IMPROVEMENTS IN MARINE TORPEDOES AND APPARATUS FOR LAUNCHING THE SAME
Year: 1885

page_text: "
I JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MARINE TORPEDOES AND APPARATUS FOR LAUNCHING THE SAME which
Invention has been communicated to me from abroad by John Adams Howell,
Captain in the United States Navy and Frederick Henry Paine of Washington
D. C. United States of America and in what manner the same is to be performed
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The Torpedo to which this Invention relates is what may be termed a fly wheel
torpedo that is to say a self propelling torpedo in which the motive power is
furnished by a fly wheel to which a very rapid movement of rotation is imparted
in the first instance by any power extreneous to the torpedo: from this fly wheel
motion is imparted to one or more propellers which serve to drive the torpedo
through the water.
If a fly wheel torpedo be acted on by any force which tends to revolve or turn
it about any axis not parallel to the axis of rotation of the fly wheel, there will be
resultant motion about an axis perpendicular to the plane of- the two first named
axes For instance if the fly wheel revolve about a horizontal axis and an
extraneous force acts against the torpedo so as to tend to turn it about a vertical
axis then the resultant motion will be not about the vertical axis but about a
horizontal axis perpendicular to the plane of the other two axes.
This fact is availed of to offset and oppose lateral deflection of the torpedo so as
to compel it to travel in the course in which it was originally pointed or launched.
Inasmuch as a laterally deflecting force tends to turn the torpedo about a vertical
axis, it follows that the axis of rotation of the fly wheel should be horizontal; and
it is generally preferable to have this horizontal axis of rotation transverse to
the longitudinal axis of the torpedo. Under these conditions the axis of resultant
rotation or motion due to the application of a laterally deflecting force, will be the

page_text: longitudinal axis of the torpedo ;-in other words the torpedo will roll; and this
rolling can be conveniently availed of to bring into action steering mechanism
arranged and operating to apply automatically an opposite deflecting or deviating
force which will restore the status-quo.
As soon as the rolling ceases the steering mechanism becomes inactive; but until
then it constantly offers to the deflecting force an opposition which in the end
overcomes and suppresses it. The preferred steering mechanism consists of one or
more vertical rudders and rudder operating devices so arranged that when the
torpedo rolls to starboard the helm automatically will be put to starboard and
vice versa..
If as above supposed the horizontal axis of rotation of the fly wheel, be transverse
to the longitudinal axis of the torpedo, then it becomes necessary to provide a
diving rudder to keep the torpedo during its travel at a given depth in the water.
This rudder which moves on a horizontal transverse axis parallel to the rotation
axis of the fly wheel is operated automatically by mechanism whose action is
controlled by a combined pendulum and regulator-the action of the regulator
being governed by the pressure of the water in which the torpedo is immersed
which pressure of course varies with varying depths. The office of the regulator
is to cause the torpedo to seek, and maintain itself at the required depth; that of
the pendulum is to prevent the torpedo from diving or rising too abruptly.
The foregoing improvements are illustrated in figures 1-11 inclusive of the
accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a plan and
Figure 2 is a side elevation of a self propelling marine, torpedo embodying said
improvements.
Figure is a plan on an enlarged scale of the fly wheel and parts adjacent
thereto.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 5 is a vertical section of the same in the plane of the axis of the wheel.
Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional plan of the rear portion of the torpedo con-
taining the rudders and their actuating mechanism.
Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of the same.
Figure 8 is a front elevation of the same partly in section.
Figure 9 is an enlarged side elevation of the combined pendulum and regulator.
Figure 10 is a section of the same in a plane transverse to its axis of oscillation.
Figure 11 is an edge or end view of the same.
The shell or case of the torpedo is made of thin metal and is shaped as shown
in Figures 1 and 2. It can conveniently be made in five sections A, B, C, D, E,
which are united by interior rings to which they are bolted or screwed. The
explosive is placed in the sections A and B, and the firing attachment in A: x in
Figures 1 and 2 represents the projecting end of the rod which when struck is
forced back against the cap within, to effect the explosion of the charge. Section C
contains the fly wheel and gearing for driving the propellers and is in communi-
cation with section D: both of these sections are watertight as of course are also
the sections A and B. Between sections D and E is a watertight partition y
Figure 6 in which are stuffing boxes z for the shafts of the propellers. The after
portion of section E is made watertight as seen in figures 6 and 7: the forward
portion is open to the water, as shewn in the figures referred to and also in figure 8
where openings for the water are represented at w. The latter portion of section E
contains the mechanism for controlling the steering and diving rudders and is
filled in with wood so that it will receive only the minimum volume of water
needed.
