초록 ▼

Presented is an advanced Surface Effect Ship (SES) that offers the high efficiencies of the pressurized air cushion supported generic flexible bow and stern seal SES but without the generic SES's shortcomings that are due largely to its generally about 80 percent total hull width flexible bow and st

Presented is an advanced Surface Effect Ship (SES) that offers the high efficiencies of the pressurized air cushion supported generic flexible bow and stern seal SES but without the generic SES's shortcomings that are due largely to its generally about 80 percent total hull width flexible bow and stem seals. Advantages are accomplished by the instant invention by use of forward extending rigid bow members positioned both sides of a pressurized hull supporting gas cushion such that the width of the sidehulls, preferably, make up a majority of the width of the instant invention advanced surface effect ship with the remainder, normally less than 35 percent of vessel width, made up by a gas cushion forward moveable seal member disposed between the bow members. Gas cushions may extend forward into undersides of the sidehull bow members to further reduce wetted area resistance. Longitudinally oriented fluid fences may be incorporated to at least partially separate portions of the gas cushion and thereby dampen pressure perturbations in the gas cushion(s). A third bow member may be utilized between port and starboard bow members for some applications.

대표청구항 ▼

1. In an advanced surface effect ship wherein said advanced surface effect ship includes port and starboard sidehulls that include bow members and is supported upon a water surface in part by an artificially pressurized gas cushion and wherein said gas cushion is restrained by the port and starboard

