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Old Gyro Compass

It sounds like what I have -- except that I think that the gyro rotor is only 2" diameter. (It has been quite a while since I was last in there, and I never actually thought of measuring it.)

IIRC, it mounted by a threaded extension of the shaft on one end, and had three leaf-spring contacts on the three symmetrical button contacts. Yes, it was an inverted rotor design.

And if it is aircraft related, it will want 115 V 3 Ph 400 Hz power to reach full speed.

Really old panel-mounted gyrocompasses used turbine insets in the edge of the rotor, and were spun up by compressed air from the aircraft's motion, IIRC.

Navy gyros would be more likely to be run from 60 Hz, as the weight limitation would not be there that is present in aircraft. I've had various bits of Navy electronic equipment, and it was all 60 Hz powered.

But a gyro for an old aircraft could work from a small bottle of compressed gas -- CO2, perhaps.

Yep. If the bellhop knew what he was dealing with, all he would have to do is apply pressure at 90 degrees to the intended turn and it would turn as he wanted.

You could make your own, and have it spun up with a gas jet aimed at the steps in the edge of the rotor -- and you would only need a dividing head and an endmill to make the steps. (That gets us back to metalworking. ) Hmm ... maybe I should try my hand at making one. :-)

Enjoy, DoN.

Reply to
DoN. Nichols
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I once got a card working when the camera refused to format it by formatting it (FAT) in the computer then re-formatting it in the camera.

Ted

Reply to
Ted Edwards

Either my camera is a hunk of crap that can't format on its own, or it's so far gone that it downright refuses to format anything. When I start the camera with a card is says "CARD ERROR," but when I start it without a card it says "CARD MISSING." I know this much--the computer reads both cards just fine.

Reply to
B.B.

I just bought one of the same type today for $10. The supplier (Ape Surplus in San Fernando, CA) has around 800 for sale. Mine is kind o corroded, so I may need to get them to swap for a cleaner one - I'l find out when I fire it up tomorrow. This model was originally built b Eclipse Pioneer (div. of Bendix), and is the heart of the autopilo system for the B29, and other WWII warbirds. I found reference to th contract number (W33-038AC-3827) dated 1943, so that's about the tim they were built. I have both single and 3-phase 400 Hz power availabl here, so I'll post back when I find which connections work, assumin the rotor isn't locked. Milito

-- Militoy

Reply to
Militoy

bud the guy i used to work for got 400.00 for them at one time .thay probly still do i dare you to call and ask do not tell them who sent you.email me if you want there phone number

Reply to
HaroldA102

Well, they're $10 here - though not all in very good condition. Th first one I opened was too corroded to run, but the second one was jus fine. Looking at the connector from the outside, the first and secon pins clockwise from the index key are the input pins for the gyr motor. Apply 115V 400 Hz single-phase power to those pins (that's th black and yellow wires if the gyro is open), and they run just fine Lots of "reaction push" for such a little gyro, and the littl ball-and-gear assembly makes the gyro slowly self-right if it start off-camber. I was mistaken on the aircraft I.D. in my post above these were first used on the B-17, as opposed to the bomber indicated. BTW - I'm using mine to run tests during development of level-compensating sensor for the laser measurment system (LMS) on a autonomous vehicle being built to run in the Darpa Grand Challenge i the 2005 race. The base vehicle is a Scorpion (scorpion4x4.com). Th actual gyro we use on the vehicle will be a solid-state one

-- Militoy

Reply to
Militoy

thats y he died a millionaire he did not sell cheap

Reply to
HaroldA102

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