DISCLAIMER AND MEMORANDUM OF ALTERATION
Year: 1880

page_text: DISCLAIMER AND MEMORANDUM OF ALTERATION proposed to be
filed by the said William Robert Lake.
WHEREAS Her Most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria by Her Royal Lotters
Patent bearing date the First day of April in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty in the Forty third year of Her reign did
for herself her heirs and successors give and grant unto the said William
Robert Lake his executors administrators and assigns the sole privilege of making
using exercising and vending within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland the Channel Islands and Isle of Man the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN TORPEDO BOATS AND IN APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING AND CONTROLLING THE
"
SAME AND SIMILAR VESSELS a specification of which invention was duly filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office in pursuance of one of the provisoes in the said
Letters Patent.
And whereas since the said specification was filed it has been ascertained that
having regard to what was known provious to the date of any patent the claims
made in my said specification were too wide and I am desirous of limiting the same
in the manner hereinafter appearing.
NOW KNOW YE therefore that I the said William Robert Lako by and with
the consent of Her Majesty's Solicitor General do alter and amend the said
Specification as follows that is to say referring to the Queens Printers' copy of

page_text: the said Specification and to page 3 thereof I strike out lines 34, 35 and 36, and on
page 4 I strike out of line 11 the words "The said invention also comprises the
employment of" and insert in their place the words "I sometimes employ" I also
strike out the whole of the matter constituting the first and fourth claiming clauses
and re-number the remaining two claiming clauses.
And in order that the effect of the said Disclaimer and Memorandum of
Alteration may be fully understood I annex a copy of the said specification
(omitting the introductory and concluding clauses thereof) as it will appear after
the above specified alterations have been made therein.
"
"This invention relates to torpedo-boats, such as those described in the
Specifications of former Letters Patent, dated February 22nd A.D. 1878 No. 747
"and other Letters Patent granted to me.
66
"The first part of this invention comprises a detachable magazine and cushioning
"devices in combination therewith for receiving the shock or concussion, and
detaching the said magazine when the boat strikes a ship or other object, thereby
greatly facilitating the action of the boat. It also comprises circuit-closing
apparatus to be used in combination with a detachable magazine in a torpedo-
" boat
14
"This part of the said invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in
" which :-
་
"
Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section of the bow of a torpedo-boat
provided with means for cushioning the blow of the boat when it strikes an
object and detaching the magazine, as hereinafter described.
"
Figure 2 is a front view, and
Figure 3 is a rear view of my improved water circuit closer for firing the
"detachable or dropping magazine of my improved torpedo boats.
16
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the said water circuit closer secured to
"the bulk head of the magazine.
16
$1
16
"
66
48
4
"Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawings.
46
a represents the hull of the boat, and a the detachable magazine. In this
magazine, at the bow of the boat, 1 arrange a central tube b which extends
longitudinally through the said magazine and is secured to a diaphragm or
plate at the rear end of the same. This tube is fitted with a piston c'
"attached to the striking rod c which extends through the stem of the boat and is
preferably provided with a knob or head at its front extremity. The rear
portion of the said tube is fitted with another piston c* whose rod extends
"rearward into contact with the lever & which is arranged behind the plate b¹.
"This lever, which is termed the detaching lever, is provided with a hook or
"tooth d¹ to engage with a projection or bracket d' on the hull a, or upon the
partition plate between the magazine and the body of the boat, and thereby
keep the magazine in place while the boat is travelling toward the object
" to be attacked. The tube b between the pistons c c is filled with liquid, and
" is provided with an outlet aperture and pipe at c which allow the escape of
liquid from the said tube when the piston c³ has passed over or beyond the said
aperture in moving back ward. This arrangement ensures an elastic yielding
"resistance or "cushioning" of the striking rod c when the latter is driven inward.
"When the rod c strikes the ship or other object attacked, and is forced inward,
"the rod c³ is also forced inward and engaging with the lever & turns the same on
"its pivot and releases its hook or catch from the bracket . The magazine
"then drops, its fall being controlled by the chain or rope b³, and also by a guide
"rod or bar a², one end of which is connected, as at a³, to the falling magazine,
and whose other end hinged at any suitable point to the main body or hull of
"the bont, so that when the magazine is detached from the said hull the guide-
"bar will act as a radius-rod and ensure the said magazine falling into a most
advantageous position for firing.
61
68
แ

