US3742770A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Gyroscopic stabilizer
Assignee: Kaman Aerospace Corp
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Filing: 1971-02-10
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Granted: 1973-07-03
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Expires: 1991-02-10
Abstract
Abstract A gyroscopic stabilizing device employs two gyroscopes, each having a gyroscopic mass and a drive motor for rotating the mass about a spin axis to generate gyroscopic stabilizing moments. The gyroscopes are universally pivotally mounted on a support frame so that the spin axes of the gyroscopes may assume a generally aligned relationship in a stable or steady-state condition. A torque-transmitting coupling is connected between the two drive motors of the gyroscopes and reacts the driving torques of the drive motors against one another. The coupling also limits the precessional motions of the gyroscopes to motions of equal magnitude in opposite directions with respect to the support frame. With the precession motions so limited, gyroscopic moments generated by the masses in response to external moments are applied additively to the support frame and stabilize the frame about two orthogonal axes normal to the spin axes. The gyroscopes may be biased toward positions in which the spin axes are aligned by providing springs between the gyroscopes and frame or between the gyroscopes themselves or by providing the torque-transmitting coupling connected between the two gyroscopes with resiliency of its own.
Inventors
- 👤 W Flannelly
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 22:19
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01C; G01C19/00; G01C19/02; G01C19/04; G01C19/16; G01C19/18; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/12; Y10T74/1218; Y10T74/1221
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
243 words
A gyroscopic stabilizing device comprising a frame; a first gyroscopic unit and a second gyroscopic unit composed respectively of a first gyroscopic mass rotatable about a spin axis and a second gyroscopic mass rotatable about a spin axis normally aligned with the spin axis of said first gyroscopic mass and first and second drive motor means connected respectively to said first and second masses for rotating said masses in opposite directions with respect to one another about the normally aligned spin axes; first pivotal mounting means connected between said first gyroscopic unit and said frame to permit said first gyroscopic unit to rotate with respect to said frame about at least one axis normal to the spin axis of said first gyroscopic mass; a second pivotal mounting means connected between said second gyroscopic unit and said frame to permit said second gyroscopic unit to rotate with respect to said frame about at least one axis normal to the spin axis of said second gyroscopic mass and parallel to an axis about which said first gyroscopic unit is permitted to rotate by said first pivotal mounting means; and coupling means interconnecting said first and second gyroscopic units for reacting the driving torques of said first and second drive motor means between said first and second gyroscopIc units and for restraining said first and second units from rotating with the same sense with respect to said frame about parallel axes normal to the spin axes.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
243 words
A gyroscopic stabilizing device comprising a frame; a first gyroscopic unit and a second gyroscopic unit composed respectively of a first gyroscopic mass rotatable about a spin axis and a second gyroscopic mass rotatable about a spin axis normally aligned with the spin axis of said first gyroscopic mass and first and second drive motor means connected respectively to said first and second masses for rotating said masses in opposite directions with respect to one another about the normally aligned spin axes; first pivotal mounting means connected between said first gyroscopic unit and said frame to permit said first gyroscopic unit to rotate with respect to said frame about at least one axis normal to the spin axis of said first gyroscopic mass; a second pivotal mounting means connected between said second gyroscopic unit and said frame to permit said second gyroscopic unit to rotate with respect to said frame about at least one axis normal to the spin axis of said second gyroscopic mass and parallel to an axis about which said first gyroscopic unit is permitted to rotate by said first pivotal mounting means; and coupling means interconnecting said first and second gyroscopic units for reacting the driving torques of said first and second drive motor means between said first and second gyroscopIc units and for restraining said first and second units from rotating with the same sense with respect to said frame about parallel axes normal to the spin axes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
A gyroscopic stabilizing device as defined in claim 1 wherein said coupling means comprises means for constraining the motions of said gyroscopic units to precessional motions of substantially equal magnitudes in opposite directions with respect to said frame about the axes normal to the common spin axis.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
A gyroscopic stabilizing device as defined in claim 1 wherein said first pivotal mounting means comprises means for pivoting said first gyroscopic unit universally with respect to said frame; and said second pivotal mounting means comprises means for pivoting said second gyroscopic unit universally with respect to said frame.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
A gyroscopic stabilizing device as defined in claim 3 wherein said first pivotal mounting means is a first ball joint and said second pivotal mounting means is a second ball joint.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A stabilizing device as defined in claim 1 wherein the frame includes a plurality of resilient mounts located at spaced positions for resiliently mounting said frame.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
74 words
A gyroscopic stabilizing device as defined in claim 1 wherein said first pivotal mounting means comprises a first universally pivotal connector interposed between said first gyroscopic unit and said frame; said second pivotal mounting means comprises a second universally pivotal connector interposed between said second gyroscopic unit and said frame; and said coupling means comprises a flexible, torque-transmitting coupling interconnecting said first and second drive motor means of said first and second gyroscopic units.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
99 words
A gyroscopic stabilizing device as defined in claim 6 wherein said first universally pivotal connector is joined to said first gyroscopic unit at a position on said first unit in which the center of the universal pivotal motion of said first connector coincides substantially with the center of gravity of said first gyroscopic unit; and said second universally pivotal connector is joined to said second gyroscopic unit at a position on said second unit in which the center of the universal pivotal motion of said second connector coincides substantially with the center of gravity of said second gyroscopic unit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A stabilizing device as defined in claim 6 wherein said flexible, torque-transmitting coupling comprises an expandable, spider-type linkage extending between said drive motor means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
A stabilizing device as defined in claim 6 wherein said flexible coupling includes two multi-fingered, elastic plates and means for connecting the ends of the fingers on one of said plates respectively to the ends of the fingers on the other of said plates.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
