Communications: electrical – Selective – Having indication or alarm
Patent
1977-07-27
1979-10-09
Caldwell, Sr., John W.
Communications: electrical
Selective
Having indication or alarm
362 62, G08G 500
Patent
active
041707672
ABSTRACT:
A visual approach system for indicating the glide slope and course of an aircraft to a runway. The system includes a plurality of light beam generators of various colors enclosed by tubular light shields for precisely controlling the divergence angles of the beams. The angles of the shields with respect to each other and the runway are precisely controlled to generate an accurately positioned glide slope and course to the runway. In one embodiment a center light beam of a first color has an axis extending along the glide slope and course to the runway. In one embodiment a center light beam of a first color has an axis extending along the glide slope and course to the runway. A first pair of different colored beams extend along the top and bottom of the center beam for indicating deviations from the glide slope, and a second pair of different colored beams extend along opposite sides of the center beam for indicating deviations from the course to the runway. In a second embodiment a pair of vertically aligned light beam generators which are angled with respect to each other are pointed toward the aircraft with the lower edge of the top beam intersecting the upper edge of the bottom beam. The lights are of different colors so that the interface between the two beams defines the glide slope. In order to prevent color mixing, it may be desirable to alternately illuminate each of the light beam generators so that light is seen from only one light beam generator at a time. In a third embodiment two spaced units are used to define the glide slope, each having a pair of vertically aligned beams with the lower edge of the top beam extending along, but separated from, the upper edge of the lower beam. The first unit is positioned near the end of the runway with adjacent edges of the vertically aligned beams coincident with the lower edge of the glide path. The second unit is positioned approximately 500 feet further down the runway with the adjacent edges of the vertically aligned beams coincident with the upper edge of the glide path. The bottom beams of both units are visible when the aircraft is below the glide path, the top beam of the first unit and the bottom beam of the second unit are visible when the aircraft is on the glide path, and both top beams are visible when the aircraft is above the glide path. In a fourth embodiment, two units placed alongside a center unit may be used to produce, through a triggering sequence, apparent motion to the pilot of an airplane to adjust his craft to the proper approach course. In a final embodiment, multiple light beams are triggered sequentially to produce an apparently moving color pattern, and the direction of apparent motion indicates the vertical direction to be flown to intercept the glide path.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2441877 (1948-05-01), Flett
patent: 2968023 (1961-01-01), Ferguson et al.
patent: 2975400 (1961-03-01), Ferguson et al.
patent: 3191146 (1965-06-01), Mitchell
patent: 3447128 (1969-05-01), Birmingham et al.
patent: 3531765 (1970-09-01), Christianson et al.
patent: 3810150 (1974-05-01), Jacobs
Caldwell Sr. John W.
Groody James J.
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