US3067710A - Torpedo stering and anti-circular run device - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 11, 1962 R. H. KITTLEMAN 3,067,710

TORPEDO STEERING AND ANTI-CIRCULAR RUN DEVICE Filed June 2, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. I. l INVENTOR.

ROBERT H. KITTLEMAN 742M. ATTORNEY Dec. 11, 1962 R. H. KITTLEMAN' TORPEDO STEERING AND ANTI-CIRCULAR RUN DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 2, 1959 FIG. 3.

PROPULSION 75 MOTOR MECHANISM 96 ENABLER FIG. 4;.

FIG. 2.

INVENTOR.

ROBERT H. KITTLEMAN ATTORNEYS.

3,667,716 Patented Dec. 11, 1962 chro generator stator '22 is rotatably mounted in hollow 3,067,710 boss 14 and is axially aligned about vertical axis A. TORIEDO Q N Q Q The stator leads 24 are connected to a terminal strip 26 Robert H. Kittieman, Eliicott City, Md, assignor, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed June 2, 1959, Ser. No. 817,682 3 Claims. ((31. 114-44) This invention relates to gyroscopic apparatus for the horizontal steering of vessel launched torpedoes and to anti-circular run apparatus for protecting the launching vessel from the possibility of the torpedo attacking the launching vessel.

In firing a torpedo from ship or submarine there is a danger that the torpedo steering rudder may jam or the control system may otherwise malfunction to cause the torpedo to circle back and attack the launching vessel. It has been the practice to equip such torpedoes with anticircular run devices which detect the tendency of a torpedo to follow a circular path back toward the launching vessel and to stop the torpedo run in such event. In modern torpedoes which are capable of making angle shot runs Where the torpedo may be preset to run along a preselected course other than the direction along which it is fired from the launching tube, the anti-circular run device must be capable of permitting the torpedo to turn within the predetermined limits of normal angle shots, and detecting unauthorized turns in excess of such limits which place the launching vessel in danger. The anti-circular run devices heretofore available are separate units having their own gyroscope to measure torpedo course changes after the torpedo leaves the launching tube. These units employ independent gyroscopes and are of the same size as the steering gyroscopes, thereby adding to the cost of manufacture of the torpedo and increasing the space and weight penalty chargeable against the control system. The fact that anti-circular run devices heretofore available employed slip ring or other sliding contact arrangements in picking the angular position information oif of the gyroscope gimbals was an obstacle to'combining the main steering apparatus and the anti-circular run apparatus, it being fundamental that the main steering gyroscope be mounted with the least possible friction.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a unit employing a single gyroscope which performs the dual function of horizontal steering and anti-circular run protection.

It is a further object to provide such a dual function unit wherein the gyroscope is subject to no more friction than exists in connection with the steering function.

-Other objects and many of the attendant advances of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation, portions being shown in section, of a horizontal steering and anti-circular run unit of the type referred to embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a normal angle shot torpedo run and illustrating an unauthorized circular run which endangers the launching vessel;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along line 3-3, FIG. 1, and

FIG. 4 is a section taken along line 4-4, FIG. 1, and including a block diagram of certain components involved in the operation of the unit.

Referring to the drawing, the subject of the invention comprises a frame 10, having an upper Wall portion 12 with a hollow cylindrical boss 14 formed thereon and a lower wall portion 16 with cylindrical boss 18 formed thereon, the bosses 14, 18 being aligned about a vertical axis A. A subframe 20 which is adapted to carry a synthrough slip rings and brushes 28. The angular position of subframe 20 about axis A is adjustable by means of a servo motor 30, the rotary shaft of which carries a gear 32 which meshes with a ring gear 34 formed about the periphery of subframe 20; however, it is to be understood that such adjustment is made prior to firing the torpedo and that during the torpedo run subframe 20 is fixed relative to frame 10 as will hereinafter be explained. A two degree of freedom gyroscope 36 of the type conventionally used for torpedo steering is mounted between subframe 20 and lower wall portion 16, the gyroscope comprising: an outer gimbal 38 which is supported between subframe 20 and boss 18 for rotation about vertical axis A; an inner gimbal 40 supported within outer gimbal '38 for rotation about a horizontal axis B; and a gyro rotor 41 supported within inner gimbal 40 for rotation about a spin axis C which is perpendicular to horizontal axis B and normal to the plane of the drawing. The outer gimbal carries a heart shaped cam 42 which is part of a caging mechanism and a synchrogenerator rotor 44 which together wtih stator 22 comprises the steering control synchrogenera-tor 46. The rotor leads &8 are connected to terminal strip 26 through slip rings and brushes 50.

It is to be understood that the aforesaid apparatus is employed in a torpedo 52, FIG. 2, of the type fired from a launching tube 54, mounted on a launching vessel 56. The torpedo is fired from the launching vessel along the direction of arrow L, the direction along the axis of launching tube 54, and may by means to be hereinafter discussed, be preset to turn and run along any preselected course within the limits to port and 160 to starboard relative to the direction of arrow L. For example, assuming that it is desired that torpedo 52 follow a preselected course along the direction of arrow M which bears to port of arrow L and by a displacement angle 0, torpedo 52 will follow solid trajectory line 58. Frame 10 is carried in the torpedo in a fixed relationship thereto, and with axis A in a vertical attitude. Gyroscope 36 is operated in the same manner as a conventional torpedo course steering gyroscope, being caged and brought up to speed shortly before the torpedo is fired and while the torpedo is positioned in the launching tube. Such caging is accomplished by means of a conventional caging mechanism which is the subject of U8. Patent 2,726,550 to L. S. Radkowski et al. Outer gimbal 38 is shown in the caged position best seen in FIG. 3 where certain components of the caging mechanism are shown in broken lines, namely an arm 60 supporting a roller 62 that is adapted to ride on the cam surface of heart shaped cam 42 and in caged position of the outer gimbal is adapted to drop into slot 64. Upon firing the torpedo, the gyroscope is uncaged so that gyroscope inertia may cause the angular position of outer gimbal 38 about vertical axis A to remain fixed in space.

