> > Somebody else patented the crankshaft, leading to things like this
> > (seriously)

> > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0http://www.animatedengines.com/crankless.shtml

> I gave up waiting for the animation to load, so didn't look at it.

Summat aglae in your system and/or the path thereto.
Loading time from NZ using ADSL at under 5 Mbps download was perhaps 1 seco=
nd.
(Maybe it had just been slashdotted :-) ).

> However, there are other reasons for not using a crankshaft. =A0One cleve=
r idea is the
> Sanderson engine. =A0The nature of the mechanism allows a truly continuou=
sly
> variable displacement piston engine.
> ... This is actually being looked
> at currently to get the power from a horizontal axis wind turbine to a
> stationary spot on the ground below where the generator is placed.
> ... I don't know whether this is a better tradeoff than what is currently=
 being
> done, but it does solve some problems in a elegant way, while of course
> adding others. =A0I do know it is seriously being looked into by people w=
ho
> specialize in such things.

Sounds good.

The current (pun noticed in passing) area being looked at is direct
alternator drive with suitable electronics to provide the voltage and
frequency conversion. Until now gearboxes have been almost universally
used but it sees likely that direct drive will increasingly replace
them. AIR this produces a heavier head so is easier  for smaller
systems and places a current upper limit on where DD is liable to be
practical BUT I'd doubt vthere will be many gearbox based systems in
say 20 years time.


         Russell

--=20
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