April 2, 1935.

F. R. HOUSE

1,996,514
2 Sheets-Sheet 1

NOISE REDUCING MEANS FOR SOUND LOCATOR SEARCHLIGHT SYSTEMS .

Filed June 2B, 1934

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April 2, 1935.

F. R. HOUSE
Filed June 28, 1934

1,996,514
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NOISE REDUCING MEANS FOR SOUND LOCA'IOR SEARCHLIGHT SYSTEMS

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Patented Apr.

2, 1935

TED STATES PATENT oFFicE

NOISE REDUCING MEANS FOR SOUND LOCATOR-SEARCHLIGHT SYSTEMS
Frank R. House, Baldwin Harbor, N. Y., assignor
to Sperry Gyroscope Company, Inc., Brooklyn, '
N. Y., a corporation of New York '

Application June 28, 1934, Serial No. 732,860 5 Claims. (or 240-1) 3, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the search This invention relates to the problem of lo ' :cating aircraft at night by means of sound, so light truck and generating set. Fig. 2 isa diagrammatic view of the engine gov- . ithatantijaircraft searchlights and batteries may
_ be trained upon the same. The present practice ernor thereof. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the regulator and 5 is" to employ a plurality of portable units com"prising a sound locator, a searchlight, and a auxiliary mu?ler employed, with the cut-out ,

searchlight truck, the, latter not only transport

means therebetween.

Fig. 4 shows a diagram of the complete sound iing the searchlight and possibly hauling the. sound ' ' ~l0cator as a trailer, but also supplying current Klocator-searchlight system in use. l0v for operation ofthe remote control and indica " ' Fig.5 is a front elevation of the sound locator tor systems between the sound locator and taken, at right angles to Fig. 4. "

dred feet. The sound locator preferably also. is current for the above named purposes, a clutch provided with binoculars ?to follow the target being-employed for coupling and uncoupling the after being picked up by the sound locating horns. The position of the sealrchlight is\controlled au generator from the crank shaft. _ The problem of locating aircraft at night, how tomatically orv semi-automatically from the -20
ever, is becoming more and more difficult as the sound locator by a remote electric control sys- ' airplanes are being silenced by the use of re tem with azimuth andgelevation transmitters at

searchlight, and for the operation of the search light itself. As outlined in the prior patent to M. L. Patterson, No. 1,622,392, dated March 29, 1927, the truck engine is preferably also employed for driving; theelectric generator for generating

.As set up on the ?eld, the system comprises a '

sound. locator I, at which the listeners are lo cated, a'searchlight 2 and algenerating truck or 'unit 3, each spaced'from the other several hun 15

duced speed propellers, engine muf?ing, etc., so the sound locator actuating azimuth and eleva-~
that it becomes very important to reduce all tion motors or indicators 5 and 8 at the search 25 sounds near the sound locator to a minimum. glight. The electric power for operating said sys 25 The present invention is designed to reduce the tem is supplied from'the truck unit 8 both before noise from the truck engine and generator.v Ex and after the searchlight is turned on. The treme silence is especially "desirable during the searchlight truck is shown as provided with a
30

so-called tracking period. The ?rst warning of generator operating handle Ill, pivoted at 2i, the approach of aircraft is usually telephoned in which serves to throw in and out the clutch H from listening outposts several miles away. The coupling the quill shaft l2 of the - generator sound locator is then manned and the power through the forward drive shaft l3 of .the truck
plant started in readiness for the expected attack, ' and at the same time uncoupling said forward

at which time current is required for operating

35 the remote control and data electric circuits, and

drive shaft from the rear portion 13' thereof. > , Said handle i0 may also operate to cut in an

it is during this period that the leastlpossible' auxiliary muiiler_ l5 so as to lessen the noise when The searchlight is not turned the engine is operating the generator 3'. The on until the aircraft is approximately located, so manifold pipe I6 is shown as entering the 'reg that after the Searchlight is on, silence is not so ular muiiler H, the mu?ier discharging normally 40 essential, because aircraft may then be picked up through cut-out openings I8 in the exhaust pipe by the eye, or at least the aircraft is then' closer l9. There is shown a sleeve 20 slidably mounted on said pipe so as to close said opening it when and the noise emitted greater. Accordingto my the sleeve is moved to the right in Fig. 3,-so that invention, I therefore propose to provide an au an auxiliary muffler l5 connected thereto may tomatic speed control of the engine to maintain 45 the speed very low/during the tracking period, be thrown in by this means. .For this purpose the operating lever I0 may be provided with a and to only speed it up to full speed when the downwardly extending fork 22, pinned to'sleeve Isearchlight is turned on, requiring heavy current. 20 so that when said lever I0 is moved to throw As a further means to the same end I may pro in the generator, the auxiliary mu?ler' I5 is auto 50 vide an extra mu?ler which may be eutin during matically thrown in, and when the generator is 50 the tracking period and which is eliminated when thrown out, it is' likewise cut out. > vThe'engine is shown as provlde'd'with a speed the truck is on the road or, if desired, when the governor 23 for limiting the speed of the engine. searchlight is in operation. ' ' Referring to the drawings showing one form In prior constructions the governor was set so as to permit a su?icient speed at all times to\ my invention may assume,
noise is desired.
l

