Oscillating north-seeking platform
Abstract
Abstract A SELF-ALIGNMENT SYSTEM FOR A GYRO-STABILIZED PLAFORM. THE SYSTEM USES THE EARTH''S ROTATION RATE, SENSED BY AN EAST-WEST ORIENTED RATE GYRO MOUNTED ON THE PLATFORM, TO DRIVE THE APPROXIMATELY ALIGNED PLATFORM INTO E-W AND N-S ALIGNMENT WITH A HIGH DEGREE OF ACCURACY. THE ACCURARY IS GAINED BY EMPLOYING A COMPARISON TECHNIQUE TO SEPARATE THE GYRO OUTPUT SIGNAL OF EARTH''S RATE FROM THE RANDOM PART OF THE OUTPUT CAUSED BY IMPERFECTION IN THE GYRO. A SINUSODIAL SIGNAL GENERATOR ACTUATES AN AZIMUTH TORQUE MOTOR TO OSCILLATE THE PLATFORM ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS. THIS SINUSOIDAL OSCILLATION AND A SINUSOIDALLY MODULATED EARTH RATE WITH ITS SWINGS ABOUT NULL NOT ACCURATELY EQUAL COMBINE TO FORM THE SIGNAL PICKED OFF AT THE VERTICALLY ORIENTED OUTPUT AXIS OF THE GYRO. THIS SIGNAL IS COMPARED WITH THE GENERATOR SIGNAL AND A RESULTING SIGNAL IS ADDED TO THE AZIMUTH TORQUE MOTOR INPUT SUCH AS TO ACCURATELY EQUALIZE THE PLATFORM SWINGS TO EACH SIDE OF THE TRUE ALIGNMENT DIRECTION.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert E Yates
- 👤 Lester M Ross
Bibliographic Details
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