a gyroscope within a gyroscope

[OthomasM]

Hi, I'm not a mathematician, or into gyroscopes in any way, but i just got thinking about what the effect would be of adding another axis of rotation to a gyroscope (basically allowing, what would normally be, the gimbal's axle to also be free to take any orientation). You could take this further by allowing, what would normally be, the frame's axle to also take any orientation, and so on... Basically placing a gyroscope within a gyroscope.
Would this work? And if so, are there any equations for it?
Could you, theoretically, continue adding more and more free axles of orientation, an infinite number possibly!
There may well be an obvious answer, but bearing in mind i know nothing about gyroscopes, i was hoping someone would enlighten me on the subject.

[jake-the-peg]

Are you talking about something like this:

http://myseminars.blogspot.com/2007/02/gyrosco pe.html

which is the basis of what's called an inertial guidance system like this:

http://www.physics.lsa.umich.edu/demolab/demo. asp?id=511

[kwicky]

Have you heard about a British inventor called Professor Eric Laithwaite. He invented the linear motor which was taken up by the Japanese and more recently the Germans with the Maglev train.

In his later years he experimented with gyroscopes and was greatly derided by the scientific community.

http://www.alternativescience.com/eric-laithwa ite.htm

[jake-the-peg]

This is from the discussion page of wikipedia's entry on Eric Laithwwaite.

I don't know if the Royal Institution actually behaved badly at the time. I have watched the video of his lecture and there is nothing to see. It is just a man making a fool of himself through his lack of understanding of or intuition about how gyroscopes behave. Embarrassing, yes. Not very technical at all

Lets be clear what he was saying "a spinning gyroscope is lighter than a stationary one"

Go buy a gyroscope put it on a kitchen scales, spin it up and put it on the scales

This is a sad story of a guy who simply lost the plot and the RI didn't want to be accused of exploiting this. He also believed that moths communicate via radiation

He didn't invent the linear motor that was Charles Whetsone in the 1840's

He was in many ways science's David Icke and like David Icke is much quoted by the er "fringe element" shall we say?

[kwicky]

Judge for yourself. Some say this man is a genius!

http://www.gyroscopes.org/1974lecture.asp

[jake-the-peg]

Who exactly says that?

alternativescience.com?

which is the personal website of Richard Milton,
Proponant of:
cold fusion
acunpunture
homeopathy
Psychokinesis
etc. etc.

he's pretty soundly taken to pieces here:

http://skepdic.com/refuge/altscience.html

Make your own mind up by all means but bear in mind what I said about attracting the fringe element because this is exactly that.

And if you're still unsure a gyroscope and weighing scales cost very little!

[mibn2cweus]

Gimbal Lock

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