FR2461625A1 - Air cushion type vehicle - has upward thrust given by series of vertical tubes and peripheral skirt - Google Patents

Abstract

The vehicle has a frame supported on a cushion of air defined by a peripheral skirt and a thrust surface on which the vehicle rides. It has a series of tubular elements which are air tight and which can be inflated. Fixings are provided for the tubular elements, using internal pressure to increase sealing and decrease loss of air. Inflation is affected by a separate installation and the vehicle itself is propelled from the rear by twin propellors, in turn driven by a rear mounted engine.

Description

The present invention relates to machines carried by a central air cushion limited by a peripheral confinement skirt and by a bearing surface.

To confine a central air cushion it is known to use peripheral skirts of the blown skirts type constituted by tubular elements of horizontal axis arranged one after the other.

However in case of tearing of the skirt the stability of the device is impaired and the repair poses technical problems which leads the user to change the element.

To confine an air cushion it is also known to use skirts of the type known as segmented skirts constituted by the juxtaposition of peripheral elements open towards the central air cushion.

However, these skirts for the proper functioning of the machine require a greater flow of air which results in the need to use lift groups of greater power than those necessary for machines using sulfur type skirts.

The object of the present invention is to remedy these problems by using a peripheral skirt for confining a central fluid cushion which, by design, is simple to repair and has a low maintenance cost.

In addition, the skirt according to the invention allows the use of a smaller lift group and gives the machine great stability.

To this end, the ground effect machine according to the invention consists of a frame or shell carried by a central fluid cushion limited by a peripheral skirt and by a bearing surface facing which the said machine essentially moves. in that it is constituted by the juxtaposition of sealed and inflatable tubular segments in contact with one another along a generator or a surface.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the sealed and inflatable bular segments are provided with a fastening strip of the velcro strip type which cooperates with a strip of the same type attached to the internal face of a cylindrical wall of a plate. integral with the periphery of the chassis of the machine so that the pressure prevailing inside said segments presses its wall against the wall of the plate, which improves grip on the one hand and eliminates any risk on the other hand air leakage at the connection.

Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will appear on reading the description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a perspective view of a machine effect
floor fitted with a peripheral skirt according to the invention.

- Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the machine - Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the machine.

- Figure 4 is a bottom view of the machine showing the
distribution of the segments at its periphery - Figure 5 is a sectional and perspective view of a segment.

The ground effect machine according to the invention consists of a chassis 1 or hull carried by a central fluid cushion limited by an inflatable peripheral skirt 2 and by a support surface (ground water body, etc. ..).

The chassis 1 tapered towards the front, preferably made of polyester, has a first box 3 open upwards surrounded by a second peripheral box 4 closed by a low horizontal wall 5 under which the peripheral skirt 2 is fixed.

The casing 3 receives the control members of the machine as well as the engine member of the propulsion unit
This propulsion group located at the rear of the machine consists of two propellers rotating in opposite directions to each other connected to the drive unit by a conventional transmission.

Behind the propulsion unit, the machine has two movable flaps with control fins for the direction of travel.

These flaps are operated by means of a linkage by a control lever located at the front of the box 3.

The chassis 1 at its front part is provided with a lifting group 6 for the formation of the central air cushion and for the inflation of the peripheral skirt 2.

This lift group 6 is constituted by a motor oregano 7 such as an internal combustion engine fixed on the chassis 1 and drive in rotation a propeller 8 arranged on a circular orifice 9 of the box 4.

This propeller sucks in air through the circular orifice 9 managed in the upper wall of the box and discharges it into the said box and under the chassis 1 of the machine through a circular orifice 10,
managed in the wall 4 for the formation under the machine of the central air cushion.

The horizontal flat wall 5 of the box 4 is provided on its periphery with a series of circular transverse orifices 11, regularly spaced apart from communication with the peripheral skirt 2 for confining the fluid cushion.

This skirt is formed by the juxtaposition of tubular segments 12 of substantially vertical longitudinal axis, airtight and inflatable, in contact with each other, according to a generation or a surface.

These segments placed one after the other around the periphery of the chassis 1 are each secured to a plate 13 fixed to the horizontal wall 5 of the box 4.

