Vertical reference device
AssigneeAII Systems, Inc.
InventorJames K. Zook
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
First and second inclinometers are mounted above the deck of a ship at different distances from the ship's center of gravity. Each inclinometer generates a signal in response to the angular movement of said ship with respect to the true vertical. The difference between the signals is multiplied by a factor which is proportional to the ratio of the distance from the higher inclinometer to the center of gravity to the distance between the inclinometers. This product is then subtracted from the electrical signal generated by the higher inclinometer resulting in a signal which is proportional to the roll or pitch angle of the ship.
Claims15
A vertical reference device comprising:
- first and second pendulum means mounted on a body which is susceptible to angular motion about a horizontal axis, said first and second pendulum means being mounted at different vertical distances from said axis;
- transducer means for generating signals proportional to the angular positions of said first and second pendulum means;
- means for combining said signals and multiplying the same by a predetermined factor whereby said device can generate a signal proportional to the actual angular position of said body about said axis.
A vertical reference device comprising first and second inclinometer means, each of said inclinometer means having a sensitive plane associated therewith, said first inclinometer means including a transducer means for generating a first signal in response to angular movement of said first inclinometer means within its sensitive plane, said second inclinometer means including a transducer means for generating a second signal in response to angular movement of said second inclinometer means within its sensitive plane;
- said first and second inclinometer means being mounted on a body which is susceptible to angular movement about a horizontal axis;
- said first and second inclinometer means being mounted on said body at different vertical distances from said axis and being arranged to have their sensitive planes perpendicular to said axis, and
- means for comparing said first and second signals from said transducer means to each other and means responsive to said comparison for generating a signal proportional to the actual angular position of said body.
A vertical reference device comprising:
- first and second inclinometer means mounted at different vertical distances from the center of gravity of a vessel;
- means for generating a first signal proportional to the angle measured by said first inclinometer means and a second signal proportional to the angle measured by said second inclinometer means;
- means for creating a third signal proportional to the difference between said first and second signals;
- means for creating a fourth signal proportional to the difference between said third signal and one of said first and second signals;
- and means for multiplying one of said first, second and third signals by a predetermined scale factor whereby said fourth signal will be proportional to the actual angular position of said ship.
A vertical reference device comprising:
- first and second inclinometer means mounted on a body which is susceptible to angular movement about a horizontal axis;
- said first and second inclinometer means being mounted at different vertical distances from said axis and including first and second transducer means, respectively, for generating first and second signals, respectively, in response to said angular movement of said body;
- means responsive to said signals for generating an output which is proportional to A(1-R/D) + BR/D, wherein:
- A is said first signal;
- B is said second signal;
- R is the vertical distance from said first inclinometer means to said axis, and
- D is the vertical distance between said inclinometer means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.