JPS5749806A - Device and method for measuring advancing direction - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To constitute the advancing direction measuring device of a means of transportion by providing a light receiving plate, on which light receiving elements and light emitting elements are arranged in circular shape so that they face with one to one correspondence, at the outside of a room, and providing a light emitting plate on the same shaft of a sundial type hour display plate in the room. CONSTITUTION:Light receiving ends 3 at the tips of glass fibers 6 are arranged on the circumference of the light receiving plate 2 in 16 bearings at the angle of about 45 deg. from a horizontal plane. Light shielding plates 4 are provided between the individual light receiving ends 3. The glass fibers 6 are bundled, and light emitting ends 11 are connected in a unitary body in the reverse order of bearings (i.e. north and south) with respect to the light receiving ends 3, thereby forming a light display plate 12. A sundial type hour scale 16 is provded in the light display plate 12. The position of the 0 hour faces the light emitting end 11a which is connected to the light receiving end 3a facing the forward direction of the means of transportation. Said position is located at the top of the plate. A bearing display plate 13 which is provided on the same shaft of the light display plate 12 is rotated, and an aligning mark 21 on the plate is aligned with the time of the hour scale 16, and the bearing corresponding to the illuminating light emitting ends 11 is read from a bearing scale 20. In this method the bearing can be accurately sensed as long as the sun is shining.