Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a device (100) for determining orientation of an object. The device includes a hollow spherical member (101), which is filled with a fluid medium (109). A plurality of sensors (102) is positioned on a circumference of the hollow spherical member. Further, the device comprises a light source (104) fixed within the hollow spherical member, and a capsule (103) is disposed within the hollow spherical member. The capsule is configured to displace within the hollow spherical member and occupy uppermost point of the hollow spherical member. The capsule covers the one or more sensors at the corresponding uppermost point and, thus blocks impingement of light on to corresponding one or more sensors. The blocked one or more sensors activate or deactivate, and generate a feedback or input signal, which is received by a computing unit (107), to determine orientation of the object.

Abstract: The tape-suspended fully mechanical meridian gyroscope makes it possible to achieve the objective of north-seeking significantly more economically than before. The gyroscope is started up to the necessary rotational speed at the gyroscope cap thereof by an external force source in order to then rotationally move towards north, while suspended on the supporting tape, as a coast-down gyroscope. In order to stop a persisting rotation that goes beyond north, a damping means intervenes until a standstill is reached at north. In order to reliably achieve this, a system that can be finely adjusted with respect to the friction forces is used as the damping means. The north-seeking system according to the invention should be used especially in tunnel construction and in road construction, in azimuth finding, in mountainous terrain, and in many special technical tasks. Failures having electrical or electronic causes do not occur.

Abstract: Disclosed is a magnetic-fluid momentum sphere, which is used for satellite attitude adjustment. The magnetic-fluid momentum sphere comprises stators and a spherical shell. The stators are classified into three groups, axes of the three groups of stators are orthogonal to each other, each group comprises two stators arranged symmetrically about the center of the spherical shell, and the inner surfaces of the stators are spherical surfaces. The spherical shell is formed by combining two hemispherical shells, the material of the spherical shell is a non-ferromagnetic material, the inner surfaces of the stators closely adhere to the outer surface of the spherical shell, there is no relative movement between the spherical shell and the inner surfaces of the stators, and the spherical shell is filled with magnetic fluid. The magnetic-fluid momentum sphere achieves a small size and mass, low costs, and small coupling among the axes.

Abstract: A gyrocompass has a gyrosphere which incorporates a rotor and floats in a liquid tank filled with an electrolyte, and a plurality of electrodes which are disposed in the gyrosphere and the liquid tank, and are respectively opposed through the electrolyte, wherein at least one circuit which supplies electric power to the rotor involves the electrodes, and the plurality of the electrodes includes a first belt-shaped electrode disposed in an equatorial portion of the gyrosphere, the first belt-shaped electrode is formed of a metal which is corrosion-resistant and is a good conductor, and an insulating film is formed on a portion of a surface of the first belt-shaped electrode.

Abstract: A gyrocompass has a liquid tank containing a supporting liquid therein, a gyrosphere floating in the liquid tank by the supporting liquid and whose central portion is rotatably supported by a center pin provided in an upper portion of the liquid tank, a gyro rotor incorporated in the gyrosphere, two dish-shaped electrodes disposed at a lower portion of the liquid tank and a lower portion of the gyrosphere, and opposed through the supporting liquid, and a pair of follow-up electrodes disposed in a vicinity of a equator of the liquid tank and opposed to be apart by 180°, and two belt-shaped electrodes disposed in vicinities of equators of the liquid tank and the gyrosphere in a state that the follow-up electrodes are located therebetween, and opposed through the supporting liquid, wherein electricity is fed to the gyro rotor through the dish-shaped electrodes and the belt-shaped electrodes.

Abstract: A survival device for use in an emergency situation includes a battery, a lamp, and a detection circuit for detecting an occurrence of the emergency situation and for switching the lamp to be powered by the battery when such an occurrence is detected. In one form, the detection circuit detects a presence of water along a surface of the device, with safety tools for escaping from an submerged vehicle being provided. In another form, the detection circuit detects a failure of electrical service within a building, with safety tools for escaping a fire being provided.

Abstract: A gyrocompass having a capsule, mounted to float in an air-tight fashion, for at least one electrically driven gyro. The capsule is produced from two mutually adapted shells which are sealed with respect to one another and consist of a high-strength, corrosion-resistant material which is a good electrical conductor. A steel alloy, titanium alloy, or a high-strength conducting plastic material is suitable. The device avoids electrically insulated bushings on the bottom and edge sides, substantially simplifying the configuration of an equatorial azimuthal tap. The mechanical stability of the capsule is conspicuously improved, and the official HSC requirements for fast ships are readily met.

Abstract: A first liquid container has therein a level control including a float valve, a storage tank or second container and a third container having therein a liquid which is maintained at a fixed liquid level. The third container is connected to the liquid in the first container by the float valve, and is replenished by the liquid in the storage tank. Preferably the storage tank is designed as an evaporator, with a condensate separator plate or surface arranged above the third container which also has an overflow to the storage tank. A temperature stabilizer keeps the liquid in the first liquid container at a temperature above ambient, and the storage tank is in contact with the liquid in the first container to be warmed thereby, and the condensate separator is cooled by ambient air.

Abstract: A jig which receives a sheet in a selected position to accurately scribe it in a straight line. The jig has front and rear panels which form a vertical slit between them in which the sheet is received. The bottom of the sheet sits on an elongated support bar which extends horizontally in the slit and the line is scribed by running a scribing tool along the upper scribing edge of the front panel. The support bar has a pair of spaced studs which extend out through matching openings in the front panel to allow the support bar to be manually moved between a number of different vertical positions to select the distance the line is scribed from the bottom of the sheet. The openings in the front panel each have a number of spaced slots extending sideways which provide a pair of notches in which the studs are seated in each position. The studs are threaded to receive a retaining knob which are tightened against the front panel to secure the support bar in the selected position.

Abstract: A fluid pendulum arrangement is used for implementing fast initial erection of vertical gyros by maintaining the gyro wheel spin axis near vertical during the gyro "power-off" mode of operation. Fluid is contained in a lower fluid chamber section which is disposed below the rotational axes of the gyro inner and outer gimbals. The mass of the fluid in cooperation with the fluid chamber moment arm results in a gyro wheel pendulosity that is greater than the combined gyro component friction torques. Upon the "power-on" or gyro wheel spin up mode of operation, the fluid tends to migrate from the lower section of the chamber to an upper section thereof which is arranged relative to the gimbal rotational axes so that gyro wheel pendulosity is negligible. In one embodiment of the invention, the fluid chamber is an external "add-on" feature to the gyro wheel rotor and in another embodiment, the fluid chamber is integral with said rotor.

Abstract: A magnetic compass has an instrument body adapted to be held level by a gimbal mechanism and having a vertical cylinder member, a spherical or semi-spherical float body on the upper end of the cylinder member and having a spherical surface facing downwardly into the upper end of the cylinder member, a magnet at a bottom center of the float body for making the center of gravity of the float body near the bottom center of the float body, a graduated azimuth scale on the float body, a lubber's line indicator on the surface of the instrument body surrounding the float body, and an air blowing device operatively associated with the cylinder member for blowing rectified air upward through the inside of the cylinder member with a force sufficient for making the float body float stably on the upper end of the cylinder member and out of contact therewith for enabling the float body to freely turn in response to geomagnetic force.

Abstract: A gyro compass having a gyro case incorporating a gyro of which the spin axis is substantially horizontal, a vertical ring disposed around the outer periphery of the gyro case and for rotatably supporting the gyro case around a vertical axis, a follow-up pickup for detecting an angular displacement between the gyro case and the vertical ring around the vertical axis, an accelerometer having an input axis parallel to the spin axis, a vertical torquer mounted on the vertical ring for applying a torque of magnitude proportional to an input signal to the gyro case around the vertical axis, and a control apparatus for receiving an output signal of the accelerometer and for supplying its output to the vertical torquer, in which during a predetermined time after the gyro compass is started to operate, the output signal from the accelerometer is differentiated to produce a differentiation signal which is then supplied to the vertical torquer to reduce a settling time of the north-seeking action.

Abstract: A wave isolator (18) is provided for large format drafting plotters (10) for preventing waves in the drafting medium (16) from traveling up the platen (14) and adversely affecting the pen (20) and its operation and reducing acceleration related vertical scalloping of angled lines. Such waves in the medium are generated by the motion of the paper during the plotting operation. The wave isolator comprises at least one strip (22a) of flexible material secured to the platen and of substantially the same length. Preferably, a polyimide film is used, having a coating of a thermoset acrylic resin with additives including conductive carbon black and polyethylene. In operation, when the medium is moving upward, the wave isolator deflects under the increased inertial load, and air trapped between the medium and the platen exits at the sides of the medium, dissipating some of its energy.

