video ==> kite cone  by Rod Read, May 17, 2013
~~ Roderick Read 
     15a Aiginish 
     Isle of Lewis 
     HS2 0PB 
kitepowercoop.org

____________________

It seems the SuperTurbine key claim to novelty is its central rigid driveshaft. Rod's "kite cone" design does not depend on such a driveshaft, acting instead more like a tilted carousel (a wheel driven by a multiplicity of kites and lines). Older wind patents cover torque transmitted by outer guylines.

Another idea in this design space is a sort of "spiral-stair" helical turbine to turn a crank at the surface; its upper stage stabilized by a pilot-kite or kite arch. It might be easier to operate, even launching as a conventional kite stack.

• CC BY NC SA         ~Dave Santos         18May2013              SOURCEHERE

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• Terms and aspects:   
  • kite cone, KiteCone,
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  • YUP I like this rendering of a SuperTurbine(R), similar to what I laid out in US
    6616402. Dang that was so many years ago now! Seems like a couple of
    lifetimes. Heck I was living in Huntington Beach, surfing all day and playing
    in heavy metal bands at night and doing those patent drawings from my
    girlfriend's apartment while she was at work. Thanks for sticking with the
    theme. As I say Roddy, you are about the only one who at least somewhat "gets
    it". I first asked the question "if Mother Nature could "grow" a wind turbine,
    what might it look like(?), and the answer could be "like a tornado", and also
    have long postulated that the higher winds at altitude might favor a larger
    diameter up there.
    Nice rendering and video bro.     ~Doug Selsam
     

    • Thanks for the kind compliments Doug. 
      There are some fairly important differences between the designs. Mine is a string and cloth affair. keeping a straight shaft axis by being kept in tension between top and bottom rings.
      ~~ Roderick Read 
      15a Aiginish 
      Isle of Lewis 
      HS2 0PB 
      kitepowercoop.org