Patent US3609299A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3609299A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Navigational computer
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1970-03-30
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Granted: 1971-09-28
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Expires: 1990-03-30
Abstract
Abstract A computer for solving aerial navigational problems in which the effect of wind speed and direction must be taken into account, wherein calibrated drift marks are provided in association with the airspeed scale. When the computer is set to any given airspeed and the information relating to wind speed and direction is registered, the calibrated drift marks give an immediate reading of the corresponding drift angle. The computer comprises a number of superimposed concentric discs which are mutually rotatable and which bear scales and cursors by means of which the required information can be derived. The computer may include means for correcting for magnetic variation in compass headings, pressure-altitude/temperature in airspeeds, and may also include scales for performing time/distance calculations.
Inventors
- 👤 Jerauld G Wright
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 13:10
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06G; G06G1/00; G06G1/0005; G06G1/0052
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
327 words
A computer for solving aerial navigation problems, comprising a first disc having an arcuate scale thereon representative of airspeed, a family of curves on one side of said first disc representative of drift angles, each curve extending angularly and outwardly with respect to the center of the disc in the manner of a spiral, a second disc superimposed on said one side of said first disc and concentric therewith, said second disc being rotatable with respect to said first disc, indicator means on said second disc registrable with respect to the airspeed scale on said first disc, window means in said second disc comprising a narrow diametrical transparent band or slit through which a correspondingly narrow band of said one side of said first disc and the curves thereon can be viewed, an array of grid lines on said second disc approximately parallel and at right angles to said window means, a compass disc superimposed on said second disc, said compass disc being concentric with and rotatable relative to said first and second discs, said compass disc having a compass scale graduated from 0* to 360* thereon and registrable with respect to said indicator means, at least the central area of said compass disc being transparent to a degree sufficient that the grid lines of said second disc and the portions of the curves of the first disc registered with said window means are visible therethrough, the curves on said first disc being constructed in relation to said airspeed scale in a manner such that if said indicator means is registered with a selected airspeed and a wind vector to an appropriate scale is indicated on said compass disc in a radial direction extending to the center thereof, then the projection of said wind vector upon the window means in a direction at right angles to the latter, when read against the curves visible through the window means, gives a direct indication of the corresponding drift angle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
327 words
A computer for solving aerial navigation problems, comprising a first disc having an arcuate scale thereon representative of airspeed, a family of curves on one side of said first disc representative of drift angles, each curve extending angularly and outwardly with respect to the center of the disc in the manner of a spiral, a second disc superimposed on said one side of said first disc and concentric therewith, said second disc being rotatable with respect to said first disc, indicator means on said second disc registrable with respect to the airspeed scale on said first disc, window means in said second disc comprising a narrow diametrical transparent band or slit through which a correspondingly narrow band of said one side of said first disc and the curves thereon can be viewed, an array of grid lines on said second disc approximately parallel and at right angles to said window means, a compass disc superimposed on said second disc, said compass disc being concentric with and rotatable relative to said first and second discs, said compass disc having a compass scale graduated from 0* to 360* thereon and registrable with respect to said indicator means, at least the central area of said compass disc being transparent to a degree sufficient that the grid lines of said second disc and the portions of the curves of the first disc registered with said window means are visible therethrough, the curves on said first disc being constructed in relation to said airspeed scale in a manner such that if said indicator means is registered with a selected airspeed and a wind vector to an appropriate scale is indicated on said compass disc in a radial direction extending to the center thereof, then the projection of said wind vector upon the window means in a direction at right angles to the latter, when read against the curves visible through the window means, gives a direct indication of the corresponding drift angle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
A computer according to claim 1 wherein said indicator means lies on a radius of said second disc at right angles to said window means, said radius providing a heading indicator against which the compass scale can be set.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A computer according to claim 2 further comprising a rotatable wind vector cursor marked in units of windspeed to a scale corresponding to the airspeed scale of said first disc.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
A computer according to claim 1 wherein in use the projection of the wind vector upon a diameter of the second disc which lies at right angles to said window means gives a reading of the headwind or tailwind component to be subtracted from or added to the airspeed.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
132 words
