GB1291124A - Improvements relating to flexible skirt assemblies for air cushion vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

1291124 Flexible skirt for air cushion vehicle BRITISH HOVERCRAFT CORP Ltd 24 July 1970 [25 July 1969] 37438/69 Heading B7K A segment for a flexible skirt of an aircushion vehicle is constructed from a single layer of flexible impermeable material, and that part which, in operation, is adjacent the surface over which the vehicle is travelling, has one or more additional discrete sheets of material. The segment may be formed from two pieces of material 17 and 18, joined along line 19, for example by riveting. One or more sheets of material 20 is then secured to the sheet 18 along line 21 by vulcanizing, stitching, stapling, riveting or bolting, as in Fig. 3 or in Figs. 4-7 (not shown). If the reinforced part of the segment becomes damaged the sheets 18 and 20 may be cut back to a semicircular line 26, Fig. 9, and one or more replacement sheets 27 sandwiched between the edges of the sheets 18 and 20 and secured in place. Alternatively the sheets or sheets 20 may be made replaceable by being secured to the sheet 18 by a heavy plastics sliding clasp fastener or by press-studs. The sheet(s) 20' may be of similar material to the remainder of the segment, or may be of metal, metallized fabric or plastics material, and may have at the lowest edge a strip of, for example, wood or metal. Segments may be attached either to rigid structure or to an upper flexible member which may be inflatable.