GB2110169A

GB2110169A - Ram wing craft

Info

Publication number: GB2110169A
Application number: GB08232280A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Rolf Volkhausen
Original assignee: Messerschmitt Bolkow Blohm AG
Current assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
Priority date: 1981-11-28
Filing date: 1982-11-11
Publication date: 1983-06-15

Abstract

In a ram wing craft, e.g. a catamaran, a ram chamber (or air scoop) is formed underneath the craft's wing 4 and between its side attachments 2, 3 so that it can be used above moving water and independently of harbour installations. Inflation bodies 14 are arranged on the underside of the side attachments, which in this embodiment are in the form of boundary hulls 12, 13, so that the craft can lift off the water. An air hose, which has downwardly-directed blow-out ports, can be arranged in or on the lower part of each inflation body 14. The craft may comprise a central hull with a side attachment at each side. Each side attachment can have two alternatively used inflation bodies with a knife-edge support between them. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Ram wing craft This invention relates to a ram wing craft, comprising one or more wings having respective side attachments so that one or more ram air chambers can be formed between the side attachments and the or each wing, said side attachments providing either outboard fins, for example at a craft with a central hull, or boundary hulls, for example at a catamaran.

Such a ram wing craft is known through German Auslegeschrift No. 25 47 945. The novelty in the craft of this German patent resides substantially in the design of the wing. The wing has, in this respect, a thin arched cross-section and its novelty resides in the fact that the wing consists of a holding frame and a flexible covering skin stretched thereover to provide an air chamber. This construction is chosen because the underside of the wing is exposed to high loads by wave loading upon a journey of the craft over water.

The task of the present invention is to provide a ram wing craft which can be used above moving water without endangering the wing(s) and which is able to operate independently of harbour installation.

In accordance with the invention, this task is achieved in that there is provided a ram wing craft comprising one or more wings having respective side attachments so that one or more ram air chambers can be formed between the side attachments and the or each wing, said side attachments providing either outboard fins, for example at a craft with a central hull, or boundary hulls, for example at a catarman, characterised in that supporting inflation bodies are arranged on the underside of the outboard fins or or boundary hulls.

The advantage of the inflation bodies in accordance with the invention consists in that on the one hand the ram wing craft lies higher above the water and secondly the inflation bodies make possible a good sealing off of the ram air chamber. Amphibious properties are thereby bestowed upon the ram wing craft whereby movements are made possible irrespective of the substratum. In aerodynamic cruising, the inflation bodies butt against the fixed vehicle structure, in which respect receivers, running out in knife-edge-shaped-manner, for the inflation bodies also allow a wave contact. With abutting inflation body, in cruising a reduction of the ground clearance of the vehicle is possible, whereby a better ram air chamber is produced and a considerable saving in power is achieved.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through a first preferred embodiment of the ram wing craft of the invention along the line 1-1 of Fig 2; Fig. 2 is a front view of the ram wing craft of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a front view of a further preferred embodiment of the ram wing craft of the invention; Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of one hull, with applied inflation bodies, of the craft of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the other hull, with applied inflation bodies with additional air hoses, of the craft of Fig. 1; and Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the hull of the craft of Fig. 3, with only one inflation body with additional air hose.

The preferred ram wing craft illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is a catamaran comprising two side attachments in the form of hulls 2 and 3, between which wing 4 is arranged. Hinged to the rear end of the wing 4 is a lift (or buoyancy) Flap 5. A ram air chamber is formed between the hulls 2 and 3 and the wing 4. Engines 6 and 7 are arranged above the hulls 2 and 3. On its stern the catamaran has two rudder units 8 and 9, which are connected by a high-lying elevator unit 10. The hulls 2 and 3 run out into.

knife-edges 12 and 13, which serve as receivers for inflation bodies 14. Fig. 2 illustrates the outer inflation bodies 14 in the inflated state with the catamaran floating on water 15, whilst the inner inflation bodies butt against the knife-edges 12 and 13, their inflated state being indicated in broken lines.

The second preferred embodiment of the ram wing craft illustrated in Fig. 3 comprises a central hull 21 and two wings 22 and 23 arranged laterally of the central hull 21 and having side attachments in the form of outboard fins 24 and 25. A respective ram air chamber is formed between the hull 21 and the outboard fin 24 and the hull 21 and the outboard fin 25. A respective inflation body 14 is mounted both under the hull 21 and on the outboard fins 24 and 25. Two engines 26 and 27 are provided on the wings 22 and 23 respectively and a central tail unit 28 is provided on the central hull 21.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the knife-edge 12 of the hull 2, which knife edge 12 has lateral concave surfaces 16 and 17 against which the inflation bodies 14 butt in their emptied state. For an aerodynamic ground effect when the ram wing craft is used over water, two spray-water deflectors 18 are mounted laterally underneath the applied inflation bodies 14.

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate inflation bodies arrangements 14 with additional air hoses. In the embodiment of Fig. 5, two inflation bodies 14 are disposed laterally of the knife-edge 13 of the hull 3. Air hoses 30 are inserted into the inflation bodies 14. The air hoses 30 have downwardly-directed blow-out ports 31, through which compressed air is blown out in the direction indicated by arrows 32. The air is deflected against ground 33 and produces, between the inflation bodies 14 and the underneath of the wing 4, a ram air chamber. The air pressure in the air hoses 30 is greater than that in the inflation bodies 14.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 6, an air hose 34 is added underneath the inflation body 14 of the central hull 21 whereby additional ram air is produced between the wings 22 and 23 on the one hand and the ground 33 on the other hand.

Where the ram wing craft is provided with two inflation bodies per outboard fin or boundary hull one inflation body can be inflated and the other inflation body is stowed.

Claims

1. A ram wing craft, comprising one or more wings having respective side attachments so that one or more ram air chambers can be formed between the side attachments and the or each wing, said side attachments providing either outboard fins, for example art a craft with a central hull, or boundary hulls, for example at a catamaran, characterised in that supporting inflation bodies are arranged on the underside of the outboard fins or boundary hulls.

2. A ram wing craft as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that a respective inflation body is arranged underneath the outboard fins or boundary hulls.

3. A ram wing craft as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that respectively two inflation bodies are arranged laterally of the outboard fins or boundary hulls.

4. A ram wing craft as claimed in claims 1, 2 or 3 characterised in that an air hose which has downwardly-directed inflation openings for compressed air, is arranged on the lower part of the inflation bodies.

5. A ram wing craft as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the air hose is arranged inside the inflation body.

6. A ram wing craft as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the air hose is arranged on the outside of the inflation body.

7. A ram wing craft as claimed in claim 1 and one or more of claims 2 to 6, characterised in that the inflation bodies andlor the air hoses are optionally inflated or butt against the outboard fins or the boundary hulls respectively.

8. A ram wing craft as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that where there aretwo inflation bodies per outboard fin or boundary hull on respectively one side one inflation body is inflated and/or the other inflation body is stowed.

9. A ram wing craft as claimed in claim 1 and one or more of claims 2 to 8, characterised in that the outboard fins or boundary hulls have, on their underside, concave surfaces forthe reception of the inflation bodies.

10. A ram wing craft as claimedin claim 8, characterised in that where two inflation bodies are provided per outboard fin or boundary hull, the concave surfaces for the inflation bodies meet at a knife edge.

11. A ram wing craft substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1,2,4 and 5, or in Figs. 3 and 6.