Improvements in Devices for Controlling from a Distance the Move- ments of Torpedoes, Torpedo Boats, and other Vessels.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 8th Apr., 1899
Improvements in Devices for Controlling from a Distance the Move-
ments of Torpedoes, Torpedo Boats, and other Vessels.
I, WALTER DYER LITCHFIELD, residing at Hotel Dorchester, Upham Square,
Boston, in the County of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, United States of
America, Electrical Engineer, 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, that is to say:-
and
This invention relates to dirigible torpedoes of the self-propelling type,
it has for its object to provide a controlling device whereby both the
guiding and propelling mechanism contained in the torpedo may be operated
from the shore, or from a ship, or from any point at a distance from the
torpedo The term torpedo" 19 intended to include any marine vessel
carrying or adapted to carry an explosive; and as the description proceeds, it
will be observed that my invention possesses features which render it applicable
to any automobile body moving in a fluid medium.
"
To the end of accomplishing the object stated, the invention consists in certain
features of construction and arrangement which I shall proceed to explain, with
the aid of the accompanying drawings, and then point out in the claims hereto
appended.
Figure 1 of the drawings represents a diagrammatic view of an electrical con-
trolling device constructed in accordance with my invention.
Figure 2 represents a detail view of one of the ratchet movements.
Figure 3 represents a side elevation of a torpedo, showing the controlling
electric cable.
Figure 4 represents a diagrammatic view, showing only such parts and cir-
cuits as are necessary to illustrate the operation of the device.
The same reference characters indicate the same parts or features in the several
figures.
The piece of apparatus illustrated in the drawings is designed to give absolute
control of a dirigible torpedo, a torpedo-boat, or in fact any craft or vessel which
it is desired to send out from the shore or from a ship, and still keep the control
in the hands of an operator who is not on board, but who may be on the shore, in
another boat, or at any temporary base. It consists of a switchboard which is
contained in the torpedo or torpedo-boat or other vessel (hereafter, for the sake
of brevity, I will assume that it is a torpedo), an electric battery divided into
convenient ections, for operating said switchboard, which battery is also in the
torpedo, and a reel of wire or cable so attached to the torpedo that as the torpedo
advances or moves away from the operator this reel will unwind the wire which it
contains, thus allowing the operator to keep the end of it in his hand, and be
in constant communication with the torpedo, whether it be moving or standing
still. This reel is wound with what is technically known as "twin" wire; that

page_text: is to say, the one outside insulating covering contains two wires or cables, which
are made up separately and well insulated, and then put side by side and covered
with the final insulating covering. This makes up a single cable E (Figure 3),
which contains two electric conductors, each insulated from the other. The center
or core of the reel contains at each end an insulated and water-tight bearing, in
which there is an electrical contact. When the wire is wound onto this reel,
the inner end of each of these two circuits in the wire is connected to the electrical
contact-points in the core of the reel, one wire going to one of the contact-points,
and the other to the other contact-point. The outside or stationary contact mem-
ber is in each case carried on into the hull of the torpedo by means of insulated
wires which run to the proper binding-posts or terminals on the switchboard.
This allows the operator to keep in connection with the torpedo by means of two
electric conductors which will not twist off as the reel is paying out its cable.
When the torpedo is working in salt water, or water sufficiently alkaline to be
a conductor of electricity, both of these reel conductors are of the
same polarity, and the water forms the common return for both,
but in water which is not a. good electrical conductor, one wire becomes the
return circuit for the other. This is more fully explained later on.
+
These wires which the operator has are connected after. leaving the reel and
running on into the hull to the switchboard, to electro-magnets which are
marked, R and R2, and which I shall hereafter call the "relay magnets," or
simply relays, their functions being similar to those of a relay in telegraph work.
From these magnets, the circuits run to the battery, except as explained later,
and then to the hull of the boat or to any metallic point which is always in the
water. The armatures of these relays are so arranged that when drawn toward
the magnet they bring together two contact members which close another electrical
circuit which has no electrical connection with the first, or relay circuits.
