Hi, I'm trying to find out what the power requirements are to run a WW2 (I think!) gyroscope. Can the voltage be 'reverse engineered' by measuring the resistance of its wiring or some other way?
I've been trying to get it running at full revs for over 20 years on and off. I think it needs 400 htz three phase but don't know the voltage or how it should be connected. Any help would be gratefully received.

 

I would recommend you to contact some restoration company which deals with WWII equipment.

 

The electric gyros in modern airplanes are powered by 14Vdc or 28Vdc, depending on the system voltage.

There was a lot of stuff in WWII era aircraft that was run on 400Hz three-phase power, especially autopilot servos, bomb sights and computers, gyros, hydraulic pumps, avionics power supplies, etc. The three-phase came from engine-driven alternator(s). 400Hz was used because it reduces the amount of iron and copper in wiring, transformers and motors.

Here is something that may help...

 

In use in planes or ships?

What is the brand?

Pictures?

Is there a sphere inmersed in liquid?

Try to give more info.

 

I would recommend you to contact some restoration company which deals with WWII equipment.

Hello, thanks for the input, much appreciated, however I have tried several such places with no luck. 23 years ago I wrote to Sperry Rand who made the gyro and they couldnt help. at that time they told me it could be still classifed info.
last year i got passed round several offices in europe and no on could help there either. thanks again for your response.
regards Keith

 

From what vehicle is the gyroscope?

 

The electric gyros in modern airplanes are powered by 14Vdc or 28Vdc, depending on the system voltage.

There was a lot of stuff in WWII era aircraft that was run on 400Hz three-phase power, especially autopilot servos, bomb sights and computers, gyros, hydraulic pumps, avionics power supplies, etc. The three-phase came from engine-driven alternator(s). 400Hz was used because it reduces the amount of iron and copper in wiring, transformers and motors.

Here is something that may help...

Hello, thanks for your response, im fairly sure its 28v ac three phase, so much so ive bought a psu built in the seventies that gives this output. my hopes where dashed when i couldnt get it to spin up at all. Im concerned that i fry it by over volting it, so it limits my range a bit. My chum Pete (now gone!) got it running 20 years ago with 100v AC through a variac and the third phase through a cap to kind of emulate three phase. it runs likee this but nowhere near full revs.
I still dont know if it is marine or aviation or torpedo or what. its very heavy bronze and stainless steel. ill post some pix. thanks again
Keith

 

From what vehicle is the gyroscope?

cant find out anything about it up to date. im trying to upload some pix but cant seem to get them uploaded.

 

In use in planes or ships?

What is the brand?

Pictures?

Is there a sphere inmersed in liquid?

Try to give more info.

HI thanks for your response im trying to upload some pix now. its Sperry Rand it doesnt run in any fluid. Ill try to upload pictures now. K

 

Use imgur if built-in one won't work.

 

Use imgur if built-in one won't work.

will do - thanks K

 

See if there is someone here who can help you:

http://www.warplane.com/

 

The electric gyros in modern airplanes are powered by 14Vdc or 28Vdc, depending on the system voltage.

There was a lot of stuff in WWII era aircraft that was run on 400Hz three-phase power, especially autopilot servos, bomb sights and computers, gyros, hydraulic pumps, avionics power supplies, etc. The three-phase came from engine-driven alternator(s). 400Hz was used because it reduces the amount of iron and copper in wiring, transformers and motors.

Here is something that may help...

The tech info is very helpful, if a little over my head most of it. thanks anyway

 

See if there is someone here who can help you:

http://www.warplane.com/

Will do, many thanks

 

In use in planes or ships?

What is the brand?

Pictures?

Is there a sphere inmersed in liquid?

Try to give more info.

 

What are the copper tubes for? Are you sure it is not vacuum driven? Maybe the electrical connections are for sensing. Was there a tube fitting on the case that you removed?

Does the knurled cap on the part to which the tubes attach come off?

John

 

I will pass the pictures to a friend who used to repair gyros in the vesssels I went at sea with.

 

What are the copper tubes for? Are you sure it is not vacuum driven? Maybe the electrical connections are for sensing. Was there a tube fitting on the case that you removed?

Does the knurled cap on the part to which the tubes attach come off?

John

Hi John, im not sure what the pipes are for, but its been suggested that they are oil feed for lube, then the thinking is that it cant be off a torpedo as its meant to run for a long period. ive pressurised the tubes with a compressor and nothing happened. when i spin it up mechanically with a rubber wheel on a drill, no signal seems to come out of the three electical terminals, but a small voltage is present. there was no other case attached when i bought them. the knurled caps come off and show nothing much only the tubes going into the end, which i presume is the end of a bearing. they look to have been made to very high standards with drilled bits to totally balance the wheel. they spin for ages before slowing down. some super technology for the day (whenever that was!) regards Keith

 

I will pass the pictures to a friend who used to repair gyros in the vesssels I went at sea with.

many thanks , much appreciated. I just presume they are nautical as they are bronze? but not sure. regards Keith

 

What are the copper tubes for? Are you sure it is not vacuum driven? Maybe the electrical connections are for sensing. Was there a tube fitting on the case that you removed?

Does the knurled cap on the part to which the tubes attach come off?

John

Hello again John, I found this email from a few years ago, sent by somone at Sperry. its a bit more info:

You do get electric or air powered gyroscopes.
In this case it is electric and the pipes do appear to be for lubrication.
The fact it requires lubrication means that it was running for
long periods and hence not on something like a torpedo gyro ..
Some gyros had a mercury levelling system. Those pipes are not for that.
It could be an aircraft or ship gyroscope. The configuration suggests
an aircraft rate gyroscope (also called a turn indicator) but I could
be wrong (so many types were made). I think the ‘arm’ in the centre
gimbal would have been connected to a spring type configuration.
I would also suggest it is 1950s rather than 1940s.
Sperry made them in the UK as well as in the US.
It will need a nice pure sinewave. Various voltages were
used but the cycles tended to be 400 cycles. 400 cycles at 24 volts or
sometimes 12 volts ended up being the standard in aircraft

thats why I got the PSU, but it wont run it at all!
cheers
Keith