Hydrofoil apparatus

• US 4,711,195 A
• Filed: 04/10/1987
• Issued: 12/08/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sidney G. Shutt
• Original Assignee: Sidney G. Shutt
• Inventors: Shutt, Sidney G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nase, Jeffrey V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Avila, Stephen P.
• Application Number:
  US07/037,156
• Time in Patent Office: 242 Days
• Field of Search: 114/271, 114/274, 114/275, 114/276, 114/277, 114/278, 114/280, 114/281, 114/39.1
• US Class Current: 114/274
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 1/285 changing the angle of attack or the lift of the foil
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 34/40 Body-supporting structures dynamically supported by foils under water
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 16/14 for propelled drive
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 2016/202 specially adapted or arranged for being actuated by the feet of the user, e.g. using bicycle-like pedals

Abstract

A hydrofoil apparatus for attachment to a marine vessel having a first pivot means for positioning the rotational axis of a gooseneck shaft parallel to the yaw axis of the hull and a trailing load support arm having a forward end coupled to the gooseneck. A planing surface sensor or planing foil rides on the water surface. The planing surface provides a hydrodynamic force to hold the planing surface sensor on surface as the vessel moves with forward velocity. An elongated body member is pivotally coupled to rotate on a first pitch axis with respect to said planing surface sensor. The elongated body member is pivotally coupled to the trailing load support at its aft end. A vertical fin is coupled to support the elongated body member. The fin maintains the planing surface sensor forward of said second pitch axis. A lifting foil raises the bow of said marine vessel by provide a lifting force via the fin.

Claims

1. A hydrofoil apparatus for attachment to a marine vessel comprising:

a first pivot means for positioning the rotational axis of a gooseneck shaft substantially parallel to the yaw axis of the hull of said marine vessel,

a trailing load support having a forward end pivotally coupled to said gooseneck shaft for rotation on said yaw axis, and an aft end;

a planing surface sensor having a planing surface in contact with the water surface, said planing surface providing a hydrodynamic force to hold said planing surface on the water surface in response to vessel forward velocity,

an elongated body member having a forward end and an aft end, said forward end being pivotally coupled to rotate on a first pitch axis with respect to said planing surface sensor, said elongated body member being pivotally coupled to rotate on a second pitch axis passing through a point located between said elongated body forward and aft ends and said trailing load support aft end,

a vertical fin coupled to elongated body member, said fin being responsive to the forward motion of said marine vessel to maintain said planing surface sensor forward of said second pitch axis,

a lifting foil coupled to said vertical fin, said lifting foil being responsive to the forward motion of said marine vessel to raise the bow of said marine vessel by provide a lifting force via said second pitch axis to balance the lifting force provided by said planing surface sensor applied to said first pitch axis.

2. The hydrofoil apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first pivot means for positioning the rotational axis of a gooseneck shaft substantially parallel to the yaw axis of the hull of said marine vessel, further comprises:

a bow attachment assembly for raising and lowering said gooseneck shaft with respect to the hull of said marine vessel.

3. The hydrofoil apparatus of claim 2 wherein said bow attachment assembly for raising and lowering said gooseneck shaft with respect to the hull of said marine vessel further comprises:

a principle structure having a forward end, a rear end, said principle structure being disposed along an axis between said forward and rear end, the rear end of said structure being positioned at a forward location on said vessel and being pivotally coupled to said vessel on a horizontal axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of said hull, said principle structure'"'"'s axis being initially disposed to position said forward end to be in a substantially raised position forward of said rear end along said longitudinal axis of said vessel, said bow foil attachment structure forward end position describing a segment of a predetermined arc, the arc being contained in a substantially vertical plane as said structure is pivoted on said pivotal axis through said predetermined arc to move said forward end from a raised to a lowered position.

4. The hydrofoil apparatus of claim 2 wherein said bow attachment assembly of claim 2 for raising and lowering said gooseneck shaft with respect to the null of said marine vessel further comprises:

pulley means coupled to said bow foil attachment assembly for rotating it on said pivotal axis through a predetermined arc segment, said arc segment being contained in a plane passing through the longitudinal axis and the yaw axis of the vessel.

5. The hydrofoil apparatus of claim 2 wherein said bow attachment assembly of claim 2 for raising and lowering said gooseneck shaft with respect to the hull of said marine vessel further comprises:

means for raising and lowering said gooseneck with a screw drive with lower end of a screw attached coupled to said gooseneck and upper end of said screw passing through a a rotatable tapped thread member attached to said vessel bow, said rotatable tapped thread member being rotated manually;

means for rotating said gooseneck shaft under operator control to steer said vessel.

6. The hydrofoil apparatus of claim 2 wherein said bow attachment assembly of claim 2 for raising and lowering said gooseneck shaft with respect to the hull of said marine vessel further comprises:

means for raising and lowering said gooseneck with a screw drive with lower end of a screw attached coupled to said gooseneck and upper end of said screw passing through a a rotatable tapped thread member attached to said vessel bow, said rotatable tapped thread member being rotated electrically;

means for rotating said gooseneck shaft under operator control to steer said vessel.

7. The hydrofoil apparatus of claim 2 wherein said bow attachment assembly of claim 2 for raising and lowering said gooseneck shaft with respect to the hull of said marine vessel further comprises:

means for raising and lowering said gooseneck with a screw drive with lower end of a screw attached coupled to said gooseneck and upper end of said screw passing through a a rotatable tapped thread member attached to said vessel bow, said rotatable tapped thread member being rotated hydraulically;

means for rotating said gooseneck shaft under operator control to steer said vessel.