"This circuit closing takes place at the switches S¹ S, and in each case completes
an electric circuit which, starting from the batteries B. B', goes through the
switches S¹ S, and then runs to two other magnets marked T1 1%, and then back
to the opposite poles of the batteries. The armatures of these two magnets TI T
are so arranged that each time the magnets become energized they attract their
armatures, and by means of a pawl and ratchet cause a revolving arm A¹ or A² to
move through one-sixteenth of a complete revolution, there being sixteen teeth
on each ratchet. About the circles described by the ends of these revolving arms
are, in each circle, sixteen metallic contact-points PI Pa so placed that when the
arm A¹ or A2 comes to rest after each movenient, its trailer at is resting fairly on
one of these points. Eight of the points in each circle (alternate ones) are blanks,
or dead-points, that is, are not connected electrically to anything. The other
eight points of one circle are connected with magnets h h h operating
switches H H and latches L L, which cause the torpedo to go ahead, to stop, or
to back; while the points of the other circle are connected, with magnets g¹ g³.
operating switches G G which cause the torpedo to steer to port or to starboard,
as the case may be. One circle will hereafter be called the motor circle, and the
other the rudder circle, marked C and C³ respectively.
<
On the motor circle, the sequence of evolutions, beginning at, say, 3, is,
3; stop; 4, blank; 5, back; 6, blank; 7, stop; 8, blank; 9, ahead;. 10, blank;
11, stop; 12, blank; 13, back; 14, blank; 15, stop; 16, blank; 1, ahead, 2, blank
When either the "ahead" or back" switch is pulled down by its magnet, it is
caught and held down by a latch L. These two latches are so fastened to the
armature of the electro-magnet h that when this magnet is energized by the trailer
of the motor-circle arm A¹ coming in contact with any one of the points 3, 7,
11, or 15, both of the latches are drawn back, allowing either the "ahead"
switch H¹ or the "back switch H to fly up and. break contact,
and thus stop the machine going ahead
or backing, as the case:
may be. The advantage of employing the latches to hold down
switches is that the moment the operator starts the, torpedo, say going.
..
'
the

page_text: ahead, he can move the motor-circle arm around, one more notch, thus bringing
it onto a blank spot, and saving the battery's continually working through the
magnet-coils.. It is not only a saving of battery, but of the magnets themselves.
When neither of the steering switches G¹ or G³ is closed, the rudder is brought
back amidships, thus steering the torpedo straight ahead; and as there are no
latches on these switches, they open at all the alternate points on the steering
circle, thus steering a straight course without drawing on the battery.
The reference letters 6' to b¹³ inclusive (Figure 1) represent a series of binding-
posts connected with the various parts of the apparatus as follows: Binding-
post b¹ is connected by wire c' with relay-magnet R2; from binding-post 62, wire c
runs to the reel and operator; binding-post 63 is connected by wires and 3
with a grounding-plate K on the hull of the boat, and with the relay-magnets R
and R; binding-post is connected by wires c d and with the ahead
magnet hand with the contact-point 9 on the motor-circle C; binding-post 65.
is connected by wire with the contact-point 1 on the circle C¹; binding-post 66
is connected by wires c and d with the port magnet gl and with the contact-
points 3, 7, 11, and 15 on the steering-circle C; binding-post 67 is connected by
wires cand e with the stop-magnet h and with the contact-points 3 and 7 on
the circle C; binding-post 68 is connected by wire with the contact-points 11
and 15 on the circle C¹; binding-post 69 is connected by wires and with the
starboard magnet g² and with the contact-points 1, 5, 9, and 13 on the circle C¹³;
binding-post 10 is connected by we do with the contact-point 13 on the circle C₁,
binding-post is connected by wires c d and ell with the "back" magnet ha
and with the contact-point 5 on the circle C"; binding-post 619 is connected by
wie with the trailer-arm A²; binding-post 613 is connected by wires c¹³ di³
and el with magnets g¹ g h h¹ and h2, and with the trailer-arm A
These binding-posts form part of a multiple two-way switch, which as here shown
comprises a series of brushes f¹ f2, etc., connected with the several binding-posts,
and a cylinder k composed of an insulating substance in which are embedded two
series of metallic contact-plates m and n The cylinder k is mounted in suitable
bearings, and is provided with a handle k', whereby it may be rotated to bring
either the one or the other series of contact-plates under the brushes.
