IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRING AND IN GIVING MOTION TO TORPEDOES, PART OF WHICH INVENTION IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO PROPELLING OTHER FLOATING BODIES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Ambrose McEvoy, of the London.
.
Ordnance Works, Bear Lane, Southwark, in the County of Surrey,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRING AND IN GIVING MOTION
TO TORPEDOES, PART OF WHICH INVENTION IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO PROPELLING
OTHER FLOATING BODIES "
Scaled the 4th February 1876, and dated the 7th August 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Ambrose
M'Evoy at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 7th August 1875.
I, CHARLES AMBROSE McEvoy, of the London Ordnance Works, Bear
Lane, Southwark, in the County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRING AND IN GIVING MOTION
TO TORPEDOES, PART OF WHICH INVENTION IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO PROPELLING
OTHER FLOATING BODIES," to be as follows:-
:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in firing and in giving
motion to torpedoes, part of which Invention is also applicable to
propelling other floating bodies.

page_text: The first part of this Invention relates to means of causing torpedoes
to explode when required, and this I do in various ways. Sometimes it
is desired that the torpedo should explode either when touched by a
ship or when it is seen from shore, or from a torpedo boat that a ship is
sufficiently near. To effect this I connect the torpedo to the shore or to
a torpedo boat by three wires, which by preference are enclosed in one
cable. Two of these wires lead from the battery (on shore, or on the
torpedo boat) to the contact maker on the torpedo, which contact maker
may be of any ordinary construction, or made as herein-after described,
and is such that when the torpedo is touched by a vessel the circuit is
completed, and since the circuit includes the fuse on the torpedo it
follows that the torpedo explodes. The third wire connects the fuse on
the torpedo with a contact maker on shore, or on the torpedo boat, so
that the circuit may also be completed and the torpedo fired when
desired by closing this contact maker.
.
In cases where it would be difficult to arrange the torpedo so that it
should be struck exactly on its nose, I provide its nose with a spindle
carrying projecting arms or a projecting cone or cup. This spindle
carries an india-rubber washer, which is held against a collar on it by a
nut, which when screwed up squeezes the washer against the collar, and
thus makes a water-tight joint. The spindle is attached to the nose of
the torpedo in a similar manner by a nut, which clips the outer part of
this india-rubber washer between it and a collar on the body of the
torpedo. The base of the spindle, which is plane, rests upon a disc
carried by a vertical spindle from the inside of the torpedo. This disc
is pressed against the base of the upper spindle by a coiled spring, and
carries on its under side a projection, which forms a contact maker with
the ends of the two wires from the battery.
If the cone or arms carried by the outer spindle is struck the spindle
is tilted to one side (the india-rubber washer being flexible), and the
disc, on which the bottom of the spindle rests, is thereby pressed
downwards, which causes contact to be made between the projection on
its under side and the wires from the battery, thereby completing the
circuit and exploding the torpedo.
In torpedoes which are carried by a spar from a torpedo boat I form
the clectric circuit closer at their nose as follows:-In the nose of the
torpedo I screw in by a thread on its flange a cylindrical bearing or

