GB740796A - Improvements in and relating to gyroscopes - Google Patents

Abstract

740,796. Gyroscopes. GENERAL ELECTRIC CO. Dec. 8, 1953 [Dec. 12, 1952], No. 34160/53. Class 97 (3). A gyroscope rotor is composed of two identical halves axially spaced and rotatably supported on a member extending between them perpendicular to the spin axis and pivotally supported about an axis perpendicular to the spin axis. In the form shown in Fig. 3 a rectangular plate 5 apertured at 15 supports trunnions 6, which may be hollow to accommodate conductors 16, and a bearing member 20 forming the outer race of ball-bearings having inner races 18, separated by a spacer 17 and supporting a spindle 4 carrying'two rotor members each consisting of a cup-shaped member 11 having lightening holes 14 and ventilating holes 12 and carrying a heavy rim member 9 and rotor laminations 30 of hysteresis motors. Flanged tubular members 28 carried on the bearing member 20 support stator laminations 24 and windings 26. The plate 5 may be circular and a single set of windings 26 extend through it to embrace both sets of stator laminations. To the periphery of such a plate may be attached two hemispherical shells to form an envelope filled with inert gas. The stators may be outside the rotors and the eddy current motors may be used instead of hysteresis motors. The directional gyroscope shown in Fig. 4 has rotor halves 44, 45 on either side of a plate 43 supported on an axis 42 in a gymbal 39 supported on an axis 40, rotation about which is transmitted by a gear 38 and a cup-shaped gear 37 to a dial 34. A member 52 sliding on the gymbal 39 carries a finger 54 which by raising the member 52 can be brought adjacent the plate 43 to cage the gyro. This is effected by pressure on a knob 56 transmitted to a projection 58 from a yoke 59 bearing on a plate 60 carrying pins 61 which actuate a yoke 53 and the slide 52. Magnets 46, 47 at the ends of the rotor spindle co-operate with a conducting ring 48 to level the rotor axis. Precession coils 49 co-operate with magnets 50 carried on gymbal 39. A pick-off device 90 may operate a remote indicator. In the gyro vertical shown in Fig. 5 the rotor halves 72, 73 are carried on either side of a plate 74 pivoted about an axis 71 in a yoke 69 in bearings 70. Continuous markings 75, or discontinuous markings 76 co-operate with a reference mark 77, or the plate 74 may carry a scale for the same purpose. a yoke 85 on bearings 86 supports a pendulous member 84 co-operating with one of the end members 82, 83 of the rotor to erect the gyro. The end members are conducting and the pendulous member magnetic or vice versa. Pick-off devices 88, 89 are provided. The Specification also describes a rate of turn gyroscope with two half rotors carried in a closed casing pivoted in an outer container which is fluid filled to reduce, by buoyancy, the force on the pivots.