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US3673977A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Automatic steering systems

Assignee: Decca Ltd
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Filing: 1970-10-19
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Granted: 1972-07-04
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Expires: 1990-10-19
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Abstract

Abstract A steering system for a seagoing vessel includes a motor which drives a rudder in accord with a command signal formed by combining a steering signal and a feedback signal representing an integration of the driving movements of the motor. The feedback signal is held in a capacitor which is associated with a leakage resistor so that the feedback signal automatically decreases independently of the movements of the rudder. The system permits a rapid response of the system for ordinary maneuvers and long term compensation for the effects of asymmetric loads or strong tides.

Inventors

  • 👤 Dennis Alfred Hendley

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-22 22:15
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05D; G05D1/00; G05D1/02; G05D1/0206

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim 149 words
A steering system comprising a steering device, means for providing a steering signal, a motor for driving the steering device in accord with a command signal derived from the steering signal, a store comprising a capacitor associated with a leakage resistor, a tachometer disc coupled to the motor, sensing means responsive to the movement of the disc to provide first pulses each representative of an increment of the movement in one sense and further pulses representative of an increment of the movement in a reverse sense, means responsive to the said first pulses to increase charge on the said capacitor and means responsive to the said further pulses to decrease the charge on the said capacitor, whereby said capacitor stores a signal representative of an integration of the command signal, and a summing network for combining the stored representative signal with the steering signal to form the command signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 149 words
A steering system comprising a steering device, means for providing a steering signal, a motor for driving the steering device in accord with a command signal derived from the steering signal, a store comprising a capacitor associated with a leakage resistor, a tachometer disc coupled to the motor, sensing means responsive to the movement of the disc to provide first pulses each representative of an increment of the movement in one sense and further pulses representative of an increment of the movement in a reverse sense, means responsive to the said first pulses to increase charge on the said capacitor and means responsive to the said further pulses to decrease the charge on the said capacitor, whereby said capacitor stores a signal representative of an integration of the command signal, and a summing network for combining the stored representative signal with the steering signal to form the command signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 15 words
A system as claimed in claim 1 in which the steering device is a rudder.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 27 words
A system as claimed in claim 1 comprising also means for comparing signals representing a desired course and an actual course to obtain the said steering signal.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

No citation records indexed.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1975-07-04 1976-01-03 1976-07-04 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1979-07-04 1980-01-03 1980-07-04 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1983-07-04 1984-01-03 1984-07-04 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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