US3581667A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Suspension systems for ground-effect machines
Assignee: Bertin Technologies SAS
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Filing: 1968-07-22
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Granted: 1971-06-01
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Expires: 1988-07-22
Abstract
Abstract A suspension system, for a ground-effect machine having a payload structure and a ground-effect plenum chamber with a top thereto, said suspension system comprising a resilient padlike formation located in the space between said structure and said top and portions of said formation having each a predetermined resistance to forces acting thereon, the respective resistances of at least two of said portions being different from one another.
Inventors
- 👤 Jean Henri Bertin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 12:47
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60V; B60V3/00; B60V3/02; B60V3/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
217 words
A ground-effect machine movable along a bearing surface with the interposition of a plurality of fluid-cushions, said machine comprising: a machine body spaced apart from said bearing surface; a single unit support structure movable as a whole with respect to said body and containing the fluid-cushions, said support structure including a unitary rigid fluidtight cover-wall spaced apart from said body and from said bearing surface and extending therebetween, and cushion-seals projecting from said cover-wall towards the bearing surface whereby a plurality of individual fluid-cushion containing enclosures are formed each of which is open at its area adjacent said bearing surface and is bounded opposite said bearing surface by a respective portion of said cover-wall; and a suspension system interposed between said machine body and said unitary cover-wall, said system comprising a resilient device having at least two resilient portions extending in parallel relationship from different portions of said unitary cover-wall to corresponding portions of said machine body, each of said resilient portions having a predetermined bias and the bias of one of said resilient portions being greater than that of the other of said resilient portions; the said one resilient portion of greater bias being located adjacent to the center of the unitary rigid cover-wall and the lower bias resilient portion being relatively remote from said center.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
217 words
A ground-effect machine movable along a bearing surface with the interposition of a plurality of fluid-cushions, said machine comprising: a machine body spaced apart from said bearing surface; a single unit support structure movable as a whole with respect to said body and containing the fluid-cushions, said support structure including a unitary rigid fluidtight cover-wall spaced apart from said body and from said bearing surface and extending therebetween, and cushion-seals projecting from said cover-wall towards the bearing surface whereby a plurality of individual fluid-cushion containing enclosures are formed each of which is open at its area adjacent said bearing surface and is bounded opposite said bearing surface by a respective portion of said cover-wall; and a suspension system interposed between said machine body and said unitary cover-wall, said system comprising a resilient device having at least two resilient portions extending in parallel relationship from different portions of said unitary cover-wall to corresponding portions of said machine body, each of said resilient portions having a predetermined bias and the bias of one of said resilient portions being greater than that of the other of said resilient portions; the said one resilient portion of greater bias being located adjacent to the center of the unitary rigid cover-wall and the lower bias resilient portion being relatively remote from said center.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said resilient portions cooperates more effectively with a respective one of said individual fluid-cushion containing enclosures than with the others.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
71 words
A machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein said cover-wall bounds at least three fluid-cushion containing enclosures, namely at least one central enclosure and two end enclosures arranged at either side of said central enclosure, and wherein the bias of the portion of the resilient device cooperating with the central enclosure is greater than the bias of any one of the portions of the resilient device cooperating with the end enclosures.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
A machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein the suspension system further comprises a resilient border bounding, between said machine body and said cover-wall, at least two gas-filled chambers which respectively cooperate with said fluid-cushion containing end enclosures.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
A machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein said resilient device comprises a padlike formation interposed between the machine body and said respective cover-wall portions and overlying a predetermined area of said cover-wall portion, whereby the resilience of said resilient device is distributed over said area.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
A machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the area of the cover-wall overlied by one of said resilient portions is different from the area overlied by at least another of said resilient portions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
60 words
A machine as claimed in claim 6, wherein said cover-wall bounds at least three fluid-cushion containing enclosures, namely at least one central enclosure and two end enclosures arranged at either side of said central enclosure, and wherein the overlied area of the cover-wall portion of the central enclosure is greater than each of the overlied areas of the end enclosures.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
A machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein the cover-wall area overlied on the whole by the resilient portions forms a geometrical figure having a transverse dimension which increases from a minimum value at both ends of the cover-wall towards a maximum value in a zone spaced from and between said ends.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the suspension system further comprises a resilient border bounding, between said machine body and said cover-wall, at least two gas-filled chambers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
A machine as claimed in claim 9, further comprising restricted passage means wherethrough each of said chambers communicates with the ambient atmosphere.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
A machine as claimed in claim 9, further comprising restricted passage means wherethrough said chambers communicate with one another.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cover--wall comprises a peripheral part hingedly connected to the rest of the cover-wall and wherefrom at least one of said cushion-seals projects towards the bearing surface, said machine further comprising a damped elastic suspension device attached to said peripheral part.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
A machine as claimed in claim 12, wherein said damped elastic suspension device connects together said peripheral part and said machine body.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-05-31 | 1974-11-30 | 1975-06-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-05-31 | 1978-11-30 | 1979-06-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-05-31 | 1982-11-30 | 1983-06-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |