US1446280A - titterington x - Google Patents

Description

moe; m, 1923.l

M. wa. TIITTERINGTCN" STABLLIZED BOMB SIGHT 9a 1918 5 sheets-sheet 1 Filed sept;

INVENTOLF? Een. 2Q, w23..

M. WE. TJITTERHNGTON STABILIZED BOMB SIGHT .Filed Sgept;i 9, 1918 3 sheets-Sheet 2 NVENTOR y A'TTO/ STABILIZED BOMB SIGHTA Filed Sept. 9, 1918 5Vsheets-shelet- 3 lieb. 2tlg entre@ stares retenir eet-sica.,

Monats M. TITTJERINGTOMOF BBOOKYLN, NEW Yoan, Assistme To THE' smarter ernoscorn COMPANY, or BROOKLYN,l NEW YORK, A CORPORATION or New YORK,

STABILEZED BOMB SIGHT.

Application eiea'september 9, maA serialA no. 253.207.

T al? trimm lz'z may concern.' v

Be it known that l, Mounts Nl. Trrrlnno v TON.' a citizen of the United States of Amen ica, residing at 39 Sidney Place. Brooklyn7 in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Stabilized Bomb Sights. ofI which the following is a specification.

rThis invention relates to stabilized bomb sights adapted to be .employed on an aeroplane or otheraircraft to enhance the a@` curacy in bombing targets on the ground.

` -For' accurate bombing' from an aeroplane it is practically necessary that the bomb sight employed be maintained level` 'or stable with. respect to the horizontal plane, regardless of the position or change in position of the aircraft on which the sight is mounted. The principal -object of the present invention is to provide means for maintaining the sight in such-position- Other objects and advantages'nf'ill appear asthe invention is hereinafter developed.

' Referring to the drawings which illustrate what l now considerthe preferred form of my invention: I Fig.r 1 is a plan yiew of one form of bomb sight and stabilizing means therefor. g Fig. 2g is a rear elevation of the stabilizing vmeans shown injFigt 1.'

Fig.3 isa detail elevation of one form of' Vforce applying or damping means for the gyro pendulum-employed Fig-`-leis a detail front elevaltion of a part of the 'structure illustrated in Fi' 1."

Figs. v'anid 6 are sections taken on lines 5 5 and 6--6 respectively of Figi.

Fig. .7i is one form of Wiringdiagram of the electrical apparatus.

Fig. 8 is a, fragmentary sectional detail illustrating one form 'of means for reducing` or preventing hunting of the bomb sight.

'Fig'. 9v is a detail of certain of the strutture illustrated in Fig. 3;

l. employ l pendulous 'means preferably` gy'roscopicall)v controlled', for establishing a. horizontal or ,other reference plane and While the bomb sight may be directly connected to this'means7 l prefer the system illustrated.

`ner No. 1.3245178. December 97 1919.

vpower means actuates the bomb sightto maintain theI latter in a predetermined re` lationship with respect to the above'mentioned reference plane.` I

.l simple gyroscopic pendulum is open to -the object-ion that it is deflected from the position it should maintain when acted onv by persistent acceleration pressures. l' therefore prefer toemploy means for applying an external torque or torques to neutralize the effect of such acceleration pressures.

Various types of meanswsuit'able for this illustrated in said Patent 1,324,478 and may 7 'beconstructed substantially as follows:

The gyroscope l' comprises a rotorcasing 7 Within which` the. rotor is journaled 'for' rot-ation abdutffa normally vertical spinning axis and which casing` is pivotally mounted on an axis 8, 9 Within the gim-bal ring 10.

