Jan. 13, 1931. E. A.

SPERRY 1,788,807
CONTROL GYRO
Filed July 24, 1925

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 Patented Jan. 13, 1931 1,788,807

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

ELMER A. SPERRY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTs,
TO SPERRY GYROSCOPE COMPANY, INC., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK
CONTROL GYRO
Application filed July 24, 1925. Serial No. 45,958.
parent deviation in azimuth, which can be
This invention relates to control gyros, es compensated
pecially of the type used as base lines for to one end of for by applying a small weight
such purposes as automatic steering of diri cause a tiltingspinning shaft 11, and will also
gible craft. Such gyros, unlike gyro com such as frictionofinathe
gyro axis. Other forces,
bearings, etc., will also
5 passes, are usually non-pendulous and are 55
subject to deviations and tilting due to such calise deviation in azimuth and frequently
forces as the earth's rotation. By this in in elevation. The latter is especially objec
vention I provide means for automatically tionable, since when the spinning axis of the
restoring the gyroscope to its original hori gyroscope becomes tilted from the horizontal
O zontal position, thereby preventing it from through a substantial angle, it is unsuited 60
becoming so inclined as to become useless as for use as a baseline on a rolling ship.
a baseline for automatic steering. It is apparent that if the gyro is to be uti
I accomplish the above object preferably lized as a base line, as for example, for the
by periodically and automatically applying purpose of maintaining a ship on its course in
15 a restoring means to the control gyro for the automatically steering the same, that such 65
purpose of centralizing the same. This errors are highly undesirable and should be
means may take the form of a cage or bell eliminated. For this purpose I have shown
shaped housing whose position, relative to means for normally applying a force to the
the craft, is fixed and which is adapted to be gyro to restore the same to its initial pre O
20 brought into engagement with the gyro in determined position. This force may take
such manner as to maintain or restore the the form of a cage 20 which is preferably
same to a predetermined initial position. bell-shaped for ready engagement with the
Other objects and advantages of this in end of gyro rotor shaft 11. It will be seen
vention will become apparent in the follow that when the cage 20 is moved into engage
25 ing detailed description thereof. ment with the end of shaft 11, it will actuate 75
In the accompanying drawings: said shaft to bring the same toward the apex
Fig. 1 is a plan view, partly sectioned and of the cage. The cage is so nounted that this
partly diagrammatic, of one form of my in apex is in the predetermined base line. By
vention. applying the cage 20 to the gyro shaft 11,
30 Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof viewed the gyro will be restored to the initial posi 80
from the contact end of the gyroscope. tion, i.e., centralized with respect to the fore
Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a modified and-aft line of the ship, and thus restored to
form of my invention. its most effective position to steer the ship.
Fig. 4 is a side elevation, partly sectioned I provide mechanism for automatically and
35 vertically, of still another form of my inven periodically applying said cage to the gyro 85
tion. at intervals frequent enough to prevent ex
Fig. 5 is a vertical section through an en cessive displacement of the gyro and yet not
larged detail of the Fig. 4 device. so frequent as to interfere with the operation
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, of the same as a base-line fixed in space, for
40 there is shown a control gyro journaled with it should be understood that the cage 20 moves 90
in a housing 10 upon a horizontal shaft 11 with the fixed object and for the period dur
for rotation in a vertical plane, the said hous ing which it is in engagement with the gyro
ing 10 being pivoted upon a horizontal axis tends to cause said gyro to move with the
12 at right angles to the shaft 11 within a object on which it is mounted instead of 95
45 vertical ring 13 pivoted about a vertical axis maintaining its position freely in space. For
14 (see Fig. 4) in a support 15. It will be this purpose I may provide means, such as
apparent from this mounting that the gyro an electromagnet 21, for normally attracting
scope has three degrees of freedom and will an armature 22 fixed to or integral with cage
