Patent GB-479497-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to torpedo discharging gear
IPC: F41F3/08
Filed: 1936-08-07
Abstract: 479,497. Launching torpedoes. VICKERS-ARMSTRONGS, Ltd., PEARSON, E. C., and SWINDALE, J. W. Aug. 7, 1936, No. 21793. [Class 9 (ii)] Relates to torpedo-discharging gear of the type intended for arrangement on the deck or other surface of a ship above the water level and in which the torpedo is arranged to be discharged in a direction at right-angles to its longitudinal axis. According to the invention, a discharging gear of this type comprises a bearing surface for supporting a torpedo with its axis parallel to, or at a predetermined angle to the fore-and-aft line of the ship, said bearing surface contacting with the lower side of the torpedo, means for launching the torpedo with a movement that is rectilinear whilst preserving the said predetermined parallel, or angular, relation, and means for releasing the torpedo from the constraint of the launching means after a predetermined distance of lateral travel of the torpedo so that the latter may continue its lateral travel with respect to said surface under its own momentum until it strikes the water. As shown in Fig. 2, two torpedoes 4, 5 are mounted on the fore decks 2, 3 of a motor-boat, with their axes parallel to the fore - and - aft line of the boat, in three carriages 9, 10, 11 mounted on transverse rails 6, 7, 8. The carriages are interconnected by a transverse tubular connecting bar and connecting sheet and the guiding of the carriages on the rails is effected from the central rail only, the other rails merely carrying part of the weight of the torpedo. The central carriage 10 is formed in two parts 14, 15, Fig. 3, hinged together at 16 so as to present a supporting surface for the torpedo, the other carriages 9, 11 being the same as the carriage 10 except that they have no front part corresponding to the part 15. The carriages 9, 11 are provided on their undersides with unflanged rollers adjacent the upper working surfaces of the rails 6, 8 whilst the carriage 10 has three rollers 17, 18, 19 working upon the upper surface of rail 7 and in addition two pairs of rollers, one of which is shown at 20, Fig. 5, operating upon the side edges of the flange of this rail. A finger 22, which engages under the lower edge of the flange of the rail 7, is also provided on either side of the portion 14 of the carriage. The inboard end of rail 7 carries a bracket member 23, Figs. 3 and 5, having a boss 24 which receives the threaded end of a hollow piston rod 26, the other end of which has a piston 27 rigidly secured thereto. This piston works in a cylinder 28 having a hemispherical end 29 secured to the portion 14 of carriage 10. The other end of the cylinder 28 is received in a sleeve 30 containing an annular rubber buffer 40. The rod 26, which has a part 32 of reduced diameter into which is screwed a perforated baffle plug 33, is adapted to receive a cartridge case 37, the percussion cap of which is adapted to be struck by a striker pin 39 in a plug 38 mounted in the boss 24. The firing mechanism for the striker 39 comprises a hammer 41 pivoted at 42 to a fixed supporting arm 43 and integral with an arm 44 pivotally connected to a link 45, in turn pivotally connected at 46 to a plunger 47 which normally compresses a spring within the cylinder 48. Pivotally secured to the link 45 is the end of the longer arm 50 of a pivoted bell-crank lever, the shorter arm 52 of which is provided with a hook 52A adapted to engage over the edge of the sleeve 30 on the cylinder 28. For the purpose of controlling the firing mechanism, a small cylinder 53, Fig. 4, having a spring- controlled plunger 54 is arranged laterally of the cylinder 48, the plunger being urged forwardly into contact with link 45 and one face thereof contacting with the forward face of plunger 47 so as normally to prevent axial movement of the latter. The plunger 54 is controlled by a lanyard 56. In operation, as soon as the lanyard is pulled and the plunger 54 retracted, the plunger 47 moves out of the cylinder 48 so as to move the link 45 axially and cause the hammer 41 and bell crank lever 50, 52 to be movedabout their pivots, the former striking the pin 39 and the latter releasing the cylinder 28. The cordite charge in the cartridge 37 is thereupon ignited and the compressed gases are discharged along the hollow rod 26 and finally enter the space between the piston 27 and the end 29 of the cylinder 28 causing the latter to move forwardly. Guided by the centre carriage 10, all three carriages move forwardly with the cylinder 28 and carry with them the torpedo 5 until the buffer 40 contacts with the piston 27 when the front part 15 of the carriage 10 drops about the hinge 16, as shown on the right hand-side of Fig. 3, and the torpedo is released and discharged laterally into the water. Apertures 57 in the walls of the cylinder 28 serve to cushion the last part of the movement thereof. If. desired, the cordite charge may be replaced by an arrangement for feeding a compressed fluid to the discharge cylinder.