US3422548A

US3422548A - Control apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3422548A
Application number: US455199A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles H Waldhauer Jr
Original assignee: Honeywell Inc
Current assignee: Honeywell Inc
Priority date: 1965-05-12
Filing date: 1965-05-12
Publication date: 1969-01-21
Anticipated expiration: 1986-01-21

Description

Jan. 21, 1969 c. H. WALDHAUER, JR 3,

CONTROL APPARATUS Filed May 12, 1965 Sheet of 2 TARGET INVENTOR.

CHARLES H. WALDHAUER R.

ATTORNEY J 1969 c. H. WALDHAUER, JR 3,

CONTROL APPARATUS Filed May 12, 1965 Sheet 2 of 2 FIGB I NVENTOR.

CHARLES H. WALDHAUER JR.

ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 21, 1969 3,422,548 CONTROL APPARATUS Charles H. Waldhauer, Jr., Glendora, Calif., assignor to Honeywell Inc., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 12. 1965, Ser. No. 455,199 U.S. Cl. 35--25 6 Claims Int. Cl. F41g 3/26; G01j 1/20; A63f 9/02 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An aiming evaluation device wherein a rotating perforated disc is positioned at the focal plane of a target viewing optical system to modulate the received target radiation in accordance with how closely the optical system aligned with the target. An internally reflecting hollow cone gathers the modulated radiation onto a single detector.

The present invention pertains to aiming evaluation a tarket seeking capability it is only necessary to aim it' into a generally correct path. The present invention is ideally suited for this purpose providing detection of four distinct aiming modes in a relatively inexpensive manner. An optical system is utilized whose optical axis is substantially parallel with the direction of fire of the weapon. Infrared radiation emitted from the target, which may be an airplane, is focused at a focal plane. A mask -is positioned'in this focal plane so that a small hole in the mask will allow the focused infrared image to pass through if the optical axis of the system and consequently the weapon is directly aligned with the target. In the preferred embodiment three other holes are formed in the mask at positions which will allow the infrared image to pass through the mask if the weapon is properly aimed in a compensating manner. For example, if the weapon should be aimed slightly above the target so as to com: pensate for a drop in the trajectory a hole may be provided in the mask at the position the image would be tocuscd when the weapon is accordingly aimed.'Also, holes are used which are representative of an aiming prht which is above and to the left and above and to the right of the target. In the preferred embodiment a single i1- frared radiation detector is used to sense radiation passing through all four of these holes and a chopper is inserted into the system in such a way as to sequentially chop each of the holes so that it can be determined which hole the radiation is passing through.

It is an object, then, of the present invention to provide apparatus which will indicate if a weapon is properly aimed both when the weapon is pointed directly at the target and when the weapon is pointed at some predetermined compensating distance from the target. Further objects and advantages will become apparent in the following description and drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic drawing of some of the major components of my invention showing the principles of operation;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged drawing showing the chopper and mask of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a diagram of the preferred embodiment of the present invention in an operable configuration.

Referring to FIGURE 1 a lens 10 is shown which focuses an image of a target 12 onto a mask 14. Mask 14 is positioned substantially at the focal plane of lens 10 and has a hole 16 in it at a position suitable to accept the image of the target when the system is properly aligned on a direct line with the target. In FIGURE 1 target 12 is shown as an airplane and, thus, it may also be desirable to aim the weapon above the target 12 and also to the left of target 12 so as to compensate for the curve of the trajectory and the targets motion. Consequently, a hole 18 is provided in mask 14 which will pass the image of the airplane through if the system is aimed at a point which is the proper distance above and to the left of target 12. If the trainee aims above and to the right of the target the image will pass through hole 20, whereas, if the trainee aims simply above the target by a proper predetermined amount the image will pass through hole 22. Infrared energy passing through any of the four holes is collected by an internally reflecting cone 24 and directed to a detector 26. The signal from detector 26 is amplified by an amplifier 28 and presented to logic circuitry 30 where an evaluation may be made as to whether or not the device was properly aimed. Although the preferred embodiment operates with infrared radiation it shoud be understood that visible radiation such as from a rocket flame or ultraviolet radiation will work also.