The fly wheel F shewn in figures 3, 4, 5 is mounted on an axle which is at right
angles to the longitudinal axis of the torpedo and is designed, when the torpedo is
launched, to occupy a horizontal position. The axle is supported in suitable roller
bearings a fixed in place in the central section C of the torpedo the friction rollers.
being indicated at figure 5. On each side of the central web of the fly wheel

page_text: gears c.
a beveled gear c is fixed to the axle. From these gears are driven the two pro-
peller shafts G each having a beveled gear wheel & which gears with one of the
These shafts are parallel to one another in the same horizontal plane and
on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the propeller. They pass aft through
suitable stuffing boxes and stern bearings e in the after frame-work f of the torpedo
shell or case and have attached to them screw propellers which revolve in tubes or
cases G¹ secured to the after frame work f and open from end to end. The function
of these tubes will be hereinafter pointed out.
In some cases it may be found desirable to use only a single propeller instead of
two; and it is to be understood that the invention is not restricted either to the
particular number of propellers or to the particular manner of connecting them to
the fly wheel.
The steering mechanism will now be described.
Two steering rudders O are illustrated in the drawings as being employed in the
present instance although there may be used one only, or even more than two if
desired. These rudders turn on vertical posts or axes g in the frame work f and
are arranged one on each side of the after portion of rear section E. Each of them
is slotted (as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 7) so that it will straddle the
adjoining propeller shaft and frame work, and be free to move without interfering
with the latter. The rudders are connected by arms and links or rods ȧ (which
latter pass through tubes i¹ in the water tight part of section E into the forward
open part of said section) to opposite ends of a centrally pivotted lever j whose
axle is provided with a radial arm j connected by a link to a crank arm ³ on
the axle k¹ of the tiller k. Under this arrangement both rudders can by moving
the tiller be moved to starboard, or port, or be brought midships as occasion may
demand. The automatic action of the tiller for this purpose is brought about as
follows:-
On one of the propellershafts G is a worm 7 figure 6 which gears with and drives
a wheel mounted on a vertical axle m¹ in the open part of section E: and on
the same axle is fixed a wheel H¹ having a cam rib m on its upper face. The axle
The tiller over-
revolves continuously so long as the propeller shaft revolves.
hangs the cam wheel H¹ and at its outer end carries a pivotted arm n arranged
cross wise of the torpedo, the axle n' of which is hung in ears or bearings on the
under side of the outer end of the tiller, and is connected by means of a flexible
shaft o (for instance a shaft of closely coiled wire) to the axle p¹ of a pendulum p
as indicated in figures 6 and 7. The axle n¹ of the arm n is horizontal and extends
in the direction of the length of the torpedo; and the axis of the pendulum is on
the prolongation of it. The arm n at its ends has points n² one or the other of
which will engage the cam-wheel whenever the latter is inclined laterally in one
direction or the other relatively to the arm.
The operation of the parts is as follows:-
The pendulum p tends to keep the points n² of the arm n always in a horizontal
plane and the cam wheel normally lies in a plane parallel thereto. With the parts
in this position the tiller is midsbips as represented in the drawings. But
whenever by an extraneous deflecting force the torpedo is caused to roll upon its
longitudinal axis in one direction or the other the cam wheel is tilted or inclined in
a corresponding direction with reference to the arm n which by its pendulum is
maintained horizontal. Consequently the continuously revolving cam-wheel is
thrown into engagement with one or the other of the points n² of the arm with
the result of putting the helm to port or starboard as the case may be, the flexible
shaft o permitting this movement. The steering rudders when thus moved set up
a deflecting force, opposed to the initial extreneous deflecting force, with the result
of producing in the torpedo a tendency to roll in the opposite direction-the helm
being put to starboard when the torpedo rolls to starboard and vice versa. This action
will continue until the rudders have rolled the torpedo back far enough to permit.
the disengagement of the arm and cain wheel or in other words until the cam wheel

page_text: is in its normal horizontal position. In this way the torpedo can be automatically
steered or kept from leaving the course in which it was pointed, at the time it was
launched.
