Ground-effect transportation system

Claim 1

A ground effect transportation system comprising: a track of generally concave dihedral design having (i) a generally horizontal, upwardly facing bearing surface and (ii) at least one prismatic extension protruding upwardly from said bearing surface to a free top edge parallel thereto and having two opposite though closely adjacent, mutually backed outer guide surfaces facing laterally away from each other, said bearing surface and said extension being laterally offset with respect to each other whereby said track is of generally Lshaped cross section with said bearing surface and said extension forming respectively the horizontal and the vertical arms of the L, and a ground effect machine comprising (i) a body portion movable over said bearing surface in substantially frictionless wheelless engagement therewith through a support cushion formed against said bearing surface, said body portion being in a laterally offset location with respect to said extension and having a port side and a starboard side, one of which is adjacent to said extension and the other remote therefrom, and (ii) two like guiding devices located respectively at said port side and at said starboard side of said body portion and each selectively controllable to a fully operative position astride said prismatic extension over said free top edge thereof, in substantially frictionless wheelless cooperation with both said guide surfaces through opposite, guide cushions formed against said guide surfaces, each of said guiding devices having at least one guide surface engaging section which is selectively projectable in one direction from the respective one of said body portion sides toward the guide surface to set the corresponding guiding device into said fully operative position thereof, and retractable in the opposite direction whereby said corresponding guiding device is no longer in said fully operative position thereof.