US3777694A — Automatic device for trimming vessels

Claim 1

Independent Claim 200 words

An automatic trimming device for correcting trim of a moving vessel having perpendicular X and Y axes of roll and pitch respectively, the X and Y axes being horizontal when the vessel is in the design attitude, and a mutually perpendicular Z axis, the device including: a. a sensing means responsive to a continued departure of the vessel from design attitude, the means including: i. an unbalanced disc mounted for free rotation about a pivot axis parallel to the Z axis, the disc having an opening, ii. forward and aft photoelectric cells in a plane normal to the Y axis, port and starboard photoelectric cells in a plane normal to the X axis, the said planes intersecting in the pivot axis, each photoelectric cell having an electrical output responsive to light rays impinging thereon, iii. a light source with rays from the light source impinging a particular one of the said photoelectric cells when the opening is in a plane containing the particular photoelectric cell and the pivot axis, b. trimming means adapted to correct the continued departure aforesaid, c. means interconnecting the sensing means and the trimming means adapted to activate the trimming means to correct the departure aforesaid.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 200 words

An automatic trimming device for correcting trim of a moving vessel having perpendicular X and Y axes of roll and pitch respectively, the X and Y axes being horizontal when the vessel is in the design attitude, and a mutually perpendicular Z axis, the device including: a. a sensing means responsive to a continued departure of the vessel from design attitude, the means including: i. an unbalanced disc mounted for free rotation about a pivot axis parallel to the Z axis, the disc having an opening, ii. forward and aft photoelectric cells in a plane normal to the Y axis, port and starboard photoelectric cells in a plane normal to the X axis, the said planes intersecting in the pivot axis, each photoelectric cell having an electrical output responsive to light rays impinging thereon, iii. a light source with rays from the light source impinging a particular one of the said photoelectric cells when the opening is in a plane containing the particular photoelectric cell and the pivot axis, b. trimming means adapted to correct the continued departure aforesaid, c. means interconnecting the sensing means and the trimming means adapted to activate the trimming means to correct the departure aforesaid.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 27 words

A trimming device as defined in claim 1, further including: d. means to actuate the light source to produce intermittent light pulses having rate and duration parameters.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 45 words

A device according to claim 1, in which the means interconnecting the sensing means and the trimming means includes, d. means to amplify the output of each photoelectric cell, e. relay means energized by each amplified output, the relay means activating the trimming means aforesaid.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 64 words

A device according to claim 3, the trimming means including two trim tabs, and a reversible electric motor operatively conneCted to each trim tab, each relay being connected to each motor so as to cause each motor to rotate, according to which one of the photoelectric cells is being impinged by rays from the light source, in a direction to correct the departure aforesaid.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 38 words

A device according to claim 4, the trim tabs having limits of motion, a limit switch at each limit of motion, the limit switch being adapted to stop the electric motor when a tab reaches a limit aforesaid.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 67 words

A device as defined in claim 1 in which the means interconnecting the sensing means and the trimming means includes, f. each photoelectric cell having electrical output and means to amplify the output of each photoelectric cell, g. the amplified output of each photoelectric cell being associated with a relay means energized by amplified output, each relay means being adapted to activate the trimming means as aforesaid.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 16 words

A devide according to claim 1 wherein the light source is on the pivot axis produced.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 140 words

An automatic trimming device for correcting trim of a moving vessel, a sensing means responsive to continued departure of the vessel from design attitude, the vessel having mutually perpendicular X and Y axes of roll and pitch respectively, the X and Y axes being horizontal when the vessel is in the design attitude, and a mutually perpendicular Z axis; the sensing means being characterized by, a. an unbalanced disc mounted for free rotation about a pivot axis parallel to the Z axis, the disc having an opening, b. a photoelectric cell having a light responsive electrical output, the photoelectric cell being in a plane normal to a horizontal axis aforesaid and containing the pivot axis, c. a light source with rays from the light source impinging the photoelectric cell when the opening is in the plane containing the photoelectric cell.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 140 words

An automatic trimming device for correcting trim of a moving vessel, a sensing means responsive to continued departure of the vessel from design attitude, the vessel having mutually perpendicular X and Y axes of roll and pitch respectively, the X and Y axes being horizontal when the vessel is in the design attitude, and a mutually perpendicular Z axis; the sensing means being characterized by, a. an unbalanced disc mounted for free rotation about a pivot axis parallel to the Z axis, the disc having an opening, b. a photoelectric cell having a light responsive electrical output, the photoelectric cell being in a plane normal to a horizontal axis aforesaid and containing the pivot axis, c. a light source with rays from the light source impinging the photoelectric cell when the opening is in the plane containing the photoelectric cell.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 27 words

A sensing means as defined in claim 8, further including d. means to actuate the light source to produce intermittent light pulses having rate and duration parameters.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 47 words

A sensing means as defined in claim 8 in which: e. the unbalanced disc is journalled for rotation in a chamber containing damping fluid, the damping fluid having sufficient viscosity to reduce speed of response of the disc to filter short period oscillations arising from wave motion.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 88 words

A sensing means as defined in claim 8 in which the sensing means includes: (i) a sealed housing having a cylindrical side wall sealed by spaced top and bottom end walls, and a transparent partition dividing the housing into an upper chamber above the partition, and a lower chamber below the partition, the top end wall mounting the photocells, (ii) aligned pivot bearings provided in the top end wall of the housing and on the partition, the pivot bearings mounting the disc for rotation within the upper chamber.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 36 words

A sensing means as defined in claim 11 in which a damping fluid is provided in the upper chamber to reduce speed of response of the disc to filter short period oscillations arising from wave motion.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 19 words

A device as claimed in claim 12 in which the damping fluid is a mixture of kerosene and glycerine.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-12-10	1977-06-11	1977-12-11	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-12-10	1981-06-11	1981-12-11	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-12-10	1985-06-11	1985-12-11	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Automatic device for trimming vessels

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