Apparatus for distance control
OwnerJulian Wolkovitchinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for controlling the distance between a vehicle to which it is attached and a surface over which the the vehicle may be moving. The apparatus includes a cable and a sheet member which in a first mode is in contact with the surface but in a second mode is out of contact with the surface. Because of design, the sheet member induces a greater tension in the cable when in the second mode than when in the first mode; the increase in tension may be used to actuate a control or indicating devices on the vehicle to maintain the distance within desired limits.
Claims13
An apparatus operatively connected to means for controlling a vehicle movable in a fluid, said apparatus being responsive to the distance from a surface over which said vehicle is movable, comprising:
- a cable extending from said vehicle and having first and second ends, said first end adapted to operate said vehicle controlling means;
- and
- a sheet member attached to said second end of said cable and movable between two modes, a first low drag mode wherein said sheet member is generally in contact with the surface and generally parallel to a relative wind caused by movement and a higher drag mode wherein said sheet member is spaced from said surface and is inclined to the relative wind,
- whereby a greater tension is developed in said cable when said sheet member is in its second mode than when it is in its first mode.
An apparatus operatively connected to means for controlling a vehicle movable in a fluid, said apparatus being responsive to the distance from a surface over which said vehicle is movable, comprising:
- a cable extending from said vehicle and having first and second ends, said first end adapted to operate said vehicle controlling means;
- and
- a sheet member attached to said second end of said cable and movable between first and second modes, wherein said first mode said sheet member is in contact with said surface and in said second mode said sheet member is movable through said fluid at a distance from said surface, said sheet member inducing a varying tension in said cable according to the relationship ##EQU8## where C.sub.D1 = the aerodynamic drag coefficient of the member when dragged along the surface;
- .mu. = the coefficient of friction of the member on the surface;
- .rho. = the density of fluid through which the member is dragged in the second mode;
- V = the velocity of the member relative to the fluid;
- w = the weight of the member per unit area when not weighted;
- W.sub.T = weight of a weighted portion of the member;
- S = member area;
- C.sub.D2 = the aerodynamic drag coefficient of the member when in the second mode,
- whereby said varying tension actuates said controlling means.
An apparatus included within a vehicle system movable in a fluid for changing the path of travel of said system by changing the drag of said system, said apparatus being responsive to the distance from a surface over which said vehicle system is movable, comprising:
- a cable extending from said vehicle and having first and second ends, said first end being connected to said vehicle;
- and
- a sheet member attached to said second end of said cable and movable between two modes, a first low-drag mode wherein said sheet member is generally in contact with the surface and generally parallel to a relative wind and a second higher drag mode wherein said sheet member is spaced from said surface and is inclined to the relative wind.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.