ICE-BREAKING HOVERCRAFT Russian patent published in 2003 - IPC

FIELD: ice-breaking jobs. SUBSTANCE: hovercraft 2 moves over ice 1 at resonance speed. If amplitude of excited flexural gravitational waves 3 is insufficient for breaking ice, hovercraft 2 is stopped. When sag 4 is formed in ice cover due to static loading, vertical ice bore 6 mounted in hull 7 of hovercraft 2 is extended by means of hydraulic drive 5. Ice bore 6 has water passage 6 and cutting edge 9. Then, hole 10 is drilled in ice 1 by means of ice bore 6 and hose 12 of centrifugal pump 13 is connected to upper edge 11 of ice bore 6, after which water is pumped from under ice 1. Water 15 from pump 13 is fed under skirt 16 of hovercraft 2 to sag 4, thus breaking ice and forming lane in it. Now pump 13 is disconnected, ice bore is retracted to initial position and hovercraft 2 is removed to distance sufficient for development of flexural gravitational wave of maximum amplitude. Then, hovercraft 2 is turned and starts running at resonance speed in way of lane. EFFECT: enhanced efficiency of ice breaking. 2 dwg