Ground-effect hovering platforms with multiple air cushions and stability increasing means therefor

Claim 1

A GROUND EFFECT VEHICLE COMPRISING, FIRST MEANS INCLUDING PLATFORM MEANS; SECOND MEANS SECURED TO AND DEPENDING FROM THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID PLATFORM MEANS AND DEFINING AT LEAST THREE DISCRETE PLENUM CHAMBERS WHICH IN OPERATION PROVIDE INDIVIDUAL GASEOUS CUSHIONS SUSTAINING SAID VEHICLE; THIRD MEANS CARRIED BY SAID PLATFORM MEANS TO SUPPLY A GASEOUS FLUID UNDER PRESSURE TO SAID PLENUM CHAMBERS INDIVIDUALLY; SAID THIRD MEANS COMPRISING A SOURCE OF GASEOUS PRESSURE FLUID COMMON TO SAID THREE DISCRETE PLENUM CHAMBERS, AND MEANS INDIVIDUAL TO EACH PLENUM CHAMBER AND DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID COMMON SOURCE AND ITS RESPECTIVE PLENUM CHAMBER AND EFFECTIVE TO SUPPLY A FLOW OF GASEOUS FLUID TO EACH OF SAID PLENUM CHAMBERS INDIVIDUALLY; FOURTH MEANS IN THE LAST MENTIONED MEANS EFFECTIVE TO ISOLATE EACH SAID PLENUM CHAMBER FROM EACH OTHER WHEN THERE IS A DROP IN PRESSURE IN THE ASSOCIATED PLENUM CHAMBER SO AS TO PRECLUDE TRANSMISSION OF PRESSURE DROPS AND FLUID FLOWS FROM ANY ONE OF SAID PLENUM CHAMBERS TO ANY OTHER TO SAID PLENUM CHAMBERS.