US3672461A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Flexible skirt assemblies for air cushion vehicles
Assignee: British Hovercraft Corp Ltd
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Filing: 1969-10-08
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Granted: 1972-06-27
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Expires: 1989-10-08
Abstract
Abstract An air cushion vehicle having flexible skirts, the vehicle being provided with a cabin having a pivotally mounted access door arranged to act as a loading ramp, wherein a portion of the flexible skirt is attached to and passes over part of the access door.
Inventors
- 👤 Lavis Albert Henry Riddle
- 👤 Thomas Craig
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 11:11
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60V; B60V1/00; B60V1/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
115 words
An air cushion vehicle having a cabin, the cabin having at least one pivotally mounted access door, said door having a side pivotally mounted on the cabin, a free side opposite to the pivotally mounted side and two other free sides, and a flexible assembly attached to said vehicle and depending downwardly as a skirt to bound at least part of a supporting cushion area, wherein a portion of said flexible assembly is attached to and passes over part of said access door or doors, said portion of the flexible assembly having a division substantially parallel to and generally in the arc of movement of each free side of the door over which it passes.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
115 words
An air cushion vehicle having a cabin, the cabin having at least one pivotally mounted access door, said door having a side pivotally mounted on the cabin, a free side opposite to the pivotally mounted side and two other free sides, and a flexible assembly attached to said vehicle and depending downwardly as a skirt to bound at least part of a supporting cushion area, wherein a portion of said flexible assembly is attached to and passes over part of said access door or doors, said portion of the flexible assembly having a division substantially parallel to and generally in the arc of movement of each free side of the door over which it passes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
An air cushion vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the space enclosed by said portion and said access door or doors is pressurizable.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
An air cushion vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one flexible flap is attached to said portion of the flexible assembly and is arranged so that movement of the door to the closed position urges the flap to a position where it covers the division.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
An air cushion vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein said flap has an open end in communication with the pressurizable space so that the flap is inflatable.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
An air cushion vehicle as claimed in claim 2 wherein said portion includes substantially vertical flexible corrugations, and wherein each corrugation includes an outer arcuate part and two webs extending, one from each side of the arcuate part, towards the rigid part of the vehicle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
53 words
An air cushion vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein the skirt of the flexible assembly includes a sheet of flexible impermeable material attached to the structure of the vehicle at inner and outer fixing lines to form an inflatable space, each corrugation having an upper fixing point above the outer fixing line.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
An air cushion vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein each corrugation is attached to the rigid structure of the vehicle at upper and lower fixing points.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
An air cushion vehicle as claimed in claim 7, wherein the corrugations are positioned around the rigid part of the vehicle so that the webs of two adjacent independently movable corrugations lie substantially in the arc of movement of a free edge of the door to form said division.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
An air cushion vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein the pivot axis of said door is horizontal, and wherein each corrugation is attached to the rigid part of the vehicle at upper and lower fixing points and to the sheet boundary of the inflatable space.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
An air cushion vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein the corrugations provide support for the inflatable envelope.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
An air cushion vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the door has a horizontal pivotal axis.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-06-27 | 1975-12-27 | 1976-06-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-06-27 | 1979-12-27 | 1980-06-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-06-27 | 1983-12-27 | 1984-06-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |