Surface effect ship enhancements

Abstract

Presented is an enhanced Surface Effect Ship (SES) that offers the high efficiencies of the pressurized air cushion supported generic flexible bow and stern seal SES but without the generic SES's shortcomings that are due largely to its 80 percent total hull width flexible bow and stem seals. This is accomplished in the instant invention by use of forward extending rigid bow members positioned both sides of a pressurized hull supporting gas cushion where the width of the sidehulls make up a majority of the width of the instant invention enhanced surface effect ship with the remainder, less than 35 percent of vessel width normally, made up by a moveable seal member disposed between the bow members. Gas cushions may extend forward into undersides of the bow members to further reduce wetted area resistance. Longitudinally oriented fluid fences may be incorporated to at least partially separate portions of the gas cushion and thereby dampen pressure perturbations in the gas cushion(s).

What I claim is:  
     
         1 . In an enhanced surface effect ship wherein said enhanced surface effect ship includes port and starboard sidehulls and is supported upon a water surface in part at least one artificially pressurized gas cushion, the improvement comprising: 
 a port and a starboard bow member wherein water contacting portions of said port and starboard bow members extend, as seen when the enhanced surface effect ship is moving forward at high speed in a calm sea at a bow up trim angle of one and one-half degrees, forward of an average of longitudinal positions, as seen in longitudinal vertical planes of the enhanced surface effect ship, of forward water contacting portions of a moveable gas seal member by at least ten percent of a waterline length of the enhanced surface effect ship and wherein said moveable gas seal member is disposed, at least in part, between the port and starboard bow members and wherein said forward moveable gas seal member is moveable in relation to a hull of the enhanced surface effect ship.    
     
     
         2 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 1  wherein water contacting portions of said port and starboard bow members extend, as seen when the enhanced surface effect ship is moving forward at high speed in a calm sea at a bow up trim angle of one and one-half degrees, forward of an average of longitudinal positions, as seen in longitudinal vertical planes of the enhanced surface effect ship, of forward water contacting portions of a moveable gas seal member by at least fifteen percent of a waterline length of the enhanced surface effect ship.  
     
     
         3 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 1  wherein water contacting portions of said port and starboard bow members extend, as seen when the enhanced surface effect ship is moving forward at high speed in a calm sea at a bow up trim angle of one and one-half degrees, forward of an average of longitudinal positions, as seen in longitudinal vertical planes of the enhanced surface effect ship, of forward water contacting portions of a moveable gas seal member by at least twenty percent of a waterline length of the enhanced surface effect ship  
     
     
         4 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 1  wherein water contacting portions of said port and starboard bow members extend, as seen when the enhanced surface effect ship is moving forward at high speed in a calm sea at a bow up trim angle of one and one-half degrees, forward of an average of longitudinal positions, as seen in longitudinal vertical planes of the enhanced surface effect ship, of forward water contacting portions of a moveable gas seal member by at least twenty-five percent of a waterline length of the enhanced surface effect ship  
     
     
         5 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 1  wherein forward water contacting portions of said port and starboard bow members further comprise artificially pressurized gas cushion portions disposed in their undersides.  
     
     
         6 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 5  wherein the artificially pressurized gas cushion portions disposed in the undersides of the port and starboard bow members extend, as seen when the enhanced surface effect ship is moving forward at high speed in a calm sea at a bow up trim angle of one and one-half degrees, forward of an average of longitudinal position, as seen in longitudinal vertical planes of the enhanced surface effect ship, of forward water contacting portions of a moveable gas seal member.  
     
     
         7 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 5  wherein the artificially pressurized gas cushion portions disposed in the undersides of the port and starboard bow members extend, as seen when the enhanced surface effect ship is moving forward at high speed in a calm sea at a bow up trim angle of one and one-half degrees, forward of an average of longitudinal position, as seen in longitudinal vertical planes of the enhanced surface effect ship, of forward water contacting portions of a moveable gas seal member by at least five percent of a waterline length of the enhanced surface effect ship.  
     
     
         8 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 5  wherein the artificially pressurized gas cushion portions disposed in the undersides of the port and starboard bow members extend, as seen when the enhanced surface effect ship is moving forward at high speed in a calm sea at a bow up trim angle of one and one-half degrees, forward of an average of longitudinal position, as seen in longitudinal vertical planes of the enhanced surface effect ship, of forward water contacting portions of a moveable gas seal member by at least ten percent of a waterline length of the enhanced surface effect ship.  
     
     
         9 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 5  wherein the gas cushion portions disposed in the undersides of the port and starboard bow members diverge either side of vertical sidehull longitudinal planes going aft from their forward portions.  
     
     
         10 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 9  wherein said vertical longitudinal planes are vertical longitudinal centerline planes of the port and starboard sidehulls.  
     
