Air cushion vehicle

Claim 2

An air cushion vehicle comprising a load-supporting platform situated substantially within a first plane, a depending flexible skirt associated with and surrounding said platform, first wall means depending from said platform and extending longitudinally of said platform, second wall means depending from said platform and extending laterally of said platform intersecting said first wall means, said first and second wall means defining with said skirt and said platform four sub-chambers on one side of said first plane, each of said sub-chambers being open at the side remote from said platform, said sub-chambers being out of fluid communicative relationship with each other other than through said open sides, an air chamber lcoated on the side of said first plane opposite to said one side and adapted to constitute a source of air pressure, feed means to force feed air to said chamber, said platform including four openings extending therethrough, each one of the openings establishing a fluid-flow relationship between said air chamber and one of said subchambers, whereby air may flow from said source of air pressure independently into each of said sub-chambers so that an air cushion may be established beneath said vehicle upon which said vehicle may be supported, the openings in said platform being constituted by two pairs of openings, each pair communicating with two longitudinally-aligned sub-chambers, valve means associated with each of the openings to control the fluid-flow relationship between said air chamber and each of said subchambers, said valve means being constituted by two pairs of valves connected to operate in unison, the pairs of valves being associated with the pairs of openings, valve operating means connected to each pair of valves for positioning each pair of valves responsive to positioning of said valve operating means, said valve operating means being adapted to position said pairs of valves to increase the volume of air passing from said source of air to one of said longitudinally-aligned pairs of subchambers while simultaneously decreasing the volume of air passing from said source of air pressure to the other of said longitudinally-aligned pairs of sub-chambers, and motion imparting means to propel the vehicle when supported on said air cushion.

Claim 3

The air cushion vehicle of claim 1, wherein the openings in said platform are circular and said valve means are butterfly valve means mounted in the circular openings.

Claim 4

The air cushion vehicle of claim 1, wherein said platform includes a further two openings, each one of the further openings establishing a further flow relationship between said air chamber and a pair of laterally aligned subchambers, and including a further pair of valve means associated with the further openings connected to operate in unison, and further valve operating means connected to said further pair of valve means for positioning said further pair of valve means responsive to positioning of said valve operating means, whereby the volume of air passing from said source of air to said pair of laterally aligned sub-chambers may be selectively increased by opening said further pair of valve means.

Claim 5

The air cushion vehicle of claim 1, wherein said feed means for said air chamber comprises first fan means mounted on said platform, and said motion imparting means comprises a second fan means mounted on superstructure associated with said platform with its rotors positioned for rotation in a second plane substantially perpendicular to said first plane, and including a power plant, first transmission means constituting a first torque delivery path between said power plant and said first fan means, first clutch means associated with said first transmission means for selectively establishing and disestablishing said first torque delivery path, second transmission means constituting a second torque delivery path between said power plant and said second fan means and second clutch means associated with said second transmission means for selectively establishing and disestablishing said second torque delivery path.

Claim 6

The air cushion vehicle of claim 4 including rudder means associated with said second fan means to direct the flow of air from said second fan means in a direction responsive to the positioning of said rudder means, and control means for positioning said rudder means.

Claim 7

The air cushion vehicle of claim 5 including an enclosure mounted on said platform on said other side of said first plane, said enclosure defining in part a cockpit area and enclosing said power plant, vent means in said enclosure associated with said feed means to allow air to be drawn through said enclosure to said air chamber, said cockpit area including said valve operating means, said further valve operating means and manual operating means to actuate said first and second clutch means.

Claim 8

The air cushion vehicle of claim 1 in which said skirt is inflatable and air is passed to said skirt from said air chamber to achieve and maintain the inflation.

