Improvements in connection with Laying Submarine Electric Cables.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 24th M..y, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 24th Feb., 18.6-Accepted, 9th May, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in connection with Laying Submarine Electric Cables.
I, CHARLES SCOTT SNELL of Culver Park, Saltash, in the County of Cornwall,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improved means for laying submarine cables at a rapid
rate and has more especially for its object to facilitate communication in war
time.
In carrying out my invention, I arrange, in a vessel suitable for naval purposes,
a drum of submarine cable mounted to admit of rotation and equipped with convenient
driving power, such as steam or electric, to rotate it; so that if necessary the cable
may be paid out at a rate greatly in excess of the vessel's speed.
Retarding devices may be added, such as a pump worked by the rotation of the
drum with or without a hydraulic brake in connection therewith.
The final guide wheel, around which the cable takes several turns, would also be
driven either by independent engine or by gearing from the main engine, in the
latter case preferably through a friction clutch that would allow a certain amount
of lip or by variable speed gear.
By thus having the means of applying power to rotate the drum, or to retard it
by absorbing power, very effective control under all circumstances is possible.
An electric motor may obviously be used as a dynamo, that is it may be used to
give or to absorb power.
As the wire leaves the drum it passes over a pulley in a frame overhead, the frame
running in guides throughout the length of the drum and having a worm wheel
which engages with a rack on the guides. According to the direction of motion of
the worm so the frame and wheel travel along the guides.
This direction is determined by the angle taken by the electric cable (as it
approaches the wheel) causing a mechanical connection to be made between the
wheel and worm, the latter being thereby driven in such a direction as to cause the
frame to so travel that it tends to lessen the angularity of the cable with respect to
the wheel.
To give time for the heavy mass, represented by a large drum of wire, to adjust
its speed to any change of conditions, I prefer to run the wire, before leaving, over
pulleys as far apart as possible so that by varying their distance apart a certain
amount of extra wire may be dealt with without too suddenly affecting the main
drum.
7
By vessels thus equipped a fleet may be kept in touch with another fleet, or
cruisers may reconnoître and report instantly, and indeed many important functions
may be performed by such an accessory to naval operations.
Dated this 24th day of May 1895.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in connection with Laying Submarine Electric Cables.
I, CHARLES SCOTT SNELL of Culver Park Saltash, in the County of Cornwall,
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 :-
This invention relates to improved means of laying submarine cables at a rapid
rate and has more especially for its object to facilitate communication in war time.
The better to explain my meaning reference is made to the accompanying
drawing in which
Fig. 1 is a part longitudinal section of a vessel equipped according to my invention.
Fig. 2 is an enlarged diagram of the controlling gearing.
Fig. 3 is a section of a pneumatic pulley convenient for use with light cable.
Fig. 4 is a side elevation, Fig. 5 an end view and Fig. 6 an enlarged detail, of
the "traveller" pulley inside the cable tank.
Similar letters refer to similar parts.
In carrying out my invention I arrange in a vessel suitable for naval purposes
a drum (A in Fig. 1) of submarine cable mounted to admit of rotation and
equipped with convenient driving power. For clearness of description this will be
described as hydraulic though obviously any other convenient power may with
simple modifications be equally well applied. Of course the prime motor would
be steam driven, though hydraulic power therefrom would actuate the mechanisın
described herein.
The cable is led from the tank around pulley B over pulleys C and D and such
adjacent pulleys as may be wished, then away to the final guide wheel at the stern
around which the cable would take several turns before going overboard. This
wheel would be power driven, in this instance it may be assumed by a small
hydraulic motor. The main drum may have in addition to the power applied to
rotate it, retaiding devices such as a pump or brake, any well known means may
obviously be used. By these means effective control is secured.
As the wire leaves the drum it passes over a pulley (see Figs. 4, 5 and 6) this
pulley marked Q being carried in a frame R and R', the pivotting between these
two sections is necessary to allow the plane of the wheel to be set tangentially to the
drum whether full or nearly empty, its plane being parallel to the longitudinal axis
of the drum.