When the
five contact-plates m are under the brushes, the switch is in what I term its "salt-
water position", that is, the apparatus is then ready for use with two separate
controlling circuits having a water return.. When the four contact-plates n are
under the brushes, the switch is in its "fresh-water position"; or in other words,
the apparatus is then adapted for operation with a single metallic circuit formed by
the two reel-wires which run to the operator. These two positions of the multiple
switch will be more fully referred to hereinafter.
The wires g³ ³ and gg which are connected with the members of the steering
switches G and G2, and which are represented on the drawings as running." to
poit solenoids" and "to starboard solenoids" respectively, form parts of circuits
which may control any suitable form of steering mechanism operated by elec
tricity, compressed air; or other agent!. The circuits from the switches Hand H
may in like manner control any suitable propelling mechanism, though I have here
shown an electric propelling motor M controlled directly by the switches. When
the "ahead" switch H¹ is closed by its magnet, the terminals h³ and h from the
motor are electrically connected to each other, as are also the terminals ³ and he
Current from a battery B5 then causes a rotation of the motor-armature and the
screw of the torpedo in a forward propelling direction When the "back
switch H is closed and the "ahead". switch open, the terminals h³ and h³ are
connected to each other, and the, terminals h and ho are connected to each oth-r.
The current then flows in the same direction as before through the field of the
motor, but in a contrary direction through the armature, so that the direction. of
1otation of the armature and the propeller is reversed.
وو
By referring to Figure 4, in which a simplified arrangement of the circuits is
shown, the effect of manipulating the two operating-wires and r³ may readily

page_text: be observed. The full lines indicate the parts which are used in controlling with
two separate operating circuits having a water return When the wire is dipped
into the water, a circuit is completed through said wire, the magnet R3, the wire d³,
the battery 12, the ground-plate K and the water. The magnet R is thereby
energized and its armature is attracted, with the effect of closing the switch S
and completing a circuit through the magnet T and battery B. Said magnet T
thereby becomes energized and attracts its armature, which causes the trailer a
to be moved a distance corresponding to one tooth of the ratchet a³. When the
wire 19 removed from the water, the circuit through the magnet R2 is broken,
and the armature of said magnet is retracted by a spring, with the effect of breaking
contact at the switch S3 and de-magnetizing the cores of the magnet T². A retract-
ing spring then causes the armature of said magnet to fly back, and the pawl a³
which is connected with an oscillating arm a¹ is allowed to take a new tooth on the
ratchet a³. Thus each time that the wire is dipped into the water, the trailer a
moves around a certain distance. As soon as said trailer rests on the contact-
point 5, a circuit is completed through the trailer-arm A³, wire c¹³, battery B³,
magnet g and wire c'. The magnet in attracting its armature completes a circuit
at the switch G³, and causes the torpedo to be steered to starboard.
If, instead of resting on the contact 5, the trailer arm should rest on the contact-
point 3, a circuit would be completed through the trailer-arm A³, wire c¹³,
battery B³, magnet gl, and wire c, and another circuit at the switch G¹, in which
case the torpedo would be steered to port. The operation of the apparatus shown
-in the upper part of Figure 1 is exactly similar to that of the apparatus just
described, when the multiple switch is in its salt-water position, with the exception
that there are four contact-points in the circle, corresponding to the point 5 in
Figure 4, instead of one, and four corresponding to the contact 3.
