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[This is the second retyped section of Henry Wm. Wallace's U.S. Patent 3,626,605]
FIG. 2 is presented in rather diagrammatic form; however, the diagrammatic configuration
emphasizes that it consists of a rotatable member corresponding to the generator 14 of
FIG. 1 which is "sandwiched" between a pair of generally U-shaped members corresponding
to the lower and upper mass members 12 and 13 of FIG. 1. The wheel of generator 14 is mounted
for rotation about an axis lying in the plane of the drawing. The generator assembly is
also shown as being mounted for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the drawing;
however, the generator assembly may alternatively be oriented to rotate in the plane of the drawing.
When member 14 is rotated rapidly with respect to the U-shaped members 12 and 13, a kinemassic field
is generated which is normal to the plane defined by the rotating member and within the plane
of the drawing. As such, it may be represented in the drawing of FIG. 2, as taking a generally counter-clockwise
direction with respect to the field series circuit members.
Referring once more to FIG. 1, it is seen that support for the generator unit 14 is provided
by way of a support assembly 17, also fabricated of steel components. The support assembly 17
is in turn clamped to the horizontal structural element 11 by way of bracket assemblies 18.
The detector 15 is of similar configuration to the generator assembly 14, the exception being that
the detector assembly is mounted for limited rotation about the axis normal to the plane
of the paper. The limited rotational capability is effected by a knife-edge mounting
19 more clearly discernible in FIGS. 3A and 3B. As will become more readily apparent
from the discussion of the operation of the embodiment of FIG. 1 which follows, the knife-edge
mounting enables a slow sinusoidal oscillation of the detector assembly about its knife-edge axis.
A pair of light-emitting and light-sensing elements 20a and 20b respectively are shown
in FIG. 1 in operative relationship to the generator and detector assemblies 14 and 15. The function of the light-
generating and -sensing members 20a and 20b is to measure the rate of spin of the generator
and detector wheels respectively. For this purpose every other quadrant on the rim
surface is painted black. Accordingly, light directed at the rim of the wheel will be reflected
by the unpainted quadrants into light-sensing cells associated with a rate-sensing
circuit of conventional design. Since the rate-measuring circuit forms no part of the present
invention it has not been depicted in the actual drawing nor is it the subject of
further explanation.
Compressed air or nitrogen is used to drive the generator and detector wheels. In this
respect the compressed gas is directed against turbine buckets 21b cut in the rim of
the wheel 21 of both the generator and detector assemblies and such buckets are
more readily discernible in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5. The compressed gas is supplied to the
generator and detector assemblies by way of air supply lines 28a and 28b.
FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 present details of the generator and detector assemblies of FIGS. 1 and 2.
In particular, these figures disclose the relationship between a freely rotatable
wheel 21, a bearing frame 22, and a pair of pole pieces 23. The bearing frame 22 is of
structural steel, and functions to spatially orient the three generator parts without
shunting the generated field potential as well as to maintain this orientation against
the force moment stresses of precession.
Positioning of the generator wheel 21 with respect to the cooperative faces of the pole pieces
23 is effected by way of the bearing frame upon which the generator wheel is mounted. In this
respect the high-reluctance isolation bridges mentioned with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2
are herein shown as set screws 24 which are adjustably positioned to cooperate with hardened
steel platens 25. The set screws 24 are mounted on the pole pieces 23 and are adjustably
positioned with respect to steel platens 25 cemented to the bearing frame 22 so as to
facilitate the centering of the generator wheel 21 with respect to the interface
surfaces 23a of the pole pieces 23.