Year: 1887

page_text: I, JOSEPH PANNELL GIBBINS of 23 Regency Street Westminster in the County of
Middlesex, 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 the construction of a submerged mine which can be floated
at any required depth in water and is arranged so that after a certain time, such as a
few minutes, it can be exploded electrically by its contact with an external object, or
failing that, it is exploded automatically after a certain length of time, such as a few
hours, the object of the last named provision being, that, after the determined time
has elapsed, the mine shall not remain a source of danger.
The accompanying drawing represents a vertical section of the mine which is of
spherical form made by bolting together two hemispherical shells as described in the
Specification No. 11886 of 1884. It is loaded with a sinking weight W and is
suspended by a wire rope R of length suited to the required depth of submersion from
a float F which is preferably made of superposed layers of cork and wood secured
together by dowel pins and grouted with marine glue so that it cannot readily be
broken up by rifle shot.
Within the sphere is arranged the case E containing the explosive charge into the
bottom of which is inserted the detonating apparatus D which is of the kind described
in the Specification above referred to No. 11886 of 1884. On the top of the case E
is placed a battery which may consist of two or more Leclanche cells B. One pole of
the battery B is connected to an earth plate M at a certain distance above the bottom
of the mine, the other pole is connected to the detonators in D and from them to the
screw terminal on the contact disc C of the circuit closer. From the screw on C
there is a connection to another earth plate N within the mine at a higher level than
the earth plate M. At the bottom of the mine is a valve V which can be adjusted by
a screw or otherwise to admit water at a greater or less speed, according as a less
or greater time has to elapse before the admitted water reaches the levels of M
and N. The action of the apparatus is as follows:-When water has entered the

page_text: mine sufficient to submerge M, but not till then, the shock apparatus S can act as
described in the Specification No. 11886 of 1884 making an electrical contact on
the mine receiving a shock by contact with an external object. The circuit of the
battery B being in that case closed by conduction existing between S and M, the
current in passing through the detonator in D fires the mine. If this should not
the water goes on rising until N becomes submerged, closing the circuit,
whereupon the mine is fired automatically.
occur,
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 :-
In a floating mine, in combination with the detonators and shock contacts, a battery
and its connections to earth plates within the mine and an adjustable valve for admitting
water to submerge the earth plates, arranged and operating substantially as and for
the purposes herein set forth.
قيم
1 1009
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.