RU197629U1 - AMPHIBIAN VEHICLE - Google Patents

Abstract

The utility model relates to vehicles with high cross-country ability, in particular to amphibious vehicles incorporating a flexible air cushion enclosure, which is created by a blower unit including an air fan driven by a motor, which also drives a propeller included in the propulsion system The objective of the proposed technical solution is to increase the efficiency of the power plant and to realize the possibility of using the engine, regardless of its design, by changing the power take-off and layout of the power plant. An amphibious air-cushion vehicle is proposed, comprising a body with a flexible air cushion guard, an engine, a propulsion system, located aft on one side of the engine, and a blower, located on the other (bow) side of the engine with a drive mechanism including a driveshaft with a device for transmitting engine torque to the rotor p of the injection unit. It is new that, in contrast to the manufactured amphibious hovercraft, the engine is placed towards the nose by the output shaft, from which power (torque) is taken for both propulsion and pressure units. In this case, a blower unit containing an axial fan is located in the bow of the vessel.

Description

The utility model relates to vehicles with high cross-country ability, in particular to amphibious vehicles incorporating a flexible air cushion enclosure, which is created by a blower unit including an air fan driven by a motor, which also drives the propeller included in the propulsion system .

Known amphibious hovercraft according to the description of the utility model to patent RU No. 129063, comprising a housing, a flexible enclosure of the air cushion (high pressure area), an engine, a propulsion system (propeller) with rudders located aft on one side of the engine, a discharge unit located on the other (bow) side of the engine with its drive mechanism. The output shaft of the engine (on the flywheel side) in this design is placed towards the stern and torque is transmitted from it to drive the propulsion system. To drive the discharge unit, the torque is transmitted from the opposite side of the crankshaft (from the side of the auxiliary drive pulley). The entire power plant is located behind the superstructure (passenger compartment). As an example, the MARS hovercraft is provided by AKS-INVEST CJSC, which is the patent holder of utility model RU No. 129063.

Such a power take-off scheme is not always acceptable due to the design features of the engines.

Firstly, the toe of the crankshaft, on which the drive pulley of the auxiliary mechanisms is mounted, is not designed to transmit significant torque. There is a risk that when you try to transfer torque to the blower unit, the key connection on which the auxiliary drive pulley is located will be destroyed. Not all engine manufacturers retain an engine warranty with this power take-off.

Secondly, on engines with a power of about 5-30 hp the output shaft is only on one side of the engine. Thus, power take-off is possible only on one side of the shaft output, which makes it impossible to use the power take-off circuit according to the description of the utility model for patent RU No. 129063.

In addition, this arrangement of the vehicle with a blower installed behind the superstructure requires a turn of the air flow of more than 90 degrees for it to enter the bow of the air cushion, which leads to a decrease in efficiency. The discharge installation itself is most often obscured by the superstructure from the incoming flow, which also reduces the efficiency.

The objective of the proposed technical solution is to increase the efficiency of the power plant and realize the possibility of using the engine, regardless of its design, by changing the power take-off circuit and the layout of the power plant.

The solution to the technical problem is achieved by the fact that in an amphibious vehicle on an air cushion containing a body with a flexible enclosure of the air cushion, an engine, a propulsion system located aft on one side of the engine, and a discharge unit located on the other (bow) side of the engine with its drive mechanism, including a driveshaft with a device for transmitting engine torque to the rotor of the discharge unit, the engine is placed towards the nose by the output shaft, from which power (torque) is taken for both propulsion and discharge units. A blower unit containing an axial fan is located in the bow of the vessel.

In FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section through an amphibious vehicle.

The amphibious vehicle on an air cushion contains a rigid casing in the form of a platform 1, to which a flexible fence 2 of an air cushion is fixed at the bottom (Fig. 1). In the aft part of the amphibious vehicle, a propulsion system is installed, including a propeller 3 with air rudders 4. In the bow there is a pressure plant, consisting of an axial fan 5 and a guide channel 6. Before the propulsion system, the engine 7 is placed with the output shaft towards the nose , from which power is taken for both propulsion and pressure installations through a transmission that includes a chain (either belt or gear) gearbox 8, cardan shafts 9 and 10, centrifugal couplings 11 and 12. The cardan shaft 10 passes in a tunnel under seats (with a motorcycle landing) 13. The engine speed 7 and the position of the rudders 4 are controlled by the gas handle 14 and the motorcycle type 15 steering wheel, respectively.

The operation of an amphibious vehicle is as follows. To start the movement, it is required to actuate the engine 7, from the crankshaft of which the chain (either belt or gear) gearbox is put into operation 8. The torque is transmitted from the drive shaft of the gearbox 8 through the driveshaft 10 and the centrifugal clutch 12 to the axial fan 5, why, through the guide channel 6, under the rigid body in the form of a platform 1, air enters to create excess pressure held by the flexible guard 2. From the driven shaft of the gearbox 8, the torque is transmitted through the driveshaft 9 and the centrifugal clutch 11 to the propeller 3, which rotates creating a thrust, as a result, the amphibious vehicle begins to move, and the excess pressure inside the air cushion reduces the resistance to movement.

By changing the position of the gas handle 14, the rotational speed of the crankshaft of the engine 7 changes, which in turn leads to a simultaneous change in the rotational speed of the propeller 3 and the axial fan 5. With an increase in the rotational speed of the propeller 3 and the axial fan 5, there is an increase in thrust and overpressure in the air cushion, causing the amphibious vehicle to move faster. With a decrease in traction and overpressure, the amphibious vehicle brakes due to friction against the supporting surface.

Maneuvering is performed by turning the steering wheel of a motorcycle type 15 deflecting direction 4 to the corresponding angle of the steering wheel, thereby changing the direction of the thrust created by the propeller left or right.

The location of the discharge unit in the bow of the vessel makes it possible to fully utilize the dynamic component of the incoming air flow during movement and taking into account the minimal loss of turns of the air when it is fed into the bow of the air cushion, it is possible to achieve a screen effect when the amphibious vehicle moves. This improves speed characteristics with lower fuel consumption.

An amphibious vehicle can be manufactured using conventional equipment and well-known structural materials.

Claims (1)

       An amphibious hovercraft, comprising a housing with a flexible air cushion guard, an engine, a propulsion system located aft on one side of the engine, and a blower installation located on the other side of the engine with a drive mechanism including at least one driveshaft and device transmitting engine torque to the rotor of the blower installation, characterized in that the engine is placed toward the nose by the output shaft, from which power is taken for both propulsion and blower installations.

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