Referring again to Figure 4, it will be seen that the relay-magnet R', ratchet-
magnet T, and ratchet-trailer at in the motor-controlling apparatus are similar
to the like parts in the steering apparatus just described, and are operated in
a similar step-by-step manner by dipping the wire into the water.
trailer a of the lower circle rests on the contact-point 9, a circuit is completed
When the
through the magnet h¹, which closes the switch H¹ and arranges the motor
terminals in such a way that the torpedo goes ahead. When the trailer rests
on the contact-point 5, a circuit is completed through the magnet h³, which closes
the switch H2 and reverses the motor. When the trailer rests on the contact 7,
the stop-magnet h becomes energized and the latches L L are retracted. The
arrangement of the lower part of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 is the same as
that above described, with the exception that there are in the circle two “ahead"
contacts, two "back
contacts, and four "
viously explained, connections are shown running from the last four live points of
contacts. In Figure 1, as pre-
stop
the motor-circle C¹, namely, 11, 13, 15, and 1, to the multiple switch, and con-
nections from the trailer and all of the live points of the steering circle to said
switch. The latter connections are represented in Figure 4 by the dotted con-
ductors and d³, the function of the multiple switch being performed by tho
individual switches w w¹ and w*.
"
"
When the multiple switch is set in the salt-water position, the above-mentioned
last four live points of the motor-circle are connected to the "
and "back"
ahead," "stop,"
magnets in just the same order as are the first four points, 3, 5, 7,
and 9; and when said switch is in the first or salt-water position, the rudder-circle
is ready for operation. The operator may now dip the wire into the water
and either send the machine ahead, or back, or stop it, as he wishes, and the other
wire allows him to steer the torpedo by simply dipping the wire into the water.
Under these conditions, the steering of the torpedo is entirely independent of the
starting, stopping, or backing of it.
Now when the multiple switch is moved to its second or fresh-water position,
the four points of the motor-circle 11, 13, 15, and 1 are disconnected from the

page_text: "
"
ahead," "back," and "stop" magnets, and are connected with the magnets
of the two steering switches, 11 and 15 being connected to the starboard magnet,
and 13 and 1 being connected to the port magnet. In this position, the feed-
wire which runs to the arm of the steering circle is not connected to anything;
so that no matter on what point this arm is left, no current flows, and the steering
switches are not operated from this source This position of the multiple switch
also changes the steering reel-wire from relay R directly to the negative side of
the battery. This latter change would be performed in Figure 4 by switching
over at ³ to the dotted conductor 3. Now the relay R2 and the steering circle
are dead," and the evolutions are performed entirely on the motor-circle. Sup-
posing the trailer of the arm A¹ to be at 9, the motor is going ahead, and the
switch H¹ is locked down and held by the latch L. At 10, the torpedo is still
going ahead, but all current has been cut off from the switchboard. The next four
points are now steering points, in this order,-11, starboard, 13, port, 15, starboard,
1, port Having the steering-arm trailer on 10, and the torpedo going straight
ahead, should it be desired to steer to starboard, it is necessary merely to touch
the two reel-wires together once. The steering wire now being a metallic return
for the other one, this causes the arm of the motor-circle to move to 11, which is
now connected with the starboard switch The operator waits until the torpedo
has deflected to the right sufficiently, and then touches the wires together again.
This brings the aim onto 12, a blank spot, releases the starboard mechanism, and
sends the torpedo straight ahead again. All this time the machine has been
going ahead, and it will continue to do so until the operator works the arm of
the motor-circle around to 3, where the latch L is pulled back and the motor
stopped.
"
Now when the arm of the motor-circle was at 10, with the machine going
ahead, if instead of wishing to steer to starboard the operator had wished to steer
to port, he would merely have touched his two wires together three times in quick
succession. This would have moved the arm out to the "starboard" point, then
to a blank or steady" point, and then to the "port" point at 13 As the time
required to make these three stens is only three-tenths of a second, the arm only
rested on the starboard point a small fraction of a second, not long enough for
the torpedo even to get an impulse in this direction. When operating in fresh
water, there is arranged on the circle C¹ a regular sequence of evolutions, all that
a ship is put through, namely, ahead, starboard, port, stop, and back. As it takes
but a fraction over a second for an operator to cause the arm to move all the way
around the circle (just as quickly as he can touch two wires together), and as the
greatest interval through which he will ever have to move it in a hurry is eleven
points, it follows, that at any time, within a second at most, he can have his torpedo
started on the required evolution.
