Dynamics of Machines

Gyroscope

Dr. Prashik Malhari Ramteke

Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
National Institute of Technology Raipur
Raipur-492010, Chhattisgarh, India
Contact No: +91-8793231005
Email ID: [email protected], [email protected]

Research Details: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=KbNJdsoAAAAJ&hl=en

Gyroscope
• A gyroscope is a device used for measuring or maintaining orientation and angular
velocity, based on the principles of angular momentum.
• Mechanical gyroscope: It is a mechanism generally employed for the control of
angular motion of a body.
• If the axis of a spinning or rotating body is
given an angular motion about an axis
perpendicular to the axis of spin, an angular
acceleration acts on the body about the third
perpendicular axis.
• The torque required to produce this
acceleration is known as the active gyroscopic
torque or couple.
• A reactive gyroscopic torque or couple also
acts similar to the concept of centripetal and
centrifugal forces on a rotating body.
• The effect produced by the reactive gyroscopic
couple is known as the gyroscopic effect. 2
Gyroscope
• Mechanically, a gyroscope is a spinning wheel or disk in which the axle is free to
assume any orientation. Although this orientation does not remain fixed, it changes
in response to an external torque much less and in a different direction than it
would without the large angular momentum associated with the disk's high rate of
spin and moment of inertia.

Since external torque is minimized by mounting

the device in gimbals, its orientation remains
nearly fixed, regardless of any motion of the
platform on which it is mounted.

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 Processional Angular Motion
(Vectorial representation of angular motion)
• We know that angular acceleration is the rate of change of angular velocity with
respect to time.
• It is a vector quantity and may be represented by drawing a vector diagram with the
help of the right-hand screw rule.

• Consider a disc, as shown in Fig. (a), revolving or spinning about the axis OX
(known as axis of spin) in anticlockwise when seen from the front, with an angular
velocity (ω) in a plane at right angles to the paper.
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• After a short interval of time δt, let the disc be spinning about the new axis of spin
OX’ (at an angle δθ ) with an angular velocity (ω +δω).
• Using the right-hand screw rule, the initial angular velocity of the disc ω is
represented by vector OX, and the final angular velocity of the disc (ω +δω ) is
represented by vector OX’ as shown in Fig. (b).
• The vector xx’ represents the change of angular velocity in time δt, i.e., the angular
acceleration of the disc.
• This may be resolved into two components, one parallel to OX and the other
perpendicular to OX.

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• where dθ/dt is the angular velocity of the axis of spin about a certain axis, which is
perpendicular to the plane in which the axis of spin is going to rotate.
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Gyroscopic Couple
• Consider a disc spinning with an angular velocity ω rad/s about the axis of spin OX in
an anticlockwise direction when seen from the front, as shown in Fig.
• Since the plane in which the disc is rotating is parallel to the plane YOZ therefore, it is
called the plane of spinning.
The plane XOZ is a horizontal plane and the
axis of spin rotates in a plane parallel to the
horizontal plane about an axis OY.

In other words, the axis of spin is said to be

rotating about an axis OY (which is
perpendicular to both the axes OX and OZ) at an
angular velocity ωp rad/s.

This horizontal plane XOZ is called the plane of

precession and OY is the axis of precession.

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• Since the angular momentum is a vector quantity, therefore it may be represented by the vector
OX, as shown in Fig.
• The axis of spin OX is also rotating anticlockwise when seen from the top, about the axis OY.
• Let the axis OX be turned in the plane XOZ through a small angle δθ radians to the position
OX', in time δt seconds. Assuming the angular velocity ω to be constant, the angular
momentum will now be represented by vector OX’.

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where ωp = Angular velocity of precession of the
axis of spin or the speed of rotation of the axis of
spin about the axis of precession OY.
The S.I unit of 'C' is 'N-m' when 'I' is in 'kg-m2'.
Relationship between force
(F), torque (τ), momentum
(p), and angular momentum
(L) vectors in a rotating
system, r= Position vector

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Que. 1: A uniform disc of 150 mm diameter has a mass of 5 kg. It is mounted centrally in bearings which
maintain its axle in a horizontal plane. The disc spins about its axle with a constant speed of 1000 r.p.m.
while the axle precesses uniformly about the vertical at 60 r.p.m. The directions of rotation are as shown in
Fig. If the distance between the bearings is 100 mm, find the resultant reaction at each bearing due to the
mass and gyroscopic effects.

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Effect of the Gyroscopic Couple on an Aero-plane
• Case 1: Let the engine or propeller rotate in the clockwise direction when seen
from the rear or tail end, and the airplane takes a turn to the left.

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• Before taking the left turn, the angular momentum vector is represented by ox.
• When it takes left turn, the active gyroscopic couple will change the direction of the
angular momentum vector from ox to ox’ as shown in Fig (a).
• The vector xx’, in the limit, represents the change of angular momentum or the
active gyroscopic couple and is perpendicular to OX.
• Thus, the plane of active gyroscopic couple XOY will be perpendicular to xx’, i.e.
vertical in this case, as shown in Fig (b).

active gyroscopic couple

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• By applying the right-hand screw rule to vector xx’, we find that the direction of
the active gyroscopic couple is clockwise, as shown in the front view of Fig.

• In other words, for left hand turning, the active gyroscopic couple on the aeroplane
in the axis OZ will be clockwise as shown in Fig.
• The reactive gyroscopic couple (equal in magnitude of active gyroscopic couple) will
act in the opposite direction (i.e. in the anticlockwise direction) and the effect of
this couple is, therefore, to raise the nose and dip the tail of the aeroplane.

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Case (iii): PROPELLER rotates in ANTICLOCKWISE direction when seen from rear end and
Aeroplane turns towards LEFT

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Case (iv): PROPELLER rotates in ANTICLOCKWISE direction when seen from rear end and
Aeroplane turns towards RIGHT

Hareesha N G, Dept of Aero Engg, DSCE,

11/6/2014 19
Blore
Notes :
1. When the aeroplane takes a right turn under similar conditions as discussed above, the
effect of the reactive gyroscopic couple will be to dip the nose and raise the tail of the
aeroplane.
2. When the engine or propeller rotates in anticlockwise direction when viewed from the rear
or tail end and the aeroplane takes a left turn, then the effect of reactive gyroscopic couple
will be to dip the nose and raise the tail of the aeroplane.
3. When the aeroplane takes a right turn under similar conditions as mentioned in note 2
above, the effect of reactive gyroscopic couple will be to raise the nose and dip the tail of
the aeroplane.
4. When the engine or propeller rotates in clockwise direction when viewed from the front
and the aeroplane takes a left turn, then the effect of reactive gyroscopic couple will be to
raise the tail and dip the nose of the aeroplane.
5. When the aeroplane takes a right turn under similar conditions as mentioned in note 4-
above, the effect of reactive gyroscopic couple will be to raise the nose and dip the tail of
the aeroplane.

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Effect of gyroscopic couple on Aero-plane takes left/right turn

1. CW = +ve 1. ACW = -ve +ve = Front up and rear down

2. Front = +ve 2. Rear = -ve i.e. Nose up and tail down
3. Right = +ve 3. Left = -ve -ve = Front down and rear up
Exa. i.e. Nose down and tail up
Rear = -ve
CW = +ve
Left = -ve
Overall = +ve, so the effect of the gyroscopic
couple is to raise the nose and lower the tail
Effect of gyroscopic couple on Aero-plane moves upward/downward

1. CW = +ve 1. ACW = -ve +ve = Turn left

2. Upward = +ve 2. Downward = -ve
3. Front = +ve 3. Rear = -ve -ve = Turn right
Exa.
Rear = -ve
CW = +ve
Upward = +ve
Overall = -ve, so Aero-plane will turn right
Que 1. An aeroplane makes a complete half circle of 50 metres
radius, towards left, when flying at 200 km/hr. The rotary engine and
the propeller of the plane have a mass of 400 kg and a radius of
gyration of 0.3 m. The engine rotates at 2400 rpm clockwise when
viewed from the rear. Find the gyroscopic couple on the aircraft and
state its effect on it.

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when the aero-plane turns towards the left, the effect of the gyroscopic
couple is to lift the nose upwards and tail downwards.

