GB1515646A - Dynamic angle measuring apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1515646 Inclinometers FERRANTI Ltd 23 March 1977 [8 April 1976] 14279/76 Heading G1F In apparatus, for measuring the inclination of a moving body such as a ship or aircraft relative to a datum direction, of the type comprising a pendulous mass 12 or 31 attached to a rigid member 13 or 30 pivotally suspended for movement in a plane containing the datum direction, an accelerometer 15 or 33 is provided to measure linear acceleration forces acting along the member 13 or 30, the outputs of the accelerometer and of means 16 or 34 for measuring the angle between the rigid member 13 or 30 and the direction of movement of the body being processed by a circuit 20 or 36 to determine the inclination of the body. The apparatus may include a second pendulous mass, a second accelerometer and a second anglemeasuring means to determine the inclination relative to a second datum direction, or, as shown in Fig. 3, a mass 31 suspended in gimbals 30, 32 whose orientations are measured by means 34, 35 can be used for this purpose. The output of the circuit 20 or 36 can be used to operate a position servo to provide a stabilized platform. In a modification. Fig. 4 (not shown), two further accelerometers (40, 41) are used to compensate for vertical displacement of a ship caused by wave motion.