Patent · US Expired

Gyro compass and directional gyro arrangement

US4158261A · kind A · utility

11Cited by
6References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJul 6, 1978
Grant dateJun 19, 1979
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 6, 1998

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T74/12
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

In a gyro arranged to be mounted in a vehicle and operable selectively as a directional gyro or as a gyro compass, which gyro includes a gyro rotor rotatable about a horizontal spin axis, an inner gimbal supporting the gyro rotor via its spin axis and pivotal about an axis which is maintained vertical when the gyro is operating as a gyro compass, a second gimbal supporting the inner gimbal via its axis and pivotal about an axis normally parallel to the rotor spin axis, an outer gimbal supporting the second gimbal and pivotal about an axis oriented approximately parallel to the vertical axis of the vehicle when the vehicle is upright, and control units for maintaining the desired orientations between the various axes, there is provided an intermediate gimbal disposed between the second gimbal and the outer gimbal, supporting the second gimbal via its axis, and having a pivot axis which is supported by the outer gimbal and which extends orthogonally to the axes of the second and outer gimbals, the second and intermediate gimbals being so arranged that the axis of the inner gimbal is vertical when the gyro is operating as a gyro compass, and the control units include a vertically sens…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.