Integrating angular accelerometer

An integrating angular accelerometer for measuring angular rate of a rotating body which comprises:

• a housing fixedly attached to the rotating body having an annularly shaped channel operatively disposed therein;
• means for remaining inertially fixed when said housing is rotated relative thereto which includes;
• a seismic mass formed of tungsten and molybdenum rotatably supported within said housing;
• an instrument ball bearing axially disposed intermediate said housing and a first end of said seismic mass;
• viscous liquid means for improving the sensitivity of the output signal from said accelerometer with respect to changes in angular rate which includes;
• mercury liquid disposed in said channel about the acceleration sensitive axis of said seismic mass, said channel dimensioned to provide laminar fluid flow within said mercury upon relative rotation of said housing and said seismic mass, said mercury and seismic mass having equally selected mass densities to make said seismic mass neutrally bouyant in said housing to eliminate detrimental effects of shock and vibration on said instrument bearing;
• reservoir means fluidically coupled to said channel providing a temperature compensating expansion chamber for said mercury liquid;
• splitter means operatively disposed in said housing and channel for generating a pressure difference on a first and second sensing region;
• and
• means for sensing said pressure difference wherein the output signal is proportional to the angular velocity of said housing which includes;
• a differential pressure transducer operatively disposed proximate to said first and second sensing region;
• and
• means for isolating said transducer from said first and second sensing region.