WO2012065066A2

WO2012065066A2 - Catamaran amphibious vessel

Info

Publication number: WO2012065066A2
Application number: PCT/US2011/060377
Authority: WO
Inventors: W. Keith Dubose
Original assignee: Textron Inc
Current assignee: Textron Inc
Priority date: 2010-11-11
Filing date: 2011-11-11
Publication date: 2012-05-18
Anticipated expiration: 2013-05-11
Also published as: WO2012065066A3

Abstract

An amphibious vessel is capable of operating efficiently as both a catamaran surface effect ship for travel on water and as an air cushion vessel and can travel to water from land, land to water or on land. In the catamaran surface effect ship mode, the vessel can operate in displacement mode at low speed or as a surface effect ship at high speed in an air cushion mode. For operation as an air cushion vehicle, the vessel operates with the aid of deployable side seals. The vessel includes catamaran hulls and flexible air cushion bow and stern seal systems. The vessel also employs retractable side seals having hinged doors that hold inflatable, retractable flexible components. The doors form part of the side seal system in a deployed position, and protect the flexible components of the seal in a retracted position. The arrangement reduces the drag associated with the side seals while the vessel operates in its catamaran or surface effect ship modes, and prevents damage to the seals during operation in the high speeds surface effect ship or SES mode.

Description

PATENT APPLICATION

PCT Attorney Docket No. TMLS0901WO (98238.18WO) TITLE OF THE INVENTION

CATAMARAN AMPHIBIOUS VESSEL INVENTOR: DUBOSE, W., Keith, a US citizen, of 14146 River Road, Pensacola, FL

32507, US.

ASSIGNEE: TEXTRON INC. (a Delaware, US, corporation), of 1010 GAUSE

BOULEVARD, Slidell, LA, 70458 US.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Priority of US Patent Application Serial No. 12/944,087, filed 11 November

2010, hereby incorporated herein by reference, is hereby claimed. In the US, this is a continuation of US Patent Application Serial No. 12/944,087, filed 11 November 2010.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR

DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable

REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an amphibious catamaran vessel. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved amphibious catamaran vessel that can be selectively operated as a surface effect ship or as an air cushion vehicle. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to an amphibious vessel having a storable inflatable/deflatable skirt arrangement that employs one or more hinged frames or doors, wherein the skirt is storable behind the doors or frames when the skirt is deflated and the door or frame is moved to an upper skirt storage position holding the deflated skirt in between the door or frame and an outer surface of a hull.

2. General Background of the Invention

In general, air cushion vessels or ships, also known as surface effect ships, are known. Examples of air cushion vessels or ships disclosed in US Patents are listed in the following table. TABLE 1

US Pat/Pub. No. Title Date

MM/DD/YYYY

1,976,046 Waterfoil 10/09/1934

2,405,115 Floating Structure 08/06/1946

3,065,723 Supercavitating Hydrofoils 11/27/1962

3,077,173 Base Ventilated Hydrofoil 02/12/1963

3,141,436 Hydrofoil Assisted Air 07/21/1964

Cushion Boat

3,458,007 Captured Air Bubble (CAB) 07/29/1969

Ground Effect Machine

3,621,932 Gas-Cushion Vehicles 11/23/1971

3,917,022 Twin Cushion Surface Effect 11/04/1975

Vehicle

3,987,865 Gas-Cushion Vehicle Skirt 10/26/1976

4,469,334 Sealing System For The Air 09/04/1984

Cushion Of An Air-Cushion

Vessel

4,489,667 Surface Effect Ship Seals 12/25/1984

4,506,618 Propeller And Keel 03/26/1985

Arrangement For Surface

Effect Ships

4,535,712 Variable Air Cushion Mode 08/20/1985

Vehicle

4,543,901 Surface Effect Ship Air 10/01/1985

Cushion Seal System

4,646,866 Surface Effect Type, Side 03/03/1987

Keel Vessel Fitted With An

Improved Forward Buoyancy

Cushion Seal Apparatus

4,660,492 Catamaran Air Cushion Water 04/28/1987

Vehicle 4,708,077 Hull Shapes For Surface 11/24/1987 Effect Ship With Side Walls

And Two Modes Of

Operation

4,714,041 Structure of surface effect 12/22/1987 ship with side walls

4,739,719 Movable bow seal air ride 04/26/1988 boat hull

4,767,367 Integrated Combination 08/30/1988

Propeller Drive Shaft

Fairing and Water Intake

Sea Chest Arrangement, For

High Speed Operating Marine

Craft

5,651,327 Displacement, Submerged 07/29/1997

Displacement, Air Cushion

Hydrofoil Ferry Boat

5,711,494 Aero-Hydroglider 01/27/1998 5,934,215 Stabilized Air Cushioned 08/10/1999

Marine Vehicle

6,293,216 Surface Effect Ship (SES) 09/25/2001

Hull Configuration Having

Improved High Speed

Performance and Handling

Characteristics

6,439,148 Low-Drag, High-Speed Ship 08/27/2002 2003/0000440 Air Assisted Landing Craft 01/02/2003 6,526,903 High speed M-shaped boat hull 03/04/2003 6,609,472 Stable efficient air 08/26/2003 lubricated ship

6,619,220 Hybrid SES/hovercraft with 09/16/2003

Retractable Skirt System 2005/0211150 Variable Hybrid Catamaran 09/29/2005 Air Cushion Ship

2005/0236200 Wrapped-cone fingers for 10/27/2005

skirt systems

7,013,826 Hybrid Catamaran Air Cushion 03/21/2006

Ship

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a catamaran amphibious vessel that can operate as a surface effect ship (on water) or as an air cushion vehicle (on land). The vessel has spaced apart hulls connected with a platform and a propulsion system for propelling the hulls. Forward and aft flexible seals enable pressurized air to be contained in an air space that is positioned generally in between the hulls and in between the forward and aft flexible seals. The hull has a powered lift fan system for transmitting pressurized air to the air space.

Each hull has an outer surface having one or more longitudinally extending frames or doors that pivot at a hinge between an upper closed and a lower open position.

For placing the skirt in the storage position, the skirt is first deflated. Once deflated, one or more tensile members pull the skirt upwardly toward the side of the hull above the frame pivot. The frame or door then pivots from a lower position to an upper position wherein the frame or door is next to the outer surface of the hull above the hinge. The deflated skirt is then contained in between the frame and the outer surface of the hull. In this storage position, the frame is pivoted to an upper closed position where it is connected to the hull with one or more latch mechanisms. The hull can provide a recess that is receptive of the deflated skirt. The door or frame can be offset from the pivoting drum to provide additional space in between the door or frame and the hull.

In one embodiment, the vessel is operable at planning speeds or at displacement speeds on water when the skirt is in the stored skirt position.

In one embodiment, the vessel is operable on land as an air cushion vehicle when the skirt is in the inflated position.

In one embodiment, the tensile members are straps, each strap wound upon a winch that winches in or pays out the strap. In one embodiment, one or more latches secure the frame to the hull in the frame lower or frame open position.

In one embodiment, one or more latches secure the frame to the hull in the frame upper or frame closed position.

In one embodiment, the hinge is in the form of a drum and is a powered hinge.

In one embodiment, a hydraulic motor rotates the drum/pivot and thus the frame relative to the hull.

In one embodiment, the hinge is a drum or cylinder that is rotatably mounted to the hull.

In one embodiment, the cylinder or drum has a central axis and the frame is offset radially from the central axis of the cylinder or drum.

In one embodiment, a lower latch which locks the door in the lower or open position is below the water line when the hull is traveling on water at a displacement speed.

In one embodiment, the frame is a lattice frame.

In one embodiment, the frame is a truss.

In one embodiment, the tensile members extend to a position that is above the frame when the frame is in the upper, closed position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

For a further understanding of the nature, objects, and advantages of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the attached drawings which are identified as follows:

Figure 1 is an elevation, side view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top or plan view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

Figure 3 is an elevation view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

Figure 4 is an elevation view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

Figure 5 is a schematic sectional, elevation view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

Figure 7 is a partial perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

Figure 8 is a partial perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

Figure 9 is a partial perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

Figure 10 is a partial sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

Figure 11 is a partial sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

Figure 12 is a partial sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

Figure 13 is a partial sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

Figure 14 is a partial sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

Figure 15 is a partial sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

Figure 16 is an elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

Figure 17 is an elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

Figure 18 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; and

Figure 19 is a top or plan view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Figures 1 - 19 show a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, designated generally by the numeral 10 in figures 1 - 5, 7, 8, and 16-19. Amphibious marine vessel 10 is a catamaran style vessel having a port hull 11 and a starboard hull 12. Each hull 11, 12 has an outer side wall. Hull 11 has outer side wall 20. Hull 12 has outer side wall 21. Each hull 11, 12 has an inner hull surface. Hull 11 has inner surface 36. Hull 12 has inner surface 37. Each hull 11, 12 has a bottom or lower hull portion 61. Each hull 11, 12 has an upper hull portion 62. A deck or platform 17 spans between the upper portions 62 of the hulls 11, 12.

