The Sperry Gyro-Compass Equipment

Schooners are economical, needing but small crews.The Sperry Gyro-Compass EquipmentTHE equipment which applies the principle set forth in a practical way consists of:1.The Master, True North Compass.2.Comp­ass Con­trol-Pan­el—for con­trol­ling the elec­tric cur­rent.3.Re­peat­ers—op­er­ated from the Mas­ter Com­pass, and in­di­ca­ting its exact read­ing at any ins­tant.4.Mo­tor-gen­er­a­tor—for con­vert­ing the ship’s cur­rent into cur­rent of proper char­ac­ter­is­tics for spin­ning the gyro wheels and op­er­a­ting the re­peat­ers.5.Stor­age Bat­tery—for emerg­en­cy op­er­a­tion of the equip­ment in case of fail­ure of the ship’s sup­ply.The function of each piece of equipment and its relation to other parts is shown on pages 22 and 23.The Master CompassThe Master Gyro-Compass is contained within a binnacle stand, with glass dome top.Using Bearing Repeater at Sea.As shown in the pho­to­graphs and sec­tion­al view, the twin gyro-wheels are sup­port­ed from a frame-work which is in turn set in gim­bal rings. The out­er gim­bal ring is at­tached to the bin­nacle stand by means of a num­ber of sup­port­ing springs. The springs are pro­vid­ed for pro­tect­ing the com­pass against sud­den jars and vi­bra­tions. Fig­ure 18 shows a pho­to­graph of the top view, while the wheels are shown from be­low in Figure 16.A diagrammatic representation of the Sperry Gyro-Compass is shown in plan view in Figure 17. The elevation, or side view, is shown in Figure 15. These drawings show the working parts of the Gyro-Compass. Each of the twin gyro-wheels is enclosed in a case, which is in turn suspended from the main frame and spider.The wheels are spun at a high speed in unison by means of electricity. The force of the earth’s rotation combines with the force resulting from the rotating wheels. The resultant action of these two forces is that both wheels turn their axes directly into, or parallel with, the earth’s north and south meridian. The compass card, of course, also turns and indicates direction by comparing the stationary “lubber line,” representing the ship’s head, with the compass card.

Schooners are economical, needing but small crews.

Schooners are economical, needing but small crews.

THE equipment which applies the principle set forth in a practical way consists of:1.The Master, True North Compass.2.Comp­ass Con­trol-Pan­el—for con­trol­ling the elec­tric cur­rent.3.Re­peat­ers—op­er­ated from the Mas­ter Com­pass, and in­di­ca­ting its exact read­ing at any ins­tant.4.Mo­tor-gen­er­a­tor—for con­vert­ing the ship’s cur­rent into cur­rent of proper char­ac­ter­is­tics for spin­ning the gyro wheels and op­er­a­ting the re­peat­ers.5.Stor­age Bat­tery—for emerg­en­cy op­er­a­tion of the equip­ment in case of fail­ure of the ship’s sup­ply.The function of each piece of equipment and its relation to other parts is shown on pages 22 and 23.The Master CompassThe Master Gyro-Compass is contained within a binnacle stand, with glass dome top.

T

HE equipment which applies the principle set forth in a practical way consists of:

1.The Master, True North Compass.2.Comp­ass Con­trol-Pan­el—for con­trol­ling the elec­tric cur­rent.3.Re­peat­ers—op­er­ated from the Mas­ter Com­pass, and in­di­ca­ting its exact read­ing at any ins­tant.4.Mo­tor-gen­er­a­tor—for con­vert­ing the ship’s cur­rent into cur­rent of proper char­ac­ter­is­tics for spin­ning the gyro wheels and op­er­a­ting the re­peat­ers.5.Stor­age Bat­tery—for emerg­en­cy op­er­a­tion of the equip­ment in case of fail­ure of the ship’s sup­ply.

The function of each piece of equipment and its relation to other parts is shown on pages 22 and 23.

The Master Gyro-Compass is contained within a binnacle stand, with glass dome top.

Using Bearing Repeater at Sea.

As shown in the pho­to­graphs and sec­tion­al view, the twin gyro-wheels are sup­port­ed from a frame-work which is in turn set in gim­bal rings. The out­er gim­bal ring is at­tached to the bin­nacle stand by means of a num­ber of sup­port­ing springs. The springs are pro­vid­ed for pro­tect­ing the com­pass against sud­den jars and vi­bra­tions. Fig­ure 18 shows a pho­to­graph of the top view, while the wheels are shown from be­low in Figure 16.A diagrammatic representation of the Sperry Gyro-Compass is shown in plan view in Figure 17. The elevation, or side view, is shown in Figure 15. These drawings show the working parts of the Gyro-Compass. Each of the twin gyro-wheels is enclosed in a case, which is in turn suspended from the main frame and spider.The wheels are spun at a high speed in unison by means of electricity. The force of the earth’s rotation combines with the force resulting from the rotating wheels. The resultant action of these two forces is that both wheels turn their axes directly into, or parallel with, the earth’s north and south meridian. The compass card, of course, also turns and indicates direction by comparing the stationary “lubber line,” representing the ship’s head, with the compass card.

As shown in the pho­to­graphs and sec­tion­al view, the twin gyro-wheels are sup­port­ed from a frame-work which is in turn set in gim­bal rings. The out­er gim­bal ring is at­tached to the bin­nacle stand by means of a num­ber of sup­port­ing springs. The springs are pro­vid­ed for pro­tect­ing the com­pass against sud­den jars and vi­bra­tions. Fig­ure 18 shows a pho­to­graph of the top view, while the wheels are shown from be­low in Figure 16.

A diagrammatic representation of the Sperry Gyro-Compass is shown in plan view in Figure 17. The elevation, or side view, is shown in Figure 15. These drawings show the working parts of the Gyro-Compass. Each of the twin gyro-wheels is enclosed in a case, which is in turn suspended from the main frame and spider.

The wheels are spun at a high speed in unison by means of electricity. The force of the earth’s rotation combines with the force resulting from the rotating wheels. The resultant action of these two forces is that both wheels turn their axes directly into, or parallel with, the earth’s north and south meridian. The compass card, of course, also turns and indicates direction by comparing the stationary “lubber line,” representing the ship’s head, with the compass card.


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