Improvements in Torpedoes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 29th July, 1899-Accepted, 17th Mar., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Torpedoes.
I, EMIL GATHMANN, of No. 1511, U Street, N.W., Washington, in the District
of Columbia and United States of America, 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: —
This invention relates to torpedoes and more particularly to that class known
as fish torpedoes, and has for its object to provide means for isolating or separating
the detonator or detonating charge from the bursting charge of the torpedo
during the handling of the same and prior to its actual discharge, along with
automatic mechanism whereby, during the passage of the torpedo through the
water, the detonator or detonating charge is moved into close proximity to the
bursting charge of the torpedo so as to become effective in exploding said charge
when the torpedo meets a resisting object..
To these ends my invention consists in certain novel features which I will now
proceed to describe and will then particularly point out in the claims.
Referring to the accompanying drawings,
torpedo
Figure Ĭ is a longitudinal section of the front end or head of a
embodying my invention in one form, the parts being shown in the position
assumed by them before or at the time of discharging the torpedo;
Figure 2 is a similar view, showing the position which the parts assume after
the torpedo has been discharged and has travelled a sufficient distance to bring
the several portions of the mechanism into proper position for exploding the
torpedo;
Figure 3 is a detail elevation of the extreme forward end of the torpedo shown
in Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 4 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of the forward end
of a torpedo embodying my invention in another form, the parts being shown in
the safety position, or that which they assume during handling and at the time of
discharge; and
Figure 5 is a sectional view, showing the construction illustrated in Figure 4,
with the parts in operative position to explode the torpedo.
Referring first to the construction shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings,
I indicates the shell or body of the torpedo, which contains a bursting charge 2
of wet gun cotton. At its forward end the body or shell is provided with a head
block 3, having a central aperture 4 to receive the detonator or fuse, there being
formed in the body of the bursting charge 2 a fuseway or recess 5, which is
preferably surrounded by a casing 6 of comparatively weak or easily frangible
metal, such as thin brass or copper, and which is secured at its forward end to
the head block 3. 7 indicates the fuse or detonator as a whole, comprising a
cylindrical casing having a thin and easily frangible lateral wall 8 and a thick
strong base 9, forming a block or partition, which is interposed between the
detonating charge 10 contained within the fuse, and the bursting charge 2 of the
torpedo when the parts are in the safety position shown in Figure 1 of the
drawings. This fuse or detonator is adapted to fit and move in the aperture
and fuseway 5 and when applied to the torpedo is maintained normally in the
position shown in Figure 1, with its detonating charge outside of and separated

page_text: these latter are also moved inward correspondingly against the action of the
spring 12. When this inward movement of the pins 11 has withdrawn them
clear of the recesses 13, the fuse 7 is then free to yield to the pressure caused
by the resistance of the water to the forward motion of the torpedo and moves
backward along the fuseway into the position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings,
in which its detonating charge is brought into immediate proximity to the
bursting charge of the torpedo. In this position of the parts, the torpedo is
ready to be exploded upon contact with the object aimed at. When the particular
construction shown in Figures 1 and 2 is employed, the forward movement of the
torpedo through the water causes a rotary movement of the propeller wheel 31
and cap 30 and this latter is thereby moved forward upon the threaded portion
of the plunger 23 until the spring actuated pin 34 engages the recess 32 and stops
said rotary motion. This forward movement of the cap carries it clear of the
body of the head and leaves a space between the cap and head of the fuse sufficient
to permit rearward motion of the plunger. The parts being now in the position
shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, when the forward end of the cap
comes in contact with the resisting object the break pin 28 is fractured and
the plunger 23 is free to move rearward, and in so moving comes in contact with
the fulminate 20, thereby successively exploding the fulminate, detonating charge
and bursting charge. Prior to the forward movement of the cap 30, due to its
rotation, rearward movement of the plunger 23 to bring it into contact with the
fulminate is prevented by reason of the said cap bearing upon the forward end
of the head 21 of the fuse.
In Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, I have shown a modified form of my inven-
tion, in which the fuse 7 is provided upon its outer cylindrical surface with a
special groove of gradually diminishing depth 36, or vanishing thread, while the
head block 3 of the torpedo is provided with a spring actuated pin 37 to engage
said groove. The pin 37 is located in an aperture 38 passing radially through
the head block, and the actuating spring 39 of said pin is located in said aperture
between said pin and a screw plug 40 which closes the outer end of the aper-
ture 38. The form of fuse shown in Figures 4 and 5 is provided at its forward
end with a propeller wheel 41, directly connected therewith and adapted to impart
a rotary movement to the entire fuse during the passage of the torpedo through
the water. It will thus be seen that, while the engagement of the pin 37 with
the groove 36 will effectually prevent any rearward movement of the fuse to
bring it within the torpedo during the handling or discharge of the torpedo,
immediately after the torpedo has been discharged and is moving through the
water the rotary movement imparted to the fuse by its propeller wheel will
cause the pin 37 to travel along the groove or vanishing thread 36 and permit
the rearward movement of the fuse into the torpedo. When the pin 87 has
reached the vanishing point of the groove or thread 36, the rearward movement
of the fuse, which up to this point is slow and indirect, becomes rapid and direct,
and by a straight rearward movement the fuse seats itself within the torpedo in
the position shown in Figure 5 of the drawings. This construction presents
certain features of advantage over that shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, in that, while
in the latter construction the fuse is free to move rearward into the torpedo
almost as soon as the torpedo strikes the water, in the construction shown in
Figures 4 and 5, some little time must clapse and the torpedo must have travelled
a considerable distance through the water before the fuse can move entirely
back into its operative position. This, of course, contributes to the safety of
those discharging the torpedo.
In Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings, I have shown a form of fuse differing
somewhat from that shown in Figures 1 and 2. The base of the fuse is hollowed
out, as indicated at 42. and the rear edge 43 is comparatively sharp. so as to be
adapted to cut through the casing 6 when the forward end of the fuse strikes a
resisting object. 44 indicates the firing plunger, which extends through the
base of the fuse and is provided with a head 45 enlarged to bear against the rear