Year: 1888

page_text: I, MARTIN ELLSWORTH HALL, of No. 1425 Stoughton Street, in the city of
Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America, Inventor, 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:-
The object of my invention is to provide an automobile fish torpedo which when
propelled through the water will take a course at a predetermined and approximately
constant depth.
A further object is to provide a torpedo which will right itsolf when tipped from
its upright position and return to its course when deflected laterally.
A still further object is to provide a torpedo which will clear nets and obstructions
and always explode beneath the bottom of a vessel.
To accomplish these objects I have devised the mechanism more fully described
hereinafter and pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved torpedo ;
Fig. 2 is a horizontal section; Fig. 3 an enlarged horizontal section of the diving
mechanism and righting valve; Fig. 4 a similar view of the pectoral fins, magazine
and firing mechanism; Fig. 5 a view showing the operation of the torpedo against a
vessel protected by nets; Fig. 6 a detail view showing position of float, air valves,
and telescopic tube at the initial angle of discharge when the tube is extended to
give the torpedo a greater depth; Fig. 7 a similar view when the torpedo has reached
the required depth and an equilibrium is established; Fig. 8, a view when the torpedo
has passed beyond the required depth and is taking an upward course; Fig. 9, a
sectional end view of the rear righting valve; Fig. 10, a detail of the trigger
mechanism; Fig. 11, a detail bottom view of the water inlet orifice and trap; and
Fig. 12, an additional view of the valve when about 3° or 4° from horizontal.
A, B, and C, represent three separate sections or compartments into which the

page_text: torpedo is divided. In the first of these is contained the firing apparatus, magazine
and pectoral fins. A sharp pointed firing rod a, is loosely fitted in the extreme end
of compartment A. A spiral spring a surrounds a portion of this rod and by its
tension tends to force the rod inward against the firing pin a", but the rod a, is
normally held in check by a trigger c, which is pivoted in close proximity thereto
with one of its ends in engagement with the firing rod. Immediately back of the
firing-rod and between the latter and the compartment B, is yieldingly suspended a
magazine E, by means of links or hangers g, and pivot f.
The magazine is somewhat smaller than the compartment A, and it is pivoted at
its rear end at f, so as to allow a slight lateral movement, the magazine being centered
by springs h, when the torpedo is on an even keel, but when the torpedo rolls; the
pectoral fins, are brought into use. These fins normally rest over the ports e,
through which the rods F, project in resting against the fins. Now on rolling to
starboard the forward end of the magazine swings to the right, pressing out the star-
board fins as shown in Fig. 4, thus causing a greater resistance on that side than upon
the other and righting the torpedo. A roll in the opposite direction will of course
result in a similar movement of the port fin. Upon the torpedo regaining an upright
position the magazine is again centered by gravity and springs h.
A primer, located in the end of the magazine near the firing-pin a" explodes the
charge when the pin strikes it.
Contiguous to compartment A, is compartment B. As a motive power I prefer to
use gas, air or steam, and this compartiment B, (which will henceforth be termed
flask B,) is charged with such material through a suitable cock at (Fig. 1), the
flask being surrounded with some non-conductor of heat when steam is employed.
Within this flask the engine H, lies, the gas, air or steam being admitted thereto through
a throttle valve the spindle, of which is controlled by means of a lever 1, (Fig. 1).
The engine exhausts through hollow shafts d, which are provided with check valves p,
to prevent water from entering the torpedo at the end of the run. These shafts
pass through still another compartment C, termed the air chamber in which the
depth of diving of the torpedo is regulated. This chamber has an opening 61 (Fig. 11)
in the bottom to admit water into it when the water pressure exceeds that of the
atmosphere, and an open ended telescopic tube q, q' at the top to regulate the amount
of water admitted before compressing the air in the chamber. The farther the tube
is extended the more quickly the water will surround its lower end, the more air and
less water the, chamber will hold, hence the greater will be the depth to which the
torpedo will travel before the density of the water will be sufficient to force enough
water into the chamber against the pressure of air to establish an equilibrium.
When the tube is contracted, a larger amount of water will be admitted into the
chamber and a less volume of air will be imprisoned and the course of the torpedo
will be nearer. horizontal so that it will travel closer to the surface of the water.
