Ground-reaction machines

Claim 2

A flexible enclosure for enclosing a fluid cushion to support a ground-effect machine having a platform, said enclosure comprising a plurality of separate cells, each of which forms a peripheral support plenum cushion, connected in series and adapted to be attached at an upper attachment section thereof along the periphery of said platform and surrounding a single undivided chamber, each of said cells being bounded by two converging, intersecting flexible walls connected to the flexible walls of adjoining cells, each upper attachment section being substantially rectangular in horizontal cross-section, the horizontal cross-sectional area of each of said cells decreases continuously from the upper attachment section at the periphery of said platform where air under pressure is fed to said cells, to a lower section thereof through which the air exits, each lower section being of bi-convex lenticular shape in horizontal cross-section.

Claim 3

A flexible enclosure as claimed in claim 1, wherein one group of cells are of one shape and another group of the cells are of a shape different from said one shape for attachment of the one and another groups respectively to straight and curved portions of the periphery of an oblong platform having arcuate ends and straight sides.

Claim 4

A flexible enclosure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the connection between the walls of each of the cells are along the junction lines of the walls and each of said connections comprises a plane triangular and flexible wall, such that, when the enclosure is attached to said platform, the triangular wall connecting the cells attached to the straight sides of the platform periphery extend transversely to and are longitudinally spaced from the longitudinal axis of said platform and the cells attached to the arcuate ends of the platform periphery extend radially.

Claim 5

A ground effect machine including a flexible enclosure as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the cells is fed from a separate air generator whereby the flow and pressure characteristics in each of the cells and therefore the position of the center of thrust of the platform are both adjustable so that the machine can be adapted to a stability control means.

Claim 6

A ground effect machine including a flexible enclosure as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the cells is fed from a subsidiary trunk connected to a common air generator whereby the flow and pressure characteristics in each of the cells and therefore the position of the center of thrust of the platform are both adjustable so that the machine can be adapted to a stability control means.

Claim 7

An air cushion vehicle having a platform with a base, a flexible skirt attached to and extending downwardly from the base of the platform to surround an air cushion between the platform and an underlying surface, said skirt comprising repeating pairs of laterally spaced intersecting flexible walls, each pair of walls defining a peripheral plenum support cushion cell therebetween and being connected to the adjacent pairs of walls in end to end relationship, each wall of said pairs of walls having an upper section thereof, substantially rectangular in horizontal cross-section, attached to the base of the platform and extending downwardly and toward the other wall of that pair and terminating in a lower section of bi-convex lenticular shape in horizontal cross-section, the horizontal cross-sectional area of each of said cells decreases continuously from the upper end, into which air under pressure is fed to that cell, to the lower end thereof through which the air exits.

Claim 8

An air cushion vehicle having a platform with a base, a flexible skirt attached to and extending downwardly from the base of the platform to surround an air cushion between the platform and an underlying surface, said skirt comprising repeating pairs of laterally spaced intersecting flexible walls, each pair of walls defining a peripheral plenum support cushion cell therebetween and being connected to the adjacent pairs of walls in end to end relationship, each wall of said pairs of walls having an upper section thereof, substantially rectangular in horizontal cross-section, attached to the base of the platform and extending downwardly and toward the other wall of that pair and terminating in a lower section of bi-convex lenticular shape in horizontal cross-section, the horizontal cross-sectional area of each of said cells decreases continuously from the upper end, into which air under pressure is fed to that cell, to the lower end thereof through which the air exits.