US Patent 12123387 Cover apparatus for directing water flow around a waterwheel

A cover apparatus for directing a water current to rotate a waterwheel includes a shield comprising a first side panel, a second side panel, and a perimeter panel which define a cavity to receive the waterwheel. The cover apparatus is rotatably mountable to a shaft so that the cover apparatus rotates freely around the shaft to cover selected portions of the waterwheel. Typically, the shield covers one half of the waterwheel so that the water current only flows passed an uncovered half of the waterwheel to rotate the waterwheel. Fins are mounted to the perimeter panel to facilitate rotation of the shield around the waterwheel by the water current. An electricity generation system is described and claimed which uses the waterwheel and the cover apparatus.