Abstract:
A watercraft system including one or more air passageways and/or one or more water passageways is provided. The air passageways may extend from an upper surface of the watercraft, through the body of the watercraft, to an underneath surface of the watercraft. The water passageways may extend from an underneath forward or side portion on the watercraft, through the body of the watercraft, to a rear portion of the watercraft. The air and/or water passageways may be constricting from the inlets to the outlets so that the air and/or water is accelerated through the passageways during use of the craft. In this way, the release of the accelerated air and/or water decreases the craft's drag and provides the craft a forward thrust.
Abstract:
A watercraft comprising a compressed air propulsion system is shown and described. The watercraft includes at least one propeller operatively connected to an air motor. Storage tanks supply compressed air having a pressure of at least 2000 psi to a pressure regulator that reduces the pressure and supplies air to an air control valve. User controls adjust the air control valve to adjust the flow rate of air to the air motor which in turn adjusts the direction and/or speed of rotation of the propeller. An on-board air compressor energized by a plurality of lithium iron phosphate batteries provides air to the air storage tanks when the pressure falls below a specified value. In certain examples, the electric and air propulsion system is used to replace a fossil fuel engine in an existing watercraft and can remain at sea longer than the existing watercraft.
Abstract:
The invention is an air propelled boat that has a triangular shaped hydroplaning monohull which has surface adhesion characteristics by means of a concave bottom hull. The invention also has aircraft-like control surfaces (5,6) for safety and control at high speeds. The invention is the only monohull marine craft which produces aerodynamic lift without wings and has air based propulsion (4), air based control surfaces and a unique concave planing hull.
Abstract:
A wide, flat-bottom, buoyant, amphibious hull with a powered articulating member mounted on the deck. The hull has a shallow draft and distributes its weight over a large area and is propelled by at least one engine-driven propeller rotating above the hull. These features cooperatively provide a vehicle capable of performing overhead work, such as installing or servicing power transmission poles, towers, or other structures located in environmentally sensitive wetlands, swamps, marshes, shallow water, or terrain which is not efficiently accessible by other means.
Abstract:
A bellows for protecting a U-joint in a marine stern drive includes a flexible, hollow body defining an interior space and open at opposite ends, the body formed of a thermoplastic elastomer material to be self-supporting, having a first mating end and a second mating end and being pleated therebetween, a first sealing cuff formed of an elastomeric material, softer than the thermoplastic elastomer material, bonded to the first mating end and, a second sealing cuff formed of an elastomeric material, softer than the thermoplastic elastomer material, bonded to the second mating end.
Abstract:
An airfoil section of a propeller for a propulsion device includes a pressure surface and a suction surface, the pressure surface and suction surface intersecting at a leading edge and a trailing edge. The airfoil section has a meanline defined midway between the pressure surface and the suction surface and a meanline angle is defined as an angle between a tangent to the meanline and a centerline of the propeller. The blade has a meanline curvature defined as the slope of a meanline angle with respect to chord fraction along the meanline, and at least a portion of the meanline has a meanline curvature that increases from between approximately 0.1 chord fraction progressing toward the leading edge and at least a portion of the meanline has a meanline curvature that decreases from between approximately 0.1 chord fraction progressing toward the leading edge.
Abstract:
A drive train between a rotor and a transmission having a torque support for a wind turbine generator system, including a rotor shaft extending from the rotor and supported in this area by a first rotor shaft bearing and extending to the transmission for converting the rotor speed into a desired generator speed, wherein the rotor shaft is supported by a second rotor shaft bearing formed in the manner of a moment bearing which is arranged on the input side within the transmission in order to receive the partial rotor forces, moments and weight forces and to directly pass them on to the torque support.
Abstract:
Methods, devices, systems and apparatus of fully knock-down drum fans that can be shipped completely unassembled so that the smallest packaging is used resulting in more units per container and a lower shipping cost per unit. This allows overseas manufacturers to be more competitive with local manufactures. This is achieved through a drum fan design that utilizes completely modular components that can be assembled quickly and easily either by the distributor of the drum fan or the final end user. A drum fan can include a plural identical shroud curved members, with the same number of pie shaped front grill members, and the same number of pie shaped rear grill members, as well as other modular components that are both easy to nest, pack, store and ship with one another. The knock-down fan will significantly reduce packaging size from approximately 50 to approximately 75% less than current drum fans. The knock-down fan is easy to re-assemble, because of modular components, and the knock-down fan size can be applied to any size drum fan from approximately 24″, 36″, and 42″ up to approximately 60″ in diameter.