Augmented thrust waterjet propulsor

Abstract

Presented is a new waterjet propulsor that is primarily intended for application to marine vehicles such as boats or ships having significant underwater hull portions, boats having underwater hull portions that support above water hulls by means of struts or the like, submarines, torpedoes, or the like but with particular application to large vessels. These can include versions of air cushioned craft and hydrofoils. The water flowing over underwater hull portions forward of the waterjet's inlet, in the preferred embodiment of the instant invention, extends around a majority of a periphery of the underwater hull portion. Special shapes for these underwater hull portions as well as air and boundary layer fences are employed. The absorption of hull boundary layer water results in enhanced efficiency for the waterjet propulsor. Use of external housing shapes on the waterjet propulsor that angle inward going aft from the waterjet inlet results in a forward thrust component on such housings.

What I claim is:  
     
         1 . In an improved waterjet propulsor, the improvement comprising: 
 said improved waterjet propulsor in mechanical communication with and propelling a marine vehicle that has an underwater hull portion positioned, at least in its majority, forward of said improved waterjet propulsor, an external surface emanating from proximal a water inlet of said improved waterjet propulsor, in its majority over its longitudinal length going from forward to aft, angles inward toward a discharge jet of said improved waterjet propulsor.    
     
     
         2 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 1  wherein said improved waterjet propulsor's water inlet, in a sum total of its openings, encompasses a majority of 180 degrees of a periphery, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion, of the underwater hull portion.  
     
     
         3 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 1  wherein said improved waterjet propulsor's water inlet, in a sum total of its openings, encompasses a majority of 360 degrees of a periphery, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion, of the underwater hull portion.  
     
     
         4 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 1  wherein a majority of the waterjet propulsor's water inlet is flush with portions of the underwater hull portion forward of said water inlet.  
     
     
         5 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 1  wherein said waterjet propulsor's water inlet over its forward portion where it intersects with an underwater hull surface, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion, is at least partially curvilinear in shape.  
     
     
         6 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 5  wherein said water inlet's curvilinear shape, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion, extends, as a total of its parts, over a majority of 180 degrees of its periphery.  
     
     
         7 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 5  wherein said water inlet's curvilinear shape, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion, extends, as a total of its parts, over a majority of 360 degrees of its periphery.  
     
     
         8 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 1  wherein said waterjet propulsor's water inlet over its forward portion where it intersects with an underwater hull surface, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion, is at least partially made up of circular-arc shapes.  
     
     
         9 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 1  wherein an underwater hull surface proximal to and forward of said water inlet, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion, is at least partially curvilinear in shape.  
     
     
         10 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 9  wherein said underwater hull surface's curvilinear shape, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion proximal to and forward of said water inlet, extends, as a total of its parts, over a majority of 180 degrees of its periphery.  
     
     
         11 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 9  wherein said water underwater hull surface's curvilinear shape, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion proximal to and forward of said water inlet, extends, as a total of its parts, over a majority of 360 degrees of its periphery.  
     
     
         12 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 1  wherein an underwater hull surface proximal to and forward of said water inlet, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion, is at least partially made of circular-arc shapes.  
     
     
         13 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 1  wherein the external surface emanating from proximal a water inlet of said improved waterjet propulsor, in its majority going from forward to aft, angles inward toward a discharge jet of said improved waterjet propulsor by an angle of less than twelve degrees.  
     
     
         14 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 1  wherein the external surface emanating from proximal a water inlet of said improved waterjet propulsor, in its majority going from forward to aft, angles inward toward a discharge jet of said improved waterjet propulsor by an angle of less than eighteen degrees.  
     
     
         15 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 1  which further comprises water inlet guide vanes where said water inlet guide vanes are in mechanical communication with the underwater hull portion and with sections of the improved waterjet propulsor.  
     
     
         16 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 15  wherein the water inlet guide vanes are at least in part airfoil shaped.  
     
     
         17 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 1  wherein the waterjet propulsor's water inlet, when the improved waterjet propulsor is propelling the marine vehicle forward, takes in a majority of its water from a boundary layer around the outside of the underwater hull portion.  
     
     
         18 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 1  wherein the waterjet propulsor's water inlet, when the improved waterjet propulsor is propelling the marine vehicle forward, takes in less than fifteen percent of the boundary layer thickness proximal to and forward of said water inlet.  
     
     
         19 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 1  wherein the waterjet propulsor's water inlet, when the improved waterjet propulsor is propelling the marine vehicle forward, takes in less than twenty-five percent of the boundary layer thickness proximal to and forward of said water inlet.  
     
     
         20 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 1  wherein the waterjet propulsor's water inlet, when the waterjet propulsor is propelling the marine vehicle forward, takes in less than fifty percent of the boundary layer thickness proximal to and forward of said water inlet.  
     
     
         21 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 1  wherein said marine vehicle has an above water hull portion in mechanical communication with said underwater hull portion by means of strut-like members.  
     
     
         22 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 1  wherein said marine vehicle includes an artificially pressurized gas cushion disposed in its underside.  
     
