Automatic drift corrector
OwnerClark E. Gibsoninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An automatic drift corrector is provided for correcting the heading of an aircraft, boat, or other vehicle for drift. The drift corrector operates a synchro generator included in an automatic pilot system of the vehicle. The drift corrector includes a motor coupled to a control of the synchro generator, a variable voltage generator, a vane outside the vehicle and rotatable by drift of the vehicle to vary the voltage generator for generating a drift signal, an amplifier for applying the drift signal to the motor for causing the motor to operate the control of the synchro generator to correct for the drift, and a power supply for supplying power to the foregoing elements.
Claims6
In a vehicle having an automatic pilot system including a synchro generator means having a control for adjusting the heading of the vehicle, and vane means mounted rotatably outside the vehicle to follow the forward movement of the vehicle, an automatic drift corrector comprising:
- two-field electric motor means coupled to said control of said synchro generator means by reduction gear means for causing said synchro generator means to adjust the heading of the vehicle in response to a drift signal;
- variable voltage generating means for developing the drift signal;
- said vane means being coupled to said variable voltage generating means to vary the same in response to rotation of said vane means by drift of the vehicle for generating said drift signal;
- servo amplifier means coupled between said variable voltage generating means and said electric motor for amplifying said drift signal and applying the same to said motor for causing said motor to operate said synchro generator means to correct for said drift;
- and
- power supply means for supplying electrical power to said motor means, said voltage generator means and said amplifier means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.