A bow skirt or seal 15 extends downwardly from platform 17 at bow 13 and in between hulls 11, 12. A stern skirt or seal 16 extends downwardly from platform 17 at stern 14 and in between hulls 11, 12. At bow 13, forward skirt or seal 15 can be in the form of a plurality of individual finger seals or fingers 22. At stern 14, stern skirt or seal 16 can be in the form of a plurality of individual finger seals or fingers 23. Such skirts 15, 16 can be seen for example in prior US Patents 3,621,932; 3,987,865; and 4,646,866 each hereby incorporated herein by reference.

An air cushion area 18 is provided under platform 17, in between the skirts 15, 16 and in between the hulls 11, 12 (see figures 3 - 5 and 16, 17). Powered fans, blowers 27 or the like are provided on platform 17 for transmitting pressurized air to the air cushion area 18 to form a pressurized air space the enables vessel 10 to operate in a surface effect mode or as a surface effect ship when on water. In figure 10, line 19A indicates the water line when operating in a catamaran displacement mode while line 19C indicates the water line in a planing, surface effect ship mode. If figure 10, line 19B indicates the waterline in a transit mode (i.e., in between surface effect ship planing and catamaran displacement modes).

An intermediate skirt or skirts 24 can be provided to subdivide the air cushion area into separate areas 25, 26. When the fans or blowers 27 are deactivated, the pressurized air cushion 18 is removed and the vessel 10 becomes a catamaran that can operate in displacement mode or on plane when on water.

The vessel 10 of the present invention can also operate as an air cushion vehicle or ACV so that it can travel from water to land, on land, or from land to water. In order for vessel 10 to operate as an air cushion vehicle, it must inflate an inflatable skirt 35. The inflated state of skirt 35 can be seen in figures 3 - 4, 6 - 7, and 12. When on water, the inflatable skirt 35 is normally stored (position 57) in between door or frame 60 and an outer surface 20 or 21 of a hull 11 or 12. Door or frame 60 can be a lattice or truss configuration, comprised of radially extending members 49 and longitudinally extending members 50. In the upper or stored position 57, the inflatable skirt 35 is deflated or collapsed and stored in between the hull 11 or 12 and the frame or door 60 (see figures 5, 9, 10). The inflatable skirt 35 is deflated and stored when operating on water in either a displacement mode or in a planing or surface effect mode. A corner skirt 39 can be provided to fill any gap between the inflatable skirt 35 and the bow skirt/seal 15 or the stern skirt/seal 16 (see figures 6 and 19).

In order to operate the vessel 10 as an air cushion vessel for travel from water to land or for travel from land to water or for travel on land, the storable and inflatable skirt 35 must be inflated. In order to inflate skirt 35, frame or door 60 moves between upper (stored) 57 and lower (deployed) 58 positions. In the lower, deployed position 58, the door or frame 60 pivots out of the way enabling the skirt 35 to be inflated (see figures 3-4, 7,12 and 18 - 19).

Door or frame 60 is movably mounted (e.g., pivotally mounted) to hull 11 or 12 at pivots or drums or cylinders 70. Each drum or cylinder or pivot 70 can be rotated using a power source such as hydraulic drive or motor 73. In one embodiment, a plurality of inflatable skirts 35 are provided, mounted side by side longitudinally along hulls 11, 12. A corresponding plurality of doors or frames are mounted longitudinally along each hull 11 or 12, one door or frame for each skirt 35. As an example, vessel 10 can be 250 feet (76.2 meters) long. Each door or frame 60 can be 20 feet (6.1 meters) long measured longitudinally along hull 11 or 12 so that 11 doors or frames 60 are required for each hull 11, 12. Each door or frame 60 is used to hold an inflatable skirt or skirt portion 35 in a stored 57 position once the skirt 35 is deflated. The deflated skirt 35 is stored in recess 40 in between a door or frame 60 and an outer surface 20 or 21 of a hull 11 or 12 as shown in figures 9 and 10.

Locking devices or latches 41 are provided for locking the door or frame 60 in the upper position of figures 5, 9 and 10. Locking devices or latches 42 are also provided for locking the door or frame 60 in the lower position of figures 3 - 4, 7 and 12.

