Patent GB-550752-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to apparatus for training fighter pilots, air gunners and like personnel
IPC: F41J9/02
Filed: 1941-06-10
Abstract: 550,752. Training apparatus for air pilots. FISHER, A. G. A. June 10, 1941. No. 7324. [Class 119] [Also in Group XL] Apparatus for use in training fighter pilots, air gunners and the like, to be used in conjunction with a "Link" or like trainer having a cockpit which similates the movements to the occupant thereof of flight conditions, comprises a model aircraft carrried by a turntable adapted to run on rails which can be moved transversely of their length, the model being adapted to perform "banking", "diving" and similar operations, all the parts being operated by reversible motors carried by the model support. The model 13 is carried by cords depending from drums carried by shafts which are supported by supports 12 depending from a turntable 11, supported on rails 8 carried by a wheeled carriage 6, which is adapted to move on rails carried by an arm 1. This arm is to be rotated by a reversible motor 56 about a pin passing through a bracket 2 on the arm, the other end of the arm being provided with wheels 3 to run on a circular guide track 4. The movements of the carriage along the rails are controlled by a reversible motor and gear-box on the carriage, and the rotation or the turntable is effected by another motor 50 through a circular rack 55 and pinion 54. Of the suspending cords for the model 13 two are attached to the wings on opposite sides of the fuselage and the other 16 to a point near the tail, the model being steadied by a telescopic rod 17 depending from the turntable and attached by a universal joint to the fuselage of the model. The upper ends of the cords pass over levers 28, 29, 30 to drums 18, 19, 20 mounted on shafts 21, 22 respectively, adapted to be driven through gearing from a reversible motor 27 for raising and lowering the model bodily. The levers are loosely mounted on these shafts and are adapted to be raised and lowered to effect tilting and banking of the model, by means of screws 38, 44 driven from reversible motors 39, 45 and attached to the respective levers. The screw 38 operates a nut 37 attached by a link to a pivoted beam 35 the ends of which are attached by links 33, 34 to the levers 28, 29 respectively so that as the screw is rotated one of these levers is raised and the other lowered to effect "banking". All the motors are connected to slip rings mounted on a column 57 on the turntable, the current being supplied to the slip ring by brushes 59 through switches under the control of the operator, or sequentially automatically, by the use of a cam control. For indicating .when a pupil has scored a hit a lamp 62 is carried by a framework attached to the model so as to partake of the movement of the model, and to coact with a selenium cell mounted on the trainer unit, and screened by a tube to restrict its field of view. The lamp is carried by a platform 63, Fig. 6, adjustable between stops 68 by a screw 66 driven from a reversible motor 67, which is carried on a platform 78 suspended by links 70, 71, the link 71 being attached at its upper end to a knife edge fitting 77 carried by the lower end of the steadying rod 17 while the upper end of the link 70 is attached to one end of a lever 73 pivoted between the knife edges in the fitting 77. By this arrangement the lamp partakes of the movement of the model and is adjusted to a position in advance of the model to correspond with the relative speed between the attacked and the attacker, and the time the bullets take to reach the model. The indicating device may be adapted for use of an infra-red ray by the use of a suitable filter. The lamp and reflector used there with may be arranged to rotate at a constant speed to give flashes at a predetermined frequency and the position of the lamp and the cell may be transposed. An auxiliary gun sight may be used on the gun carried by the "trainer".