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US 4,100,876 AGranted
Hydrofoil fixed strut steering control
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorChristiaan C. Feleus
Life of this patent
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AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorChristiaan C. Feleus
Estimating the term…
Apparatus for steering a hydrofoil ship by the combination of one or more trailing-edge or spade rudders in combination with means for controlling the side forces on a vertical, fixed strut or horizontal foil which pierces the water. The means for controlling side forces comprises an elongated roller or rollers mounted on the leading edge of the strut or foil. In the case of the vertical strut, the roller is stationary and has no effect when the craft is not turning. However, when turning, the roller is rotated about its own axis in the direction of the turn to produce a pressure decrease which minimizes the resistance to water flow on the side facing the direction of turn. In the case of a horizontal foil, the roller rotates in a direction to decrease pressure on the upper surface and increase it below, thereby creating greater lift.
A steering control for hydrofoil craft comprising a non-rotatable vertical strut element secured to the bottom portion of the craft, a submergible foil element carried at the bottom of said strut, a trailing edge rotatable rudder operatively associated with at least one of said elements, at least one rotatable roller mounted at the leading edge of said strut, said roller being exposed to liquid impinging on the leading edge of the strut as the hydrofoil craft traverses the surface of a body of water, said roller being stationary when the hydrofoil craft is not turning whereby the forces on opposite sides of the strut will be substantially the same, and means for rotating said roller in coordination with said rudder during a turn of the hydrofoil craft to thereby reduce side forces on the strut which are opposing the turn.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.