Indicator mechanism for navigation instruments

Claim 2

In an indicating instrument responsive to first and second signals and having an attitude indicating member and a housing, first and second rotatable means mounted for rotation with respect to each other and with respect to said housing and disposed in back of said attitude indicating member, drive means for rotating said first and second rotatable means at the same angular velocity with respect to each other relative to said housing in response to said first signal and for rotating one of said rotatable means with respect to the other of said rotatable means in response to said second signal, arm means, an indicating element connected at one end of said arm means and disposed in front of said attitude indicating member, and coupling means for connecting the other end of said arm means to said first and second rotatable means and so constructed and arranged that a first motion is imparted to said indicating element about a first axis when said first and second rotatable means rotate at said same angular velocity and a second motion is imparted to said indicating element about a second axis transverse to said first axis when one of said rotatable means rotates with respect to the other of said rotatable means.

Claim 3

In an indicating instrument responsive to first and second signals and having a housing first and second rotatable means mounted for rotation with respect to each other and with respect to said housing, drive means for rotating said first and second rotatable means at the same angular velocity with respect to each other relative to said housing in response to said first signal and for rotating one of said rotatable means with respect to the other of said rotatable means in response to said second signal, indicator means coupled to said first and second rotatable means and so constructed and arranged therewith that a first motion is imparted thereto about a first axis when said first and second rotatable means rotate at said same angular velocity and a second motion is imparted thereto about a second axis transverse to said first axis when one of said rotatable means rotates with respect to the other of said rotatable means, said indicator means comprising arm means and an indicating element connected at one end thereof, and coupling means for connecting the other end of said arm means to said first and second rotatable means, said coupling means comprising first connecting means for pivotally connecting said other end of said arm means to one of said rotatable means and second connecting means for slidably coupling said arm means to the other of said rotatable means.

Claim 4

In an indicating instrument responsive to first and second signals and having a housing first and second rotatable means mounted for rotation with respect to each other and with respect to said housing, drive means for rotating said first and second rotatable means at the same angular velocity with respect to each other relative to said housing in response to said first signal and for rotating one of said rotatable means with respect to the other of said rotatable means in response to said second signal, indicator means coupled to said first and second rotatable means and so constructed and arranged therewith that a first motion is imparted thereto about a first axis when said first and second rotatable means rotate at said same angular velocity and a second motion is imparted thereto about a second axis transverse to said first axis when one of said rotatable means rotates with respect to the other of said rotatable means, said indicator means comprising arm means and an indicating element connected at one end thereof, and coupling means for connecting the other end of said arm means to said first and second rotatable means, said coupling means comprising first connecting means for pivotally connecting said other end of said arm means to one of said rotatable means and second connecting means for slidably coupling said arm means to the other of said rotatable means.

Claim 5

In the instrument of claim 2 in which said first connecting means comprises pivot pin means connected to said other end of said arm means and journaled in said one rotatable means.

Claim 6

In the instrument of claim 2 in which said second connecting means comprises means connected to said other rotatable means for providing sliding bearing support for said arm means, and spring means connected to said other rotatable means for urging said arm means into contact with said bearing means.

Claim 7

In the instrument of claim 2 in which said drive means includes means for rotating said other rotatable means with respect to said one rotatable means, said one rotatable means being maintained stationary with respect to said housing, in response to said second signal.

Claim 8

In the instrument of claim 1 in which said first and second axes are disposed orthogonally with respect to each other, and said first and second rotatable means have axes of rotation coaxially disposed with respect to each other and parallel to said first axis.

Claim 9

In the instrument of claim 1 in which said first and second rotatable means comprise first and second annular members respectively.

Claim 10

IN the instrument of claim 1 in which said coupling means comprises first connecting means for rotatably connecting said other end of said arm means to one of said rotatable means, and second connecting means for coupling said other end of said arm means to the other of said rotatable means for imparting rotation to said other end of said arm means about said second axis when said other rotatable means rotates with respect to said one rotatable means.

Claim 11

In the instrument of claim 8 in which said first connecting means comprises journal bearing means in said one rotatable means, and journal means disposed at said other end of said arm means, said journal means being journaled in said journal bearing means.

Claim 12

In the instrument of claim 9 in which said other rotatable means includes first gear means, and said second connecting means comprises second gear means connected to said journal means and meshed with said first gear means thereby imparting rotation to said journal means about the axis of said journal bearing means when said other rotatable means rotates with respect to said one rotatable means.

Claim 13

In the instrument of claim 8 in which said drive means includes means for rotating said other rotatable means with respect to said one rotatable means, said one rotatable means being maintained stationary with respect to said housing, in response to said second signal.

