US3181636A - Ground effect machine having heave stability for traversing rough surfaces - Google Patents

Ground effect machine having heave stability for traversing rough surfaces Download PDF

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Publication number
US3181636A
US3181636A US59306A US5930660A US3181636A US 3181636 A US3181636 A US 3181636A US 59306 A US59306 A US 59306A US 5930660 A US5930660 A US 5930660A US 3181636 A US3181636 A US 3181636A
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Prior art keywords
vehicle
cushion
air
pressure
variations
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US59306A
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English (en)
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Cockerell Christopher Sydney
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Hovercraft Development Ltd
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Hovercraft Development Ltd
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60V—AIR-CUSHION VEHICLES
    • B60V1/00—Air-cushion
    • B60V1/06—Air-cushion wherein the cushion is formed within plenum chamber
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60V—AIR-CUSHION VEHICLES
    • B60V1/00—Air-cushion
    • B60V1/04—Air-cushion wherein the cushion is contained at least in part by walls
    • B60V1/043—Air-cushion wherein the cushion is contained at least in part by walls the walls being flexible
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60V—AIR-CUSHION VEHICLES
    • B60V1/00—Air-cushion
    • B60V1/04—Air-cushion wherein the cushion is contained at least in part by walls
    • B60V1/046—Air-cushion wherein the cushion is contained at least in part by walls the walls or a part of them being rigid

