US3901988A — Inflatable trunk for air cushion supported vehicl…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 430 words

IN AN AIR CUSHION VEHICLE HAVING A BODY PRESENTING A BOTTOM SURFACE, AN INFLATABLE TRUNK SECURED MARGINALLY THEREOF TO SAID BOTTOM SURFACE NORMALLY TO LIE IN CONTIGUOUS RELATION THERETO, AND MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID VEHICLE FOR INFLATING SAID TRUNK CAUSING IT TO BULGE AWAY FROM SAID BOTTOM SURFACE AND CIRCUMSCRIBE AN AIR CUSHION SPACE, THE IMPROEMENT WHEREIIN SAID TRUCK COMPRISES A SHEET OF MATERIAL WHICH IS RELATIVELY INELASTIC IN ONE DIRECTION AND IS RELATIVELY ELASTIC IN A SECOND DIRECTION ESSENTIALLY TRANSVERSE TO SAID ONE DIRECTION, SAID SHEET COMPRISING: A FIRST SERIES OF TAPES ASSOCIATED WITH SAID SHEET AND DISPOSED IN SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATION AND RUNNING IN SAID ONE DIRECTION, EACH TAPE OF SAID FIRST SERIES INCLUDING A MATRIX AND A PLURALITY OF RELATIVELY INELASTIC TENSION CORDS EMBEDDED IN AND RUNNING LENGTHWISE OF SUCH TAPES, AT LEAST ONE PAIR OF ADJACENT TAPES OF SAID FIRST SERIES HAVING THEIR ADJACENT SIDE EDGES SEPARATED FOR A DISTANCE IN SAID ONE DIRECTION BY A FIRST SPACING IN SAID SECOND DIRECTION, A SECOND SERIES OF TAPES ASSOCIATED WITH SAID SHEET AND RUNNING IN SAID SECOND DIRECTION WITH SAID SHEET AND SERIES INCLUDING A MATRIX AND A PLURALITY OF RELATIVELY ELASTIC TENSION CORDS EMBEDDED IN AND RUNNING LENGTHWISE OF SUCH TAPES, THERE BEING A FIRST SEPARATED PAIR OF SAID TAPES OF THE SECOND SERIES WHICH ARE PARALLEL AND ARE SEPARATED BY A SECOND SPACING WHICH IS GREATER THAN SAID FIRST SPACING WHEREBY SAID FIRST SPACE DEFINES THE MINOR AXIS OF A ELLIPSE AND SAID SECOND SPACING DEFINES THE MAJOR AXIS OF SUCH ELLIPSE, SAID ADJACENT PAIR OF TAPES OF THE FIRST SERIES BEING SEPARATED IN SAID ONE DIRECTION BY AT LEAST SAID SECOND SPACING AND SAID SEPARATED PAIR OF SAID TAPES OF THE SECOND SERIES CROSSING SAID ADJACENT PAIR SUCH THAT SAID SHEET HAS AN ELLIPTICAL OPENING THERETHROUGH DELINEATED BY SAID MINOR AND MAJOR AXES, THERE BEING A SECOND PAIR OF TAPES OF SAID SECOND SERIES DISPOSED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF ONE OF SAID TAPES OF THE FIRST SEPARATED PAIR, SAID SECOND PAIR OF TAPES CRISS-CROSSING EACH OTHER AND SAID ONE TAPE OF THE FIRST SEPARATED PAIR AT ONE END OF SAID OPENING, THERE BEING A THIRD PAIR OF TAPES OF SAID SECOND SERIES DISPOSED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE OTHER OF SAID TAPES OF THE FIRST SEPARATED PAIR, SAID THIRD PAIR OF TAPES CRISS-CROSSING EACH OTHER AND SAID OTHER TAPE OF THE FIRST SEPARATED PAIR AT THE OTHER END OF SAID OPENING WHEREBY WHEN SAID TRUNK IS UNINFLATED SAID OPENING IS ELLIPTICAL WHEREAS WHEN SAID TRUCK IS INFLATED SAID OPENING WILL ASSUME A GENERALLY CIRCULAR SHAPE.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 430 words

