Improvements in and relating to Torpedo Defence Nets.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 29th June, 1888
Specification Accepted, 7th Sept., 1888
Improvements in and relating to Torpedo Defence Nets.
I, EMILE SOLOMIAC Engineer of 60 Avenue de la Bourdonnais Paris in the
Republic of France 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 specification :—
This invention relates to torpedo defence nets and means for supporting same, and
it consists in an improved construction of net or equivalent screen and in means
for connecting the same to ships or other places where they may be required,
and for permitting of the rapid and efficient furling or unfurling of the net
or screen so that the same may be rapidly and easily spread as a defence or
stowed away so as to interfere as little as possible with the movement of the vessel.
The improved net or screen is constructed of steel and surrounds the vessels being
of sufficient length to pass around at a suitable distance from the hull, and of a depth
when open preferably of about four to six metres-The construction of the net is
preferably as follows; horizontal rods of steel are arranged and connected by vertical
chains of the same metal so as to form a meshed or reticulated structure as represented
in Fig. 7-The horizontal rods may be formed if desired or replaced by cables
formed of woven steel wire and if desired also the vertical chains may also be
replaced thereby-The upper edge of this screen is attached at intervals to or
suspended from the ends of supporting beams and the lower edge of the screen is
likewise attached to distending beams hereinafter described-Strong cables are passed
through the suspending beams and issuing from the ends thereof are attached to the
lower edge of the net at the same points as the distending beams aforesaid-To furl
the net the cables are drawn in and the net is drawn up thereby in the same manner
substantially as a venetian blind-A net of this construction should weigh about
9 kilogrammes per metre run of four metres width.
The supporting beams see Figs. 1, 2, and 3, are metallic, of usual form, reinforced
in the middle by horizontal webs half way up the sides of the beam-These webs
being themselves provided with lateral flanges. The beams are hollow for passage of

page_text: the cable before describod-The upper and lower flanges of the beam are parallel
and serve to guide the beam in its back and forth movement in a frame or butween
two guides connected by suitable braces. The movement is communicated to the
beam by a rack formed on the upper part thereof-The lower flange of the beam is
also provided with a longitudinal opening in which slides a motallic rail provided also
on its under surface with rack teeth so that it may be moved back and forth-It is to
the extremity of this rail that the cable aforesaid is attached inside the beam, and it
is also to this part that the distending beams for the lower edge of the net are
connected, said wams having the form of two ellipses of considerable length crossing
at right angles on the lines of their major axes-as shown in the elevation Fig. 1.
When the net is open the distending beain occupies the position shown in Fig. 1 but
when the net is closed the said beam folds up to lie along the under side of the
supporting beam-In order that the distending beam may occupy this position of
rest, there is provided in the lower guide of the supporting beam a longitudinal slit
and hollowing, the two parts of the guide being firmly supported by V braces and
connected below by a iron-The upper guide is formed as one part with two
cylinders of equal dimensions placed above it for the greater part of its length.
These cylinders actuated preferably by compressed air form the motive machinery of
the system. The cylinder on the left operates the supporting beam, that on the right
the distending bean by means of toothed wheels acting on the respective racks on or
connected with the benins. Each stroke of the piston of either cylinder in one or
other direction corresponds exactly to a complete movement of the respective beam
that is to say to its fully opened or fully closed position.
The proportion between the stroke of the piston and that of the supporting
beam is That to the distemling beam is
2-5
1
Fj
It is necessary that the distending beam he held up and not moved forward until
the supporting beams are distended and also until the net is to be placed in the water-
The movements of the pistons are therefore made successive, The distending beams
moving out last and returning first-To this end I have devised the construction
shown in diagram in Fig. 8-Lot be the cylinder of the supporting benn-C" that
of the distending beam-() () their respective inlets or outlets-two pipos
putting the cylinders in communication-B a slide valve, The apparatus being in a
state of rest the pistons occupy their extreme rear positions P and P-The orifice O
being now put in communication with the air feed by the valve B being drawn back
by the lever in the position L, the piston P moves forward the air in front thereof
passing out through e¹ and O¹ until the piston arriving in position P opens the
communication between the compressed air reservoir and the cylinder C by the
channel 2, and the piston is moved out-Also in returning the apparatus to its
position of rest, compressed air is allowed to pass through the inlet O¹ to drive the
piston from P to until the channel e¹ is uncovered and the piston in (is also
driven back. If all the apparatus indicated by Fig. 8 are connected to one single
valvo distributor B as in Fig. 9 where B is the valve distributor B' and B²
the respective feed pipes and 13 the different apparatus, all the supporting
and distending heams can be thrown out or drawn in by one man for instance
the captain or other oflicer-Inasmuch as the immersion of the torpedo may bo
variable in depth provision has been made in this system for the immersion of
the net to a depth of about two metres below its usual hanging level without increasing
the depth of the net itself. To this end the beam carrying frames and parts in
connection therewith are supported on trunnions at their outer ends and a separate
series of cylinders and pistons with feeds is arranged for lifting simultaneously (or
otherwise if desired) the rear ends of the frames so that the beams are tipped
downwards and the not consequently immersed to a greater depth.
The size of the beams and other parts, and the number and disposal of the beams
will vary slightly according to the style and construction of the vessel. Figs. 4, 5
and 6 show a vessel provided with the system-The beams are arranged to project
from the sides of the vessel holes being made in the armour of exact size for tho

page_text: The weight of the beams, net, and supporting tramos for the beams in the example
shown should not exceed forty tons.
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 torpedo defences,
1) A net composed substantially as herein described.
2) The combination with a net of a series of beams displaceable reciprocally in guides
for extending the net beyond said guides.
3) The combination with a net of a series of beams displaceable longitudinally
in guides, connected at their outer ends to the upper edge of said net, and
beams connected to the lower edge of said net and displaceably attached on the
aforesaid beams.
4) The combination with a net of a series of hollow beams displaceable longitudinally
in guides, and connected at their outer ends to the upper edge of said net, and, a
rope in each beam connected to the lower edge of said net substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
5) The combination with a net of a series of hollow beams displaceable longitudinally
in guides and connected at their outer ends to the upper edge of said net, a displace-
ablo rail in said beam, a rope connected to said rail within the beam, passing out
through said beam and connected to the lower edge of the net, and a distending
beam connected to said rail and to the lower edge of said net for the purpose set
forth.
6) The combination with the longitudinally displaceable beam of a rack thereon and
a cylinder and piston for operating same.
7) The combination with the longitudinally displaceable beam and rail displaceabie
therein, of a rack on said beam and a rack on said rail, and two cylinders and pistons
having passages and feeds substantially as set forth for operation of the beam and rail
in the order described.
8) The combination of a longitudinally displaceable beam with guides therefor and
trunnions on said guides or other construction whereby the guides and beams may be
swung in a vertical plane.