Improvements in Steering Torpedoes or other Moveable Objects.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 16th July, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 13th May, 1898-Accepted, 16th July, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steering Torpedoes or other Moveable Objects.
We, HERBERT GODSAL, of 13, Bruton Street, Berkeley Square, London, W.,
Barrister-at-Law, ERNEST WILSON, of 64, St. John's Park, Blackheath, in the
County of Kent, and CHRISTOPHER EVANS, of 108, Castlenau, Barnes, in the County
of Surrey, Electrical Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The object of our invention is to steer torpedoes or any other moveable objects
on land or in the air or on or under water by means of electricity without the inter-
vention of connecting wires.
We achieve this result by a suitable combination of steering gear and receivers
capable of responding at a distance to transmitters electrically synchronised or
tuned to them.
The receivers are so constructed that when one of them responds to its corre-
sponding transmitter at a distance a current is thereby permitted to flow and
actuate a motor which may be made to turn the steering gear in a definite direc-
tion; similarly when another receiver responds to its corresponding transmitter
at a distance the steering gear is turned in a different definite direction, and so on.
In some instances we place two receivers with such connections to a common
motor that one receiver will cause the current to flow in one direction and the
other receiver will cause the current to flow in the opposite direction through the
motor; thus we are enabled by one motor to operate the steering gear in two
different directions.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steering Torpedoes or other Moveable Objects.
We, HERBERT GODSAL, of 13, Bruton Street, Berkeley Square, London, W.,
Barrister-at-Law, ERNEST WILSON, of 64, St. John's Park, Blackheath, in the
County of Kent, and CHRISTOPHER EVANS, of 108, Castlenau, Barnes, in the County
of Surrey, Electrical Engineers, 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 following statement:-
The object of our invention is to steer torpedoes, air-ships, etc., by means. of
electricity without the intervention of connecting wires.
We achieve this result by a suitable combination of steering gear and receivers

page_text: capable of responding at a distance to transmitters electrically synchronised or
tuned to them.
The receivers are so constructed that when one of them responds to its corre-
sponding transmitter at a distance a current is thereby permitted to flow and actuate
a motor which may be made to turn the steering gear in a definite direction;
similarly when another receiver responds to its corresponding transmitter at a
distance the steering gear is turned in a different definite direction, and so on.
In some instances we place two receivers with such connections to a common
motor that one receiver will cause the current to flow in one direction, and the
other receiver will cause the current to flow in the opposite direction through the
motor, thus we are enabled by one motor to operate the steering gear in two
different directions.
"
In order that our invention may be more readily understood we will proceed
to describe by reference to the following drawings how the same may be performed.
Fig. 1 is a part sectional elevation and
Fig. 2 an.end view, partly in section on lineæ of Fig. 1 of the tail end of a
torpedo, to which my invention has been applied.
Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation, and
Fig. 4 an end view of an electro-magnetic apparatus for actuating the steering
gear of the torpedo through the intervention of the Servo motor shewn in Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is a diagram of connections showing how the coils of the electro magnets
in Fig. 3 are connected to relays operated through the mediation of the transmitters.
Fig. 6 is a diagram of the receiver (used in duplicate) for the purpose of
actuating the coils A and B.
Figs. 7, 74, 7, 7°, are diagrammatic representations of the disposition of parts
to be used when it is desired to control either of a pair of rudders at will by means
of the receivers.
Throughout the drawings like letters indicate like parts.
Two cylindrical magnets (Figs. 3 and 4) are wound with separate coils A and B.
The shaft E carries an armature D provided with buffers y y, and is prolonged
beyond the magnets at each end: one end of the shaft E is connected to the valve
rod of the Servo-motor S, (Fig. 1) the other carries a radial arm H, controlled by a
spring Q. The radial arm H is guided at its extremity by guides F G. If the
magnet coil A be excited by an electric current from the battery C (Fig. 5) the
armature D will be attracted towards A and the spindle E will be turned in its
bearings by the extension I of the radial arm H moving in the groove, F.
soon as the current in A ceases the spring Q immediately brings back the valve
to its normal position as shown in the Figure 3. If desirable such return force
can be supplied by a weight acting by gravity instead of the spring Q. Similarly
by means of the magnet wound with coil B the valve of the Servo-motor can thereby
be actuated in the opposite direction.
As
S (Figs. 1 and 2) is a Servo-motor the piston rod of which is connected to the
crank L by rods joined at M and N. The crank L is part of a spindle R turning
in bearings R¹ and connected to rudders J, K. If either electro-magnet be excited
by a current in its coils it follows that the motor S will be actuated, deflecting
the rudders J K in a direction depending upon which magnet is excited.
C (Fig. 5) is a battery 2 are the contacts of a relay or relays controlled by
currents in the relay or relay coils (6.g. X Fig. 6). If the contact be established
the coil A is excited and actuates the apparatus as described. Similarly with
regard to contact 2 and coil B.
The coils on the relay or relays which control the contacts 12, are excited at
suitable times by electric currents from batteries (e.g. V Fig. 6) in the circuits of
the coherers (e.g. U Fig. 6) or other contact making devices.
The coil X (Fig. 6) is the coil of a relay which actuates one of the contacts, say r
(Fig. 5) when excited by aid of the battery V. This takes place when the coherer
or other contact making device U is acted upon by electrical impulses collected by
the receivers T T which together with their connections are to be covered