     
         11 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 1  wherein water contacting portions of said moveable gas seal member disposed between the port and starboard sidehulls extends over less than twenty percent of an overall width of the enhanced surface effect ship proximal the moveable gas seal member.  
     
     
         12 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 1  wherein water contacting portions of said moveable gas seal member disposed between the port and starboard bow members extends over less than twenty-five percent of an overall width of the enhanced surface effect ship proximal the moveable gas seal member.  
     
     
         13 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 1  wherein water contacting portions of said moveable gas seal member disposed between the port and starboard bow members extends over less than thirty percent of an overall width of the enhanced surface effect ship proximal the moveable gas seal member.  
     
     
         14 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 1  wherein water contacting portions of said moveable gas seal member disposed between the port and starboard bow members extends over less than thirty-five percent of an overall width of the enhanced surface effect ship proximal the moveable gas seal member.  
     
     
         15 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 1  wherein inboard portions of the port and starboard sidehulls are truncated over a portion of their length aft of their bow portions.  
     
     
         16 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 15  wherein truncated aft extending portions of said port and starboard sidehulls extend downward from surfaces of a gas cushion recess to thereby form, at least partially, fluid fences that at least partially separate portions of the artificially pressurized gas cushion.  
     
     
         17 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 15  wherein, when the enhanced surface effect ship is moving forward at high speed in a calm sea at a one and one-half degree bow up trim angle, said fluid fences of said port and starboard sidehulls are not in contact with a water surface over a majority of their length.  
     
     
         18 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 1  wherein the port and starboard bow members diverge either side of vertical sidehull longitudinal planes going aft from forward portions of their bows.  
     
     
         19 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 18  wherein said vertical sidehull longitudinal planes are vertical sidehull centerline planes of the port and starboard sidehulls.  
     
     
         20 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 1  wherein a gas cushion aft seal member, as seen in a vertical transverse plane of the enhanced surface effect ship, comprises at least two inverted-V shaped portions.  
     
     
         21 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 1  wherein a gas cushion aft seal member, as seen in a vertical transverse plane of the enhanced surface effect ship includes a moveable, in relation to the hull of the enhanced surface effect ship, gas cushion aft seal section wherein said moveable gas cushion aft seal section is no more than thirty five percent of the width of the enhanced surface effect ship as seen in a vertical transverse plane of the hull of the enhanced surface effect ship.  
     
     
         22 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 1  which further comprises longitudinally oriented fluid fences that extend downward from surfaces of a gas cushion recess.  
     
     
         23 . In an enhanced surface effect ship wherein said enhanced surface effect ship includes port and starboard sidehulls and is supported upon a water surface in part by at least one artificially pressurized gas cushion, the improvement comprising: 
 a port and a starboard bow member wherein water contacting portions of said port and starboard bow members extend, as seen when the enhanced surface effect ship is moving forward at high speed in a calm sea at a bow up trim angle of one and one-half degrees, forward of an average of longitudinal positions, as seen in longitudinal vertical planes of the enhanced surface effect ship, of forward water contacting portions of a moveable gas seal member and wherein said moveable gas seal member is disposed, at least in part, between the port and starboard bow members and wherein said moveable gas seal member is moveable in relation to a hull of the enhanced surface effect ship and wherein forward water contacting portions of said port and starboard bow members further comprise artificially pressurized gas cushion portions disposed in their undersides.    
     
     
         24 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 23  wherein water contacting portions of said port and starboard bow members extend, as seen when the enhanced surface effect ship is moving forward at high speed in a calm sea at a bow up trim angle of one and one-half degrees, forward of an average of longitudinal positions, as seen in longitudinal vertical planes of the enhanced surface effect ship, of forward water contacting portions of a moveable gas seal member by at least ten percent of a waterline length of the enhanced surface effect ship.  
     
     
         25 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 23  wherein water contacting portions of said port and starboard bow members extend, as seen when the enhanced surface effect ship is moving forward at high speed in a calm sea at a bow up trim angle of one and one-half degrees, forward of an average of longitudinal positions, as seen in longitudinal vertical planes of the enhanced surface effect ship, of forward water contacting portions of a moveable gas seal member by at least fifteen percent of a waterline length of the enhanced surface effect ship.  
     
     
         26 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 23  wherein the artificially pressurized gas cushion portions disposed in the undersides of the port and starboard bow members extend, as seen when the enhanced surface effect ship is moving forward at high speed in a calm sea at a bow up trim angle of one and one-half degrees, forward of an average of longitudinal positions, as seen in longitudinal vertical planes of the enhanced surface effect ship, of forward water contacting portions of a moveable gas seal member.  
     