'the ring being in turn supportedon axis' 2, 3 in brackets 4,*5 on base plate 6. The gyroscope is `centralized b v the yielding force of gravity-'about both horizontal axes. as the casing 7, together with the structure it supports,is made pendulous. A loop or v"bail, 11 is pivoted in brackets 12, 13, secured to base 6, for oscillationvabout an axis coincidentv With the axis 8&9. rllhis bail is provided Wit-h a grooye or trackway 144 which serves as a guide for a roller 15 r0- t-atably secured to the lower side of the gyro-v scope casingr 7. An arm 16 carrying a con- 'y tact 17 is secured to one end Ofsaid bail,v

said contact being 'adapted to engage one Or the `other of contacts 18, 19. 'IhellatterVV are carried by ar bracket 2O secured to an auxiliary pendulum 21 pivotedat 22 inthe .brack'et 12 for Oscillation about an axis 'co-` `incident with the axis 8'*9. Contacts 18, 19 This system comprises power means conf" are insulated from each other and from the .10@

.' trolled by the gyroscopic vpendulum which l -portion to which a bracket or yoke 26 ofl supporting bracket 20. These contacts 17 i 18, 19 are adapted lto control the/.force ap'- plying. mea1s' which is illustrated vin 1, 2, 3' and 8,

nd which maybeconstructed "substantially as follows The ring 10 has a downwardly projecting magnetic material is rigidly secured. The

bracket 4 has mounted thereon a' shaft or. spindle 27, which is' coaxial with the axis 2,

3 and which 'extends through ball bearings 28,29 carriedrespec'tively by the member 3() and ring 10. The member is preferably of non-magnetic; material and extf nds downspindle 27 the vertical or upstandingpor-f Wardly vin'toa notch 31 provided in the lower; end of the downwardly extending portion 25 of the yoke 26. A pair--of electro-magnets-32, 33 are secured to the member 30 by a screwe extending through said member and tapped into the cores of said magnets. Strips 35 of magnetic material are secured .to each of opposite sides'of said member 3() and the ends of yoke 26 are eachprovided with an vadjustable lu'g'of magnetic material.`

The ring 10 is provided with a notch 37 closed by an inverted T shaped member 38 and thus A forming a means whereby the bear` ing 29 may move to the right or left with Vvrespect tosaid ring 10 as viewed in Figs. 3 and 9. Inorder to bias thef ringlO to central position with respect to vthe shaft or tion, of thel T shaped member38 carries a plu'rality`of pins 40.011 each side 'thereof on f .which pinplates 4:1 are vslidably mounted.

Springs 42. engage said plates and tend to hold the same-inwardly in contact vwith the upper-end of the member 30.

It will be obvious to those' skilled in the art that when the magnet 32 is energized the ring 10 will be vshifted to the right' (Figs. 3 and 8) with respect to the spindle 27 while if magnet 33 is energized the ring will be shifted to the left.. Either one of these movements will cause a gravitational torque in a corresponding direction to be exerted on the gyropendulum. l

' Calling attention toFig. 7, which illustrates one form of wir-ing diagram, it will be seen that I' have shown a double current f generatorf50 capable y.of delivering D. C. to i the mains 51, 52 and three phaseA. C. to

the mains The rotor' of the gyroscope 1 may be drivenxby the induction motor 54 of` the same general type as that illustrated in the S. patent to Elmer E. Sperry, No.

1.186.856, granted June 13. 1916. .Sa-id induction motor is suppliedwithenergy vfrom the mains53. `The contact 17 is shown connected with the main 51, contacts 18, 19 to one side of each ofl magnets 32, 33 respec- `tively and the other side of each of said magnets is connected to the opposite main 52. By virtue of the above described structure the gyro pendulum 1 will be maintained in 'quicklydamped out. Thus Suppose that the ysuch a position that the? line through its virtual point of support and centerof gravity I is always substantially Vertical; Any tendency to. oscillate, or oscillation will' be i 7U gyro is oscillating so that the top thereof moves in a circle in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1. When thesaid top portion is to theA right ofthe axis 8--9v the contact 17engages contact 19 and enervgizes solenoid 3 3. The latter then shifts the `ring 10 as previous-ly described and causes` the oscillation of the gyro to work against the gravitational torque so created. The

