Patent GB-964142-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to remote control systems
IPC: F41G7/30
Filed: 1962-06-28
Abstract: 964,142. Guided missiles. CONTRAVES A.G. [June 28, 1962 [Nov. 6, 1961], No. 24855/62. Heading F3A. [Also in Division G2] Relates to a method and means for guiding remote - controlled missiles, e.g. rockets, towards a moving target in which the missiles remain connected with the control point by a trailing wire for the passage of electric demand signals generated in the controller and varying with the movement of the hand controls for guiding the missile. An operator continually monitors by visual observation through a viewer O the angular difference # 2  between the line of sight Ar to the missile R and the line of sight Az to the target Z, the optical axis A 0  of the viewer O being kept constantly in approximate alignment with the target Z and adjustment of a hand controller H transmits demand signal to the missile such that the two lines of sight are brought into coincidence to secure a hit. According to the invention an automatic beamrider guidance system, e.g. an infra-red locating device, is also employed, in which the continuously computed angular error # 1  between the axis Ai of the guide beam (which is also kept in approximate alignment with the target) and the line of sight Ar to the missile R is used to guide the missile automatically into the guide beam, and the demand signals from the controller are not effectively transmitted to the missile for fine adjustment to its course until it is flying approximately along the axis of the guide beam towards the target. The infra-red device may utilize the jet stream flame of the missile or a special infra-red emitter on the body of the missile or the guide beam apparatus may emit a beam of infra-red rays to be reflected by the missile. As shown in Fig. 2 the operator continually sees in the field of view of his viewer O both the target Z and the missile R. At first the hand controls are moved only sufficiently for the optical axis Ao to be aligned with the target Z and a switch S is left open for a certain time so that in this initial phase the missile is influences solely by the signals e 1  of the infra-red beam-rider circuit and the missile quickly and smoothly slips into the desired course given by infra-red guide axis Ai. With the aid of a differential unit Gd, the angular difference #0 between the instantaneous setting # 0  of the optical axis Ao and the instantaneous setting #i of the axis Ai of the guide beam is extracted and converted in a transducer at W into electrical error signals # 2 <SP>1</SP>. On closing switch S, the signals # 2 <SP>1</SP> are injected into the beam guidance circuit by an adding network N<SP>+</SP>. If now the operator moves the hand controls H through the visually ascertained angular error # 2 <SP>1</SP> between the lines of sight Az and Ar the course of the missile will again be influenced in such a way that the error # 2 <SP>1</SP> is reduced to zero, i.e. the line of sight Ar coincides with the line of sight Az. The controller comprises a housing 2 on footrests 1, and a lever 3 with two handgrips 4 pivoted on the housing so that it can be rotated round both the vertical axis Y and the horizontal longitudinal axis X. Each of these movement components is transmitted through drag springs to a rigid carrier structure 5 which is oil-damped or braked by an eddy-current arrangement and supports a viewer 51, the optical system 52 of an infra-red angular error detector and a chin support 53 which are themselves rigidly connected together by the carrier structure 5. By means of press button 41 on hand grip 4, a rigid coupling between lever 3 and the carrier structure 5 for the optical system can be engaged or released before the missile is blasted off. By means of a press button 42 on the other hand grip, the switch S can be closed in order to permit the direction transmission of manually generated demand signals # 2 <SP>1</SP> to the summing device N+. The arrangement is such that hand-control movements, e.g. trembling, which exceed a predetermined frequency, are not transmitted to the carrier 5.