Abstract
IT NOW suspend the gyrostat from the horizontal beam by means of this chain terminating in a hook (Fig. 8), which engages, as you see, in a central recess of the rim attachment. The chain, you observe, carries a ball-bearing race. I place the gyrostat with its axis horizontal and leave it to itself. The centre of gravity of the gyrostat lies vertically below the hook, and under those conditions there is no couple tending to tilt the instrument. I transfer the hook to one of the side recesses, set the gyrostat so that its axis is horizontal, and leave it to itself, when instead of falling down it turns its axis in a plane which is nearly horizontal. If I delay the precessional motion the gyrostat descends, if I accelerate the precession the gyrostat ascends. I transfer the hook to the opposite side recess, place the gyrostat so that its axis is horizontal, and again let go. The gyrostat precesses as before, but in the opposite direction. Again I hurry the precession, and again the gyrostat rises; again I delay the motion, and the gyrostat descends.
Article PDF
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gyrostats and Gyrostatic Action . Nature 91, 175–179 (1913). https://doi.org/10.1038/091175a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/091175a0