Machine element or mechanism – Gyroscopes – Gyroscope control
Patent
1982-09-22
1985-12-17
Bonck, Rodney H.
Machine element or mechanism
Gyroscopes
Gyroscope control
74 545, 74 55, 74 59, G01C 1930, G01C 1934
Patent
active
045586047
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a directional gyro, comprising a first gimbal mounted in a frame by means of an essentially vertical axis, a second gimbal whose axis is mounted at a right angle to the essentially vertical axis in the first gimbal, a gyromotor including a stator and a rotor and being arranged in the second gimbal in such a manner that the spin axis is perpendicular to the axis of the second gimbal, a vertically device for putting the spin axis in a horizontal orientation and a pickup for indicating the course angle.
Such a directional gyro is disclosed in "Grammel-Der Kreisel II", pages 189 et seq. That gyro includes a gryo case which is mounted in the gimbal ring by means of horizontal pins and with its spin axis as horizontal as possible.
This gimbal ring itself is mounted in a fixed frame to be rotatable on vertical pins. In order to compensate for the seeming drift of the gyro, a supporting motor is disposed at the horizontal axis and at the vertical axis. By means of a verticality sensor, the supporting motor at the vertical axis is excited whenever the spin axis of the gyro leaves the horizontal position. The supporting motor at the horizontal axis serves to adjust the gyro about its vertical axis. The verticality sensors are pendulums fastened to the gimbal frame and equipped with electrical pickups, electrolyte sensors, round spirit levels or capacitive verticality sensors.
It is evident that this gyro requires high structural expenditures to provide sufficiently accurate course information. Moreover, a plurality of components are required to support and adjust the gyro, such as, for example, verticality sensors, servomotors, follow-up circuits.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a directional gyro which can be produced economically with few components and without a great demand for precision.
This is accomplished in that the horizontal orientation of the spin axis is effected by means of an element, which displaces the center of gravity of the second gimbal to below its axis and which exerts a moment when the spin axis is inclined with respect to the horizontal, and by means of an element which damps the rotation of the approximately vertical axis and/or of the axis of the second gimbal.
Although it is known from "Gyroscopes, Theory and Design", pages 84 et seq., to provide a so-called pendulum gyro with a mass on its inner gimbal to displace its center of gravity, such a gyro is designed as a north seeking gyro and should have the least possible bearing friction or damping. The fundamental concept of the directional gyro according to the invention, however, is based on the alternating effect of a displacement of the center of gravity and damping of the rotary movement about one or both gimbal axes. If there were only a displacement of the center of gravity, a deflection of the spin axis from the horizontal would lead to a continuous rotary movement about the vertical axis and would make course indication impossible. The additional damping also produces a slight rotary movement about the vertical axis if the spin axis is deflected from the horizontal. However, it simultaneously causes the second gimbal to swing into the vertical position and thus puts the spin axis into a horizontal orientation and therefore the rotary movement about the vertical axis becomes zero.
A simple way of displacing the center of gravity and thus achieving verticality for the second gimbal is the attachment of a mass below the axis of the second gimbal.
A further possibility for placing the second gimbal into a vertical orientation is to apply, for example, an electromagnet or a permanent magnet on the first gimbal in such a manner that its force places the second gimbal at a right angle with respect to the first gimbal. Since, on the average, the first gimbal is vertical and the alignment of the second gimbal takes place with considerable delay, the rotor axis is thereby aligned horizontally in a first approximation.
The force of the electromagnet
REFERENCES:
patent: 2365727 (1944-12-01), Pike
patent: 2417066 (1947-03-01), Douglas
patent: 2510068 (1950-06-01), Carter
patent: 2510968 (1950-06-01), Fowler
patent: 2552132 (1951-05-01), Anderson
patent: 3029646 (1962-04-01), Slater et al.
patent: 3304789 (1967-02-01), Summers
patent: 3596359 (1971-08-01), Fukano
patent: 3596366 (1971-08-01), Kawada
"Wendekreisel and Lagekreisel", Section 8, from Grammel-der Kreisel II, pp. 189 et seq. (no date).
"Gyroscopes: Theory and Design", pp. 84 et seq.
W. Auer, "Uber einen neuartigen nordsuchenden Kurskreisel" [About a New North Seeking Directional Gyro], Archiv fur Elektrotechnik 54 (1971), 102-107, by Springer-Verlag 1971.
Walter Wrigley, Walter M. Hollister, and William G. Denhard, "Gyroscopic Theory Design, and Instrumentation", The M.I.T. Press, 1969, pp. 185-197.
Bonck Rodney H.
Teldix GmbH
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