Claim 14

In the instrument of claim 1 in which said drive means comprises first motor means fixed to said housing for rotating said first and second rotatable means at said same angular velocity in response to said first signal, and second motor means fixed to said housing for rotating one of said rotatable means with respect to the other of said rotatable means in response to said second signal.

Claim 15

In an indicating instrument for aircraft responsive to roll and pitch command signals and having an attitude indicating member and a housing, first and second rotatable means mounted for rotation with respect to each other and with respect to said housing and disposed in back of said attitude indicating member; drive means for rotating said first and second rotatable means at the same angular velocity with respect to each other relative to said housing in response to said roll command signal and for rotating one of said rotatable means with respect to the other of said rotatable means in response to said pitch command signal, arm means, an indicating element connected at one end of said arm means and disposed in front of said attitude indicating member, and coupling means for connecting the other end of said arm means to said first and second rotatable means and so constructed and arranged that a first motion is imparted to said indicating element about the roll axis of said instrument when said first and second rotatable means rotate at said same angular velocity and a second motion is imparted to said indicating element about the pitch axis of said instrument when one of said rotatable means rotates with respect to the other of said rotatable means.

Claim 16

In an indicating instrument for aircraft responsive to roll and pitch command signals and having an attitude indicating member and a housing, first and second rotatable means mounted for rotation with respect to each other and with respect to said housing and disposed in back of said attitude indicating member; drive means for rotating said first and second rotatable means at the same angular velocity with respect to each other relative to said housing in response to said roll command signal and for rotating one of said rotatable means with respect to the other of said rotatable means in response to said pitch command signal, arm means, an indicating element connected at one end of said arm means and disposed in front of said attitude indicating member, and coupling means for connecting the other end of said arm means to said first and second rotatable means and so constructed and arranged that a first motion is imparted to said indicating element about the roll axis of said instrument when said first and second rotatable means rotate at said same angular velocity and a second motion is imparted to said indicating element about the pitch axis of said instrument when one of said rotatable means rotates with respect to the other of said rotatable means.

Claim 17

In an indicating instrument for aircraft responsive to roll and pitch command signals and having a housing, first and second rotatable means mounted for rotation with respect to each other and with respect to said housing, drive means for rotating said first and second rotatable means at the same angular velocity with respect to each other relative to said housing in response to said roll command signal and for rotating one of said rotatable means with respect to the other of said rotatable means in response to said pitch command signal, indicator means coupled to said first and second rotatable means and so constructed and arranged therewith that a first motion is imparted thereto about the roll axis of said instrument when said first and second rotatable means rotate at said same angular velocity and a second motion is imparted thereto about the pitch axis of said instrument whEn one of said rotatable means rotates with respect to the other of said rotatable means, said indicator means comprising arm means and an indicating element connected at one end thereof, and coupling means for connecting the other end of said arm means to said first and second rotatable means, said coupling means comprising first connecting means for pivotally connecting said other end of said arm means to one of said rotatable means and second connecting means for slidably coupling said arm means to the other of said rotatable means.

Claim 18

In an indicating instrument for aircraft responsive to roll and pitch command signals and having a housing, first and second rotatable means mounted for rotation with respect to each other and with respect to said housing, drive means for rotating said first and second rotatable means at the same angular velocity with respect to each other relative to said housing in response to said roll command signal and for rotating one of said rotatable means with respect to the other of said rotatable means in response to said pitch command signal, indicator means coupled to said first and second rotatable means and so constructed and arranged therewith that a first motion is imparted thereto about the roll axis of said instrument when said first and second rotatable means rotate at said same angular velocity and a second motion is imparted thereto about the pitch axis of said instrument whEn one of said rotatable means rotates with respect to the other of said rotatable means, said indicator means comprising arm means and an indicating element connected at one end thereof, and coupling means for connecting the other end of said arm means to said first and second rotatable means, said coupling means comprising first connecting means for pivotally connecting said other end of said arm means to one of said rotatable means and second connecting means for slidably coupling said arm means to the other of said rotatable means.

Claim 19

In the instrument of claim 14 in which said first connecting means comprises pivot pin means connected to said other end of said arm means and journaled in said one rotatable means.

Claim 20

In the instrument of claim 15 in which said second connecting means comprises means connected to said other rotatable means for providing sliding bearing support for said arm means, and spring means connected to said other rotatable means for urging said arm means into contact with said bearing means.

Claim 21

In the instrument of claim 16 in which said drive means comprises roll motor means fixed to said housing for rotating said first and second rotatable means at said same angular velocity in response to said roll command signal, and pitch motor means fixed to said housing for rotating said other rotatable means with respect to said one rotatable means, said one rotatable means being maintained stationary with respect to said housing, in response to said pitch command signal.

Claim 22

In the instrument of claim 17 in which said first and second rotatable means comprise first and second annular members respectively, coaxially mounted relative to each other, the axis of rotation thereof being parallel to said roll axis.