METHOD AND MEANS FOR A REGULATOR FOR THE SERVO CONTROL OF A MARINE CRAFT

Abstract: Method and means for a regulator for the servo control of a marine craft, for instance a torpedo, with variable speed and angle of attack. A first sensor (1) monitors the angle of attack, whilst a second sensor (8) monitors the depth of the craft. A revolution counter (3) and a filter (4) create an acceleration-compensating signal which is substracted from an angle-of-attack signal emitted by the first sensor (1), whereupon the signal is transmitted to a rudder servo system.

Description: Method and means for a regulator for the servo control of a marine craft TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a method for a regulator for the servo control of a marine craft, for instance a torpedo, with variable speed and angle of attack, in¬ volving the detecting of the angle of attack of the craft and the transmission of a command signal representing the angle of attack to a control circuit contained in the regulator. The invention also relates to a means for the execution of the method comprising a sensor capable of detecting the angle of attack of the craft and of transmitting a command signal representing the angle of attack to a control circuit contained in the regulator. The expression angle of attack is used by accepted prac¬ tice to denote the angle between the horizontal plane and the centre line of the craft. A control system for a craft may have two or more signal transmitters which interact to provide a control func¬ tion, for instance as in the depth regulator in a tor¬ pedo. In case of the depth regulator, which provides depth control for the torpedo, command signals are ob¬ tained not only from depth-detecting sensors, but also from angle-detecting sensors. The depth of the torpedo is detected in this way by means of a sensor in the form of a depth indicator which measures the absolute pressure. The indicatoe can consist of four strain gauges in bridge connection mounted on a membrane with a vacuum on one side and water pressure on the other side. The angle of attack of the torpedo can be detected by means of a sensor in the form of a pendulum or an elec- trolytic angle indicator. The command signals from the two sensors are processed in an electronic control system and are transmitted to a rudder servo system. BACKGROUND ART Until now the depth control of the torpedo has been based only on the detecting of the depth and angle of attack of the torpedo. However, a control system of this kind is unsatisfactory for a torpedo with the facility to vary its speed during its course, because it is associated with depth errors during the speed variation period. This is attributable to the fact that all angle of attack sensors of the aforementioned types are sensitive to acceleration. During variation of the speed, acceleration forces will accordingly influence the behaviour of the torpedo. In the case of an increase in speed, but without any change in depth, the angle of attack sensor will thus transmit a signal corresponding to the signal which is transmitted when the torpedo is rising. The regulator would, if nothing were to be done to counter that effect, cause the torpedo to dive in order to achieve the normal angle of attack. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is, therefore, to propose a method and a means of the kind indicated by way of introduction by which the angle of attack signal transmitted to the control circuit is not influenced by variations in the speed of the craft. This object is achieved by providing the method and the means in accord¬ ance with the invention with the characteristics indi¬ cated in Claims 1 and 4. Further developments of the invention are apparent from the subsidiary Claims. The invention is described below in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawing, which shows a pre¬ ferred embodiment of the invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figure 1 shows a block diagram, of the preferred embodi¬ ment. Figure 2 shows the preferred embodiment incorpor¬ ated into a control system for a torpedo. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In Figure 1 the reference designation 1 is used to denote an angle of attack sensor, the output signal from which is fed into a summing circuit 2. This may well be in the form of an electrolytic angle sensor. As such angle sensors are already generally familiar, and as its design does not constitute part of the present invention, the sensor is not described here in any more detail. A sensor in the form of a revolution counter 3 counts the number of revolution impulses from a propulsion motor (not shown) in .the torpedo (also not shown). The output signal from the revolution counter 3 is fed into an acceleration-compensating filter 4. In the event of variations in the speed of rotation corresponding to a variation in the speed of the torpedo, the filter 4 will generate a signal corresponding to the variation in the speed which will be caused to influence the angle-of- attack signal in such a way that it is subtracted from the latter in the summing circuit 2. The output signal from the summing circuit 2 thus constitutes a compensated angle-of-attack signal which corresponds to an actual angle of attack in spite of the acceleration. The dimensioning of the filter 4 which must be undertaken in order for its output signal to correspond in a correct fashion to the correction signal which is to be subtrac¬ ted from the output signal of the revolution counter 3 obviously calls for expert calculations to be made with which it is not considered necessary to burden this specification. Output signals from the summing circuit 2 are filtered in a filter 5 and are delivered in a summing circuit 6 to the command signals from a deep control channel (not shown) . Such a command signal constitutes a filtered depth error signal (i.e. the difference between the de¬ sired value and the actual value) . The output signal from the totalizing circuit 6 is fed into a rudder servo system forming part of the torpedo. Figure 2 shows a control system for the torpedo in which are to be found the angle-of-attack sensor 1 and the revolution counter 3 shown in Figure 1. The components 2, 4, 5 and 6 shown in Figure 1 are shown in Figure 2 com¬ bined together to form an electronic control circuit 7. The reference designation 8 is used to denote a depth sensor, 9 to detone an electronic control for the desired depth, 10 to denote the rudder servo system of the tor¬ pedo, and 11 to denote the depth rudder of the torpedo.

Claims: Claims 1. Method for a regulator for the servo control of a marine craft, for instance a torpedo, with variable speed and angle of attack, comprising the detecting of the angle of attack of the craft and the transmission of a command signal representing the angle of attack to a control circuit (6; 7) contained in the regulator, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a signal representing the variation in the speed of the craft is generated, and in that said signal - in the form of an acceleration compensation - is caused to influence said command " signal. 2. Method according to Claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said influenced command signal together with a signal representing the depth of the craft are trans¬ mitted to said control circuit. 3. Method according to either of the Claims 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a signal is generated corresponding to the speed of rotation of the propulsion motor of the craft, and in that said signal is fed through an acceleration-compensating filter, the output signal from which corresponds to said signal representing the variation in the speed. 4. Means for executing the method according to Claim 1, comprising a sensor (1) capable of detecting the angle of attack of the craft and of transmitting a command signal representing the angle of attack to a control circuit (6; 7) contained in the regulator, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by a transmitter (3) for generating a signal representing the variation in the speed of the craft so arranged as to influence said command signal in the form of acceleration compensatio . 5. Means according to Claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the propulsion motor of the craft exhibits a revolution counter which constitutes said transmitter (3) and which is so arranged as to transmit a rotational speed signal to an acceleration-compensating filter (4), the output signal from which corresponds to said signal representing a variation in the speed.

Inventors: BENGTSSON LEIF, DANIELSSON NILS, BENGTSSON, LEIF, DANIELSSON, NILS
Applicants: AFFARSVERKET FFV, AFFAERSVERKET FFV
Application year: 1985
Main classification: F42B19
IPC codes: F42B19