Patent GB-191512526-A (GB)
Title: Improvement in a System of Gun Fire Control.
Filed: 1915-08-31
Abstract: 12,526. Sperry Gyroscope Co., [Assignees of Sperry, E. A.]. Oct. 10, 1914, [Convention date]. Sights and methods of sighting.-Relates to signalling systems for controlling the fire of guns from a distant central station, and consists in employing (1) a master controller at the central station having a target-bearing transmitter including an adjustable zero adapted to be set initially so as to allow for the usual deflexion correction, and an indicator to be set to the required target-bearing angle, (2) target indicators located in the gun turrets and controlled by the transmitter, and (3) telltale indicators at the central station actuated by the movement of the several turrets to indicate the positions in which the guns are placed. Fig. 1 shows the master controlling-instrument A at the central station on which the bearing of the target is set up by rotating, through a handle 52, a transmitter 9 which operates a motor to move a dial 30 with respect to an adjustable index 34, and at the same time operates motors to move target-bearing indicators B on instruments C, Fig. 6, in each of the turrets. The gunner then moves the turret so as to bring the guns on to the target, this movement causing a transmitter 7 to actuate, through gearing 100, 101, 103, 104, Fig. 9, turret models 73 on the instruments C until they are in coincidence with the pointers B, and also to actuate, through motors 1<1>, 2<1>, 3<1>, &c., tell-tale dials 1 .. 5 at the master controller to show the movement and position of each turret. The dials 1 .. 5 and 30 are carried by supports from disks actuated by concentric sleeves through gears 31 driven by the appropriate motors 1<1> &c. An electromagnetic spring-controlled stop engaging a toothed wheel on each motor shaft is controlled by a solenoid 10 in circuit with each motor so as to prevent the motors from overrunning when the current is cut off. The index 34 with a pointer 50 is made adjustable by hand-gear 35 and scale 43 so that a suitable deflexion may be allowed for. The transmitter 9 may be combined with the master controller as shown in Fig. 1, or it may be a separate instrument. Fig. 3 shows diagrammatically the electric circuits connecting the master controller with, say, five turrets. The transmitter 9 is shown connected through a switch 27 to a motor 28 for operating the scale 30, and to motors 29 in each turret for moving the target-bearing pointers B. Each of the motors 1<1> .. 5<1> is connected to a doublethrow switch 8, 16, 19 so that, when the contacts 8, 16 are joined, the transmitters 7 at the turrets can operate the dials 1 .. 5 at the central station and at the same time connect up motors 74 or 74<1> for moving the turret models 73. When the contacts 8, 19 are joined by pressing the button 18, Fig. 1, the transmitter 9 can be operated to set or zeroize the dials 1 .. 5. Figs. 6 and 7 show the instrument C for use in each turret. The instrument comprises a target-bearing pointer B actuated through gearing 76, 77 by a motor 29 controlled by the transmitter 9 at the central station, and a turret model 73 moved through gearing 81, 80, 82 by a motor 74 controlled through the transmitter 7 by movement of the turret. The turret is correctly trained when the model 73 coincides with the pointer B. If it is desired to indicate in each turret the position of an adjacent turret, so that " endangering " may be avoided, an instrument C' of the form shown in Fig. 8 is employed. In this case, the model 98 of the adjacent turret is operated by a motor 99 the connexions of which for turrets 1 and 2 are shown in Fig. 3. The danger zones may also be indicated by suitable colouring on the dials 1 .. 5 at the central station. In order to synchronize the turret pointers B with the turrets if they should be out of step, handles 83 are provided on each instrument C which can be pushed inwards against spring action to cause the engagement of a crown-wheel 85 with the gears for moving the pointer B. A similar handle is provided for setting the model 73. A long-distance synchronizer is also provided for the pointer B and comprises a button 89 which, in a certain position of the wheel 77, and when a contact 91, Fig. 1, at the central station is closed, forms with fingers 90, Fig. 6, a closed circuit operating a solenoid 92 to effect the engagement of a pin 94 with a notch on the shaft of the motor 29. By pressing the button 91 and turning the transmitter through a complete revolution, the pointer B can therefore be locked in a predetermined position, and after pressing the button 18 so as to join the contact 8, 19, the transmitter may then be operated to bring the corresponding dial of the master controller into agreement with the position of the pointer B.