US2165690A - Navigation instrument - Google Patents

Description

11, 13. w c WADEMAN 2,165,$9

NAVIGATION INSTRUMENT Filed Jan. 27, 1936 Sheets-Sheet 1 [n z/entor;

Patented July 11, 1939 NAVIGATKON mew/Inn's Warrington C. Wademan, West Orange, N. 5. Application January 21, 1936, Serial No. 60,961

1 Claim.

a mechanically operated radio sending and receiving set, an automatic relay set and a device for converting units of time into units of distance.

The invention is composed of a radio trans- 10 mitting set, a mechanical means of operating the transmitting set, a relay transmitter to pick up and re-broadcast the signals sent out from this mechanically operated sending set, an antenna to pick up these relayed signals, a means of amplification, a mechanical means of calculating the time required for the signals to travel 1 to the relay station and return and converting and registering this time in units of distance.

The relay stations used in the invention are permanently tuned and set so as to receive signals at one frequency and relay them at another frequency, and when two or more relay stations are used as in marine or aerial navigation, each relay station has a slightly different tuning so that by adjusting the tuning of the mechanically operated sending and receiving set, any one of the relay stations may be contacted at will.

When the invention is used for aerial or marine navigation, the aircraft or ship to be navigated is equipped with the mechanically operated sending and receiving set as herein described. When this mechanically operated set is placed in motion and tuned to the frequency of the relay station to be contacted, the set will transmit in rapid succession, a number of radio signals or impulses, which will be picked up by the relay station and re-broa-dcast on a different frequency. The antenna of the mechanically operated radio receiving set willthen pick up these reflected or relayed signals and transmit them to the radio receiving set where they are amplified and passed on to the super-sensitive timing device, where the time required for them to reach the relay station and return is mechanically calculated and converted from units of time to units of distance. The units of distance are then registered on a visual instrument.

It is possible to construct the invention so as to measure a wide variety of distances and to use units of mea'sure other than the mile. However, for simplicity I have considered an instrument of one thousand miles capacity using the mile as a unit of measure.

Inasmuch as the radio circuits, motor (for driving the distributor), and the governor or speed control mechanism used in the invention may be of conventional design, I have not considered it necessary to include them in the drawings or specifications.

' One form of mechanism for operating the pri- 5 mary sending and receiving set is shown in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 shows a section of the face of the rotor or balanced distributor disc A, the primary or. sending brush B,

the units" receiving brush 0, the tens receiving brush D, the hundreds" receiving brush E and the insulation F around these brushes.

The stationary commutator ring as represented by Figures 2, 3, and 4 consists of three sections, one of which measures in units and which will 15 hereinafter be referred 'to as the units section, one of which measures tens and units and will be referred to as the. tens section, and the last which measures hundreds, tens and units and will be referred to as the hundreds section. 20

I Any number or combination of segments and-contact bars may be used in this commutator.

Fig. 2 is a section of the stationary commutator showing. the face of the entire units section, of.

ten contact points or segments, G to G, the in- 5 sulation segments H between the contact. points, the insulation rings I and I, the beginning of the tensfcontact section J, the endsof the tens and hundreds" section J and K, and the primary out-put or sending contact point L.

Fig. 3 shows part of the tens section of the commutator ring. J and J. indicate two of the long contact bars which make up the tens section of the commutator and which are connected tothe tens section of the visual indicator. The 35 small segments G of the units. series are re peated around the entire circumference of the commutator, beginning anew every ten segments. Segments 1, 11, 21, 31, etc., are connected to the first point or bulb of the visual indicator, while 40 segments 2, 12, 22, 32, etc., are connected to the second point or bulb of the indicator, etc.

Fig. 4 is a portion of the hundreds section of the commutator ring, showing a part of one of the contact bars K of the hundreds series, also two 45 contact bars J, ofthe "tens series, and thirteen segments G of the "units" series. All contact points are separated by insulation.

Fig. 5 is a section of the continuous contact ring M which is stationary and is placed on the- 50 opposite side of the rotor from the commutator ring. The point which contacts the brush Bis shown at N. This contact ring M acts as a terminal base.

