Patent GB-190327212-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to the Imparting of Stability to otherwise Unstable Bodies, Structures or Vehicles.
Inventor: BRENNAN LOUIS
Filed: 1903-12-11
Granted: 1905-03-11
Abstract: 27,212. Brennan, L. Dec. 11. Steering automatically.-One or more gyrostats are mounted in or upon normally - unstable bodies, vehicles, or structures, and are arranged so that, when a precession of the gyrostat or gyrostats is caused by a disturbance of the equilibrium of the body &c., the precession is accelerated automatically or by hand, and the equilibrium is restored. The invention is described as applied to a two-wheeled vehicle such as a bicycle, and is applicable also to unstable ships ; in submarine vessels, two sets of gyrostats are used to maintain the stability, and a third set is used for steering. Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically a two-wheeled vehicle, such as a bicycle or motor car, fitted with a gyrostat b, which is rotated by the rider or by an electric or other motor. When the equilibrium of the vehicle is disturbed, the consequent precession of the gyrostat is accelerated by a movement of the hand-lever h, and the vehicle rises to the vertical position again. To enable a vehicle to be used on curved paths, and to be reversed, it is fitted with two gyrostats m, n, Fig. 2, each consisting of two wheels as shown in Fig. 3. The gyrostats m, n, are connected by toothed gearing 5, ... 8 and are driven in opposite directions by the armature t of an electromotor, the framing and field magnets v of which are mounted on pivots 1 ... 4, in a frame b pivoted as shown inside the body of the vehicle. When the equilibrium of the vehicle is disturbed, one of the faces 13, 15 of the curved guide 11 bears upon the corresponding roller 9, 12 on the extension of the spindle r of the armature t, causing and accelerating a precession of the gyrostats, and moving the vehicle back to the vertical plane again. A hand-wheel 17 is connected to the lever 19 on the framing v so as to control the precession and anticipate, when approaching a curve, the disturbances which it would produce. Figs. 4 and 5 show a modification in which the gyrostats x, 29 are rotated by independent electromotors v, 28. The motors are pivoted in rings 27, 40 formed in the spindles 26, 41, which are connected by quadrantal toothed gearing 21, 25 and the spindle 23. The whole apparatus is preferably enclosed in a vacuous vessel 37. The action of the apparatus is similar to that nf the apparatus shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the rollers 30, 32, Fig. 4, operating with the surfaces 33 ... 36, and controlling the gyrostat x, the precessional movements of which are transmitted by the link 49 to the gyrostat 29. The secondary gyrostats n, Fig. 2, and 29. Fig. 4, may also be fitted with automatic precessionaccelerating apparatus. The acceleration of the precession may also be produced by an inverted pendulum, which is thrown over by the centrifugal force as the vehicle passes around a curve, or by other mechanical or electromagnetic devices. When applied in a ship or to couches or cabins on ships, two sets of gyrostats are fitted, one to obviate the effects of the pitching, and another to obviate those of the rolling of the vessel. In some cases, the inverted pendulums may be controlled by a pair of electric contacts, which bring into operation alternately electromagnets adapted to accelerate the precession of the gyrostats. The apparatus is similarly fitted on submarine vessels.