Improvements in the Means or Apparatus Employed for Operating and Controlling Torpedoes.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 14th June, 1887
Complete Left, 12th Jan., 1888
Complete Accepted, 17th Feb., 1888
Improvements in the Means or Apparatus Employed for Operating
and Controlling Torpedoes.
I, ALBERT HENRY SIMPSON of Stourton Lodge, Rothwell, near Leeds, in the
County of York, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
My invention relates to the means employed as hereafter described for driving the
screw or screws, also for regulating the buoyancy of the torpedo, and may be
employed-in-connection with any suitable steering apparatus, whether such steering
apparatus is produced through an electric medium or otherwise.
According to my invention I provide an electric motor or motors in the torpedo
itself, geared to or engaged with the screw or screws. I generate the electricity on a
ship, shore or other convenient place by one or more dynamo electric machines,
actuated by steam engine or other means. The current is conveyed to the motor or
motors in the torpedo from the dynamo along suitable conducting insulated wires or
cables, the cable or wires may be trailed after the torpedo, or any quantity of the
same may be coiled up and carried by the torpedo, such cable being automatically
paid out as the torpedo travels along.
I so arrange by suitable switches in connection with the cable and dynamo, that
the movement of the torpedo may be arrested, reversed, and readily commenced, at
any moment, this being done by reversing the current of electricity or stopping the
same.
In order to increase or reduce the buoyancy of the torpedo, I provide an air
chamber or chambers in the torpedo, in which I at pleasure compress the air, and the
space in the chamber or chambers thus relieved of air is immediately occupied by
water, thereby sinking the torpedo to any required depth, varying in accordance with
the amount of compression of the air and the space taken up by the water.
The compression is produced by a piston or pistons, or other convenient means,

page_text: actuated by a motor on the torpedo, such motor obtaining its power through insulated
wires or cables in connection with a dynamo ou a ship, shore, or other convenient
place. By reducing or taking off the compression of the air, the water is forced out
of the space originally occupied by the air, causing thereby the buoyancy to return,
and the torpedo to rise in the water to a suitable height.
The speed of the torpedo may be increased or reduced by increasing or reducing
the strength of the electric current, also by reversing the action of the screw or
screws, or by causing them to work in opposite directions through the medium of
the motors, the steering operation can be performed. ..
Dated this 14th day of June 1887
J. W. HARDING,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Means or Apparatus Employed for Operating
and Controlling Torpedoes.
I, ALBERT HENRY SIMPSON of Stourton Lodge, Rothwell, near Leeds in the
County of York, Engineer, 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
My invention relates to the means employed as hereafter described, for driving the
screws of torpedoes, such screws being employed for imparting the motion to the
torpedo and also for steering the same. And further these improvements consist in
the means employed for regulating the buoyancy of the torpedo.
The annexed drawing shews a longitudinal section of torpedo constructed in
accordance with my invention.
The torpedo consists of a sheet iron case A provided with the side fins B, also
having the ordinary explosive chamber C.
Within the torpedo I apply the electric motors D. E and F. D and E are employed
for imparting the required motion to the screws G and H respectively through their
shafts I and J, these being engaged with the motors by means of suitable gearing K
and L. The current is conveyed to the motors D. E and F from a dynaino or
dynamoes along suitable insulated wires or cables M N, O P and Q R from ship,
-shore,-or-any-other convenient place.
By roversing the currents of the screw motors D and E, the screws G and H are
caused to move in opposite directions for steering the torpedo, or one may be stopped
and the other allowed to remain in action, also for the purposo of steering, or the
action of the two motors D and E may be in such a direction as to impart like
motions to the two screws G and H in order to impart locomotion to the torpedo.
I so arrange by suitable switches in connection with the cables or wires and dynamo
or dynainoes, that the movement of the torpedo may be arrested, reversed and readily
commenced at any moment, this being done by changing the current of electricity or
stopping the same.
In order to increase or reduce the buoyancy of the torpedo, I provide an air
chamber S in the torpedo, in which I at pleasure compress the air by means of the
piston T; this piston is caused to inove for the above purpose in the direction shewn
by arrow,
and the space U at the other side of the piston T is simultaneously occupied
by water, which passes through opening or openings V in the case of the torpedo,
and thus sinking the torpedo to any required depth. By reversing the action of the
piston T the water is expelled from the chamber S, and the required buoyancy
thereby regained.
The required movement is imparted to the piston T by means of the electric
motor through suitable gearing W, nuts Y and screws ✗ on the piston rods Z,

page_text: and the action of the motor F may be reversed, varied or arrested in the manner
above described for the motors D and E.
The cables or wires may be trailed after the torpedo, or any quantity of the same
may be coiled up and carried by the torpedo, such cable being automatically paid out
as the torpedo travels along.
The speed of the torpedo may be increased or reduced by increasing or reducing
the strength of the electric current.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed; I declare that what
I claim is
1st. A torpedo propelled by electric energy, through the electric motors D and E,
engaged with the screws G and H, and controlled by electric currents, through
electric cables or wires M N and O P from ship, shore or other convenient place,
such electric currents being employed also for varying or changing the direction of
the screws for steering purposos, substantially as described.
2nd. The arrangement of electric apparatus, in combination with the parts for the
admission into or expulsion of water from the chamber S, for the purpose of
increasing or reducing the buoyancy of the torpedo, substantially as herein set
forth.
Dated this 12th day of January 1888
J. W. HARDING,
Agent for the Applicant.