Improvements in Apparatus for Launching Torpedoes.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Launching Torpedoes.
We, Sir W. G. ARMSTRONG, WHITWORTH & COMPANY, LIMITED, Manufacturing
Engineers, Edward William LLOYD, formerly a Commander in the Royal Navy,
and LEONARD NEWITT, Engineer, all of Elswick Works, Newcastle-on-Tyne, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:—
In all launching apparatus a stop is fitted against which the torpedo rests
when in its proper position for discharge, but immediately before discharge this
stop must be removed in order that the torpedo may have a free passage out of
the apparatus. Previous arrangements for removing the stop have consisted
of a mechanical device by which a weight falling or a spring acting shall with-
draw the stop before the compressed air is admitted, or the powder charge fired,
into the apparatus, or the stop has been removed by hand immediately before
firing; or the stop has been fitted with strong springs so that the torpedo may
force its way past while it is being ejected. These systems have all some defect.
The weight or spring system and the hand system both cause a delay between the
intention of firing and the actual firing. The spring stop is a source of danger in
that the torpedo may be accidentally pushed past it while loading which would pro-
bably cause the machinery of the torpedo to be started or if the ship have con-
siderable motion the torpedo may fire itself.
Our present invention gets over all these difficulties. The stop is automati-
cally withdrawn by means of the same source of pressure as is used for ejecting
the torpedo but preferably in a concentrated form so that a higher pressure is
used for withdrawing the stop than is used for ejecting the torpedo.
Our torpedo apparatus as we prefer it is fitted with an explosion chamber in
which the gas from the charge is first produced. From this explosion chamber
it is allowed to go into the torpedo ejecting apparatus only by passages of limited
area, the result being that the pressure in the explosion chamber is always very
much higher than that in the apparatus. In free connection with the explosion
chamber we fit a small cylinder. In this cylinder a piston works and its move-
ment is transmitted to the stop either directly or by means of levers or otherwise.
When the pressure is produced in the explosion chamber the stop is immediately
removed before sufficient pressure passes into the ejecting apparatus to move
the torpedo.
Also in combination with the ejecting apparatus we provide an obturating door
consisting of two flat plates, between the tapered edges of which are placed
rings of some elastic material. On pressing the two plates together the rings
are pressed into a groove provided for them in the flange into which the door

page_text: fits, and thus make a tight joint. The tighter the plates are pressed together
the greater the pressure between the rings and the flange and consequently the
door between limits adapts itself to the pressure to which it is subjected.
A hinge is fixed to the top plate and the back plate is supported by a bolt,
on which it can slide, fixed to the front plate. This bolt also serves for an axis
about which the closing and locking levers can rotate. The ends of these
engage with inclines on the flange. The elastic rings are shaped to fit the
circular groove and the taper on the plates and rings is such that when the two
plates are as far apart as possible the rings are of the same diameter as the plates.
On rotating the door about its hinge the back plate comes up against a face
and by turning the levers through a small angle they are made to bear against
the inclines. By still further rotating them the front plate is forced towards the
back plate and the rings are pushed outwards into the circular groove.
When the explosion of the firing charge takes place the pressure of the gas so
formed acting upon the back plate tends to push it towards the front plate which
being held by the levers cannot move, and consequently the rings are compressed
still harder against the groove.
To open the door the levers are turned in the opposite direction allowing the
two rings by their clasticity to push the two plates apart and also themselves to
return to their diameter before compression.
T
.
1000
SIR W. G. ARMSTRONG, WHITWORTH & Co., LIMITED,
EDWARD W
LLOYD
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Launching Torpedoes.
We, Sir W. G. ARMSTRONG, WHITWORTH & COMPANY, LIMITED, Manufacturing
Engineers, EDWARD WILLIAM LLOYD, formerly a Commander in the Royal Navy,
and LEONARD NEWITT, Engineer, all of Elswick Works, Newcastle-on-Tyne, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement;
In all launching apparatus a stop is fitted against which the torpedo rests
when in its proper position for discharge, but immediately before discharge this
stop must be removed in order that the torpedo may have a free passage out of
the apparatus. Previous arrangements for removing the stop have consisted
of a mechanical device by which a weight falling or a spring acting shall with-
draw the stop before the compressed air is admitted, on the powder charge fired,
into the apparatus, or the stop has been removed by hand immediately before
firing; or the stop has been fitted with strong springs so that the torpedo may
force its way past while it is being ejected. These systems have all some defect.

page_text: The weight or spring system and the hand system both cause a delay between the
intention of firing and the actual firing. The spring stop is a source of danger in
that the torpedo may be accidentally pushed past it while loading which would pro-
bably cause the machinery of the torpedo to be started or if the ship have con-
siderable motion the torpedo may fire itself.
Our present invention gets over all these difficulties. The stop is automati-
cally withdrawn by means of the same source of pressure as is used for ejecting
the torpedo but preferably in a concentrated form so that a higher pressure is
used for withdrawing the stop than is used for ejecting the torpedo.
Figure 1 is a rear elevation, Figure 2 a side elevation, and Figure 3a hori-
zontal longitudinal section of an apparatus constructed according to this inven-
tion. Figures 4 to 6 are similar views to Figure 3 showing modifications.
Our torpedo apparatus as we prefer it is fitted with an explosion chamber a in
which the gas from the charge is first produced. From this explosion chamber
it is allowed to go into the torpedo ejecting apparatus only by passages a¹ of
limited area, the result being that the pressure in the explosion chamber a is
always very much higher than that in the apparatus. In free connection with
the explosion chamber we fit a small cylinder c. In this cylinder a piston c
works and its movement is transmitted to the stop d either directly as shown in
Figures 4 and 5 or by means of levers as shown in Figures 1 to and 6 or other-
wise. When the pressure is produced in the explosion chamber a the stop dis
immediately removed before sufficient pressure passes into the ejecting appa-
ratus to move the torpedo.
Also in combination with the ejecting apparatus we provide an obturating door
consisting of two flat plates ef between the tapered edges of which are placed
rings g of some elastic material. On pressing the two plates together the rings
are pressed into a groove provided for them in the flange h into which the door
fits, and thus make a tight joint. The tighter the plates are pressed together
the greater the pressure between the rings and the flange and consequently the
door between limits adapts itself to the pressure to which it is subjected.
A hinge el is fixed to the top plate e and the back plate is supported by a bolt e
on which it can slide, fixed to the front plate. This bolt also serves for an axis
about which the closing and locking levers j can rotate. The ends of thesa
engage with inclines on the flange. The elastic rings are shaped to fit the
circular groove and the taper on the plates and rings is such that when the two
plates are as far apart as possible the rings are of the same diameter as the plates
On rotating the door about its hinge e¹ the back plate f comes up against a
face and by turning the levers through a small angle they are made to bear
against the inclines . By still further rotating them the front plate e is forced
towards the back plate f and the rings g are pushed outwards into the circular
groove.
When the explosion of the firing charge takes place the pressure of the gas so
formed acting upon the back plate f tends to push it towards the front plate e
which being held by the levers cannot move, and consequently the rings g are
compressed still harder against the groove.
To open the door the levers are turned in the opposite direction allowing the
two rings g by their elasticity to push the two plates è and f apart and also them-
selves to return to their diameter before compression.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is;-
1. Withdrawing the stop by means of the same source of pressure as is used
for ejecting the torpedo.
2. Withdrawing the stop by means of a piston working in a cylinder in con-
nection with the explosion chamber.