GB901220A - - Google Patents

Abstract

901,220. Gyroscopic apparatus. GENERALE AERONAUTIQUE MARCEL DASSAULT. Nov. 9, 1960 [Nov. 12, 1959], No. 38510/60. Class 40 (1). [Also in Group XX] In gyroscopic apparatus in which a motor M, Fig. 1, is connected to one of the suspension axes, 1, of a gyro, G, in order to process the gyro about a second axis, 2, an elastically deformable member, e.g. torsion-bar 4, is included in the transmission path between the motor and the gyro and a signal is developed, e.g. by the potentiometer 5, 6, dependent on the deformation of the deformable member and hence on the torque applied to, and therefore the precession rate of, the gyro. The signal may be applied as a negative feed-back signal to the motor drive amplifier 9 via a comparator 8. The preferred embodiment relates to the gyroscopic stabilization of the angular position of an airborne radar antenna. Gyro details. Fig. 4 shows the mounting of the gyro housing 10 on gimbal ring 12 by bearings 13, the ring 12 being in turn mounted on the pedestal 17 by further bearings, not shown, for rotation about the axis C1. The gyro rotor G2 is mounted in the housing 10 by bearings 11 and rotated by utilizing a portion of the gyro rotor as a motor armature G1 driven by the stator S. The radar antenna G3 is attached to the gyro rotor and rotated with it. The angular position of the gyro housing and hence of the radar antenna is controlled by motors in the apparatus base 23, Fig. 2, via a parallel linkage arrangement 20a and 20b, application of a torque to the gyro housing about axis 02, for example, being accomplished by rotation of link 19a about axis O1 and application of a torque about the second axis, normal to 02, being accomplished by rotation of housing B2 about the axis Y, shown in Fig. 5. The drive mechanism for rotating housing B2 about axis Y comprises a motor M1, Fig. 5, driving through gearing 3a a hub 25 attached to the driving end of a torsion bar 4a, the driven end of which is attached to housing B2. A potentiometer resistance element 5a is carried on an extension 25b of hub 25 while the slider of the potentiometer is attached to a sleeve 28 connected to the housing B2, the position of the slider on the resistance coil therefore being a function of the deformation of the torsion bar 4a and hence of the torque applied to tend to rotate the gyro housing. A similar drive arrangement including a second torsion bar is used to rotate link 19a about axis O.