magnet 32 acts-in asimilar manner when the `80 said to'p portion is tothe left of axis 8-9 tion, ythe. vinvention residing' rather in the combination, I will omit further description 95 of this device. Sufiice it to say that the desideratum is'to stabilize the 'Sight about both horizontal axes. j The base 56 is shown 1 secured to `a plate 57 to which standards 58 are secured. 'The latter rotatably receive 100 the opposite endsof a rod 59 extending at right angles and connected to a shaft 60 A iournaled at 61,l 62 and 63. The journal 61 is carried by a bracket 64 secured to the base 65 on -which the base 6 is mounted and 105 the journals 62 and "63 are a part of a. frame 66 also secured to said base 65. The said journals are so arranged that ,the shaft 60 is parallel to the axis -2-3. The plate 57v has also secured thereto va standard 67 which ro- 110 tatably supports aroller 66. The latter runs in atrackway ordepression 69 provided in a loop or bail 70 pivotally mounted for oscillation about an axis-.71H72 in .brackets 73 secured` to' the base The design is such that the 115 axis 71-72 is parallel to the axis of oscillation of the bail 11. By `properly actuating the shaft 60 and the bail 7() it will be clear that the lplate 57 and consequently base 56, may-be keptin a 'vertical plane,ri. e., stable 120 about both horizontal axes regardless of the movements of the base 65.

Any suitable form of power meansmav be utilized to actuate the members 60` 70 such as electric motors 75, 76 carried by 125 the frames 66. 77 in turn secured to'the base 65. The motor is adapted to drive the shaft. 60 through a suitable train of gearinp 78-7-9 mountedin the frame 66.

The other motor, 76. drives a shaft 82 130 a raaaaeo 'through avtrain of gearing 80, 81 said shaft and train of gearing being mounted in the frame 77. The shaft 82 has secured thereto link 84 being provided with a turnbuckle 85 'tor the -purpose of adjustment.-

For controlling the motors 75, 76 I arovidetwo sets vof electrical contacts. ne. or more, of the contacts of one set is connected to the gyro pendulum 1 Ato be stabilized about the axis 2, 3, and one,l or more of the contacts of the other set is connected to said gyro pendu-limito bel stabilized about the axis 8-9 These connections may be effected as illustrated -in the drawings by ,mounting the contact seg/ments 90. '92 on a bracket 93 secured to the ring 10 and thev , contact segments 94, 96 on a bracket 97 secured to the bail 11. The contacts 90, 92 and 94, 96 are each adapted to cooperate with a corresponding one of thecontacts 91, .95 more specifically described hereinafter. lt should also be noted thatf contracts 90.92 arev insulated from each other and from the supporting bracket 93- and contacts 94, 96 are insulated from each other and from supporting bracket 97.`

The contactf9i1 is mounted on the base G5 and means are provided for causing themotor 75, to move said Contact through the same angular distanceas the relative angular displacement of the gyro pendulum V1 and base 65 but in a reverse direction. One portion ot' this means comprises electrical connections between contacts 90. 91.

92 and said motor 75 to cause actuation of' .winding of theV relay 100 is connected at one end to the cont-act 90 and the winding oi another relay 101 isconnected to conn tact `972. The remaining ends ot said windings, are connected to the D. C. main 52l and the, contact 91 is connected, to the "":other and tol the main 52 and the front` `other D. C. *main 51. The armature of the motor l 75` is shown connected across the armature of the relays 100. 101` Vthe back` contacts of which are connected to each one terminav4 it the ieldcffsaid motor. The opposite terminal ot' said field isconnected to tse main 51. Those skilled in the a1t\will appreciatethat whenfthe"contact 91 is central with respect to contacts 90, 92 the relays 100, 101 will both be energized or both deenergized depending on .'Whethe'r the contact 91 touches, both con'- tacts 90.4.y 92 or touches neither. In either case the armature et the motor 75 will be port 6 5 about the axis 2, 3 the motor 75 will cause the plate 57 to move about the axis ot' shaft `G0. To describe this action more specifically and' clearly, assume that the V-supportingr base moves aboutthe a-Xis in a clockwise direction. looking in the direction otl arrow c. in Fig. 1. Con- v tacts 91 and 92 will thenengage .to cause the motor75 to rotate the shaft .G0 and base' 57 about the axis of the .shaft 60 in a counter-clockwise direction. lt it is" assumed further that the contact 91'is secured to the shaft 60 it will he clear that this movement of shaft4 60 would continue until said contact 91 reached the neutral position with respect to contacts 90, 92. In short the base57 and consequently the 'bomb sight 55 would be stabilized about the axis 60.