Definitions

  • FIG.I7A 94 FIG.I7A.
  • means are provided for forming and maintaining a cushion or cushions of pressurised fluid beneath the vehicle, such means generally being adjacent to the periphery of the bottom of the vehicle.
  • the invention is concerned with the heave stability of the vehicle when travelling over rough water or over ground contoured in a similar manner.
  • the path of the centre of gravity of the vehicle is determined by certain parameters, some of which are design parameters and others depend upon the speed of the craft, the length of the craft, and the height and spacing of the obstacles forming the rough surface.
  • design parameters some of which are design parameters and others depend upon the speed of the craft, the length of the craft, and the height and spacing of the obstacles forming the rough surface.
  • Dependent upon these parameters such a path may be acceptable, but often the combinations of these parameters may result in an unacceptable path, due to such path exhibiting excessive heave, for example, a resonant condition or a path which is too far out of phase with the contours beneath the craft.
  • These undesirable eifects may be reduced by an appropriate dynamic manipulation of some of the design parameters which determine the total upward thrust of the pressurised cushions at any one instant of time, thus enabling the total upward thrust to be varied.
  • the problem can be illustrated by considering a number of varying operating conditions. Taking first when the vehicle is traversing plain waves, whose Wavelength is short compared with the length of the craft, then the integrated lift of its supporting cushion will remain very nearly constant, and so the path of the centre of gravity of the vehicle will be very nearly level, and the form of this path will be very little alfected by the speed of the vehicle. However, when the vehicle is slowly traversing plain Waves whose length is very long compared with the length of the vehicle, the vehicle will heave in phase with the wave so that the hover-height will be very nearly constant with respect to the mean height of the section of the wave beneath the vehicle in any one instant. Again,
  • the fluid forming the cushion or cushions is air, and similarly, where fluid curtains are used to contain the cushion or cushions, these are also formed by air, and for convenience hereinafter this will be considered to be the case.
  • other fluids such as exhaust gases and Water or steam can be used particularly for forming the curtains.
  • FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic vertical cross-section through a typical surface undulation showing the path followed by the centre of gravity of the vehicle without the application of the invention
  • FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross-section of a vehicle embodying one form of the invention
  • FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross-section of a slightly different form of vehicle embodying a similar form of invention as shown in FIGURE 2,
  • FIGURE 4 illustrates a modified form of the vehicle illustrated in FIGURE 2
  • FIGURE 5 is a similar cross-section as in FIGURE 2 illustrating an alternative form of the invention
  • FIGURE 6 is a similar cross-section as in FIGURE 3 illustrating the application of an alternative form of the invention as shown in FIGURE 3,
  • FIGURE 7 is a plan view of the vehicle as shown in FIGURE 2,
  • FIGURE 8 is a diagrammatic view of an apparatus for positively controlling the operations of the valves shown in FIGURES 2 to 6,
  • FIGURE 9 is a vertical cross-section of a vehicle similar to that shown in FIGURE 5, having an alternative fluid curtain system,
  • FIGURE 10 is a vertical cross-section of a vehicle sim ilar to that shown in FIGURE 4 illustrating a modification thereof
  • FIGURE 11 is a diagrammatic partial cross-section of the bottom part of the vehicle embodying a further form of the invention.
  • FIGURE 12 is a modification of FIGURE 11,
  • FIGURE 13 illustrates a further modification of FIG- URE 11
  • FIGURE 14 shows a further form of embodiment shown in FIGURE 11,
  • FIGURE 15 is a partial plan view of the detail of a flap as used in the various forms of the embodiment shown in FIGURES 11 to 14,
  • FIGURE 16 is a diagrammatic partial cross-section of the bottom of the vehicle having yet another embodiment of the invention.
  • FIGURES 17A and 17B illustrate diagrammatically a further embodiment of the invention
  • FIGURE l9 illustrates a modification of the. embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 18.
  • the effect of the variation in height, or clearance, between the bottom of the vehicle and the surface will depend upon the wave length of the undulations compared with the length of the vehicle.
  • the wave length is a sub-multiple of the vehicle length
  • the vehicle will maintain a substantially level course, rising and falling only whenencountering isolated taller crests or deeper troughs of suchundulations.
  • the wave length is several times the length of the vehicle, the vehicle will follow the profile of the undulations without undue vertical accelerations cushion, the air being supplied to the port 3 from a duct 5.
  • the cushion is contained peripherally by a flexible downward projecting peripheral member 6, air being blown into the space occupied by the cushion through a port 7 from a duct 8 in the bottom of the main body of the vehicle, existing air escaping beneath 'the downward projecting member'6.
