Improvements in Means and Mechanism for Propelling, Controlling, Exploding, and Steering Torpedoes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Nov., 1889-Accepted 11th Jan., 1890
OUME LETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means and Mechanism for Propelling, Controlling,
Exploding, and Steering Torpedoes.
I GEORGE READ MURPHY of 9 Fenchurch Avenue London, Gentleman, 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 Improvements in means and mechanism for propelling,
controlling, exploding, and steering Torpedos similar to those known as
"Whitehead
Torpedos" and consists in the application of certain novel features or mechanism
hereinafter fully described in combination with known means, devices, or appliances
for more conveniently and readily propelling, steering, exploding, and controlling,
Torpedos than heretofore either from the Shore for Harbor Defence or from a Ship
attacking or defensive purposes. My improvements further comprise certain internal
arrangements for the purpose of facilitating the carrying out of the above mentioned
objects. The motive power used for propelling my improved Torpedo is compressed
air, and one of the important features of my improvements is the control of the
admission of such compressed air to the engine by means of an electric motor. The
engine which I prefer to use for actuating the screw propeller is Brotherhood's high
speed air engine but any other efficient air engine may likewise answer for the purpose
of my Invention.
My improved means for controlling Torpedos consists of a flexible gutta percha
cable of a specific gravity equal to that of sea water or thereabout part of which is
coiled and stowed away in the aft part of the Torpedo while the other portion is
stored on shore, or on the ships and first paid out when the Torpedo is started, that
part of the cable which is contained in the latter is freely unwound either when the
valve controlling the admission of compressed air to the engine is fully opened by an
electric motor and the Torpedo is driven at full speed or when the tension exerted
upon such cable exceeds a pressure of from 5 to 7 lbs.
This cable contains three separate insulated copper wires by means of which th
power necessary for controlling raising, steering, and exploding, is transmitted from
the shore for harbour defence which will be the application hereinafter referred to for
convenience of description.
One of the objects of this cable is to enable the Torpedo to be recovered when
practising or when the charge was not exploded.
For steering and raising purposes I make use of two rudders, a vertical and a
horizontal rudder, the former serving to steer the torpedo in any desired direction
while the latter enables the saine to be raised from any depth to the surface of the
water. The Torpedo is sunk to the bottom of the sea or a river by allowing the air
stored below the admission pipe to escape and water to take its place and it is raised
by opening the admission pipe when the comprised air admitted will force the water
out and thereby render the Torpedo buoyant -Or the latter may be caused to rise
more or less rapidly by suitably manoeuving the horizontal rudder.
The depth which the Torpedo has to reach is fixed or set by a depth registering
apparatus of ordinary construction carried in the torpedo.
The rulders are actuated by means of rods set in motion by two electric motors an.l
suitable bevil or other gear-The horizontal rudder is connected with a bydrostatic
valve and balance actuated by one of the said electric motors..
My improved Torpedo is controlled steered raised and exploded by means of three
magneto electric motors driven from shore by the three copper wires of the above
mentioned cable.
These magneto electric motors may be of any suitable construction and form no

page_text: separate part of my invention-One of these motors is used as already stated for
regulating the admission of compressed air to the engine and hence for controlling
the speed of the torpedos. .
Another motor serves for actuating the rudder and consequently for steering the
Torpedo in any desired direction while the third motor operates the horizontal rudder
the wire transmitting the electric current thereto serving likewise to ignite the
explosive charge. The electric currents actuating these three magneto electric motors
from the shore by means of the three copper wires enclosed in the cable aforesaid are
produced by suitable batteries or by a dynamo electric machine placed on shore and
driven by any suitable motor such as a water wheel, windmill, or the like actuated by
water wind or any other source of power which may be conveniently and inexpen-
sively utilized. The electric currents are controlled and regulated by three switches
one for each wire, these switches effecting the transmission of the electric currents
of various intensities. Suitable devices may be used for reversing some of the
currents so that if a current of varying intensity is used to open more or less
according to its intensity the compressed air admission valve a reverse current of
varying intensity will be needed for closing the said valve more or less.
