GB1601702A - Craft capable of airborne and underwater motion - Google Patents

Description

(54) CRAFT CAPABLE OF AIRBORNE AND UNDERWATER MOTION (71) 1, WILLIAM ROBERT SHEFFIELD, a British subject of 126 Windermere Grove, Leigh, Lancashire, WN7 1XQ do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a craft capable of airborne and underwater motion.

According to the invention there is provided a craft capable of airborne and underwater motion comprising a disc or saucer shaped body, stabilizing means for the body including a gyroscope and jet propulsion means adapted to propel the body through water or through air.

A fluid turbine pump for filtered sea water, incorporating a fluid booster, converts fluid from low pressure to high pressure, thereby permitting a small economical power unit for underwater application. It may be necessary to abandon traditional and/or conventional methods in order for the craft to become airborne, therefore, said body construction would be saucer disc shaped similar to a flying saucer vertical take-off aircraft. The object is to elevate said body above sea level, thereby permitting vertical take-off aero take-off propulsion to be utilized, in relative sequence with directional turret jets. Said disc body incorporates a gyro and stabilization characteristics as a flying saucer aircraft and elevation and depress floats retractable underneath said body when the aero submarine becomes airborne.

Spiral jet thrust propulsion also comprises automatically controlled manoeuvring stabilizing fins (similar to the underbelly fins of a fish) to maintain even keel navigation. Said stabilizing fins could be utilized to aerodynamic louvre the saucer disc during air flight. The aero submarine could also be utilized either for naval service or economical commercial transport. Navy conversion requirements would include thermo-nuclear propulsion. Commercial facilities would be universal sea and/or airborne transport. The invention advantageously uses economical and silent pro pulsion, therefore, no objections could be raised regarding sea and/or aero passenger transport service to the U.S.A. and/or France and the Continent.

One embodiment of the invention is illus rated in the accompanying drawing. Internal spiral ducts are machined in the rotor impeller jets, together with corresponding external spiral blades. Consequently fluid pressure revolves said rotors, and said external blades spiral jet thrust in the water under boosted pressure. Boosted pressure flowing through said rotors, also spiral jet thrusts, therefore, increasling the velocity propulsion of the aero submarine. Fluid transmission incorporates a hydro-dynamic fluid distributor, including crystal controlled propulsion selection and/or electronic solenoid press button aetuation. The variation of fluid pressure to the rotor impeller jets is governed by the means of controlling said fluid pressure to the relative said rotor impeller jets.

Said fluid distributor determines fluid delivery to the turret directional flight and/or navigation traverse control, and various appropriate components thereby fluid transmission could be equally distributed to multiple propellant appliances such as manoeuvring stabilizing fins to maintain even keel navigation.

Although crystal electronic selection is described such as quartz and/or silicon piezo electric cells, manual selection control of the fluid distributor would be effortless finger tip application. Automatic fluid selection is also applicable by the means of a tachometer governor, or cut out valves, in relative sequence with the engine revs, or electric motor. The final propulsion from a small power unit should prove impressive, plus the characteristic performance eapabilities of a high powered conventional engine and/or regulated electric motor. The objective is high powered performance, and economical fuel consumption.A proportion of the interior structure comprises of a revolving gyroscope flywheel, whereby static weight would be reduced, and likewise the aero submarine would be stable, and not topple over in a spin, therefore, the gyroscope balanced stabilization characteristics would comprise of pneumatic-fluid bearings, and said bearings would revolve in com- pressed fluid at high revs, thereby permitting the gyroscope flywheel to revolve at continual speed for indefinite time periods without any risk of mechanical seizure, for reason that said bearings would be revolving in an enveloped cushion of compressed liquid or fluid.

Said revolving gyroscope flywheel would be enclosed as an integral part of the saucer shaped disc gimbal frame structure, and acdordingly revolve within the periphery circumference of said cowling disc structure.

The pneumatic-fluid bearings of said gyroscope flywheel would also neatly blend form as a proportion of the interior structure and as previously described the revolving gyroscope flywheel would reduce static weight, and thereby increase the velocity of vertical take-off propulsion during air flight.