llt has been found in practice that the above described arrangement while operative gives rise to considerable hunting ot the bomb sight on both sides ot the position at which it should be stabilized. ll-iis is probably due to various `causes such as lost ica motion in the gear train 78, 79, inertia of the j parts, etc. In view of the factl that, the last'mentio'ned gear train transmits considerable power in either of two directions'it is extremely difficult. it not practically img possible7-to take up this lost motion. For this reason Iprefer to adopt the `expediente hereinafter described which are found to minimize, Yif not entirely neutralize fing of the. sight.

, The contact 91 is positionedyby the motor l 7 5 through a train of gearing entirely distinct from the'freartrain.7879 but of such design that ,said contact will receive substantially thesame movement as though it were connected to the shaft 60. This gear train comprises a .pinion 102.0n the shafty ot motor75 and a gear sector 103 secured to one arm of' a bell crank lever 104 pivoted yon the bracket 5 for oscillation about the axis 2 3. (See Figs. 1 a'nd 6). The contact 91 is shown adjustably secured tothe arm of thek ,bell crank 104 to which'the sector 103 is connected. The remaining arm, of the last inentioned bell crank maybe connected to the bracket 5 by means of a spring 1051for the purpose of taking up lost motionin the gear train 102. 103, which transmits aj'comparatively small amount of power. By virtue of iza the above described connections it Wili `be seen that the brush and contact 91 will follow closely at all'times the movement of" motor 75.

Meansarealso provided for constraining the hunt-ing offthe'motor '75 to an amount Vsubstantially equal to or vslightly greater Y.than that necessary tb take up t-he lost motion offthe gear train 7 S-7 9.l One form of such means is shown in the drawings, particularly in Fig. 8. A rod V106`is threaded at one end to screu7 into a bracket 10S, se-

y cured to the frame66, and is provided at its other end With a thumb nut 107. `The bracket 108 has a downwardly extending boss which is Aprovided with a bore 109 into Which Ythe lower end of the rod 106 is adapted to extend.

mounted 1n said bore and carries at its .lower A plunger. 110 is slidably end a plug of leather or other friction materiallll adapted to engage the oommutator 112 of the motor 75. A spring 113 is also mounted insaid bore and vseats at opposite ends against the plunger 110 and a disc 114. j

By turning the nut 107 the pressure of the plug 111 on the commutator112 maybe adjusted.

'- .The lower kend of the rod 106 may be i made slightly larger than the threaded open- .ing in bracket 108 and split to hold the parts in adjusted-position. As previously stated, the last described parts are preferably so adjusted that the hunting of themotor 75 will be' equal to or slightly greater'than the movement .required to take up the ,lost

motion in the gear train 78-7 9.

Ialso provide means for holding the bomb sight 55 against movement, about the axis Y 60, with respect `to the base 65 except-When f .40

actuated by the motor 75. This' meansv `is illustrated in` the formof an adjustable friction band115' secured to a standard or post 117, carried by the frame 66, and surrounding a drum 116 on the shaft .60. l A

The complete 'operation of the system 'for stabilizing the bomb sight about the,`axis of the shaft 60 may be summarized as follows.'- vAssum-in that parts occupy the relative positions 1 lustrated in Fig. 1 the motor 75 will hunt slightly'causing the contact 91 to move from oneto the other of contacts 90,92. vThe degree of hunting is however limited by the brake 111 to such an i all about the axis or only slightly.

