Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
149 words
A device for ascertaining the most prevalent rolling period of a ship, including a pulse generator responsive to rolling to generate a train of pulses, each of which has a predetermined time relationship with the rolling motion in which it occurs, the interval between successive pulses representing the rolling period, a statistical memory having different storage locations corresponding respectively to different values of rolling period, a timer responsive to each new pulse from the pulse generator to start a new timing cycle and to enter a signal into the storage location corresponding to the duration of the period terminated by that pulse, an output scanner for scanning the storage locations to derive signals representing the number of entries in the different storage locations, and a maximum signal sensor responsive to the signals from the output scanner for ascertaining the storage location in which the most signals have been entered.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
149 words
A device for ascertaining the most prevalent rolling period of a ship, including a pulse generator responsive to rolling to generate a train of pulses, each of which has a predetermined time relationship with the rolling motion in which it occurs, the interval between successive pulses representing the rolling period, a statistical memory having different storage locations corresponding respectively to different values of rolling period, a timer responsive to each new pulse from the pulse generator to start a new timing cycle and to enter a signal into the storage location corresponding to the duration of the period terminated by that pulse, an output scanner for scanning the storage locations to derive signals representing the number of entries in the different storage locations, and a maximum signal sensor responsive to the signals from the output scanner for ascertaining the storage location in which the most signals have been entered.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
113 words
A device in accordance with claim 1, in which the maximum signal sensor includes an integrator for generating a waveform representing the sum of the successive outputs of the scanned storage locations, each output corresponding to the number of signals entered in that storaGe location, a differentiating circuit for deriving a signal representing the time derivative of the integrator output, means responsive to the output of the differentiating circuit to sense a value thereof corresponding to the portion of the integrator output in which the maximum rate of increase occurs, and means for applying a signal representing the storage location corresponding to the said portion of the integrator output to an indicating apparatus.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
A device in accordance with claim 1, including means responsive to the number of entries in a storage location reaching a predetermined maximum for subtracting an equal number of entries from each of the storage locations.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
96 words
A device in accordance with claim 1, in which the timer is an electronic stepping switch which steps at predetermined intervals through a number of switch conditions, following initiation of the operation of the timer, the switch having a number of output conductors corresponding to respective switch conditions and connected to respective ones of the storage locations, the switch being so arranged that in response to a signal from the pulse generator a pulse representing the existing switch condition is applied over the corresponding output conductor to the corresponding storage location and the switch is reset.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
134 words
A device in accordance with claim 1, in which the pulse generator comprises a flywheel fixed to a shaft, an elongated member mounted at one of its ends on the shaft through a bearing which has substantial friction, the other of its ends being free, and two stop members mounted on opposite sides of the free end of the elongated member so as to be contacted by the elongated member in response to relative rotation between the flywheel and the stop members, one of the stop members including means for transmitting an electric signal in response to contact with the elongated member, whereby when the device is mounted on a ship with the shaft extending in the longitudinal direction of the ship, electric signals are generated in response to rolling motion of the ship.