Improvements in Torpedoes and Submarine Mines, and in Apparatus for Employment therewith.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 9th July, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 9th May, 1890-Accepted, 14th June, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Torpedoes and Submarine Mines, and in Apparatus
for Employment therewith.
WILLIAM WILLS of Broadway Chambers Westminster in the County of Middlesex,
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention consists in a new method of defence and offence for harbours coasts
or rivers by means of mines or torpedoes, self-propelling or otherwise.
The object of the invention is to provide a system by which an enemy's ship which
it is desirable to destroy should, by coming into contact with a cable stretched across
its path, draw upon itself the submarine weapons destined to attack it, while the
weapons themselves can readily be kept under examination, and controlled when
brought into use.
One or more cables of suitable material with or without provision for an electric
current are stretched across the pass to be defended at such a depth as to leave the
navigation free if desired and means are provided by which the cables can be
tightened at any moment in such a way that no part of them shall be at more than
a given depth below the surface of the water.
Where self-propelling torpedoes are used they are applied to the cables by
tubes, rings, or other similar appliances so as to allow them to move freely on
the cables.
Where nines or torpedoes without self-propelling apparatus are used they are
fixed to the cables at given points.
The drums and machinery for tightening the cables are so arranged by means of
weighted brakes or other similar apparatus that when the tension on the cable
passes a given limit the cable will pay out at any required speed. Where submarine
weapons with self-propelling apparatus are used the enemy's ship coming into
contact with the cable would determine by means of suitable apparatus electrical or
otherwise the putting in motion of the propeller and the weapon travelling along
the cable would inevitably come in contact with the ship and explode.
Where submarine weapons unprovided with self-propelling apparatus are used the
ship coming into contact with the cable would cause this to pay out from the drum
and one of the weapons attached to it would come into contact with the ship and
explode.
Should there be any danger of the cable being cut, by placing several self-
propelling torpedoes on the cable at intervals proportionate to the length of the ship
to be attacked the desired effect would be equally ensured as the propellers would
be set in motion by the contact of the ship with the cable.
Where the passes to be defended were too wide to allow of a convenient tension
of the cable, the cable itself would be buoyed at stated intervals and a sufficient
number of submarine weapons placed in each interval, or floating stations would
be provided. To compensate for the differences of level due to tides, where they
occur, the cables would be passed over a system of guided buoys bearing pulleys or
sheaves and placed in wells communicating with the sea with a balance weight to
ensure the constant tension of the cable or other similar suitable arrangement.
.
The invention is obviously applicable, with proper modification, to the defence of
squadrons of ships lying at anchor.
Dated this Eighth day of July Eighteen hundred and eighty-nine.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Torpedoes and Submarine Mines, and in Apparatus
for Employment therewith.
I, WILLIAM WILLS of Broadway Chambers, Westminster in the County of
Middlesex (a communication from Luigi Armani Officer of the Royal Italian Navy
residing in Milan) 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 invention consists in a new method of defence and offence for harbours, coasts,
or rivers by means of mines or torpedoes self-propelling or otherwise.
The object of the invention is to provide a system by which an enemy's ship
which it is desirable to destroy should, by coming into contact with a cable stretched
across its path, draw upon itself the submarine weapons destined to attack it, while
the weapons themselves can readily be kept under examination, and controlled when
brought into use.
One or more cables of suitable material with or without provision for an electric
current are stretched across the pass to be defended at such a depth as to leave the
navigation free if desired, and means are provided by which the cables can be
tightened at any moment in such a way that no part of them shall be at more than
a given depth below the surface of the water.
Where self-propelling torpedoes are used they are applied to the cables by
tubes, rings, or other similar appliances so as to allow them to move freely on
the cables.
Where mines or torpedoes without self-propelling apparatus are used they are
fixed to the cables at given points.
The drums and machinery for tightening the cables are so arranged by means of
weighted brakes or other similar apparatus that when the tension on the cable passes
a given limit the cable will pay out at any required speed. Where submarine
weapons with self-propelling apparatus are used the enemy's ship coming into contact
with the cable would determine by means of suitable apparatus, electrical or otherwise,
the putting in motion of the propeller, and the weapon travelling along the cable
would inevitably come in contact with the ship and explode.
Where submarine weapons unprovided with self-propelling apparatus are used the
ship coming into contact with the cable would cause this to pay out from the drum
and one of the weapons attached to it would come into contact with the ship and
explode.
Should there be any danger of the cable being cut by placing several self-propelling
torpedoes on the cable at intervals proportionate to the length of the ship to be
attacked, the desired effect would be equally ensured as the propellers would be sot
in motion by the contact of the ship with the cable.
Where the passes to be defended were too wide to allow of a convenient tension of
the cable, the cable itself would be buoyed at stated intervals and a sufficient number
of submarine weapons placed in each interval or floating stations would be provided.
To compensate for the differences of level due to tides, where they occur, the cables
would be passed over a system of guided buoys bearing pulleys or sheaves and placed
in wells communicating with the sea with a balance weight to ensure the constant
tension of the cable or other suitable arrangements.
The invention is obviously applicable with proper modification to the defence of
squadrons of ships lying at anchor.
Fig. 1 represents the cable stretched across a pass of limited width for the defence
of which a single submarine weapon on each cable is sufficient, the dotted line
showing the position of the cable or cables when it is desirable to leave the navigation
free. The machinery for paying out and tightening is shown at one end of the
cable, the opposite end being fixed to a post, anchored buoy, or other similar appliance
according to the nature of the coast.

page_text: Fig. 2 represents a pass of greater width than the preceding one in which two or
more submarine weapons are placed on the same cable.
Fig. 3 represents the cable buoyed for the defence of a pass of too great a width
to allow otherwise of a sufficient tension of the cable.
Fig. 4 represents a similar arrangement to fig. 3 with an intermediate floating
station of which there might be several.
Fig. 5 represents the cable with a system of guided buoys at each end of the cable,
to compensate for the differences of level in passes subject to tides.
Fig. 6 is an illustration of the system applied to a pass. A vessel attempting to
enter at average speed and coming in contact with the cable at A would be struck
by a self-propelling torpedo travelling also at an averaged speed at B, and by a mine
or torpedo without self-propelling apparatus at C. It is obvious that to accelerate
the contact of a mine or torpedo without self-propelling apparatus, winding-gear
working automatically or otherwise could be attached to the opposite end of the
cable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
Firstly In submarine warfare the use of a cable stretched across a pass and so
arranged that contact by an enemy's vessel with any part of the cable should cause
self-propelling torpedoes moving on it to strike the vessel.
Secondly In submarine warfare the use of a cable stretched across a pass having
mines or torpedoes attached to it and so arranged that contact by an enemy's
vessel with any part of the cable shall cause the mines or torpedoes to strike the
vessel.
Thirdly In submarine warfare the use of self-propelling torpedoes moving on a
cable stretched across a pass for defence against an attack of an enemy's vessel.
Fourthly In submarine warfare the use of mines or torpedoes attached to a cable
and so arranged that contact by an enemy's vessel with any part of the cable shall
cause the mines or torpedoes to strike the vessel.
Dated this 9th day of May 1890.