Dynamic vertical angle sensor

A vertical angle sensor for sensing the angular position of a structure along a plane comprising:

• sensor mounting means fixedly mounted to said structure;
• a gear train rotatably mounted to said sensor mounting means and including first and second gears having respective first and second shafts, said first shaft having an axis orthogonal to said plane, said first gear having a vertical reference axis orthogonal to the axis of said shaft thereof;
• vertical angle sensor means mounted on said first gear at a pivot point externally radial to an axis of said first gear means along said reference axis and including pendulum means rotatably mounted at said pivot point and said pendulum having a vertical axis;
• servo motor means coupled to said second shaft for rotating the gears in said gear train;
• servo control means coupled between said vertical angle sensor means and said servo motor means;
• and
• resolver means including stator means fixedly mounted to said sensor mounting means and rotor means fixedly mounted to said first shaft, whereby upon said vertical sensor means sensing an angle of movement of said reference axis of first gear means relative to said vertical axis of said pendulum means, said servo control means controls said servo motor means to rotate said first gear so that said reference axis moves to the vertical position with said rotor means moving with said first gear means and said stator means providing a signal representative of the angle of movement.