Patent GB-315966-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in gyroscopic apparatus
IPC: G01C21/18
Filed: 1928-06-19
Abstract: 315,966. Gray, J. G. June 19, 1928. Gyroscopic apparatus.-Apparatus for use on a moving vehicle for defining the vertical or for stabilizing the supports of instruments &c. carried on the vehicle comprises two similar gyroscopes rotating at the same speed in opposite directions about normally parallel axes and attached by parallel pairs of pivots to a first frame which is attached to a second frame by a pair of pivots which are normally at right-angles to the lines of the first-mentioned pivots; the system being stabilized with respect to the vertical by couples applied to the gyroscopes by systems of vanes rotated by motors which are controlled by a system of contacts depending for its action on the relative shift of the gyroscopes and the first frame, or of one gyroscope with respect to the other. In the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the apparatus comprises gyroscopes 1, 1<1> rotating in opposite directions about normally vertical axes and attached by horizontal pivots 2, 2<1> to uprights 4, 4<1> forming part of a frame 5 which is attached by pivots 6 to the uprights 8 of a main frame 9. The frame 9 includes a turntable 10 carrying a vertical spindle 11 which can be rotated by a motor 19. One pivot 2 is extended and carries an arm 20 having at its upper end a roller 22 engaging the forked lower end 21<1> of an arm 20<1> carried bv an extension of the corresponding pivot 2<1> so that the gyroscopes are constrained to process about the pivots 2, 2<1> through equal angles in opposite directions. Also carried by extensions of the pivots 2 are motors 23, 23<1> adapted to rotate in opposite directions and provided with vane systems 24, 24'. Similar motors 25, 25<1> with vane systems 26, 26<1> are mounted on extensions of the pivots 6. The extension of the pivot 2 also carries an arm 27 bearing a contact-wheel 28 co-operating with conducting- segments 29, 29' separated by a strip of insulating-material and carried by the upright 4. The movable and fixed contacts control the operation of the motors 23 &c. by the connections shown in Fig. 3, the segment 29 being connected to the motors 23, 25<1> and the segment 29<1> to the motors 23', 25. Hand switches 30, 30<1> and rheostats 31, 31<1> are connected as shown in the circuits of the motors. The arrangement is such that when the gyroscopes precess on the pivots 2, 2<1> the motor 23 or 23<1> which becomes energized exerts a torque tending to retard the precession and the motor 25 or 25<1> which is energized exerts about the pivots 6 a torque tending to precess the gyroscopes back into the position in which the wheel 28 rests on the insulating strip. The system of gyroscopes, motors, &c. carried by the frame 5 is in neutral equilibrium with respect to the frame, and the frame is provided with considerable gravitational control with respect to the pivots 6. Slip-rings 15 on the spindle 11 cooperate with brushes 16 to supply current to the gyroscopes, motors, &c. By means of the motor 19 the, apparatus can be trained so that the pivots 6 occupy any desired position in azimuth. In a. modification the motors 23, 23<1> are replaced by solenoids of which The cores are carried on the pivots 2', the windings being secured to the frame 5 and controlled by the contact system 28, 29, 29<1>. In another form the, motors 23, 23' are replaced by a pair of centralizing springs extending between the gyroscope 1<1> and the frame 5. In a further form the gyroscopes spin about parallel horizontal axes and are supported on parallel vertical axes in, a frame mounted on horizontal pivots 6. The motors 23, 23<1> are carried by the vertical supporting pivots of the gyroscopes and the motors 25, 25<1> exert torques about the pivots 6. Figs. 7 and 8 show a form which may be used to indicate tilting of its support either laterally or longitudinally. Springs 43, 43<1> are shown instead of the motors 23, 23<1>, a screw 44 being provided by which the wheel 28 may be brought on to the insulating strip between the segments 29, 29<1>. An arm 45 on one of the pivots 6 carries a wheel 46 co-operating with contacts 47, 48 of the form above described. The support is continuously rotated by the motor 19 and carries brushes 51, 52 cooperating with four pairs of contacts 53 - - 581 arranged at intervals of 90‹ on the stationary base. Lamps 55 - - 561 are provided, the circuits of which are controlled by the brushes 51, 52 and the fixed pairs of contacts, and by the position of the wheel 46 in relation to the contacts 47, 48, the circuits of the lamps 