  • a flexible downward projecting peripheral member 6 air being blown into the space occupied by the cushion through a port 7 from a duct 8 in the bottom of the main body of the vehicle, existing air escaping beneath 'the downward projecting member'6.
  • valves 9 and 10 are provided which in their normal position close ports or ducts 11 through the downward projecting members '4 and 6.
  • the valves 9 and 10'ma'y of course, be loaded or biased toa ward their normally closed positions in any suitable manbeing imposed on the vehicle.
  • the range of wave lengths at which unacceptable vertical accelerations may occur generally lies very roughly between 1 and 2 /2 times the length of the vehicle, and if provision can be made to cause the vehicle to follow a modified path having a reduced height variation for this range of wave lengths, the undue vertical accelerations which would otherwise occur can be reduced to an acceptable value, or
  • FIGURE 1 illustrates diagrammatically. the profile of an undulating surface, the wavelength being of the order of twice the vehicle length, together with an indication of the path which would normally be followed by the centre of gravity of the vehicle, As described hereinafter, the undulating surface will be considered as being waves in water although it willbe appreciated that the invention is applicable to a vehicle travelling over other surfaces hav-' ing similar characteristics such as sand dunes and the like.
  • Line A represents the profile of a wave andthe chain dotted line B is the path followed by the centre of'gravity of a vehicle which would normally occur.
  • the height is that which it is, intended to operate the vehicle, that is the cushion volume. and mean pressure and the curtainheight, areat their correct or datum values. It will be seen that as the centre,
  • the air curtain 2 flows down-1 ner, as by springs (not shown). If the pressure of the cushions 1 falls below theatmospheric, theffront valves 9 open and admit air to the cushion, reducing the loss ,of lift and the normal result of the downwarddropof the vehicle. Similarly, when the pressure of the cushions 1 exceeds the predetermined value, rear valves 10 open to allow the escape of some of thecushion forming air to atmosphere. It is advisable to provide a series of ports or ducts 11 as shown in FIGURE'7 described below to enable large flows of air to' take place.
  • the objective of the present invention is thus to reduce the vertical accelerations imposed on the vehicle by reducing the variations in cushion pressure. This is accomplished by admitting air to the cushion when the pressure rops below atmospheric, and by releasing air from the cushion when the pressure goes above some predetermined value, whereby the vertical movements of the vehicle are damped or leveled out.
  • the vehicles shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 have the dis advantage that a substantially rigid downward projecting member, comprising the whole of the member 4 in FIG- URE 2 and a comparatively large part of the member 6 in FIGURE 3, must be provided, increasing the height of the structure.
  • ducts or ports 12 can be formed in the main body of the vehicle as shown in FIGURE 4.
  • ducts 12 are formed in the periphery of the vehicle, valves 13 being provided in the ducts acting in a similar manner to the valves 9 and of FIGURES 2 and 3.
  • FIGURE 4 illustrates a modification of FIGURE 2 a similar modification can also be made to FIGURE 3.
  • FIGURES 5 and 6 An alternative arrangement is to provide ducts through the body of the vehicle, the ducts serving both for the influx and efiiux of air, controlled by a valve capable of opening either way.
  • FIGURES 5 and 6 Such an arrangement is illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6, the vehicle shown in FIGURE 5 being similar to that shown in FIGURE 2, whilst the vehicle shown in FIGURE 6 is similar to that shown in FIG- URE 3.
  • the duct 15 is formed in the main body 16 of the vehicle, communicatiilg at one end with the space occupied by the cushion 1, and at the other end with the surrounding atmosphere.
  • Two valves 17 normally close the ducts 15 under the action of springs 18 and can rotate one way or the other, as indicated by the dotted lines 19 to allow air to flow into or out of the cushion space.
  • Valves 17 can be so controlled by springs 8 that there is restricted pressure range over which they remain closed. It will be seen that in FIG- URE 5 the supply port 20 need only project slightly below the bottom of the vehicle or may be flush with the bottom surface. Similarly, in FIGURE 6 the downward projecting member 21 need not be as long as member 6 in FIG- URE 3. Instead of one large duct 15 being provided a number of smaller ducts can be used.
  • FIGURE 7 illustrates diagrammatically the relative position of the ducts 11 to the vehicle illustrated in FIG- URE 2.
  • Ducts 11 are positioned at the front and the rear of the vehicle as shown.
  • the air for the formation of the air curtain 2 enters through intakes 22, being forced by the propellers 23 into the duct 5.
  • a plan view of the vehicle shown in FIGURE 3 will be very similar, the difference being that the air from the propellers 23 is fed to duct 8 instead.
  • the plan form of the vehicle as illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6 is similar to that of FIG- URE 7.
  • valves 9, III, 13 and 17 of FIGURES 27, instead of being spring biased or controlled, may be positively actuated by a device or devices controlled, for example, by cushion pressure.
  • a device or devices controlled for example, by cushion pressure.
  • An hydraulic control valve illustrated generally at 39 controls the flow of pressurised oil from supply inlet 31 to either side of the piston 32 mounted in a cylinder 33.