Abstract: A gyro apparatus comprising a gyro casing incorporating therein a gyro the spin axis of which is made substantially horizontal, a supporting apparatus for supporting the gyro casing with a freedom of three axes, a north-seeking apparatus for giving a north-seeking action to the gyro, a follow-up ring having a follow-up shaft which follows the gyro casing around its substantially vertical axis, a binnacle for supporting the follow-up shaft, a servo motor for rotating the follow-up shaft and a slip ring for supplying a power to the gyro and the like through the follow-up shaft, in which the follow-up ring is formed as a fork-shape and supported to the binnacle in a canti-lever fashion, the follow-up shaft is rotatably supported to the binnacle by one thin-type ball bearing having a large diameter and one bearing having a small diameter, the follow-up shaft is fixedly provided with a rotor of a pancake-type servo motor of a direct drive system, a stator of the servo motor is attached to the binnacle at the posit

Abstract: A housing defines a chamber having a spherical inside surface, and a spherical float is supported within the chamber by a liquid so that the outside surface of the float is equidistantly spaced from the top and bottom of the inside surface of the chamber. The float incorporates a permanent magnet defining diametrically-opposed opposite poles which serve to orient the float with respect to the earth's magnetic field. The liquid is magnetizable, and the float is laterally centered within the chamber by magnetic interaction between the magnet poles and the magnetizable liquid. A differential fluxgate sensing head serves to sense the relative orientation of the housing and the float in a horizontal plane and to supply an electrical output signal indicative of that orientation. A highly accurate direction-finding device is thereby produced at modest cost.

Abstract: A magnetic angular position sensor having a ferrofluid filled spherical chamber in a cylindrical housing, within which floats a body comprising a buoyant core carrying a magnet which aligns itself and the body with the earth's magnetic field, and carrying an odd number of small permanent magnets. Hall effect devices are located in recesses in the ends of the housing. The housing also carries a calibration solenoid.

Abstract: A fluid sphere gyroscope is used as the north-seeking sensing element in a gyrocompass. A sensor responsive to angular deviation of the gyroscope from the horizontal provides a tilt signal which is used to energize heating elements located along the independent spin axis of a rotating fluid mass. Application of a thermal gradient along the spin axis of the fluid mass causes a controlled precession of the gyroscope, thereby compensating for bias and acceleration sensitive drift errors and precessing the gyroscope about a vertical axis in a controlled manner. Rotary transformers permit inductive coupling of the heating elements to the tilt signal and to a power source with minimal disturbing torques.

Abstract: A remotely readable fiber optic compass. A sheet polarizer is affixed to a magnet rotatably mounted in a compass body, such that the polarizer rotates with the magnet. The optical axis of the sheet polarizer is preferably aligned with the north-south axis of the magnet. A single excitation light beam is divided into four identical beams, two of which are passed through the sheet polarizer and through two fixed polarizing sheets which have their optical axes at right angles to one another. The angle of the compass magnet with respect to a fixed axis of the compass body can be determined by measuring the ratio of the intensities of the two light beams. The remaining ambiguity as to which of the four possible quadrants the magnet is pointing to is resolved by the second pair of light beams, which are passed through the sheet polarizer at positions which are transected by two semicircular opaque strips formed on the sheet polarizer.

Abstract: A device for sensing angular deviation from the vertical. A housing forming a spherical chamber contains pendulous element comprising a circular plate immersed in a liquid having a low viscosity. The center of the plate is supported for rotational movement about two perpendicular axes of rotation by a pivot at the top of a normally vertical support rod aligned with the vertical axis of the chamber extending upwardly from the bottom of the chamber. The plate provides a couple with the liquid. Electrical pick-offs associated with the two axes of rotation provide an electrical signal proportional to the angular tilt of the circular plate about the two axes relative to the housing.

Abstract: A gyro apparatus including a gyro case for housing a gyro therein, the spin axis of which is selected to be substantially horizontal, a container for accommodating therein the gyro case and containing a liquid within it, a first supporting device for supporting the gyro case within the container, a second supporting device for supporting the container in a manner that the container may have the freedom of three axes, and a vertical follow-up device for making the container to follow-up the gryo case around a gravity line, in which there is further provided a device in connection with the container for substantially changing the gap formed between the container containing the liquid and the gyro case from the outside of the container so as to adjust the displacement between the center of gravity of the gryo case and the center of viscous force caused by the liquid acting on the gyro case.

