Claims
- 1. A steering system for a water craft having a hull and a steering device, said system comprising:
at least two variable camber plates mounted to a hull of said water craft for steering said water craft, each of said plates having a leading edge portion which is affixed to said hull and a trailing edge; and a linkage mechanism attached to said steering device and each said plate for causing said trailing edge of at least one of said plates to move relative to said hull and thereby vary the camber of said at least one plate so as to impart a steering force to said water craft.
- 2. The steering system according to claim 1 wherein each of said plates is formed from a corrosion resistant flexible material.
- 3. The steering system according to claim 2 wherein the flexibility of said material forming each of said plates varies over the length of the respective plate so as to produce a hydrodynamically optimum camber shape.
- 4. The steering system according to claim 1 wherein each of said plates is formed from a material selected from the group comprising of a fiberglass material, a plastic material, a corrosion resistant metal, and a corrosion resistant composite material.
- 5. The steering system according to claim 1 wherein said leading edge portion of each said plate is attached to a respective side of said hull and said plate extends downwardly below a chine of said hull.
- 6. The steering system according to claim 1 wherein said leading edge portion of each said plate is attached to a respective side of said hull and said plate extends downwardly to a level equal to the level of a chine of said hull.
- 7. The steering system according to claim 1 wherein said steering device is a propulsor jet nozzle and each of said plates is joined on said water craft and by said linkage mechanism to said propulsor jet nozzle.
- 8. The steering system of claim 7 wherein said linkage mechanism comprises:
at least one guide block for each said plate, each guide block being mounted to the stern of said hull between said jet nozzle and an associated plate; and at least one rod for each said plate, each rod being pivotally mounted to said jet nozzle, passing through at least one said guide block, and contacting said plate for varying the camber of said plate.
- 9. The steering system of claim 8 wherein said at least two said plates comprise a first plate and a second plate, one said rod pushing said first plate outward and an other rod pulling away from said second plate when said jet nozzle steers in a first direction, and one said rod pulling away from said first plate and said other rod pushing said second plate outward when said jet nozzle steers in a second direction.
- 10. The steering system according to claim 9 wherein each of said rods is formed from a semi-flexible corrosive resistant material.
- 11. The steering system of claim 8 wherein:
said at least two said plates comprise a first plate and a second plate; and said at least one rod for each plate comprising two rods, said contact between each rod and each plate being a pivotal connection whereby one said rod pushes said first plate outward and the other rod pulls said second plate inward when said jet nozzle is steers in a first direction, and one said rod pulls said first plate inward and said other rod pushes said second plate outward when said jet nozzle is steers in a second direction.
- 12. A steering system according to claim 11 further comprising each of said plates being formed from a flexible material.
- 13. A steering system according to claim 1 wherein:
said at least two plates have said leading edge mounted to a bottom surface of said hull; and said linkage mechanism comprises at least one actuating rod connected to said steering device on said water craft and to each said plate.
- 14. A steering system according to claim 13 wherein said at least one rod is pivotally connected to said steering device on said water craft and to each said plate for bending said plates in response to said steering device.
- 15. A steering system according to claim 13 further comprising more than two flexible plates mounted to the bottom of said hull.
- 16. An off throttle steering system for a water craft having a hull and a steerable jet nozzle, comprising:
two flexible plates positioned on opposite sides of said hull for providing hydrodynamic steering to said water craft; and a linking means joining said steerable jet nozzle to said two flexible plates for moving at least one said plate in response to movement of said steerable jet nozzle.
- 17. The system of claim 16 wherein said linking means comprises:
at least two guide blocks mounted to said hull between said jet nozzle and an associated plate, each guide block having a sliding aperture formed therethrough; and at least two rods, each rod being pivotally mounted to said steerable jet nozzle, passing through one said guide block sliding aperture, and contacting one said plate for varying the camber of said plate.
- 18. The system of claim 16 wherein said linkage means comprises at least one rod pivotally mounted to said steerable jet nozzle and pivotally mounted to said two plates for moving said plates in response to movement of said steerable jet nozzle.
STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST
[0001] The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.