Gyroscopic Brake Device and Method

A method of generating braking torque in a braking device comprising a first axis, a second axis, and a third axis, the method comprising:

• mounting a body for rotation about the first axis, the second axis and the third axis;
• rotating the body about the first axis;
• characterised in that
• the braking device further comprises a fourth axis, the first axis being oriented with respect to the second axis at an alpha angle (α) which is greater than 0 degrees, the second axis being oriented with respect to the fourth axis at a beta angle (β) which is greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees, the third axis being the precession axis about which the precession of the body occurs as a result of rotating the body about the first axis and applying torque to the body about the second axis wherein the second axis is allowed to rotate about the fourth axis independently of rotation of the body about the second axis and the body is allowed to rotate about the second axis independently of rotation of the second axis about the fourth axis;
• the method further comprises the step of
• connecting a rotation that is desired to be braked to the fourth axis so as to transmit rotation and torque to the body about the second axis;
• whereby the rotation of the body about the first axis and the torque applied to the body about the second axis together cause the body to further rotate about the third axis the body rotates about the first axis, the second axis and the third axis simultaneously, however, the rotation of the body about the second axis and the rotation of the body about the third axis are observed as if the body rotates about the fourth axis, the rotation of the body about the first axis and the rotation of the body about the third axis together cause a braking torque to occur about the second axis;
• thereby to obtain braking torque against the rotation that is desired to be braked about the fourth axis.