Abstract: In a gyrocompass in which a gyro is housed in a gyro case with a spin axis arranged substantially horizontal, a container is provided for surrounding the gyro case and for containing a liquid. A suspension wire supports the gyro case within the container and a supporting device is provided to support the case with three degrees of freedom. A vertical follow-up device ensures that the container follows the gyro case around a vertical axis. A detector supplies a detected signal to the follow-up device to produce a follow-up error responsive to displacement and twisting of the suspension wire so that a damping torque is applied to the gyro case. A delay element supplies the detected signal to the follow-up device to produce a follow-up error therein.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a gyroscopic instrument comprising concentric containers, the inner container enclosing a rotating electric gyro rotor, magnetic fluid enclosed between the inner and outer concentric containers, and magnetic flux producing means mounted on at least one of the two concentric containers, so that magnetic fluxes reach the magnetic fluid to support the inner container without contacting the outer container. The magnetic flux producing means are preferably mounted and oriented on a line drawn on at least one of the concentric containers at predetermined distances so that magnetic fluxes transmitted from the pole of one flux means reach the opposite pole of an adjacent means by passing through the magnetic fluid.

Abstract: In this gyro compass the direction-indicating gyro system is suspended pivotably in all directions from a pendulum, which is mounted to rotate about a vertical axis in a frame integral with a ship, and which has on its upper end an element that extends into a tank containing a damping fluid for dampening oscillations of the pendulum.

Abstract: A vertical gyroscopic reference system consists of a gimballed platform solid with a stator in the form of a hollow spherical chamber in which a substantially spherical gyro rotor revolves, the rotor being both driven and supported by air pressure, and having a pressure-fed hole through its spin axis which cooperates with ports in the stator to provide signals to a pair of pneumatic actuators which slave the platform to follow the gyro rotor.

Abstract: The gyrocompass includes an improved indexing mechanism whereby the mechanical position of the gyroscope casing with respect to two orthogonal components of input rate may be measured.

Abstract: The azimuth shaft of an internally gimballed, gyro-stabilized platform assembly is maintained rigid by keeping the uniquely structured inertial instrument-mounting components neutrally buoyant in a flotation liquid that is captive within a spherical shaped outermost gimbal member. Unlike the prior art, this internally gimballed, gyro-stabilized platform assembly can be used for precision, and high-"g", applications.

Abstract: A caging system for non-closed-loop gyro systems used in gyro stabilized platforms using fluid dashpots in place of automatic caging gyro brakes, torquers, or solenoids. A fluid dashpot is mounted on the gyro stabilized platform for each gyro of the platform with the linear motion of the dashpot along an axis normal to the median general rotational plane of the respective gyro of the platform. Movement of a dashpot linear movement member is greatly accentuated by the dashpot to gyro assembly interconnected linkage as roll component or pitch component amplitude exceeds designed operational gimbal roll and pitch ranges of respectively roll and pitch gyros of the platform.

Abstract: An azimuth directional synchro output is provided for a gyroscopic compass, the compass consisting of a pendulous gyrosphere floating within a spherical cavity containing an electrically conductive fluid. By forming one electrode that carries power through the fluid to spin the gyroscope rotor as a band of sinusoidally varying width, four cooperating electrodes equally spaced about the instrument case supply azimuth position data to excite a selsyn data transmitter system. The currents collected by the four cooperating electrodes are proportional to the varying resistances of the respective fluid paths. They generate a vector field within the selsyn system which establishes outputs representing true azimuth bearing within the three selsyn output leads.

Abstract: A miniature automatically self-aligning azimuth reference employs a floated pendulous gyrocompass device for the rapid determination of geographic north as required for surveying purposes. Fast approximate alignment with north from an initially misaligned condition is effected, while the gyroscope rotor is being run up to speed, using flux valve control. The control is then shifted to a gyrocompassing mode including settling, integration, and driving steps which complete precise alignment.

Abstract: A gyroscopic instrument which may be a compass includes a hollow sphere enclosing at least one motor-driven gyroscope and floating in an electrically conductive liquid within the inner surface of revolution of a vessel surrounding the sphere at a distance therefrom providing for a gap therebetween. A motor-driven pump circulates the liquid through an inlet of the vessel, through the gap, through an outlet of the vessel and through a passageway back to the pump. The surfaces confining the gap have pairs of opposite conductive electrode portions for conducting electrical energy to the motor-driven gyroscope or gyroscopes. The liquid circulating through the gap exerts a bearing pressure on the sphere holding it spaced from the inner surface of the vessel. For this purpose the gap has a relatively narrow bearing zone communicating with the inlet and a relatively wider zone communicating with the outlet.