Figures 8 - 15 show the locking devices or latches 41, 42. When locking the door or frame 60 in an upper position, a pin or shaft 48 is provided at free end or outer end 59 of door or frame 60. The upper latch or locking device 41 is preferably a hydraulic motor 44 operating a locking dog 43 (see Figure 12). The locking dog 43 can include a curved hook 47 that rotates to engage and hold the shaft or pin 48 at free end 59 of door or frame 60. When in the upper position of figures 5, 9 and 10, the skirt is deflated and occupying recess 40 in between door or frame 60 and hull 11 or 12 outer surface 20 or 21.

Lower locking device or latch 42 is seen in figures 9 - 15. Lower locking device or latch 42 employs a hydraulic ram 51 or other motor to move the locking dog or locking member 52 between the unlocked position 46 of figures 11 and 13 and the locked position 45 of figures 12 and 14. The locking member or locking dog 52 rotates upon shaft or bearing 53 responsive to extension or retraction of hydraulic ram 51. An enclosure 54 houses locking member 52 and hydraulic ram 51. Enclosure 54 has opening 55 which is open to the outside, and enables a connection to be made via opening 55 with shackle pin 76 of shackle 74 (see figures 10 - 15). The shackle 74 is pivotally mounted to frame or door 60 at pivot 75. Enclosure 54 is watertight to prevent water from entering hull 11 or 12. However, water can enter enclosure 54, though a sealed plate 56 closes opening 55 when skirt 35 is stored and vessel 10 is in the catamaran or surface effect ship mode.

One or more air ducts 28, 31 are provided in each hull 11, 12 for inflating the skirt portions 35. Arrows 30 in figure 4 illustrate air flow from a powered fan or blower 27 to air duct 28 and then to a discharge 29 that supplies pressurized air to air space area 18. Arrows 32 in figures 4 and 12 illustrate air flow in duct 31 for inflating a skirt or skirt portion 35. Arrow 33 in figure 12 illustrates air flow from one section 63 to another section 64 to another section 65 of inflatable skirt 35. Arrow 34 illustrates discharge of air via ports 66 in lower section 65 which can be a section comprised of individual cones 67. Figures 8 and 11 show a partially deflated position 68. A drum or cylinder 70 on hull 11 or 12 supports door or frame 60. The drum 70 functions as a pivot to rotate and thus move the door or frame 60 between the upper and lower positions.

Each hull 11, 12 has a recess 40 that is receptive of skirt 35 when the skirt 35 has deflated and is to be stored. When skirt 35 is to be deployed, door or frame 60 moves from the upper position of figures 5, 9 and 10 to the lower position of figures 3 - 4, 6 - 7 and 12. To deploy skirt 35, straps or tensile members 69 must be payed out from winch 71. Each tensile member or strap 69 is attached to skirt 35 at attachment position

72. These same straps or tensile members 69 are retracted, wound upon winch 71 when the skirt is deflated and then stored (see figures 7 - 12). The following is a list of suitable for the various elements of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

PARTS LIST

Parts Number Description

10 catamaran vessel

11 port hull

12 starboard hull

13 bow

14 stern

15 forward or bow seal/skirt

16 stern seal/skirt

17 platform

18 air cushion area

19A catamaran water line

19B transit water line

19C surface effect ship water line (h

20 outer side wall port side

21 outer side wall starboard side

22 finger

23 finger

24 intermediate seal/skirt

25 subdivision of air cushion area

26 subdivision of air cushion area

27 blower/fan

28 air duct

29 discharge

30 arrow

31 air duct

32 arrow

33 arrow

34 arrow

35 inflatable skirt 36 inner surface of port side hull

37 inner surface of starboard side hull

39 corner skirt

40 recess for storing inflatable skirt

41 upper latch/door locking apparatus

42 lower latch/door locking apparatus

43 motor operated locking dog

44 motor

45 locked position

46 unlocked position

47 hook/locking member

48 pin/shaft

49 radially extending member

50 longitudinally extending member

51 ram/hydraulic motor

52 locking member/dog

53 shaft/bearing

54 enclosure

55 opening

56 closure plate

57 stored/deflated position

58 deployed/inflated position

59 free end of door/frame

60 door/frame

61 lower hull portion

62 upper hull portion

63 section

64 section

65 section

66 port

67 cone

68 partially deflated position 69 tensile member/strap

70 drum/cylinder

71 winch

72 attachment position

73 motor/hydraulic drive

74 shackle

75 pivot

76 shackle pin All measurements disclosed herein are at standard temperature and pressure, at sea level on Earth, unless indicated otherwise.

The foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only; the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims.

Claims

1. An amphibious vessel, comprising:

a) a pair of space apart hulls that are connected together with a deck;

b) forward and aft skirts that enable a cushion of pressurized air to be contained below the deck and in between the hulls and in between the skirts;

c) each hull having an outer surface having a longitudinally extending frame that pivots at a hinge between upper closed and lower opened positions;

d) an inflatable skirt that can be filled with air to define an inflated position, wherein the skirt is contained in between the frame and the hull when the frame pivots to the closed position, to define a stored skirt position; and

e) one or more tensile members that pull the inflatable skirt upwardly when the inflatable skirt is deflated.

2. The amphibious vessel of claim 1 wherein the vessel is operable at planning speeds or at displacement speeds on water when the inflatable skirt is in the stored skirt position.

3. The amphibious vessel of claim 1 wherein the vessel is operable on land as an air cushion vehicle when the inflatable skirt is in the inflated position.

4. The amphibious vessel of claim 1 wherein the tensile members are straps, each strap wound upon a winch.

5. The amphibious vessel of claim 1 further comprising one or more latches that secure the frame to the hull in the frame lower opened position.

6. The amphibious vessel of claim 1 further comprising one or more latches that secure the frame to the hull in the frame upper closed position.

7. The amphibious vessel of claim 1 wherein the hinge is a powered hinge.

8. The amphibious vessel of claim 1 wherein a hydraulic motor rotates the frame relative to the hull.

9. The amphibious vessel of claim 1 wherein the hinge is a cylinder that is rotatably mounted to the hull.

10. The amphibious vessel of claim 9 wherein the frame is attached to the cylinder.

11. The amphibious vessel of claim 10 wherein the cylinder has a central axis and the frame is offset radially from the central axis of the cylinder.

12. The amphibious vessel of claim 1 further comprising a latch and wherein the latch is below the hull water line when the vessel is traveling on water at a displacement speed.

13. The amphibious vessel of claim 1 wherein the frame is a lattice frame.

14. The amphibious vessel of claim 1 wherein the frame is a truss.

15. The amphibious vessel of claim 1 wherein the tensile members extend to a position that is above the frame when the frame is in the upper closed position.

16. An amphibious vessel, comprising:

a) a pair of spaced apart hulls that are connected with a deck to form a catamaran with a bow and a stern, each hull having a side facing outboard;

b) a bow skirt and a stern skirt, said skirts enabling a cushion of pressurized air to be contained below the deck and in between the hulls and in between the skirts; c) multiple longitudinally extending frames attached to the hulls;

d) one or more hinges that secure the frames to the hulls, each frame pivoting at a hinge between upper closed and lower opened positions;

e) an inflatable skirt that can be filled with air to define an inflated state and discharged of air to define a deflated state, wherein the skirt in the deflated state can be contained in between the frame and the hull wherein the frame is moved to the closed position;

f) one or more tensile members that enable the inflatable skirt to be pulled upwardly when the inflatable skirt is deflated; and

g) the inflatable skirt extending below the frame when in the inflated state.

17. The amphibious vessel of claim 16 wherein the frame is comprised of a plurality of radially extending members extending from the hinge.

18. The amphibious vessel of claim 17 wherein the frame is comprised of a plurality of longitudinally extending members spanning between the radially extending members.

19. The amphibious vessel of claim 16 further comprising one or more latches that secure the frame to the hull in the frame lower opened position.

20. The amphibious vessel of claim 16 further comprising one or more latches that secure the frame to the hull at a position spaced away from the hinge.

21. The amphibious vessel of claim 16 wherein the hinge is a powered hinge.

22. The amphibious vessel of claim 16 wherein the inflatable skirt extends to a position above the frame when the skirt is inflated.

23. The amphibious vessel of claim 20 wherein the hinge is a cylinder.

24. The amphibious vessel of claim 23 wherein the hinge is a cylinder having a central longitudinal axis and the frame is offset radially from said axis.

25. The amphibious vessel of claim 23 wherein the frame is tapered, having a thicker portion next to the hinge and a smaller portion next to a frame free end spaced away from the hinge.

26. The inventions substantially as shown and described herein.