  • Piston 32 is connected by a suitable linkage 34 to a valve 35 which corresponds to the valve 17 of FIGURES 5 and 6.
  • the cushion pressure I" is fed to an inlet 36 of the control valve 30.
  • Springs 37 on either side of the piston tend to maintain the piston in central position, in which the valve 35 is closed.
  • valve 35 needs to move only in one direction, as for example in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, only a single-sided piston 32 is required.
  • FIGURE 9 illustrates the application of the invention to a vehicle having a more complex form of air curtain, such as described in patent specification of co-pending application Serial No. 837,428, filed September 1, 1959, and since abandoned.
  • curtain systems at least part of the curtain forming air is recovered through recovery ports formed at the bottom of the vehicle, inboard of a supply port.
  • This vehicle is similar to the vehicle illustrated in FIGURE 5, the air recovered through the recovery ports 40 being re-energised and recirculated back to the supply port 3.
  • FIGURE 10 A mass flow of air through the supply port 43 can be varied locally by a sliding flap 44.
  • fiap 4-4 at the rear of the vehicle, on the right of FIGURE 10 is restricting the How of air to the part of the supply port 43 at the rear, locally weakening the curtain of air 45.
  • Air from the cushion is able to flow out beneath the air curtain as at 46.
  • One or more additional air curtains may be formed beneath the vehicle to subdivide the cushion, as shown dotted at 48.
  • the invention seeks to reduce, prevent or even reverse variations in vertical thrust due to the variations in cushion pressure, which would otherwise occur, when traveling over waves and obstacles of similar profile.
  • the vehicle leaves a crest of the obstruction and travels over a trough
  • the curtain height is greater than normal at this time and may not be capable of containing the required cushion pressure.
  • the cushion pressure is maintained, as by the valves 10 in FIG- URES 2 and 3, at a pressure below that which would normally occur, down to mean pressure, or may be even ecreased below the mean.
  • the curtain height is lower than normal and is capable of maintaining and will tend to maintain a cushion of pressure above the mean.
  • Servo motors 47 are provided to operate the flaps 44, 'in combination with the above described variation of mass flow for the admission of air to, and exhausting of air from, the cushion again controlled by variations in cushion pressure.
  • the variation of vertical thrust, or lift, produced by the cushion can also be obtained by varyingthe area of the cushion. For example, if thecushion pressure has decreased and it is desired to reduce, or prevent,, the loss of vertical thrust which would otherwise occur, this can be done by increasing the effective area of the cushion,
  • FIGURE 11 shows a simple arrangement in which two supply ports 54 and 55 are supplied with air by ducts 56 and 57 respectively.
  • a hinged flap 58 is mounted at the junction-of the two ducts 56 and 57,:the position of the flap controlling the amount of air fed from a compressor by a duct 59, which enters each of ducts 56 and. 57.
  • a hinged flap 66 operates to vary'the air fiow to'the two ducts 63 and 65, the air flow tothe duct 62 being separate. Operation of the flap varies the relative air system gPorts 88 and 89 are postioned in the plate 85 so that when.
  • the ducts 62 and 63 are raised so that air from the compressor flowing along the duct flows smoothly into the duct 65.
  • the ducts'62 and 63 are not raised and a curved guide is formed from two supply ports, the outer air curtain by supply ports 70 and 71 fed by ducts 72 and .73 and the inner air curtain by supply ports 74 and 75 fed by ducts 76 and 77 respectively; In each pair of ducts the outer duct 72 and 76 is wider than the inner duct. A hinged 8 her, only the relative flows to the outer ducts 72 and '76 being varied.
  • FIGURE 16 illustrates diagrammatically an alternative method of varying relative flows of air to the supply ports, using a sliding flap or plate.
  • a flat plate is mounted on the bottom surface of the vehicle, arranged to slide inwardly and outwardly over-the supply ports 86 and 87.
  • the supplyports 86 and 87 are much wider in the radial direction than is normally the case, i.e., in comparison with the supply ports of FIGURES 11-14, and the sliding I plate :85 is provided with ports 88 and 89 which act as the actual ports through which the curtain forming air issues.
  • the ports 88 and 89 are slightly wider than normal ports, being sufiiciently wider for the issue of the maximum additional air it is intended should be transferred.
  • the plate is in its central position the outer edge of the port 88 is slightly outside the outer edge of the port 86 and the inner edgeof port .89 is slightlysinside the inner edge of port 87, the unobstructed widths of the ports 88 and 89 being the correct widths for the formation of normal curtains.
  • Air is fed to the ports via a duct 90 and it will be seen that the movement of the plate 85 in or out will vary the relative flows of air out of ports 88 and 89. Vanes may be provided in the wide ports 86 and 87. Whilst the flap plate is shown as being fitted inside the bottom of the vehicle, it can readily 'be fitted on the outside, but is liable to be damaged. Again, the relative positioning's of the wide and narrow ports can be reversed, the narrow ports 88 and 89 being formed in the bottom of the vehicle and the wide ports 86 and 87 being formed in the sliding plate 85.
