US3680657A - Skirt facility for a ground-effect machine - Google Patents

Skirt facility for a ground-effect machine Download PDF

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Publication number
US3680657A
US3680657A US889166A US3680657DA US3680657A US 3680657 A US3680657 A US 3680657A US 889166 A US889166 A US 889166A US 3680657D A US3680657D A US 3680657DA US 3680657 A US3680657 A US 3680657A
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United States
Prior art keywords
wall element
machine
ground
cell
set forth
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Expired - Lifetime
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US889166A
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English (en)
Inventor
Charles Joseph Marchetti
Marc Henri Jean Faure
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Societe dEtudes et de Developpement des Aeroglisseurs Marins SEDAM SA
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Societe dEtudes et de Developpement des Aeroglisseurs Marins SEDAM SA
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60V—AIR-CUSHION VEHICLES
    • B60V1/00—Air-cushion
    • B60V1/16—Flexible skirts

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT An elementary cell adapted to be assembled together with other similar cellsto form a compartmented-skirt facility for a ground-effect machine, the cell being formed by an outer wall element and inner wall element bounding together a substantially crescentshaped space, such cell being adapted to be mounted and demounted individually on the structure of ground-effect machine.
  • This invention relates to an improved skirt facility for ground-efiect machines.
  • this invention is for improvements in or relating to a known skirt facility comprising in combination a first endless wall bounding a first cushion compartment which is supplied with pressure fluid, a second endless wall extending around the first wall, means for dividing the space between the two endless walls into at least two other cushion compartments, communications being so devised between the first compartment and the other compartments that the latter are supplied with pressure fluid from the first compartment, to which all the fluid is delivered.
  • the compartmentedskirt facility is embodied by a large number of individual cells which are adapted to be readily assembled and disassembled individually and which are disposed in consecutive relationship, each cell being formed by an outer wall element and an inner wall element bounding together a substantially crescentshaped space whose convexity faces outwards and whose tips face inwards.
  • the sequence of the outer wall elements of the various cells forms a multilobed peripheral skirt; similarly, the sequence of the inner wall elements of the various cells forms a multilobed inner skirt, the lobes of the peripheral skirt coinciding with the lobes of the inner skirt.
  • each crescent-shaped cell has a U-shaped frame on which the wall elements are hung and via which the cell can be secured to a structure of the machine, e.g., the bottom surface of the machine platform.
  • FIG. I is a perspective view of a cell according to the invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a development in plan view elements of the cell of FIG. 1;
  • FIGS. 3 and 4 are partial views in vertical section of a ground-effect platform with a cell of this kind mounted below it;
  • FIGS. 5-7 are diagrammatic plan views showing sundry overall shapes
  • FIGS. 8-10 are diagrammatic views, in side elevation, front elevation and perspective respectively, of an improvement in or relating to cells disposed at the rear of a platform.
  • the elementary cell shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 mainly comprises a metal or timber or plastics frame 1 which in shape substantially resembles a U and to which two pieces of hermetic fabric are secured to form, respectively, an outer flexible wall element 2 convex towards outside space 3 and an inner flexible wall element 4 concave towards inside space plenum chamber 5.
  • the inner wall element 4 has an outer portion which faces of the two wall the plenum chamber 5 and a pair of side portions which extend inwardly from said outer portion towards said plenum chamber.
  • the outer wall element 2 has an outer portion which faces the outer portion of the inner wall element 4, and a pair of side portions which embrace the respective side portions of the inner wall element.
  • the two wall elements 2, 4 bound between them a substantially crescent-shaped intermediate space 6.
  • the cell thus embodied is rigidly mounted, in a manner suitable for rapid assembly and disassembly, under a structure or platform 7 of a ground-effect machine, as can be seen in FIG. 3. It will be seen that the respective upper edges of the inner and outer wall elements are fixed to the machine structure 7 in such relative positions that, in the vicinity of said upper edges, the respective outer portions of said wall elements are positively kept at a distance from one another.
  • the machine has a ducted fan 8 which delivers compressed air, in the direction indicated by arrows F I, to the plenum chamber 5 to form a central cushion therein.
  • the air finally escapes to atmosphere, in the direction indicated by an arrow F4, through the gap between the lower free edge 2a of the outer wall element 2 and the ground 9.
  • the frame I being U-shaped, can be adapted not only to a horizontal plane, as shown in FIG. 3, but also to an inclined plane, as shown in FIG. 4.