It is essential that balanced stabilization characteristics are established during aero flight in order to prevent any form of erratic topple spin and likewise the vertical take-off jet thrust is directed as a balanced cone, in alignment with the vertical opposed flywheel bearings and structure. Although gyroscope rotary flight balancement is described, same can be stopped and/or controlled during underwater submerged propulsion.

Referring to the filtered sea water rotor impellor jets and spiral boosted propulsion, same principles can be utilized for any form of thermo-nuclear or conventional jet propulsion requirements, and accordingly it is foreseen that water-tight compartments are also utilized during underwater submerged propulsion, therefore, it is envisaged that boosted sea water propulsion is adequate for said underwater propulsion, in relative sequence with the universal swivelled rotor impellor jets. The objective of utilizing filtered sea water as a means of propulsion is to decrease static weight and also to reserve propellant fuel in order to achieve economical consumption during air flight, for reasons that it is envisaged that airborne propulsion will necessitate either thermonuclear propulsion or conventional turbine propellant means.It is foreseen that the directional flight requirements and said conventional turbine propulsion will be housed in compact water-tight compartments during underwater submerged transport, therefore, as previously described two propellant means will be available thermnuclear and/or sea water for said underwater propulsion, and secondly a small simplified prop jet for vertical-take-off aeroflight. It is calculated that a vertical take-off flying saucer aircraft is relative in design as the aero-submarine, although as previously described the latter will require intricate design characteristics to coincide with sea to air flight.The former vertical take-off flying saucer aircraft will comprise of a concavo-convex structure and perfect gyro balancement for air flight, therefore, only one propellant is required in this direction, whereby sea water is provided for the aero submarine and the ballast requirements could be disposed and delivered similar in principle as a steam locomotive sucks up water from a trough.

The turret directional traverse flight and/or navigation control unit can be revolved electro-hydraulically and/or electromagnetically and by additional means previously described, although same can also be traversed through discrete small angles by means of a flywheel clutch. Said clutch comprises a series of copper and steel laminated plates capable of operating when immersed in fluid. Said copper plates are free to revolve with the gyroscope flywheel and the steel plates are attached to the turret. Compression of said plates will traverse start and stop said turret and attached directional jets. Said rotary gyroscope flywheel can also comprise an additional contra-rotating reversible flywheel if so required, and accordingly reverse the turret directional traverse flight and/or navigation control unit.

Said gyroscope flywheel can also be utilized in unit construction with the vertical take-off turbine rotor propeller by the means of the flywheel shaft which is attached to the gyroscope flywheel. Said flywheel can be started and/or stopped and likewise turbine spiral bevel reduction gears could be utilized for flywheel speed control requirements.

Said turbine rotor propeller can be fitted for vertical take-off impeller propulsion and/or twin rotor propellers can be utilized, one propeller situated at the top upper section of the saucer disc body and the second propeller underneath the disc structure.

Although turbine rotor propeller vertical take-off propulsion means is described, jet gas turbine propulsion could be utilized in accordance with any specific characteristic directional flight and/or navigation traverse control manoeuvre requirements.

A reverse of hydraulic fluid can be provided, there being means for diverting such reserve fluid for assisting airborne motion.

It is possible for fluid impelled transmission to revolve at least two "vertical take-off" propellers.

WHAT T CLAIM IS: -1. A craft capable of airborne and underwater motion comprising a disc or saucer shaped body, stabilizing means for the body including a gyroscope and jet pro

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

1. **WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

   aero submarine would be stable, and not topple over in a spin, therefore, the gyroscope balanced stabilization characteristics would comprise of pneumatic-fluid bearings, and said bearings would revolve in com- pressed fluid at high revs, thereby permitting the gyroscope flywheel to revolve at continual speed for indefinite time periods without any risk of mechanical seizure, for reason that said bearings would be revolving in an enveloped cushion of compressed liquid or fluid.

   Said revolving gyroscope flywheel would be enclosed as an integral part of the saucer shaped disc gimbal frame structure, and acdordingly revolve within the periphery circumference of said cowling disc structure.