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Terms Used in a Naval Ship
• The top and front views of a naval ship are shown in Fig.
• The fore end of the ship is called bow and the rear end is known as stern or aft.
• The left-hand and right-hand sides of the ship, when viewed from the stern, are called
port and starboard, respectively.
• We shall now discuss the effect of
gyroscopic couple on the naval ship in
the following three cases:
1. Steering
2. Pitching, and
3. Rolling
Effect of Gyroscopic Couple on a Naval Ship during Steering
• Steering is the turning of a complete ship in a curve towards left or right, while
it moves forward.
• Consider the ship taking a left turn, and the rotor rotates in the clockwise
direction when viewed from the stern, as shown in Fig.
• The effect of gyroscopic couple on a naval ship during steering while taking a
left or right turn may be obtained in a similar way as for an airplane.

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• When the rotor of the ship rotates in the clockwise direction when viewed from the stern, it will have
its angular momentum vector in the direction ox as shown in Fig (a).
• As the ship steers to the left, the active gyroscopic couple will change the angular momentum
vector from ox to ox’.
• The vector xx’ now represents the active gyroscopic couple and is perpendicular to ox. Thus, the
plane of the active gyroscopic couple is perpendicular to xx’, and its direction in the axis OZ for the
left-hand turn is clockwise, as shown in Fig.
• The reactive gyroscopic couple of the same magnitude will act in the opposite direction (i.e., in an
anticlockwise direction).
• The effect of this reactive gyroscopic couple is to raise the bow and lower the stern.

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Notes:
When the ship steers to the right under similar conditions as
discussed above, the effect of the reactive gyroscopic couple, as
shown in Fig.(b), will be to raise the stern and lower the bow.

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Effect of Gyroscopic Couple on a Naval Ship during Steering
1. CW = +ve 1. ACW = -ve +ve = Front up and rear down
2. Right = +ve 2. Left = -ve i.e. Bow up and stern down
3. Front = +ve 3. Rear = -ve -ve = Front down and rear up
Exa. i.e. Bow down and stern up
Rear = -ve
ACW = -ve
Left = -ve
Overall = -ve, so effect of the gyroscopic
couple is to raise the stern and lower the bow
Effect of Gyroscopic Couple on a Naval Ship during Pitching
• Pitching is the movement of a complete ship up and down in a vertical plane
about the transverse axis, as shown in Fig.
• In this case, the transverse axis is the axis of precession.
• The pitching of the ship is assumed to take place with simple harmonic motion,
i.e., the motion of the axis of spin about the transverse axis is simple harmonic.

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Angular displacement of the axis of spin from mean position after time t seconds,

Where, ϕ = Amplitude of swing i.e. maximum angle turned from the mean position in
radians, and
ω1 = Angular velocity of S.H.M., i.e. angular speed of pitching

or tp is also called the time period of pitching

• When the pitching is upward, the effect of the reactive gyroscopic couple, as
shown in Fig.(b), will try to move the ship toward starboard.
• On the other hand, if the pitching is downward, the effect of the reactive
gyroscopic couple, as shown in Fig.(c), is to turn the ship towards the port side.

R
A

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Notes :
• The effect of the gyroscopic couple is always given on the specific position of the
axis of spin, i.e., whether it is pitching downwards or upwards.
• The pitching of a ship produces forces on the bearings which act horizontally
and perpendicular to the motion of the ship.
• The maximum gyroscopic couple tends to shear the holding-down bolts.
• The angular acceleration during pitching is given by

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Effect of Gyroscopic Couple on a Naval Ship during Pitching

1. CW = +ve 1. ACW = -ve +ve = Turn left

2. Upward = +ve 2. Downward = -ve i.e., turn towards the port
3. Front = +ve 3. Rear = -ve -ve = Turn right
i.e., turn towards the starboard
Exa.
Rear = -ve
CW = +ve
Upward = +ve
Overall = -ve, so the ship will turn towards the starboard end (right side)
Effect of Gyroscopic Couple on a Naval Ship during Rolling
• In rolling, the axis of spin will not rotate about any one of the remaining two axes; hence,
there is no gyroscopic effect.
• We know that, for the effect of the gyroscopic couple to occur, the axis of precession
should always be perpendicular to the axis of spin.
• If, however, the axis of precession becomes parallel to the axis of spin, there will be
no effect of the gyroscopic couple acting on the body of the ship.
• In the case of the rolling of a ship, the axis of precession (i.e., longitudinal axis) is
always parallel to the axis of spin for all positions.
• Hence, there is no effect of the gyroscopic couple acting on the body of a ship.

