Retractable wind machine

Wind energy is converted in a system having a telescoping, rotating, tiltable tower. A variable number of airfoil members is unfurled in accordance with the area of wind stream to be swept. The tiltable windmill rotating mast is a telescoping tower, which is retracted into storage mode, usually during dangerous windstorms. Each intermediate telescoping member carries a supporting member for an airfoil above and below such support, so that all sails are taut only when the tower is fully raised. Sails can be flapping when only partially raised. The number of sails unfurled is adjustable by reason of such telescoping mast. Resilient means urge the rotatable mast into a truly vertical position, while permitting such mast to tilt not more than a controlled angle in response to the wind, thereby permitting the airfoils more efficiently to rotate the mast. A plurality of transmission systems direct the power from the rotating mast to output means, so that when slight winds are producing minimum power, the frictional forces inherent in the heavy duty power transmission are not encountered. The strain imposed upon base members by the tilting of the rotating tower monitors the severity of wind at the airfoils, so that the strain gauges provide an alarm system for dangerous wind velocities. Other manifestations of the invention comprise improvements for one or another of wind energy conversion sub-systems such as wind-magnetic transducers, wind-electric transducers and horizontal axis wind turbines.