Arrangement of thermoelectric elements for improved generator efficiency

Claim 1

A THERMOELECTRIC GENERATOR OF THE TYPE DESCRIBED, COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SPACED THERMOELECTRIC GENERATING BANKS, A CENTRAL TUBE, SAID BANKS BEING ORIENTED AROUND SAID TUBE, EACH OF SAID BANKS COMPRISING A FIRST GROUP OF THERMOELECTRIC ELEMENTS EACH OF WHICH CONTAINING MORE THAN TWO SEGMENTS, A SECOND GROUP OF THERMOELECTRIC ELEMENTS CONTAINING TWO SEGMENTS AND A THIRD GROUP OF THERMOELECTRIC ELEMENTS CONSISTING OF A SINGLE SEGMENT, SAID GROUPS BEING CONNECTED IN A SERIES ARRANGEMENT, HAVING A FIRST END, TERMINAL MEANS, SAID TERMINAL MEANS BEING CONNECTED TO SAID FIRST END A SWITCHING MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY CONNECTING SAID THERMOELECTRIC BANKS IN PARALLEL, SAID SWITCHING MEANS CONTAINING A PLURALITY OF TERMINAL MEANS FOR CONNECTION TO SIAD TERMINAL MEANS OF SAID THERMOELECTRIC BANKS SAID KPLURALITY OF SPACED THERMOELECTRIC BANKS TERMINAL MEANS BEING CONNECTED TO SAID SWITCHING MEANS TERMINAL MEANS WHEREBY THE AMOUNT OF POWER BEING PRODUCED IS CAPABLE OF BEING CONTROLLED AND A HOLLOW TUBULAR MEANS SPACED ABOUT SAID FIRST CENTRAL TUBE AND ENCLOSING SAID THERMOELECTRIC BANKS.