Feed systems for multiple air cushion type platforms

Claim 1

IN A GROUND EFFECT MACHINE OF THE KIND HAVING A PLATFORM SUPPORTED BY A PLURALITY OF UNIT AIR CUSHIONS, A SYSTEM FOR DISTRIBUTING AIR TO SAID CUSHIONS AND INCLUDING AIR COMPRESSING MEANS; A MAIN CONDUIT SUPPLIED WITH COMPRESSED AIR FROM SAID AIR COMPRESSING MEANS; A PLURALITY OF UNIT CONDUITS CONNECTED TO SAID MAIN CONDUIT FOR COLLECTING THE COMPRESSED AIR THEREFROM AND CONNECTED TO THE RESPECTIVE CUSHIONS FOR SUPPLYING THIS COMPRESSED AIR THERETO; AN AIR FLOW CONTROLLING VALVE IN EACH UNIT CONDUIT, EACH VALVE HAVING A NORMALLY OPEN POSITION AND BEING ADAPTED TO BE MOVED TOWARD AN OPERATIVE POSITION WHEREIN THE ASSOCIATED UNIT CONDUIT IS AT LEAST PARTLY CLOSED; ELASTIC RETURN MEANS FOR URGING EACH VALVE INTO THE OPEN POSITION THEREOF; HOLLOW DEFORMABLE MEMBERS ASSOCIATED TO EACH VALVE WHICH ARE SUBJECTED EXTERNALLY TO THE PRESSURE IN SAID MAIN CONDUIT AND INTERNALLY TO A PRESSURE EQUAL TO OR LYING BETWEEN THE PRESSURES PREVAILING RESPECTIVELY IN SAID MAIN CONDUIT AND IN THE CUSHION ASSOCIATED TO THAT PARTICULAR VALVE, SAID MEMBERS OPPOSING SAID ELASTIC RETURN MEANS FOR URGING THE VALVE INTO ITS OPEN POSITION.