GB936762A - Improvements in skim craft - Google Patents

Abstract

936,762. Air cushion vehicles. A. P. PEDRICK. Aug. 2, 1961, No. 28031/61. Class 4. An air cushion vehicle in which the supporting cushion is created by ram effect resulting from forward motion of the vehicle and is contained at the sides by sidewalls which are mounted either at the sides of the main body of the vehicle or at the outer ends of members projectable out of recesses in the sides of the main body is characterized in that the cushion space below the base of the vehicle is enclosed at each end by a closure member pivoted on substantially transverse axes which define with the sidewalls an area which is substantially rectangular. The cushion space E is closed at the sides by sidewalls J which may be fixed to the sides of the body or may be mounted on the outer extremities of extensible stub wing members shown dotted in Fig. 2. The front end of the space E is closed between the sidewalls by a curved flap C pivoted at F and controlled by a jack H. A wheel is provided for use over ground. A similar flap D is mounted at the rear end to complete a substantially rectangular cushion space to which air is supplied through a duct N to raise the vehicle above the operating surface before a cushion pressure is built up by forward motion. The use of nozzles to supply fuel for ignition in the space E is described. A plurality of arrangements are described which employ fans driven by forward motion of the vehicle to supply air to the cushion space. That shown in Fig. 5b, comprises an air propeller K geared at Q to a centrifugal compressor P mounted in a sidewall to deliver air from an air intake T to the cushion space E. Specifications 929,853, 931,664 and U.S.A. Specification 2,387,627, are referred to.