A weight, preferably a sphere, attached via a first self-releasing hook to a first steel cable falls down under gravity, within a first of a pair of guiding vertical transport shafts. When the weight falls, it unwinds the first steel cable on one part of a two-part drum while winding a second cable on the other part of the drum. The two-part drum is connected via a gearbox to a flywheel generator. When the weight reaches ground level, the gear is made neutral, the generator continues to spin, and the hook separates the weight from the cable. The hook stays suspended while the weight moves towards a change-over-chamber. A plunger arrangement pushes the weight through the change-over-chamber into a water filled vertical return shaft, without allowing the transport shafts to flood. The weight floats to the water surface along the return shaft. The weight is picked up by a second self-releasing hook on the second steel cable also wrapped around the two-part drum and delivered to the first guiding transport shaft. The cycle is made to repeat with the cable with the first hook rewinding on the drum. The process continually generates electricity.
展开▼
