Elmer Sperry was an American inventor and electrical engineer best known for his inventions based on the application of the gyroscope. He patented more than 400 inventions during his lifeftime.
Sperry was born in Cortland, New York and educated at Cornell University. In 1880, he developed a very efficient electric arc-light, one of the first in the United States. He was also a pioneer in the manufacture of electric mining machinery, electric streetcars, and electric motors. In 1915 Sperry produced a high intensity arc searchlight, which was widely used by armed forces during World War 1.
Sperry's most important invention was the gyrocompass which, unlike other compasses, was not affected by the magnetism of the earth. It became invaluable in ocean navigation. From the gyrocompass, Sperry developed the gyropilot for steering ships, and the automatic gyropilot for stabilizing airplanes. Sperry also produced electrically sustained gyros that controlled submarine and aerial torpedoes used during the First World War.
Sperry's gyrocompass evolved through many models and was in huge demand during World War 11. The Sperry gyrocompass revolutionised navigation on land, sea and air. Basically the ocean gyrocompass works in this sequence -
The ship is steered on acourse set by the navigator or Captain. The bearings are set from the compass and the signal is transmitted from compass to autopilot, from there to the steering engine, then to the rudder and the rudder angle information is fed back to the autopilot.
Torpedo Gyrocompass MK 12-3 is one of the Sperry gyrocompass models used at the time of the Battle of the Coral Sea
In 1941, in recognition of his great contribution to science and the armed forces, the US Navy named a ship after Sperry. The USS Sperry was a Submarine Tender (AS-12) whose primary mission was to serve submarines.
One of the best sites for more information about Elmer Sperry and his gyrocompass is A short history of Sperry Marine by Tom Allensworth
