1Q50.60 Gyro on Turntable

1Q50.60 Gyro on Turntable

A gyro in a gimbal sits on a rotating table. Remove the degree of freedom about the vertical axis and the gyro will flip as the table is reversed.

A large metal bicycle wheel is set vertically in a circular frame that allows it to spin freely about its central axis and to twist about the horizontal axis. This frame is set in a larger, vertically oriented rectangular frame which allows the entire circular frame plus bicycle wheel to spin about its vertical axis. The larger rectangular frame is bolted to a cart that balances on two wheels which are positioned at the centers of two opposing sides. This wheeled cart is itself balanced on a second wheeled cart. Strong springs run from the sides of the vertical rectangular frame to the bottom cart, attaching (by proxy) the upper cart to the lower cart and limiting the possible movement of the upper cart. Back at the bicycle wheel at the center of all this, a long metal arrow extends from the axle on one side. A long 'tail' extends from the other side. A spherical metal weight can be fixed at any position along the 'tail'. Wooden blocks set between the carts keep the upper cart from twisting unless and until desired.

 

Location: On cart end of row I