Apparatus for determining the velocity and the direction of relative motion thereof with respect to a fluid and with regard to a direction of reference, and the use of said apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for determining the velocity and the direction of relative motion thereof with respect to a fluid and with regard to a direction of reference, said apparatus comprising, a probe including a rod constrUcted to be dipped into said fluid and subjected to a bending force caused by said fluid, a first detector for determining the force component in the direction of reference, a second detector for determining a second force component at right angles to the first one, means for measuring the ratio of said force components and determining the angle between said force and the reference direction, said means including two divider circuits, one circuit constructed to measure the direct ratio of a voltage proportional to one of the force components to a voltage proportional to the other force component, and the other circuit constructed to measure the reverse ratio, and a device using said components to ascertain the velocity of the motion of the apparatus relative to said fluid.

Claim 3

Apparatus for determining the velocity and the direction of relative motion thereof with respect to a fluid and with regard to a direction of reference, said apparatus comprising, a probe including a rod constrUcted to be dipped into said fluid and subjected to a bending force caused by said fluid, a first detector for determining the force component in the direction of reference, a second detector for determining a second force component at right angles to the first one, means for measuring the ratio of said force components and determining the angle between said force and the reference direction, said means including two divider circuits, one circuit constructed to measure the direct ratio of a voltage proportional to one of the force components to a voltage proportional to the other force component, and the other circuit constructed to measure the reverse ratio, and a device using said components to ascertain the velocity of the motion of the apparatus relative to said fluid.

Claim 4

Apparatus for determining the velocity and the direction of relative motion thereof with respect to a fluid and with regard to a direction of reference, said apparatus comprising, a probe including a rod constrUcted to be dipped into said fluid and subjected to a bending force caused by said fluid, a first detector for determining the force component in the direction of reference, a second detector for determining a second force component at right angles to the first one, means for measuring the ratio of said force components and determining the angle between said force and the reference direction, said means including two divider circuits, one circuit constructed to measure the direct ratio of a voltage proportional to one of the force components to a voltage proportional to the other force component, and the other circuit constructed to measure the reverse ratio, and a device using said components to ascertain the velocity of the motion of the apparatus relative to said fluid.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1, comprising an indicator device for receiving signals generated by said divider circuits including means for accepting of the values of said ratios, direct or reverse, only those which are larger than 1 in absolute value.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 2, in which said indicator device is an analog or digital voltmeter providing angle data.

Claim 7

Apparatus for determining the velocity and the direction of relative motion thereof with respect to a fluid and with regard to a direction of reference, said apparatus comprising, a probe including a rod constructed to be dipped into said fluid and subjected to a bending force caused by said fluid, a first detector for determining the force component in the direction of reference, a second detector for determining a second force component at right angles to the first one, means for measuring the ratio of said force components and determining the angle between said force and the reference direction, and a device using said components to ascertain the velocity of the motion of the apparatus relative to said fluid, said device including two signal squaring circuits, a circuit for adding the squared signals connected to said squaring circuits, a circuit connected to said adding circuit for determining the quadratic root of said sum, and an indicator device connected to said determining circuit the response of which being a function of the signal furnished by said determining circuit.

Claim 8

Apparatus for determining the velocity and the direction of relative motion thereof with respect to a fluid and with regard to a direction of reference, said apparatus comprising, a probe including a rod constructed to be dipped into said fluid and subjected to a bending force caused by said fluid, a first detector for determining the force component in the direction of reference, a second detector for determining a second force component at right angles to the first one, means for measuring the ratio of said force components and determining the angle between said force and the reference direction, and a device using said components to ascertain the velocity of the motion of the apparatus relative to said fluid, said device including two signal squaring circuits, a circuit for adding the squared signals connected to said squaring circuits, a circuit connected to said adding circuit for determining the quadratic root of said sum, and an indicator device connected to said determining circuit the response of which being a function of the signal furnished by said determining circuit.

Claim 9

Apparatus for measuring the speed and the drift angle of a ship by determining the velocity and the direction of relative motion thereof with respect to a fluid and with regard to a direction of reference, said apparatus comprising, a probe including a rod constructed to be dipped into said fluid and subjected to a bending force caused by said fluid, a first detector for determining the force component in the direction of reference, a second detector for determining a second force component at right angles to the first one, means for measuring the ratio of said force components and determining the angle between said force and the reference direction, a device using said components to ascertain the velocity of the motion of the apparatus relative to said fluid, one divider circuit for measuring the ratio of the voltages generated by said first and second detectors, and an indicator device, wherein the signal producted by said divider circuit directly controls the indicator device for reading the angle of drift between the direction of motion of the ship and the direction of reference, said angle being betwen + or - 45*.

Claim 10

Apparatus for measuring the speed and the drift angle of a ship by determining the velocity and the direction of relative motion thereof with respect to a fluid and with regard to a direction of reference, said apparatus comprising, a probe including a rod constructed to be dipped into said fluid and subjected to a bending force caused by said fluid, a first detector for determining the force component in the direction of reference, a second detector for determining a second force component at right angles to the first one, means for measuring the ratio of said force components and determining the angle between said force and the reference direction, a device using said components to ascertain the velocity of the motion of the apparatus relative to said fluid, one divider circuit for measuring the ratio of the voltages generated by said first and second detectors, and an indicator device, wherein the signal producted by said divider circuit directly controls the indicator device for reading the angle of drift between the direction of motion of the ship and the direction of reference, said angle being betwen + or - 45*.

Claim 11

Apparatus for measuring the speed and the direction of a ship by determining the velocity and the direction of relative motion thereof with respect to a fluid and with regard to a direction of reference, said apparatus comprising a probe including a flexible rod constructed to be dipped into said fluid and subjected to a bending force caused by said fluid, the lower part of said rod protruding from the bottom of the ship and being connected to the remainder of the probe by means of a device which includes a zone of lesser strength, so that said protruding part is capable of dropping or bending in case of a shock thereon, and the uPper part of the rod which carries the elements for detecting the bending stress is not damaged, a first detector for determining the force component in the direction of reference, a second detector for determining a second force component at right angles to the first one, means for measuring the ratio of said force components and determining the angle between said force and the reference direction, and a device using said components to ascertain the velocity of the motion of the apparatus relative to said fluid.

Claim 12

Apparatus for measuring the speed and the direction of a ship by determining the velocity and the direction of relative motion thereof with respect to a fluid and with regard to a direction of reference, said apparatus comprising a probe including a flexible rod constructed to be dipped into said fluid and subjected to a bending force caused by said fluid, the lower part of said rod protruding from the bottom of the ship and being connected to the remainder of the probe by means of a device which includes a zone of lesser strength, so that said protruding part is capable of dropping or bending in case of a shock thereon, and the uPper part of the rod which carries the elements for detecting the bending stress is not damaged, a first detector for determining the force component in the direction of reference, a second detector for determining a second force component at right angles to the first one, means for measuring the ratio of said force components and determining the angle between said force and the reference direction, and a device using said components to ascertain the velocity of the motion of the apparatus relative to said fluid.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 6, in which the zone of lesser strength comprises a threaded hollow portion at the top of the lower part of the rod which is axially screwed into a threaded hole of the upper part of the rod, and the walls of which are capable of breaking in case of shock.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 6, in which the lower part of the rod comprises, at the top, a round nipple which is inserted and elastically maintained in a corresponding opening provided in the base of the lower part of said rod.