Abstract An improvement is provided for the semisubmerged ship which reduces the impact effect of large waves when they strike the ship''s platform. A semisubmerged ship by having at least one submerged elongate hull supporting a platform above the water''s surface by at least one water-surface piercing strut is capable of high-speed operation and a large wave directly striking the platform could damage the ship. Including pairs of lifting hydrofoils on the upper reaches of the forwardly disposed watersurface piercing struts raises the platform to reduce the impact force and the possibility of damage to the platform. Similarly configured bow-shaped projections on the underside of the platform generate lifting forces which raise the platform over the waves to reduce the impact force. Designing the bow shaped projections to be cusp-shaped also helps them cleave into the waves to further reduce the impact and the effects of impact on the underside of the platform. The concave surfaces of the cusps translate the impacting force to tensile stresses in their sheetmetal surfaces. These sheet metal surfaces are capable of bearing greater tensile forces without yielding whereas conventional flat surfaces are deformed and end up irregularly shaped.
In a semisubmerged ship having at least one elongate hull completely disposed beneath the water''s surface, and a platform joined to the elongate hull and carried above water''s surface by at least one water-surface piercing strut dependent from the platform, an improvement therefor is provided comprising: means carried on the semisubmerged ship above the water''s surface for reducing the effects of impact when waves higher than the length of at least one water-surface piercing strut approach the platform, the impact reducing means includes a plurality of dependent cusp-shaped members forming the underside of said platform in a juxtaposed relationship and the impact reducing means further includes a plurality of pairs of oppositely extending members mounted in a vertically spaced relationship on each forwardly disposed strut.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
125 words
In a semisubmerged ship having at least one elongate hull completely disposed beneath the water''s surface, and a platform joined to the elongate hull and carried above water''s surface by at least one water-surface piercing strut dependent from the platform, an improvement therefor is provided comprising: means carried on the semisubmerged ship above the water''s surface for reducing the effects of impact when waves higher than the length of at least one water-surface piercing strut approach the platform, the impact reducing means includes a plurality of dependent cusp-shaped members forming the underside of said platform in a juxtaposed relationship and the impact reducing means further includes a plurality of pairs of oppositely extending members mounted in a vertically spaced relationship on each forwardly disposed strut.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
An improvement according to claim 1 in which the plurality of dependent members are cusp-shaped and forming the underside of the bow of said platform and each of the pairs of oppositely extending members are hydrofoil shaped to produce a lifting force.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
79 words
An improvement according to claim 2 in which each of the plurality of cusp-shaped members includes an elongate rigid element curving upward toward and being secured to the forward portion of said platform at its front end and on an aft portion of said platform at its second end and a skin-like element extending over and reaching between adjacent elongate rigid elements and the pairs of oppositely extending hydrofoils are configured with increasing dimensions with respect to one another.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
An improvement according to claim 3 in which the apex of each cusp-shaped member has a convex curvature at the bow and each of the pairs of oppositely extending hydrofoils are oriented to produce a lifting force.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
68 words
An improvement according to claim 4 in which said skin-like element of the plurality of cusp-shaped members is an integral plate shaped like a series of ceratoid cusps for translating impact forces to tensile forces in the skin-like plate when large waves strike and there are disposed pairs of oppositely extending hydrofoils arranged to present surface areas of increasing dimensions in proportion to their proximity to the platform.