When operating in salt water, there is a more perfect and quick control of the
torpedo, for here there are two circuits, one for propelling and one for steering.
Here the greatest interval is from 3 to 9 on the motor-circle, or from 2 to 5 on the
steering circle. Thus the greatest required number of quick moves is only six
to bring the boat to the desired evolution.
"
Other
For the purpose of operating the various magnets, the main switchboard battery
in the torpedo may be conveniently divided into five sections. The sections B
and B operate the two ratchet-magnets; section B operates the relays R1 and R2;
section B3 operates the magnets of the two steering switches; and section B⭑
operates the magnets of the "ahead," "back," and "stop" switches.
batteries are used to directly control or operate the steering and propelling
mechanism. It is not necessary, however, to divide the battery into different
sections, for all of the switchboard magnets may be operated from the same set
or section. In this case, the magnets would all be designed and wound to work
on the same voltage.
In practice, the relay magnets R¹ and R', which are the only ones electrically

page_text: connected to the controlling cable E, are wound with a great length of very fine
wire, so as to give a high resistance. It has been found practicable to control
the torpedo at distances up to eleven miles, in salt water; and therefore, with
this length of wire on the reel, there.is always the resistance of eleven miles of wire,
and sometimes as much as eleven miles of water, between the torpedo and the
operator. The resistance of the relays is made about one hundred and thirty..times
that of the water, and 'therefore the actual power available to operate, them can
only fall one one-hundred-and-thirtieth of its maximum. As they, are given
about fifty per cent excess of power over that required, it will be seen that there
is a large margin of power, to insure reliable working. The large number of
turns, and high resistance of the relay-magnets, admits of the use of a very light
current; and consequently a small controlling cable.
+ '
The currents used on the ratchet-magnets T and, T2 may be comparatively
strong. if desired but the currents which are.used.on, the contact-circles C, and C
are necessarily quite weak, as otherwise there would be excessive sparking between
the trailers and the contact-points, which would fuse the contact members, and
would result in impairing the smooth working of the ratchet-armis By my
improved arrangement and construction, the main steering and propelling currents
are carried through the members of the switches .G G2 and H II, and the
currents carried on the rudder and motor circles need only be strong enough to
operate the magnets controlling these switches.
Since the ratchet-arms A¹ and As and trailers are obliged to work with but little
friction on their pivots and over, the contact-points in the circles, a strong throw
given them by the ratchet-magnets would be apt to throw them too far, if a simple
ratchet-and-pawl device were emploved in this connection. In order to obviate
such uncertainty and secure a positive definite throw of the ratchet-arms; I employ
a construction illustrated in Figure 2, which shows a plan view of either of the
ratchet inechanism's a designates the connecting rod, which joins the end of
the armature of either of the ratchet-magnets T or Twith a pivoted swinging
arm a¹ occupying the center of the circle of contact-points Said arm carries. a
pawl a², which engages a ratchet a³, to which.is affixed the ratchet-arm or trailer-
aim A¹ or As carrying the trailer a. The ratchet a³ is duplicated below the said
arm, and a spring detent a5 is provided for the lower ratchet, to prevent back
motion As a means for preventing too great a throw of the trailer-arm, I provide
a ratchet a to revolve with said arm, a detent a² to engage said ratchet, and a
pin as on the swinging arm a" to actuate said detent. The teeth of the ratchet a
are equal in number to those of ratchet a³, and extend in the opposite direction.
When the swinging arm a¹ is drawn to the, right by a pull from the magnet, the
pawl a moves its ratchet ahead the distance of one tooth, and at the same time the
hooked detent a' is drawn by a spring a into engagement with one of the teeth
of the ratchet a. The parts are so adjusted that this latter engagement takes
place just as the trailer-arm has moved its proper distance, and it is thereby pre-
vented from going any further. When the swinging arm returns to its initial
position, the pin a8 causes the return of the detent a', and the pawl a takes a
new tooth. By means of the above construction, a positive locked throw is
obtained.
