Cannon launched platform
AssigneeThe Singer Company
InventorsJohn L. Evans, Walter J. Krupick, Jay Hoffman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gyro seeker which is capable of use in a cannon launched missile. The gyro seeker is enclosed in a housing mounted in the nose section of the missile. The platform of the gyro seeker supports an optical assembly, a detector, a gyro assembly, and a cryostat for cooling the detector. Means are provided on the outer gimbal of the platform for withstanding the extreme acceleration induced by cannon launching. The platform is torqueable along two axes by a plurality of pole pieces located around its base. A platform caging device is provided to cage the platform during transport and serves a dual function as a means to furnish spin-up gas to the gyro element and cooling gas to the cryostat.
Claims13
A gyro platform capable of use in a cannon launched missile comprising:
- a housing having a dome-shaped transparent window for admitting radiation to an optical and a detector assembly mountable within said housing;
- an outer gimbal ring supported in said housing on rotatable means;
- a platform rotatably supported by said outer gimbal said platform comprising an inner gimbal and having means to support the optical and detector assemblies;
- a gyro element on said platform for providing signals proportional to line of sight rate, and
- means on said outer gimbal rotatable means for deloading said gyro platform from the high acceleration forces of cannon launching.
In a gyro seeker a caging mechanism comprising:
- means for caging the platform of said gyro seeker during transport, said caging means disengaging from said platform when subjected to a source of gas pressure which is equalized above and below a volume of said caging means.
In a gyro seeker a two axis gyro comprising:
- a housing;
- a spherical stator mounted on a base within said housing;
- a spherically shaped rotor mounted on gas bearing for rotation along two axes about said stator;
- wheel sustainers means for maintaining continuous rotation of said rotor;
- a plurality of torquer and pickoff means mounted around the base of said rotor;
- a magnetic rim mounted on the periphery of said rotor above said pickoffs, said magnetic rim acting as a return path for flux emanating from said plurality of torquers and pickoffs;
- and
- caging means for holding said rotor in position prior to spin-up.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.