page_text: tube closed at its bottom. In this bearing works a spindle carrying a
button, which is pressed outwards by a coiled spring at the bottom of
the bearing. The wires from the battery pass through holes in the
flange of the bearing, and are carried by a non-conducting washer resting
5 upon it, and have their ends projecting. The under side of the button,
upon the spindle, carries projecting springs or contact makers, which
when the button is pressed downwards by striking against any object
come into contact with the ends of the wires, thereby completing the
circuit and exploding the torpedo. This contact making apparatus I
› enclose in a flexible india-rubber bag or capsule, so that the water is
excluded from it and from the torpedo. This bag or capsule is formed
with a flange, which is clipped between a collar on the nose of the
torpedo and a nut screwed on to it, so as to make a water-tight
joint. A percussion fuse can be constructed in a similar manner
by replacing the contact making springs on the disc by a sharp
edged cup, and the ends of the wires from the battery by a patch of
fulminate.
1
I construct a self-acting percussion fuse for an anchored torpedo as
follows: Inside the torpedo I have a vertical tube, and on a flange in
this tube rests a collar, to which is fixed a hollow spindle: This spindle
carries at its upper end a ball, and at its lower end a small powder
chamber or fuse. Around the spindle under the flange is a coiled
spring, which is compressed by a screw nut on the spindle, so that the
collar on the spindle can be pressed down on to the flange with any
desired pressure, and the tendency of the ball to oscillate is thereby'
controlled. The ball at the top of the hollow spindle has around its
circumference a horizontal groove, which is connected to the hollow of
the spindle by holes bored through the ball. This groove is filled with
fulminate, and the hollow spindle being filled with powder the flash of
the fulminate is communicated to the powder of the fuse, and from.
thence to the charge of the torpedo. Around the inside of the tube
there is a sharp projecting ring at the same level as the fulminate on
the ball; but of sufficient diameter for the ball not to touch it when at
rest. If however the ball is caused by a blow against the torpedo to
swing to one side, and this it is free to do, since it is only held by the '
collar and spring; the fulminate comes into contact with the sharp ring
and is thereby exploded, and the flash descending by the powder in the **
hollow spindle to the fuse explodes it' and fires the torpedo. To

page_text: -enable-a-torpedo--with-this-arrangement-of-fuse to be moved with
safety I employ a spindle, which is passed through a hole at the top of
the torpedo, and enters into a small hole in the top of the ball, thereby
preventing it from swinging from side to side when the torpedo is
moved. This spindle is pressed outwards by a coiled spring, and its
upper end is enclosed by a flexible bag or capsule, such as is herein-
before described, so that the water is prevented from entering the
torpedo. When it is desired to move the torpedo the spindle is pressed
down, so as to fix the ball, and is then held in this position by a pin
passed through the cap or nut of the flexible capsule. When the
torpedo is anchored in place this pin is withdrawn by a line, thereby
allowing the spindle to rise and free the ball. In place of firing the
torpedo by percussion this arrangement of fuse can be made to work by
electricity. In this case the ball will be carried by a solid spindle; a
button on a spring, one end of which is connected to one wire of the
battery, will rest on a point at the top of the ball in such manner that
when the ball is swung to one side the other end of the spring will
descend and make contact with the other wire from the battery, and
thereby explode the torpedo. In this case the safety arrangement for
holding the ball will not be required, as the battery will not be put in
circuit until the torpedo is in place. The fuse may therefore be placed
at the bottom instead of the top of the torpedo.
Sometimes it is desired to attack a vessel with a torpedo boat without
incurring the danger of having to take the boat close to the vessel to
place and explode a torpedo. I therefore in some cases provide the
torpedo with locomotive power sufficient to carry it a short distance
(say 100 yards). To effect this I provide the torpedo with a reservoir of
water containing a carbonate and also a flask of acid, which can be
broken when desired by a trigger pulled from the boat. The fluid
under pressure thus produced is used to give motion to the torpedo,
either by allowing it to escape through a hole at the rear end, or in the
following manner:-At the rear end of the torpedo I provide a hori-
zontal pipe which carries transverse arms, which are free to rotate on
the pipe. These arms are hollow, and are curved so as to point
tangentially at their ends, so that when the fluid from the pipe passes
through them they rotate. The hollow arms. carry screw blades, which
are either fixed to the arms themselves or to an axis fixed to them, and
forming a continuation of the pipe. Thus the fluid under pressure

