Automatic control system for hydrofoil craft
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorIrving A. Hirsch
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A control system for hydrofoil craft is one in which control surfaces are moved automatically in response to signals derived from the motion of the craft to stabilize and control the craft. In such systems, a potentially dangerous condition can occur in case of a failure or malfunction in the roll control system. In order to prevent such conditions, two redundant roll sensing devices are provided which normally generate identical signals to actuate the control surfaces to stabilize the rolling motion. In case of a failure or malfunction, the signals provided by the two sensing devices become different. When this occurs, all normal control signals to the control surfaces are terminated; and secondary feedback loops act to position all control surfaces to smoothly land the craft.
Claims6
In a control system for a hydrofoil craft of the type having at least one control surface, the combination of:
- electrical circuit means including a primary servo system for controlling said surface during normal operation of the hydrofoil,
- auxiliary electrical circuit means including a secondary servo feedback system preset to position said surface to cause said hydrofoil craft to descend from a foil-borne to a hull-borne mode of operation,
- first and second sensing means for sensing motion of the craft about its roll axis and providing output signals in response thereto,
- means for comparing the output signals of said first and second sensing means, and
- means responsive to a predetermined difference between said signals for disabling said primary servo system and enabling said secondary servo feedback system to position said surface to cause said hydrofoil craft to descend from a foil-borne to a hull-borne mode of operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.