IMPROVEMENTS IN CIRCUIT CLOSERS FOR TORPEDOES, AND IN CONNECTING ELECTRIC CABLES AND CONDUCTORS FOR USE WITH TORPEDOES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Ambrose M° Evoy, of the London
Ordnance Works, Bear Lane, Southwark, in the County of Surrey,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CIRCUIT CLOSERS FOR TORPEDOES,
AND IN CONNECTING ELECTRIC CABLES AND CONDUCTORS FOR USE WITH
TORPEDOES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.”
Sealed the 7th January 1873, and dated the 10th July 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Ambrose
McEvoy, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 10th July 1872.
I, CHARLES AMBROSE M°Evoy, of the London Ordnance Works,
Bear Lane, Southwark, in the County of Surrey, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CIRCUIT CLOSERS FOR
TORPEDOES, AND IN CONNECTING ELECTRIC CABLES AND CONDUCTORS FOR USE WITH
TORPEDOES, AND FOR. OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
In submerged torpedoes retained by anchoring at any desired distance
below the surface of the water circuit closers of various constructions

page_text: have before been proposed to prevent the passage of an electric current
to the fuse for igniting the charge so long as the torpedo is undisturbed,
but which if the torpedo is struck by a ship is caused either by the
concussion or by the canting over of the torpedo to allow a current to
pass, and so ignite the fuse and explode the torpedo.
According to this Invention I construct a simple and efficient circuit
closer to act either by the concussion or by the canting over of the
torpedo in the following manner :-
A conical weight is placed in a cylinder with its base resting upon the
bottom of the cylinder, through the centre of the bottom of the cylinder
passes a spindle pointed at its upper end and pressed upwards by means
of a spring so as to cause the pointed end of the spindle to bear against
the base of the conical weight, and the spring not being of sufficient
strength to raise the weight the spindle is held down by it and prevented
from rising. The lower end of the spindle carries a strip of metal
insulated from it by interposed insulating material, and so long as the
spindle is held down by the weight the strip of metal is held out of
contact with two metal tongues which are coupled to insulated wires,
one of which is connected to the wire of an electric cable leading from
a battery and the other to the metallic case of the torpedo, and so to
"earth;" so long as the torpedo remains undisturbed no current passes,
but if the torpedo is struck by a ship the conical weight is canted over,
and the spindle being no longer held down by it is forced upwards by its
spring, and the strip of metal which it carries comes in contact with
both of the before-mentioned metal tongues, and forms a bridge piece
between them to allow the current to pass, the passing of the current
instantly ignites the fuse and explodes the torpedo.
If the torpedo is not required to be exploded the insulated wire or
cable which passes from it to the battery can be uncoupled from the
battery, and then no explosion will take place, and the weight will
resume its previous position and again hold down the spindle so soon
as the torpedo comes to rest,
In place of employing a conical weight, as above described, to be
canted over by the striking of a ship against the torpedo mercury
contained in and partly filling a cup of insulating material might be
employed, the mercury being in electrical contact with a metal pin
passed through the bottom of the insulated cup and coupled to a wire
from one pole of the battery whilst a metallic ring or metallic cover

page_text: placed over the top of the cup is in connection with the other pole of
the battery, so that if the torpedo is struck by a ship the mercury is
thrown against or comes into contact with the metallic cap and the
circuit is completed through the mercury.
The circuit closer may either be contained in the torpedo itself or in
a float above or near to the torpedo, or it might be carried in a float and
caused to transmit a signal to the shore whenever it was struck by a
passing vessel, and so indicate on shore the exact position of such vessel.
In order to connect the end of the electric cable to the torpedo or float
containing the circuit closer I employ a hollow coupling which takes
hold of the external protecting wires of the cables, and I make the
connection of the electric conductors within the hollow coupling where
no strain can come upon it. I make the electric connection by a
separate small coupling suitably constructed to hold the ends of the
conductors in metallic connection and maintain their insulation.
The main or outer coupling consists of two similar pieces with a
socket at one end. The extremity of the cable is introduced into this
socket, and the ends of the covering wires having been turned out-
wards they are held tight by a screw plug which is screwed into the
socket, and jams the ends of the wires fast against the bottom of the
socket.
The other ends of the main coupling are held together by a screw
ring which is put on when the electric connection is completed. The
electric coupling consists of a metal tube receiving two screw plugs,
one at each end. The insulated wires are passed'through the plugs, and
india-rubber washers are threaded upon them. The conductors are
bared for a short distance, and inserted through two small metal discs
and bent over. The plugs are then screwed home into the socket, the
india-rubber washers are strongly compressed, and an insulated water-
tight joint is so made. This being done the two parts of the main
coupling are brought up to each other, and the ring which connects
them is screwed home.
In some cases in place of using an inner electric coupling, such as
above described, I make the joints between the two parts of the hollow
main coupling water-tight by means of a washer, and I then make the
insulated conductors to enter the cavity of the coupling through discs
of india-rubber which are compressed by screwing down metal plugs
upon them. The conductors are in this case simply twisted or soldered

page_text: together, and lapped sufficiently to keep them out of metallic contact
with the parts of the coupling; or the main coupling may consist of
a tube receiving a screw plug at each end. The ends of the electrio.
cable pass through the plugs, and the covering wires are turned over
beyond,
When the electric conductors have been joined by an electrio insulating
coupling the joint is enclosed between two half tubes of metal; the
outer tube of the main coupling is then slidden over the half tubes.
The screw plugs are next screwed in, and they jam the ends of the pro-
tecting wires of the cable between their ends and the extremities of the
divided tube which lies between the plugs.
Sometimes I hold the end of the pable by placing a taper ferrule upon
it and inserting it with the ferrule into the socket of the coupling. The
socket is in this case provided with a cap with a hole through it through
which the taper ferrule projects. As the cap is screwed down the
ferrule is forced further and further through the hole in the cap, and is
thus closed down tightly on to the cable.
These arrangements are applicable to connect a cable with a torpedo,
as well as to connect one electric cable with another,
To connect two insulated conductors I employ a cylindrical metal box;
made in two parts which screw together; the box is lined with a tube
of vulcanite. The insulated wires enter by holes in the top and bottom
of the box through washers of india-rubber. The ends of the conductors
are bared, and they are brought together by a screw socket and plug of
metal. The ends are passed through holes in these parts, which are
then screwed together so as to hold them firmly. When they are thus
electrically connected the metal box coupling is shut up so as to enclose
the ends, and in screwing home the lid of the box the india-rubber discs
are compressed so as to make an insulated and water-tight joint at the
top and bottom, where the insulated conductors enter.
In place of lining the box with a tube of vulcanite the wires might be
passed through discs of vulcanite which fit within the box, and serve to
keep the wire coupling from coming into contact with it.

page_text: *SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Ambrose McEvoy in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 10th January 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, Ì, CHARLES
AMBROSE MC Evor, of the London Ordnance Works, Bear Lane, South-
wark, in the County of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-sixth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Charles Ambrose McEvoy, Her special license
that I, the said Charles Ambrose McEvoy, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Ambrose M° Evoy,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CIRCUIT CLOSERS FOR TORPEDOES AND IN CONNECTING ELECTRIC
CABLES AND CONDUCTORS FOR USE WITH TORPEDOES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES,'
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles Ambrose
McEvoy, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of, their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
33
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Ambrose McEvoy, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
In submerged torpedoes retained by anchoring at any desired distance
below the surface of the water, circuit closers of various constructions
have before been proposed to prevent the passage of an electric current
to the fuse for igniting the charge so long as the torpedo is undisturbed,
but which if the torpedo is struck by a ship is caused either by the

