Ground effect machine

Claim 1

A GROUND EFFECT MACHINE COMPRISING: A LOAD SUPPORTING BODY; A PAIR OF LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING, DOWNWARDLY OPENING AIR DISCHARGE PASSAGES LATERALLY SPACED TO ONE SIDE OF THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID BODY; A SECOND PAIR OF LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING, DOWNWARDLY OPENING AIR DISCHARGE PASSAGES LATERALLY SPACED TO THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS; THE PASSAGES OF EACH PAIR BEING LATERALLY SPACED FROM EACH OTHER TO FORM AN AIR CUSHION ZONE BETWEEN THEM; LATERALLY EXTENDING, DOWNWARDLY OPENING DISCHARGE PASSAGES EXTENDING ACROSS AND SUBSTANTIALLY JOINING THE FORE AND AFT ENDS OF SAID LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PASSAGES; THE THROATS OF ALL OF SAID PASSAGES BEING ANGLED DOWNWARDLY AND INWARDLY AND BEING RIGID AND OF FIXED DIMENSION; MEANS TO SUPPLY AIR UNDER PRESSURE TO ALL OF SAID PASSAGES TO PRODUCE DOWNWARDLY AND INWARDLY DIRECTED AIR CURTAINS PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING A CENTRAL PRIMARY AIR CUSHION AND A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED SECONDARY AIR CUSHIONS COOPERATING TO SUPPORT SAID BODY; FLOW CONTROL MEMBERS IN THE THROATS OF THE INNER ONE OF EACH OF SAID PAIRS OF LONGITUDINALLY DIRECTED PASSAGES EACH ADAPTED TO VARY THE THICKNESS AND DIRECTION OF THE AIR CURTAIN ISSUING FROM ITS RESPECTIVE PASSAGE; MEANS TO DIFFERENTIALLY ACTUATE SAID FLOW CONTROL MEMBERS TO DECREASE THE THICKNESS AND ANGLE TO THE VERTICAL OF THE AIR CURTAIN ON ONE SIDE AND TO INCREASE THE THICKNESS AND ANGLE TO THE VERTICAL OF THE AIR CURTAIN ON THE OTHER SIDE; AND MEANS TO INCREASE THE PRESSURE OF THE AIR SUPPLY TO THE FIRST SIDE AND DECREASE THE PRESSURE OF THE AIR SUPPLY TO THE SECOND SIDE; THEREBY TO PRODUCE A ROLLING MOMENT AND A LATERAL RESULTANT THRUST COMPONENT IN A DIRECTION IN CONSONANCE THEREWITH.