  • FIG. 17A and 17B illustrate diagrammatically such a method for movingthe position of a port relative to the bottom of the vehicle;
  • the normal narrow port through which the air curtain is formed is replaced by a wide port 91.
  • Mounted over the port is a slidable flap plate 92 having a narrow port 93.
  • Port 93 is equivalent to the normal port 1 formed in the bottom of the vehicle'in the previously described vehicles, and where the air issuing through it forms a primary air curtain, port 93 is in the form of an annulus or is aseries of ports in annular configuration.
  • valve member 78 formed from two parallel flaps, 78a
  • the movable plate 92 is easily provided for straight portions of the ports at the bottom of the vehicle; where the. Ports are tem.
  • the air flow into each of the inner ducts73 and 77 I is virtually unafiected by any movement of the valve mem-,
  • Vanes 94 may be provided in the wide port 91.
  • FIGURE 18 An alternative method of varying the effective area of the cushion, as applied to curtain systems in which at least part of the curtain forming air is recovered, is illustrated in FIGURE 18.
  • a supply port 100 is formed in the bottom of the vehicle at the periphery and a recovery pont 101 is also formed in the bottom of the vehicle slightly inboard of the supply port 100.
  • a further recovery port 102 is formed in the bottom of the vehicle spaced further inboard than the first recovery port 101.
  • the recovery ports 101 and 102 communicate via ducts 103 and 104 respectively with a common recovery duct 105.
  • a sliding vane 106 is mounted between the two recovery ports and acts to vary the opening of the ports.
  • FIGURE 19 illustrates a method of cushion area variation similar to that shown in FIGURE 18, a rotatable vane 107 being provided to vary the relative amounts of air recovered through the recovery ports 101 and 102, instead of sliding vane 106.
  • a vehicle for travelling over a surface comprising a body, means for forming and maintaining a cushion of pressurised fluid beneath said body by which said vehicle is at least partly supported above said surface as it travels thereover, and means carried by said body for reducing unacceptable vertical accelerations of said body, said means including means responsive directly to variations in the volume of said cushion from a predetermined value for automatically supplying fluid to and releasing fluid from said cushion and thereby reducing the variations in vertical thrust on the vehicle produced by variations in the cushion pressure resulting from said variations in volume of the cushion.
  • a vehicle for travelling over a surface comprising a body, teams for forming a cushion of pressurised fluid beneath said body by which said vehicle is at least partly supported above said surface as it travels thereover, means for containing said cushion including a portion of the vehicle body, and means carried by said body for reducing unacceptable vertical accelerations of said body, said 'rneans including means responsive directly to variations in the pressure of said cushion relative to the pressure of the atmosphere around the vehicle for automatically supplying air from the atmosphere to said cushion and releasing air from said cushion to the atmosphere and thereby reducing the variations in vertical thrust on the vehicle produced by said variations in the cushion pressure.
  • said lastrnentioned means includes at least one opening in the body of the vehicle providing communication between said cushion and the atmosphere, and a flap mounted in said opening operative in response to variations in the cushion pressure for admitting air into the cushion when the cushion pressure decreases, and releasing air from the cushion when the cushion pressure increases, from a predetermined pressure.
  • a vehicle as claimed in claim 4 including power operating means for operating the flap.
  • a vehicle as claimed in claim 2 wherein said lastmentioned means includes openings in the body of the vehicle at the front and rear thereof providing communication between said cushion and the atmosphere, a flap for admitting fluid into the cushion positioned in the opening at the front of the vehicle, and a flap for releasing fluid from the cushion positioned in the opening at the rear of the vehicle.
  • said first mentioned means includes means for forming at least one curtain of fluid which at least partly forms and contains the cushion of pressurised fluid
  • said lastmentioned means includes means responsive to variations in the cushion pressure for varying at least locally the mass flow of the fluid forming the curtain, said last-mentioned means being so constructed and arranged as to decrease the mass flow when the cushion pressure tends to increase and to increase the mass flow when the cushion pressure tends to decrease, whereby fluctuations in cushion pressure are reduced.
  • said curtrain-forming means further includes at least one supply port formed in the bottom of the vehicle, and wherein the means for varying the mass flow of fluid forming the curtain includes at least one movable member for varying the width of the supply port.
  • a vehicle as claimed in claim 8 wherein the means for varying the mass flow of fluid forming the curtain further includes power operating means responsive to variations in the cushion pressure for moving said movable member.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Vehicle Body Suspensions (AREA)
  • Fluid-Damping Devices (AREA)
US59306A 1959-10-02 1960-09-29 Ground effect machine having heave stability for traversing rough surfaces Expired - Lifetime US3181636A (en)