The rudders are not simply turned to starboard or port as the case may be, and
held there until the torpedo is brought back to its course. The revolving cam
wheel imparts to them a series of impulses and this is kept up so long as the tilting
arm engages tire cam wheel. The cam rib may be so formed as to impart one or
more impulses to the rudder or rudders for each revolution.
The mechanism by which the torpedo is caused to seek a determinate depth in the
water and to maintain itself at that depth during its course will now be described.
The rudder used for the purpose herein before termed the diving rudder is
shown at I. It is a horizontal rudder hung at the rear of the torpedo shell or case
on a horizontal axis r parallel to the rotation axis of the fly wheel. This rudder,.
by a crank arm 71 and link 2, (the latter passing through a tube into the
forward open portion of the section E) is connected to a vertically pivotted tiller s
which extends crosswise of the torpedo, and like the steering rudder-tiller is
controlled by a tilting arm and a cam wheel. The tilting arm t for the tiller s is
pivotted on a horizontal transverse axis t¹ and tilts in the direction of the length of
the torpedo. The cam wheel which cooperates with arm t may be the wheel H or may
like wheel H¹ be a separate wheel fixed on the axle m¹. The former arrangement
is represented in the drawing the wheel H having on its under face the cam rib m²
which is to be engaged by one or the other of the ends of arm t according to the
direction in which the latter is tilted.
Normally the diving rudder is horizontal and the arm t is out of engagement
with the cam wheel H. When however the torpedo is at a greater or less depth
than that at which it is to travel the rudder will be actuated to deflect the torpedo
up or down as the case may be. The position of the tilting arm t for this purpose
is controlled by a pendulum but this pendulum itself is in turn under the control
of a regulator which is carried by the pendulum and is operated by hydrostatic
pressure due to the depth of water in which the torpedo is immersed. The
pendulum (shown more clearly and in detail in Figures 9, 10, 11) comprises an air
tight hollow case K of cylindrical form with a recess in the under part of it to
receive the pendulum bob L; the case is journalled in a cylindrical shell J
figures 6, 7, 8 fixed in the forward part of division E and open to the water, and
the pendulum bob L is mounted and can swing freely in the journals of the case K
as an axis. The movement of the pendulum bob with reference to the pendulum
case is however circumscribed and controlled by the regulator, which consists of
a piston v playing loosely in a cylindrical neck vi opening into the interior of the
case K the parts v v₁ being connected by a sleeve or thimble v² of vulcanized
rubber or other thin pliable material. The case K is virtually an air chamber
closed by the piston and thimble. The piston fits loosely in the cylinder v¹ so
loosely in fact that there is ample room between it and the walls of the cylinder
for reception of two thicknesses of the material of which the sleeve or thimble is
composed. The sleeve hermetically seals the joint between the cylinder and piston,
and at the same time permits the latter all needed freedom of movement.
end it is stretched over and made fast to the outer end of the cylinder, it thence
extends around the piston and is fastened to the outer end of the latter. In
Figure 9 the piston is represented in its outermost position; and in this position
the cylindrical body of the piston is closely surrounded and clasped by the body of
the sleeve. Suppose the piston to be subjected to hydrostatic pressure-the result
will be to force it back into the cylinder; as it moves back the sleeve will unroll
from the exterior of the piston and in proportion to the extent to which this takes
place will roll down upon the interior face of the cylinder as seen in figure 10-the
water entering the annular space thus formed between the piston and cylinder
keeping the two folds of the rubber sleeve separate and preventing them from
sticking together or in any way interfering with one another.
At one

page_text: The regulator piston as above stated is mounted on the case K to one side of the
axis of the latter and by a cord v³ or equivalent instrumentality is connected to the
pendulum bob L so that the two must move together. In proportion as the piston
inoves in or out, the pendulum bob will correspondingly shift its position thus
changing the centre of gravity of the pendulum K and causing the latter to turn
in one direction or the other. In order to prevent the bob from being moved by
the piston before the requisite pressure of water upon the latter is obtained
a.spring S is provided which bears against the pendulum bob and offers a yielding
resistance to the pull of the piston. This spring obviously may be arranged in
a variety of ways. In the arrangement shown in the drawing it is represented as
consisting of a steel wire having its centre portion coiled around the axle of the
pendulum case, with its lower end bearing against the pendulum bob and its upper
end made fast to a wheel T which revolves on the axle of the pendulum case as an
axis and is provided on its rear face with ratchet teeth P to engage a spring pawl R
attached to case K. By means of this wheel the tension and consequently the
resistance of the spring can be readily varied and adjusted.
