GB886305A - Improved gyroscopic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

886,305. Gyroscopic apparatus. DE HAVILLAND AIRCRAFT CO. Ltd. Oct. 10, 1960 [Oct. 10, 1959], No. 34415/59. Class 97(3). In gyroscopic apparatus in which a gyroscopic rotor 66 is mounted for rotation about a rotor axis 67 in an inner frame member 44 mounted for angular movement about a first axis 45, normal to the axis 67, in a gimbal frame member 30 mounted for angular movement about a second axis 33 normal to the first axis 45 and transverse to the rotor axis 67, in an outer frame member 31, each of the inner and gimbal frame members 44, 30 has a torque motor including a magnetic polepiece structure 14, 16, 18 or 46, 48 carried by a frame member 31 or 44 and having substantially planar parallel faces defining therebetween a part annular space in which is a magnetic field and a coil carried by another frame member 30 for connection to an electrical energizing circuit, and including force-generating conductor elements which extend across the flux path in the field and are relatively movable, upon relative movement of the frame members, in a plane parallel to and between the faces of the polepiece structure. Three parallel polepieces 14, 16, 18 are connected to a base-plate 10 on which the outer frame member 31 is mounted. The polepieces have faces 22, 24, 26, 28 defining two parallel spaces in which there is a magnetic field. Two coils 36, 38 are carried by the gimbal frame member 30. As the frame member 30 is pivoted relative to the base-plate 10 the coils 36, 38 are movable with the member 30 along the polepieces 14, 16, 18. The coils 36, 38 are connected in series so that current flows through the force-generating conductor elements in the same direction. The inner frame member 44 supports a pair of magnetic polepieces 46, 48 of reverse polarity. Each pole is built up of two halves which together form a pole having an inverted T-shaped groove 50. The polepieces have planar parallel faces 52, 54 which define a part annular space in which there is a magnetic field. An arcuate coil 40 of I-shaped is secured to the frame member 30. The gyroscopic rotor 66 contains a stator 68 which is continuously supplied with current to drive the rotor 66 at high speed. This stabilizes the rotor axis 67 in space. If it is desired to move the axis 67 angularly about the axis 33 the coil 40 is supplied with current. This current flows through the forcegenerating, conductor elements in the magnetic fields and produces a force tending to pivot the polepieces 46, 48 about the axis 45. This is resisted by the rotor 66, which is precessed about the axis 33. If it is desired to move the axis 67 angularly about the axis 45 the coils 36, 38 are supplied with current. The current may be applied simultaneously to the coils of both torque motors. The current may also be varied so as to obtain a cyclic movement of the axis 67.