1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to a water jet propulsion device for attachment to a floating structure to provide controllable thrust, with the thrust being supplied by a source of water under pressure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The propulsion of floating structures, such as boats, takes several forms. Nearly all of the forms provide thrust between the surrounding medium and the boat, some with propellers operating against air or water, and some by directing a water jet from the boat, either above or below the water level. Some of these devices are very sophiscated for the propulsion of high-speed boats. The present device is simple and can be applied to small boats for their propulsion in small waters.
One of the prior devices is taught by Sorrentino in U.S. Pat. No. 3,142,285. This is a simple boat with propulsion from a separate source of water under pressure, but the Sorrentino device is an integral structure of boat and propulsion units. The boat and propulsion units are inextricably interrelated and serve only as a combined device. There is no separate propulsion unit which is useful to attach to and propel other floating structures. Thus, the Sorrentino structure is very limited in its utility and in its teaching.