Vehicle for travelling over water

摘要

968,191. Air cushion vehicles. HOVERCRAFT DEVELOPMENT Ltd. Sept. 26, 1960 [Sept. 25, 1959], No. 32698/59. Heading B7K. A vehicle which, in operation, is supported at least in part by a cushion of pressurized gas formed and contained in a space beneath the vehicle, wherein the said space is at least partly bounded on each side by a wall structure depending below the bottom of the vehicle and extending parallel to the fore and aft axis of the vehicle, has at least one obturating member extending transversely between the wall structures and deflectably attached to the lower part of the vehicle to form part of the remaining boundary of the said space, the remainder of the boundary of the space being formed by at least one curtain of moving fluid issuing from a lower part of the vehicle and flowing towards the surface over which the vehicle is supported. The vehicle comprises a body 1 from which depend hollow side walls 2. Air under pressure is supplied by fans 3 to the space in each side wall which acts as a main duct for supplying curtain-forming air. Doors 4 and 5 are hinged to the bottom of the vehicle near the front and rear ends respectively, stops 6 and 7 being provided to limit the downward movement of the doors. The front door, which is urged against stop 6 by the effect of gravity and supporting-cushion pressure is formed with ducts 13 which communicate through flexible conduits 12 with the interior of the side walls 2 whereby a gaseous curtain may be formed at the bottom edge of the door. Door 5 is connected to the bottom of the vehicle by a flexible diaphragm 10, thereby forming a cavity 9 which is pressurized by air from the side walls entering through ducts 8. The lower part of the door is formed with apertures 11 to enable a rear gaseous curtain to be formed. Other constructions for the sidewalls and door are described. The sidewalls may be formed as flexible bags inflated by pressure air from the compressors and formed with slots in their lower edges for the formation of a gaseous curtain. To enable the vehicle to rest on a hard surface when the compressors are not working further permanently inflated bags are provided. The end walls may be constructed as solid flexible members or they also may be inflatable. In other arrangements each end wall comprises a pair of hinged parallel members operated as an interconnected parallelogram linkage and in other arrangements the doors may be sectorshaped. They may be urged against the stops by spring-loaded plungers instead of by air pressure and the lower edges of any of the doors may carry two slots with re-circulating ducts whereby a two-curtain system may operate beneath each door. Specifications 845,211, 944,501, 968,192 and 968,193 are referred to.