GB168251A - Improvements in and relating to fire control apparatus particularly intended for naval guns - Google Patents

Abstract

168,251. Rogers, T. W., (Krupp Akt.-Ges., F.). Sept. 7, 1920. Ordnance sights; discharging by means external to breech mechanism.-Relates to gyroscopically-controlled electric firing gear for naval guns, and consists in providing a firing-gyroscope M which is adjusted to accord either with a distant gyroscopically-controlled observer's sight g' when the target is in view or with a fixed sight line determined by an auxiliary gyroscope J when the target is obscured by smoke or fog. In the form shown, the Wheatstone-bridge principle is employed to ensure concordance between the gyroscope G controlling the sight g' and the gyroscope M controlling the firing contacts a<2>, d<1>. For this purpose the stabilized axes g<2>, A of the gyroscopes G, M carry arms g<1>, a<3> moving over resistances H, E, the arms being connected by a bridge F, there being no deflection visible on the indicators f<2>, f<1> in the balanced position, corresponding to concordance of the axes g<2>, A. The axis A carries a plate a' on which is mounted an electric motor C connected through worm-gear to a sighting-telescope B, which can be adjusted to a mark viewed at infinity through a collimator glass i<2> controlled by the auxiliary gyroscope J. When the target is visible, a switch k<2> is closed by the observer to light a lamp K to show that the indicator f<1> is to be followed in setting the contacts a<2>, d', but when the target is observed, the lamp K<1> is lighted to show that the sighting-mark is to be followed by the telescope B. If, when the target is obscured, the gyroscope G is adjusted to accord with indicator f<2>, the target should subsequently reappear in the field of view. By adjusting the motor C through a hand-wheel c' the telescope G may be adjusted to compensate for slight variations in the position of the sight line determined by the gyroscope J. The telescope B and collimator i<2> may be dispensed with if a Wheatstone-bridge control is inserted between the gyroscopes M, J.