Thus it will be observed that the predetermined depth which the torpedo is to reach
and travel is regulated by the previous adjustment of the telescopic tube.
The greater the difference in weight between the bow and the stern, the larger the
quantity of water that must enter the air chamber C. This necessitates higher com-
pression of the air and hence greater pressure of water (greater depth) to bring the
torpedo to a horizontal position. Should the torpedo be launched in a seaway, its
initial angle of discharge might be so great as to carry it far below the required
depth. In this case so much water would be forced into the air chamber C, that the
stern of the torpedo would become heavier than the bow, and being inclined upward,
as in Fig. 8, the torpedo would rise until an equilibrium was established, as in Fig. 7,
by filling one half the air chamber with water.
In order to arrest the water before the orifice 6', when the torpedo is under headway,
a semi-circular or crescent-shaped projection 61 (Fig. 11) is placed behind the orifice.
This projection serves as a trap to retard the water around the orifice ¹, and enables
it to more freely enter the air chamber. The projection, however, must be placed a
sufficient distance abaft the orifice to prevent the impact of water against it from
forcing currents through the orifice. The entrance of the water into the air-chamber

page_text: should be due only to the depth at which the torpedo travels. Without this trap
the water would pass so swiftly by the orifice that it would not enter the air
chamber with sufficient facility.
Acting in conjunction with this diving device I employ an air valve consisting of a
cylindrical valve Z', and a cylinder Z. This valve has holes in the top and bottom
and also in the front and back. Air pipes y, admit exhaust air from the crank pit to
the valve, and the holes in the valve are of such size that the air is not shut off from
the front and back of the valve by any movement of the same.
A float a, connected to the. valve by the arms w, actuates the valves, and the position
of this float depends upon the amount of water in the air chamber.
When the arms are in the longitudinal plane of the torpedo, as in Figs. 1 and 7,
the latter is in its normal position and the holes in both the top and bottom of the
valve are slightly open; but as the float falls below this plane the upper holes become
opened, as in Fig. 6; when it rises above this plane, the lower holes open as in
Fig. 8; hence in Fig. 7, air issues in both directions and balances the pressures,
whereas in Fig. 8, it issues from the bottom and the reactive force of the air against.
the water tends to raise the stern of the torpedo and cause it to dive, and in Fig. 6,
the force of the air issuing from the top tends to depress the stern causing the bow
to rise.
Except in launching, when the water has not an opportunity to enter the air
chamber, the inclination of the torpedo both in diving and rising is limited to
about 3° or 4° from horizontal, for if the torpedo becomes greatly inclined downward,
as in Fig. 6, the water rushes forward, the float a, rises causing the valve Z' to close
the bottom pipes, and open the top pipes v, and the air issuing from the top pipes »,
tends to depress the stern until the torpedo (and consequently the water in the air
chamber) assumes a nearly horizontal position, and upon the float c, falling, the valve
performs its usual functions within the limits of about 3° or 4°. A contrary inclination
produces a contrary effect. Thus besides causing the torpedo to seek its depth the air
valve also keeps it in an approximately horizontal position.
The pipe u, admits air to the righting valve, which is of similar construction to the
air valve.
Whenever the torpedo rolls to starboard or port, the water in the air chamber in
changing its horizontal position relative to the torpedo, moves the floats u", which in
turn actuate the valve u³, and increases the flow of air through the orifice W, opposite
the direction of the roll, and shuts off the air in the other outlet. This rights the
torpedo and as the valve opens one and shuts the other orifice to a greater or less
extent of the rolling motion, it follows that the righting force is proportional to the
rolling force.
Waves or other deflecting forces cause the torpedo to roll, and the righting force
rolling the torpedo in the opposite direction causes it to approximately recover its
course, so that this righting valve becomes in a measure a steering valve. also. This
valve acts in conjunction with the pectoral fins at the bow.
The buoyant grapnel L, is placed as shown in Fig. 1 before the torpedo is
discharged. Upon striking the water the grapnel is dragged off and aft by the
pressure of water against it, and being quite buoyant it floats at a less depth than
that for which the torpedo is regulated and thus fouls the protecting net of a vessel
that the torpedo itself passes under. The tow line e', which connects with the
trigger e, is reeled up within the grapnel until the resistance of the water drags the
grapnel aft.