     
         27 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 26  wherein the artificially pressurized gas cushion portions disposed in the undersides of the port and starboard bow members extend, as seen when the enhanced surface effect ship is moving forward at high speed in a calm sea at a bow up trim angle of one and one-half degrees, forward of an average of longitudinal positions, as seen in longitudinal vertical planes of the enhanced surface effect ship, of forward water contacting portions of a moveable gas seal member by at least five percent of a waterline length of the enhanced surface effect ship.  
     
     
         28 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 26  wherein the artificially pressurized gas cushion portions disposed in the undersides of the port and starboard bow members extend, as seen when the enhanced surface effect ship is moving forward at high speed in a calm sea at a bow up trim angle of one and one-half degrees, forward of an average of longitudinal positions, as seen in longitudinal vertical planes of the enhanced surface effect ship, of forward water contacting portions of a moveable gas seal member by at least ten percent of a waterline length of the enhanced surface effect ship.  
     
     
         29 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 23  wherein the gas cushion portions disposed in the undersides of the port and starboard bow members diverge either side of vertical sidehull longitudinal planes going aft from their forward portions.  
     
     
         30 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 29  wherein said vertical longitudinal planes are vertical longitudinal centerline planes of the port and starboard sidehulls.  
     
     
         31 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 23  wherein water contacting portions of said moveable gas seal member disposed between the port and starboard bow members extends over less than thirty-five percent of an overall width of the enhanced surface effect ship proximal the moveable gas seal member.  
     
     
         32 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 23  wherein inboard portions of the port and starboard sidehulls are truncated over a portion of their length aft of their bow portions.  
     
     
         33 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 32  wherein truncated aft extending portions of said port and starboard sidehulls extend downward from surfaces of a gas cushion recess to thereby form, at least partially, fluid fences that at least partially separate portions of the artificially pressurized gas cushion.  
     
     
         34 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 33  wherein, when the enhanced surface effect ship is moving forward at high speed in a calm sea at a one and one-half degree bow up trim angle, said fluid fences of said port and starboard sidehulls are not in contact with a water surface over a majority of their length.  
     
     
         35 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 23  wherein a gas cushion aft seal member, as seen in a vertical transverse plane of the enhanced surface effect ship, comprises at least two inverted-V shaped portions.  
     
     
         36 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 23  wherein a gas cushion aft seal member, as seen in a vertical transverse plane of the enhanced surface effect ship includes a moveable, in relation to the hull of the enhanced surface effect ship, gas cushion aft seal section wherein said moveable gas cushion aft seal section is no more than thirty five percent of the width of the enhanced surface effect ship as seen in a vertical transverse plane of the hull of the enhanced surface effect ship.  
     
     
         37 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 23  which further comprises longitudinally oriented fluid fences that extend downward from surfaces of a gas cushion recess.  
     
     
         38 . In an enhanced surface effect ship wherein said enhanced surface effect ship includes port and starboard sidehulls and is supported upon a water surface in part by at least one artificially pressurized gas cushion, the improvement comprising: 
 a port and a starboard bow member wherein water contacting portions of said port and starboard bow members extend, as seen when the enhanced surface effect ship is moving forward at high speed in a calm sea at a bow up trim angle of one and one-half degrees, forward of an average of longitudinal positions, as seen in longitudinal vertical planes of the enhanced surface effect ship, of forward water contacting portions of a moveable gas seal member and wherein said moveable gas seal member is disposed, at least in part, between the port and starboard bow members and wherein said moveable gas seal member is moveable in relation to a hull of the enhanced surface effect ship and wherein forward water contacting portions of said port and starboard bow members diverge either side of their water contacting bow portions such that their measured inboard and outboard divergence either side of their water contacting bow portions is numerically within fifty percent of each other.    
     
     
         39 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 38  wherein said port and starboard bow members further comprise artificially pressurized gas cushion portions disposed in their undersides.  
     
     
         40 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 38  wherein inboard portions of the port and starboard sidehulls are truncated over a portion of their length aft of their bow portions.  
     
     
         41 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 38  wherein water contacting portions of said moveable gas seal member disposed between the port and starboard bow members extends over less than thirty-five percent of an overall width of the enhanced surface effect ship proximal the moveable gas seal member.  
     
     
         42 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 38  wherein water contacting portions of said port and starboard bow members extend, as seen when the enhanced surface effect ship is moving forward at high speed in a calm sea at a bow up trim angle of one and one-half degrees, forward of an average of longitudinal positions, as seen in longitudinal vertical planes of the enhanced surface effect ship, of forward water contacting portions of a moveable gas seal member by at least fifteen percent of a waterline length of the enhanced surface effect ship.  
     
     
         43 . The enhanced surface effect ship of  claim 38  which further comprises longitudinally oriented fluid fences that extend downward from surfaces of a gas cushion recess.