GB539741A - Automatic vehicle control system - Google Patents

Abstract

539,741. Photo-electric control of ships aircraft and road vehicles ; controlling by sounds ; preventing collision at sea. WILLIAMS, A. R. Dec. 18, 1939, No. 32451. [Class 40 (iii)] [Also in Groups XXXIII and XXXVIII] Road or rail vehicles, ships or aircraft are controlled by polarized or coloured light or by ultra-audible sound radiated from another vehicle &c. or from a fixed source so that collisions are avoided, means being provided for varying the intensity of the light &c. waves transmitted and of the sensitiveness of the receiver with the speeds of the respective vehicles and if desired additionally with the accelerations. In the case of road vehicles, the control may act on the clutch and/or accelerator, as well as on the brakes, and the controlling energy may be radiated from the front, back and side of cars and from points in the roadway such that passing on bends and collisions at intersections are prevented. Control of road-vehicles. The sensitiveness of the receiver is increased with speed and acceleration and reduced with deceleration and the opposite effect is produced on the intensity of the light transmitted with the aid of two pairs of rheostats controlled respectively by a centrifugal device 63, Fig. 4, and an inertia member 65. The receiving system comprises nicol prisms arranged to pass light polarized in the vertical and horizontal planes respectively and acting differentially on the controlling arrangement. Normal light acts equally on both systems and produces no effect. Received prolonged light however causes in accordance with its intensity the opening more or less of a valve between the induction manifold 27, Fig. 3, and a cylinder 29 of which the piston 28 acts on the brake system. Control of aircraft. In other arrangements, Figs. 10 and 11 (not shown), solenoids acted on oppositely by a receiving system similar to that described for road vehicles are arranged to act on the elevator control or the rudder and aileron controls. The sensitiveness of the receiver varies with the air speed of the craft. Preventing collisions at sea. Ships may be provided with transmitters and with receivers which act on the rudder and engines so as to prevent too close an approach. The receivers may also be acted on suitably by shore transmitters to enable shoals to be avoided. In an arrangement for guiding a ship through a narrow channel, port and starboard receivers are acted on by transmitters on each side.