This tow-line is lightly stopped down along the top of the torpedo and these stops
are carried away before any strain is brought upon the trigger.
In Fig. 5, D, shows a vessel protected by nets. M, is the torpedo which having
passed under the net is now in close proximity to the vessel's bottom. L, is the buoyant
grapnel afoul of the net, and e', the towline set taut by the strain and about to trip
the trigger c, and fire the magazine of the torpedo. The torpedo is propelled in the
ordinary manner and as constructed, it may be discharged by running directly into or

page_text: against a vessel or by striking the trigger c, or. by means of the grapnel and tow-line
disengaging the trigger just as though the latter were struck.
Ordinarily these provisions are sufficient to always warrant the discharge of the
torpedo at just the proper moment and-in the proper place, but other means might be
employed to make the discharge even more certain, and hence I do not wish to limit
myself to the exact construction of these parts or to the exact construction of any part
of my invention, but having described my invention what I claim as new, and desire
to secure by letters-patent, is,-
1. In an automobile torpedo, the combination with a shell of a movable magazine
located in said shell, a firing-pin in position to discharge this magazine, and a trigger
located in position to liberate the firing-pin substantially as described.
2. In an automobile torpedo, the combination with a shell and a movable magazine
located in the shell or casing, yieldingly supported by a pivot and hangers, of a set of
pectoral fins connected with such shell, adapted to be outwardly extended by the
movement of the magazine, substantially as described.
3. In an automobile torpedo, a shell provided with an air and water chamber having
an opening in the bottom for ingress of water and a tube in the top for egress of air,
said tube arranged to regulate the quantity of water admitted to the chamber to
produce an equilibrium, substantially as described.
4. In an automobile torpedo, a shell having an air and water chamber provided
with a float, in combination with a compressed air chamber having escape pipes, and a
valve commanding the same, said valve being controlled by said float, substantially
as described.
5. An automobile torpedo having an air and water chamber containing a righting
valve provided with and actuated by floats whereby air vents are opened and closed
upon either side of the torpedo, substantially as described.
6. An automobile torpedo provided with a flask containing gaseous motive power,
in combination with valves provided with floats automatically operated by the
different positions of the torpedo, whereby the reactive force of the exhausting gases
against the water is made to control the direction of the torpedo, substantially as
described.
7. An automobile torpedo provided with a gaseous motive power and means whereby
the escape of the same against the water is made to guide the course of the torpedo,
substantially as described.
8. In an automobile torpedo the combination with a pivoted trigger, a magazine
and a firing-pin normally held by said trigger, of a buoyant grapnel, and a line
connecting this grapnel to the trigger for the purpose of discharging the magazine
when the grapnel is caught or obstructed, substantially as set forth.
'
9. The combination of an automobile torpedo, having a trigger therein, and a
buoyant grapnel connected by a tow-line or cable to the trigger of the magazine for
the purpose of discharging the same when the grapnel is caught or obstructed,
substantially as.described.
10. In an automobile torpedo, a shell provided with an immersion chamber
having unobstructed holes in the bottom, and a telescopic tube in the top to
regulate the quantity of water admitted into the air chamber to produce an
equilibrium of the torpedo, substantially as described.
•
11. In an automobile torpedo the combination of an air chamber, a float and an
air valve, the latter having orifices at the top and the bottom to regulate the
immersion of the torpedo substantially as described.
12. In an automobile torpedo, the combination of a shell or casing, and an air
chamber and a righting valve actuated by floats and adapted to open or close air
outlets on one or other side of the torpedo, substantially as described.
13. In an automobile torpedo, the combination with a shell, a magazine therein
having a firing device, of a buoyant grapnel connected to the firing device and
adapted when engaged, to discharge the magazine, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 14. An automobile torpedo having a chamber containing motive power under
pressure, and an air chamber provided with escape valves so arranged that the
reactive force of the exhausting motive power against the water controls the course
of the torpedo, substantially as described."
15. In an automobile torpedo, an air chamber having a water orifice provided
with a trap to detain the water and facilitate its entrance to the chamber, sub-
stantially as described.
16. The improved torpedo shewn in and described with reference to, the accom-
panying drawings.