Importance

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Abstract

There is disclosed an improved stern seal construction for air cushion surted operating type marine vessels which consists of an array of inflatable, vertically oriented inverted truncated open-ended cones or fingers. These fingers are individually attached to and mounted to depend in side-by-side relation from the bottom of an inflatable bag which in turn is mounted upon and extends transversely across and below the bottom of the stern end of the vessel's hull. The fingers are arranged in side-by-side pressed together relationship, and thus assume in horizontal section generally rectangular forms. In side view sectional profile the finger and bag contours are so balanced that a minimum load at the bottom ends of the fingers will permit them to raise to allow for passages over rough objects. The front or leading panels of the fingers are stiffened somewhat toward their bottom ends, and are extended under the open bottoms of the fingers beyond their trailing panel portions. Thus, the extended portions normally close off the bottom of each finger in the manner of a flap valve, preventing water or other terrain material from entering the bottom of the finger such as would otherwise permit undesirable 'scooping' thereof into the air cushion stern seal system. Furthermore, the fingers are preferably tapered in rear view at their bottom ends so as to provide for each finger an improved inflated shape stability performance when the ship is operating over a terrain surface which intermittently 'falls away' from the bottoms of the fingers.

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First Claim