GB984816A - Improvements in driving training devices - Google Patents

Abstract

984,816. Training drivers. GENERAL PRECISION SYSTEMS Ltd. March 10, 1961 [March 10, I960], No. 8578/60. Heading B7H. Driving-training equipment to be used in conjunction with an actual but stationary motor vehicle comprises a screen upon which is projected a picture of the terrain, through which the vehicle is supposed to be passing and which is adjusted according to the controls operated by the trainee, at least one wheel-supporting shoe or turntable being provided to receive a steerable wheel of the vehicle and which is mounted for turning with the wheel about an upright pivot when the vehicle steering wheel is operated, the angular movements of the shoe representing steering deflection which produces an appropriate adjustment of the screen. The apparatus may comprise a pair of shoes 14, 15 which are turnable about upright pivot pins and are adjustable to suit the wheel size and swivel pin position of the vehicle. Friction damping may be provided to simulate steering " feel " and one shoe may be biased by springs 16 to simulate the self-centring tendency of a vehicle. The apparatus 19 for projecting a landscape upon the screen 23 may be as described in Specification 431,049, comprising a landscape and road model on a horizontal disc 26 which can be rotated on a shaft 29 and traversed across a stationary frame 27 while supported by pivotally connected links 30. A projection lamp 25 in a housing open only on the side facing the screen 23 and carried by a boom 24 rests on the disc at a position fixed relatively to the frame 27 and represents the viewing position of the trainee in the car. The offside shoe 15 is connected through an arm 17 and flexible cable 18 to the shaft 29 and the apparatus 19 is connected through a further flexible cable 31 to an electric motor and gearbox unit 32. A control box 39 is supplied for an instructor and a power unit, supplied from an external source is connected by the leads 33, 60 and 45 to the projection apparatus 19, motor unit 32 and control box 39 respectively. A pedal board 42 comprising levers 51, 50 and 49 is placed in the vehicle, the levers 51 and 50 being located beneath the clutch and brake pedals and the lever 49 overlying the accelerator pedal. The lever 49 controls the speed of the motor in unit 32 and the apparent speed of the vehicle through shaft 46, rod 55, gear 56 and multi-contact sequence switch 57. The lever 51 operates a switch 54 at the point of travel at which the clutch would engage and this illuminates a light on the instructor's control box 39 and disconnects the drive in the gearbox unit 32, although if the vehicle is supposed to be travelling, the illusion of continuance of motion is preserved by a flywheel in the unit 32. The lever 50 operates a brake device in the motor unit 32. The levers 49, 50 and 51 are mounted upon coaxial shafts and are adjustable to suit different sizes of-vehicle. A speedometer 40 is placed within the vehicle and is driven from the unit 32 which may also drive a noise generator having a speaker 38 placed in the vehicle. The gear-box unit has four forward and a reverse gear and the selection of gear, and the operations of switching on the ignition and starting the vehicle are performed by the instructor who presses appropriate switches in the control panel 39 in response to what operations he sees the trainee performing. The simulation of a stalled engine can be produced by flicking the " ignition " switch on the control panel on and off. The control panel also includes a main switch and an " emergency stop " switch which, when operated, causes an appropriate instruction to flash on the screen and may incorporate a reaction timer. The sides of the " roads " on the disc 26 are provided with electrified wires so that a buzzer is operated if they are contacted by the housing of the projection lamp 25.