delivers power to the sailboat propeller through a flexible driveshaft and transmission and thus ... | 10/12/1982 |
| 4324985 | Portable wind turbine for charging batteries In a wind turbine assembly incorporating a diffuser, the diffuser includes an articulated duct formed of a set of members, such as the sectors of a conic section, which are pivotable about axes in a plane normal to the turbine axis. To permit an enlargeme... | 04/13/1982 |
| 4286538 | Multipurpose floating structure A multipurpose floating structure comprises a large number of flotation units joined together in a regular reticulated pattern in one or more horizontal tiers, each flotation unit comprising: a square plate; a watertight can structure of inverted conical ... | 09/01/1981 |
| 4276033 | Sailing system A sail mounting frame extends upwardly from the hull of a boat and is constructed of a lower section and an upper section which rotate relative to each other about a first axis of rotation which extends generally vertically upwardly with respect to the hu... | 06/30/1981 |
| 4274011 | Wind turbine for marine propulsion A wind turbine on an essentially vertical mast converting wind power to electric power for the propulsion motors of a screw propelled ship. The turbine is omnidirectional and capable of being reefed for speed control.... | 06/16/1981 |
| 4180882 | Lifesaving air boat A life boat adapted to be thrown out into a body of water from a mother boat for automatically forming a lifesaving air boat as a result of being thrown onto the water. The lifeboat structure includes a source of compressed air in the form of an air bomb ... | 01/01/1980 |
| 4149092 | System for converting the randomly variable energy of a natural fluid Emitters and rotary hydraulic displacement pumps are associated with one or a number of propeller-type transducers and connected to receivers each having a rotary hydraulic displacement motor coupled to an alternator. The emitters are connected to the rec... | 04/10/1979 |
| 4141425 | Means for generating electrical energy for vehicle Apparatus for generating electrical energy useful for powering of the electrical apparatuses associated with the operations of a vehicle, boat, residence, or other structure, including a bank of batteries associated with one of said structures and provide... | 02/27/1979 |
| 4061105 | Sail to row This invention pertains to power for a boat, comprising a vertically mounted rotary sail device generally amidship of the boat, a power transmission driven by the sail device, pulley directed cable, connecting between the power transmission and a pair of ... | 12/06/1977 |
| 4048947 | Rotary device driven by a moving fluid A rotary device driven by a moving fluid, such as water or air, for generating a rotary movement comprises a cylindrical or frusto-conical rotor having a vertical axis, the rotor having a plurality of identical blades distributed around the periphery of t... | 09/20/1977 |
| 4047833 | Horizontal windmill A horizontal windmill includes a vertical tubular internal baffle member, a plurality of vanes responsive to the wind, mounted and positioned so that they revolve horizontally when the wind blows, partially rotating to resist the force of the wind in some... | 09/13/1977 |
| 3964426 | Wind driven mechanical drive A mechanical drive actuated by wind has propellers rotatably mounted on a vertical standard which is rotatably fastened to the deck of a ship. The rotational force of the propellers is transmitted by a series of shafts to drive the ship's screw. The verti... | 06/22/1976 |
