Airborne vehicles

• US 3,203,645 A
• Filed: 09/21/1960
• Issued: 08/31/1965
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1959
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Andrew Shaw Ronald
• Original Assignee: Andrew Shaw Ronald
• Inventors: ANDREW SHAW RONALD
• Application Number:
  US04/057,455
• Time in Patent Office: 1,805 Days
• US Class Current: 244/23.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B60V 1/115 by ground or water engaging means, e.g. rudders or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60V 3/02 Land vehicles, e.g. road vehicles

Claims

1. AN AIRBORNE VEHICLE CAPABLE OF OPERATING BOTH CLOSE TO THE GROUND WITHIN THE GROUND EFFECT CUSHION AND IN FREE LIGHT OUTSIDE SAID CUSHION COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE FAN MOUNTED THEREON WITH ITS AXIS SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL AND HAVING AN UNDERSURFACE FORMED WITH AN APERTURE AND WITH NOZZLE MEANS SEPARATE FROM AND OUTBORAD OF SAID APERTURE, AND EXTENDING AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF THE VEHICLE, SAID APERTURE BEING ALIGNED WITH SAID FAN AND HAHVING AN AREA SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THAT OF THE FAN OUTLET, SAID FAN BEING ARRANGED TO DRAW IN AIR AND TO DISCHARGE SUFFICIENT AIR THROUGH SAID APERTURE AS A DOWNWARDLY DIRECTED STREAM TO AFFORD UPTHRUST ON THE VEHICLE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN FREE FLIGHT, AND MEANS FOR DIVERTING SAID STREAM FROM SAID APERTURE TO SAID NOZZLE MEANS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OPERATING WITHIN THE GROUND EFFECT CUSHION, SAID NOZZLE MEANS BEING SO SHAPED AND ARRANGED THAT THE AIR IS DISCHARGED THERETHROUGH IN A DOWNWARDS DIRECTION AS A CURTAIN EXTENDING CONTINUOUSLY AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF THE VEHICLE.