Load carrying unit

• US 3,267,882 A
• Filed: 07/28/1964
• Issued: 08/23/1966
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1963
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Edward Rapson John, John Nicholson Brian, Norman Dent Peter
• Original Assignee: Edward Rapson John, John Nicholson Brian, Norman Dent Peter
• Inventors: EDWARD RAPSON JOHN, JOHN NICHOLSON BRIAN, NORMAN DENT PETER
• Application Number:
  US04/385,732
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• US Class Current: 108/51.11
• CPC Class Codes: B60V 3/02 Land vehicles, e.g. road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60V 3/025 co-operating with a flat surface, e.g. transporting loads on platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 7/06 using fluid at high pressure supplied from an independent source to provide a cushion between load and ground conveying articles over a flat surface by jets located in the surface B65G51/00

Claims

8. A LOAD SUPPORTING DEVICE INCLUDING A PLATFORM, AND AT LEAST THREE LOAD SUPPORTING UNITS MOUNTED ON SAID PLATFORM, EACH UNIT COMPRISING A HOLLOW MEMBER HAVING TWO OPPOSED END FACES, AN EXTENSIBLE WALL CONNECTING THE END FACES TO FORM A CLOSED SPACE AND PERRMIT THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE END FACES TO VARY, MEANS DEFINING A CUPSHAPED CAVITY ON ONE OF THE END FACES OF THE SIDE THEREOF OUTSIDE THE CLOSED SPACE, AND INCLUDING A RIM FOR COOPERATION WITH A SUPPORTING SURFACE OR THE LOAD, FLOW RESTRICTING INLET MEANS FOR NORMALLY SUPPLYING AN UNINTERRUPTED FLOW OF PRESSURISED FLUID TO SAID CLOSED SPACE, AND FLOW RESTRICTING OUTLET MEANS CONNECTING SAID CLOSED SPACE TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID CUP-SHAPED CAVITY THROUGH WHICH THE FLUID SUPPLIED TO SAID CLOSED SPACE NORMALLY FLOWS INTO SAID CAVITY TO FORM A CUSHION OF PRESSURISED FLUID THEREIN EFFECTIVE TO MAINTAIN A RESTRICTED FLUID ESCAPE GAP BETWEEN SAID RIM AND THE SURFACE OR LOAD.