Ybrake bandy 115 Will, hold the sight in` posiamount that 'it is-just s uiicient or slightly more than that-Whicli Will take up the lost motion lin the gear train 7 8 7 9. l'The bomb sightl 55 Will accordingly either .not hunt at Contact to 'assume neutral position with reis necessary.

spect to contacts 90, 92. As the motor 75 imparts substantially the same movement to the shaft 60 as it does `to the contact 91 it Will be seen that the bombsight Will-'occupy the same position With respect to the base '65 that the gyro pendulum 1 does. In short the bomb sight will be stabilized with respect to the base 65 about the axis 60.

The operation of the apparatus for stabilizing the sight 55 about the axis 59, vvhich is coincident with the aXis'of oscillation -of the bail`70,'is substantially the same as that for effecting the stabilization about the Yaxis 60. Thus the contacts 94, 9 5, .96 control the motor 76 through relays. 100` and "101' in all respects similar tothelcontrol motor 75 through Vrelays 100, ,.101 by the contacts 90, 91, 92. An independent gear -train is preferably provided for .actuating the contact 9 5 to the same extentv as though it were vmounted on the shaft 82. The said contact 95 is shown adjustably connected to onearm of a bell crank lever 120, Which arm is connected to one end of a segmental lever 123 by means of a link 121. The latter may be providedwth. a tu'rnbuckle 122 foiitlie purpose of adjustment. The segmental lever 123 is pivoted at 124 on frame 77 and is adapted to be driven by the motor 76 througha trai-n of gearing 125, 126.\ yA spring 127 may be connected to one arm 'of the lever 120 and to thefbracket 13 'for the purpose of taking up lost motion between Said lever and its actuating motor '76.

The motor 76 may b'eprovided with a rod 106 adapted to actuate mechanism simil'ar in structure and function to that Villustrated in 8. Furthermore the shaft may be provided with a drum 116 adapted to be engaged by a friction band 115 secured to a standard-117 in turn secured to the plate 57. The last mentioned elements are for the primary purpose of holding the bomb sight 55 against movement about the axis 59 unless actuated by the motor 76.

A. spring 130 may be coiled about the rod or shaft 59 and may engage at its ends the plate 57 so as to oppose the pull of grav- .ity on thebomb sight.

As the operation of the apparatus for stabilizing the sight 55 about the axis 59 is substantially the same as the operation' of the means for stabilizing about the axis 60, it is thought that no further description It will 'be apparent to those skilled in the art that the sight 55 will be effectively stabilized and that the hunting thereof will be practically inappreciable. l

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have herein described the principleof operation of my invention, together with the apparatus, which I novv consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but l desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only'illustrative extends to such use.

connections between said power means and l 40y incienso i 4 Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent means including a gyros'copicl pendulum l for stabilizing said bomb` sight.

2.- In combination,- a bomb, sight, a support therefor, power means for moving said bomb'sight with respect to its support and a' pendulum' for controlling said power means.

. 3. In combination, a bomb sight, a support therefor, means comprising a pendulum for controlling movement of said bomb sight with respect to its Vsupport and means for damping oscillations of said pendulum. v

4f. In combination, a bomb sight, a pen` dulum comprising-a gyroscope, means controlled by said pendulum for controlling .the position of said bomb sightand means controlled by-said gyroscope for lapplying a torque on said pendulum.

5. A system for stabilizing asighting device movably mounted with respect to its support,v said system comprising .power means, a pendulum, a set of contacts for re versiblycontrolling said' power means, at least one of said contacts being connected to said pendulum and at least one otherto said power means to be actuated thereby,

sighting device and means `for restricting the hunting of said power means substantially, to that necessary to take up lost motion inthe last mentioned connections.

