Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-09
GYRoscoPE FOR VESSELS.
schHck's Apparatus for Preventing
Ships From Rolling at Sea.

Ships From Rolling at Sea.
In transmitting newspaper article COW
ering the trials Of DR.. Schlick's gyroscope
apparatus off the Tyne river during the
week ended November 16. 1907. witnessed
by the several railway and steamship
companise interested in the cross-channel
traffic, Vice Consul H. Nixon Of New
castle says that he thinks the apparatus
would be useful on passenger steamers on
the American lakes. The following is an
extract describing the working of the ap-
paratus:
1.-The apparatus consists Of a heavy fly
wheel rotating about an axis which is. in
italy vertical and is carried by a frame
which can oSciliate about horizontal
axis lying transversely in the vessel, the
oscillatory motion Of the frame being
checked by means of suitably adjusted
brakes. The fywheel is one meter go 81
inches) in diameter. weighs ]. 1O6 pounds
and revolves 900 times per minute There
Is no electrical installation in the boat
and the fywheel is driven by steam
The periphery is provided with rings Of
blades, the wheel being Enclosed in q steam
tight iron casing and the whole worked as
a turbine. The steam enters and leaves
through the trunnions, exactly as in an
oscillating engine. while the lower end Of
the spindle of the f1ywheel is carried on
ball bearings. and there is forced lubri-
cation to both the upper and lower bear
ings. A regulator is fixed automatically
to cut off the steam at a certain number
of revolutions. There are two brakes
controlled by hand wheels on deck; one
a band brake, by which the gyroscope can
be locked in any position. and the other
hydraulic brake. When the fywheel is
running at it's working speed. Il the cas-
ing is held firmly by the brake. so that it
cannot swing, any rolling motion OF the
|ship is not affected by the gyroscope
When the casing is allowed to swing. the
motion being controlled by one of the
kbrakes, the rolling is Immediately checked
and for all practical purposes. destroyed
Each tendency of the ship to roll is
changed into a fore-and-aft oscillatory
motion of'the syroscope accompanied by
development OF heat energy in the brakes.
There is no accumulation of roll. and
the ship is to all intents and purposes
steady platform, having only a vertical
or heaving motion. Generally speaking. if
rapidly rotating f1ywheel Is acted on
by an exte rnal force which moves the
wheel into another plane. the inertia of
the wheel sets up motion of the whole in
a direction at right angles to tie first eX-
ternal force. If this motion at right an
giles is allowed TO take place. it sets up
force again at ght angles to itself and
equal and opposite to the first external
force Thus the first external force, due
TO the rolling of the snip. causes the gy-
roscope to swing in a fore-and-aft direc-
ton. and the swinging sets up a force
equal and opposite to the rolling OF the
vessel This aforementioned force is
changed into heat in the brakes and the
ship Is kept upright. If the apparatus
were allowed to swing freely the rolling of
period of rolling would be heightened. and
this alone would contribute to making the
vessel more comfortable.
Thursday last. although only ordinary