IN AN AIR CUSHION VEHICLE HAVING A BODY PRESENTING A BOTTOM SURFACE, AN INFLATABLE TRUNK SECURED MARGINALLY THEREOF TO SAID BOTTOM SURFACE NORMALLY TO LIE IN CONTIGUOUS RELATION THERETO, AND MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID VEHICLE FOR INFLATING SAID TRUNK CAUSING IT TO BULGE AWAY FROM SAID BOTTOM SURFACE AND CIRCUMSCRIBE AN AIR CUSHION SPACE, THE IMPROEMENT WHEREIIN SAID TRUCK COMPRISES A SHEET OF MATERIAL WHICH IS RELATIVELY INELASTIC IN ONE DIRECTION AND IS RELATIVELY ELASTIC IN A SECOND DIRECTION ESSENTIALLY TRANSVERSE TO SAID ONE DIRECTION, SAID SHEET COMPRISING: A FIRST SERIES OF TAPES ASSOCIATED WITH SAID SHEET AND DISPOSED IN SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATION AND RUNNING IN SAID ONE DIRECTION, EACH TAPE OF SAID FIRST SERIES INCLUDING A MATRIX AND A PLURALITY OF RELATIVELY INELASTIC TENSION CORDS EMBEDDED IN AND RUNNING LENGTHWISE OF SUCH TAPES, AT LEAST ONE PAIR OF ADJACENT TAPES OF SAID FIRST SERIES HAVING THEIR ADJACENT SIDE EDGES SEPARATED FOR A DISTANCE IN SAID ONE DIRECTION BY A FIRST SPACING IN SAID SECOND DIRECTION, A SECOND SERIES OF TAPES ASSOCIATED WITH SAID SHEET AND RUNNING IN SAID SECOND DIRECTION WITH SAID SHEET AND SERIES INCLUDING A MATRIX AND A PLURALITY OF RELATIVELY ELASTIC TENSION CORDS EMBEDDED IN AND RUNNING LENGTHWISE OF SUCH TAPES, THERE BEING A FIRST SEPARATED PAIR OF SAID TAPES OF THE SECOND SERIES WHICH ARE PARALLEL AND ARE SEPARATED BY A SECOND SPACING WHICH IS GREATER THAN SAID FIRST SPACING WHEREBY SAID FIRST SPACE DEFINES THE MINOR AXIS OF A ELLIPSE AND SAID SECOND SPACING DEFINES THE MAJOR AXIS OF SUCH ELLIPSE, SAID ADJACENT PAIR OF TAPES OF THE FIRST SERIES BEING SEPARATED IN SAID ONE DIRECTION BY AT LEAST SAID SECOND SPACING AND SAID SEPARATED PAIR OF SAID TAPES OF THE SECOND SERIES CROSSING SAID ADJACENT PAIR SUCH THAT SAID SHEET HAS AN ELLIPTICAL OPENING THERETHROUGH DELINEATED BY SAID MINOR AND MAJOR AXES, THERE BEING A SECOND PAIR OF TAPES OF SAID SECOND SERIES DISPOSED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF ONE OF SAID TAPES OF THE FIRST SEPARATED PAIR, SAID SECOND PAIR OF TAPES CRISS-CROSSING EACH OTHER AND SAID ONE TAPE OF THE FIRST SEPARATED PAIR AT ONE END OF SAID OPENING, THERE BEING A THIRD PAIR OF TAPES OF SAID SECOND SERIES DISPOSED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE OTHER OF SAID TAPES OF THE FIRST SEPARATED PAIR, SAID THIRD PAIR OF TAPES CRISS-CROSSING EACH OTHER AND SAID OTHER TAPE OF THE FIRST SEPARATED PAIR AT THE OTHER END OF SAID OPENING WHEREBY WHEN SAID TRUNK IS UNINFLATED SAID OPENING IS ELLIPTICAL WHEREAS WHEN SAID TRUCK IS INFLATED SAID OPENING WILL ASSUME A GENERALLY CIRCULAR SHAPE.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 81 words

In an air cushion vehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein said second pair of tapes lie on opposite sides of and in side-by-side relation to said one tape of the first pair except at the crossing region with each other and said one tape, and wherein said third pair of tapes lie on opposite sides of and in side-by-side relation to said other tape of the first pair except at the crossing region with each other and said other tape.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 35 words

In an air cushion vehicle a sheet material fabrication as set forth in claim 1, wherein said tension cords are crowded within portions of the fabrication peripherally of said opening means to reinforce the latter.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 38 words

In an air cushion vehicle a sheet material fabrication as set forth in claim 1, wherein all of said tension cords bypass said fabrication opening means and extend thoughout the geometric extent of said fabric sheet without interruption.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 45 words

In an air cushion vehicle a sheet material fabrication as set forth in claim 1, wherein said opening means comprise(s) a plurality of elliptically shaped openings arranged with their major axes aligned in row form extending transversely of the relatively elastic direction of said sheet.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 329 words

In an air cushion vehicle having a body presenting a bottom surface, an inflatable trunk secured marginally thereof to said bottom surface normally to lie in contiguous relation thereto, and means associated with said vehicle for inflating said trunk causing it to bulge away from said bottom surface and circumscribe an air cushion space, the improvement wherein said trunk comprises a sheet of material which is relatively inelastic in one direction and is relatively elastic in a second direction essentially transverse to said one direction, said sheet comprising: a sheet-like body of elastic material having at least one elliptical opening therethrough, the minor axis of such opening being aligned in said second direction and the major axis of such opening being aligned in said one direction; a plurality of relatively inelastic tension cords embedded in said material and running in said one direction; a plurality of relatively elastic tension cords embedded in said material and running in said second direction, there being a first separated pair of groups of relatively elastic tension cords which are parallel to each other and which are separated to delineate a space defining said major axis, there being a second separated pair of groups of relatively elastic tension cords on opposite sides of one group of said first pair, said second pair of groups criss-crossing each other and said one group at one end of said opening so that each group of said second pair is routed in a generally elongated S-shape, there being a third separated pair of groups of relatively elastic tension cords disposed on opposite sides of the other group of said first pair, said third pair of groups criss-crossing each other and said other group at the other end of said opening so that each group of said third pair is routed in a generally elongated S-shape, whereby when said trunk is uninflated said opening is elliptical whereas when the trunk is inflated said opening assumes a generally circular shape.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 329 words