   The pneumatic-fluid bearings of said gyroscope flywheel would also neatly blend form as a proportion of the interior structure and as previously described the revolving gyroscope flywheel would reduce static weight, and thereby increase the velocity of vertical take-off propulsion during air flight.

   It is essential that balanced stabilization characteristics are established during aero flight in order to prevent any form of erratic topple spin and likewise the vertical take-off jet thrust is directed as a balanced cone, in alignment with the vertical opposed flywheel bearings and structure. Although gyroscope rotary flight balancement is described, same can be stopped and/or controlled during underwater submerged propulsion.

   Referring to the filtered sea water rotor impellor jets and spiral boosted propulsion, same principles can be utilized for any form of thermo-nuclear or conventional jet propulsion requirements, and accordingly it is foreseen that water-tight compartments are also utilized during underwater submerged propulsion, therefore, it is envisaged that boosted sea water propulsion is adequate for said underwater propulsion, in relative sequence with the universal swivelled rotor impellor jets. The objective of utilizing filtered sea water as a means of propulsion is to decrease static weight and also to reserve propellant fuel in order to achieve economical consumption during air flight, for reasons that it is envisaged that airborne propulsion will necessitate either thermonuclear propulsion or conventional turbine propellant means.It is foreseen that the directional flight requirements and said conventional turbine propulsion will be housed in compact water-tight compartments during underwater submerged transport, therefore, as previously described two propellant means will be available thermnuclear and/or sea water for said underwater propulsion, and secondly a small simplified prop jet for vertical-take-off aeroflight. It is calculated that a vertical take-off flying saucer aircraft is relative in design as the aero-submarine, although as previously described the latter will require intricate design characteristics to coincide with sea to air flight.The former vertical take-off flying saucer aircraft will comprise of a concavo-convex structure and perfect gyro balancement for air flight, therefore, only one propellant is required in this direction, whereby sea water is provided for the aero submarine and the ballast requirements could be disposed and delivered similar in principle as a steam locomotive sucks up water from a trough.

   The turret directional traverse flight and/or navigation control unit can be revolved electro-hydraulically and/or electromagnetically and by additional means previously described, although same can also be traversed through discrete small angles by means of a flywheel clutch. Said clutch comprises a series of copper and steel laminated plates capable of operating when immersed in fluid. Said copper plates are free to revolve with the gyroscope flywheel and the steel plates are attached to the turret. Compression of said plates will traverse start and stop said turret and attached directional jets. Said rotary gyroscope flywheel can also comprise an additional contra-rotating reversible flywheel if so required, and accordingly reverse the turret directional traverse flight and/or navigation control unit.

   Said gyroscope flywheel can also be utilized in unit construction with the vertical take-off turbine rotor propeller by the means of the flywheel shaft which is attached to the gyroscope flywheel. Said flywheel can be started and/or stopped and likewise turbine spiral bevel reduction gears could be utilized for flywheel speed control requirements.

   Said turbine rotor propeller can be fitted for vertical take-off impeller propulsion and/or twin rotor propellers can be utilized, one propeller situated at the top upper section of the saucer disc body and the second propeller underneath the disc structure.

   Although turbine rotor propeller vertical take-off propulsion means is described, jet gas turbine propulsion could be utilized in accordance with any specific characteristic directional flight and/or navigation traverse control manoeuvre requirements.

   A reverse of hydraulic fluid can be provided, there being means for diverting such reserve fluid for assisting airborne motion.

   It is possible for fluid impelled transmission to revolve at least two "vertical take-off" propellers.

   WHAT T CLAIM IS: -1. A craft capable of airborne and underwater motion comprising a disc or saucer shaped body, stabilizing means for the body including a gyroscope and jet pro

   pulsion means adapted to propel the body through water or through air.
2. 2. A craft as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the propulsion means includes a fluid turbine pump.
3. 3. A craft as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the propulsion means includes thermo-nuclear propulsion means.
4. 4. A craft as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the stabilizing means also comprises fins on the body.
5. 5. A craft as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a movable turret is mounted on the body.
6. 6. A craft as claimed in Claim 5, wherein directional jets are provided on the turret.
7. 7. A craft capable of airborne and underwater motion substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.