According to a modification of my invention I dispense with the hydrostatic valve
and the horizontal rudder before mentioned and I use instead a vessel or float
resembling in form and shape that of the Torpedo and provided with a compressed
air reservoir and a high speed air engine similar to those of the Torpedo. This
floating vessel is furnished with a fin and attached by a cable to the Torpedo in such
a manner that the propulsion of the former will be started as a consequence of the
forward motion of the torpedo by means of a suitable valve operated by the latter
during such motion. The object of this arrangement is to enable the float to have a
certain velocity of its own so that it should not be a drag upon the Torpedo there
being however a difference of about 5 knots between the speeds of the two vessels.
Referring now more particularly to the constructive details of my improvements
my torpedo consists of a cigar shaped steel shell divided into six compartments or
chambers which is arranged in successive order from fore to aft contain the explosive
charge, the compressed air, the high speed air engine, the depth registering apparatus,
the three electric motors, and the portion of the cable coiled or stowed away in the
Torpedo proper. It may be necessary to vary this order but in the largest of my
Torpedos it will be observed.
The fore part of the Torpedo containing the explosive charge is furnished with a
fuse and cap by means of which it can be exploded when coming into contact with
an obstacle and this part is moreover detachable from the rest of the torpedo being
only adjusted thereto at the time of starting in action.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood I have shewn the
same in the two accompanying sheets of illustrative drawings in which like letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the figures.
Figure 1 is a side view of my improved Torpedo shewing diagrammatically the
general arrangement of the various compartments or chambers.
Figure 2 is a plan of the Torpedo.
Figure 3 is a top view of the same shewing more particularly the mode of con
trolling the horizontal rudder by a hydrostatic valve.
Figure 4 is a sectional plan of a portion of the torpedo shewing more particularly
the electric motors and some of the contents of the adjoining compartments or
chambers.
Figures 5 and 6 illustrate the manner in which the cable is coiled or stowed away
in the aft compartment of the torpedo.
Figures 7 and 8 shew respectively in plan and longitudinal section the releasing
gear used for that part of the cable which is stowed in the torpedo-Figure 9 is a
section on line a. b. of Figure 8.
Figure 10. illustrates diagrammatically the electrical apparatus on shore as well as
the wire connections between the land battery switch and electric motors of the
Torpedo.

page_text: Figure 11 shews the float attached to the Torpedo and Figures 12 and 13 represent
details thereof. As shewn in Figures 1, 2 and 3-my improved Torpedo consists of
a cigar shaped shell S of steel or other suitable metal divided internally in 6 com-
partments A. B. C. D. E. F. The compartment A. is designed to contain chiefly.one
end portion of the cable X. made of gutta percha, india rubber or other suitable
flexible material which is coiled therein in the manner clearly shewn in Figures 5
and 6 and contains the three line wires W. W' W" (Figures 8 and 10). The com-
partment or chamber B. contains the 3 magneto electric motors M. M₁ M" (Fig. 4).
The compartment contains the apparatus for regulating the depth at which the
Torpedo has to be sunk or raised. This kind of apparatus is well known and need
not be described or illustrated.
The compartment 1) contains a Brotherhood high-speed air engine and the
adjoining compartment E. contains the compressed air the admission pipe p which
passes through the compartment D and enters the compartment (being therein
fitted with a suitable valve opened or closed by the motor M" as shewn in figure 4
and finally conveyed back to the compartment D where it is connected to the inlet
opening of the engine. Lastly the compartment and fore part F which is detachable
from the remaining parts of the Torpedo contains the explosive charge.-This compart-
ment chamber or casing F may be connected to the compartment E by any suitable
spring catch or screw joint or in any other convenient manner and has a fuse and
cap by means of which the charge can be exploded when the said fore part F
comes into contact with an obstacle-it has also a detonating charge which the
motor M will at any time at the will of the operator cause to explode the
explosive.
The engine in compartment D drives the main shaft O which rotates the two screw
propellors k mounted thereon.
The cable x one end of which is as above stated coiled in compartment A passes
(Figure 5) through the disengaging gear or device shown separately in Figures 7, 8,
and 9, and is finally led over a roller N (Fig. 4) in order to be paid out.
This engaging gear consists of a tube a containing a catch J pivoted thereto and
held in a depressed position by a spring J₁ fixed on the top of the same tube-In
this position the catch J bars the passage of the bulb 2 formed in any suitable manner
upon the cable and is so regulated as to be raised when a tensile strain equivalent
to a pressure of 5 or 7 lbs. is applied thereto the bulb being released and the cable
consequently freed ready for paying out purposes.