page_text: concusion or by the canting over of the torpedo to allow a current to
pass, and so ignite the fuse and explode the torpedo.
According to this Invention I construct a simple and efficient circuit
closer to act either by the concussion or by the canting over of the
torpedo in the following manner :—
A conical weight is placed in a cylinder with its base resting upon
the bottom of the cylinder, through the centre of the bottom of the
cylinder passes a spindle pointed at its upper end and pressed upwards
by means of a spring, so as to cause the pointed end of the spindle to
bear against the base of the conical weight, and the spring not being
of sufficient strength to raise the weight the spindle is held down by
it, and prevented from rising. The lower end of the spindle carries a
strip of metal insulated from it by interposed insulating material, and
so long as the spindle is held down by the weight the strip of metal
is held out of contact with two metal tongues which are coupled to
insulated wires, one of which is connected to the wire of an electric cable
leading from a battery, and the other to the metallic case of the torpedo
and so to " earth; so long as the torpedo remains undisturbed no
current passes, but if the torpedo is struck by a ship the conical weight
is canted over and the spindle being no longer held down by it is
forced upwards by its spring, and the strip of metal which it carries
comes in contact with both of the before mentioned metal tongues,
and forms a bridge piece between them to allow the current to pass, the
passing of the current instantly ignites the fuse and explodes the
torpedo.
"
If the torpedo is not required to be exploded the insulated wire or
cable which passes from it to the battery can be uncoupled from the
battery, and then no explosion will take place, and the weight will
resume its previous position, and again hold down the spindle so soon
as the torpedo comes to rest.
"
Figure 1 of the annexed Drawings shews a circuit closer thus con-
structed. a, a, is a cylindrical box fixed in the floating torpedo or
other float in such manner that when undisturbed it may remain
approximately upright; 6 is a conical weight within this box, its base
is sufficiently large in relation to the height of the weight to ensure the
weight standing flat upon its base, except when the instrument is
disturbed, say by a ship coming into collision with it. In the bottom

page_text: of the box a the spindle c is inserted, and it is pressed upwards by the
spring d, but this pressure the weight 6 is able easily to overcome, e is a
piece of metal carried by the spindle c, but insulated from it. fand g
are two insulated metal tongues which the displacement of the weight b
brings into metallic connection through the piece e. The tongue fis
connected with a distant battery by means of the insulated conductor h,
the other pole of the battery is connected to earth. The tongue g is
connected with the gutta percha covered wire i leading to the electric
fuse k, which is also by the wire connected with the metallic case of
the instrument, and so to the shell of the torpedo or float which is
in contact with the water, and gives a free passage to the electric
current.
It will be seen that whenever the conductor his coupled with the
battery the electric current will pass whenever the weight b is over-
balanced, so as to cause it to assume the position indicated by the
dotted lines. The electric current fires the fuse k, and this is surrounded
by priming powder to communicate the flash to the main charge.
In place of employing a conical weight as above described to be
canted over by the striking of a ship against the torpedo mercury
contained in and partly filling a cup of insulating material may be
employed, the mercury being in electrical contact with a metal pin
passed through the bottom of the insulated cup, and coupled to a wire
from one pole of the battery, whilst a metallic ring or metallic cover
placed over the top of the cup is in connection with the other pole of
the battery, so that if the torpedo is struck by a ship the mercury is
thrown against or comes into contact with the metallic cup, and the
circuit is completed through the mercury.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of a circuit closer of this con-
struction. It is fixed in the torpedo in such a way that when
undisturbed it maintains an approximately upright position.
The instrument consists of a metal tube a, into which the cup 6 of
vulcanite or other insulating material is fixed. The cup is contracted
at some distance from the top by the perforated plug c, which is also
of insulating material; d is a metal pin fixed into the bottom of the
cup b, it is connected with the wire e, which is insulated and passes to
the battery; fis a metal plug closing the tube a, and the cup b at the
top; 9 is a wire attached to the plug f, and passing from it to an earth

