How does the follow-up motor reduce twisting in the support wires of a Sperry gyrocompass?

In a Sperry gyrocompass, the vertical ring is suspended by steel wires from the phantom head. To prevent these wires from twisting, the compass utilizes a power-driven follow-up system known as a phantom ring.1

The follow-up motor continuously keeps the phantom ring aligned with the vertical ring. By maintaining this alignment, the system prevents torsion (twisting) in the support wires and reduces support friction about the vertical axis to a minimum. Essentially, the motor acts as a servomechanism that ensures the phantom ring tracks the movement of the gyro element, thereby relieving the suspension wires of the stress that would otherwise be caused by the compass's rotation.12