GB166800A - Improvements in or relating to gyroscopic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

166,800. Gray, J. G. June 17, 1920. Addition to 130,697. Gyroscopic apparatus, -- In apparatus as described in the parent Specification in which the axis of rotation of a gyroscope is erected into the vertical by the action of rotating masses, an auxiliary gyroscope is attached to the erector in such. manner that its axis of spin, or a component of spin, rotates with the erector, and so gives rise to a rotating gyroscopic couple. As shown in Fig. 1, the gimbal-mounted gyro-casing 1 has rigidly secured to it a frame 1<1> in which is mounted on bearings a shaft carrying an electric motor 8. Secured to the motor casing is a frame 14 carrying a shaft 12 on which are mounted vanes 16; the shaft 12 is rotated by gearing 11 from the motor. The motor rotates a fly wheel 10 which forms the auxiliary gyroscope. Mounted on the frame 14 is an electromagnet 20 bearing a non- magnetic fork 17, 17<1>, Fig. 2, which acts as a pusher and a check to a ball 18 adapted to roll on a circular track 19 secured to the frame 1<1>. Current is supplied to the motor and to the electromagnet by slip rings 9. The reaction due to the rotation of the vanes causes the whole system mounted on the bearings 7 to turn. The centre of gravity of the system is eccentric with regard to the axis of the bearings, the arrangement being such that the gravity couples due to this eccentricity normally balances the gyroscopic couple due to the rotation of the axis of the fly-wheel 10. When the axis of the gyroscope 1 becomes inclined to the vertical, the motion of the frame 14 &c. becomes space-periodic and an erecting couple is set up. The action of the erector may be cut out in the presence of horizontal accelerations by speeding up the motor 8 and closing the circuit of the electromagnet so as to lift the ball from the track. In the modification shown in Fig. 4, the motor 8 is pivoted at 116 in a fork 119 capable of rotating in the bearing 7. The motor drives a fly-wheel 10 and also drives, through gearing 111, a shaft 112 bearing a roller 113 which is pressed down on to the track 117 by a spring 118. The erector may be cut out of action by speeding up the motor 8. In a modification of this construction, the pivoted motor and By-wheel are replaced by a small gyroscope pivoted in the fork 119. The casing of the auxiliary gyroscope carries an arm in which is mounted the roller 113, and the shaft 115 is slowly rotated by a stationary motor. The roller 113 may be replaced by a spring-urged brusn. In the further modification shown in Fig. 7, an auxiliary gyroscope 210 is mounted on a vertical shaft which is rotated through gearing in the casing 209 by the motor 8. The casing of the gyroscope is so attached to the shaft that the axis of the gyroscope is inclined to the vertical at a small angle. The gyroscopes 1, 210 are rotated in the same direction and the casing of the auxiliary gyroscope is eccentrically loaded by a weight 211.