Claim 9

A control system for an air cushion vehicle, said air cushion vehicle comprising a load supporting platform situated substantially within a first plane, a depending flexiblE skirt associated with and surrounding said platform, first wall means depending from said platform and extending longitudinally of said platform, second wall means depending from said platform and extending laterally of said platform intersecting said first wall means, said first and second wall means defining with said skirt and said platform four sub-chambers on one side of said first plane, each of said sub-chambers being open at the side remote from said platform, said sub-chambers being out of fluid flow communication with each other other than through said open sides, an air chamber located on the side of said first plane opposite to said one side and adapted to constitute a source of air pressure, feed means including a first fan means to force feed air to said chamber, said platform including four openings extending therethrough, each of the openings establishing a fluid flow relationship between said air chamber and one of said sub-chambers whereby air may flow from said source of air pressure independently into each of said sub-chambers so that an air cushion may be established beneath said vehicle upon which said vehicle may be supported, the openings being arranged in two pairs of longitudinally adjacent openings, and motion imparting means including a second fan means adapted to propel the vehicle when supported on said air cushion, said control system including first and second valve means located one in one member of one pair of longitudinally adjacent openings and the other in the other member of said one pair of longitudinally adjacent openings, said first and second valve means being connected for operation in unison, third and fourth valve means located one in one member of the other pair of longitudinally adjacent openings and the other in the other member of said other pair of longitudinally adjacent openings, said third and fourth valve means being connected for operation in unison, said valve means controlling the degree of fluid flow relationship between said air chamber and said sub-chambers, first and second rudder means associated with said second fan means to direct the passage of air flowing through said second fan means and joined together to move in unison a control lever mounted for pivotal movement, first and second control wires connecting to said control lever, said first control wire extending from said control lever to said first rudder in an operative manner to deflect said first rudder upon movement of said control lever, said second control wire extending from said control lever to said second rudder in operative manner to deflect said second rudder upon movement of said control lever, a third control wire extending from said first control wire to the said first and second valve means in operative manner to change the position of said first and second valve means upon movement of said control lever, and a fourth control wire extending from said second control wire to said third and fourth valve means in operative manner to change the position of said third and fourth valve means upon movement of said control lever, whereby said control lever postions said valve means and said rudders.

Claim 10

A control system for an air cushion vehicle, said air cushion vehicle comprising a load supporting platform situated substantially within a first plane, a depending flexiblE skirt associated with and surrounding said platform, first wall means depending from said platform and extending longitudinally of said platform, second wall means depending from said platform and extending laterally of said platform intersecting said first wall means, said first and second wall means defining with said skirt and said platform four sub-chambers on one side of said first plane, each of said sub-chambers being open at the side remote from said platform, said sub-chambers being out of fluid flow communication with each other other than through said open sides, an air chamber located on the side of said first plane opposite to said one side and adapted to constitute a source of air pressure, feed means including a first fan means to force feed air to said chamber, said platform including four openings extending therethrough, each of the openings establishing a fluid flow relationship between said air chamber and one of said sub-chambers whereby air may flow from said source of air pressure independently into each of said sub-chambers so that an air cushion may be established beneath said vehicle upon which said vehicle may be supported, the openings being arranged in two pairs of longitudinally adjacent openings, and motion imparting means including a second fan means adapted to propel the vehicle when supported on said air cushion, said control system including first and second valve means located one in one member of one pair of longitudinally adjacent openings and the other in the other member of said one pair of longitudinally adjacent openings, said first and second valve means being connected for operation in unison, third and fourth valve means located one in one member of the other pair of longitudinally adjacent openings and the other in the other member of said other pair of longitudinally adjacent openings, said third and fourth valve means being connected for operation in unison, said valve means controlling the degree of fluid flow relationship between said air chamber and said sub-chambers, first and second rudder means associated with said second fan means to direct the passage of air flowing through said second fan means and joined together to move in unison a control lever mounted for pivotal movement, first and second control wires connecting to said control lever, said first control wire extending from said control lever to said first rudder in an operative manner to deflect said first rudder upon movement of said control lever, said second control wire extending from said control lever to said second rudder in operative manner to deflect said second rudder upon movement of said control lever, a third control wire extending from said first control wire to the said first and second valve means in operative manner to change the position of said first and second valve means upon movement of said control lever, and a fourth control wire extending from said second control wire to said third and fourth valve means in operative manner to change the position of said third and fourth valve means upon movement of said control lever, whereby said control lever postions said valve means and said rudders.

