In a hydrostatically supported gyroscope a flexible tube pump providing fluid circulation to hydrostatic bearings of the gyroscope

Claim 2

In a gyroscope of a type including housing means; fluid supply means within said housing means; a gimbal element carrying a gyroscopic rotor rotatable about a first axis; hydrostatic bearing means operable by said fluid supply means to support said gimbal element within said housing for pivotal movement about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis; the improvement in which said housing means includes a block mounted at one end of the housing means; the fluid supply means includes a flexible tubular member having one portion thereof fixedly mounted in the end block; said one portion of the tubular member including fluid inlet and outlet port means opening into an interior channel in the tubular member and from the interior channel of the tubular member for supplying fluid medium to the hydrostatic bearing means under pressure; another closed end portion of the tubular member being freely positioned in the end block; an electrical motor means mounted in the end block and including armature means mounted on the free closed end portion of tHe tubular member; a stator element of the motor means mounted in the end block and arranged in cooperative relation with the armature means for applying an actuating force to the free closed end portion of the tubular member so as to act in a sense in opposition to a biasing force of the flexible member acting in another sense; one of said opposing forces acting on said tubular member to flex the member in a sense to decrease an effective volume of the interior channel in the tubular member so as to force fluid medium in the channel out through the fluid outlet port means opening from the interior channel in the tubular member; the other of said opposing forces acting on said tubular member to flex the member in another sense so as to increase the effective volume of the interior channel in the tubular member so as to draw fluid medium through the fluid inlet port means into the interior channel in the tubular member; the end block includes an internal fluid pressure outlet chamber and an internal fluid pressure inlet chamber; fluid control means selectively operable by the pressure of the fluid medium in said chambers for connecting the internal fluid pressure outlet and inlet chambers alternately through the fluid inlet and outlet port means to the interior channel in the tubular member dependent upon the sense in which the opposing forces act to deflect the tubular member.

Claim 3

The improvement defined by claim 1 in which the fluid control means includes a pair of reed valves, one of said pair of reed valves acting in a sense to open the internal fluid pressure outlet chamber through the fluid outlet port means to the interior channel in the tubular member upon said tubular member being forced in a sense to decrease the effective volume of the interior channel in the tubular member so as to force fluid medium therein out through the outlet port means and said one reed valve into the internal fluid outlet pressure chamber; and the other of said pair of reed valves being effective to open the internal fluid inlet pressure chamber into the interior channel of the tubular member upon the said tubular member being forced in a sense to increase the effective volume of the interior channel in the tubular member so that fluid medium may be drawn through the inlet port means and the other of said pair of reed valves from the internal fluid inlet pressure chamber into the interior channel in the tubular member.

Claim 4

The improvement defined by claim 1 in which the fluid control means includes a pair of spring biased ball valves one of said pair of ball valves acting in a sense to open the internal fluid pressure outlet chamber through the fluid outlet port means to the interior channel in the tubular member upon said tubular member being forced in a sense to decrease the effective volume of the interior channel in the tubular member so as to force fluid medium therein out through the outlet port means and the one ball valve into the internal fluid outlet pressure chamber; and the other of said pair of ball valves being effective to open the internal fluid inlet pressure chamber into the interior channel of the tubular member upon the said tubular member being forced in a sense to increase the effective volume of the interior channel in the tubular member so that fluid medium may be drawn through the inlet port means and the other of said pair of ball valves from the internal fluid inlet pressure chamber into the interior channel in the tubular member.

Claim 5

The improvement defined by claim 1 in which the fluid control means includes two sets of jet type valves, one set of said jet type valves acting in a sense to open the internal fluid pressure outlet chamber through the fluid outlet port means to the interior channel in the tubular member upon said tubular member being forced in a sense to decrease the effective volume of the interior channel in the tubular member so as to force fluid medium therein out through The outlet port means and said one set of said jet type valves into the internal fluid outlet pressure chamber; and another set of said jet type valves being effective to open the internal fluid inlet pressure chamber into the interior channel of the tubular member upon the said tubular member being forced in a sense to increase the effective volume of the interior channel in the tubular member so that fluid medium may be drawn through the inlet port means and the other set of said jet type valves from the internal fluid inlet pressure chamber into the interior channel in the tubular member.

Claim 6

The improvement defined by claim 1 in which the internal fluid pressure outlet chamber includes a resilient outlet chamber, the internal fluid pressure inlet chamber includes a resilient inlet chamber, and the resilient inlet and outlet chambers being effective to prevent cavitation in the inlet and outlet flow of the fluid medium in the interior channel of the tubular member.

Claim 7

The improvement defined by claim 1 in which the motor means includes a solenoid, and means to energize the solenoid by an electrical current of a frequency matching the mechanical resonant frequency of the flexible tubular member.