The commutator ring, of which Figures 2; 3 55 and 4 are sections, and the continuous contact ring of which Fig. 5 is a section, are stationary and are. mounted facing each other with the distributor disc of which Fig, 1 is a section, between. One end oi. the brushes C, D and E of the distributor disc A is in continuous contact with the face of the continuouscontact ring M, while the opposite ends of the brushes C, D and E contact segments of the varioussections oi the commutator as the distributor brush revolves. Brush B is only in contact while it is passing directly between contact points-N and L. In this way, brush 13 serves the same purpose as the key of a conventional code telegraph instrument.

Fig. 6 is a view showing the distributor disc A mounted on shaft P and located between the continuous contact-ring M and the commuator O alsov the driving motor and speed control mechanism S, and operating switch T. Receiving brushesC, D, and E are shown in contact with ring M and the commutator 0. The primary or sending brush B is also shown in contact between contact point N of the continuous contact ring and contact point L of the commutator.

Fig. 7 shows the visual indicator Q. The 27 dots' on the face of this instrument indicate 2'7 small electric bulbs R. The plan of operation and method of reading this indicator are explained hereinafter.

Fig. 8 is a. diagrammatic view showing the invention as a whole. At the left is shown the complete initiating station. At the right is the relaying or reflecting station. Thelong dashes between the antennae of the initiating transmitter and the receiver of the relaying station indicate electro-magnetic impulses tuned to the frequency of the relay station and transmitted by the initiating station; while the short dashes between the transmitter of the relay set and the receiver of the initiating station indicate returning radio impulses transmitted'on a diflerent irequency than those of the initiating transmitter.

If an electric impulse is broadcast thru point L at each revolution ofv distributor disc A when brush B completes the electric circuit'between point N and point 1 disc A and brushes C, D and E will have passed some distance around the commutator ring before the radio impulse reaches the relay station and returns. Inasmuch as distributor disc A is revolving at a predetermined high rate of speed there will be a rapid succession of radio signals being broadcast thru contact points N, B and L and a corresponding rapid succession of returning signals thru brushes C, D or E to that point on the commutator with which the brushes C, D or E are in contact at the time the incoming signals are received. The time lapse upon which this point of contact depends constitutes a measurement of the distance between the mechanically operated sending and receiving set and the automatic relay set. By

tiating station with its mechanically operated sending and receiving set, commutator unit and visual indicator is located in the control tower of an airport, while the automatic reflector Q 6 station is located in an aircraft which the control tower operator wishes to contact.

The distributor disc A is set in motion by closing the switch T of the control mechanism 8 and the initiating transmitter is tuned to the frequency of the receiving 'set in the ship to be contacted. With each revolution of the distributor disc A the sending contact brush B is brought directly between contact points N and L,

completing the primary or sending circuit. A"

series 01 short electro-magnetic impulses (one impulse for each revolution of disc A) is broadcast from the initiating transmitter. This series of electro-magnetic impulses is picked up by the receiving antenna of the ship to which it is tuned and is re-transmitted on a diflerent frequency by the transmitter 01 the relay set. These relayed or retransmitted signals or impulses are again picked up by the receiver at the initiating station where they are amplified and passed to the continuous contact ring M, thru the brushes 0, D and E to the commutator or selector 0. and thence to the signal board or visual indicator Q.

It is well known that the speed of radio waves is for all practical purposes the same as that of light, 1. e., 186,000 miles per second. The section of the commutator which is contacted by distributor brush 0 is divided into one thousand segments and-the speed of the distributor disc is 93 revolutions per second. Therefore, a radio wave will travel one thousand'miles' to a relay station and return while brush C, carried by distributor disc A, makes one complete revolution. Inasmuch as brush 0 contacts 1000 segments of the G or units" series of the commutator each revolution, and an electro-magnetic wave will travelv 1000 miles and return during the time required for disc A to complete one revolution, it is clearly understood that an electro-magnetic wave will travel one mile to a reflecting stationand return while brush 0 is passing any one of the segmentsG. Each of the.1000 segments of the commutator series G therefore represents one mile of distance between the initiating and relaying stations. 1

The final, or one thousandth segment position is a blank, or dummy, in the units", tens and Y hundreds" series of the commutator, with insulation material totake its place. Contact points N and L areso arranged as to be cont'acted by B while brushes C, D andE are passing the insulation which takes the placeot the one I thousandth segment position.

It would of course be impossible to have a bank of 1000 electric bulbs, each one to represent an individual segment of the commutator O. For that reason, the segments of the G series oi the commutator have been divided into groups of ten, and a 27 bulb indicator serves amply to visualize the calibration 01' this commutator selector.

The first segment contacted by brus'h C after brush B has left contact points L and N represents one mile of distance between the initiating and reflecting stations, 1. e., at 9.3 revolutions per second, the time required for a given point on the rim of rotor A to travel one one-thousandth part 01' a complete revolution, or the distance from one segment to another, is the same as the time\ re.- quired for a radio wave to travel from an initiating station to a relay station one mile away and return. This first, or number one segment of the'units series G is wired to the first bulb of the upper or units" row of the visual indicator. Segments 2 to 9 of the, units" series G 'are wiredto bulbs 2 to 9 respectively of the upper were present.

anemone or "units" 'row of the visual indicator. Thus, each bulb of the upper row on the indicating instrument represents one mile of distance between the initiating and reflecting station, or two miles of radio travel. Hence, a light appearing in the fifth bulb would indicate 5 miles of distance between the initiating and reflecting stations.

The tenth commutator segment position of the outer or units series is a blank, while a second series called the tens series J is contacted by brush D at the time when brush C would contact the 10th segment G if that segment Brush D is in contactwith this first segment J of the tens. series during the portion of the revolution oi-disc-A which is required for brush C to pass over segment positions 10 to 19 inclusive. the first bulb of the middle or tens" row of nine bulbs on the visual indicator.

The second group of 9 individual segments G are wired respectively to the 9 bulbs of the upper or units row as were the first 9 segments G.

Thus, if a radio impulse were returned from a relay station 15 miles from the initiating station it would reach the commutator disc while brush D was in contact with the first segment of the tens series J, and brush C was in contact with the 15th segment of the units" series G, or segment 5 of the second group of 10 individual segment positions. The visual indicator would one of the 100 groups of 10 segmentpositions will lght the first bulb in the upper or units row of the visual indicator, and likewise an electrical impulse passing from brush C to the second, third or fourth segments of any one of these groups would likewise light the corresponding bulb in the upper row of the visual indicator.

There are 99 segments in the tens series J, each individual segment being equal to 10 segment positions of the units series, and each 10th segment of the J series being blank, thus making 9 groups of segments in the J series. The first segment of each of these groups is wired to the first bulb of the middle or tens row of the visual indicator, and likewise the second, third'and fourth segments of each of these groups are wired to the second, third and fourth bulbs of the middle row of the visual indicator.

There are 9 segments in the hundreds series K,'each segment being equal to 100 segment positions of the units series. Segments'l to 9 of the hundreds" series are. wired to bulbs 1 to 9 respectively of the lower or hundreds row of the visual indicator. i

' The one thousandth segment position on the commutator is blank to allow the receiving instrument of the initiating station to be inactive during the sendingperiod of the transmitter, i. e.,

the period of the revolution of disc A when brush B isin contact with contact points N and L. The

' time required for brush B to pass points N and L is brushes do not contact two segments of the same series at the same time. Thus, since the length of the impulse transmitted by the initiating station is equal to one one-thousandth of a complete The firstsegmentJ is wired to revolution of the distributor diet. the returned,

or relayed impulse will require the exact time necessary for brush to pass any one segment position of series (3., The insulation blocks between thesegments are just large enough that the leading edge of the brushes C, D and E contact a new segment or segment position as soonas the trailing edge has left the previous segment position. Thus, each relayed impulse will be received thru one segment only of any one series and no more than one bulb in each row of 9 bulbs on the visual indicator is lighted at any one time. Neon bulbs are used on the visual instrument. Ninety-three impulses per second are transmitted by brush 13 thru points N and L--hence, 93 re turn impulses are received per second thru brushes C, D and E to the indicating instrument. Therefore, if the operator of the previously mentioned control tower were measuring the distance to an aircraft 15 miles away, the 93 impulses per second transmitted thru brush B and points N and L,

would bereturned thru brushes 0 and D over segments one of the tens series and fifteen of the units" series, to bulbs l of the middle row and 50f the upper row, indicating 10 and miles respectively, or 15 miles as the distance between the mechanically operated sending and receiving set in the control tower and the automatic relaying or reflecting station on the ship. Ninety-three impulses per second of the proper voltage are sufilcient to cause the neon bulbs to glow, and because of the'great rapidity, appear as a constant light to the human eye. These bulbs will continue lighted until the aircraft changes its position sufiiciently to take itwithin the 14 or 16 mile zone at-which time bulb number 5 of the upper or' units row will cease to glow, and a light will appear in either 4 or 6 of the same row as the case may be. The first bulb of the tens" row will remain lighted,

The antenna of the receiver at the initiating station is'of the so'-called directional type. This directional or range finding antenna makes it possible for the operator in the aforementioned control tower, or at any ship or land station equipped with the automatically operated initiating instrument herein described, to locate any ship, aircraft or any fixed or movable point which is equipped with a suitable relay station.