tend to maintain its position in space. Ro 20 to maintain the same out of engagement
50 tation of the earth, however, will cause ap with the gyro against the action of means, 100
 2 1,788,807
such as a spring 23, which tends to cause said be made to actuate any conventional type of
engagement. I provide means for normally relay (not shown) to break the circuit
energizing electromagnet 21 and for periodi through electromagnet 21.
cally deenergizing it to permit spring 23 to In accordance with the provisions of the 70
move cage 20 into engagement with the gyro patent statutes, I have herein described the
shaft 11. For this purpose I may utilize any principle and operation of my invention, to
of a plurality of means and as shown in Figs. gether with the apparatus which I now con
1 and 2, I may employ the gyro itself for op sider to represent the best embodiment there
erating the control mechanism. In this form of, but I desire to have it understood that the
O the high speed of the gyro rotor shaft 11 is apparatus shown is only illustrative and that
reduced by gearing, such as worm 25 on the the invention can be carried out by other
shaft, worm wheel 26 meshing there with, means. Also, while it is designed to use the
worm 27 on the shaft thereof which meshes various features and elements in the combi
with worm wheel 28, Eccentrically mounted nation and relations described, some of these 80
15 on the shaft of the latter for rocking move may be altered and others omitted without
ment as the shaft rotates is a rocker arm 30 interfering with the more general results out
and pawl 30', the latter engaging the teeth lined, and the invention extends to such use.
of ratchet, wheel 29. The shaft of the ratchet Having described my invention, what I
wheel 29 carries a trolloy 31 which engages claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 85
20 a contact ring 32. Said ring is an electric S:
conductor forming part of the circuit of the 1. In combination with a control gyro hav
electro-magnet 21. An insulated portion 33 ing three degrees of freedom, means for cen
separates the ends of said conductor so that tralizing said gyro, means normally main
when trolley 31 engages said portion 33, once taining said centralizing means ineffective,
255 during each revolution of said trolley, the and means controlled by the gyro for period 90
circuit through electro-magnet 21 will be ically and automatically rendering said last
broken and the gyro will be caged. It will named means ineffective and said centraliz
be understood that the reduction gearing may ing means effective.
be such as to operate trolley 31 at any de 2. In combination with a control gyro hav
30 sired frequency to cause caging of the gyro ing three degrees of freedom, means for cen 95
at any desired intervals of time. The action tralizing said gyro, means normally main
of caging the gyro will, therefore, be not taining said centralizing means ineffective,
and means geared to the gyro and operated
only automatic but periodic. thereby for periodically and automatically
Instead of operating the circuit breaker 100
3. 5 from the gyro shaft, I may employ a clock rendering said last named means ineffective
mechanism as shown in Fig. 3 wherein one and said centralizing means effective.
In testimony whereof I have affixed my
of the gears 35 of the clock 36 may be in the signature.
electric circuit of the magnet 21 and be pro ELMER. A. SPERRY.
vided with an insulated portion 37 adapted 05
40 to engage one of the contacts 38 once during
each revolution of gear 35 to break the circuit
through magnet 21.
In Figs. 4 and 5 I have utilized the princi
ple that the earth's rotation acting upon a O
control gyro of the type described will cause
apparent tilting due to the fact that the di
rection of the axis of the gyroscope remains
more or less fixed in space while the earth ro
tates out from under it. This tilt may be uti 15
lized for the purpose of breaking the circuit
through magnet 21. For this purpose there
is mounted upon the gyro case 10 a level 40
shown in detail in Fig. 5, having one contact,
which may be formed by an end wall 41, in
the electric circuit and having a second con
tact 42 near said first contact at such distance
therefrom that it an be bridged by a metallic
globule 43 within the level. These contacts
are duplicated at each end of the level to take 25
60 care of tilting in either direction. The degree
of curvature of the level will, of course, de
termine the degree of tilt necessary before
the cage is brought into action. Bridging the
gap between contacts 41 and 42 by the globule 30
42 may be caused to close a circuit which can