Auto-steering system

Claim 2

An improved auto-steering system for controlling the angular orientation of a rudder with respect to a neutral reference axis, said auto-steering system comprising: a control circuit for adjusting the angular orientation of said rudder as a function of input signals applied to an input terminal thereof; a sensor circuit including means for generating desired angular orientation input signals representative of a desired angular orientation of said rudder responsive to environmental factors influencing navigation; a reference input circuit which produces a predetermined reference input signal indicative of said neutral reference axis of said rudder; and a switching mechanism for selectively applying either said desired angular orientation input signals or said reference input signal to said input terminal of said control circuit in such a manner that said rudder is placed in said neutral reference axis when said reference input signal is applied to said input terminal of said control circuit by said switching mechanism for zero-point calibration.

Claim 3

An improved auto-steering system as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said switching mechanism includes a plurality of input contacts, one of said input contacts is coupled to said reference input circuit, and remaining of said input contacts are coupled to said sensor circuit.

Claim 4

An improved auto-steering system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control circuit includes a feedback path and wherein said system further comprises an indicator circuit having a high impedance input which is coupled to said feedback path of said control circuit and including a visual indicator of the actual rudder angle.

Claim 5

An improved auto-steering system for controlling the angular orientation of a rudder with respect to a neutral reference axis, said auto-steering system comprising: a control circuit for adjusting the angular orientation of said rudder as a function of input signals applied to an input terminal thereof, said control circuit including a feedback path; a sensor circuit including means for generating desired angular orientation input signals representative of a desired angular orientation of said rudder responsive to environmental factors influencing navigation; a reference input signal which produces a predetermined reference input signal indicative of said neutral reference axis of said rudder; a switching mechanism for selectively applying either said desired angular orientation input signal or said predetermined reference input signal to said input terminal of said control circuit in such a manner that said rudder is placed in said neutral reference axis when said reference input signal is applied to said input terminal of said control circuit by said switching mechanism for zero-point calibration; and an indicator circuit having a high impedance input coupled to said feedback path of said control circuit and including a visual indicator of the actual orientation of said rudder, a second input terminal coupled to a variable resistor adapted for zero-point calibration of said indicator circuit and a variable resistor associated with said visual indicator for adjusting the moving ambit of an indicator hand of said visual indicator.

Claim 6

An improved auto-steering system for controlling the angular orientation of a rudder with respect to a neutral reference axis, said auto-steering system comprising: a control circuit for adjusting the angular orientation of said rudder as a function of input signals applied to an input terminal thereof, said control circuit including a feedback path; a sensor circuit including means for generating desired angular orientation input signals representative of a desired angular orientation of said rudder responsive to environmental factors influencing navigation; a reference input signal which produces a predetermined reference input signal indicative of said neutral reference axis of said rudder; a switching mechanism for selectively applying either said desired angular orientation input signal or said predetermined reference input signal to said input terminal of said control circuit in such a manner that said rudder is placed in said neutral reference axis when said reference input signal is applied to said input terminal of said control circuit by said switching mechanism for zero-point calibration; and an indicator circuit having a high impedance input coupled to said feedback path of said control circuit and including a visual indicator of the actual orientation of said rudder, a second input terminal coupled to a variable resistor adapted for zero-point calibration of said indicator circuit and a variable resistor associated with said visual indicator for adjusting the moving ambit of an indicator hand of said visual indicator.

Claim 7

An improved auto-steering system as claimed in claim 4 in which the moving angle of said indicator hand is proportional to the actual rudder angle.

Claim 8

An improved auto-steering system for controlling the angular orientation of a rudder with respect to a neutral reference axis, said auto-steering system comprising: a control circuit for adjusting the angular orientation of said rudder as a function of input signals applied to an input terminal thereof; a sensor circuit including means for generating desired angular orientation input signals representative of a desired angular orientation of said rudder responsive to environmental factors influencing navigation; a reference input circuit which produces a predetermined reference input signal indicative of said neutral reference axis of said rudder; a switching mechanism for selectively applying either said desired angular orientation input signal or said predetermined reference input signal to said input terminal of said control circuit in such a manner that said rudder is placed in said neutral reference axis when said reference input signal is applied to said input terminal of said control circuit by said zero switching mechanism for zero-point calibration; and a main A-M switching mechanism inserted between said switching mechanism and said control circuit, said main A-M switching mechanism being adapted for switching between automatic and manual steerings for navigation, and a remote steering unit coupled to said main A-M switching mechanism, said remote control unit including a manual steering circuit and a subsidiary A-M switch which is operationally locked to said main A-M switching mechanism.

Claim 9

An improved auto-steering system for controlling the angular orientation of a rudder with respect to a neutral reference axis, said auto-steering system comprising: a control circuit for adjusting the angular orientation of said rudder as a function of input signals applied to an input terminal thereof; a sensor circuit including means for generating desired angular orientation input signals representative of a desired angular orientation of said rudder responsive to environmental factors influencing navigation; a reference input circuit which produces a predetermined reference input signal indicative of said neutral reference axis of said rudder; a switching mechanism for selectively applying either said desired angular orientation input signal or said predetermined reference input signal to said input terminal of said control circuit in such a manner that said rudder is placed in said neutral reference axis when said reference input signal is applied to said input terminal of said control circuit by said zero switching mechanism for zero-point calibration; and a main A-M switching mechanism inserted between said switching mechanism and said control circuit, said main A-M switching mechanism being adapted for switching between automatic and manual steerings for navigation, and a remote steering unit coupled to said main A-M switching mechanism, said remote control unit including a manual steering circuit and a subsidiary A-M switch which is operationally locked to said main A-M switching mechanism.

Claim 10

An improved auto-steering system as claimed in claim 6 in which said main A-M switching mechanism includes a relay which is activated by said subsidiary A-M switch of said remote steering unit and a main A-M switch which is operated by said relay.

Claim 11

An improved auto-steering system as claimed in claim 7 in which said main A-M switch has two input contacts, one of said input contacts is coupled to said switching mechanism, and the other of said input contacts is coupled to one terminal of said manual steering circuit.

Claim 12

An improved auto-steering system as claimed in claim 7 in which said subsidiary A-M switch has two contacts, and one of said contacts is coupled to said relay of said main A-M switching mechanism.

Claim 13

An improved auto-steering system as claimed in claim 6 in which said manual steering circuit includes a variable resistor whose resistance can be manually adjusted.

Claim 14

An improved auto-steering system as claimed in claim 10 in which said manual steering circuit further includes an additional variable resistor coupled in series to said variable resistor and adapted for trimming of said manual steering circuit.

Claim 15

An improved auto-steering system as claimed in claim 11 in which said additional variable resistor for trimming is accompanied by means for provisionally fixing the selected resistance thereof.

Claim 16

An improved auto-steering system as claimed in claim 10 in which said manual steering circuit further includes means for automatically resetting same to the zero-point after the manual steering is completed.

Claim 17

An improved auto-steering system as claimed in claim 13 in which said variable resistor includes a resistor element and a slide movable along said resistor element when manually biased, and said automatic resetting means include a spring mechanism always resiliently urging said slide to be registered at the middle of said resistor element.