The parts forming guides marked S, S, and S' in Fig. 5, run throughout the
length of the drum; the worm wheel T engages with the rack thereon and
according to the direction of rotation it receives it carries the whole frame and
appurtenances along the rack. This direction is determired by the angle taken by
the electric cable (as it approaches the wheel) which affects the gear in connection
with the worm.
It will be seen that an eccentric on the axle of the wheel, actuates,
by the rod U (Figs. 4 and 6) the arm V, see Fig. 6, which is equipped with pawls
engaging with the ratchet wheel attached to bevel wheel W, this in its turn gears
with another bevel wheel attached to the worm T.
0
But the angle of the cable (see Fig. 4) causing pressure upon one of the rollers Y,
between which it travels, moves the bell crank arm to which they are attached,
thereby throwing one of the pawls out of action, therefore causing a mechanical
connection to be made, between the wheel and worm, which tends to so work the
whole frame or "traveller
as to keep it abreast of the convolutions as they leave
the main drum; in short its movement tends to lessen the angularity of the cable
with respect to the wheel.
Referring to Fig. 1 again it will be seen that the wire being run over pulleys, C
and D, as far apart as possible, by varying their distance apart a certain amount
of extra wire can be dealt with, without too suddenly affecting the main drum giving

page_text: it time indeed to adjust its heavy mass to new conditions. This is conveniently
effected by running a chain, attached to the frame of pulley D under pulleys! E
and F, over G on an hydraulic ram and attaching it finally to a fixed point. For
simplicity a long stroke ram is shown but multiple sheaves may be used and length
lessened. The water supply to this ram is through a pipe upon which is an air
vessel H and valve I. Now F is also a sprocket wheel so that the movement of the
ram causes rotation of this wheel, and as will be seen by Fig. 2 the rotation also of
a countershaft by pinion O and spur wheel P. On this countershaft, which has only
a half revolution for a complete stroke of the ram, is a number of cams or
eccentrics, controlling valve 1, K' controlling valve N and thereby the water
supply to pipe K which (see Fig. 1 where it is shown broken) leads to the stern
drum, M controlling valve M which is a byepass for reaching the motor Z.
independent of hand control valve J.
Now suppose vessel is without motion in 100 fathoms of water the weight of cable
will cause pulleys C and D to be drawn towards each other and the ram forced
down, as when fully extended a very small tension is put upon it, the water being
cut off by eccentric I at say half stroke, the remainder of the stroke being effected
by the compressed air in vessel H. At a certain point in the descent of the ram
the water will be cut off from stern drum motor; if more stress occurs, say by ship
drifting the further descent of the ram opens valve I again and opens the byepass
valve M so that the motor Z is automatically set in motion, the cable "in hand
between the pulleys admitting of delivery even whilst the main drum speed is
getting up.
"
If band valve J is opened, and motor rotates the drum faster than the ships
movement, the strain will be relieved from the cable, the ram will rise and the
water supply to stern drum will recommence. All cable delivered will thereby be
thrown overboard, and the cable can therefore be paid out at a rate greatly in
excess of the vessels speed.
The ram might be directly attached to the pulleys or a hydraulic bollard might
perform its functions. If electricity were employed, in place of water power,.
variable resistances or other well known means might be used for regulating or if
steam direct be employed very little difference would be needed.
In winding in the cable eccentrics M' & K¹ might be thrown out of gear a
pressure guage on the ram showing the stress on the cable.
Referring to Fig. 3 the section of the cable is shown hatched and resting upon
the solid rubber diaphragm which connects the two adjacent hollow air filled or
pneumatic tyres, the whole being held within a rim of the shape shown.
A portion
is shown of two spokes, leading towards axle.
By vessels so equipped a fleet may be kept in touch with the shore or with another
fleet, or cruisers may reconnoitre and report instantly and indeed many important
functions may be performed by such an accessory to naval operations.
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:
1st. The combination or arrangement of appliances whereby a power rotated
cable drum is used in conjunction with pulleys (over which the cable passes)
provided with facilities for varying their distance apart, and a power driven stern
drum substantially as described and illustrated.
2nd. The combination, in cable laying appliances, of pulleys provided with
facilities for varying their distance apart, and a power rotated stern drum substantially
as described and illustrated.
3rd. The combination with a cable drum of an automatic traveller substantially
as described and illustrated.