GB633942A - Improvements relating to means for detecting and controlling tilt, particularly for gyroscopes - Google Patents

Abstract

633,942. Inclinometers; gyroscopic apparatus. SPERRY GYROSCOPE CO., Inc. July 13, 1944, No. 13418. Convention date, July 13, 1943. [Classes 97 (ii) and 97 (iii)] [Also in Groups XXXV and XXXVI] A member is restored to a predetermined angular relation to the vertical by motive means controlled by a tilt-detector mounted on the member, the tilt-detector comprising a vessel containing a fluid in which is immersed a heating-element; tilting alters the course of the convection currents in the fluid and thereby the degree of cooling of the element so as to vary the resistance or other electrical characteristic thereof. As shown in Fig. 1, the tilt-detector comprises a pair of thin tungsten or platinum resistance wires 3, 4, resiliently supported in V formation by the common terminal 7 and the side supports 5, 6, carried by the base 2. The wires 3, 4 are enclosed in an envelope 10, filled with helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, or nitrogen, which may be at a pressure of one atmosphere. The base 2 may be attached by a bayonet joint to a socket 18 which is provided with three spring plates 23 to engage conductors 8 leading to the three terminals 5, 6, 7. Fig. 9 shows a modified arrangement of wires and envelope. In a further modification, the wires are mounted in separate envelopes which may be plugged into a common support at the appropriate angle. When used to control a gyro vertical 32, Fig. 4, a detector 1 is secured by the grub-screw 26, Fig. 1, to a fore-and-aft trunnion 30 of the gimbal 28, and a second detector 1a is secured to a trunnion 34 which supports the rotor casing for rotation about a transverse axis in the gimbal 28. The resistances in detector 1 are connected in a Wheatstone bridge which controls, through an amplifier and either a relay and direct current torque motor, 68, 76, or a two-phase torque motor (see Group XXXV), the application of correcting torques about the transverse axis 33, 34. The detector 1a similarly controls the application of correcting torques about the fore-and-aft axis 29, 30. In a modification the gyroscope 32 is dispensed with and replaced by a shaft which carries a detector responsive to tilting about a transverse axis and controlling a motor for restoring the shaft about the transverse axis. A second detector responsive to tilting about the fore- and-aft axis is carried by a fore-and-aft trunnion of the gimbal in which the shaft is mounted and controls a motor for restoring the gimbal about the fore-and-aft axis. A horizon bar may be fixed to the shaft and read in conjunction with a disc secured to the gimbal. The detector may be used for maintaining the rotor axis of a directional gyroscope horizontal. Specification 604,557 is referred to.