The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 22, 1977
Filed:
Jun. 03, 1975
Hans Ehrich, Kiel-Schulensee, DT;
Heiko Emshoff, Kiel-Holtenau, DT;
Hans-Peter Otto, Kiel-Projensdorf, DT;
Anschutz & Co. GmbH, Kiel-Wik, DT;
Abstract
A gyroscopic instrument which may be a compass includes a hollow sphere enclosing at least one motor-driven gyroscope and floating in an electrically conductive liquid within the inner surface of revolution of a vessel surrounding the sphere at a distance therefrom providing for a gap therebetween. A motor-driven pump circulates the liquid through an inlet of the vessel, through the gap, through an outlet of the vessel and through a passageway back to the pump. The surfaces confining the gap have pairs of opposite conductive electrode portions for conducting electrical energy to the motor-driven gyroscope or gyroscopes. The liquid circulating through the gap exerts a bearing pressure on the sphere holding it spaced from the inner surface of the vessel. For this purpose the gap has a relatively narrow bearing zone communicating with the inlet and a relatively wider zone communicating with the outlet. The width of the gap in the bearing zone is so differentially proportioned as to keep the velocity of the flow through the bearing zone substantially constant, such velocity being sufficiently low as to ensure laminar flow.