Mechanical roll rate stabilizer for a rolling missile
AssigneeGeneral Dynamics Corporation
InventorByron M. Niemeier
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A stabilizer system for use with an aerodynamic body having pivotal control surfaces to control the roll rate of the body. A pair of high mass members are diametrically supported for radial displacements induced by the centrifugal forces on the body. A pair of drive racks project from the high mass members and engage a pinion rotatably mounted on a centrally disposed axle. Another pinion is supported at the axially off-set distal end of the axle. It imparts rotational motion to a pair of connecting members by means of gear sectors mounted on shafts which are adapted to cause pivotal displacements of the control surfaces to increase or decrease the deflection thereof. This produces a corresponding increase or decrease of the roll rate of the aerodynamic body.
Claims7
A rolling stabilizer system for use with an aerodynamic body having pivotal control surfaces projecting therefrom comprising:
- inertia means comprising at least two relatively high mass members supported in the aerodynamic body for radial displacements,
- an actuator means connected and responsive to the radial displacements of said high mass members for corresponding rotational displacements,
- means for adjusting the orientation of the control surfaces responsive to the rotation of said actuator means and operative to rotate the control surfaces in increments corresponding to the rotation of said actuator means and to cause a corresponding increase and decrease in the roll rate of the aerodynamic body,
- said means for adjusting the orientation comprising a first drive means connected to each of said high mass members and active to impart rotational displacements of said actuator means proportional to said radial displacements of said high mass members and second drive means axially offset from said high mass members,
- said means for adjusting the orientation comprising second driven means operatively engaged by said second drive means and driven thereby for rotational displacements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.