In order to differentiate between the four holes a chopper 32 is employed in the optical system to sequentially chop each hole. Chopper 32 has four sets of chopping holes, each extending over of the chopper wheel, one set for each hole, which cause an AC signal to be generated on detector 26 which may be better amplified by amplifier 28. As chopper 32 rotates, each hole is successively modulated for a quarter of a turn. The rotational position of chopper 32 is ascertained by a magnetic pick-u head 34 which senses the passage of four small magnetic portions of disk 32 and, accordingly, signals logic circuitry 30 so that the holes in mask 14 may be properly discriminated. Logic circuit 30 may be a stepping switch or any mechanism or circuit for supplying a signal to one of a group of indicator lights 35 each of which represents one of the four mask holes, when that hole is receiving radiation. For example, the magnetic impulses from pickup head 34 may be made to actuate electronic gates which will then pass the signal from amplifier 28 to the appropriate indicator light 35. The arrangement of these four magnets, mask 14, and chopper 32 may be better understood with reference to FIGURE 2.

In FIGURE 2 is can be seen that rotation of chopper 32 about an axis 33 will cause light passing through each of the four holes in mask 14 to be chopped for a quarter of a revolution. As chopper 32 is rotated clockwise hole 16 will be chopped first followed by hole 20, hole 22, and thence hole 18. As 'mentiosed in regard to FIGURE 1 the logic circuitry determines which of the holes is being chopped by monitoring the passage of four magnetic inserts, shown in FIGURE 2 as

inserts

36, 38, 40, and 42. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention

magnetic inserts

36, 40, and 42 are positioned near the rim of chopper 32 and are detected by a first magnetic pick-up head and magnetic insert 38 is positioned slightly in from the rim of chopper 32 so as to be detected by a second magetic pick-up head. This arrangement allows logic circuitry 30 to not only determine the beginning and end of each quarter rotation of chopper 32 but also the beginning and end of a complete revolution as signaled by the passage of magnetic insert 38.

Magnetic inserts

36, 38, 40 and 42 may be small bar magnets or any suitable magnetic coating deposited on the surface of chopper 32.

It should be noted in FIGURE 2 that hole 16, the hole indicating a direct in-line target, is smaller than holes 18, and 22 which represent aiming situations in which the target is led or compensated for. The reason for this is that the procedure of compensating for a targets speed and distance by aiming high and in front of it is an inherently less accurate procedure and as such requires less exactness. Consequently,

holes

18, 20 and 22 are larger so as to accept a less accurately aligned image and allow for more error in the aiming. Any arrangement of holes in mask 14 may be utilized as the particular application requires, the size of the holes being varied to limit the accuracy as desired.

In FIGURE 3 one possible and preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. The elements in FIG- URE 3 which are the same as elements in FIGURE 1 are numbered identically. A housing 50 is shown which has a window therein so as to admit radiation from the target in question. If the simulated weapon to which housing 50 is attached is correctly aligned with the target radiation passes through window 25 and lens 10 in the direction indicated by a path 54. This radiation passes through chopper 32 and the small hole in mask 14 and is collected by the internally reflecting cone 24 and projected onto detector 26 as already explained with reference to FIGURES 1 and 2. Chopper 32 is rotated by a motor 56 through a gear train 58. The rotation of chopper 32 is monitored, as described before, by a magnetic recorder 34. A pair of pick-up heads 60 and 62 are shown in FIGURE 3, head 60 detecting whole revolutions and head 62 detectingquarter revolutions as described with reference to FIGURE 2.

If the simulated weapon to which housing 50 is attached is aimed a predetermined distance above the target in question the radiation of the target will enter the system along a path 64 as shown in FIGURE 3 and pass through chopper 32, one of the large holes in mask 14, and the collecting cone 24 as already described. It should .be noted that room may be provided for amplifier 28 and logic circuitry within the rear of the housing 50.

