Air-floated apparatus having structural channel member and pressure seal
OwnerArthur L. Fassauerinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention describes improvements to an air-floated apparatus having a deck with an open bottom, a platform enclosing a portion of the open bottom of the deck to define a pressure chamber, and an impeller for pressurizing air in the pressure chamber to float the housing above a support surface, the platform having an opening and the deck having an outer periphery. According to the invention, a novel structural member is supported between the deck and the platform along a predetermined portion of the deck outer periphery, the structural member including an upper wall and a lower wall defining a chamber. A pressure seal is supported in the platform opening.
Claims17
In an air-floated apparatus having a deck with an open bottom, a platform enclosing a portion of the open bottom of the deck to define a pressure chamber, and means for pressurizing air in the pressure chamber to float a housing above a support surface, the platform having an opening and the deck having an outer periphery, the improvement comprising:
- a structural member supported between the deck and the platform along a predetermined portion of the deck outer periphery, the structural member including an upper wall and a lower wall defining a chamber.
An air-floated apparatus, comprising:
- a deck with an open bottom defining an outer periphery;
- a platform enclosing a portion of the open bottom of the deck, the platform having an opening;
- a housing overlying the deck such that a conveyance duct is formed between the deck and the housing along a portion of the apparatus;
- and
- a structural member supported between the deck and the platform along a predetermined portion of the deck outer periphery, the structural member including an upper wall and a lower wall defining a chamber, the lower wall including a slot extending along the length of the structural member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.