· Get a Cloudy Nights T-Shirt · Submit a Review / Article Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu… uh, User You are not logged in. [Login] Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar Equipment Discussions >> Mounts Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Pages: 1 gnowellsct Postmaster Reged: 06/24/09 found this by accident looky looky       #4377963 - 02/11/11 12:35 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/4050318/description.html Post Extras:       orlyandico Carpal Tunnel Reged: 08/10/09 Loc: Singapore Re: found this by accident looky looky [Re: gnowellsct]       #4378117 - 02/11/11 03:47 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   it's the grand-daddy of the astrotrac! Post Extras:       Ad Astra professor emeritus Reged: 05/12/10 Loc: Riverside Co., California Re: found this by accident looky looky [Re: orlyandico]       #4378650 - 02/11/11 11:20 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   patent issued in 1977, expired in 1994... how come no one put it into production if all the claims in the abstract were true? Wish I could see the full PDF drawings - kinda hard to appreciate it this way! Dan Post Extras:       Starhawk Post Laureate Reged: 09/16/08 Loc: Tucson, Arizona Re: found this by accident looky looky [Re: Ad Astra]       #4378672 - 02/11/11 11:28 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   True tracking requires a continually changing rate for the drive mechanism in this design. So, it isn't really that big a simplification unless exposure times are relatively short and low magnifications hide the continual drive error. -Rich Post Extras:       orlyandico Carpal Tunnel Reged: 08/10/09 Loc: Singapore Re: found this by accident looky looky [Re: Starhawk]       #4378782 - 02/11/11 12:22 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   ... which is what the astrotrac does.. it uses a processor to continually vary the drive rate on the gear. the above patent looks like an astrotrack, but is really a barndoor. well the astrotrac is a finely-made barndoor with a microprocessor-controlled motor drive. funny because even in 1977 you could get a cpu to drive a stepper motor and it was cheap. Post Extras:       Pages: 1 Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 20 registered and 39 anonymous users are browsing this forum. Moderator:  Bowmoreman, bilgebay, iceblaze  Print Thread Forum Permissions       You cannot start new topics       You cannot reply to topics       HTML is disabled       UBBCode is enabled Thread views: 923 Jump to *Announcements and News* -----   Cloudy Nights Announcements   Discussion of CN Articles, Reviews, and Reports   Celestial Events*General Astronomy* -----   Beginners Forum   General Observing and Astronomy   Outreach   Light Pollution*Equipment Discussions* -----   ATM, Optics and DIY Forum   Binoculars   Binoviewers   Cats & Casses   Classic Telescopes   Equipment   Eyepieces   Mounts   Observatories   Reflectors   Refractors    Video and Electronically Assisted Astronomy*Astrophotography and Sketching* -----   Beginning and Intermediate Imaging   Film Astrophotography   DSLR & Digital Camera Astro Imaging & Processing   CCD Imaging & Processing   Solar System Imaging & Processing   Sketching   Astro Imaging/Sketching Contest *Observing* -----   NEO   Planetary and Solar System Observing   Lunar Observing   Deep Sky Observing   Double Star Observing   Solar   Variable Star Observing and Radio Astronomy*Telescope Specific Forums* -----   Celestron NexStar    NexStar GPS / CPC Telescopes   Questar Forum   Meade ACF/RCX / LX / GPS    Meade ETX*Speciality Forums* -----   Arizona Science and Astronomy Expo   NEAF (Northeast Astronomy Forum) and NEAIC (Northeast Astro Imaging Conference)   AstroArt   Astronomy Clubs and Star Parties   Astronomy Software & Computers   AstroWebsites   Science! Astronomy & Space Exploration, and Others   Space Rocks   Stellar Media*Swap and Shop* -----   Shop and Swap Audio Components*CN Feedback and Vendor Announcements* -----   Vendor and Group Announcements*International Year of Astronomy 2009 - Forums are now closed.* -----   IYA Archive Info CN Forums Home

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