page_text: a and b are the two cable ends to be connected; c, c, are the two parts
of the outer coupling; d, d, are annular screw plugs which are placed
over the ends of the cable before the outer wires are spread out as the
Drawing shews over a metal washer e. The plugs d are then screwed
home into the sockets of the two parts c, c, of the coupling; a¹ and b¹
are the insulated wires or strands, they are threaded through the metal
plugs and then through the india-rubber washers g. Small metal
washers h, h, are placed over the ends of the bared conductor which is
bent over or spread out beyond. The metal plugs f,f, are now screwed
into the ends of a metal tube i, and in this way an electrically insulated
and water-tight connection is obtained, or the same end may be more
simply obtained in the manner herein-after described in respect to
Figure 6.
The electric connection having been made the joint is completed by
screwing the ring k into its place upon the two parts of the socket c.
In some cases in place of using an inner electric coupling such as
above described I make the joints between the two parts of the hollow
main coupling water-tight by means of a washer, and I then make the
insulated conductors to enter the cavity of the coupling through discs
of india-rubber which are compressed by screwing down metal plugs
upon them. The conductors are in this case simply twisted or soldered
together and lapped sufficiently to keep them out of metallic contact
with the parts of the coupling.
This arrangement is shewn by Figure 4, it differs from that shewn at
Figure 3 in that the water-tight joint between the two conductors is.
dispensed with, and in lieu thereof the cavity enclosed by the coupling
pieces c is closed water-tight by a washer of india-rubber at 2 between
the two parts of the coupling, and by two india-rubber discs m, m, which
are threaded upon the insulated conductors and compressed around.
them by the internal screw plugs u, n, for which threads are cut within
the parts c, c. Where this sort of coupling is employed to attach a
cable to a torpedo or float it is applied in the manner clearly shewn by
Figure 5.
According to another very simple and convenient arrangement the
coupling for connecting the ends of two electric cables consists of a
tube receiving a screw plug at each end. The ends of the electric
cable pass through the plugs and the covering wires are turned over
bevond.

page_text: When the electric conductors have been joined by an electric in-
sulating coupling the joint is enclosed between two half tubes of metal,
the outer tube of the main coupling is then slidden over the half tubes,
the screw plugs are next screwed in, and they jam the ends of the pro-
tecting wires of the cable between their ends and the extremities of the
divided tube which lies between the plugs.
A coupling thus constructed is shewn at Figure 6. a and b are the
cable ends, and d, d, annular screw plugs strung upon them; f,f, are
metal washers, over which the ends of the outer wires of the cable are
spread out as in making the joints already described. The coupling
tube c having been passed on to one of the cables, and an india-rubber
tube o on to one of the insulated conductors, the conductors themselves
having been bared are twisted or soldered together, the india-rubber tube
is passed over the joint and bound round at the ends with silk. If each
cable contains more than one conductor each pair of ends are similarly
joined. The two half tubes p, p, are now shut together over the joint
or joints, the tube c is passed to its place, and the screw plugs d, d, are
screwed home into it.
To connect two insulated conductors when the strength of a cable
is not required I employ a cylindrical metal box made in two parts
which screw together. The box is lined with a tube of vulcanite. The
insulated wires enter by holes in the top and bottom of the box through
washers of india-rubber. The ends of the conductors are bared, and
they are brought together by a screw socket and plug of metal. The
ends are passed through holes in these parts which are then screwed
together so as to hold them firmly. When they are thus electrically
connected the metal box coupling is shut up so as to enclose the ends,
and in screwing home the lid of the box the india-rubber discs are com-
pressed so as to make an insulated and water-tight joint at the top
and bottom where the insulated conductors enter.
Figure 7 is a section of a coupling for two insulated conductors.
a is
a metal box made in two parts screwing together; 6 is a vulcanite
lining within the metal box; c and d are the two insulated conductors
led through holes in the ends of the box; e, e, are india-rubber washers
around the insulated conductors; fis a metal box clip, the two parts
of which screw together, and jam between them the bared ends of the
wire or conductor. The clip ƒ fits easily within the lining 6; 9 is a
plug which in screwing up the coupling compresses the india-rubber

page_text: discs, and causes them to form water-tight joints around the insulated
conductors. In place of lining the box with a tube of vulcanite the
wires may be passed through discs of vulcanite which fit within the box,
and serve to keep the wire coupling from coming into contact with it.
This arrangement is shewn in Figure 8.
What I claim is, the construction of circuit closers, substantially as
described.
I also claim the construction of couplings for electric cables and
conductors, substantially as described.
In witness whereof I, the said Charles Ambrose McEvoy, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of January, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.