Steering control is accomplished by synchro generator 46 which senses the angular displacement of subframe 20 relative to outer gimbal 38 during the torpedo run, which through terminal strip 26 electrically feeds this information to a conventional steering control mechanism, not shown, which is connected to the torpedo steering rudder. As heretofore mentioned, subframe 20 is in fixed relation to frame It during the torpedo run and hence in fixed relation to the torpedo heading. Therefore, the angular displacement of the subframe 20 relative to the outer gimbal 38 after the torpedo is fired is a direct measure of the angular change in torpedo course relative to direction along which the torpedo is tired and may be used as a servo mechanism error signal in the conventional manner. if it is desired that the torpedo follow some course other than the direction along which it is fired, the angular position of subframe is adjusted before the torpedo is fired to produce an initial error signal representing the desired change in course, as is well known and conventional in the art.

Anti-circular run protection is accomplished by electric switch rne-ans adapted to detect torpedo turns in excess of 170 in either of opposite directions of rotation relative to the direction along which the torpedo is fired. A normally open switch 66 adapted to close in response to slight lateral pressure against either of its spring leaf members 68 is fixed to frame 10, and a switch actuating lug 70 having a cross section in the form of a 20 degree angular segment about vertical axis A is fixed to heart shaped cam 42 and hence is in fixed relation to outer gimbal 33. Switch 66 and lug 70 are positioned so that when the gyroscope is caged they are both aligned along a reference axis D established on heart shaped cam 42 so that the side edges 72 of lug 70 are displaced from switch 66 by approximately 170 with lug 70 positioned in the path of revolution of switch 66 about vertical axis A. As heretofore discussed in connection with the steering control, the angular displacement of frame 10 relative to the heart shaped cam 42 after the torpedo is fired is a direct measure of the angular change in torpedo course relative to the direction along which the torpedo is fired so that if the torpedo turns in excess of 170 in either of opposite directions of rotation after the torpedo is fired, switch 66 will engage lug 70 closing the switch. As illustrated in FIG. 3, closing switch 66 energizes a trip relay 74 which shuts off the torpedo propulsion motor 76, stopping the torpedo run. It will be apparent that switch 66 and lug 70 constitute an arrangement to permit a sufiicient range of relative angular movement between frame 10 and gimbal 38 to 'permit angle shots, but operative to stop undesired over travel beyond this range, sometimes called a limit switch arrangement. It is apparent that by detecting course changes in excess of 170 and thereupon causing the torpedo run to stop the launching v essel is afforded a large measure of protection against the possibility of a circular run. For example, assuming that torpedo 52 follows a. broken line circular run trajectory 78 by reason of some malfunction of the control system, the torpedo will reach a position 80 on trajectory 78 wherein its heading will be in excess of 170 relative to the direction of arrow L, and the torpedo run will stop. It is apparent that during normal operation of the torpedo and in contradistinction to prior art anti-circular run devices there is no friction producing contact between the components of this mechanism. The torpedo may be preset so that the anti-circular run mechanism is made inoperative after the torpedo has traveled a predetermined distance from the launching vessel, an important feature in connection with acoustic torpedoes which must be free to turn through 360 when they reach the vicinity of the target. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 4, switch 66 has a lever arm portion 82 and is pivotally mounted to bracket 84 about pivot axis E, and is spring biased to remain in the full line position shown by means of tension spring 86 extending between frame 10 and lever arm 82. The switch is adapted to move to broken line position 88 by means of a conventional rotary solenoid 90 having a rotary coupling member 92 which carries a lug 94 which in turn engages lever arm 82, so that when the solenoid is energized coupling member 92 rotates clockwise, pivoting switch 66 about axis E to the broken line position 88. Rotary solenoid 90 is energized by an enabler mechanism 96 which measures the distance the torpedo travels by means of a revolution counter, not shown, coupled to the propeller drive shaft, and is adapted to operate when the torpedo reaches a preselected'dista'nce from the launching vessel, all conventional in the art. Accordingly when the torpedo reaches the preselected range, switch 66 is swung into broken line position 88 wherein its path of revolution about vertical axis A does not intersect with lug 94 and the torpedo may freely turn through 360 without operating the anti-circular run mechanism.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. In a gyroscopic apparatus for steering vessel launched torpedoes comprising a frame, a steering gimbal supported by the frame, means for producing a steering signal operativ'ely associated with said steering gimbal, a rotor carried by the steering gimbal, caging means adapted to cage said gimbal in fixed relation to the direction along which the torpedo is launched and adapted to uncage said gimbal, the improvements in combination comprising; a limit switch affixed to the frame, a switch actuator carried by the steering gimbal so const'ructed and arranged to actuate the switch only when the torpedo turns in excess of predetermined equal angles less than 180 in opposite directions of rotation relative to said direction, said switch and actuator being diametrically oppositely disposed when said steering gimbal is in its caged position.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including means for moving said switch relative to the frame to'a position out of the path of movement'of the switch actuator.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 whe'reinsaid means for'movin'g said switch is'actuated in response to travel of the torpedo through a predetermined distance from the site of launching.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Q "arm 1:

"fir men: u

Images