GB547208A - Improvements in gyroscopic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

547,208. Gyroscopic apparatus. ANNEN, R. July 8, 1941, No. 8617. Convention date, July 19, 1940. [Class 97 (iii)] In a gyroscope wherein the rotor is pivoted on a single bearing within a gimbal-mounted casing, an extension of the rotor spindle cooperates with electric means situated within the casing in order to utilize the variations in the relative positions of the spindle and the electric means for controlling purposes. As shown in Fig. 1, the rotor 1 is mounted in neutral equilibrium on a bearing 2 within a casing 6, 7, carried by a gimbal ring 8, and is driven by air supplied through the gimbal trunnions. The spindle 3 of the rotor carries a ball bearing 16 and terminates in a conical tip 17. When starting the rotor a button 24 is temporarily depressed to apply the inner raceway of a ball bearing 21 to the conical tip 17 and hold the rotor in a central position in relation to four pairs of contact strips 18, 18a (one pair only shown), carried by the casing in positions mutually displaced by 90 degrees. The casing is previously adjusted to its correct position by well known means which are disconnected when the rotor has attained its working speed. If the casing tilts relative to the rotor, contact across the appropriate strips 18, 18a is made by the bearing 16, and electromagnets 25, 25b are selectively energized to increase the outlets of corresponding air valves 26 thus setting up reactive torques to restore the casing. The valves 26 may be located at the junctions of the parts 6, 7 of the casing. Instead of providing air valves, the out-of-balance effect produced by the movement of the cores 26 may be used to restore the position of the casing. In a modification, the electromagnets are controlled by fine slidable needles 30, Fig. 4, held by magnetic attraction against a magnetized ring 29 and passing through mercury reservoirs 31 into close proximity to mercury in reservoirs 32. Relative movement between the casing 7 and the rotor spindle closes the circuits through the reservoirs and energizes the restoring electromagnets. In a further modification, Fig. 5, the restoring magnets are energized by the variations in tension produced across four alternating-current coils 39, 39a by their movements relative to a soft iron or copper armature 38 carried by the rotor spindle 36. In a further modification, Fig. 6, suitable for use in connection with the control of gun fire in war ships, or in connection with automatic pilots in aeroplanes, the coils 61, 63 (corresponding to the coils 39, 39a of Fig. 5) cooperate with an armature 54 on the rotor spindle in order to transmit variations in their mutual positions to a distance. To avoid contact between the armature 54 and the coils during excessive rolling or pitching of the vessel or aircraft, the coils are carried by four spring-pressed levers 65, 67 pivoted on the upper portion 51 of the casing and are withdrawn from the armature 54 by depression of a button 69 under the influence of a relay which comes into operation during excessive disturbance. The rotor 43, which is mounted in spherical bearings 46 is driven by air directed on to the rotor vanes by nozzles in the inner gimbal ring 55 of a pair of gimbal rings mounted on the casing. To maintain the air jets in alignment with the vanes the rotor carries a number of horseshoe magnets 44 presented towards soft iron armatures 59 in the gimbal ring 55. In further modifications, the potential difference induced in the coils 39, 39a, Fig. 5, or 61, 63, Fig. 6, by their movements relative to the armatures 38, 54 may, by means of well-known devices be arranged to control the direction of the vehicle.