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US 4,067,516 AGranted
Air cushion pontoon freight helicopter
OwnerHerbert Leonard Dobbinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The specification describes an air suspension freight vehicle comprising a divided pontoon structure in the form of two parallel spaced apart rigidly connected air cushion pontoons adapted to carry freight loads therebetween greater in air cushion transport over ground and water surfaces while utilizing a helicopter attachable to the frame for propulsion and which without cargo may be transported by helicopter to and from a point of utilization.
Claims6
An air suspension freight vehicle comprising:
- a divided pontoon structure defined by two air cushion pontoons in parallel spaced apart relation;
- frame structure rigidly interconnecting said pontoons to define a cargo gap therebetween;
- air cushion skirt means on undersurfaces of said pontoons and defining multiple air chambers between said undersurfaces and a terrain surface;
- independent engine driven air induction fans located in said pontoons to induct air through outer surfaces thereof and to direct inducted air to said chambers thereby to develop lift in each pontoon relative to said surface;
- a cargo carrier mountable in said gap between said pontoons;
- guide means slidably supporting said cargo carrier for slidably adjusting the position of the centre of gravity of the cargo relative to the effective centre of gravity of said pontoon structures;
- means for adjustably positioning said cargo carrier on said guide means;
- and a helicopter fastened to said frame, said helicopter having a bladed rotor tipable forwardly and downwardly to provide forward propulsion for said vehicle.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.