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Que. 2: The turbine rotor of a ship has a mass of 8 tonnes and a radius
of gyration 0.6 m. It rotates at 1800 rpm clockwise when looking from
the stern. Determine the gyroscopic couple if the ship travels at 100
km/hr and steers to the left in a curve of 75 m radius.

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when the rotor rotates in a clockwise direction when looking from the stern and the
ship steers to the left, the effect of the reactive gyroscopic couple is to raise the bow
and lower the stern.
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Que. 3: The heavy turbine rotor of a sea vessel rotates at 1500 rpm
clockwise looking from the stern, its mass being 750 kg. The vessel pitches
with an angular velocity of 1 rad/s. Determine the gyroscopic couple
transmitted, when bow is rising, if the radius of gyration for the rotor is
250 mm. Also show in what direction the couple acts ?

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Given: N = 1500 r.p.m. or ω = 2 × 1500/60 = 157.1 rad/s; m = 750 kg; ωp = 1 rad/s; k
= 250 mm = 0.25 m

when the bow is rising i.e. when the pitching is upward, the reactive gyroscopic couple
acts in the clockwise direction which moves the sea vessel towards star-board.

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Que. 4: The turbine rotor of a ship has a mass of 3500 kg. It has a
radius of gyration of 0.45 m and a speed of 3000 rpm clockwise when
looking from the stern. Determine the gyroscopic couple and its effect on
the ship:
1. when the ship is steering to the left on a curve of 100 m radius at a
speed of 36 km/h.
2. when the ship is pitching in a simple harmonic motion, the bow
falling with its maximum velocity. The period of pitching is 40
seconds and the total angular displacement between the two extreme
positions of pitching is 12 degrees.

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When the rotor rotates clockwise when looking from the stern and the
ship takes a left turn, the effect of the reactive gyroscopic couple is to
raise the bow and lower the stern.

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when the bow is falling (i.e., when the pitching is downward), the effect of
the gyroscopic couple is to move the ship towards the port side.

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Stability of a Four-Wheel Drive Moving in a Curved Path
• Consider the four wheels A, B, C and D of an automobile locomotive
taking a turn towards left as shown in Fig.
The wheels A and C are inner wheels,
whereas B and D are outer wheels.
The centre of gravity (C.G.) of the
vehicle lies vertically above the road
surface.
A little consideration will show, that the
weight of the vehicle (W) will be
equally distributed over the four wheels
which will act downwards.
The reaction between each wheel and the
road surface of the same magnitude will act
upwards.
Therefore Road reaction over each wheel, = W/4 = m.g /4 newtons

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• Let us now consider the effect of the gyroscopic couple and centrifugal
couple on the vehicle.

The positive sign is used when the wheels and rotating parts of the engine
rotate in the same direction. If the rotating parts of the engine revolves in
opposite direction, then negative sign is used.

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• Due to the gyroscopic couple, vertical reaction on the road surface
will be produced.
• The reaction will be vertically upwards on the outer wheels and
vertically downwards on the inner wheels.
• Let the magnitude of this reaction at the two outer or inner wheels
be P newtons. Then
• P × x = C or P = C/x
• Vertical reaction at each of the outer or inner wheels, P /2 = C/ 2x
Note: We have discussed above that
when rotating parts of the engine rotate
in opposite directions, then –ve sign is
used, i.e. net gyroscopic couple,
C = CW – CE,
When C E > CW, then C will be –ve. Thus
the reaction will be vertically downwards
on the outer wheels and vertically
upwards on the inner wheels.
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2. Effect of the centrifugal couple
• Since the vehicle moves along a curved path, therefore centrifugal
force will act outwardly at the centre of gravity of the vehicle.
• The effect of this centrifugal force is also to overturn the vehicle.
• We know that centrifugal force,

• This overturning couple is balanced by vertical reactions, which are

vertically upwards on the outer wheels and vertically downwards on
the inner wheels.