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GB33535/59A GB959825A (en) 1959-10-02 1959-10-02 Improvements in or relating to vehicles for travelling over land and/or water

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US59306A Expired - Lifetime US3181636A (en) 1959-10-02 1960-09-29 Ground effect machine having heave stability for traversing rough surfaces
US254214A Expired - Lifetime US3181638A (en) 1959-10-02 1963-01-28 Vehicles for travelling over land and/or water

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US254214A Expired - Lifetime US3181638A (en) 1959-10-02 1963-01-28 Vehicles for travelling over land and/or water

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US (2) US3181636A (de)
CH (1) CH388787A (de)
CY (1) CY384A (de)
DK (2) DK107592C (de)
FR (1) FR1268934A (de)
GB (1) GB959825A (de)
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Cited By (21)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
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US3272273A (en) * 1961-10-04 1966-09-13 Lowrie Richard William Ground effect vehicle air flow design
US3279553A (en) * 1962-03-23 1966-10-18 Anibal A Tinajero Pitch and roll control for ground effect machines
US3282359A (en) * 1961-12-15 1966-11-01 Jr Rigsby C Satterfield Apparatus supported on air cushions for handling unitized loads
US3302602A (en) * 1965-02-26 1967-02-07 Korganoff Alexandre Submersible vessels
US3306389A (en) * 1962-03-23 1967-02-28 Anibal A Tinajero Pitch and roll control for ground effect machines
US3308767A (en) * 1964-12-22 1967-03-14 United Aircraft Corp Transportation device utilizing hydrostatic bearings
US3340943A (en) * 1965-05-07 1967-09-12 Bertin & Cie Air cushion stability control device with adjustable plenum chamber volume
US3412956A (en) * 1957-05-02 1968-11-26 Hovercraft Dev Ltd Vehicle for travelling over land and/or water
US3465844A (en) * 1966-06-14 1969-09-09 Hovercraft Dev Ltd Gas cushion vehicles
US3481423A (en) * 1966-10-25 1969-12-02 Cushioncraft Ltd Means to trim air cushion vehicles
US3495679A (en) * 1959-03-23 1970-02-17 Hovercraft Dev Ltd Vehicle for travelling over land and/or water
US3575116A (en) * 1967-08-03 1971-04-13 Hovercraft Dev Ltd Gas-cushion load-supporting apparatus
US3601214A (en) * 1968-03-22 1971-08-24 Bertin & Cie Devices for supplying fluid under pressure to ground effect machines
US3800905A (en) * 1972-05-25 1974-04-02 Textron Inc Flexible inflated puff-port system
US3841433A (en) * 1969-01-08 1974-10-15 Vosper Ltd Gas-cushion vehicles
US3882960A (en) * 1974-04-18 1975-05-13 Us Navy Ride quality control for surface effects craft
US3889775A (en) * 1973-11-12 1975-06-17 Aerojet General Co Surface effects vehicle having variable geometry lift fan
JPS52118724A (en) * 1977-03-29 1977-10-05 Hovermarine Transport Ltd Air cushion vehicle
US4660670A (en) * 1982-09-07 1987-04-28 Mattox Darryl F Wing-in-ground effect air cushion vehicle
WO2007046684A1 (en) * 2005-10-17 2007-04-26 Michael Tan Hover vacuum cleaner
WO2007068922A2 (en) * 2005-12-13 2007-06-21 Scotcan Limited Improved hover vacuum cleaning apparatus

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DE1213257B (de) * 1961-07-18 1966-03-24 Vickers Armstrongs Ltd Luftkissenfahrzeug
DE1201184B (de) * 1961-08-17 1965-09-16 Hovercraft Dev Ltd Gaskissenfahrzeug zur Fahrt ueber Wasser
DE1197330B (de) * 1962-10-27 1965-07-22 Bertin & Cie Luftzufuehrungseinrichtung fuer ein Luftkissenfahrzeug
DE1275363B (de) * 1962-11-15 1968-08-14 British Hovercraft Corp Ltd Luftkissenfahrzeug
DE1248481B (de) * 1964-03-11 1967-08-24 British Hovercraft Corp Ltd Luftkissenfahrzeug
FR1476633A (fr) * 1965-12-29 1967-04-14 Bertin & Cie Perfectionnements aux véhicules à coussins d'air
US3721198A (en) * 1971-04-05 1973-03-20 L Applegate Lift control for rail car
US4363372A (en) * 1980-05-20 1982-12-14 Vosper Hovermarine Limited Gas-cushion vehicles
US4836693A (en) * 1988-05-20 1989-06-06 Sundstrand Corp. Intermittently assisted hydrostatic bearing
CN107738641A (zh) * 2017-11-25 2018-02-27 湖北工程职业学院 一种用于气垫船船舱底部侧壁的缓冲装置