Claim 8

The improvement defined by claim 1 in which the control means includes a pair of reed valves, one of said pair of reed valves acting in a sense to open the internal fluid pressure outlet chamber through the fluid outlet port means to the interior channel in the tubular member upon said tubular member being forced in a sense to decrease the effective volume of the interior channel in the tubular member so as to force fluid medium therein out through the outlet port means and said one reed valve into the internal fluid outlet pressure chamber; and the other of said pair of reed valves being effective to open the internal fluid inlet pressure chamber into the interior channel of the tubular member upon the said tubular member being forced in a sense to increase the effective volume of the interior channel in the tubular member so that fluid medium may be drawn through the inlet port means and the other of said pair of reed valves from the internal fluid inlet pressure chamber into the interior channel in the tubular member; the pair of reed valves being tuned to a frequency equal to that of the natural frequency of the resilient tubular member.

Claim 9

The improvement defined by claim 1 in which the one portion of the flexible tubular member being at one end thereof and fixedly mounted at said one end portion in the end block; the member having the fluid inlet and outlet port means opening into the interior channel in the tubular member at said fixed one end, and the other free closed end portion being at an opposite end of the tubular member and having the armature mounted at said other end in cooperative relation with the stator element of the motor means.

Claim 10

The improvement defined by claim 1 in which the flexible tubular member includes the one portion thereof intermediate opposite other closed end portions of the tubular member; said one portion being fixedly mounted in the end block; the member having the fluid inlet and outlet port means opening into the interior channel in the tubular member at the fixed one portion thereof; the armature means including armature elements mounted at the opposite other closed end portions of the tubular member and arranged in cooperative relation with the stator element of the motor means.

Claim 11

The improvement defined by claim 1 including the flexible tubular member being formed in a substantially ''''S'''' shape and having a body portion intermediate opposite closed end portions of the tubular member; the body portion being fixedly mounted in the end block; the member having the fluid inlet and outlet port means opening into the interior channel in the flexible tubular member at said fixed one portion; the armature means Including an armature element mounted on each of the closed free end portions of the tubular member and arranged in cooperative relation with the stator element of the motor means; and the ''''S'''' shaped tubular member being so arranged that radial shock and vibrational forces applied thereto may be counterbalanced by a resultant effect on the opposite closed free end portions of the ''''S'''' shaped tubular member.

Claim 12

In a gyroscope of a type including housing means; fluid supply means within said housing means; a gimbal element carrying a gyroscopic rotor rotatable about a first axis; hydrostatic bearing means operable by said fluid supply means to support said gimbal element within said housing for pivotal movement about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis; the improvement in which said housing means includes a block mounted at one end of the housing means; the fluid supply means includes a flexible chamber means to provide a variable volume fluid container; inlet and outlet port means for the flexible chamber means; means connecting the inlet and outlet port means to the hydrostatic bearing means for circulation of fluid medium through the inlet port means from the bearing means into the flexible chamber means and through the outlet port means from the flexible chamber means to the bearing means; the connecting means including a first unidirectional fluid flow restricting means operable in one sense for preventing a reverse flow of fluid medium from the flexible chamber means through the inlet port means to the bearing means and a second unidirectional fluid flow restricting means operable in another sense for preventing a reverse flow of fluid medium from the bearing means through the outlet port means into the flexible chamber means; the flexible chamber means being mounted within the block mounted at one end of the housing means; an electric motor means mounted in said end block and operably arranged in relation to the flexible chamber means to provide a force to actuate the flexible chamber means in one sense to decrease the effective volume of the flexible chamber means so as to force fluid medium out through the fluid outlet port means from within the flexible chamber means to the bearing means; said electric motor means being operably arranged in relation to the flexible chamber means to provide a force to actuate the flexible chamber means in another sense so as to increase the effective volume of the flexible chamber means so as to draw fluid medium through the fluid inlet port means from the hydrostatic bearing means into the flexible chamber means; the first unidirectional fluid flow restricting means includes fluid flow control valve means arranged in said inlet port means and operable in said one sense; and the second unidirectional fluid flow restricting means includes another fluid flow control valve means arranged in said outlet port means and operable in said other sense.