     
         23 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 22  wherein said underwater hull portion is, in its majority, disposed to one side of said artificially pressurized gas cushion.  
     
     
         24 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 23  which further comprises a second improved waterjet propulsor said second improved waterjet propulsor in mechanical communication with a second underwater hull portion positioned, at least in its majority, to one side of said artificially pressurized gas cushion.  
     
     
         25 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 1  which further comprises structure extending outward from the submerged hull portion and proximal to and, at least in its majority, at a higher elevation than the water inlet wherein said structure acts as an air fence to restrict surface air from being drawn into the water inlet.  
     
     
         26 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 1  which further comprises structure extending outward from the submerged hull portion and proximal to and, at least in its majority, at a higher elevation than the water inlet wherein said structure acts as a boundary layer flow control means.  
     
     
         27 . In an improved waterjet propulsor, the improvement comprising: 
 said improved waterjet propulsor in mechanical communication with and propelling a marine vehicle that has an underwater hull portion positioned, at least in its majority, forward of said improved waterjet propulsor, and said improved waterjet propulsor has a water inlet that, in a sum total of its openings, encompasses a majority of 180 degrees of a periphery, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion, of the underwater hull portion, an underwater hull surface proximal to and forward of said water inlet, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion, is at least partially curvilinear in shape, and wherein said underwater hull surface's curvilinear shape, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion proximal to and forward of said water inlet, extends, as a total of its parts, over a majority of 180 degrees of its periphery.    
     
     
         28 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 27  wherein said improved waterjet propulsor's water inlet, in a sum total of its openings, encompasses a majority of 360 degrees of a periphery, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion, of the underwater hull portion.  
     
     
         29 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 27  wherein a majority of the waterjet propulsor's water inlet is flush with portions of the underwater hull portion forward of said water inlet.  
     
     
         30 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 27  wherein said waterjet propulsor's water inlet over its forward portion where it intersects with an underwater hull surface, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion, is at least partially curvilinear in shape.  
     
     
         31 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 30  wherein said water inlet's curvilinear shape, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion, extends, as a total of its parts, over a majority of 180 degrees of its periphery.  
     
     
         32 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 30  wherein said water inlet's curvilinear shape, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion, extends, as a total of its parts, over a majority of 360 degrees of its periphery.  
     
     
         33 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 27  wherein said waterjet propulsor's water inlet over its forward portion where it intersects with an underwater hull surface, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion, is at least partially made up of circular-arc sections.  
     
     
         34 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 27  wherein said marine vehicle has an above water hull portion in mechanical communication with said underwater hull portion by means of a strut-like member.  
     
     
         35 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 27  wherein said water underwater hull surface's curvilinear shape, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion proximal to and forward of said water inlet, extends, as a total of its parts, over a majority of 360 degrees of its periphery.  
     
     
         36 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 27  wherein an underwater hull surface proximal to and forward of said water inlet, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion, is at least partially made up of circular-arc shapes.  
     
     
         37 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 27  which further comprises water inlet guide vanes where said water inlet guide vanes are in mechanical communication with the underwater hull portion and with sections of the improved waterjet propulsor.  
     
     
         38 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 37  wherein the water inlet guide vanes are at least in part airfoil shaped.  
     
     
         39 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 27  wherein the waterjet propulsor's water inlet, when the improved waterjet propulsor is propelling the marine vehicle forward, takes in a majority of its water from a boundary layer around the outside of the underwater hull portion.  
     
     
         40 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 27  wherein the waterjet propulsor's water inlet, when the improved waterjet propulsor is propelling the marine vehicle forward, takes in less than fifteen percent of the boundary layer thickness proximal to and forward of said water inlet.  
     
     
         41 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 27  wherein the waterjet propulsor's water inlet, when the improved waterjet propulsor is propelling the marine vehicle forward, takes in less than twenty-five percent of the boundary layer thickness proximal to and forward of said water inlet.  
     
     
         42 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 27  wherein the waterjet propulsor's water inlet, when the waterjet propulsor is propelling the marine vehicle forward, takes in less than fifty percent of the boundary layer thickness proximal to and forward of said water inlet.  
     
     
         43 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 27  wherein an external surface emanating from proximal a water inlet of said improved waterjet propulsor, in its majority over its longitudinal length going from forward to aft, angles inward toward a discharge jet of said improved waterjet propulsor.  
     
     
         44 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 43  wherein the external surface emanating from proximal a water inlet of said improved waterjet propulsor, in its majority going from forward to aft, angles inward toward a discharge jet of said improved waterjet propulsor by an angle of less than twelve degrees.  
     
     
         45 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 27  which further comprises structure extending outward from the submerged hull portion and proximal to and, at least in its majority, at a higher elevation than the water inlet wherein said structure acts as an air fence to restrict surface air from being drawn into the water inlet.  
     
     
         46 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 27  which further comprises structure extending outward from the submerged hull portion and proximal to and, at least in its majority, at a higher elevation than the water inlet wherein said structure acts as a boundary layer flow control means.  
     
