Self-flexing finlike structure

Claim 2

A self-flexing structure having in combination a plurality of actuating units, each unit comprised of an elongated hollow tube having elastic walls enclosing a fluid-confining space and a passage communicating with said space for introducing fluid into and removing fluid from said space, said tube having the property that it flexes to bend its longitudinal axis in a prescribed direction responsive to pressure exerted on a fluid when present in said space, said structure comprising at least a first and a second of said units disposed in substantially side-by-side parallelism, and means connecting said units together so that if one unit flexes it will pull the other with it to flex similarly, said prescribed directions being differently oriented relative one to the other.

Claim 3

A self-flexing structure according to claim 1 in which said units are disposed side-by-side in a substantially planar configuration with the longitudinal axes of said units substantially parallel to each other and to the plane of said configuration when all of said units are not flexed, and said prescribed directions are oriented oppositely to each other and transversely to the plane of said configuration.

Claim 4

A self-flexing structure according to claim 2 having a first set of said first units, and a second set of said second units, members of said first set being arrayed interdigitally with members of said second set in said configuration, first conduit means interconnecting said passages of said first units, and second conduit means interconnecting said passages of said second units.

Claim 5

A self-flexing structure according to claim 1 having means coupled to each of said passages for applying pressure on a fluid when present in the space with which the passage communicates.

Claim 6

A structure according to claim 4 in which the pressure-applying means incorporates a control member for applying at said passages, selectively, like pressures, or pressures which are greater at one passage than at the other.

Claim 7

A structure according to claim 5 including means to vary said pressures cyclically about a prescribed reference pressure.

Claim 8

A self-flexing structure according to claim 2 combined with a boat, said structure being attached as a rudder to said boat with said plane substantially in the rudder amidships position, first conduit means connecting to said passage of each first unit, second conduit means connecting to said passage of each second unit, means coupled to each of said conduit means for applying pressure on a fluid when present therein, said pressure-applying means incorporating a control member for applying at said conduit means, selectively, like pressures, or pressures which are greater at one of said conduit means than at the other.

Claim 9

A combination according to claim 7 in which said control member is the tiller of said boat.

Claim 10

A combination according to claim 7 in which said boat has a keel and said structure is attached to the after edge of said keel forming a smooth continuation of said keel.

Claim 11

A self-flexing structure according to claim 3 in which said passages of said first units are connected in parallel to said first conduit means, and said passages of said second units are connected in parallel to said second conduit means, and having a constriction in each of said passages, whereby when fluid means is present in said spaces of said units, said passages and said conduit means, a pressure applied at one end of either of said conduit means will become apparent earlier on the fluid means in the nearer of the units connected thereto than on the fluid means in the farther of said units.

Claim 12

A self-flexing structure according to claim 2 having a first set of said first units, and a first set of said second units, members of said first units of said first set being arrayed interdigitally with members of said second units of said first set, first conduit means interconnecting said passages of said first units of said first set, and second conduit means interconnecting said passages of said second units of said first set; a second set of said first units, and a second set of said second units, members of said first units of said second set being arrayed interdigitally with members of said second units of said second set, third conduit means interconnecting said passages of said first units of said second set, and fourth conduit means interconnecting said passages of said second units of said second set.

Claim 13

A self-flexing structure according to claim 3 including at least one first unit and one second unit additional to the members of said respective first and second sets.

Claim 14

A combination according to claim 7 in which said self-flexing structure includes at least one first unit and one second unit additional to the respective first and second units which are connected to said first and second conduit means, and separate pressure-applying means for applying to said additional units at their respective passages, on fluid when present therein, pressures for trimming said rudder.

Claim 15

A self-flexing structure according to claim 2 combined with a boat, said structure being attached as an orientation control member to said boat with said plane substantially in a neutral position, first conduit means connecting to said passage of each second unit, means coupled to each of said conduit means for applying pressure on a fluid when present therein, said pressure-applying means including a control member for applying at said conduit means, respectively, pressures which are alike or which are greater at one of said conduit means than at the other.

Claim 16

A combination according to claim 14 in which said neutral position lies in a range from horizontal to approximately vertical, said control member is responsive to the roll of said boat, and said structure is flexible in directions to compensate for said roll when said boat is under way.

Claim 17

A combination according to claim 14 in which said neutral position is approximately horizontal, said control member is responsive to the pitch of said boat, and said structure is flexible in directions to compensate for said pitch when said boat is under way.

Claim 18

In combination a pair of self-flexing structures according to claim 2 disposed side-by-side in spaced-apart relation with said planes of each at least approximately parallel to each other and means to cause said structures to flex toward and away from each other in a clap-hands mode.

Claim 19

The combination of claim 17 attached below the water line to the hull of a boat, means to supply fluid under pressure to said combination and means to control said fluid to cause said structures to flex in said mode, for propelling said boat in a desired direction.

Claim 20

A self-flexing structure according to claim 2 combined with a boat, said structure being attached to said boat, first conduit means connecting to said passage of each first unit, second conduit means connecting to said passage of each second unit, means coupled to each of said conduit means for applying pressure on a fluid when present therein, said pressure-applying means incorporating means for applying at said conduit means cyclically varying pressures which are in opposite phase at one of said conduit means relative to the other.