Claim 13

In a gyroscope of a type including housing means; fluid supply means within said housing means; a gimbal element carrying a gyroscopic rotor rotatable about a first axis; hydrostatic bearing means operable by said fluid supply means to support said gimbal element within said housing for pivotal movement about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis; the improvement in which said housing means includes a block mounted at one end of the housing means; the fluid supply means includes a flexible chamber means to provide a variable volume fluid container; inlet and outlet port means for the flexible chamber means; means connecting the inlet and outlet port means to the hydrostatic bearing means for circulation of fluid medium through the inlet port means from the bearing means into the flexible chamber means and through the outlet port means from the flexible chamber means to the bearing means; the connecting means including a first unidirectional fluid flow restricting means operable in one sense for preventing a reverse flow of fluid medium from the flexible chamber means through the inlet port means to the bearing means and a second unidirectional fluid flow restricting means operable in another sense for preventing a reverse flow of fluid medium from the bearing means through the outlet port means into the flexible chamber means; the flexible chamber means being mounted within the block mounted at one end of the housing means; an electric motor means mounted in said end block and operably arranged in relation to the flexible chamber means to provide a force to actuate the flexible chamber means in one sense to decrease the effective volume of the flexible chamber means so as to force fluid medium out through the fluid outlet port means from within the flexible chamber means to the bearing means; said electric motor means being operably arranged in relation to the flexible chamber means to provide a force to actuate the flexible chamber means in another sense so as to increase the effective volume of the flexible chamber means so as to draw fluid medium through the fluid inlet port means from the hydrostatic bearing means into the flexible chamber means; the first unidirectional fluid flow restricting means includes fluid flow control valve means arranged in said inlet port means and operable in said one sense; and the second unidirectional fluid flow restricting means includes another fluid flow control valve means arranged in said outlet port means and operable in said other sense.

Claim 14

In a gyroscope of a type including housing means; fluid supply means within said housing means; a gimbal element carrying a gyroscopic rotor rotatable about a first axis; hydrostatic bearing means operable by said fluid supply means to support said gimbal element within said housing for pivotal movement about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis; the improvement in which said housing means includes a block mounted at one end of the housing means; the fluid supply means includes a flexible chamber means to provide a variable volume fluid container; inlet and outlet port means for the flexible chamber means; means connecting the inlet and outlet port means to the hydrostatic bearing means for circulation of fluid medium through the inlet port means from the bearing means into the flexible chamber means and through the outlet port means from the flexible chamber means to the bearing means; the connecting means including a first unidirectional fluid flow restricting means operable in one sense for preventing a reverse flow of fluid medium from the flexible chamber means through the inlet port means to the bearing means and a second unidirectional fluid flow restricting means operable in another sense for preventing a reverse flow of fluid medium from the bearing means through the outlet port means into the flexible chamber means; the flexible chamber means being mounted within the block mounted at one end of the housing means; an electric motor means mounted in said end block and operably arranged in relation to the flexible chamber means to provide a force to actuate the flexible chamber means in one sense to decrease the effective volume of the flexible chamber means so as to force fluid medium out through the fluid outlet port means from within the flexible chamber means to the bearing means; said electric motor means being operably arranged in relation to the flexible chamber means to provide a force to actuate the flexible chamber means in another sense so as to increase the effective volume of the flexible chamber means so as to draw fluid medium through the fluid inlet port means from the hydrostatic bearing means into the flexible chamber means; the first unidirectional fluid flow restricting means includes restrictive orifice means being arranged in said inlet port means and operable in said one sense; and the second unidirectional fluid flow restricting means includes other restricted orifice means arranged in said outlet port means and operable in said other sense.

Claim 15

In a gyroscope of a type including housing means; fluid supply means within said housing means; a gimbal element carrying a gyroscopic rotor rotatable about a first axis; hydrostatic bearing means operable by said fluid supply means to support said gimbal element within said housing for pivotal movement about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis; the improvement in which said housing means includes a block mounted at one end of the housing means; the fluid supply means includes a flexible chamber means to provide a variable volume fluid container; inlet and outlet port means for the flexible chamber means; means connecting the inlet and outlet port means to the hydrostatic bearing means for circulation of fluid medium through the inlet port means from the bearing means into the flexible chamber means and through the outlet port means from the flexible chamber means to the bearing means; the connecting means including a first unidirectional fluid flow restricting means operable in one sense for preventing a reverse flow of fluid medium from the flexible chamber means through the inlet port means to the bearing means and a second unidirectional fluid flow restricting means operable in another sense for preventing a reverse flow of fluid medium from the bearing means through the outlet port means into the flexible chamber means; the flexible chamber means being mounted within the block mounted at one end of the housing means; an electric motor means mounted in said end block and operably arranged in relation to the flexible chamber means to provide a force to actuate the flexible chamber means in one sense to decrease the effective volume of the flexible chamber means so as to force fluid medium out through the fluid outlet port means from within the flexible chamber means to the bearing means; said electric motor means being operably arranged in relation to the flexible chamber means to provide a force to actuate the flexible chamber means in another sense so as to increase the effective volume of the flexible chamber means so as to draw fluid medium through the fluid inlet port means from the hydrostatic bearing means into the flexible chamber means; the first unidirectional fluid flow restricting means includes restrictive orifice means being arranged in said inlet port means and operable in said one sense; and the second unidirectional fluid flow restricting means includes other restricted orifice means arranged in said outlet port means and operable in said other sense.