Ships – Hull or hull adjunct employing fluid dynamic forces to... – Having hydrofoil
Patent
1994-07-26
1995-12-12
Sotelo, Jesus D.
Ships
Hull or hull adjunct employing fluid dynamic forces to...
Having hydrofoil
114279, B63B 130
Patent
active
054740118
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to watercraft generally and more particularly to hydrofoil watercraft.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There exists a variety of watercraft including hydrofoils. A preferred embodiment of watercraft including a retractable hydrofoil is described in applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,715,304 and in the references cited therein.
There exists a general problem of shock absorption in watercraft, which has long ago been solved for land vehicles. In watercraft the hull is directly impacted by surface variations in the water and the impact affects passengers and vehicle operators in the bridge and on the decks of the craft. High speed operation of watercraft of a size and weight which is sensitive to such impacts often results in discomfort and even injury to operators and often requires limitations in operating speeds of watercraft, which would otherwise not be required.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention seeks to provide improved watercraft which provides shock absorption between a water engaging surface and at least a portion of the hull.
There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, watercraft including a hull, a plurality of foils mounted in the hull for engaging a water surface and shock absorbing means associated with the plurality of foils for coupling the plurality of foils to at least a portion of the hull and providing at least partial absorption of shocks received from waves.
The term "foil" is to be understood in a broad sense to include any hydrodynamic surface which is separate from the hull of the watercraft.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the plurality of foils may be retractable.
Preferably the shock absorbing apparatus includes pivotably mounted shock absorbers engaging the plurality of foils on opposite surfaces thereof.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the shock absorbing apparatus includes apparatus for accommodating variations in the position of the plurality of foils.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the foils include shock absorber engagement grooves formed in opposite surfaces thereof and the shock absorbing apparatus includes apparatus for engaging the grooves at different locations therealong depending on the positions of the foils.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention there is provided shock absorber mounted apparatus for selectably retracting the plurality of foils.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention the shock absorber mounted apparatus for selectably retracting the plurality of foils includes a motor driven worm gear assembly operatively engaging a threaded groove formed on a surface of each of the plurality of foils.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the plurality of foils includes a main portion and a tip portion which is selectably positionable relative to the main portion.
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention there is provided automatically operable hydraulic apparatus for positioning the tip portion relative to the main portion as a function of the angular orientation of the foil.
In all of the following operational modes, the system comprises a hull including hydrofoils, the hull being affected by waves all of the time or part of the time.
The foils may operate as full hydrofoils supporting the entire weight of the craft or as partial hydrofoils supporting only part of the weight of the craft, while the rest of the weight is supported by buoyancy or dynamically by a planing bottom having a sufficient planing surface to create required lift. The foils may operate not only as hydrofoils but also as planing surfaces extending the natural hull planing surface, enabling a craft to maintain planing at a higher displacement. In this mode, part of the foil surface may act as a planing surface, while the part submerged in
REFERENCES:
patent: 3236202 (1966-02-01), Quady et al.
patent: 3661110 (1972-05-01), Pont
patent: 4080922 (1978-03-01), Brubaker
patent: 4955312 (1990-09-01), Magazzu' 114280
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