Air cushion vehicles
AssigneeBritish Hovercraft Corporation Limited
InventorsMichael W. Eldridge, John E. Dadswell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Bow and side deck structures forming a part of the rigid body structure of an air cushion vehicle include a tubular circular section gunwale member and a tubular circular section chine member supported outwardly from a buoyancy tank structure which forms the base of the rigid body structure by frame members to which they are attached by welding. The bow and side deck structures are completed by hull plating attached to the gunwale, chine and frame members. The buoyancy tank structure may include unstiffened extruded deep I-section beams.
Claims10
An amphibious air cushion vehicle having a rigid body structure including a rigid base formed as a buoyancy tank structure, a bow structure attached to and extending outwardly from one end of the buoyancy tank structure, side deck structures attached to and extending outwardly from each longitudinal side of the buoyancy tank structure, the bow structure and side deck structures each comprising a tubular circular section gunwale member and a tubular circular section chine member each supported outwardly from the buoyancy tank structure by frame members spaced from each other along at least a part of the length of the gunwale and chine members and attached thereto by welding, and hull plating attached to and supported by the gunwale, chine and frame members.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.