п
From the foregoing description of my invention, it will be seen that I have
provided an effective system of control for torpedoes and other self-propellling
dirigible vessels.
I do not wish to be confined to the exact construction herein described, since it
is obvious that to those skilled in mechanical and electrical arts many modifications
will be suggested which come within the scope of my invention. For instance,
it will be readily understood that an apparatus could be constructed in which the
steering circle C2 would be entirely, dispensed with, and both steering and propelling
mechanism controlled as herein before described from one circle in both fresh and
salt water. In torpedoes intended, for use in salt water only, one of the wires in

page_text: the cable E could in this case be dispensed with, and the controming encun
operated on a water return.
Again, although the simplest method of operating the controlling circuits cón-
sists in touching the two wires 2 and together, or dipping them into the water,
it is obvious that a simple switchboard or key could be arranged at the shore end
of the cable; for making and breaking contact.
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;
1. In a vessel having propelling and steering mechanisms operated by power
generated or stored within the vessel, electro-magnetic devices for controlling
said mechanisms, the said devices being operated through circuits contained
entirely within the vessel, a step-by-step mechanism contained within the vessel
for making and breaking said circuits to actuate the controlling devices, and means
operated by the making and breaking of one or more independent circuits at a
distance from the vessel for actuating the said step-by-step mechanism.
2. In a vessel having a propelling mechanism operated by power generated or
stored within the vessel, electro-magnetic devices for controlling said mechanism,
the said devices being operated through circuits contained entirely within the
vessel, a step-by-step mechanism. contained within the vessel for making and break-
ing said circuits to actuate the controlling devices, and means operated by the
making and breaking of a single circuit at a distance from the vessel, for actuating
the said step-by-step mechanism.
3. In a vessel having a propelling mechanism and a steering mechanism operated
by power generated or stored within the vessel, two step-by-step devices carried by
the vessel for controlling said mechanisms and operated by the making and break-
ing of two circuits at a distance from the vessel.
4 A device of the character specified, comprising means contained within a
vessel for electrically governing a propelling mechanism, means therein for elec-
trically governing a steering mechanism, and two electrical conductors connected
with the respective means, for communicating from a distance with the vessel,
together with provisions whereby the said conductors may become portions of two
circuits having a water return, or may become portions of the same circuit in which
one conductor is the return of the other.
5. A device of the character specified, comprising means contained within a
means therein for govern-
vessel for governing a propelling mechanism,
ing a steering mechanism, two magnetically operated step-by-step devices
for actuating the respective means, and two electrical conductors arranged
to control said devices by manipulations at a distance from the vessel, the
said conductors forming portions of two independent circuits having a water
return.
6 A device of the character specified, comprising means contained within a
vessel for electrically governing a propelling mechanism, means contained therein
for electrically governing a steering mechanism, two series of contact-points having
connections with the respective means, a trailer for each series of points, devices
for moving said trailers successively upon the several contact-points, two metallic
electrical conductors for operating the said devices by manipulations at a distance
from the vessel, and means whereby the said conductors may be caused to operate
said devices independently on separate circuits having a water return, or may
be caused to control both the propelling and steering means by operating one of
said devices on one metallic circuit.
7. A torpedo-controlling device comprising means contained within the torpedo
for electrically governing a propelling mechanism, means therein for electrically
governing a steering mechanism, two series of electrical contact-points having
connections with the respective means corresponding to the several evolutions
of the torpedo, a multiple switch adapted to have positions whereby the connec-

page_text: tions may be transferred so that both propelling and steering evolutions are con-
trolled from one series of contact-points, a trailer for each series of points, and
devices for moving said trailers successively upon the several contact-points
Dated this 6th day of February 1899.
WALTER DYER LITCHFIELD.
Per Samuel Hey,
Agent.