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• Let the magnitude of this reaction at the two outer or inner wheels
be Q. Then

A little consideration will show that when the vehicle is running at

high speeds, PI may be zero or even negative. This will cause the inner
wheels to leave the ground thus tending to overturn the automobile.
In order to have the contact between the inner wheels and the
ground, the sum of P/2 and Q/2 must be less than W/4.
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A four-wheeled trolley car of mass 2500 kg runs on rails, which are 1.5 m apart and
travels around a curve of 30 m radius at 24 km / hr. The rails are at the same level.
Each wheel of the trolley is 0.75 m in diameter and each of the two axles is driven
by a motor running in a direction opposite to that of the wheels at a speed of five
times the speed of rotation of the wheels. The moment of inertia of each axle with
gear and wheels is 18 kg-m2. Each motor with shaft and gear pinion has a moment
of inertia of 12 kg-m2. The centre of gravity of the car is 0.9 m above the rail level.
Determine the vertical force exerted by each wheel on the rails taking into
consideration the centrifugal and gyroscopic effects. State the centrifugal and
gyroscopic effects on the trolley.

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A rear engine automobile is travelling along a track of 100 metres mean radius. Each of the four
road wheels has a moment of inertia of 2.5 kg-m2 and an effective diameter of 0.6 m. The
rotating parts of the engine have a moment of inertia of 1.2 kg-m2. The engine axis is parallel to
the rear axle and the crankshaft rotates in the same sense as the road wheels. The ratio of
engine speed to back axle speed is 3:1. The automobile has a mass of 1600 kg and has its centre
of gravity 0.5 m above road level. The width of the track of the vehicle is 1.5 m.
Determine the limiting speed of the vehicle around the curve for ail four wheels to maintain
contact with the road surface. Assume that the road surface is not cambered and centre of
gravity of the automobile lies centrally with respect to the four wheels.

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A four wheeled motor car of mass 2000 kg has a wheel base 2.5 m, track width 1.5 m and height
of centre of gravity 500 mm above the ground level and lies at 1 metre from the front axle. Each
wheel has an effective diameter of 0.8 m and a moment of inertia of0.8kg-m2. The drive shaft,
engine flywheel and transmission are rotating at 4 times the speed of road wheel, in a clockwise
direction when viewed from the front, and is equivalent to a mass of 75 kg having a radius of
gyration of 100 mm. If the car is taking a right turn of 60 m radius at 60 km/h, find the load on
each wheel.

Since the centre of gravity of the car lies at 1 m from the front axle and the weight of the car (W
= m.g) lies at the centre of gravity, therefore weight on the front wheels and rear wheels will be
different.

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Stability of a Two Wheel Vehicle Taking a Turn
• Consider a two wheel vehicle (say a scooter or motor cycle) taking a
right turn as shown in Fig.(a).
m = Mass of the vehicle and its rider in kg,
W = Weight of the vehicle and its rider in newtons = m.g,
h = Height of the centre of gravity of the vehicle and rider,
rw = Radius of the wheels,
R = Radius of track or curvature,

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• A little consideration will show that when the wheels move over the curved
path, the vehicle is always inclined at an angle θ with the vertical plane as
shown in Fig.
• This angle is known as angle of heel (θ).
• In other words, the axis of spin is inclined to the horizontal at an angle θ, as
shown in Fig.

Thus the angular momentum

vector Iω due to spin is
represented by OA inclined to OX
at an angle θ.

But the precession axis is vertical.

Therefore the spin vector is
resolved along OX.

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Notes:
(a)When the engine is rotating in the
same direction as that of wheels,
then the positive sign is used in the
above expression and if the engine
rotates in opposite direction, then
negative sign is used.

(b)The gyroscopic couple will act over the vehicle outwards i.e. in the
anticlockwise direction when seen from the front of the vehicle. The
tendency of this couple is to overturn the vehicle in outward
direction.
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