page_text: when forced out of the torpedo through the pipe and its curved arms
causes the screw blades to revolve and propels the torpedo. This
method of propulsion is also applicable to other floating bodies.
Air or other fluid under pressure may also be used instead of the
chemical mixture for producing water under pressure.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Ambrose M'Evoy in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 7th February 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
AMBROSE McEvoy, of the London Ordnance Works, Bear Lane,
Southwark, in the County of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Charles Ambrose McEvoy, Her special
license that I, the said Charles Ambrose McEvoy, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Ambrose
M'Evoy, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRING AND IN GIVING MOTION TO TORPEDOES,
PART OF WHICH INVENTION IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO PROPELLING OTHER FLOATING
BODIES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Charles Ambrose McEvoy, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six.
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Ambrose M'Evoy, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say!-
This Invention has for its object improvements in firing and in giving
motion to torpedoes, part of which Invention is also applicable to
propelling other floating bodies.
The first part of this Invention relates to means of causing torpedoes
to explode when required, and this I do in various ways; sometimes it
is desired that the torpedo should explode either when touched by a ship
or when it is seen from shore, or from a torpedo boat that a ship is
sufficiently near. To effect this I connect the torpedo to the shore or
to a torpedo boat by three wires, which by preference are enclosed in
one cable. Two of these wires lead from the battery (on shore or on
the torpedo boat) to the contact maker on the torpedo, which contact
maker may be of any. ordinary construction, or made as herein-after
described, and is such that when the torpedo is touched by a vessel the
circuit is completed, and since the circuit includes the fuse on the
torpedo it follows that the torpedo explodes. The third wire connects
the fuse on the torpedo with a contact maker on shore or on the torpedo
boat, so that the circuit may also be completed and the torpedo fired
when desired by closing this contact maker.
The above described arrangement for firing torpedoes is shewn at
Figure 1 of the Drawings hereunto annexed. In this Figure A represents
the battery, which may be on shore or in a torpedo boat; B is the
torpedo, shown in the Drawing to be carried at the end of a spar C;
D is a platinum wire or other electrical fuse in the interior of the
torpedo; E, E', are two wires leading from the opposite poles of the
battery to a contact maker F on the nose of the torpedo. This contact
maker may be constructed in the manner herein-after described, or in
other suitable manner, to make contact between the wires whenever the
torpedo is touched by, a vessel. In one of the lines of wire E' is the
electrical fuse D, so that, when contact is made between the wires E, E',
the current passes through the fuse and explodes the torpedo. The
wire E has, leading from it near to the battery a branch wire G which
passes to a contact maker H, and from this contact maker a wire G¹ is
led with the other wires E, E¹, to the torpedo, and it is coupled to the

page_text: wire E¹ between the fuse D'and contact maker F. When an electrical
communication is established between the wires G, G¹, by means of the
contact maker H a current will likewise be passed through the fuse and
the torpedo caused to explode.
I claim as respects this part of my Invention the combined arrange-
ment above described for firing torpedoes, by means of which a single
fuse can be employed to fire a torpedo either when the torpedo is struck
by a vessel or when the fuse is set into action by a contact maker on
shore or on a torpedo boat.
In cases where it would be difficult to arrange the torpedo so that it
should be struck exactly on its nose I provide its nose with a spindle
carrying projecting arms or a projecting cone or cup. This spindle
carries an india-rubber washer which is held against a collar on it by a
nut, which when screwed up squeezes the washer against the collar and
thus makes a water-tight joint.. The spindle is attached to the nose of
the torpedo in a similar manner by a nut which clips the outer part of
this india-rubber washer between it and a collar on the body of the
torpedo. The base of the spindle which is plane rests upon à disc
carried by a vertical spindle from the inside of the torpedo. This disc
is pressed against the base of the upper spindle by a coiled spring, and
carries on its under side a projection which forms a contact maker with
the ends of the two wires from the battery.
If the cone or arms carried by the outer spindle is struck the spindle
is tilted to one side (the india-rubber washer being flexible) and the disc
on which the bottom of the spindle rests is thereby pressed downwards,
which causes contact to be made between the projection on its under
side and the wires from the battery, thereby completing the circuit and
exploding the torpedo.
The arrangement above described is shewn at Figure 2. A is the
nose or end of the metallic case of a torpedo, on to which is soldered a
ring B having a screw thread cut around its exterior; C is a short
metallic cylinder fitting within the ring B and having an external flange
to rest upon the top of the ring, a washer being placed between the
flange and ring, as shewn; through the bottom of the cylinder C passes
a rod D; the upper end of this rod is formed with a disc head D', whilst
the lower end of the rod is acted upon by a coiled spring E, as shown;
F, F, are the ends of wires coming from opposite poles of a.battery G,