  • the skirt facility according to the invention is embodied by a sequence right around the platform f a large number-between 20 and lOO-of elementary cells such as the cell just described.
  • the sequential side-by-side relationship of the elementary cells is such that a side portion of the outer wall element of each cell is substantially contiguous with an adjacent side portion of the outer wall element of a neighboring cell.
  • the frames 1 used have parallel or converging U arms, a machine having in plan any shape can be fitted up, and some non-limitative examples are given in FIGS. 5-7.
  • the machine is in plan circular and its skirt facility is formed by 24 identical elementary cells, the frames of which have converging arms.
  • the machine of FIG. 6 is in plan oblong and has a skirt facility comprising 24 elementary cells, the frames of which have parallel arms, and 12 cells, the frames of which have converging arms.
  • a feature of said machine is that it can be dismantled in three parts along the line: All!l and CD, each part retaining its own elementary ce s.
  • the machine shown in FIG. 7 has a shape which tapers towards the front.
  • the support frame 1 is formed by'two straight lines connected to an ellipse arc, and the development of the wall elements 2, 4 (see FIG. 2) corresponds to two straight lines D1, D2 connected by a sinusoidal arc S at the top, whereas the bottom part comprises just a single straight line D3 (cylindrical wall corresponding to a parallel-arm frame '1) ortwo straight lines joined together by asinusoidal arc (conical wall corresponding to a convergent-arm frame 1 g
  • the inner wall element 4 is apertured so that air can flow through at the top in the direction indicated by the arrow F3 (FIGS. 3 and 4) from the plenum chamber 5 to the peripheral compartments 6. This passage corresponds to a cross-section of approximately 1 to, 2 percent of the total bearing surfaceof the vehicle.
  • a grating 10 covers the bottom part of the inclined'plane bounded by the two straight lines D3 of the free lower edge of the wall elements 2, 4 of the cells at the rear of the machine (or, if required, of all: the cells if the machine J is a omnidirectional vehicle).
  • the grating 10 is secured not to .the cells-so that the same are completely free to be dismantled-but to the frame 7, the connection being by way of wires or flexible rods 11 disposed in'the plane separating the plane parts of two consecutiv'e cells.
  • wires 11 which aremade, e.g., of steel, must be rigid I I enough 'to bend only slightly as a result of thepressure loss which theycarise. s
  • a ground-effect machine adapted to be supported above a bearing surface, said machinehaving, in combination,
  • each said elementary cell including an inner flexible wall element and an outer flexiblewall element having each an upper edge" adjacent th'emachine structure and a free lower edge adjacent the bearing surface; said inner wall element having an outer portion which faces the plenum chamber, and a pair of side portions which extend inwardly from said outer portion towards said plenum chamber, whereby said inner wall element has a concavity to the plenum chamber; said outer wall element having an outer portion which faces the outer portion of the inner wall element, and a pair of side portions which embrace the respective side portions of the inner wall element; the sequential side-by- .side relationship of said elementary cells being such that a side portion of the outer wall element of each cell is substantially contiguous with, an adjacent side portion of the outer wall element of a neighboring cell; means
  • a ground-effect machine asset forth in claim 1- wherein said securingmeans comprises, for each elementary cell, a U-frame on which the respective upper edges of the inner-wall element and of the outer wall wherein each wall element is embodied by a piece of hermetic fabric which, when developed in a plane, forms a geometrical figure havingan axis of symmetry and bounded'laterally by two inclined straight lines.
  • a ground-effect machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least those of the elementary cells which are located at the rear of the machine are provided, each, with gratings disposed beneath the lower free edge of the wall elements thereof.
  • a ground-efiect machine as set forth in claim 6 further comprising flexible wires depending from the machine structureand adapted to be attached to said gratings, whereby said gratings are borne by said molcshine structure independently of the elementary ce wherein said wires are disposed in gaps between coning a free bottom edge, said wall elements being joined 7 at their ends and bounding a substantially crescentshaped space, said bottom edges being disposed in planes directed upwardly and inwardly toward said 8.
  • a ground-efiect machine as set forth in claim 7 cushion space, and a grating disposed along said plane wherein said grating is borne directly by said structure, of said elements disposed at said rear end of said through the agency of flexible wires.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Investigation Of Foundation Soil And Reinforcement Of Foundation Soil By Compacting Or Drainage (AREA)
  • Internal Circuitry In Semiconductor Integrated Circuit Devices (AREA)
  • Elimination Of Static Electricity (AREA)
US889166A 1968-12-30 1969-12-30 Skirt facility for a ground-effect machine Expired - Lifetime US3680657A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR182226 1968-12-30

