The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-06-23
lsegTEN,HY HALLS TORPEDO.
An Automatic E:sii-!.i:te Machine Of Which
Grra, :si:Eg. arc Expected.

Lieutenant NJ. I. Hall, Z. S. n, who
for several years has been endeayoring
to perfect fish torpedo, has one now
nearly perfected at the Eagle Iron Works
in Buffalo. The Courier describes it as
! twelve feet long. in three sections, and
re-enforced by four longitudinal girders
to give it greater strength. In the eX-
treme bow there is Il capacity fora charge
Of seventy pounds Of gunpowder. This
is fixed by means of a primer Of fulml-
nate of mercury. \ plunger projects IN
front, having two crossed knife edges
constructed so as to act when the torpe-
do strikes vessel at small angle. The
ordinarT torpedo in such a case would
simply allow the projectile to glance off
without exploding. The plunger breaks
the screw that holds the spring-fring
apparatus, thus releasing the firing pin
which explodes the charge by striking
the sensitive primer of illuminate of nler-
curry. On the bow there are two auto
matte fins used for steering. The gen.
orator is composed of series Of tubes
that hold gas and vapor at 1000 pounds
pressure. The middle section consists of
plain cylinder 15s inches in diameter,
and in this the generator is contained.
The fins are worked by small engines
whose valves are automatically controlled
by power derived from the generator,
whose great pressure, 1000 pounds to
the square inch, has only been obtained
after incessant labor and innumerable
experiments. many of which were fail
ures. The after section of the torpedo
contains the propelling apparatus, con-
sisting of Gardner's patent three cylinder
engine, which works two screws by gear
ing. These screws are two-bladed, and
revolve in opposite directions: Their
peculiar feature is that the blades Of one
screw are each at right angles to those
of another, thus enabling screws Of large
diameter to be used as inner blades of
the screws revolving in the same space.
The three different sections of the
torpedo arc screwed together so as to
make water-tight joints. The projectile
is so constructed as to dive and keep a
certain depth by means of the automati-
cally controlled pins in the bow and the
diving rudder in The tail. Two tails tend
to keep the torpedo upright and regular,
enclosing the screws to prevent their be-
ing fouled by any floating object, such
as seaveed, etc. On the top of the death
dealing machine are three hand holes
covered by plates-one giving access to
the apparatus which controls the fires at
the engine, the other affording access to
the diving rudder. The engine is in
closed in steel case, which slips into its
place in the torpedo, and is there held by
three bolts, so that it can be readily re-
moved for examination or repair if need
be. Attached to the engine is governor,
the invention of Mr.. Gardner, foreman
of the Eagle Works. This governor con-
trolls the engine so as to give uniform
rate of speed while working under vary
ing degrees Of pressure.
The great advantage claimed for the
new torpedo is its straightness of course.
The unduiating motion of the ordinary
torpedo frequently causes the machine
to dive without striking its object. The
new one, it is said, can be aimed more
directly and certainly at the precise spot
where it will have the greatest destructive
power. Another advantage is in the dis
tance traversed. The ordinary torpedo
has range of about 700 yards; the new
fnny creature speeds along to the extent
of about mile and half, or 2,40O
yards. The engine is the only one made
in this country at all suitable for the
work contemplated, and the patent for
+l,;c ,,,,+ of tho o,,,,araI11S is vested in the
Eagle Iron Works Company. Without
any special tests or appliances, 1t IS
nothing short of wonderful how etlclcnt-
ly the new torpedo in all its parts has
been completed and row nearly fitted
together 1t will shortly be put to the
test in Lake Erie. i he whole apparatus
has buoyancy of fifteen feet, and it IS
computed to be able to blow into smith
Greens the largest vessel afoat.