Temperature compensated mount for supporting a ring laser gyro

• US 4,890,812 A
• Filed: 02/01/1988
• Issued: 01/02/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Litton Systems Incorporated (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Litton Systems Incorporated (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Spry, Sampson III, Chechile, Robert A., Baig, Khalig F., Cherbettchian, Agop H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ramon O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): OLSON, ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US07/151,007
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 248/637, 248/674, 248/DIG. 1
• US Class Current: 248/674
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 19/661 details
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/0835 Gas ring lasers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/901 Support having temperature or pressure responsive feature

Abstract

To prevent a supported block, particularly a ring laser block, from translating, rotating, or being stressed with changes in temperature, the block to be supported carries a plurality of, typically four, coplanar radially-outward-extending circularly cylindrical posts. The posts are grasped by compliant axially-split sleeves or mounts which engage posts. The mounts are supported by a surrounding substantially circular frame. The mounts are substantially equiangularly positioned around the frame, and the posts are correspondingly positioned upon the block. The frame is surrounded by a case which is adapted to be fastened to another structure such as a vehicle or gimbal. At points angularly positioned around the frame, substantially equiangularly positioned from the adjacent sleeve fixtures, the frame is rigidly attached to the case. The mounts and the frame are both made of a material, typically Invar, having a known temperature coefficient of expansion. The case is fabricated of a material, typically mu metal, having a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than that of the frame.

Claims

1. In combination:

a plurality of mounts;

a frame, surrounding and supporting said mounts symmetrically about a first axis; and

a case surrounding and rigidly attached to said frame at a set of points equal in number to the number of said mounts and said attachment points being equiangularly symetrically distributed about said first axis at angular positions substantially midway between said mounts;

said case having a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than the coefficient of thermal expansion of said frame to cause the motions of said case and said frame under changes of temperature to compensate for each other and cause said mounts to remain substantially stationary over a range of temperatures.

2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which said mounts are four in number and distributed ninety degrees apart about said first axis.

3. Apparatus as recited in claim 2 in which said attachments are angularly displaced about said first axis by substantially forty five degrees from said mounts.

4. Apparatus as recited in claim 3 in which said frame is fabricated of Invar and said case is fabricated of mu metal.