Air-propelled boat with air pumps

摘要

1,114,360. Air-propelled boats and aircushion vehicles. J. VAN VELDHUIZEN, and E. M. VAN VELDHUIZEN. 5 Dec., 1966 [24 June, 1966], No. 54327/66. Headings B7A, B7K, B7M, B7S and B7V. [Also in Divisions E1 and F1] A boat has a buoyant bottom section 12 and upstanding side assemblies 22, 24 including air inlet ducts 90, 92 and air pumps 88, the side assemblies forming air passages and being provided with control means so that the boat may be propelled, steered and supported by air. The side assemblies have wall sections 32, 34 forming extensions projecting below the boat bottom 16, the section 34 having outlet openings 110 therein. The open-ended rear of each side assembly is provided with a rudder assembly 100 so that air discharged by the pump may be used to propel and steer the boat. The rear end may be obturated by a control flap 116 and the air may be exhausted through a forward discharge port 70 under the control of a flap valve 70 to cause lateral or reverse movement of the boat. By opening flap valves 40 air is supplied to said extensions and through outlets 110 to the undersurface of the boat. Between the side assemblies the boat is provided at the bow and stern with loading ramps 54 and 56, pivotally mounted at 50, 52 to swing down to the level of the flooring 48. The stern ramp 56 is provided with embracing plates 58, 60 defining a recess 62 in which the free end of a front ramp can be received and secured, thus providing for the coupling of members in tandem to form a barge assembly, the ramps being coplanar with the flooring 48 so that vehicles may be driven through the assembly.