Integrated propulsion and control system for air cushion vehicle types

Claim 1

AN INTEGRATED PROPULSION AND CONTROL SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE OF THE TYPE HAVING ITS BODY SUPPORTED PRIMARILY BY AN AIR CUSHION COMPRISING: (A) A PLURALITY OF DISCRETE THRUST PROPULSION MEANS RIGIDLY MOUNTED ON SAID BODY; (B) SAID PLURALITY BEING AN EVEN NUMBER GREATER THAN THREE; (C) SAID PROPULSION MEANS BEING IN THE FORM OF A DUCT HAVING A FAN MOUNTED IN THE FORWARD END; (D) THE RESULTANT LINE OF THRUST OF SAID PLURALITY OF THRUST PROPULSION MEANS AT LEAST APPROXIMATELY COINCIDING WITH THE LINE OF DRAG OF SAID BODY WHEN IN MOTION; (E) ADJUSTABLE THRUST DEFLECTING MEANS MOUNTED IN THE THRUST PATH OF EACH OF SAID THRUST PROPULSION MEANS; (F) THE DEFLECTING MEANS BEING MOUNTED IN SAID BODY SO THAT THE APPROXIMATE ORIGIN OF VECTOR COMPONENTS REPRESENTING AERODYNAMIC FORCES ACTING ON EACH OF SAID THRUST DEFLECTING MEANS ARE SYMMETRICAL IN A PLANE ABOUT THE CENTER OF GRAVITY OF SAID BODY; (G) SAID DEFLECTING MEANS COMPRISING A MUTUALLY BISECTING RUDDER CONTROL VANE AND AN ELEVATOR CONTROL VANE AFT OF SAID FAN IN SAID DUCT; AND (H) FURTHER CONTROL MEANS FOR DEFLECTING SAID ELEVATOR CONTROL VANE AND MEANS FOR DEFLECTING SAID RUDDER CONTROL VANE INDEPENDENTLY OF SAID ELEVATOR CONTROL VANE.