Many modifications and variations may be made to my invention by those skilled in the art. For example, a different optical system may be utilized to focus the image of the target onto mask 14. Also a different form of chopper may be utilized including vibrating reeds and the like. Internally reflecting cone 24 may be replaced by a lens or other suitable optical system which can focus the various images onto detector 26. On the other hand, a single detector may be supplied for each hole in mask 14 and, thus, do away with the necessity of identifying which hole the radiation is passing through by a sequential chopping mechanism. Still another variation which may be employed is to vary the spacing of the holes in the chopper so that each hole is continuously chopped at a different frequency and consequently each hole will have a different frequency of modulation. For the above reasons I do not intend the present invention to be limited by the embodiments or structures shown but rather only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An aiming evaluation device comprising:

an optical system for focusing radiant energy from a target onto a mask, said mask having a plurality of holes therein at predetermined positions corresponding to the positions of focus of radiant energy from targets in predetermined locations;

means for collecting the radiant energy passing through said plurality of holes and focusing it on a detector; and

means modulating the energy passing through each of said plurality of holes in a manner characteristic of the particular hole.

2. An optical aiming evaluation system comprising:

a lens operable to focus radiation from a target at a predetermined point in a focal plane, the position of said point being a function of the degree of align ment of the optical system with the target;

a mask in said focal plane with a plurality of holes therein, the position of each of the holes being such as to permit the passage of radiation therethrough when the optical system assumes a predetermined degree of alignment with the target;

means modulating the radiation passing through each of said holes in a fashion characteristic of the particular hole;

means for collecting and projecting the radiation passing through said plurality of holes onto a radiation detector; and

means connected to the detector for identifying the hole through which the radiation passed by means of the characteristic modulation.

3. An optical aiming evaluation system comprising:

a lens operable to focus radiation from a target at a predetermined point in a focal plane, the position of said point being a function of the degree of alignment of the optical system wit-h the target;

a rotating disk chopper located in the path of the radiation proximate to the mask so as to modulate the radiation passing through each of said holes in a fashion characteristic of the particular hole;

4. An optical aiming evaluation system comprising:

a lens operable to focus radiation from a target at a predetermined point in a focal plane, the position of said point being a function of the degree of alignment of the optical system with the target;

a mask in said focal plane with a plurality of holes therein, the position of each of the holes being such as to permit the passage of radiation therethrough when the optical system assumes a predetermined degree of alignment with the target:

an internally reflecting hollow cone for collecting and projecting the radiation passing through said plurality of holes onto a radiation detector; and

5. An optical aiming evaluation system comprising:

a lens operable to focus radiation from a-ta rget at a predetermined point in a focal plane, the position of said point being a function of the degree of alignment of the optical system with the target;

a rotating disk chopper located in the path of the radiation proximate to the mask so as to modulate the radiation through each of said holes in a fashion characteristic of the particular hole;

an internally reflecting hollow cone for collecting and projecting the radiation passing through the plurality of holes onto a radiation detector; and

logic means connected to the detector for identifying the holes through which the radiation passed by means 5 6 of examining the characteristic modulation thereradiation detecting means; from. an internally reflecting hollow cone for collecting and 6. An optical aiming evaluation system comprising, in projecting the radiation passing through said plurality combination: of holes onto said radiation detecting means; and a lens operable to focus radiation from a target at a logic circuitry means connected to the radiation detectpredetermined point in a focal plane, the position of 5 ing means and the magnetic pick-up head means so as said point being dependent upon the degree of alignto determine therefrom which hole is passing the ment of the optical system with the target; target radiation. a mask in said focal plane with a plurality of holes therein, the position of each of the holes being such References Cited as to permit the passage of radiation therethrough 10 UNITED STATES PATENTS f :i i j ;fi Predetermmed 3,083,474 4/1963 Knapp 35 -2s 3,173,019 3/1965 Wormser 250-203 X magnetic pick-up head means;

a rotating disk chopper located in the path of the radia- 15 tion proximate to the mask and said magnetic pick-up EUGENE R, CAPOZIO, Pri E i e head means, said disk having chopping holes therein arranged so as to sequentially chop the radiation P. V. WILLIAMS, Assistant Examiner, passing through each hole and said rotating disk having magnetic portions rotating therewith so as to indicate to the magnetic pick-up head means which hole 20 is being chopped; 250-203; 273l01.2