GYROSCOPIC DEVICE FOR THE STABILIZATION OF LATERALLY UNSTABLE VEHICLES

• US 3,787,066 A
• Filed: 09/28/1971
• Issued: 01/22/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Claude Hautier
• Original Assignee: Claude Hautier
• Inventors: Hautier, Claude
• Primary Examiner(s): Betts, Kenneth H.
• Application Number:
  US05/184,593
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 280/217,263 180/30 74/5.22
• US Class Current: 280/217
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 37/06 using gyroscopes

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a gyroscopic device for stabilizing a laterally unstable vehicle which rests on aligned contact points or on a very narrow surface which may be identified with a segment of a line. The device comprises a gyroscopic disc mounted on a swivelling support. The disc rotates in an oscillating plane according to the orientation of the support and according to the tilt of the vehicle. This plane is substantially parallel with the one passing through the line of the contact points of the vehicle with the travelling surface and the center of gravity of the vehicle. Its axis of rotation can never be parallel with the latter plane. The disc rotates even after the vehicle has stopped. It is rotated either by a wheel actuated by the movement of rolling surface of the vehicle either by an independent motor either by the propulsion motor. After the vehicle has stopped, the disc rotates through its own inertia, due to a free wheel mounted on the transmission. The stability device and the direction system may include a control system. It is particularly used for cycles, motorized or not, to vehicles sliding on snow or rough ground, to laterally unstable boats.

Claims

1. A gyroscopic device for stabilizing and regularising the propelling energy in a two-wheel cycle, said device being mounted on said two-wheel cycle and comprising two trains of planet groove pulleys, a disc solid with the front wheel of the twowheel cycle, said two trains of planet groove pulleys pivotally mounted on said disc, said trains of pulleys both being parallel to the front wheel of the cycle and mounted equidistant to the center of said front wheel of said cycle, a bearing mounted on said disc each of said trains of pulleys pivoting on said bearing, a shaft solid with said bearing each of said trains of pulleys being mounted on said shaft and comprising a double groove pulley which is connected by means of belts with a drum which is solid with a gyroscopic wheel, said gyroscopic wheel freely rotatable over the axle of the front wheel of the cycle, and a simple groove pulley which is connected by means of a belt to a third pulley which is fixedly mounted over the wheel, by means of a pawl.

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the two belts connecting the drum which is solid with the gyroscopic wheel and the two double pulleys are mounted in such in manner that the drum is inside the path of each of said belts, thus enabling a rapid change over of the latter, said belts being mounted symmetrically with respect to the diameter passing through the axes of each of the two trains of planet groove pulleys.

3. Device according to claim 2, wherein each of the belts is mounted with a predetermined tension and a low winding angle of about 90* around the said drum in order that it can slip when starting said cycle.

4. Device according to claim 1, wherein the bearing carrying the axle of each of the planet pulleys comprises a friction controlled ring adapted to transmit to the wheel of the cycle by means of the pulleys and belts, the energy which has been stored by the gyroscopic wheel of the vehicle.

5. Device according to claim 1, wherein the belt which connects the two planet pulleys and the third pulley mounted on the freely rotatable pawl, is mounted with a predetermined tension and with a winding tension lower than 90* about the said ring.