Gimbal mounting for instruments and machines

Claim 2

A gimbal mounting comprising a U-shaped base having a bottom and two upwardly extending legs, a U-shaped cradle having a bottom and two upwardly extendIng legs, means connecting the base legs to the cradle legs to swingably support the cradle in the base, a first cylindrical piston means mounted on the underface of the base bottom and spaced therefrom with the longitudinal axis of the piston means at right angles to the axis of swing of the cradle, a first cylinder encircling the first piston, a second cylindrical piston means fixed by one end to the first cylinder, the longitudinal axes of the first and second piston means being coplanar and at right angles to each other, a second cylinder encircling the second piston means and coupling means for mounting the gimbal on a support structure, said piston means being rotatably mounted in their respective cylinders, said cylinders being filled with a liquid of predetermined viscosity and incorporating sealing means to prevent the escape of said liquid.

Claim 3

A gimbal mounting comprising a U-shaped base having a bottom part and upwardly extending legs, first and second tubular cylinders with closed outer ends respectively fixed to the upper ends of the U base legs with the axes of the cylinders mutually aligned, a U-shaped cradle having a bottom adapted to receive apparatus to be mounted on the gimbal and two upwardly extending legs, first and second outwardly extending cylindrical pistons respectively fixed to the cradle legs with each piston rotatably supported in one of the cylinders, liquid of predetermined viscosity in said cylinders, means sealing the pistons in the cylinders to prevent the escape of said liquid, exteriorly adjustable brake means disposed within said cylinders for engagement on the peripheries of said pistons, two downwardly extending piston support legs fixed to the underface of the base bottom, a third cylindrical piston fixed by its ends to the support legs, the common axis of rotation of said first and second pistons and the axis of rotation of the third piston being disposed at right angles to each other, a tubular third cylinder around said third piston, liquid of predetermined viscosity in the third cylinder, means at each end of the third cylinder to seal the third piston in the third cylinder to prevent the escape of said liquid, exteriorly adjustable brake means disposed within said third cylinder for engagement with the third piston, downwardly extending support means on the third cylinder, a fourth cylindrical piston fixed by one end to the support means the longitudinal axes of the third and fourth pistons being coplanar and at right angles to each other, a fourth cylinder with one end closed for supporting said fourth piston, liquid of predetermined viscosity in the fourth cylinder, a thrust plate and liquid distributor located in the the fourth substantially correspondingly the hemispherical member socket and lugs socket to fourth piston and bearing on the end of the fourth cylinder, sealing means at the open end of the fourth cylinder for sealing the fourth piston in the fourth cylinder and preventing the escape of said liquid, exteriorly adjustable brake means disposed in the fourth cylinder for engagement with the fourth piston, a mounting spindle fixed to the fourth cylinder and axially aligned with said fourth piston, a ball and socket type combination comprising a substantially hemispherical member concentrically mounted on the mounting spindle, a correspondingly curved concave socket, an axial hole through the socket to receive the mounting spindle with sufficient clearance to permit relative movement between the hemispherical member and the concave socket, socket engaging clamp means threaded onto said mounting spindle and lugs on the concave socket to permit it to be coupled to a supporting structure.

Claim 4

A gimbal mounting comprising a U-shaped base having a bottom part and upwardly extending legs, first and second tubular cylinders with closed outer ends respectively fixed to the upper ends of the U base legs with the axes of the cylinders mutually aligned, a U-shaped cradle having a bottom adapted to receive apparatus to be mounted on the gimbal and two upwardly extending legs, first and second outwardly extending cylindrical pistons respectively fixed to the cradle legs with each piston rotatably supported in one of the cylinders, liquid of predetermined viscosity in said cylinders, means sealing the pistons in the cylinders to prevent the escape of said liquid, exteriorly adjustable brake means disposed within said cylinders for engagement on the peripheries of said pistons, two downwardly extending piston support legs fixed to the underface of the base bottom, a third cylindrical piston fixed by its ends to the support legs, the common axis of rotation of said first and second pistons and the axis of rotation of the third piston being disposed at right angles to each other, a tubular third cylinder around said third piston, liquid of predetermined viscosity in the third cylinder, means at each end of the third cylinder to seal the third piston in the third cylinder to prevent the escape of said liquid, exteriorly adjustable brake means disposed within said third cylinder for engagement with the third piston, downwardly extending support means on the third cylinder, a fourth cylindrical piston fixed by one end to the support means the longitudinal axes of the third and fourth pistons being coplanar and at right angles to each other, a fourth cylinder with one end closed for supporting said fourth piston, liquid of predetermined viscosity in the fourth cylinder, a thrust plate and liquid distributor located in the the fourth substantially correspondingly the hemispherical member socket and lugs socket to fourth piston and bearing on the end of the fourth cylinder, sealing means at the open end of the fourth cylinder for sealing the fourth piston in the fourth cylinder and preventing the escape of said liquid, exteriorly adjustable brake means disposed in the fourth cylinder for engagement with the fourth piston, a mounting spindle fixed to the fourth cylinder and axially aligned with said fourth piston, a ball and socket type combination comprising a substantially hemispherical member concentrically mounted on the mounting spindle, a correspondingly curved concave socket, an axial hole through the socket to receive the mounting spindle with sufficient clearance to permit relative movement between the hemispherical member and the concave socket, socket engaging clamp means threaded onto said mounting spindle and lugs on the concave socket to permit it to be coupled to a supporting structure.

Claim 5

The gimbal mounting claimed in claim 2 wherein said first and second pistons each have longitudinal peripheral liquid storage depressions and an internal liquid reservoir from which liquid is distributed over the end of the piston adjacent the closed end of its associated cylinder by radial grooves extending from the reservoir to tHe periphery of the piston.

Claim 6

The gimbal mounting claimed in claim 2 wherein the brake means comprises a brake block slidably mounted in a bore intersecting the bore of its associated cylinder, said brake block having an arcuate peripheral depression to engage against the periphery of its associated piston, said brake block being disposed between a spring and an exteriorly accessible brake block engaging thumb screw.