The axle K of the pendulum is connected to the axle of the tilting arm t by
a flexible shaft 3 the result being that when the pendulum turns, corresponding
movement will be imparted to the arm t thus causing the latter to tilt in one
direction or the other as the case may be.
The weight of the bob and resistance of the spring S bear such relation to the
power exerted by the piston when subjected to the pressure obtaining at the depth
to which the torpedo is to be immersed, and all the parts are so adjusted that the
piston when subjected to that pressure (which may be termed the normal
pressure) will draw the bob far enough over to cause the case K by the change in
its centre of gravity to turn to a position which will bring the tilting arın t
parallel with the cam wheel H, if the latter be horizontal. In this position the
arm t will be out of engagement with the cam wheel and the diving rudder will
be horizontal; a greater or less pressure than that will effect a movement of the
pendulum to one side or the other of the normal line, with the effect of turning the
pendulum case K far enough to bring one or the other of the points of the tilting
arm t into engagement with the cam wheel H, which will result in imparting to
the rudder a series of impulses in an upward or downward direction as the case
may be.
The pendulum acts to correct the too abrupt ascent or descent of the torpedo.
In Figure 9 for instance where the rear end of arm t is in engagement with its cam
wheel, let it be supposed that the torpedo should dive in the direction of the arrow.
If the angle of inclination be too abrupt, the position of the pendulum with
reference to the cam wheel will necessarily be shifted and this will bring the whole
device the combined pendulum and regulator-in the direction of the arrow far
enough either to disengage the arm t from the cam, or, if need be, to throw the
front end of the arm into engagement with the cam and thus impart to the rudder
impulses tending to cause the torpedo to rise. In this way the torpedo is
compelled to dive and rise at an easy angle.
The tubes G by reason of the mass of water which they contain serve to steady
the torpedo, and to stiffen it against irregular movement in a vertical plane. The
water in the tubes having mass and velocity will resist motion in a direction
perpendicular to the axis of the tubes; and it thus serves as a drag particularly
to prevent undue oscillation of the torpedo about the axis of the fly wheel. The
tubes are represented as surrounding the propellers; this however is a matter of
convenience and not a necessity. The propellers need not be in the tubes and
instead of two tubes, one centrally located tube might be used. A satisfactory
result has been obtained by employing, with a torpedo eight feet long and thir-
teen inches in diameter, two tubes each three inches long and seven inches
in diameter equivalent to one tube six inches in length and seven inches in
diameter,

page_text: In order to maintain both the steering rudders and the diving rudder normally
in neutral position or midships, they may be provided with light springs which
when the tillers are released from control of their cam wheels will act to bring the
rudders back to neutral position and to hold them there.
At the time the torpedo is launched or dropped over board the operating
mechanism of the diving rudder is in action and to prevent the shock or strain to
which this mechanism would otherwise be subjected when the horizontal diving
rudder strikes the water I connect the rudder by a yielding or spring connection to
the arm as indicated at 3 figure 7.
The fly wheel F is speeded up by any suitable means. One convenient way is to
provide in a recess in the side of the torpedo a clutch N which passes through a
stuffing box M and engages at its inner end the adjoining end N¹ of the fly
wheel axle which is formed with wings to engage the wings of the clutch. The
clutch may, as shown, have a sliding movement in its stuffing box sufficient to
permit it to be drawn out of engagement with the axle-in which position it is
represented in figure 5.
The outer end of the clutch can be engaged by the end of the driving shaft of
any suitable motor-as for instance a Barker's mill or aeropile. After the
fly wheel has reached the requisite speed of rotation-say two hundred or more
revolutions per second-the motor is detached and the torpedo is ready for
launching.
In Figures 12-20 of the accompanying drawings is represented an apparatus
for speeding up the fly wheel and launching the torpedo-the characteristic feature
of which apparatus is that it, or that portion of it which is connected to the
torpedo, is free to rock upon an axis at right angles to the axis of the fly wheel
when the torpedo is in place in the apparatus.
