Hovercraft

By: Paul, Daniel, Brett,Keith

How a Hovercraft works

A hover craft is a machine that rides on air under pressure that is continuously supplied by the lift system. A flexible curtain called a skirt is attached to the base. The hovercraft is propelled by a thrust propeller. The steering is applied by using a rudder on the back of the propeller.stopping is achieved with the reduction of power engines or turning 180 degrees and applying full thrust.

History of the Hovercraft

The formative years of today’s practical hovercraft began as an idea to reduce the drag placed on boats and ships as they plough through water at high speeds. The term “hovercraft” was actually a commercial name patented in 1955, then subsequently released to public domain. The hovercraft concept, however, can be traced back to the early 1700’s.The principle behind today’s hovercraft was originally demonstrated by Sir Christopher Cockerell in 1955, using a contraption constructed with a cat food can, a coffee can and a set of kitchen scales.During recent decades, this early demonstration has metamorphosed into a vehicle that now performs a multitude of vital services: saving lives in rescue operations; transporting military troops; ferrying passenger; and providing a vast array of recreational opportunities to people throughout the world.

Basic hovercrafts

Idea #1

Our first idea was basically a leaf blower motor that blows air though a hole in ply wood. It will also contain a hollow tire for the skirt.

L = Leaf BlowerMotor

Idea # 2

Our second idea was two leaf blower motors that blow through two holes in a circular plywood sheet into a round common skirt made from plastic or rubber

L = Leaf BlowerMotor

Idea # 3

Our third idea was to have a triangular piece of plywood with three separate leaf blower motors ateach corner, the leaf blowers blow into a common skirt made of plastic

L = Leaf BlowerMotor

Design sketch

This is our design for the hovercraft w/all the lengths measured

Materials needed

5/8 inch 4X8 particle board…………………$10.88

Rubber lawn edge 20ft 5in…………………..$7.84

3 leaf blowers…………………………….priceless

Duct tape…………………………….again priceless

General safety procedures

Always walk- do not run

Never talk to or interrupt anyone who is working on a machine

Remove power plug or turn off power supply to a machine when changing cutters or blades

Never leave tools or pieces of stock lying on the table surface of a machine being used

When finished with a machine, turn off the power and wait until the blade or cutter has come to a complete stop before leaving

Always carefully check stock for knots, splits, metal objects, and other defects before machining.

Do not use a machine until you understand it thoroughly. Any tool can cause serious injury if mishandled.

Table Saw Safety procedures

Table saw kickback can be caused by the workpiece getting pinched between the blade and the fence. It can also be due to the saw kerf closing up behind the blade. In each case, the workpiece can be hurled towards the operator at great speed. To avoid the danger, take the following precautions:

Make sure the fence is exactly parallel to the blade.

Never tilt the sawblade towards the fence

Feed stock straight through the blade; crooked cuts are dangerous

Never stand directly behind the blade. If stock is kicked back, this is the path it will take.

When the width of the board is six inches or more use ripping cuts

Crosscutting is used for short boards under six inches

Drill safety procedures

Disconnect the power plug before installing or removing drill bits

Make certain the drill bit is clamped securely in the chuck

Be sure the chuck key has been removed

Do not force the drill. Use an even steady pressure

Never use a bit with a square, tapered tang in an electric drill. The drill’s chuck will not hold this kind of bit securely

When laying the drill down, always have the point away from you, even when it is coasting to a stop

Never drill through cloth

Always clamp small pieces; do not hold them with your fingers when drilling

Jig saw safety procedure

Select the correct blade for the work and properly secure it in the chuck

Be certain the material to be sawed is properly clamped

Keep the cutting pressure constant. Do not force the cut

When finished, turn off the power switch and allow the saw to come to a dead stop before setting the saw down.

Hold the base down securely on the work when cutting.

Staple gun procedures

Always wear eye protection when using a stapler. Hearing protection also is recommended

Never try to clear a jammed stapler while it is still connected to an air supply. Disconnect the tool from the air supply before performing any maintenance on it

Never fire the stapler unless the nose piece is in contact with the work piece to be stapled

Never carry a stapler with your finder on the trigger. If you should accidentally bring the nose of the stapler in contact with an object, a staple could be fired accidentally

The moral of these rules are DON’T SHOOT YOUR FRIEND

Bibliography

• www.hovercraft.com/menu_how_it_operates.html

• http://groups.physics.umn.edu/pforce/hovercraft.html

• http://www.howstuffworks.com/hoverboard.htm/printable