US1527777A - Gyroscopic steering mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 24, 1925. 1,527,777

N. BLOUN-T GYROSCOPIC STEERING MECHANISM Original Filed Aug. 18. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 x r i 1r 0 Y O i 9& 1'.

INVEN TOR.

BZO an} ATTORNEY.

Feb. 24, 1925. 1,527,777

N. BLOUNT GYROSCOPIC STEERING MECHANI Sll Original Filed Aug. 18. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W 2mm INVEIiVTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 2 1, 1925.

STATS NELSON BLOUNT, F JAMESTOWN, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR, TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

GYROSCOPIC STEERING IVIECHANISM.

Application filed August 18, 1920, Serial No. 404,482.

T 0 all whom-2'1 may concern.

Be it known that I, NELSON BLOUNT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jamestown, Rhode Island, have invented new and 6 useful Improvements in Gyroscopic Steering Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in torpedoes and more particularly to improve- 10 ments in the steering mechanism of the lVhitehead or Bliss-Leavitt torpedo now in general use as a weapon of naval warfare.

The more recent developments of torpedoes of the above character, the exact construction and operation of which is at present largely a matter of military secrecy, provides certain means whereby the course of the torpedo may be changed under certain circumstances at some period of time mate- 2 rially after the launching of the torpedo. As is well-known to those familiar with the art, the steering of a torpedo of the above type is automatically controlled by and through the medium of a gyroscope which is so connected with the steering rudders through the usual steering engine as to maintain the torpedo on almost an absolutely straight line, all variations therefrom being but a few feet to the mile. In the mechanism now employed the gyro wheel operates through a mechanism, including a cam to rapidly oscillate a pallet in a general longitudinal direction. Any movement of the gyro due to a change in course will cause the pallet to also move about an axis at an angle to the line of oscillation. l/Vhen such movement takes place other mechanism connected with the steerin engine is actuated to bring the torpedo back upon its true 40 course.

As above stated, under certain circumstances, is is desirable that the torpedo should leave its true straight line course sharply either to the right or left and the present invention contemplates a mechanism whereby the control of the gyro upon the steering engine may be instantaneously and temporarily suspended while what may be termed the auxiliary control mechanism is connected with the steering engine to control the torpedo on its diverted course.

It is, therefore, one ot the objects of the present invention to provide a simple and Renewed September 27, 1924.

practical mechanism of the above general type which will be reliable and efficient in use and operation.

A further object is to provide a mechanism of the above character having relatively few parts compactly arranged which may be easily manufactured and assembled and installed in the present type of torpedo without making material alterations in the present arrangement and location of other essential parts.

A further object is to provide a mechanism of the above character so mounted, p0- sitioned and arranged with respect to the gyro and steering engine as to permit an instantaneous change from one control to the other in either direction as circumstances require, whereby greater accuracy and efficiency is obtained in the firing of the torpedo towards the target. 7

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out. The invention accordingly consists in construction and arrangement of parts and the relation of each part to the other parts as will be hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings showing one of various possible embodiments of the invention.

In these drawings wherein similar parts are indicated by corresponding reference characters,

Figure l is a detail view.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 1-1, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view of auxiliary pallet.

Figure 4: is a fragmentary view of the upper part of Figure 1 with the slot plate removed. 1

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3, Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a sectional view on line 22, Figure 1, of such parts of the complete mechanlsm as is necessary to understand the present invention.

Referring now to these drawings in detail there is denoted at 1 a plate on which are mounted the usual gyroscope pallet pa- wls 2 and 3 connected by means of adjusting studs 4, partially shown and screw 5. On the plate 1 are also mounted a second pair of pawls 6 and 7 being at the opposite side of the plate 1 and shown more clearly in Figure 6. These pawls are connected by means of a upper end ot the pallet shaft 23 which],

link similar to and lying directly under link 8, Figure 1, whichconnects a third set of pallet pawls 9 and 1Q mountedabove and on the same tulcrum pins 11 and 12 as the second set of pawls 6 and 7. The movement of any pawl is then equaland opposite to common link connections and no adjustments of the second and third set of pawls are re quired as in the case ,of the gyropawls 2 and 3. The pawl*7 "of the second setis connected by meansof a screwpin 13,130 link 14; whichin turn isconnected by apin 1.5, and a link 16 to a pin 17 in the arm-of the gyro .pallet pawl 1 Thus movement can then be to the pin 15 by either pawl acttransmitted ing independentlyor simultaneously, without transmitting a corresponding.movement to the connectedpawl. This will perhaps be more clear by the double dotted and dash lines in Figure 4.

Gn the top of link 16 is a plate18 with the diagonal slot 21 adapted to be connected to the steering engine Valve stem by means of the hole 19 m .to the pallet pawl of the third set .by meansot a screw pin 20. The

pin l5enters the diagonalslot 21, inthe plate 18, whose dimensions are slightly larger than the diameter of the pin. Slot 29 at the end of the plate 18 acts as a guide for the back and forth movement of the slotted plate 18.0ver thepinl7.

