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29 November 2024 03:37

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Question

Asked by: Luis Gonzalez
Subject: Comparison: Offset-Mount Vs Center-Mount in radial gyro-systems
Question: Here is a subject I don’t often see analyzed with depth in this forum.
Start with a tower mounted on bearings, with a gyro attached by the end of its axle through a hinge that permits up and down pivoting (to allow behavior very similar to a toy gyro on a tower).
This device allows precession but is built like half of the basic Laithewaite system, which sport 2 opposing gyros instead of just one gyro (see the Heretic video at http://www.gyroscopes.org/heretic.asp).

We know that in gravity driven systems a longer torque radius produces higher velocity precession, all else being equal (we are not as keenly aware that the frequency/period of precession is not significantly affected by changes in the system’s torque radius).
The torque radius in these gravity devices is determined by the length of the gyro-axle. Thus the velocity of precession is directly proportional to the length of the gyro-axle (the length from flywheel to fulcrum/pivot point).
This fact is basic to compare offset-mount Vs center-mount gyro systems under gravity.

*If an offset-system and a center-mount system have the same overall dimension, from system-center to system-perimeter, then the gyro-axle in the offset-system is necessarily shorter (to allow for the off-center mount of the pivot position).
With a shorter torque-radius (under gravity), the offset-system produces “slower precession velocity” than its center-mount counterpart (all else being equal).
However the “period/frequency of precession remains virtually the same.”

*On the other hand, if an offset-system and a center-mount system have the same gyro-axle length, then their gravity-torque-radius is the same length, and both systems produce the same precession velocity. However, the system with the longest overall radius (precession-radius) will necessarily have a “slower period/frequency of precession.” In this case, the offset-system has a slower period/frequency because its overall radius is longer than the center-mount system in this configuration. The longer overall radius in the offset-system is a must because its mount is further from the center and the axle length is the same as the center-mount system.

This comparison illustrates basic differences in the response of two radial system configurations, under the force of gravity. At first glance an offset-system des not appear to offer advantages over the center-mount design because the offset design requires more space to deliver the same torque (in a radial configuration), and it also appears to require more components.
On the other hand, the offset-system is more flexible in that it is not necessarily bound to a radial configuration.

Interestingly, while the center-mount design appears to support only radial configurations, there are varieties of center-mount designs that stimulate analysis; however that takes us into artificial-torque (non-gravity) designs, and that’s a topic for another posting.

Regards,
Luis
Date: 19 August 2007
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Answers (Ordered by Date)


Answer: Luis Gonzalez - 19/11/2007 03:03:28
 To Glenn,
Thank you for keeping with our word as gentlemen.
Congratulations on well formed postings; they do more honors to God’s given gifts but don’t let things slip.
Levity is fine in our own space as long as we respect the space of others. If one’s freedom of expression interferes with what another considers important, than freedom is abused.
There are many places to have great fun and we don’t have to have fun everywhere.
I also liked Harry’s excellent succinct statement, but I fear most readers would read very quickly once and miss the meaning.
Let’s, please, keep to our agreement for now as it appears to be working well for both.

Thank you,
Luis

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