Machine element or mechanism – Gyroscopes – Multiple gyroscopes
Patent
1996-11-05
1999-01-19
Bonck, Rodney H.
Machine element or mechanism
Gyroscopes
Multiple gyroscopes
74 84S, G01C 1902, F03G 308
Patent
active
058603174
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a propulsion system for a vehicle. It has particular utility in the propulsion and/or positioning of space vehicles.
The majority of propulsion systems in use today rely either on exerting forces against the surface over which they travel (e.g. cars, trains, funiculars (via their supporting rope) etc.), accelerating material which comprises the medium through which they travel in a direction opposite to the direction in which they are being propelled (e.g. propeller aircraft, power driven or manually propelled boats), taking advantage of thermally or gravitationally derived energy gradients (e.g. sailing boats, gliders or surf boards) or ejecting material in the form of fuel carried by the vehicle, either in part as in the case of a jet engine or totally as in the case of a rocket engine. Hitherto, there has been no alternative but to employ the latter method in order to propel or position a vehicle in space.
A problem associated with propulsion systems utilising the latter method is that the volatile fuel required to be carried by the vehicle represents a danger to any crew in the vehicle, the vehicle itself and its contents.
Another problem associated with such propulsion systems is that the range and manoeuverability of the vehicle is limited by the amount of fuel carried.
Yet another problem associated with such systems is that once the vehicle is accelerated, it can only be decelerated by expending further fuel.
The invention may also have utility in specialised terrestrial applications. For example, much effort has been expended in attempting to quieten the propulsion systems of boats. By obviating the need for propellers or such like, the system according to the present invention may provide quieter propulsion than has hitherto been possible.
The principles underlying the present invention will now be explained with reference to and as illustrated in FIGS. 1-9 of the accompanying drawings in which:
One method of moving a space vehicle a short distance is illustrated in FIG. 1. A device (D) inside the vehicle is arranged to project or move an object (W), of significant mass in relation to the mass of the remainder of the vehicle from one end of the vehicle to a receptacle (B) at the other end. It is known that if the object (W) is so projected to the right in FIG. 1, the vehicle will move a distance to the left (to the position S) in FIG. 1. After that movement, the object (W) and the receptacle (B) are at the positions W' and B' respectively. The distance moved will approach the length of the vehicle if the mass of the object (W) is relatively large in comparison to the mass of the vehicle, or will approach zero if the mass of the object (W) is insignificant in comparison to the mass of the vehicle. In any case, the effect will be that the centre of mass of the vehicle and object will not move. For this reason, it is thought that such an activity is of little or no use in propelling a vehicle, since it is assumed that, in returning the object (W), the vehicle will necessarily undergo an equal and opposite displacement to that which it underwent when the mass was originally moved from one end of the vehicle to the other.
Another method of moving a vehicle a short distance is schematically illustrated in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 shows a vehicle (1), on which is mounted a base plate (2), which in turn carries a pivot (O). An arm OA of length R is mounted with one end on pivot (O) and the opposite end carries an object (W) of mass M.
If a force were to be applied to the object (W) with the intention of moving its mass M around the semi-circular arc ACB at speed v, it might be thought that the sum of the centrifugal force acting on the pivot (O) during that motion would have components only in the direction Y and therefore that the vehicle would be moved in the direction Y. However, this is not the case because the force needed to give the initial momentum Mv to the object W will always cancel the component of the centrifugal force. In fact, the applica
REFERENCES:
patent: 5335561 (1994-08-01), Harvey
Dawson William
Laithwaite Eric
Bonck Rodney H.
Gyron Limited
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