In order that the catch may be also raised when the admission valve is fully
opened and the Torpedo is propelled at full speed a wire K¹ is attached to the end
of the catch J as shewn and passes over a pulley Z and through a suitable guard
on the top of tube conveying it to the said valve to which it is attached and which
when fully opened by the electric motor M" pulls this wire and raises the catch
thus releasing the cable-This cable a contains as above mentioned three line
wires W. W W" connected at one end with the three motors M M¹ M¹¹ on board
the Torpedo and at the other with the shore battery Q or dynamos through three
switches only one of which S' is shown in the drawings figure 10. The motor M
actuates by means of the rod operated by the bevel gearing G the vertical rudder R
of the Torpedo and according to the intensity of the current regulated by the
switch S' the said rudder is moved to a greater or less extent in one direction being.
turned in an opposite direction by a reversal of the current effected by a suitable
commutator-The explosive charge is ignited or exploded by a current in derivation
from the main current sent along the line wire W to the motor M' which releases
a spring or in any other suitable matter all such details being well known by
electricians and forming no distinct part of my invention.
The motor M actuates the horizontal rudder H by means of which the Torpedo
can be raised to the surface. This rudder H is manoeuvred by the rod operated
with the aid of suitable gearing by the motor M¹ and is more or less turned in one
or the other direction according as a direct or reversed current of great or small
intensity is sent through the second switch the current being in the latter case

page_text: reversed by a suitable commutator-The motor M" serves to open and close the valve
regulating the admission of compressed air to the engine through the pipe P and is
actuated by a current sent along the line wire W through the third switch such
current being reversed by a suitable commutator or spring when the valve has to be
closed. This opening or closing of the valve by the motor may be obviously carried
out by any suitable spring mechanism which has no need to be shewn on the
drawings. According to a modification of my Invention I dispense with the depth
registering apparatus and with the horizontal rudder and use instead a float as shown
in Figure 11.-This float is provided with an air engine and a reservoir E¹
containing compressed air similar to those contained in the Torpedo and is thus
furnished with power which is an important feature of my invention.-This float is
attached to the Torpedo below by means of a cable in such a manner that cock V
Fig. 12 regulating the admission of the compressed air to the engine in the float
may be actuated thereby in any suitable manner as soon as the Torpedo is propelled
so that the said float shall not be a heavy irag upon the Torpedo and shall have a
speed inferior by about five knots an hour to that of the torpedo.
My improved float is provided with a top fin T which is intended to be always
exposed above the water.
Figure 12 is a cross section of the float or line X X of figure 11 and figure 13
is a portion of the side elevation of the float shewing the compressed air chamber E¹.
t is a spiral spring, one end of which is attached to a bracket fixed to the sides of
the chamber E¹ while the other end is secured to a lever fixed to the spindle of
the cock V.
A wire connection from this spring passes over one roller and under another as
shewn at U. in figure 13. This wire is preferably enclosed in a tube.-As it leaves
the rollers this wire is attached to my Torpedo proper.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my Inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I declare that what i
claim is :-
1-In Torpedos the control by means of one or more electric motors of the fluid
motive power used for actuating the engine which drives the propeller of the Torpedo
substantially as and for the purpose setforth.
2-In Torpedos the storage or coiling therein of one end of the cable transmitting
the electro motive force the other end of which is stored or coiled on the shore or
in a ship substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
3-In Torpedos the means for automatically releasing under the application of a
predetermined tension the cable. stored or coiled therein and likewise for releasing
the same through the agency of the Electric motor controlling the valve admitting
the fluid power to the engine substantially as and for the purpose setforth.
4-The combination with the Torpedo above claimed of a float carrying its own
motive power and engine wherein the valve regulating the admission of such power
to the said engine is opened by the tension exerted by the Torpedo upon the cable
connecting the float therewith substantially and for the purpose described..
5-The improvements in means and mechanism for propelling controlling and
steering Torpedos arranged combined and operating substantially as and for the
purpose described..
Dated this 21st day of November 1889.
RAYNER & CASSELL,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.