55, 55<1> being shown in Fig. 8. If the vehicle is moving in the direction of the arrow a, then when the pivots 6 are fore-and-aft the brushes 51, 52 engage either the contacts 53, 54 or the contacts 53<1>, 54<1> and if the vehicle is tilted laterally one of the lamps 55, 55<1> is flashed. Similarly when the pivots 6 lie athwart the vehicle longitudinal tilting is indicated by the flashing of one of the lamps 56, 56'. Figs. 10 and 11 shows a stabilizer of the kind shown in Figs. 1 and 2 used as a transmitter to control an auxiliary stabilizer or repeater 87. Mounted on the revolving base 10 is a stretched wire 71 extending between wheels &c. 72, 72<1>, the ends of the wire being joined by a tensioning and insulating device 73. A clip 74 on the wire is connected to the frame 5 by pivoted links 75, 76 so that if the frames turns on the pivots 6 the clip moves to and fro, carrying. the wire 71 with it. The platform 10 carries conducting segments 79, 82, 85 engaging at each revolution of the stabilizer with fixed brushes 80, 81, 83, 84, 86. The repeater comprises a gyroscope 87 mounted in neutral equilibrium by means of horizontal pivots 88, 90 and a gimbal frame 89 in uprights 91. The frame 89 carries a stretched wire 71' of the form above described, the clip 74<1> of which is connected to the gyroscope 87 so as to be displaced when the gyroscope swings on the pivots 88. Another stretched wire 71", Fig. 11, on the base 92 is similarly connected to an extension of one of the pivots 90. The gyroscope 87 carries motors 93, 94 provided. with vane systems adapted to exert torques about axes parallel to the axes 88, 90 respectively. The segments 79, 82 are connected to the wheels 72, 72' and the segment 85 to the clip 74. The brushes 80, 83 are connected to the poles of a battery, the brushes 81, 84 to the wheels carrying the wire 71<1> and the brush 86 to the terminal 95 of a reversible relay 97 the other terminal 96 of which is connected to the clip 74<1>. The relay makes contact either between the terminals 98, 100, or between the terminals 99, 100, according to the direction in which current passes through it. The motor 94 has a separately excited field energized by a battery 101 which is connected at its centre to one terminal of the armature the other terminal being connected to one or otherend of the battery according to the position of the relay. The motor 94 is thus operated in one direction or the other and turns the gyroscope 87 about its pivots 88 until the clips 74, 74<1> are at the same potential. The apparatus is so adjusted that when this equality is obtained the axis of the gyroscope is at right-angles to the frame 89 when the frame 5 is in its resting position. Another set of brushes 80' - - 86<1>, at right angles to the above-described set, is provided for the control of the motor 93. Instead of the form of wire above described, the form shown in Fig. 1 may be used. In this Figure the wire 38 is wound uniformly on a block of insulating material and co-operates with a wheel 37 on an arm 32 attached to the frame 5. An electromagnet 36 is provided by which the wheel may be withdrawn from the wire. The rotatable platforms carrying the stabilizer and the repeatermay be provided with means whereby the one follows any movements of the other in azimuth. Fig. 16 shows a device by which the stabilizer is caused to maintain a platform 117 horizontal.. The platform is attached by pivots 118 to uprights 119 and one pivot carries an arm 120 connected by a pivoted link 121 to an arm 124 attached to a member 125 on which is a brush 125<1> in contact with a resistance 129. The member 125 is internally threaded and is engaged by a screw 128 adapted to be operated by a motor 130 which is rotated in one direction or the other when there is a potential difference between the brush 125<1> and the wheel 132 contacting with the resistance 131 on the stabilizer, the member 125 being displaced by the screw 128 until the potential difference is annulled. In another form of the stabilizer the gyroscopes 1, 1<1> rotate about horizontal axes and are mounted on parallel pairs of horizontal pivots in the frame 5 which is mounted on vertical pivots in the second frame: This form operates as an azimuth stabilizer and may be controlled by a rotating coil. compass of the kind described in Specification 142,164, the brush gear of the compass being carried on the frame 5 and the supply of current to the motors 23, 23<1> being controlled by a reversible relay connected to the armature of the rotating coil in such manner that the line of the brushes of the compass is brought into the meridian. Specification 274,268 also is referred to.