Improvements in Torpedoes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 20th Sept., 1892-Accepted, 19th Nov., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Torpedoes.
We WILLIAM BRAID YOUNG, and RALPH YOUNG, of Oxted, County of Surrey,
Farmers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in torpedoes, the object thereof being to
enable the same to cut through the protective netting commonly attached to ships
of war.
According to the ordinary method of propelling torpedoes, the original motive
power is insufficient to enable it to pass the protective netting, we therefore propose
to impart an additional impetus to it at the moment of striking the obstruction.
For this purpose the torpedo is constructed in two separable parts, the front
part being provided with saws, knives, or other cutting gear. The nose of the
torpedo is also provided with a trigger or electrical contact arrangement, whereby
an explosive charge contained in the chamber formed by the telescopic portions of
On the
the torpedo, may be ignited as soon as the front portion touches the net.
explosion of this charge, the front portion of the torpedo receives an entirely new
impetus, calculated to drive it through the netting, the momentum lasting until the
nose of the torpedo has reached the vessel, when the effective explosion will take
place in the usual manner.
Dated this 50th dox of Nov 1901
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Torpedoes.
WILLIAM BRAID YOUNG and RALPH YOUNG of Oxted County of Surrey
Farmers 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:-
Our improvements in torpedoes relate to that class or type which are intended
to cut or penetrate the usual defences of a net-like character which are placed
around a ship or other structure for the purpose of preventing such torpedo from
striking the object that it is intended to destroy or injure by the explosion of the
charge carried by it.
In carrying out our invention we provide a torpedo built in accordance with those
generally used and which may be launched or discharged from a ship or floating
structure or from the shore and of such a nature that it may be impelled and guided
or controlled preferably by electricity from the point of departure, but we construct
the torpedo in two parts or divisions the fore part containing the charge that is
intended to damage or destroy the object against which it is directed and the hinder
or near portion containing the motor and apparatus for guiding and controlling the
torpedo and also a primary discharge chamber and charge for the purpose of
shooting or discharging the forepart of the torpedo containing the main charge
or explosive from the hinder portion carrying the motive power and controlling
apparatus at the proper moment.
For the purpose of illustrating and more particularly describing the nature of
our invention we have attached a sheet of drawings to this Specification on
which
Figure 1 is a general horizontal or longitudinal section of a torpedo arranged
according to our invention and

page_text: Figure 2 is a vertical or cross section of the forepart of the torpedo showing
position of knives or cutting devices.
In carrying out our invention we build a torpedo generally after the usual fashion
but in two parts, the forepart containing the destroying charge which may occupy
the whole of the space and is fired by a percussion cap or like device A by the
impact of one end of a rod B the other end of which is arranged to project from
the bow of the torpedo so as to strike against the object which is to be destroyed
or damaged. The rear portion of the forepart of the torpedo is reduced in section
as shown by C so as to enter a chamber or hollow D in the hinder part of the
torpedo formed after the fashion of a cannon or mortar and which contains at its
end the primary charge E for the purpose of ejecting the main or explosive part
from the impelling and floating portion at the right moment.
The forepart of the torpedo is provided with serrated knives or saws or like
cutting devices F F F two of these, F, F1, being at either side and one, F³, at
the bottom forming also a kind of keel which may be weighted if desired.
The torpedo is also provided with spring controlled arms H pivoted at or near
its nose and kept normally pressed outwardly and so arranged that on one or more
of such arms being pushed inwardly on coming in contact with the meshes of the
net, electrical communication may thereby be established so as to fire the primary
charge E, the accumulator or equivalent for supplying the necessary current
being placed in a suitable part of the torpedo, say at G. Or, if found more
convenient I may cause the arms H to give a signal to the operator on the ship or
shore who will then complete the electrical circuit which fires the primary charge E.
The operation of our invention is as follows. A torpedo built in two divisions
and furnished with any well known electric or like motors and steering or controlling
devices may be discharged or directed from a ship or the shore towards any given
object protected by a net or the like On the torpedo reaching the net or
obstruction and becoming entangled therewith the primary charge E is fired by,
say, clectricity conducted by separate lines from the ship or shore or by those
working the motive and guiding apparatus, or directly by means contained in the
torpedo, and the forepart of the torpedo is ejected from the hinder portion and
forced forwards, the knives or like devices cutting a way through the net.. On the
nose of the torpedo striking the vessel or object the percussion device is actuated
and the charge exploded. The hinder portion sinks and may be recovered.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
1. In a so-called fish torpedo the use of a fore and hind portion, the latter by
means of a primary discharge ejecting the former on its impact with a so-called
safety netting or the like the said forepart being provided with cutting devices for
the purpose of assisting its passage through such so-called safety netting substantially
as described and partially illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
2. In so-called fish torpedoes the employment of hinged arms or like devices so
constructed that on one or more of them being pressed inwardly on reaching the
so-called safety net an electrical circuit may thereby be completed which fires the
primary or ejecting discharge or gives a signal to the operator or operators who
will thereupon fire the primary charge by completing another electrical circuit as
and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
3. The general arrangement and construction of so-called fish torpedoes sub-
stantially as described in foregoing Specification.
Dated this 11th day of November 1892.
POPPLEWELL & Co.,
17 & 18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.