page_text: a disc of insulating material in which the heads of the wires F are held;
above the disc D' is another disc H' on a spindle H; J is a thick washer
of india-rubber surrounding the spindle; K is a nut which is screwed
on to the spindle and presses the washer against the top of the disc H';
L is a cup, or it might be a number of arms, fixed to the head of the
spindle H; M is a nut which screws on to the screw thread on the
exterior of the ring A, and M' an internal collar on the nut to nip
the outer circumference of the elastic washer between itself and the top
of the cylinder C. If the cup L is struck and either moved inwards
towards the torpedo or tilted to one side the disc H¹ will press inwards
the disc D¹, a dished metallic plate N on the under side of this dise will
thereby be brought on to the heads of the wires F and establish an
electric communication between them. This will allow a current to
pass through the fuse as before explained, and the torpedo will con-
sequently he exploded

page_text: Figure 3 shows an electric circuit closer constructed as above described
for exploding torpedoes. B is a ring fixed to the nose or end of the
metallic case of a torpedo; C, a tube fitting partly within the ring and
closed at its lower end; D is a spindle carrying a disc head D¹; the
spindle works in a cylindrical bearing at the centre of the cylinder C,
and is pressed outwards by a coiled spring as shown; O, is a cap of
vulcanized india-rubber with a projecting flange O¹; M is a nut which
screws on to the exterior of the ring B and presses the flange of the cap
O against a flange on the tube C, and also presses this latter flange
against the end of the ring B; F, F, are wires coming from the opposite
poles of a battery and connected to metallic heads F'. These heads
project beyond a disc G of insulating material, as shown; N is a dished
metallic plate at the back of the head D'. When the head is driven in
by a blow the dished plate N comes against the heads of the wires F
and establishes an electric connection between them, so allowing .a
current to pass through the electric fuse employed and exploding the
torpedo, as before explained.
Figure 4 shows a percussion fuse constructed in substantially the
same manner. In this apparatus the back end of the stem D of the
disc D¹ forms a narrow edged striker to strike against a patch of
fulminate at Q, and the explosion of the fulminate is transmitted
through the tube R to the explosive charge of the torpedo.
I claim as respects this part of my Invention the construction of
apparatus for exploding torpedoes, substantially as above described and
illustrated at Figures 3 and 4.
I construct a self-acting percussion fuse for an anchored torpedo as
follows: Inside the torpedo I have a vertical tube, and on a flange
in this tube rests a collar, to which is fixed a hollow spindle. This
spindle carries at its upper end ball, and at its lower end a small
powder chamber or fuse around the spindle; under the flange is a coiled
spring, which is compressed by a screw nut on the spindle, so that the
collar on the spindle can be pressed down on to the flange with any
desired pressure, and the tendency of the ball to oscillate is thereby
controlled. The ball at the top of the hollow spindle has around its
circumference a horizontal groove, which is connected to the hollow of
the spindle by holes bored through the ball. This groove is filled with
fulminate, and the hollow spindle being filled with powder the flash of