The gyroscope pallet 22 which normally has a reciprocating movement substantially along the line .1-1v is mounted upon the -,passes through a pallet holder 24; and;.is v given the reciprocating.,moyement above; mentioned by means of the usual pallet slide andv cam notshown. I Thispalletshaft 281 .is rotated by; the action-oftheagyrosut ficiently toengage the pallet on fits outward or forward stroke-with one or the other of the gyro pallet ; pawls 2 or 3. .Entirely separate and free from the gyropallet but carried and driven byt-he pallet holder is a second pallet 25 mountedon a shoulder- 26 of the palletholder, by means of a ring portion 27 as will appear more clear from the. disclosuresin Figures 2 ;and 3. The

fit of the ring 27 on the shoulder is sufficiently free. to permit the pallet to rotate easily. The reciprocative movement of the second pallet is equal but opposite to any stroke of the gyro pallet. V

The dimensions of the blade of the. second pallet 25 are such as to enable it toengage both the second and. third pallet pawls simultaneously. Back of the end oflthe. blade, however, are .two shoulders 28,, Figure 3, of suchheight asto enga'ge only the lower set of pallet pawls 6jand 7. In the neutral positionshown'the blade, ofthe second pallet 25 istree to, pass between both v the second and third sets of pallet pawls.

At the full stroke of the pallet the shoulders 28 touch the lower pawls 6 and 7 and maintainthese in balanced or neutral position. These in turn hold the'pin by means of the link 14 in a central position between the parallel. shoulders of the ,di-agonalislot 121 that of the connected pawl by means of their in theiplate 18. This neutral position of ism. Movement is also impressed on the pallet by the sameconnection. In thismanner theoperationof theauxiliary control steer- ,ing mechanism willinstantly disconnect the steering effect of thegyro through the nor mal palletpawls 2 and 8. I Abrief statement of the operation ot the mechanism is' as" tollowsz- Underi the; in-

;fluence of the gyroscope the gyrogpallet 22 .isshifted sideways with respect'to its reciprocations to engage oneor the other of ;the, pallet pawls 2fand 3gand movement is transmitted therefrom to" the steering engine through thepinil'l, link 16, 'pinf15 to the shoulders of the diagonal slotf'21 in the slotted plate 18 and thence to the valve stem connected through the hole 19, as shown in Figure 1.

As long as" thefpin 15 is in the center position thezgyro controls the steering engine. It the second pallet islshitted'ini either direction to engage one-halt otgthe second and third sets of pallet pawls,. the. pa3vl 6 or '7, shiftsithe pin 15 bymeans of af link L4 out oi the center positi on, and the pawls 9 or l0 directly connected to 'thefsteering engine, by the screw pin 20 'and"the valve stem connectedin the holeilg ot theslot' plate 18, control the steering engine. "The; gyro is thereby disconnected from the steering engine, since a ny movement ofjthe' gyro 'bawls 2 or 3 results; only .in the "free 111016- ment 'otf the pin 15 in one-half of the diagonal fslot 21, with'no movement of the-"slot i'pla e To restore thest-eering enginecontrol to the gyro the second pallet-.25 is'retu gned to the neutral position. One of the shoulders 28 of the second qallet engages the advanced pallet pawl 6 or rand returns it to abalance position as regards its opposite and the 'pin 15 is thereby returned to the central. position byflsliding in the diagonal1slot 21 and the control of} the steering. engine. is. restored instantly to the, gyro.

, Each backward movement of the pallet brings'the shoulders 28 of the second pallet to aposition just'clearbt the pawls 6 and 7 at the full back stroke. Theretormthe central position oflpin 15-is maintained and any movement out of 'POSltlOIl i s instantly corrected. Sincegthe to and fro motion of the pallet holder is exceedingly rapid the operation of the mechanism is nearly instantaneous.

From the above it will be seen that the present invention provides a simple and practical mechanism adapted to instantly shift the steering control of the torpedo from either the gyro to the auxiliary steering mechanism or vice versa. The mechanism comprises a small compact arrangement of parts which may be easily applied to the torpedoes now in use without material alteration or disarrangement of the mechanisms now therein contained.

lVithout further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist oi this invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting certain features that, from the standpoint of the prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention, and, therefore, such adaptions should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of the following claims.

What I claim is 1. In a torpedo, in combination, a gyro, a steering mechanism and means whereby the action of the gyro on the steering mechanism may be temporarily neutralized during the run of a torpedo.

2. In a torpedo, in combination, a gyro, a steering engine controlled thereby and means for disconnecting the gyro from the steering engine, including a plurality of pallets associated with the gyro.

3. In a torpedo, in combination, a gyro, a steering engine controlled thereby and means for disconnecting the gyro from the steering engine, including a plurality of pallets associated with the gyro, said pallets being independent of each other.

4. In a torpedo, in combination, a gyro, a steering engine controlled thereby and means for connecting and disconnecting said gyro with said steering engine, comprising a plurality of sets of pallet pawls and a plurality of pallets coacting therewith.

5. In a torpedo, in combination, a gyro, a steering engine controlled thereby and means for connecting and disconnecting said: gyro with said steering engine, comp-rising a plurality of pallets coacting therewith, said pallets being independently mounted movable with respect to each other, one of said pallets normally reciprocating neutrally between one of said sets of pallet pawls.

Signed at Newport, Rhode Island, this 19th day of June, 1920.

NELSON BLOUNT.

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