page_text: with an insulating material. The contact 3 is actuated in a similar way by an
apparatus identical with that in Fig. 6 but placed at right angles to it.
It is obvious that the Servo-motor S and its connections can be dispensed with
and the rudders actuated directly by aid of the armature D controlled by the
electro magnets wound with the coils A and B.
It is also obvious that when desirable the mechanism may be duplicated so as to
control another pair of rudders O, P, at right angles to J K as indicated in dotted
lines in Fig. 2.
.
When two rudders (i.e. pairs of rudders) are used as above indicated, if it is
desired to throw one rudder out of operation and bring the other into operation,
this can be effected by aid of the apparatus shown in Figs. 7, 7^, 7º, 7°.
Two relay coils X, X', (Fig. 7) constitute two parts or circuits, one of which is
in circuit with one relay coil X the other with the other relay coil X (Figs. 6 & 7).
When both of the coherers U U or other contact making devices are acted upon
by the electrical impulses received by the receivers T T connected with the con-
ductors so as to close the two circuits simultaneously, the relay X¹ operates,
but otherwise it does not operate because the current to be supplied in one coil X
is not to be of sufficient strength to operate the relay whilst when both coils X¹, X¹,
are supplied with current the current strength is sufficient to operate the relay
i.e. to overcome the resisting force of the contact-maker ³. The magnets A and B
are to be so constructed that when each of the coils A and B are excited the
armature D does not move. The operation of relay X¹ closes a contact 3 (Fig. 7),
this excites an electro-magnet g and attracts its armature h so as to come in contact
with its stop g² fixed to the pole pieces of g, as shown in dotted lines. When the
magnet is not excited its armature rests against a stop gl under the force of a
spring m.
This motion of the armature. h actuates a pawl i engaging with the
teeth of a ratchet wheel j. Each time therefore that the armature is attracted
and released the wheel jis rotated through an angle determined by the stops g¹g³.
C (Fig. 7) is a battery located in the torpedo, a b are its terminals, cfare the
terminals of the coils A, B, of one electro-magnetic mechanism located as in
It is therefore only necessary
Fig. 3; de are the terminals of the other coils A. B.
when changing over from the operation of one rudder to the other to connect a b
respectively to c f or d af This operation is carried out by means of the switch
shown in Figs. 7, 7°. In Figs. 7, 7, 7º, a b c d e f are brushes bearing on a
cylinder p of insulating material carried by a shaft p¹ which also carries the
wheel j. is a circular conductor with projections ¹. is a similar circular
conductor with projections . The brushes a b continuously rub on k respec-
a projec-
tively. and d as the cylinder p rotates rest alternately on
tion
between
an insulating space
such projections .
larly with regard to ef and projections. The throw of the wheel j allowed by
the stops gg is such that when the magnet g operates the switch turns round
through such an angle that ef and c d are alternately brought into position either
on a projection kor or on the insulating space between such projections. In
this manner the operation of gas described is capable of changing over from one
electro-magnetic mechanism A B to the other A¹ B' or vice versa.
11
Or
Simi-
For practical considerations we find it convenient to place the receivers T¹ T²
(diagrammatically indicated in Fig. 6) in the positions shewn in Figs. 1 and 2
and connect them by means of substantial copper conductors t¹t to the coherer or
other contact-making device U inside the torpedo. It is obvious that the relative
positions of these parts may be altered if desired.
Any well known means may be provided for decohering the coherer and for
the purpose of diminishing the effect of the vibrations of the torpedo. If desired
the coherer or other contact-making device may be mounted on springs; and we
may employ a small trembler to tap the coherer, worked by clockwork or other-
5 wise; or we may use the vibrations of the torpedo itself.
When the transmitter is not
The transmitter may be immersed in the water.
immersed in water we may provide instead of T¹ T² a rod or rods of conducting

page_text: metal in contact with the coherer or coherers which rods being suitably jointed
externally to the torpedo are on the launching of the torpedo automatically released
from their normal position on the side of the torpedo and assume a position with
their top or tops out of the water.
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. The combination of receivers, coherers, relays, electro-motor and steering-gear
to be actuated by means of a transmitter or transmitters all substantially as herein-
before described.
:
2. In a torpedo, air ship, et cetera, the combination of parts for the purpose of
throwing one of a pair of rudders out of operation and bringing the other of such
pair of rudders into operation as and for the purposes hereinbefore described with
reference to Figs. 7, 7, 7, 7°, of the drawings.
3. A torpedo constructed substantially as described.