     
         47 . In an improved waterjet propulsor, the improvement comprising: 
 said improved waterjet propulsor in mechanical communication with and propelling a marine vehicle that has an underwater hull portion positioned, at least in its majority, forward of said improved waterjet propulsor, said marine vehicle including an artificially pressurized gas cushion disposed in its underside, and said improved waterjet propulsor has a water inlet that, in a sum total of its openings, encompasses a majority of 180 degrees of a periphery, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion, of the underwater hull portion.    
     
     
         48 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 47  wherein said underwater hull portion is disposed, in its majority, to one side of said artificially pressurized gas cushion.  
     
     
         49 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 47  which further comprises a second improved waterjet propulsor said second improved waterjet propulsor in mechanical communication with a second underwater hull portion positioned, at least in its majority, to one side of said artificially pressurized gas cushion.  
     
     
         50 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 47  wherein said improved waterjet propulsor's water inlet, in a sum total of its openings, encompasses a majority of 180 degrees of a periphery, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion, of the underwater hull portion.  
     
     
         51 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 47  wherein said improved waterjet propulsor's water inlet, in a sum total of its openings, encompasses a majority of 360 degrees of a periphery, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion, of the underwater hull portion.  
     
     
         52 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 47  wherein a majority of the waterjet propulsor's water inlet is flush with portions of the underwater hull portion forward of said water inlet.  
     
     
         53 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 47  wherein said waterjet propulsor's water inlet over its forward portion where it intersects with an underwater hull surface, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion, is at least partially curvilinear in shape.  
     
     
         54 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 53  wherein said water inlet's curvilinear shape, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion, extends, as a total of its parts, over a majority of 180 degrees of its periphery.  
     
     
         55 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 53  wherein said water inlet's curvilinear shape, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion, extends, as a total of its parts, over a majority of 360 degrees of its periphery.  
     
     
         56 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 47  wherein said waterjet propulsor's water inlet over its forward portion where it intersects with an underwater hull surface, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion, is at least partially made up of circular-arc sections.  
     
     
         57 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 47  wherein an underwater hull surface proximal to and forward of said water inlet, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion, is at least partially curvilinear in shape.  
     
     
         58 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 57  wherein said underwater hull surface's curvilinear shape, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion proximal to and forward of said water inlet, extends, as a total of its parts, over a majority of 180 degrees of its periphery.  
     
     
         59 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 57  wherein said water underwater hull surface's curvilinear shape, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion proximal to and forward of said water inlet, extends, as a total of its parts, over a majority of 360 degrees of its periphery.  
     
     
         60 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 47  wherein an underwater hull surface proximal to and forward of said water inlet, as seen in vertical transverse planes of the underwater hull portion, is at least partially made up of circular-arc shapes.  
     
     
         61 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 47  wherein an external surface emanating from proximal a water inlet of said improved waterjet propulsor, in its majority over its longitudinal length going from forward to aft, angles inward toward a discharge jet of said improved waterjet propulsor.  
     
     
         62 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 47  wherein the external surface emanating from proximal a water inlet of said improved waterjet propulsor, in its majority going from forward to aft, angles inward toward a discharge jet of said improved waterjet propulsor by an angle of less than twelve degrees.  
     
     
         63 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 47  which further comprises water inlet guide vanes where said water inlet guide vanes are in mechanical communication with the underwater hull portion and with sections of the improved waterjet propulsor.  
     
     
         64 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 63  wherein the water inlet guide vanes are at least in part airfoil shaped.  
     
     
         65 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 47  wherein the waterjet propulsor's water inlet, when the improved waterjet propulsor is propelling the marine vehicle forward, takes in a majority of its water from a boundary layer around the outside of the underwater hull portion.  
     
     
         66 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 47  wherein the waterjet propulsor's water inlet, when the improved waterjet propulsor is propelling the marine vehicle forward, takes in less than fifteen percent of the boundary layer thickness proximal to and forward of said water inlet.  
     
     
         67 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 47  wherein the waterjet propulsor's water inlet, when the improved waterjet propulsor is propelling the marine vehicle forward, takes in less than twenty-five percent of the boundary layer thickness proximal to and forward of said water inlet.  
     
     
         68 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 47  wherein the waterjet propulsor's water inlet, when the improved waterjet propulsor is propelling the marine vehicle forward, takes in less than fifty percent of the boundary layer thickness proximal to and forward of said water inlet.  
     
     
         69 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 47  which further comprises structure extending outward from the submerged hull portion and proximal to and, at least in its majority, at a higher elevation than the water inlet wherein said structure acts as an air fence to restrict surface air from being drawn into the water inlet.  
     
     
         70 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 47  which further comprises structure extending outward from the submerged hull portion and proximal to and, at least in its majority, at a higher elevation than the water inlet wherein said structure acts as a boundary layer flow control means.  
     
     
         71 . The improved waterjet propulsor of  claim 47  wherein said marine vehicle has an above water hull portion in mechanical communication with said underwater hull portion by means of a strut-like member.