GB559895A - Improvements in and relating to gyroscopic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

559,895. Gyroscopic apparatus. ZARDECKI. J. Sept. 4. 1942, No. 12537. [Class 97 (iii)] In a gyroscopic apparatus for containing a constant direction in space or for he stabilization of other bodies, two rotors are mounted in a gimbal ring so that their axes are unidirectional and are so interconnected and driven that under the action of an external force each aectom has a different precession speed, the interconnection between the rotors being such that the rotor with greater prescession speed imposes this on the other rotor to set up a second precession therein in order to eliminate the first-mentioned precession in each rotor. As show in Fig. 1 the rotor 2 is freely mounted on the spindle of the rotor 1 within a gimbal ring 5 and is driven by an air jet 23 at twice the speed of the rotor 1. In operation, when an external force is applied, for example by attempting to turn the frame 5 about its bearings 7, the precession of the rotor 1 accelerates the precession of the rotor 2 and imparts to it a second precession which balances the applied force to set up a condition of equilibrium and arrest the precession of both rotors. In a modification, Fig. 3, the two rotors are tiltably mounted in bearings 14, 16 within the limits imposed by a thrust bearing 18, and are united by a common bearing 15 and cardan couplings 17 so that they rotate together under the action of a single air jet 25. When the spin axes of the rotors move out of alignment the gravity effects of the two masses set up differential moments which restore the axes to the vertical position. The arrangements shown in Figs. 1 and 3 may be combined as shown in Fig. 5.