Publications (1)

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US3680657A true US3680657A (en) 1972-08-01

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FR (1) FR1599638A (enrdf_load_html_response)
GB (1) GB1287487A (enrdf_load_html_response)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3951227A (en) * 1974-01-04 1976-04-20 Societe D'etudes Et De Developpement Des Aeroglisseurs Marins, Terrestres Et Amphibies S.E.D.A.M. Ground-effect vehicles
US4042060A (en) * 1974-08-05 1977-08-16 Bertin & Cie Air-lift vehicles
US4060147A (en) * 1975-02-18 1977-11-29 Bertin & Cie Vehicles riding on air cushions
US4516651A (en) * 1981-12-23 1985-05-14 Societe D'etudes Et De Developpement Des Aeroglisseurs Marins, Terrestres Et Amphibies S.E.D.A.M. Vehicles travelling on air cushions allowing movement of the latter over all types of terrain
US20070056788A1 (en) * 2004-04-26 2007-03-15 Dubose W K Wrapped-Cone Fingers for Skirt Systems

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3420330A (en) * 1962-03-27 1969-01-07 Hovercraft Dev Ltd Means for bounding a space for receiving pressurised gas
US3504755A (en) * 1967-07-19 1970-04-07 Hovercraft Dev Ltd Gas-cushion vehicles

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3420330A (en) * 1962-03-27 1969-01-07 Hovercraft Dev Ltd Means for bounding a space for receiving pressurised gas
US3504755A (en) * 1967-07-19 1970-04-07 Hovercraft Dev Ltd Gas-cushion vehicles

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3951227A (en) * 1974-01-04 1976-04-20 Societe D'etudes Et De Developpement Des Aeroglisseurs Marins, Terrestres Et Amphibies S.E.D.A.M. Ground-effect vehicles
US4042060A (en) * 1974-08-05 1977-08-16 Bertin & Cie Air-lift vehicles
US4060147A (en) * 1975-02-18 1977-11-29 Bertin & Cie Vehicles riding on air cushions
US4516651A (en) * 1981-12-23 1985-05-14 Societe D'etudes Et De Developpement Des Aeroglisseurs Marins, Terrestres Et Amphibies S.E.D.A.M. Vehicles travelling on air cushions allowing movement of the latter over all types of terrain
US20070056788A1 (en) * 2004-04-26 2007-03-15 Dubose W K Wrapped-Cone Fingers for Skirt Systems
US7654353B2 (en) * 2004-04-26 2010-02-02 Textron Inc. Wrapped-cone fingers for skirt systems

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Publication number Publication date
GB1287487A (en) 1972-08-31
FR1599638A (enrdf_load_html_response) 1970-07-15

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