Ground-effect craft

Claim 2

A ground-effect craft comprising a body structure, means, including a fan, for forming a craft-supporting cushion of pressurized gas beneath said body structure, a flexible skirt attached to said body structure so as to depend therefrom, means for discharging fluid laterally from each side of said craft and at the front end thereof so as to apply turning moments to the craft, airscrew means for propelling said craft, aerodynamic control means for steering said craft, first engine means for driving said fan means, second engine means for driving an airscrew means, said body structure including a cabin with a windscreen, and means for directing gas discharged by said fan upwardly over said windscreen.

Claim 3

A craft as claimed in claim 1 wherein said body structure is hollow so as to conduct gas discharged by said fan to the space occupied by the craft-supporting cushion, said means for directing gas over said windscreen comprising means for venting gas from the interior of the body structure.

Claim 4

A craft as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for directing gas over said windscreen comprise means for venting gas from the space occupied by the craft-supporting cushion.

Claim 5

A ground-effect craft comprising a body structure, means, including a fan, for forming a craft-supporting cushion of pressurized gas beneath said body structure, a flexible skirt attached to said body structure so as to depend therefrom, means for discharging fluid laterally from each side of said craft and at the front end thereof so as to apply turning moments to the craft, airscrew means for propelling said craft, aerodynamic control means for steering said craft, first engine means for driving said fan means, second engine means for driving said airscrew means, said body structure having at least one compartment, and conduit means for taking air indirectly with respect to the output direction of air from said fan and for supplying the air so taken to said compartment.

Claim 6

A ground-effect craft comprising a body structure, means, including a fan, for forming a craft-supporting cushion of pressurized gas beneath said body structure, a flexible skirt attached to said body structure so as to depend therefrom, means for discharging fluid laterally from each side of said craft and at the front end thereof so as to apply turning moments to the craft, airscrew means for propelling said craft, aerodynamic control means for steering said craft, first engine means for driving said fan means, second engine means for driving said airscrew means, said body structure having at least one compartment, and conduit means for taking air indirectly with respect to the output direction of air from said fan and for supplying the air so taken to said compartment.

Claim 7

A craft as claimed in claim 4 wherein said body structure is hollow, said flexible skirt comprises an inflatable envelope, and said body structure serves to conduct gas discharged by said fan to the interior of said envelope so as to inflate said envelope.

Claim 8

A craft as claimed in claim 4 wherein said body said body structure is hollow and said means for discharging fluid laterally from each side of the craft comprise valve means for venting gas from the hollow interior of the body structure.

Claim 9

A craft as claimed in claim 4 wherein said flexible skirt comprises an inflatable envelope and the inner surface of said inflatable envelope is provided with outlet means whereby a flow of gas takes place from the interior of said envelope to the space occupied by the craft-supporting cushion.

Claim 10

A craft as claimed in claim 4 wherein the compartment comprises a cabin.

Claim 11

A craft as claimed in claim 6 wherein the compartment houses one of said engines.

Claim 12

A craft as claimed in claim 4 provided with fin control means of hollow form which comprises part of said conduit means.

Claim 13

A craft as claimed in claim 4 wherein said fan is a centrifugal fan mounted for rotation about a vertical axis and wherein the conduit means comprise a wall disposed on each side of the fan and extending laterally of the craft and means for causing air flowing laterally from between the walls to flow substantially normal thereto.

Claim 14

A ground-effect craft as claimed in claim 4 wherein said flexible skirt is of two-stage form and wherein the upper stage comprises an inflatable bag and the lower stage a succession of independently deflectable skirt members attached to and depending from the bottom of the bag.