The fly wheel of course must be speeded up to the proper point before the
torpedo is dropped or launched and by permitting it freedom of motion about two
axis at right angles to each other-the one its rotation axis, and the other the axis
of motion of that part of the launching apparatus in which the torpedo is hung or
supported it will not be injuriously affected by the motion of the vessel from
which the torpedo is launched, and the strain which otherwise would come upon
the fly wheel and its bearings by reason of that motion, is entirely removed.
Figure 12 is a perspective view of so much of the torpedo launching apparatus
as needed for the purposes of explanation; the apparatus in this figure is represented
as arranged to launch torpedoes from the broadside of the vessel.
Figures 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 are views of details of the apparatus.
Figures 18, 19, and 20 represent in perspective plan and side elevation respectively
a modified form of apparatus.
The main difference between the apparatus shown in Figures 18, 19 and 20
and that shown in Figure 12 is that in the latter a counter balance is employed
to offset the weight of the torpedo when placed in its rocking supporting frame;
while in the former the rocking frame is so made as to be balanced by the weight
of the torpedo..
In the torpedo A the axis of rotation of the fly wheel is at right angles to the 4
longitudinal axis of the torpedo and is horizontal when the torpedo is in place in
the launching apparatus, as indicated by dotted lines in figure 13 where the fly
wheel is represented at x and its axis of rotation at y.
The supporting frame of the torpedo consequently is so arranged as to be free to
move about an axis B, at right angles to the rotation axis y.
The motor or accelerator used to speed up the fly wheel is in this instance a
Barker's mill which is carried by and moves with the rocking supporting frame.
This mill is shown more clearly in Figure 13 which is a vertical axial section of
the same together with the parts adjacent.
E
In order to supply steam to this device, the part B is a pipe taking a bearing at 5
its inner end in a stuffing box C, (Fig 12) through which it is in connection with a

page_text: steam supply pipe D. At its outer end it is fast to and opens into a steam
chamber B from whose outer end projects a journal B taking its bearing in a
hanger E' fast to the supporting beam E. The tubular driving shaft F of the mill
has its bearings in two stuffing boxes B³ in chamber B', and is so placed that it will
be in line with the rotation axis y of the fly wheel. At the outer end of the
shaft F (outside of chamber B' are the two hollow arms F¹ F¹ communicating with
the interior of the shaft and provided each near its outer extremity with an escape
hole F. The steam supplied through pipe B and chamber B³, enters shaft F
through the perforations therein and thence passes out and escapes from holes F"
with the result of putting the shaft in rapid rotation. This engine being well
known requires no further description.
The portion of the frame in which the torpedo is held consists of arched arms G
which are connected rigidly to the chamber B' and overhang the torpedo, and at
the top are united together by a longitudinal beam or brace as shewn more clearly
in Figure 14, which is a longitudinal vertical section of that portion of the frame
which overhangs the torpedo showing also in elevation the clutch end of the
Barker's mill. In this overhanging portion of the frame is mounted longitudinally
a rock shaft a (shown detached in Figure 15) provided with two sectors beach
grooved or flanged as indicated at c (Figures 14, 15) to engage hooks & properly
placed for the purpose of operating the rock shaft against the stress of a spring a³
(Figure 13) which latter tends to turn the rock shaft in a direction to bring the
sections into engagement with the hooks on the torpedo. At each end of the
overhanging frame in which the torpedo is hung, set screws e may be provided to
prevent the torpedo from swinging on its hooks. They should bear upon the
torpedo at points above its horizontal axis so as not to obstruct its fall when the
handle a' is moved in a direction to disengage the sectors b from the torpedo hooks.
The shaft F of the Barker's mill projects at each end through its stuffing boxes B³.
