Jason's Upwind Challange

I was trying to think of a way to use wind power to power a craft directly upwind. I may have thought of a way. I used some 3D software to make a simple model of it (though I haven't gotten around to making a real one yet).

The wind is coming from the left in this picture. (going --> way) The grey thing is the axle for the flappers and the brown things are wheels. The top half of the flappers catch the wind which rotates them clockwise (in this picture) which makes the wheels go counter-clockwise slowly (the axle is touching the wheel turning it much like they were both gears), propelling the cart into the wind.

Another View:

I left out much of the frame of the cart so you could see what is going on in there. Also in the real version I will probably put a back end on it :)

think it will work? :)

P.S. I tried to make some ground to put it on but it didn't work. you just have to imagine the wheels resting on the ground and the hood (purple triangle) just above it.

Jay... It would work better with a gearbox on the axle so the flapper wheel turns the gears.... or maybe a hydraulic pump, then it could be hydro-statically powered... KLW

Fun idea :) I started building this once. Not so high tech though. built the body and flapper aout of foam core, didn't get around to making wheels though. Ahh well, such is life. -- Jason Woofenden