In an air cushion vehicle having a body presenting a bottom surface, an inflatable trunk secured marginally thereof to said bottom surface normally to lie in contiguous relation thereto, and means associated with said vehicle for inflating said trunk causing it to bulge away from said bottom surface and circumscribe an air cushion space, the improvement wherein said trunk comprises a sheet of material which is relatively inelastic in one direction and is relatively elastic in a second direction essentially transverse to said one direction, said sheet comprising: a sheet-like body of elastic material having at least one elliptical opening therethrough, the minor axis of such opening being aligned in said second direction and the major axis of such opening being aligned in said one direction; a plurality of relatively inelastic tension cords embedded in said material and running in said one direction; a plurality of relatively elastic tension cords embedded in said material and running in said second direction, there being a first separated pair of groups of relatively elastic tension cords which are parallel to each other and which are separated to delineate a space defining said major axis, there being a second separated pair of groups of relatively elastic tension cords on opposite sides of one group of said first pair, said second pair of groups criss-crossing each other and said one group at one end of said opening so that each group of said second pair is routed in a generally elongated S-shape, there being a third separated pair of groups of relatively elastic tension cords disposed on opposite sides of the other group of said first pair, said third pair of groups criss-crossing each other and said other group at the other end of said opening so that each group of said third pair is routed in a generally elongated S-shape, whereby when said trunk is uninflated said opening is elliptical whereas when the trunk is inflated said opening assumes a generally circular shape.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 336 words

In an air cushion vehicle having a body presenting a bottom surface, an inflatable trunk secured marGinally thereof to said bottom surface normally to lie in contiguous relation thereto, and means associated with said vehicle for inflating said trunk causing it to bulge away from said bottom surface and circumscribe an air cushion space, the improvement wherein said trunk comprises a sheet of material which is relatively inelastic in one direction and is relatively elastic in a second direction essentially transverse to said one direction, said sheet comprising: a sheet-like body of elastic material having at least one elliptical opening therethrough, the minor axis of such opening being aligned in said second direction and the major axis of such opening being aligned in said one direction; a plurality of relatively inelastic tension cords embedded in said material and running in said one direction; a plurality of relatively elastic tension cords embedded in said material and running in said second direction, those elastic tension cords on one side of said opening and which otherwise would intersect therewith being divided into two first groups one of which is routed past one end of said opening is an elongated S pattern and the other of which is routed past the other end of said opening in an elongated S pattern, and those elastic tension cords on the other side of said opening and which otherwise would intersect therewith being divided into two further groups one of which further groups is routed past said one end of the opening in an elongated S pattern and the other of which further groups is routed past said other end of the opening in an elongated S pattern, whereby said one first group criss-crosses said one further group at said one end of the opening whereas said other first group criss-crosses said other further group at said other end of the opening so said opening is elliptical when said trunk is relaxed and is of generally circular shape when said trunk is inflated.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 336 words

In an air cushion vehicle having a body presenting a bottom surface, an inflatable trunk secured marGinally thereof to said bottom surface normally to lie in contiguous relation thereto, and means associated with said vehicle for inflating said trunk causing it to bulge away from said bottom surface and circumscribe an air cushion space, the improvement wherein said trunk comprises a sheet of material which is relatively inelastic in one direction and is relatively elastic in a second direction essentially transverse to said one direction, said sheet comprising: a sheet-like body of elastic material having at least one elliptical opening therethrough, the minor axis of such opening being aligned in said second direction and the major axis of such opening being aligned in said one direction; a plurality of relatively inelastic tension cords embedded in said material and running in said one direction; a plurality of relatively elastic tension cords embedded in said material and running in said second direction, those elastic tension cords on one side of said opening and which otherwise would intersect therewith being divided into two first groups one of which is routed past one end of said opening is an elongated S pattern and the other of which is routed past the other end of said opening in an elongated S pattern, and those elastic tension cords on the other side of said opening and which otherwise would intersect therewith being divided into two further groups one of which further groups is routed past said one end of the opening in an elongated S pattern and the other of which further groups is routed past said other end of the opening in an elongated S pattern, whereby said one first group criss-crosses said one further group at said one end of the opening whereas said other first group criss-crosses said other further group at said other end of the opening so said opening is elliptical when said trunk is relaxed and is of generally circular shape when said trunk is inflated.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 44 words

In an air cushion vehicle as defined in claim 7 wherein there are two additional groups of said relatively elastic tension cords which pass the opposite ends of said opening and are criss-crossed by the criss-crossed groups at such opposite ends of the opening.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-08-25	1979-02-24	1979-08-26	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-08-25	1983-02-24	1983-08-26	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-08-25	1987-02-24	1987-08-26	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Inflatable trunk for air cushion supported vehicles

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