6.l A system for stabilizing a sighting device movably mounted with respect to its support, said system comprising a motor, reversing contacts for controlling said motor, agyroscopic pendulum for stabilizing at least one ofv s aid contacts, connectionsY bey' tween said motor and another of said conv tacts for actuating the latter, separate and taksaid motor vfor connections between sighting device .and means ing up thelost motion in said rst mentioned connections. y

' 7. A system for stabilizing a sighting device' movably-mounted with respect to its support, said systemcomprising a motor, re

versing contacts for controlling saidmotor, a gyroscopic pendulum for stabilizing at least one of said contacts, connections between said motor and another of said contacts for actuating the' latter, separate connections between said motor and sighting device. and means for restricting the hunting il. In combination, a bomb sight and tion with respect to said ving theA latter.

of said motor substantially to that necessary to take up lost motion the last mentioned connections.

8. In combination, boinbsight, a support therefor, power means for moving said bomb sight with respect to its support,"a set of contacts for reversibly controlling said power means, and a'pendulum-connected to at least one of said contacts for stabilizing the same.

9. In combination, a bomb sight, a support therefor, power means for moving said Abomb sight with respect to said support, and

gyroscopic means for controlling said power means. v

l0. In combination, abomb sight, a support therefor, power means for moving said Abomb sight Awith, respect to its support, a set` of contacts for reversibly controlling said power means, gyroscopic means con- -nected to at least one of said contacts for stabilizing the same, and connections be-k tween said power means nd another of said contacts for actuating the latter.

l-1.'In combination, a b'omb sight, a support therefor, power means for moving said 'bomb sight with respect to its support about two horizontal axes, and a single gyroscopic ,pendulum for'controlling said power means..

\l'2. In combination, a bomb sight, and means including ajgyroscope normally free to change the direction of its aXis ofrotasight for stabiliz- 13. -In combination, a bomb sight, agyroscopehaving threedegrees of freedom with respect to said. sight, and means controlled by. said gyroscope for stabilizing said bomb sight.l m

la. A system for-'stabilizing a sighting device movably ,mounted with respect to its support, said system' comprising a motor, ieversing'contacts'-for controlling said motor, a gyroscopic pendulum for stabilizing at least one of said contacts, connections between saidmotor and another of said contacts for actuating the latter, and separate connections between saidmotorand sighting f i device. y

port therefor, means including a pendulous device for controlling movement of said bomb sight with respect to its support, and means for including a second pendulous device for damping oscillations of said iirst mentioned pendulous device. I

16. In combination, 'a bomb sight, a'gyroscope, means controlled by said gyroscope for 'controlling the position Vof said bomb sight,a pendulum, and means controlled by said pendulum for applying a torque on said gyroscope'.

l5. In combination, a bomb sight, a supi 17. In combination,a bomb sight, a gyroscope, means` controlled by said gyroscope for controlling the position of said bomb sight, a pendulum, and lmeans controlled jointly by said gyroseope and pendulum-for exerting a torque on said gyroscope to damp oscillations thereof. v

18. In combination, a bomb sighti a gyro-V 'seope, means controlled byjsaid gyroscope .for controlling the vposition 'of said bomb sight, and means ino u'ding a penduhluniresponsive to movement of said gyroseope* about anv axis" for applying torque. to sai-d gyroseope` about another aXis.

19. In combination, a support, a bomb sight, mounted thereon for movement about. a plurality of axes, power means for movmg signature.

said sight about said axes, and 'gyroscopio means for controlling saidpower means.

I 20. ln combination, a support, a bomb sight movably mounted thereon, power speot to its support, and-'gyroseopio means for controlling said power means.

21. In ,eombinatiom a' support, a` bombv vsight movably mounted thereon, power means MORRIS M. TITTERINGTON.

' means for moving said bomb sight with ret

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