1,996,614 ~

produce the heavy current required for the search

light. According to my invention, however, I pro

. 1. a sound locator-searchlight system for nocturnal anti-aircraft use, the combination with

and consequently a low noise level when only generates, an electric remote control system be- '

vide a means for maintaining a reduced speed _ a sound locator, searchlight and engine/driven

small?current is required for operating the re

mote "control, but provide arr/automatic means - supplying

for raising the speed to full power when the. amt is started; The. generator is also preferably so compounded that a constant voltage is main-. 10 tained throughout the range of engine speed.
For these purposes there is shown a solenoid ar

mature 24 differentially connected to the engine ernor regulation to raise the speed to full power. governor 23 so that'the throttle or butter?y valve 2. In a.sound locator-searchlight system for
23 in e engine intake it assumes a different position under the two conditions. The valve" is represented as pivoted at 31 d is rotated by _ the rotation of the arm or lever 8 which is piv oted at 29 to a lever or link 30. At its lower end said link is shown as connected through a rod 3| to a core 24 of the solenoid 32. At its

tween the locator and searchlight, said generator current for both said system and the searchlight, a speed governor for maintaining a slow engine speed before the searchlight is turned on to maintain a low soimd level, and automatic means responsive to the increased current re l0, quired by the t- for altering the gov

nocturnal anti-aircraft use, the combination with

a soundlocator, searchlightyand engine driven 15 generator, an electric remote control system be tween the locator and the searchlight, said gener ator supplying current for both said system and
the searchlight, a dual speed range governor for said engine, and automatic means for shifting
7

other end said link 30 is shown connected through from-the higher to the lower range whenthe a rod 33 to a bell crank lever 34, the position of. heavy searchlight current is not being drawn
' which is controlled by the; governor 23. A stop from said generator, to reduce engine noise.

screw 43 or its equivalent is for the purpose of ' 3. In a sound locator-searchlight system for preventing the engine speed from falling below a nocturnal anti-aircraft use, the combination with desired minimum, which may belittle more than a sound locator, searchlight and searchlight gen erator truck, an electric remote control system
, v The sensitivity of the governor may be adiusted

by means of bell crank lever 35, connected by ator supplying current for both saidsystem and 30 spring 36 to lever 34, and the outer end of which the searchlight, means for minimizing the noise

between the locator and searchlight, said gener

may be adjusted to various locking positions. of said truck engine comprising a-speed governor When only a small amount of current is passing for maintaining a slow engine speed before the]

through the solenoid 32, the core .24 will remain searchlight is turned on, automatic means re- ' in the position shown in Fig. 2 by reason of the sponsive to the increased current required by the 35 pull of the tension spring 31. when, however. searchlight for altering the governor regulation 35. the searchlight circuit is closed by closing the _ to raise the speed to full power, an auxiliary main switch 38, the increased current to solenoid - mu?ier, and means for throwing said mumerin 32 will pull the core .to the right against the when said generator is operating. . stop 39, thus rotating the lever 23 clockwisejin 4. In a sound locator-searchlight system for _ Fig. 2, assuming, the governor to remain station nocturnal anti-aircraft use, the combination with 40 ary for the moment, and thus increasing theen a sound locator, searchlight and engine driven gine speed until the governor moves lever I; to 8enerator, an electric remote control system be the right su?lciently to prevent further, increase. tween the locator and searchlight, said generator In my invention, therefore, the noise of the gen supplying current for both said system and the ' erating set is greatly reduced during the critical searchlight, adual speed range governor for said ~45 searching operation by maintaining a minimum engine, automatic means for shifting from the engine speed at that time and by throwing in higher to the lower range when the heavy search-Iv ' the extra mumer. a -_ light current is not being drawn from said gen /\ In accordance with the-provisions of the pat erator, to reduce noise, an auxiliary muiiier, and 50 ~ent statutes, I have herein described theprin means for also throwing in the same to further P50

cip'le-and operation of . my invention,. together

reduce the engine noise. -

with the apparatus which I now consider to repre

' sent thebest embodiment thereof, but I desire

to have it understood that the apparatus shown

is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by_other means. Also, while it is designed to use the various features and ele

5.In a sound locator-searchlight system for (nocturnal anti-aircraft use, the combination with a sound locator,'searchlight and engine driven generator, an electric remote control system be tween the locator and searchlight, said generator supplying current for both said system. and the '

ments in the combination and relations de

searchlight, a speed control for maintaining a

scribed, some of these may be altered and others slow engine speed before the searchlight is turned omitted without interferin with the more gen-] on to maintain a low sound level, and automatic. ~ eral results outlined, and e invention extends means responsive to the increased current re'-
to'such use. , _

quired bythe searchlight,:tor

to

- Having described my invention, what I claim

-.and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:_.

'