GB191122260A - Improvements in and relating to Imparting of Stability or Permanence of Direction to otherwise Unstable or Undirected Bodies. - Google Patents

Abstract

22,260. Clark, T. W. K., and Johnson, V. E. Oct. 10. Gyroscopic apparatus. - Naturallv unstable vehicles or structures have stability imparted to them bv means of gyrostats arranged so that through the gyrostatic precession consequent upon certain undesirable motions of the vehicle, a clutch mechanism is operated to work ailerons, rudders, weights, &c. so as to destroy the undesirable motions. In order that additional motions may be given to the vehicle, for example, the banking necessary to enable an aeroplane to take a curve, the gyrostat platform is tiltable and is arranged to be controlled by the rudder cables, or by the action of centrifugal force on a heavy weight connected to the platform, or by a separate hand control. The gyrostatic control is further combined with a hand control, the action of the two controls being additive. Fig. 1 shows the apparatus as applied to an aeroplane for the purpose of damping out transverse oscillations. The gyrostat which may consist of an electric motor in which the outer portion revolves and the inner portion is fixed, is mounted with its axis transverse of the machine in a frame b which can turn about a vertical axis C. The lower part of the axis C carries an adjustable commutator e, Fig. 3, comprising three portions e<1>, e<2>, e<3>. The portion e<1> is connected to the negative pole of the battery through the contact f<1>. The ring e<3>, which is in electrical connexion with the partly conducting rings e<2>, e<4>, is connected to the positive pole of the battery and the gyrostat motor leads may be connected to the rings e<1>, e<3>. The contacts f<2>, f<4> contact with the segments c<2>, e<4>, according to whether the gyrostat precesses to one side or the other and these contacts are connected with electric clutches n<1>, n<2> respectively. The clutches are connected to, and continuously driven by, a shaft t from the engine and when excited they draw their armature rings o<1>, o<2> into contact. Each armature carries a bevel wheel, gearing with a bevelwheel r on a screwed shaft s so that, when one or the other of the armatures is attracted to and rotated by its clutch, the screwed shaft s is rotated in one direction or the other. Rotation of the shaft s causes a lever V to operate cables x connected to the ailerons a<1>, a<2>, Fig. 5, over pulleys b<1>, b<2>. A hand-lever is provided so that the ailerons may be manually controlled without affecting the gyrostatic apparatus. The lever V is connected by a link w with the arm g connected with the contacts f<1> ... f<4> so that as the lever V moves, the contacts are broken and the shaft s is therefore brought to rest. By this means the motion of the shaft s is made proportional to the angle of precession. The precession of the gyrostat is limited by stops j and controlled by a spring k connected to an arm h secured to the gyrostat axis. To enable the machine to be banked for taking a curve the platform z on which the gyrostat is mounted is hinged about an axis in the line of flight and is adapted to be moved as described above when turning is to take place. The link w is universally jointed at each end to enable this movement of the platform to be made. As applied to submarines, Fig. 6, horizontal fins are operated at the front and rear to prevent pitching, through cables 3, 4, connected together and cables 5, 6, connected to the lever V. The gyrostat is arranged with its axis horizontal and fore-and-aft. A similar arrangement is applied to ships. To prevent ships from rolling, fins are mounted on transverse axes so as to lie fore-andaft. The fins are raised on the side of the ship that tends to be depressed and vice versa.