A computer according to claim 1 further comprising a rotatable cursor received between the first and second disc, a curve on said cursor, a narrow slot in said second disc through which a registEring portion of said cursor curve is visible, a drift angle scale marked lengthwise of said slot and an indicator marking on said cursor adjacent said airspeed scale, said cursor curve being drawn in such a manner in relation to the location and configuration of said slot, to the drift angle scale, and to the airspeed scale that for a given airspeed, when the cursor curve is registered with the appropriate drift angle on the drift angle scale, the cursor indicator marking registers with a value on the airspeed scale which represents the airspeed along track or effective airspeed.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
A computer according to claim 1 wherein adjacent curves of said family of curves represent drift angles at 2* intervals.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
A computer according to claim 6 including indicator means whereby curves representing drift angles of 10* or multiplies thereof can be readily identified.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
A computer according to claim 7 wherein curves representing drift angles of 10* or multiples thereof are identified by being represented by closely spaced double lines.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
A computer according to claim 1 wherein said airspeed scale is a logarithmic scale and said curves are loxodromes.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
A computer according to claim 1 wherein said airspeed scale extends through approximately 180* of arc about the center of said first disc, and two families of said curves are provided representing drift angles to right and left of track respectively.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
A computer according to claim 5, wherein said cursor comprises a cursor disc rotatably received between said first and second discs and having a peripheral portion extending radially outwards beyond said first and second discs.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
A computer according to claim 11, wherein said peripheral portion includes engagement means to facilitate manual engagement and rotation thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
64 words
A computer according to claim 11 further comprising spacer means between said first and second discs and received in arcuate slot means in said cursor disc, said spacer means being slightly greater in thickness than said cursor means whereby when said first and second discs are clamped in nonrotatable relationship in the region of said spacer means, said cursor disc remains free to rotate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
50 words
A computer according to claim 3, wherein the wind vector cursor comprises a diametral transparent band bearing a diametral line on which said units of windspeed are marked, said band being joined at its ends to a flat transparent ring received within and rotatable with respect to said compass scale.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
45 words
A computer according to claim 3, wherein the wind vector cursor comprises a diametral guide and an indicator element movable lengthwise of said guide so as to be capable of being set at a given position in that length to indicate a selected wind vector.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
159 words
A computer according to claim 11, wherein said compass disc comprises a transparent disc encircled by a flat opaque ring on the upperside of which said compass scale is marked, the underside of said opaque ring being graduated in a scale representative of ground speed, further comprising viewing means in said second disc, cursor disc, and first disc whereby at least a portion of said groundspeed scale is visible from the underside of the computer, a groundspeed cursor registrable against said groundspeed scale, arcuate time and distance scales graduated on the underside of said first disc, indicator means on the underside of said opaque ring of the compass disc registrable with the time scale, and indicator means on the underside of said cursor disc registrable with said distance scale, whereby for a given groundspeed as registered by the groundspeed cursor solutions of time/distance calculations can be read off on the time and distance scales against the appropriate indicator means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
169 words
A computer according to claim 5, wherein said cursor comprises a cursor disc rotatably received between first and said second discs, said cursor disc bearing an arcuate scale on its upperside, said second disc beAring viewing means through which at least a portion of said arcuate scale on the cursor disc is visible, said second disc being an arcuate scale adjacent said viewing means and operative to register with the arcuate scale on said cursor disc upon rotation of said second disc, one of said arcuate scales being graduated in units of temperature while the other is graduated in units of pressure altitude, said cursor disc having a second indicator means registrable with said airspeed scale on said first disc, whereby said second indicator means is registered with an indicated airspeed and said second disc is rotated to register given values on said arcuate scales, said indicator means on said second disc registers with the true airspeed value on the airspeed scale corrected in respect of said given values.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
38 words
A computer according to claim 17, wherein said cursor disc has a peripheral portion which extends radially outwards beyond said first and second disc and is adapted to be manually engaged to effect rotation of the cursor disc.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
86 words
A computer according to claim 17, further comprising spacer means between said first and second discs received in arcuate slot means in said cursor disc, said slot means having end portions which cooperate with said spacer means to limit the range of rotation of the cursor disc, said spacer means having a thickness in excess of said cursor means, whereby when said first and second discs are clamped together in nonrotatable relationship in the region of said spacer means, said cursor disc remains free to rotate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
A computer according to claim 16, wherein both said arcuate time and distance scales on the underside of said first disc are double log scales.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-09-27 | 1975-03-29 | 1975-09-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-09-27 | 1979-03-29 | 1979-09-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-09-27 | 1983-03-29 | 1983-09-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |