GB2225424A

GB2225424A - Gyroscopic apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2225424A
Application number: GB8827295A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Chester Eyles
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-11-23
Filing date: 1988-11-23
Publication date: 1990-05-30
Anticipated expiration: 2008-11-23
Also published as: GB8827295D0; GB2225424B

Abstract

Gyroscopic apparatus comprises an outer eliptical yoke 20 and inner eliptical yoke 10, mounted for rotation on a common axis 5 and to be driven in opposite senses by respective motors 25, 15. Each yoke carries at its radially outer ends discs 21, 22 and 11, 12 respectively drivable by motors 23, 24 and 13, 14, the discs at opposite ends of each yoke being driven in opposite senses. When the rotatable parts are all in motion, the apparatus develops a precessional moment in the direction of the axis 5 (either upwards or downwards in the drawing depending on the senses of rotation). This moment may be harnessed and used for propulsion or other purposes. <IMAGE>

Description

Gyroscopic Apparatus This invention relates to a gyroscopic apparatus, and has for object the provision of a device which will harness the precession forces arising in a rotating gyroscope to give a useful output in the form of motion which can be applied not only to the gyroscope but to any structure, such as a vehicle, in which the device is incorporated.

The use of gyroscopes, which incorporate rapidly rotating bodies, as stabilisers for compasses, guided missiles or aircraft is well known. Apart from their stability in absolute coordinates, however, gyroscopes exert precessional forces which can be arranged to act in a specific direction.

To obtain for example a lifting force, precession must be produced in a vertical direction or which has a vertical component.

Kidd, (WO 88/04363 and WO 88/04364) has proposed a gyroscpic apparatus for the provision of useful energy which comprises essentially a pair of oppositely driven discs or flywheels mounted on a frame which itself rotates on an axis perpendicular to the axes of the flywheels. It is claimed that this arrangement produces a net upward moment along the perpendicular axis on which the frame rotates, thus generating lift.

According to the invention, a gyroscopic apparatus comprises a first axis, two members rotatable on said first axis in opposite senses and formed so that one of said members can rotate within the other, each member being symetrical with respect to said first axis and each carrying a rotatable member at each end, the rotatable members at either end of each first rotatable member being rotatable in opposite senses0 The various rotatable members may be driven 67 electric motors. The members rotatable on the said first axis may be in the form of generally eliptic yokes, açd the further rotatable members mounted at the ends of the yokes are preferrably discs or flywheels, turning on axes perpendicular to the common axis of the yokes.

The apparatus thus provided has an output in the form 6f bodily displacement of the apparatus along the direction of the first axis. This may be used to acheive a propulsive effect tb propel a vehicle in which the apparatus is mounted.

It is anticipated that the thrust which will be developed will be capable of moving a vehicle at a useful speed.

Alternatively the apparatus may be sufficient to counteract gravity to enable a vehicle to hover, for linear propulsion by other means. This may be preferrable for ground vehicles, particularly for amphibious and rough terrain use. As a propulsion unit for space flight, the gyroscopic apparatus can overcome many of the problems associated with reaction rockets, such as the adverse fuel/payload ratio and required acceleration. Rockets require rapid acceleration during the boost phase as the fuel burns up quickly, and the necessary velocity must be acheived in a few minutes.However the apparatus according to -the invention can provide a continuous thrust indefinitely, and can thus acheive orbital or escape velocity with a much lower acceleration (which is correspondingly more comfortable for passengers and thereby may widen the categories of people able to venture into space). For interplanetary flight, a propulsion unit according to the invention would be highly suitable with continuous low-g acceleration, and after turn round, deceleration being attainable, and hence quite high peak velocities being acheivable.

Manoevreability may be attained by changing the direction of precession, by tilting the apparatus.

A preferred embodiment of gyroscopic apparatus according to the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing, which is a diagrammatic elevation of the apparatus.

The gyroscopic apparatus according to the invention shown in the drawing comprises an inner yoke 10 and an outer yoke 20 mounted to rotate in opposite senses about a common axial shaft 5, with the inner yoke rotating within the outer yoke.The yokes are each of a general eliptical form, but may be of other shape if require, with the axis of rotation along the minor axis of the respective elipse. Other configurations are possible, for example superimposed rotors arms of which are arranged not to obstruct the rotation of the other rotor; however it is more stable for each rotor to have two spaced apart bearings on the axis shaft.

The yokes each carry at their outer ends a plurality (e.g. 3 or more) of symmetrically arranged rotatable discs or or flywheels, such as 11, 12; 21, 22 driven by respective motors 13, 14; 23, 24. Any number of flywheel and motor assemblies per yoke which is considered to be advantageous may be used. Two only are shown in the drawing for clarity.

The discs or flywheels 21, 22 on the outer yoke 20 are carried inside the yoke, while the discs or flywheels 11, 12 on the inner yoke are carried on the outside of the ends of the yoke 10.

The yokes 10, 20 are driven for rotation in opposite senses on the axis 5, by means of motors 15, 25 and at the same time the discs or flywheels at the outer ends of the yokes are spun each in the sense opposite to the disc or flywheel on the opposite end of the respective yoke.

In order to produce a high rotational speed suitable for producing gyroscoppic phemomena of the magnitude required, the yokes and discs are driven by ungeared variable speed motors, or by motors geared with only a small stepdown ratio. The motors are preferrably controllable to;build up rotational speed gradually during a warm-up period, thereby reducing the inertial load on the motors as the motors accelerate to working speed, and reducing the risk of motor burn out.

At the full rotational speed, the gyroscopic apparatus will generate substantial precessional forces actin g along the axis 5, which may be harnessed to produce useful work, such as for example as a source of propulsive effort. The effective direction of the force may be altered by tilting the gyroscopic apparatus.

Claims

1. Gyroscopic apparatus comprising a first axis, two members mounted to be rotatable on said axis in opposite senses and formed so that one of said members can rotate within the other, each member being symmetrical with respect to said first axis and each carrying a rotatable member at each end, the rotatable members at either end of each first rotatable member being rotatable in opposite senses.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein said first two members which are rotatable on the first axis are each in the form of a generally elliptical yoke.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein the further rotatable members mounted at the ends of the yokes are discs or flywheels rotatable on axes perpendicular to the common axis of the yokes.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 1, 2, or 3 wherein each rotatable member is driven by an electric motor.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 4 whwerein each of the rotatable members is driven by a respective electric motor.

6. Gyroscopic apparatus according to any preceding Claim comprising an outer eliptical yoke mounted for rotation and to be driven by a first electric motor, a second inner yoke mounted for rotation within the first yoke on a shaft which extends along the axis of the first yoke, and journaled at one end in the outer yoke and extends throughtthe first yoke at the shaft's other end through a bearing, to be driven by a second electric motor, in a sense of rotation opposite to that of the first yoke, the outer yoke having at each end a rotatable disc or flywheel within the yoke, each disc being arranged to be driven by a respective electric motor carried by the yoke, the discs also being driven in opposite senses of rotation, and the inner yoke carrying at each end a rotatable disc or flywheel outside of the yoke, each disc being arranged to be driven by a respective electric motor, carried by the inner yoke, the discs bein driven in opposite senses of rotation.

7. Gyroscopic apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.