Claim 11

The control system of claim 8 wherein the openings in said platform are circular, said valve means are butterfly valves, said first and second valve means are joined together by a first rod mounted on said platform for rotational movement, said third and fourth valve means are joined together by a second rod mounted on said platform for rotational movement, and including first resilient means associated with said first rod to urge said first and second valve means to a fully open position, and second resilient means associated with said second rod to urge said second and third valve means to a fully open position, said third control wire being connected between said first control wire and said first resilient means, said fourth control wire being connected between said second control wire and said second resilient means, said valve means being held in a Half open position by said control wires and said resilient means when said control lever is in a first position, while said rudders are held in a position corresponding to the direction of flow of the air through said second fan, said first and second valve means being moved towards a fully closed position and simultaneously said third and fourth valve means being moved towards a fully open position when said lever is moved in a first direction from said first position while said rudders are moved to a position to deflect the flow of air from said seond fan away from the side of the vehicle occupied by said first and second value means, and said first and second valve means being moved towards a fully open position and simultaneously said third and fourth valve means being moved towards a fully closed position when said control lever is moved in a second direction from said first position while said rudders are moved to a position to deflect the flow of air from said second fan away from the side of the vehicle occupied by said third and fourth valve means, whereby when said control lever is in said first position said air may flow from said source of air equally through the openings into said sub-chambers and when said second fan operates said vehicle moves in a rectilinear path, when said control lever is moved in said first direction from said first position air flows from said source of air preferentially through said third and fourth valve means thereby raising the side of the vehicle adjacent said third and fourth valve means and this action combined with the deflection of the rudders causes the vehicle to move in a curvilinear path in a direction away from the raised side, and when said control lever is moved in said second direction from said first position air flows from said source of air preferentially through said first and second valve means thereby raising the side of the vehicle adjacent said first and second valve means and this action combined with the deflection of the rudders causes the vehicle to move in a curvilinear path in a direction away from the raised side.

Claim 12

The control system of claim 9 wherein said platform includes two further circular openings formed towards the front of the vehicle, the further openings communicating with the laterally adjacent forward sub-chambers, fifth and sixth butterfly valves mounted one at each end of a third rod and postioned within the further openings, said third rod being mounted on said platform for rotational movement, and including third resilient means associated with said third rod to urge said fifth and sixth valves to a fully closed position and second lever means connected to said resilient means to rotate said rod against said resilient means to move said fifth and sixth valves towards an open position, whereby with said second fan inoperative, the flow of air from said source of air into the forward laterally aligned chambers is increased thereby raising the front of said vehicle with the result that the vehicle moves backwards until said second lever is released and said fifth and sixth valves close.

Claim 13

The control system of claim 9 wherein said control lever is an elongated lever pivotally mounted at one end to said platform for movement laterally of the vehicle, said first and second wires are attached adjacent opposite ends of a cross-bar affixed to said lever intermediate the ends thereof, said wires passing in substantially parallel relation downwardly from said cross-bar, around a first pair of pulleys and substantially parallel to said platform to a second pair of pulleys, said wires passing from said second pair of pulleys to said first and second rudders and crossing each other but out of contact with each other during said latter passing, said third wire being affixed to said first wire intermediate said first and second pair of pulleys, and passing angularly of said first wire to one of a third pair of pulleys, around said one pulley and then transverse of said platform crossing but Out of engagement with said second wire to said first resilient means, said fourth wire being affixed to said second wire intermediate said first and second pair of pulleys and passing angularly of said second wire to the other of said third pair of pulleys, around said other pulley and then transverse of said platform crossing but out of engagement with said second wire to said second resilient means, whereby when said vehicle is supported on said air cushion and said second fan is operating, movement of said control lever to the left causes the vehicle to assume a curvilinear path to the left and movement of said control lever to the right causes the vehicle to assume a cirvilinear path to the right.