page_text: "
r
"
"
"I will now proceed to describe my improved device for closing the circuit in
"the magazine and firing a cartridge within the same when the ship or other
object attacked is struck and the detachable magazine falls. This device, which
"I term a water-circuit-closer, shewn in Figures 2, 3 and 4 of the drawing, and
" is located inside of the magazine and secured to the bulk-head a* of the same,
as shewn in Figure 4. Within the said circuit-closer I arrange the plates e e¹ of
copper or other suitable material slightly separated from each other and
connected to the binding screws or terminals e²es from which insulated wires
"extend and are connected to the cartridge in the magazine. f represents a
"resistance-coil which is arranged in connection with a key-board on the shore or
"other station in a similar manner to that described in the Specification of the
"said former Letters Patent, and is connected to the circuit closer, in the rear of
"which is an opening g. This opening is covered or kept water-tight by a thin
sheet or diaphragm g' of india-rubber or other suitable material. To thi
diaphragm I secure a lug g² by a screw and plate at g³, the said lug being at the,
"exterior of the magazine and subject to the pressure of the water. Above the
circuit-closer I secure the chain or wire rope da and pass the same through an
aperture in the lug g, as shewn, the said rope being secured at its other end to
"the main body or hull of the boat. The operation of the said circuit-closer is as
follows, that is to say:-When the magazine is detached by the contact of the
"boat with the ship or other object attacked the said magazine drops until the
rope d³ tightens; the lug g is then wrenched or torn away from the diaphragm g¹
by the said rope, and the opening g being then uncovered the water enters the
circuit-closer through this opening g, and coming in contact with the plates e
" and e' closes the circuit between the same and causes the magazine to be fired
by cutting out the resistance-coil f. Should it becoino necessary or desirable to
"fire the charge at any time when the magazine is not detached it may be fired
"by cutting out a resistance coil (similar to the coil f) on the key board, when tho
battery will cause the charge to be fired through the resistance-coil f, when the
magazine drops and water enters the circuit closer and the resistance-coil is cut
"out of the circuit, as above described, the battery fires the charge through the
"resistance coil on the key-board on the shore or other station.
E
se
"
"
t
"
25
61
I sometimes employ a dynamo-electric machine of any suitable construction
"driven by a steam or gas engine or other suitable motor on the shore or other
station from which the boat is launched. The said dynamo-electric machine is
" connected by a suitable cablo or conductor to an electrical or electro-magnetic
engine carried by the boat for driving the screw or propeller thereof, or for
actuating or controlling other mechanism or devices in the boat. The said cable
"is coiled on and payed out from a reel which may be either at the station or in
" the boat.
16
<
"
"
Having thus fully described the said invention, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it
understood that I claim :-
"First: A detachable magazine for a torpedo-boat provided with a circuit-
closing device, constructed and operating as above set forth and for the purpose
specified.
"Second-In the detachable magazine of a torpedo-boat, the combination of
"the said cushioning and circuit-closing devices, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth."
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Eleventh day of August in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two:
'

page_text: To the Commissioners of Patents for Inventions
The application for leave to file this Disclaimer having been advertized in
accordance with my directions I hereby grant my Fiat giving leave to the above
named William Robert Lake to file in the Office of the Commissioners of Patents
with the Specification to which the same relates the above written Disclaimer
and Memorandum of Alteration.