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US2567392A (en) * 1948-06-28 1951-09-11 Naught Harold Fluid sustained aircraft
US2751038A (en) * 1954-05-14 1956-06-19 Hoover Co Air supported cleaner with control
US2838257A (en) * 1954-07-27 1958-06-10 Vibrane Corp Jet sustained aircraft with enclosed compressor rotor
FR1238499A (fr) * 1958-09-01 1960-12-02 Hovercraft Dev Ltd Perfectionnements aux véhicules pour voyager au-dessus de la terre ou de l'eau
US3042129A (en) * 1959-10-28 1962-07-03 Thomas B Wade Ground effect vehicle having an adjustable pressure plate

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US1123589A (en) * 1914-02-27 1915-01-05 James Robertson Porter Construction of aeronautical machines.
US2567392A (en) * 1948-06-28 1951-09-11 Naught Harold Fluid sustained aircraft
US2751038A (en) * 1954-05-14 1956-06-19 Hoover Co Air supported cleaner with control
US2838257A (en) * 1954-07-27 1958-06-10 Vibrane Corp Jet sustained aircraft with enclosed compressor rotor
FR1238499A (fr) * 1958-09-01 1960-12-02 Hovercraft Dev Ltd Perfectionnements aux véhicules pour voyager au-dessus de la terre ou de l'eau
US3042129A (en) * 1959-10-28 1962-07-03 Thomas B Wade Ground effect vehicle having an adjustable pressure plate

Cited By (22)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3412956A (en) * 1957-05-02 1968-11-26 Hovercraft Dev Ltd Vehicle for travelling over land and/or water
US3495679A (en) * 1959-03-23 1970-02-17 Hovercraft Dev Ltd Vehicle for travelling over land and/or water
US3272273A (en) * 1961-10-04 1966-09-13 Lowrie Richard William Ground effect vehicle air flow design
US3282359A (en) * 1961-12-15 1966-11-01 Jr Rigsby C Satterfield Apparatus supported on air cushions for handling unitized loads
US3279553A (en) * 1962-03-23 1966-10-18 Anibal A Tinajero Pitch and roll control for ground effect machines
US3306389A (en) * 1962-03-23 1967-02-28 Anibal A Tinajero Pitch and roll control for ground effect machines
US3308767A (en) * 1964-12-22 1967-03-14 United Aircraft Corp Transportation device utilizing hydrostatic bearings
US3302602A (en) * 1965-02-26 1967-02-07 Korganoff Alexandre Submersible vessels
US3340943A (en) * 1965-05-07 1967-09-12 Bertin & Cie Air cushion stability control device with adjustable plenum chamber volume
US3465844A (en) * 1966-06-14 1969-09-09 Hovercraft Dev Ltd Gas cushion vehicles
US3481423A (en) * 1966-10-25 1969-12-02 Cushioncraft Ltd Means to trim air cushion vehicles
US3575116A (en) * 1967-08-03 1971-04-13 Hovercraft Dev Ltd Gas-cushion load-supporting apparatus
US3601214A (en) * 1968-03-22 1971-08-24 Bertin & Cie Devices for supplying fluid under pressure to ground effect machines
US3841433A (en) * 1969-01-08 1974-10-15 Vosper Ltd Gas-cushion vehicles
US3800905A (en) * 1972-05-25 1974-04-02 Textron Inc Flexible inflated puff-port system
US3889775A (en) * 1973-11-12 1975-06-17 Aerojet General Co Surface effects vehicle having variable geometry lift fan
US3882960A (en) * 1974-04-18 1975-05-13 Us Navy Ride quality control for surface effects craft
JPS52118724A (en) * 1977-03-29 1977-10-05 Hovermarine Transport Ltd Air cushion vehicle
US4660670A (en) * 1982-09-07 1987-04-28 Mattox Darryl F Wing-in-ground effect air cushion vehicle
WO2007046684A1 (en) * 2005-10-17 2007-04-26 Michael Tan Hover vacuum cleaner
WO2007068922A2 (en) * 2005-12-13 2007-06-21 Scotcan Limited Improved hover vacuum cleaning apparatus
WO2007068922A3 (en) * 2005-12-13 2007-11-01 Scotcan Ltd Improved hover vacuum cleaning apparatus

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB959825A (en) 1964-06-03
CY384A (en) 1967-04-14
US3181638A (en) 1965-05-04
DK107592C (da) 1967-06-12
MY6700100A (en) 1967-12-31
DK104446C (da) 1966-05-16
CH388787A (de) 1965-02-28
FR1268934A (fr) 1961-08-04

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