8. The hydrofoil apparatus of claim 2 wherein said bow attachment assembly of claim 2 for raising and lowering said gooseneck shaft with respect to the hull of said marine vessel further comprises:

means for raising or lowering said gooseneck with a hydraulic system comprising a vertical cylinder, a piston inside said vertical cylinder with lower end attached to said gooseneck, a pressurized fluid source and an operator valve to control fluid pressure on top of said piston;

means for rotating said gooseneck shaft under operator control to steer said vessel.

9. The hydrofoil apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first pivot means for positioning the rotational axis of a gooseneck shaft substantially parallel to the yaw axis of the hull of said marine vessel further comprises:

a gooseneck housing;

a gooseneck shaft axially positioned in and extending from said gooseneck housing, the axis of said rotational shaft characterizing a gooseneck rotational axis, said gooseneck housing being coupled to said bow attachment assembly forward end to position said gooseneck rotatable axis to be substantially tangential to a predetermined arc segment in a substantially vertical plane.

10. The bow hydrofoil apparatus of claim 1 wherein said vertical fin upper end is coupled to said elongated body member aft end, said vertical fin extending below elongated member, said vertical fin having a lower end coupled to receive a lifting force from a submerged lifting foil in response to vessel forward velocity.

11. A hydrofoil apparatus for attachment to a marine vessel comprising:

a bow attachment assembly pivotally coupled to the hull of said vessel on a horizontal axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of said hull, said bow attachment assembly being characterized to extend forward to a location clear of said vessel for a point of support, said bow attachment assembly being free to rotate on said pivotal axis through a predetermined arc free of interference from said hull;

means coupled to said bow attachment assembly for rotating it on said pivotal axis through said predetermined arc;

a gooseneck coupling having a rotatable shaft pivotally coupled to and extending from a gooseneck housing, said gooseneck housing being coupled to said bow attachment assembly point of support to position said gooseneck rotatable shaft to be substantially tangential to said predetermined arc;

a trailing load support and pivot means having a forward end coupled to said gooseneck rotational shaft and a aft end disposed to trail behind and below said trailing load support forward end;

a planing surface sensor having a planing surface in contact with the water, said planing surface providing a hydrodynamic lift force to hold said planing surface sensor to the water surface in response to vessel forward velocity,

an "L" shaped member having a first end pivotally coupled to said planing surface sensor, said planing surface sensor having said planing surface in contact with the water surface to hold said first end of "L" shaped member at the water surface, said "L" shaped member having a lower end coupled to receive a lifting force from a lifting foil in response to vessel forward velocity, said "L" shaped member being pivotally coupled to and co-planar with said trailing load support and pivot means aft end;

said lifting force raising or lowering said "L" shaped member to a position of depth in the water, said "L" shaped member pivoting on said pivotal coupling to said planing surface sensor,

whereby, the angle of attack of said lifting foil is reduced with increasing velocity, said rotation terminating as the force produced by said lifting foil plus the force produced by said planing surface sensor equal the downward force applied by the forward end of said marine vessel.

12. A hydrofoil apparatus for attachment to and use on a marine vessel, said vessel having forward motion in a direction corresponding to the longitudinal axis of said vessel on the surface of water, said hydrofoil apparatus comprising:

a bow attachment assembly having a forward end, a rear end and a principle structure along an axis disposed between said forward and rear end, the rear end of said structure being positioned at a forward location on said vessel and being pivotally coupled to said vessel on a horizontal axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of said hull, said principle structure'"'"'s axis being initially disposed to position said forward end to be in a substantially raised position forward of said rear end along said longitudinal axis of said vessel, said bow attachment assembly forward end motion describing a segment of a predetermined arc, said arc being contained within a substantially vertical plane containing the longitudinal axis and yaw axis of the vessel, said principle structure being pivoted on said pivotal axis through said predetermined arc to move said forward end from a raised to a lowered position;

means coupled to said bow attachment assembly for rotating it on said pivotal axis through said predetermined arc;

a gooseneck coupling having a rotatable shaft axially positioned in and extending from said gooseneck housing, the axis of said rotational shaft characterizing a gooseneck rotational axis, said gooseneck housing being coupled to said bow attachment assembly forward end to position said gooseneck rotatable axis to be substantially tangential to said arc in said substantially vertical plane;

a trailing load support arm having a body member between a forward and aft end, said forward end being coupled to said gooseneck shaft and extending from said gooseneck rotatable axis at an angle of declination downwardly toward the stern end of said marine vehicle,

a vertical strut having a lower and upper end,

an elongated body member having a forward and aft end, said aft end being rigidly coupled to said vertical strut upper end at a junction to form a substantially "L" shaped member, said "L" shaped member being pivotally coupled at said junction with said load arm aft end, said pivotal coupling having an axis of rotation transverse to the plane of said "L" shaped member, said elongated body member being co-planar with said trailing load support arm and said gooseneck coupling rotational shaft;

a planing surface sensor having a planing surface in contact with the water, said planing surface sensor being pivotally coupled to said horizontal arm forward end to remain aligned with said arm and in contact with the water surface in response to being propelled by said marine vehicle through the water, said planing surface providing a hydrodynamic lift force via said pivotal coupling to said horizontal arm forward end;

a lifting foil having a cord flight axis and a center of lift, said lifting foil being rigidly coupled at its center of lift to said vertical strut lower end, its cord flight axis being inclined to provide a substantially positive angle of attack with said water in response to said marine vehicle forward motion, said lifting foil being characterized to provide a lift force axially thru said vertical strut to said trailing load support arm aft end via said "L" shaped member junction pivot in response to forward velocity of said marine vehicle through said water, said lifting foil providing force sufficient to raise said vertical strut and thereby raise said marine vehicle to a point of lift balance, said lift balance resulting from rotation of said "L" shaped members rotation about said arm forward end pivot, said rotation controlling the angle of attack of said cord flight axis thereby maintaining a force balance for a given load and forward velocity.