Patent GB-408697-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to systems for the automatic steering of dirigible craft
IPC: G05D1/08
Filed: 1932-10-19
Abstract: 408,697. Automatic steering-gears. SPERRY GYROSCOPE CO., Inc., Manhattan Bridge Plaza, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A.- (Assignees of Hodgman, F. S.; 111, Valley Road, Glen Rock, New Jersey, U.S.A.) Oct. 19, 1932, No. 29247. Convention date, Oct. 27, 1931. [Class 114.] In automatic steering gears for dirigible craft there is provided a compass or repeater motor, a small sensitive electric power motor controlled by a repeater and serving to control a main power rudder operating motor. A master compass 1 is provided with a coarse transmitter 2 connected by a one to one gearing and with a fine transmitter 3 connected by a reduction of 36 to one with the compass. The transmitters 2, 3 drive the repeater motors 4, 5 respectively. The coarse motor carries trolley arm 8 and fine motor trolley arm 9. The fine controller trolley operates with a segment 10, 10<1> and a lead-in brush 12 bears on the slip ring 11 to lead current into the trolleys. On relative movement of trolley and segments a circuit is completed through the brush 13 which bears on a slip ring and through a field winding 14 on the double-wound field of the small sensitive motor 15. The motor 15 operates cam contacts 40, 41, 42 through cams 86, 87, 88 constituting the main controller of the main steering motor 43. When ship deviations greater than 5 occur, the lead-in current passes through the trolley 8, lower trolley 8<1>, segment 25, slip ring 26, brushes 27 and 12 and ring 11 to the trolley 9 and the main controller then assumes charge of the mechanism. The motor 15 is connected through double reduction gear 50 to a shaft 51 which is in turn geared to the shaft 60. In the shafting 60 is interposed a lost motion device 61 for eliminating yaw. The device comprises a sleeve 62 having a pair of triangular slots 63, 64 ; in the slot 64 a pin 65 is mounted whilst a complementary shaft 66 has a pin 67 engaging the slot 63. The shaft 51 also drives one arm 52 of a differential gearing 53 which includes a worm 54 which can be adjusted from the handwheel 56 for the purpose of effecting changes in the course of the ship. The third arm 57 of the differential 53 drives one arm 76 of the second differential 77 and the second arm 79 is driven from a follow back repeater motor 78 which is itself actuated from the transmitter 80 connected with a motor 43. The repeater motor 78 is connected by gearing 81, 82, 83 with the planetary member of the train 77, and the third member of this train rotates a shaft 84 which drives a shaft carrying cams 86, 87, 88, which operate the controlling switches of the motor 43. The cam 86 has a one to one connection to the shaft 84, whilst the cams 87, 88 are driven through an 18 to 1 gearing whereby cam 86 controls the fine contacts 40, 401 while the cams 87, 88 control the coarse contacts 41, 42, 42<1>. Normally the fine contacts 40, 401 control the motor. Indications of the rudder movements are given on a dial 108, mounted on a shaft 109 driven from the gear 76. The indicator 108 has a dial 111 with an index 112 which is rotated through the worm 113 driven by a member 79 in the differential 77. Indicator 112 represents the rudder position, whilst indicator 108 represents the course set. A control for weather conditions may be employed which consists in controlling the speed of the fine motor 15 by means of a resistance 120 and rheostat contacts H, M, L. When the weather is bad rheostat arm R is placed on the low speed contact L, and in fine weather is placed on the contact H.