The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 26, 1985
Filed:
Jun. 25, 1984
John B Chaplin, Covington, LA (US);
Textron, Inc., Providence, RI (US);
Abstract
There is disclosed an improved air cushion supported vehicle of the relatively high speed operating 'surface effect ship' type, having a main hull and a pair of rigidly constructed opposite side walls or hulls depending therefrom, and bow and stern air cushion sealing means. Each of the side hulls terminates at its lower extremity into an outwardly side-wise canted water planing bottom surface or keel into which one or more non-coplanar surface discontinuities is/are provided for locally accommodating in slightly recessed relation therein the ship propulsion propellers. The configurations of said discontinuities are such as to reduce the requisite angles of the propeller driving shafts relative to the ship hull; thereby reducing the ship draft (propeller clearance) requirements, while also providing under high speed operating conditions improved propeller operating efficiencies and substantial maintenance of the desired air cushion sealing efficiencies of the side hull keels of the ship. Adjacent the stern end of the ship, the keel surfaces are also configured in accordance with the invention, so as to cooperate with the ship air cushion stern seal in such manner as to further improve the overall efficiencies of the ship propelling and air cushion supporting systems.