1. In an advanced surface effect ship wherein said advanced surface effect ship includes port and starboard sidehulls that include bow members and is supported upon a water surface in part by an artificially pressurized gas cushion and wherein said gas cushion is restrained by the port and starboard sidehulls, a gas cushion forward moveable, in relation to a hull of the advanced surface effect ship, seal member disposed, at least in its majority, between portions of the port and starboard bow members, a gas cushion aft seal member, and the hull of the advanced surface effect ship, the improvement comprising:said gas cushion forward moveable seal member having water contacting portions that extend over at least a portion of a width of the advanced surface effect ship when said advanced surface effect ship is moving forward at high speed in a calm sea with its air cushion pressurized and wherein said port and starboard sidehulls include artificially pressurized gas cushion portions disposed in their undersides that extend forward of an average longitudinal position of water contacting portions of said gas cushion forward moveable seal member.2. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 1 wherein lower water contacting portions of the gas cushion forward moveable seal member extend over less than forty-five percent of a width of the advanced surface effect ship.3. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 1 wherein lower water contacting portions of the gas cushion forward moveable seal member extend over less than thirty-five percent of a width of the advanced surface effect ship.4. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 1 wherein lower water contacting portions of the gas cushion forward moveable seal member extend over less than twenty-five percent of a width of the advanced surface effect ship.5. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 1 wherein lower water contacting portions of the gas cushion forward moveable seal member extend over less than twenty percent of a width of the advanced surface effect ship.6. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 1 wherein lower water contacting portions of the port and starboard bows extend forward of an average longitudinal position of water contacting portions of the gas cushion forward moveable seal member by at least five percent of a waterline length of the advanced surface effect ship.7. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 1 wherein lower water contacting portions of the sidehulls extend forward of an average longitudinal position of water contacting portions of the gas cushion forward moveable seal member by at least ten percent of a waterline length of the advanced surface effect ship.8. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 1 wherein the gas cushion forward moveable seal member is comprised of at least two elements.9. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 8 wherein elements of the gas cushion forward moveable seal member are in mechanical communication with the hull of the advanced surface effect ship by means of a rotatable device.10. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 1 wherein the gas cushion forward moveable seal member is at least mainly constructed of rigid materials.11. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 1 wherein the gas cushion forward moveable seal member is at least mainly constructed of semi-rigid materials.12. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 1 wherein the gas cushion forward moveable seal member is at least mainly constructed of flexible materials.13. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 1 wherein upper forward portions of the gas cushion forward moveable seal member are, at least in their majority, disposed behind hull structure disposed between the port and starboard bows that is angled to horizontal over a majority of its width.14. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 13 wherein said hull structure disposed forward of the upper forward portions of the gas cushion forward moveable seal member, as seen in a vertical transverse plane of the hull, at least in its majority of an inverted-V shape.15. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 1 which further comprises a third bow member disposed, at least in its majority, forward of said gas cushion forward moveable seal member.16. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 15 wherein forward water contacting portions of said third bow member include an artificially pressurized gas cushion portion disposed in its underside.17. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 16 wherein the artificially pressurized gas cushion portion disposed in the underside of the third bow member extends forward of an average longitudinal position of water contacting portions of the gas cushion forward moveable seal member by at least five percent of a waterline length of the advanced surface effect ship.18. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 16 wherein the artificially pressurized gas cushion portion disposed in the underside of the third bow member extends forward of an average longitudinal position of water contacting portions of the gas cushion forward moveable seal member by at least ten percent of a waterline length of the advanced surface effect ship.19. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 1 wherein the gas cushion portions disposed in the undersides of the port and starboard bow members diverge either side of vertical sidehull longitudinal planes going aft from their forward portions.20. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 19 wherein said vertical longitudinal planes are vertical longitudinal centerline planes of the port and starboard sidehulls.21. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 1 wherein lower portions of the port and starboard bow members are at least partially truncated.22. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 15 wherein lower portions of the third bow member are at least partially truncated.23. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 15 wherein lower portions of the third bow member extend aft through portions of the forward moveable seal member.24. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 1 wherein longitudinally oriented fluid fences extend downward from upper surfaces of the gas cushion recess to thereby restrict fluid flow in the gas cushion.25. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 24 wherein said fluid fences are not in contact with a water surface over a majority of their length.26. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 1 wherein the artificially pressurized gas cushion has separated compartments.27. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 1 wherein said gas cushion aft seal member, as seen in a vertical transverse plane of the advanced surface effect ship, is angled to horizontal over a majority of its width.28. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 1 wherein said gas cushion aft seal member, as seen in a vertical transverse plane of the advanced surface effect ship, includes at least two inverted-V shaped portions.29. In an advanced surface effect ship wherein said advanced surface effect ship includes port and starboard sidehulls that include bow members and is supported upon a water surface in part by an artificially pressurized gas cushion and wherein said gas cushion is restrained by the port and starboard sidehulls, a gas cushion forward moveable, in relation to a hull of the advanced surface effect ship, seal member, a gas cushion aft seal member, and the hull of the advanced surface effect ship, the improvement comprising:a third bow member disposed, at least in part, between the port and starboard bow members, and said gas cushion forward moveable seal member including at least a port moveable seal portion and a starboard moveable seal portion, and, when the advanced surface effect ship is moving forward at high speed in a calm sea with its gas cushion pressurized, water contacting portions of said port forward moveable seal portion extend inward from the port sidehull and water contacting portions of said starboard forward moveable seal portion extend inward from the starboard sidehull and wherein a forward water contacting portion of said third bow member includes an artificially pressurized gas cushion portion disposed in its underside and, at least in its majority, forward of an average longitudinal position of water contacting portions of said forward moveable seal member.30. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 29 wherein the artificially pressurized gas cushion portion disposed in the underside of the third bow member extends forward of an average longitudinal position of water contacting portions of the gas cushion forward moveable seal member by at least five percent of a waterline length of the advanced surface effect ship.31. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 29 wherein the artificially pressurized gas cushion portion disposed in the underside of the third bow member extends forward of an average longitudinal position of forward water contacting portions of the gas cushion forward moveable seal member by at least ten percent of a waterline length of the advanced surface effect ship.32. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 29 wherein elements of the gas cushion forward moveable seal member is in mechanical communication with the hull of the advanced surface effect ship by means of a rotatable device.33. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 29 wherein of the gas cushion forward moveable seal member is at least mainly constructed of rigid materials.34. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 29 wherein the gas cushion forward moveable seal member is at least mainly constructed of semi-rigid materials.35. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 29 wherein the gas cushion forward moveable seal member is at least mainly constructed of flexible materials.36. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 29 wherein lower portions of the port and starboard bow members are at least partially truncated.37. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 29 wherein lower portions of the third bow member are at least partially truncated.38. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 29 wherein lower portions of the third bow member extend aft through portions of the forward moveable seal member.39. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 29 wherein longitudinally oriented fluid fences extend downward from upper surfaces of the gas cushion recess to thereby restrict fluid flow in the gas cushion.40. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 39 wherein said fluid fences are not in contact with a water surface over a majority of their length.41. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 29 wherein the artificially pressurized gas cushion has separated compartments.42. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 29 wherein said gas cushion aft seal member, as seen in a vertical transverse plane of the advanced surface effect ship, is angled to horizontal over a majority of its width.43. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 29 wherein said gas cushion aft seal member, as seen in a vertical transverse plane of the advanced surface effect ship, includes at least two inverted-V shaped portions.44. In an advanced surface effect ship wherein said advanced surface effect ship includes port and starboard sidehulls that include bow members and is supported upon a water surface in part by an artificially pressurized gas cushion and wherein said gas cushion is restrained by the port and starboard sidehulls, a gas cushion forward moveable, in relation to a hull of said advanced surface effect ship, seal member disposed, at least in its majority, between the port and starboard bow members, a gas cushion aft seal member, and the hull of the advanced surface effect ship, the improvement comprising:water contacting portions of the port and starboard bow members, when said advanced surface effect ship is moving forward at high speed in a calm sea with its gas cushion pressurized, extend forward of an average longitudinal position of water contacting portions of the gas cushion forward moveable seal member and wherein lower inboard portions of said port and starboard bow members are at least partially truncated.45. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 44 wherein forward water contacting portions of said port and starboard bow members include artificially pressurized gas cushion portions disposed in their undersides that extend forward of an average longitudinal position of water contacting portions of the gas cushion forward moveable seal member.46. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 45 wherein the pressurized gas cushion portions disposed in the undersides of the port and starboard bow members extend forward of an average longitudinal position of water contacting portions of the gas cushion forward moveable seal member by at least five percent to of a waterline length of the advanced surface effect ship.47. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 45 wherein the artificially pressurized gas cushion portions disposed in the undersides of the port and starboard bow members extend forward of an average longitudinal position of forward water contacting portions of the gas cushion forward moveable seal member by at least ten percent of a waterline length of the advanced surface effect ship.48. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 45 wherein the artificially pressurized gas cushion portions disposed in the undersides of the port and starboard bow members extend forward of an average longitudinal position of forward water contacting portions of the gas cushion forward moveable seal member by at least fifteen percent of a waterline length of the advanced surface effect ship.49. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 44 wherein lower water contacting portions of the gas cushion forward moveable seal member extend over less than forty-five percent of a width of the advanced surface effect ship.50. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 44 wherein lower water contacting portions of the gas cushion forward moveable seal member extend over less than forty percent of a width of the advanced surface effect ship.51. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 44 wherein lower water contacting portions of the gas cushion forward moveable seal member extend over less than thirty-five percent of a width of the advanced surface effect ship.52. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 1 wherein lower water contacting portions of the gas cushion forward moveable seal member extend over less than twenty-five percent of a width of the advanced surface effect ship.53. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 45 wherein the gas cushion portions disposed in the undersides of the port and starboard bow members diverge either side of their respective sidehull vertical longitudinal planes going aft from their forward portions.54. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 53 wherein said sidehull vertical longitudinal planes are vertical longitudinal centerline planes of the port and starboard sidehulls.55. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 44 wherein longitudinally oriented fluid fences extend downward from upper surfaces of the gas cushion recess to thereby restrict fluid flow in the gas cushion.56. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 55 wherein said fluid fences are not in contact with a water surface over a majority of their length.57. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 44 wherein the artificially pressurized gas cushion has separated compartments.58. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 44 which further comprises a third bow member disposed, at least in its majority, forward of said gas cushion forward moveable seal member.59. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 58 wherein forward water contacting portions of said third bow member includes an artificially pressurized gas cushion portion disposed in its underside.60. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 58 wherein lower portions of the third bow member are at least partially truncated.61. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 58 wherein lower portions of the third bow member extend aft through portions of the forward moveable seal member.62. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 44 wherein said gas cushion aft seal member, as seen in a vertical transverse plane of the advanced surface effect ship, is angled to horizontal over a majority of its width.63. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 44 wherein said gas cushion aft seal member, as seen in a vertical transverse plane of the advanced surface effect ship, includes at least two inverted-V shaped portions.64. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 44 wherein the gas cushion forward moveable seal member is comprised of at least two elements.65. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 64 wherein elements of the gas cushion forward moveable seal member are in mechanical communication with the hull of the advanced surface effect ship by means of a rotatable device.66. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 44 wherein the gas cushion forward moveable seal member is at least mainly constructed of rigid materials.67. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 44 wherein the gas cushion forward moveable seal member is at least mainly constructed of semi-rigid materials.68. The advanced surface effect ship of claim 44 wherein the gas cushion forward moveable seal member is at least mainly constructed of flexible materials.