On its inner end it carries a clutch h to engage a corresponding clutch on the axle
of the fly wheel of the torpedo and the parts necessarily must be so arranged that
the two can be engaged so as to put the fly wheel in rotation and then disengaged
as soon as the latter has been speeded up sufficiently. This result is obtained in
the present instance by making the shaft F capable of sliding lengthwise in its
stuffing boxes it being actuated, to thus move, by a suitable pivoted shipper lever f,
whose forked end straddles the inner end of the shaft F and enters an annular
groove g therein. With a view to provide the shaft with a clutch which may have
slight lateral movement so as to engage the clutch of the fly wheel even if the two
be not exactly in line, the inner portion of the shaft, as shown in figure 13 is
formed into a chamber, which receives through an opening i the stem ¹ of the
clutch h. The rear end of the clutch has a Thead ; which enters a corresponding
groove in the rear end of the chamber the opening i is as shown somewhat greater
in diameter than the stem h¹ and a spiral spring & encircling the stem bears at one
end against the front head of the chamber and at the other end against the T head
of the stem. The clutch in this way is held always in engagement with the
shaft F while at the same time its stem may incline slightly from the axial line of
the shaft if need be.
The shipper lever as shown in Figure 13 is by a spring held normally in a
position in which the shaft F is withdrawn from engagement with the axle of the
torpedo fly wheel. To throw the shaft into engagement with the axle of the fly
wheel the lever is moved by hand against the stress of the spring so as to bring
In this
the parts to the position indicated by dotted lines in Figure 13.
position the lever is retained by any suitable means as for instance by a latch m
on the adjoining arched arm G. Such a latch is represented in figure 16 which is
a plan view of the same and that portion of the aru G to which it is.attached―
the lever being shown in cross section. The latch is pivoted to the arm and is
provided with a retaining notch m¹ to receive and hold the lever. To disengage
the latch from the lever at a time when the torpedo carrying frame is swung or
projected out from the vessel a tripping angle lever n pivoted at its elbow to the

page_text: latch is used; one arm of this lever rests against the shipper-lever ƒ and to the
other is made fast a cord which extends inboard through proper guides or eyes;
pulling this cord will result in throwing back the latch, thus releasing the shipping
lever and permitting the spring 1 to draw back the shaft F out of engagement with
the fly wheel.
The parts B, B¹ and the overhanging frame in which the torpedo hangs are all
rigidly connected together and adapted to rock on the axis of pipe B-a weight P
figure 12 being used to counter poise the weight of the torpedo. The stuffing
box C and stem pipes S swivel on a vertical axis, and are preferably located on.
the broadside of the vessel as indicated in figure 12. The pipe B and stuffing
box C as well as the beam E and brace or braces I together virtually constitute.
a swinging crane which supports the rocking system and permits the latter to be
swung inboard or outboard as desired.
Under the arrangement thus far described the torpedo when released will drop
vertically, it is preferred however to combine with its supporting frame means by
which it will be caused to shoot forward before reaching the water and thus to
obtain an initial impetus to start it on its course. The means employed for the
purpose are illustrated in Figures 12 and 17 and consists of a downwardly and.
outwardly swinging yoke having its centre of motion outboard beyond the torpedo,
adapted to be connected with the torpedo at the centre of gravity of the latter,
and combined with means whereby at the proper point (after it has imparted to
the torpedo movement away from the vessel) it will be disconnected from the
torpedo.
The yoke is shown at J. It straddles the torpedo, and engages pins Fig 12;
which are secured to the torpedo at its centre of gravity. The forward end of the
yoke J is secured to a prolongation of the supporting frame of the torpedo by a
chain or other means which will permit the yoke freedom of movement. The pins o
are held in sockets formed between the under sides of the frame and hinged arms ?
which are held up by means of hooks or latches s attached to bent levers t pivoted
at t to the yoke. These levers, by spring attached at one end to their connecting
strap 2, and at the other end to the arched cross brace w of the yoke, are pulled
in a direction to cause the hooks or latches & to pass under and uphold the free
ends of the arms ?. A bail on the strap t² is connected to the main frame of the
apparatus by a cord of such length that when the yoke has dropped to a vertical
or nearly vertical position, the cord will pull the levers t far enough against the
stress of their spring to disengage the latches s from the arms ; which latter will
at once drop and permit the torpedo to fall. The position of parts at this time is
indicated by dotted lines in figure 12. It will be noticed that as the yoke J swings
outwardly in the arc of a circle the torpedo instead of dropping vertically follows
the path of movement of the yoke (still preserving substantially its horizontal
position) and consequently before quitting the frame has received a decided
impetus away from the vessel which materially aids in starting it on its course.