page_text: powder of the fuse, and from
Around the inside of the tube
same level as the fulminate on
the fulminate is communicated to the
thence to the charge of the torpedo.
there is a sharp projecting ring at the
the ball, but of sufficient diameter for the ball not to touch it when at
rest. If however the ball is caused by a blow against the torpedo to
swing to one side, and this it is free to do, since it is only held by the
collar and spring, the fulminate comes into contact with the sharp ring
and is thereby exploded, and the flash descending by the powder in the
hollow spindle to the fuse explodes it and fires the torpedo. Or other
arrangements may be adopted, as herein-after explained, for causing
the movement of a ball mounted in the manner above described to
detonate a fuse and fire a torpedo.
To enable a torpedo with this arrangement of fuse to be moved with
safety I employ a safety rod, which is passed through a hole at the top
of the torpedo and enters into a small hole in the top of the ball, thereby
preventing it from swinging from side to side when the torpedo is moved.
This safety rod is pressed outwards by a coiled spring, and its upper
end is enclosed by a flexible bag or capsule, such as is herein-before
described, so that the water is prevented from entering the torpedo.
When it is desired to move the torpedo the safety rod is pressed down
so as to fix the ball, and is then held in this position by a pin passed
through the cap or nut of the flexible capsule. When the torpedo is
anchored in place this pin is withdrawn by a line, thereby allowing the
spindle to rise and free the ball. In place of firing the torpedo by
percussion this arrangement of fuse or firing mechanism can be made
to work by electricity, as herein-after explained.
Figure 5 shows a vertical section of a percussion fuse constructed in
the manner above described.
A is a vertical tube with an internal flange A¹; on this flange rests a
collar B¹ on the hollow vertical spindle B; C is a ball at the top of this
spindle; and D is a small powder chamber at its lower end; E is a
coiled spring compressed between the under side of the flange A¹ and a
nut F screwed on to the lower end of the spindle; C₁ is a horizontal
groove formed around the ball C and filled with fulminate; c are small
holes leading from this groove to the central hollow of the spindle ;
G is a sharp ring, which is held at a distance from the ball, and with
the sharp edge at the same level as the fulminate. When the ball is by

page_text: a blow thrown against this ring the torpedo is exploded, as above
explained; H is the safety rod which is used to lock the ball whenever
it is required to move the torpedo. This rod passes out through a hole
at the top of the torpedo as shown, and is pressed outwards by a coiled
spring K; L is a flexible cap covering over the top of the safety rod and
forming a water-tight joint. To lock the ball the safety rod is pressed
inwards; the inner end of the safety rod then enters a hole in the top
of the ball and prevents it from swaying to and fro. The safety rod
is then secured by a pin M in the manner shown by the Drawing.
Figure 6 shews a modified arrangement of the percussion fuse or
firing mechanism above described. In this modified arrangement a
hammer and lock of the nature of a gun lock are used for causing the
detonation whenever the ball C is swung over to one side. The
spindle B carrying the ball C is as shewn mounted in the same way as
in the apparatus shewn at Figure 5, and a safety rod H and locking
pin M are used for retaining the ball to allow of the torpedo being
moved with safety. The lower end of the spindle B has jointed to it
by a ball-and-socket joint a rod N. The lower end of this rod passes
through a disc A³ fixed in the interior of the tube A. Below this disc
is another disc A³, upon which is mounted the hammer O, acted upon
by a spring P. A nipple covered with a percussion cap is within the
screwed cover Q. Upon the top of the cap rests a small striker R,
which rises up through the top of the cover as shewn. When the
hammer is drawn back into the position shewn by the dotted lines the
shoulder O on the hammer comes behind the lower end of the rod N,
and is retained by it so long as the ball C keeps in a central position.
If however the torpedo is struck by a vessel, and the rod A carrying the
ball is canted over to one side, the rod N jointed to it is drawn upwards
and the hammer is released. The hammer then descends and fires the
cap. The flash from the cap passes to the charge of the torpedo and
the torpedo is exploded.
Figure 7 shews an arrangement in which a spindle B and ball C
mounted in the manner previously described are used, together with a
contact making apparatus for bringing into action a platinum wire or
other fuse worked by electricity. In this arrangement the lower end of
the spindle B is of a rounded form, and when the spindle is in a vertical
position this rounded end bears upon and depresses a rounded button
carried by a metal spring R. The fixed end of this spring is coupled

