Air-cushion borne vehicle

Claim 1

AN AIR-CUSHION VEHICLE COMPRISING A BODY, A FLEXIBLE SKIRT DEPENDING FROM THE PERIPHERY OF THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE BODY, THEREBY DEFINING AN AIR-CUSHION SPACE, THE BOTTOM OF THE SKIRT BEING ORDINARILY CLEAR OF THE SURFACE OVER WHICH THE VEHICLE TRAVELS, SAID SKIRT HAVING A FRONT TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING PART, A REAR TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING PART, AND TWO LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SIDE PARTS, ONE OF SAID SIDE PARTS ARRANGED ON EACH SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, MEANS INDEPENDENT OF SAID TRANSVERSELY-EXTENDING PARTS AND CARRIED ON SAID BODY FOR FORCING AIR INTO SAID SPACE, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING PARTS BEIG FORMED BY A ROTATABLE MEMBER EXTENDING ACROSS THE VEHICLE AND MOUNTED ON THE VEHICLE BODY FOR FREE ROTATION ABOUT A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL AXIS, SAID ROTATABLE MEMER CARRYING FLEXIBLE, RADIALLY DIRECTED VANES, THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE BODY BEING FORMED WITH A TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING RECESS HAVING AN ARCUATE WALL, THE CLEARANCE BETWEEN SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER AND SAID WALL BEING SUCH THAT AIR LOSS THEREBETWEEN IS MINIMIZED.