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US 4,962,718 AGranted
Hydrofoil propulsion system
AssigneeWestfoil International
InventorsRobert J. Gornstein, Richard J. Rust, William Husa, Randolph J. Rust
Life of this patent
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AssigneeWestfoil International
InventorsRobert J. Gornstein, Richard J. Rust, William Husa, Randolph J. Rust
Estimating the term…
A hydrofoil propulsion system (10) utilizing dual water propellers (16) in combination with dual shrouded air propellers (18). The air propellers (18) and the water propellers (16) are powered by diesel engines (22) mounted in pairs inside the hull (24) of the hydrofoil craft (b 14). Each water propeller (16) is affixed to an outdrive 35 through a pivotal propeller shaft (28) that permits the propeller shaft (28) and the water propeller (16) to move horizontally and vertically with respect to the hull (24). An air propeller (18) and a water propeller (16) are each coupled to a single pair of engines (22) so that as the craft (14) transitions from the hullborne mode to the foilborne mode, the thrust load is automatically transferred from the water propeller (16) to the air propeller (18).
A propulsion system for a hydrofoil watercraft capable of operating in either a waterborne mode or a foilborne mode, the propulsion system comprising:
A propulsion system for a hydrofoil watercraft capable of operating in either a waterborne mode or a foilborne mode, the propulsion system comprising:
In a method for operating a hydrofoil watercraft in the transition from a waterborne mode to a foilborne mode, said watercraft having a motor means operably coupled to drive both a water propeller and an air propeller, said water propeller lifting from the water as said watercraft becomes foilborne, the improvement comprising automatically changing the pitch of the blades of the air propeller to absorb horsepower from the motor means as said watercraft becomes foilborne and the water propeller lifts from the water.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.