Patent GB-381147-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to apparatus for use in determining the course to be given to torpedoes
IPC: F41G9/00
Filed: 1931-03-16
Abstract: 381,147. Gunnery calculators. VICKERS-ARMSTRONGS, Ltd. and WATSON, J. P., Vickers House, Broadway, Westminster. March 16, 1931, No. 8102. [Class 106 (i).] Apparatus for determining the course to be given to torpedoes comprises means whereby a component of the vector representing the speed and course of the target is taken perpendicularly to the line of sight from " own " ship to the target and is compared with a similar component of the torpedo vector so that the correct torpedo course is continuously ascertained. In Fig. 1, " own " ship is situated at O and the target is at E, moving with a velocity EP, the torpedo velocity being represented by OP. The apparatus arranges for the comparison of the component DP of the velocity EP with a similar component of the velocity OP, and also adds together the components ED, DO whereby the distance OE, the " maximum present range," is obtained. The apparatus is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 2. The target vector EP is revolved into its components ED, DP by a target " analyser " B and the torpedo vector OP into its components by a torpedo " analyser C. A pin b in the target analyser, B is set angularly to the target course (LEP) by a hand-wheel B<1> and radially to the target speed by a hand-wheel b<1>. A slide B2 is thus moved a distance DP and a slide B3 a distance ED. The distance DP is indicated by a pointer b<x>. A pin c in the torpedo analyser C is set radially to the torpedo speed by a hand-wheel c<1> and angularly to the " deflection " angle DOP by a hand-wheel C<1>. The slide C<2> is moved in accordance with the distance DP and the slide C<3> in accordance with the distance OD. The distance DP moved by the slide C<2> is indicated by a pointer c<x>, the torpedo-course hand-wheel being operated to keep the pointers b<x>, c<x> in coincidence so that the conditions necessary for the drawing of Fig. 1 may obtain. The deflection angle DOP is indicated at C4 and transmitted to the torpedo station by a transmitter C<6>. A sight A trained on the target E by a hand-wheel A<1> gives the angle XOE which is added to the deflection angle DOP by gearing C<8>. To the total angle XOP a " tube-training angle " XOT, set into the apparatus by a handwheel C<9>, is added algebraically by gearing F and the resultant or " gyro angle," TOP (the angle to which the torpedo gyroscopic steering apparatus is set) is indicated at F2 and transmitted from F<1>. The movement of the target along its existing course, the movement of " own " ship along its course, and the alteration of " own " ship's course are taken into account by the movement of the sight-angle hand-wheel A<1> and the combination of this movement with the movement of a compass repeater G by gearing G<1>, the resultant being added to the setting of the target-course hand-wheel B<1> by gearing G<2>. The movements ED, OD of the slides B<3>, C<3> are combined by gearing H, H<1> and rotate a drum H<2>, Fig. 5, carrying a series of scales of " present " ranges. The particular scale to be read depends upon the speed of the torpedo employed, and a shutter H<3> having reading apertures h<3> is operated from the torpedo-speed hand-wheel cl through a shaft c to expose the appropriate scale. The " present " range is read, with reference to a mark H<4> on the shutter H3, with the aid of a fixed pointer h<5>. The maximum " present " range for each torpedo speed is indicated on the drum H<2> and it is thus possible to see if the torpedo can reach the target. The construction of the analysers B, C is shown in Figs. 3 and 4. A pin b operating the slides B<2>, B<3> is secured to a sliding block L<2> which slides in a disc L<1>. Two toothed wheels K, J are mounted concentrically with the disc L<1>. The wheel J has internal teeth meshing with a pinion J<1> the bearings of which extend into both the disc L<1> and the wheel K. The pinion J<1> also engages teeth on the sliding block L<2>, so that when the wheels K, J are rotated together to equal extents the block L<2> and pin b have an angular motion only, whereas when the wheel K is fixed and the wheel J rotated the block L<2> and pin b are moved radially. The target-speed shaft j<1> is connected to the wheel J through gearing k<1>, j<x>, to effect radial movement of the pin b, while the target-course shaft k<2> is connected to the wheel K through gearing k and to the wheel J through gearing k<xx>, k<x>, k<1>, j<x>, j, so causing angular movements of the pin b.