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TORPEDO-BOATS AND IN APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING AND
CONTROLLING THE SAME AND SIMILAR VESSELS." A communication from
abroad by John Louis Lay, of Paris, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st April 1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN TORPEDO-BOATS AND IN
APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING AND CONTROLLING THE SAME AND SIMILAR VESSELS."
[A communication from abroad by John Louis Lay, of Paris, France.]
The said Invention relates to the propulsion of torpedo-boats, such as those
described in the Specification of former Letters Patent, dated February 22nd, A.D.
1878, No. 747, or similar vessels.
The said Invention comprises a detachable magazine which greatly facilitates the
action of the boat when attacking a ship or other object, as set forth in the
Specification of Letters Patent, dated November 28th, A.D. 1879, No. 4878, but
according to my present Invention the arrangement of the magazine and parts
connected therewith are different to those described in the Specification of the said
Patent. The said Invention also comprises the combination with the magazine of
a cushioning device designed to receive the shock or concussion, and detach tho
magazine when the boat strikes a ship or other object. This cushioning device is
arranged as follows, that is to say:-In the magazine at the bow of the boat I
provide a central tube which extends longitudinally through the said magazine and
This tube is fitted
is secured to a diaphragm or plate at the rear end of the same.
with a piston attached to the striking rod which extends through the stem of the
boat and is provided with a knob or head at its front extremity. The rear portion
of the said tube is fitted with another piston, whose rod extends rearward into
contact with a lever which is arranged behind the said plate. This lever is termed
the detaching lever and is provided with a hook or tooth to engage with a projection
or bracket on the partition plate between the magazine and the body of the boat,

page_text: and thereby keep the magazine in place while the boat is travelling toward the
object to be attacked. The said tube is to be filled with liquid, and is provided
with an outlet aperture and pipe which allows the escape of liquid from the said
tube when the rear or inner piston has passed over the said aperture in moving
backward. This arrangement ensures the "cushioning" of the striking rod when
the latter is driven inward.
In the said magazine I arrange a small chamber provided with a valve, and
containing plates of copper or other suitable material; an electrical circuit is
arranged between these plates. When water enters through this valve the circuit
is closed and fires a cartridge in the magazine. The said valve admits water only
when the magazine has fallen.
Instead of the above described cushioning apparatus I may use a spiral or india-
rubber spring, or other suitable clastic body or object in combination with the said
_magazine...
The said Invention also comprises a dynamo-electric machine driven by a steam
or gas engine, or other suitable motor on the shore or other station from which tho
boat is launched. The said dynamo-electric machine is connected by a suitable
cable or conductor to an electrical or electro-magnetic engine carried in the boat for
driving the screw or propeller thereof, or for actuating or controlling other
Ela inled on and naved out from s
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st
October 1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, 2
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TORPEDO-BOATS AND IN
APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING AND CONTROLLING THE SAME AND SIMILAR VESSELS."
A communication from abroad by John Louis Lay, of Paris, France.
This Invention relates to torpedo-bonts, such as those described in the
Specifications of former Letters Patent, dated February 22nd, A.D. 1878, No. 747, 3
and other Letters Patent granted to me.
The first part of this Invention comprises a detachable magazine and cushioning
devices in combination therewith for receiving the shock or concussion, and
detaching the said magazine when the boat strikes a ship or other object, thereby
greatly facilitating the action of the boat. It also comprises circuit-closing
apparatus to be used in combination with a detachable magazine in a torpedo-
boat.
This part of the said Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing in
which,―
•
Figure 1 a central longitudinal section of the bow of a torpedo-boat provided 4