It is the purpose of the inventor to provide. a safe and satisfactory means of navigation which is not subject to the disadvantages existing with the means already in use.- Solar navigation is impossible in very stormy weather, and the time required for solar observations makes it unsatisfactory for aircraft navigation at any time. The

.radio beam is not as constant as it should be. and

at best gives little assistance in judging distance and none whatsoever when fiying over uncharted territory.

The foregoing advantages conclusively establish thefact that the invention herein described will serve a new and useful purpose.

Therefore, I claim:

An instrument substantially as herein described for mechanically calculating distance,

composed of a radio transmitting set, a mechanical means of operating said. transmitting set wherein a brush mountedon a revolving disc is passed between two contact points of the primary circuit of'said transmitting set in such a manner that the circuit is momentarily closed and an impulse is thereby transmitted'thru said transmittingset once eachrevolution of said revolving disc, an automatic relay transmitter to pick up and re-broadcast the signals sent out from this mechanically operated sending set, an antenna to pick up these relayed signals, a means of amplification such as any standard radio set, a mechanical means of calculating the time required for the signalsto travel to the relay station and return wherein the returning or relayed radio signals are transmitted from the standard receivmented commutator rings and thence to a bankaf three. tiers of electric bulbs (the suggested number of bulbs being 27), forming a visual iniicator, said segmented commutator rings being iivided into series and wired to said bank of elecv ;ric bulbs in such a way that a current passng thru segments 1, 11, 21, 31 and so forth of he first bank of segments of said segmented :ommutator ring would be transmitted to bulb #1 in the first bank of bulbsof said visual indi- :ator, and a current passed thru segments 2, 12, i2, 32 and so forth would be transmitted to bulb #2 of the first bank of electric bulbs of said vis- [8.1 indicator, and the remaining segments of the irst bank in saidcommutator ring to be wired 1 likemanner to the remaining bulbs of the first ank of bulbs in said visual indicator, thus dividag the first bank of segments on the segmented ommutator ring into nine series of one hundred ctive segments each, with each series connected 2 a separate bulb in the first bank of bulbs in aid visual indicator, while the tenth segment I each series remains a blank, and where the acond bank of segments of the segmented comiutator ring is divided into segments approxilately ten times the length of the segments of 1e first commutator bank and arranged in such manner that while one of the said commutator isc brushes would be sweeping any one of the roup of commutator segments one to-ten of the rst commutator ring except the first group, the

second brush of the said commutator disc would be in constant contact withthe face of the corresponding segment of the second series of segments of the segmented commutator ring, and the second series of segments of the segmented commutator ring are wired in the exact order of the first series, that is, so that segments-#1, 11, 21, 31 and so forth, would transmit current to the first bulb of the second bank of bulbs in the visual indicator and the remaining segments and bulbs wired in like order, and also where the third bank of segments of the segmented commutator ring is composed'of segments approximately ten times as long as the segments in the second series of the segmented commutator ring, or approximately one hundred times as long as the segments of the first series of-segments of.the segmented commutator ring, and the face of the segments of the third series of segments in the segmented commutator ring are swept by the third brush in the said revolving commutator disc in such a manner that while' the said first brush of the revolving commutator disc is sweeping any group of one hundred segments of the first series of segments in the said segmented commutator ring except the first group of one hundred segments, and the second brush of said commutator disc is sweeping the ten segments of the corresponding second series of segments in the segmented commutator ring, the third brush of said revolving commutator disc will be, sweeping the corresponding segment .of the third series of segments in the segmented commutator ring, these segments being individually wired.- so that segment #1 is connected to bulb #1 of the third series of bulbs on the said visual indicator, while segment #2 is connected to the second bulb of said visual indicator and the following segments of the third series of segments of the said segmented commutator ring are connected in like order to the remaining bulbs of the third bank of bulbs in the said visual indicator.

- WARRINGTON C. WADEMAN.

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