This plate, preferably made of polyester, is in the form of a cylinder trunk connected to a circular wall 14 joined by any known means under the wall 5 of the box 4.

This circular wall 14 is determined by a central orifice 15 axially aligned with the circular orifice 11 of the wall 5.

The plate as described is internally provided with a member for fixing the corresponding segment 12.

This member is constituted by a strip 16, of the type sold commercially under the name "velcro '', fixed along a perimeter on the internal face of the cylindrical wall of the plate 13.

This strip 16 cooperates with another strip 17 of the same type fixed at the top end of the puddle of tubular segments and at the periphery thereof.

Under the effect of the pressure prevailing inside the peripheral upe, the upper end of each segment 12 is pressed against the inner face of the cylindrical wall of the corresponding plate which increases the fixing of said segments and eliminates any risk of leakage at the level of the connection.

This particular mode of connection in the event of deterioration of the skirt facilitates the replacement of one or more tubular segments will be significant loss of time.

It goes without saying that any fixing device similar to "veLcro" or the like can be used, for example, a serine of press buttons, a zipper, a locking system.

The inflatable tubular segments 12 are made of a flexible and waterproof material such as synthetic fabric coated with a sealing film.

They each consist of a cylindrical body 18 of vertical longitudinal axis connected, at the lower end by a peripheral seam, to a sealed wall 19.

To avoid any leakage at the level of the wall 19 and of the body 18, the segment is provided with a seal 20 glued at the lower end of the segment and masking the sewn area.

To reduce friction, the wall 19 is preferably shaped like a cone and is kept apart from the surface 4 ′ support by a rod fixed by any known means to the corresponding plate 13.

This wall thus follows the shape of a cone inside the segment.

According to another embodiment, the tubular segments 12 have an oval or elliptical cross section, the plate being likewise shaped.

For a better functioning, the machine is provided with a skirt 21 internal to the previous periphery constituted by a flexible endless wall higher by a few centimeters than the segments 12.

This wall comes to press against the tubular segments 12 during operation of the machine.

These segments being in overpressure with respect to the internal skirt prevent it from spreading outwards and play the role of roll and pitch dampers giving stability to the device by contact.

In addition, this skirt guarantees sealing in the event that one of the segments of the peripheral skirt comes damaged.

The invention makes it possible to produce a skirt ensuring excellent stability and which is however easy to assemble and possibly to repair.

The production of a peripheral skirt by juxtaposition of segments with a vertical axis also has the advantage of facilitating the passage of obstacles since the segments being independent of each other the one or those which will be in contact with the obstacle will be without having any interference on the whole of the skirt and will take their place again after the obstacle.

It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment described, but can receive any arrangement or variant without departing from the scope of this patent.

Claims (1)

R1 / Ground effect machine made up of a chassis or hull  by a central fluid box limited by a peripheral skirt = icL  and by a sturdy bearing surface from which the said machine characterized in that said peripheral skirt is constituted by the juxtaposition of tubular segments. waterproof  inflatable and inflated by the supporting organ, in ccntact  to each other along a generator or a surface. R2 / Machine according to claim 1 characterized in that the seg  tubular elements are fitted with a "ban" type fixing band  Velcro or analogus attached at the high end, which cooperates with  a strip of the same type attached to the internal face of a wall  cylindrical of a plate secured to the periphery of the chassis of the machine so that the pressure inside  each segment presses its wall against the cylindrical wall of  11 trim which improves grip and also eliminates  any risk of air leakage at the connection. R: / Machine according to claim 1 characterized in that the seg tubular elements are in the form of an axis cylinder longitudinal-vertical closed at the lower end by a wall  conical seal kept away from the bearing surface by a  rod attached to the corresponding plate. R4 / Machine according to claim I characterized in that it is with an internal skirt constituted by a flexible wall without higher end than the segments coming during the operation of  the machine press against the said segments which prevent it  to move outward and play the replay of shock absorbers roll and tan33ge giving stability to the machine by  contact. R5 / Machine according to claim 1 comprising a peripheral skirt as constituted by a succession of etan tubular segnents  ches characterized in that its chassis comprises a peripheral device whose lower wall, under which the segments are fixed is provided with perforations in ragard of said segments so that said box contributes to the distribution of air in the skirt.