The arrangement shown in figures 18, 19 and 20 does not differ in principle
from that illustrated in Figure 12. Like letters in all these figures indicate similar
parts. The rocking frame which supports the torpedo in the modified arrange-
ment is hung on trunnions K, K¹ and is counterbalanced by the weight of the
torpedo.
The steam for the Barker's mill is supplied through trunnion K. Instead of
using a crane as the carrier to swing the torpedo outboard or inboard the rocking
frame is mounted in this arrangement in a frame L hung from and adapted to slide
on the stationary rail H. This arrangement is to be preferred on some accounts
inasmuch as with it, it is easy to shield the apparatus on top, and at the sides and
front by armour as indicated by dotted lines at O Figure 18.
It will be obvious that the mechanical details may be varied without departing
from the nature of this Invention for example:-
- The axis of rotation of the fly wheel has been represented as transverse to the-
torpedo with a view to converting lateral deviation into a rolling motion. But the.

page_text: axis of rotation might be lengthwise of the torpedo and in that case the resulting
motion of the torpedo due to a laterally deflecting force would be in a vertical
plane, which could be corrected by a steering rudder placed like those already
described. So also in case the torpedo were intended to be a surface torpedo that
is to say: were intended to move on the surface of the water-the twin propeller
arrangement shewn in the drawing might be availed of to correct the rolling, the
torpedo in rolling would lift one propeller and sink the other, and effect of this
would be to correct the deviation. The gist of the invention, so far as concerns
the correcting of deviations in the course of the torpedo lies, in so placing the
rotation axis of the fly wheel as to obtain a resultant axis of motion in the case of
deviating forces acting on the torpedo, and in combining with the fly wheel thus
placed mechanism-termed "steering mechanism brought into action by the
resultant motion, and arranged and automatically operating so as to set up an
opposite deviating force which will counteract and neutralise the initial extraneous
deviating force.
A variety of means manifestly can be employed in order to speed up the fly
wheel. The motor for that purpose can be mounted on the rocking frame or it
may be placed elsewhere and suitable gearing or equivalent transmitting mechanism
can be used to connect it with the fly wheel. The launching arrangement shown
in the drawing is one suitable for a torpedo in which the axis of the fly wheel is
transverse to the length of the torpedo; in case however the rotation axis of the fly
wheel should be lengthwise of the torpedo the axis of the rocking frame should be
correspondingly shifted so as to bring it at right angles to said axis.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First The combination with the torpedo shell or case and the fly wheel
mounted therein with its axis of rotation located substantially as described, of
steering mechanism arranged and automatically operating to oppose the action
upon the torpedo, of deviating or deflecting forces, substantially in the manner and
for the purposes herein before set forth.
Second: The combination substantially as set forth of the fly wheel having &
transverse horizontal axis of rotation the automatically operating steering
mechanism, the diving rudder and the mechanism for automatically operating
the same, these parts being combined and arranged to jointly operate substantially
in the manner herein before set forth.
Third: The combination of the fly wheel, one or more propellers, one or more
steering rudders, the diving rudder, the means substantially as described whereby
the propeller and rudders are actuated from the fly wheel at the time and in the
manner substantially as herein before set forth.
Fourth-The tiller controlling pendulum, in combination with the hydrostatic
regulator carried by said pendulum, and connected to the pendulum bob, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Fifth-The combined pendulum and regulator in combination with the diving
rudder, the tiller for moving the same, and the tiller controlling cam, substantially
as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
Sixth-The combination with the tiller and a tilting arm carried by the same,
and adapted to engage at either end, the motor by which the tiller is actuated, of
a pendulum and a flexible shaft connecting the axle of the pendulum with that
of the tilting arm substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
Seventh: The combination with the torpedo of one or more steadying tubes G¹
substantially as and for the purposes herein before set forth.
:-
Eighth A torpedo supporting frame arranged and adapted to rock freely upon
an axis at right angles to the axis of the fly wheel when the torpedo is in its place
in the frame substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

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Ninth The combination of a carrier moveable outboard or inboard with a
rocking torpedo supporting frame mounted in said carrier on an axis at right
angles to axis of the dy wheel of the torpedo when the latter is in its place in said
frame substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Tenth The combination with the rocking torpedo supporting frame of means
substantially as described for speeding up the fly wheel of the torpedo held in said
frame.