Gas supply apparatus for ground-effect platforms with multiple air cushions

Claim 1

IN A GROUND EFFECT VEHICLE OF THE TYPE HAVING A PLATFORM SUPPORTED BY A PLURALITY OF ELEMENTAL AIR CUSHIONS, AN AIR SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR SAID CUSHIONS COMPRISING AN AIR COMPRESSING MEANS, A MAIN DUCT FED WITH COMPRESSED AIR DISCHARGED FROM SAID AIR COMPRESSING MEANS, A PLURALITY OF ELEMENTAL DUCTS CONNECTED TO SAID MAIN DUCT FOR TAPPING COMPRESSED AIR THEREFROM AND TO RESPECTIVE CUSHIONS FOR SUPPLYING COMPRESSED AIR THERETO, A SEPARATE, INDEPENDENT, PRESSURE SENSITIVE, AIR FLOW CONTROL VALVE DEVICE IN EACH OF SAID ELEMENTAL DUCTS, EACH SAID VALVE DEVICE HAVING A NORMAL OPEN POSITION AND BEING MOVABLE TO A WORK POSITION WHEREIN THE CORRESPONDING ELEMENTAL DUCT IS AT LEAST PARTIALLY CLOSED, SAID VALVE DEVICE BEING ADAPTED TO BE MOVED TOWARDS SAID WORK POSITION IN RESPONSE TO A DROP IN PRESSURE OF THE CORRESPONDING CUSHION, WHEREBY A PRESSURE DROP IN ANY OF SAID ELEMENTAL AIR CUSHIONS LEAVES SUBSTANTIALLY UNAFFECTED THE PRESSURE OBTAINED IN THE OTHER ELEMENTAL AIR CUSHIONS.