page_text: to a wire S-leading-from-one-pole-of-a-battery, whilst-the-wire T.from
the other pole of the battery is coupled to a small metal plate U. When
the spring is depressed, as shown in the Drawing, by the lower end of
the spindle B bearing upon it, the free end of the spring is below and
out of contact with the metal plate U; but whenever the torpedo is
struck by a vessel and the spindle and ball are thrown over to one side,
contact is made, and the torpedo is thereby exploded:
With the above-described arrangement of circuit closer or firing
mechanism the safety rod for holding the ball will not be required, as
the battery will not be put into circuit until the torpedo is in place.
The circuit closer may therefore, if desired, be placed at the bottom
instead of at the top of 'the torpedo. Circuit closers constructed as
above described are applicable not only for firing torpedoes, but also
for signalling purposes. With torpedo fuses which require to be pro-
vided with a safety locking rod to retain the fuse or firing mechanism
out of action until the torpedo has been placed in position as described
with reference to Figures 5 and 6, in place of employing a locking
pin M to retain the safety rod the safety rod may be retained by a disc
of papier maché in the manner shewn at Figure 8. In this Figure S
is a papier maché disc held down by a hollow nut T on to the top of the
flexible cap L, which covers over the top of the safety rod as previously
described. The papier maché disc when tightly screwed down keeps the
safety rod in its place in the ball, but after the torpedo has been moored
some hours the papier maché disc softens sufficiently to allow the spring
which acts upon the safety rod to force the rod outwards, thus releasing
the ball and leaving the firing mechanism in a condition to explode the.
torpedo on its receiving a shock. The papier maché disc may be used
either alone or in combination with a locking pin M acting in the
manner described with reference to Figures 5 and 6.
The employment of a disc of papier maché for rendering mechanical
torpedos safe whilst they are being moored has many advantages over
the use of soluble cement, which it has before been proposed to use for
this purpose, owing to the fact that the papier maché does not dissove,
but simply softens, this peculiarity giving it greater durability and
firmness, and rendering it less liable to be effected by moisture during
transportation.
I claim as respects this part of my. Invention,―
יגד

page_text: torpedos when struck and the construction of electric circuit closers,
substantially as herein-before described.
Second. The mounting the moveable weight of self-acting torpedo
fuses or firing mechanism upon a spindle retained in a vertical position
by a spring, acting substantially in the manner herein-before described.
Third. The employment of a disc of papier maché substantially as
herein-before described, for rendering self-acting torpedoes safe during
the time they are being moored.
Sometimes it is desired to attack a vessel with a torpedo boat without
incurring the danger of having to take the boat close to the vessel to
place and explode a torpedo. I therefore in some cases provide the
torpedoc with locomotive sufficient to carry it a short distance (say 100
yards). To effect this I provide the torpedo with a reservoir of water
containing a carbonate, and also a flask of acid, which can be broken
when desired by a trigger pulled from the boat. The fluid under
pressure thus produced is used to give motion to the torpedo either by
allowing it to escape through a hole at the rear end or in the following
manner:- At the rear end of the torpedo I provide a horizontal pipe,
which carries transverse arms, which are free to rotate on or with the
pipe. These arms are hollow, and are curved so as to point tangentially
at their ends, so that when the fluid from the pipe passes through them
they rotate. The hollow arms carry screw blades, which are either fixed
to the arms themselves or to an axis fixed to them and forming a con-
tinuation of the pipe. Thus the fluid under pressure when forced out
of the torpedo through the pipe and its curved arms causes the screw
blades to revolve and propels the torpedo. This method of propulsion
is also applicable to other floating bodies.
Air or other fluid under pressure may also be used instead of the
chemical, mixture for producing water under pressure to be used for
actuating a propeller in the manner above described.
A torpedo provided with a propeller to be driven by fluid under
pressure is shewn at Figure 9. A is a reservoir fixed to the rear end
of the torpedo and filled with water containing a carbonate; in the
reservoir is also the flask B containing acid. On the exterior of the
reservoir are radial webs A¹ to impede the torpedo from revolving. The
torpedo when required for use is placed into a holder C, which may be
carried on the end of a spar.

page_text: J
breakage of a bottle of acid within it can be put under pressure and
utilized for propelling the torpedo for a short distance,, substantially as
described.
Second. The construction of a revolving propeller to be actuated by
fluid under pressure, substantially as herein-before described, applicable
for propelling torpedoes and other floating bodies.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Ambrose McEvoy, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of February,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six.