page_text: with means for cushioning the blow of the boat when it strikes an object and
detaching the magazine, as hereinafter described.
Figure 2 is a front view, and
Figure 3 is a rear view of my improved water circuit closer for firing the
detachable or dropping magazine of my improved torpedo boats.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the said water circuit closer secured to the
bulk head of the magazine.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawings.
a represents the hull of the boat, and a' the detachable magazine. In this
magazine, at the bow of the boat, I arrange a central tube b which extends
longitudinally through the said magazine and is secured to a diaphragin or plate 6¹
at the rear end of the same. This tube is fitted with a piston c' attached to the
striking rod c which extends through the stem of the boat, and is preferably
provided with a knob or head at its front extremity. The rear portion of the said
tube is fitted with another piston c² whose rod c³ extends rearward into contact
with the lever d which is arranged behind the plate 6. This lever, which is termed
the detaching lever, is provided with a hook or tooth to engage with a projection
or bracket on the hull a, or upon the partition plate between the magazine and
the body of the boat, and thereby keep the magazine in place while the boat is
travelling toward the object to be attacked. The tube b between the pistons c', c³,
is filled with liquid, and is provided with an outlet aperture and pipe at e' which
allow the escape of liquid from the said tube when the piston c² has passed
over or beyond the said aperture in moving backward. This arrangement ensures
an elastic yielding resistance or "cushioning" of the striking rod c when the latter
is driven inward. When the rod c strikes the ship or other object attacked, and is
forced inward, the rod c³ is also forced inward and engaging with the lever & turns
the same on its pivot and releases its hook or catch d¹ from the bracket d². The
magazine then drops, its fall being controlled by the chain or rope 6s, and also by a
guide rod or bar a³, one end of which is connected, as at a³, to the falling magazine,
and whose other end hinged at any suitable point to the main body or hull a of the
boat, so that when the magazine is detached from the said hull the guide-bar a³
will act as a radius-rod and ensure the said magazine falling into a most advan-
tagcous position for firing.
Instead of the above described cushioning apparatus I may use a spiral or india-
rubber spring, or other suitable elastic body or object in combination with the said
magazine.
I will now proceed to describe my improved device for closing the circuit in the
magazine and firing a cartridge within the same when the ship or other object
attacked is struck and the detachable magazine falls. This device, which I term a
water-circuit-closer, is shewn in Figures 2, 3, and 4 of the Drawing, and is located
inside of the magazine and secured to the bulk-head a* of the same, as shewn in
Figure 4. Within the said circuit-closer I arrange the plates e, e¹, of copper or other
suitable material slightly separated from each other and connected to the binding
screws or terminals e, e³, from which insulated wires extend and are connected to
the cartridge in the magazine. f represents a resistance-coil which is arranged in
connection with a key-board on the shore or other station in a similar manner to
that described in the Specification of the said former Letters Patent, and is
connected to the circuit closer, in the rear of which is an opening g. This opening
is covered or kept water-tight by a thin sheet or diaphragin gl of india-rubber or
other suitable material. To this diaphragm I secure a lug g² by a screw and
plate at g³, the said lug being at the exterior of the magazine and subject to the
pressure of the water. Above the circuit-closer I secure the chain or wire rope d³
and pass the same through an aperture in the lug g², as shewn, the said rope being
secured at its other end to the main body or hull of the boat. The operation of
the said circuit-closer is as follows, that is to say:-When the magazine is detached
by the contact of the boat with the ship or other object attacked the said magazine
drops until the rope tightens; the lug g² is then wrenched or torn away from

page_text: the diaphragm g' by the said rope, and the opening g being then uncovered tho
water enters the circuit-closer through this opening g, and coming in contact with
the plates e and e¹ closes the circuit between the same and causes the magazine to
be fired by cutting out the resistance-coil f. Should it become necessary or
desirable to fire the charge at any time when the magazine is not detached it may
be fired by cutting out a resistance-coil (similar to the coil f) on the key board,
when the battery will cause the charge to be fired through the resistance-coil f,
when the magazine drops and water enters the circuit closer and the resistance
coil is cut out of the circuit, as above described, the battery fires the charge
through the resistance coil on the key-board on the shore or other station.
The said Invention also comprises the employment of a dynamo-electric machine
of any suitable construction driven by a steam or gas engine, or other suitable
motor on the shore or other station from which the boat is launched. The said
dynamo-electric machine is connected by a suitable cable or conductor to an
electrical or electro-magnetic engine carried by the boat for driving the screw or
propeller thereof, or for actunting or controlling other mechanism or devices in the
boat. The said cable is coiled on and payed out from a reel which may be either
at the station or in the boat:
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. A detachable magazine for a torpedo-boat provided with means for
cushioning the striking rod, substantially as above set forth and for the purpose
specified.
Second: A detachable magazine for a-torpedo-boat-provided-with-a-circuit-
closing device, constructed and operating as above set forth and for the purpose
specified.
Third. In the detachablo magazine of a torpedo-boat, the combination of the
said cushioning and circuit-closing devices, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
Fourth. A torpedo-boat provided with an electrical or electro-magnetic engine
connected by a cable to a dynamo-electric machine at the shore or other station for
effecting the propulsion of the said boat, as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
VM RORT LAKE (101