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. 16, 1999
Filed:
Nov. 12, 1996
Applicant:
Inventor:
John H Williams, Newberry Park, CA (US);
Assignee:
Other;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B66C / ; G01C / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
294 8641 ; 294 814 ; 294905 ; 74-534 ;
Abstract
A stable positioning system for a suspended payload. A stabilizer, control unit and positioner are located above a suspended payload. The stabilizer includes a plurality of flywheels within a casing. The axis of rotation of each flywheel is aligned with one of three orthogonal axes. A central bevel gear translates the output of a high r.p.m. motor to the various flywheels. Four flywheels are arranged into two counterrotating pairs along one horizontal axis. Two flywheels counterrotate about the other axis and a single flywheel rotates about the vertical axis. The mass and arrangement of flywheels provides gyroscopic stability while neutralizing potential precessional moments.