A stabilizing device as defined in claim 6 wherein said flexible coupling comprises a bellows extending between said first and second drive motor means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
189 words
A gyroscopic stabilizer comprising a structural support; a pair of gyroscopes each having polar symmetry about the respective spin axes of said gyroscopes; means for individually pivotally mounting each gyroscope of said pair to said structural support to permit the spin axes to extend in a given direction, the mounting means including a first universal connector joined to the structural support and the one gyroscope of said pair to permit the one gyroscope to universally pivot with respect to said structural support about axes normal to the spin axis of said one gyroscope and a second universal connector joined to the structural support and the other gyroscope of said pair to permit the other gyroscope to universally pivot with respect to said structural support about axes normal to the spin axis of said other gyroscope; coupling means connected between said gyroscopes for restraining said gyroscopes from simultaneous pivotal movements with the same sense about the axes normal to the spin axes; and biasing means connected to said pair of gyroscopes for urging said gyroscopes toward positiOns in which said spin axes of said gyroscopes extend in the given direction.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
189 words
A gyroscopic stabilizer comprising a structural support; a pair of gyroscopes each having polar symmetry about the respective spin axes of said gyroscopes; means for individually pivotally mounting each gyroscope of said pair to said structural support to permit the spin axes to extend in a given direction, the mounting means including a first universal connector joined to the structural support and the one gyroscope of said pair to permit the one gyroscope to universally pivot with respect to said structural support about axes normal to the spin axis of said one gyroscope and a second universal connector joined to the structural support and the other gyroscope of said pair to permit the other gyroscope to universally pivot with respect to said structural support about axes normal to the spin axis of said other gyroscope; coupling means connected between said gyroscopes for restraining said gyroscopes from simultaneous pivotal movements with the same sense about the axes normal to the spin axes; and biasing means connected to said pair of gyroscopes for urging said gyroscopes toward positiOns in which said spin axes of said gyroscopes extend in the given direction.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
78 words
A gyroscopic stabilizer as defined in claim 11 wherein the first universal pivotal connector is joined to said one gyroscope with the center of the universal pivotal movement of said first connector substantially coincident with the center of gravity of said one gyroscope and the second universal pivotal connector is joined to said other gyroscope with the center of the universal pivotal movement of said second connector substantially coincident with the center of gravity of said other gyroscope.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
40 words
A gyroscopic stabilizer as defined in claim 11 wherein said coupling means comprises means for constraining the universal pivotal movement of said gyroscopes to simultaneous pivotal movements equal in amount and opposite in sense with respect to said structural support.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
A gyroscopic stabilizer as defined in claim 13 wherein said biasing means comprises resilient biasing means connected between said gyroscopes.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
77 words
A gyroscopic stabilizer as defined in claim 14 wherein said means for individually pivotally mounting comprises means permitting said gyroscopes to assume positions in which said spin axes are aligned; and wherein said biasing means comprises resilient coupling means connected between said gyroscopes of said pair for biasing said gyroscopes toward the positions in which said spin axes are aligned; and said coupling means also comprises said resilient coupling means connected between said gyroscopes of said pair.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
A gyroscopic stabilizer as defined in claim 13 wherein said biasing means comprises resilient biasing means connected between said structural support and said pair of gyroscopes.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
54 words
A gyroscopic stabilizer as defined in claim 16 wherein said means for individually pivotally mounting comprises means permitting said pair of gyroscopes to assume positions in which said spin axes are aligned and said resilient biasing means comprises means for resiliently biasing said gyroscopes toward the positions in which said spin axes are aligned.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
67 words
A gyroscopic stabilizer as defined in claim 11 wherein said means for individually mounting comprises means permitting said gyroscopes to assume positions in which said spin axes are aligned; and wherein a rotatable mass and a drive motor connected to said mass are included in each of said gyroscopes; and said coupling means is a flexible, torque-transmitting coupling connected between the drive motors of the respective gyroscopes.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
120 words
A gyroscopic stabilizer comprising a structural frame; a pair of gyroscopes, each gyroscope having a spin axis; means for universally mounting each gyroscope of said pair to said structural frame to permit the spin axes of said gyroscopes to extend in a given direction and to permit the gyroscopes to rotate about precession axes perpendicular to the spin axes of the respective gyroscopes; coupling means connected between said gyroscopes of said pair for restraining said gyroscopes from simultaneous rotational movements having the same sense about precession axes extending in the same direction; and biasing means connected to said pair of gyroscopes for urging said gyroscopes toward positions in which said spin axes of said gyroscopes extend in the given direction.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
120 words
A gyroscopic stabilizer comprising a structural frame; a pair of gyroscopes, each gyroscope having a spin axis; means for universally mounting each gyroscope of said pair to said structural frame to permit the spin axes of said gyroscopes to extend in a given direction and to permit the gyroscopes to rotate about precession axes perpendicular to the spin axes of the respective gyroscopes; coupling means connected between said gyroscopes of said pair for restraining said gyroscopes from simultaneous rotational movements having the same sense about precession axes extending in the same direction; and biasing means connected to said pair of gyroscopes for urging said gyroscopes toward positions in which said spin axes of said gyroscopes extend in the given direction.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
35 words
A gyroscopic stabilizer as defined in claim 19 wherein said means for restraining comprises means for constraining said gyroscopes to simultaneous rotational movements having the same sense about precession axes extending in the same direction.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
A gyroscopic stabilizer as defined in claim 20 wherein said means for constraining said gyroscopes and said biasing means include a resilient coupling interconnecting said gyroscopes of said pair.
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) | 1976-07-02 | 1977-01-01 | 1977-07-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-07-02 | 1981-01-01 | 1981-07-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-07-02 | 1985-01-01 | 1985-07-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |