Improvements in and relating to Submarine Torpedoes.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Submarine Torpedoes.
We, JACOB JACOBSON, MARGAGRETA JOHNSON, and MARGAGRETA ANDERSON, all
of Lead City, South Dakota, U.S.A., Inventors, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This our invention has for its object the simplification in construction of sub-
marine torpedoes and in apparatus for operating the same.
By this invention we provide a torpedo which consists of a metal cylinder having
its lower part filled with explosive substance and its upper part divided off to
provide an airtight space of sufficient capacity to cause the torpedo to float upwards
when required. A suitable percussion cap is centrally placed in the division in
contact with the explosive substance. A rod, suitably supported, extends upwardly
from a point just above the cap, through the top of the torpedo, and is fitted with
a wheel at its upper end, and a spring within the airtight compartment to keep
it normally elevated above the percussion cap.
The torpedoes, of which numbers are employed, to defend a harbour, channel
or the like, are attached by a ring and snap-hook to cables. These cables are
secured to windlasses within a fort or like place on the coast and extends through
pipes into the water, where they are laid on the bottom, a suitable distance apart,
and passed between pulleys, secured to weights, arranged at intervals on the bed
or bottom. Shields, hereinafter referred to, are secured to the weight.
Corks are secured to the cables at places where the torpedoes are to be attached.
In times of war, the windlasses are turned to release the cables, and the corks
float to the surface, raising the cables and the snap-hooks attached thereto. The
corks are removed and torpedoes substituted. The cables are then wound in until
the torpedoes sink and are drawn beneath the shield on the weights; the shields
being formed in such manner as to throw the torpedoes on their sides so that the
projecting rods, over the percussion caps, are not likely to be struck by passing
vessels should the water not be sufficiently deep for them to clear the torpedoes.
When, however, an enemy's vessel approaches, the cables are slackened and the
torpedoes rise to a suitable height above the bed or bottom to come into contact
with the hull of the vessel.

page_text: Improvem
We, JACOB JACOBSON, MARGAGRETA JOHNSON, and MARGAGRETA ANDERSON, all
of Lead City, South Dakota, U.S.A., Inventors, 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:
or
or
This invention relates to improvements in torpedoes and the operating means
therefor; and the object in view is to provide more efficient mechanism whereby a
battery
batteries
be operated
several
gangs of torpedoes may
with facility from the shore, the torpedoes being stationed at suitable
points beneath the surface of the water in the channel or beneath the course
traversed by ships of war. These torpedoes are capable of being shifted from place
to place and operated by one or more persons stationed on the shore, so that upon
the entrance of an enemy's vessel into a port or harbour the torpedoes may be
operated at an opportune moment for destroying such a vessel.
With this general object in view the invention consists in certain novel features
and details of construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described,
and incorporated in the drawings hereunto appended.
In the accompanying drawings, Figure is a sectional view shewing a battery
of torpedoes, the manner of submerging the same, and the means for operating
and shifting said torpedoes. Fig. 2 is a plan view shewing the relative arrange-
ment of several batteries or gangs of torpedoes. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sec-
tion through one of the torpedoes.
Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures
of the drawings.
In embodying the present invention a subterranean compartment A is formed at
a suitable distance beneath the surface of the ground, the depth of such com-
partment varying according to the depth of the bed of the harbour or the like,
B designating the stream, harbour or the like and C the shore. This compartment
contains an observation window D by means of which a clear view may be had
of the torpedoes or by means of which rays may be projected through the water, so
as to illuminate the plant.
1° 1
E designates tubular conduits which extend from the compartment into the
stream, harbour or the like, near the bed thereof and form passages for cables F
which, within the compartment, pass around windlasses G, operated by crank
shafts H for enabling the cable to be drawn in. At various points in the stream,
harbour or the like, are weights I, each of which has a flat lower surface and a
rounded upper surface, the weights being of hemispherical shape, the rounded upper
surface preventing wear upon the cable by reason of the cable coming into con-
tact therewith, there being no sharp corners or angular projections on the upper
surface of the weight to abrade the cable. Extending through each weight or
projecting upwardly therefrom is a bracket containing a revoluble pulley, around
which the outer end of the cable passes: Attached to the free or outer ends of
The torpedo
said cables are torpedoes K, each of which is constructed as follows:
comprises an upper section L and a lower section M, the said sections being divided
diametrically and connected by means of bolts or other fasteners passing through
"annular flanges N on the two sections, the joints being made watertight by rubber
or like bands O between which the diaphragm P is clamped, to divide the torpedo
into two chambers. The upper chamber Q is formed with a watertight passage R
for the plunger S which is slidable therein and' in spiders or cross bars T, U. The
rod S has collar or a transverse pin V which rests upon a thin washer W resting

page_text: over the aperture ✗ in the spider U. A strong spring Y is compressed between
the collar or pin and the spider T. The plunger S carries any suitable device,
such as the spiked wheel Z and a screw collar 2 screw-threaded on said rod.
The diaphragm P carries a suitable central box p for a suitable percussion cap q,
said cap being in communication with the explosive compound in the torpedo.
The plunger S is normally pressed downwards by means of the coiled spring,
and is of sufficient strength to require preferably, the application of, say, five
pounds pressure on the head of the plunger before it breaks or shears the thin
washer, or breaks the transverse pin, when the latter is used, and enables the spring
to depress the plunger to strike the percussion cap. When being handled the rod
is prevented from being accidentally depressed by means of the screw-collar z which
is screwed down firmly against the top of the upper section as shewn.
As shewn in the plan view, several lines or batteries of these torpedoes may be
placed below the surface of the water in the channel and beneath the course traversed
by incoming war-ships. A person stationed in the compartment A, may, by
operating the windlasses, allow the torpedoes to move upward with any desired
speed, and upon one of said torpedoes coming into contact with the bottom of the
vessel the head Z will be depressed, thus exploding the torpedo.
It is preferred to give each of these torpedoes a buoyancy equal to an uplift of
twenty-five pounds, although of course this may be varied at will. It is also
within the scope of this invention to provide a number of torpedoes along each
main cable, according to desire, or as may be found most expedient. The entrance
to a port harbour or other enclosed body of water may thus be thoroughly pro-
tected against the enemy.
The end of each cable is provided with a snap-hook a to engage a ring on the
bottom of each torpedo. In times of peace, the snap-hooks are attached to buoys b,
or the buoys may be permanently attached to the cables as shewn, to raise the
cables at any moment for the attachment thereto of torpedoes, which are then drawn
down beneath the surface of the water. When the water is shallow, shields c are
employed, into which the torpedoes are drawn to prevent them from being struck
by vessels of friendly nations.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
(1) The hereindescribed means of defence consisting of cables extending from
the shore along the bed of a stream, harbour or the like, anchored as described,
and carrying at their free ends, submerged captive and buoyant torpedoes, guides
or brackets on the anchors for the cables, and means for operating said cables,
substantially as described.
(2) The hereindescribed means of defence comprising a suitable station or com-
partment located on a shore and having tubular conduits leading into an adjacent,
stream, harbour or the like, cables passing through said conduits, and around
suitable guides or pulleys located at distant points, operating means for effecting a
movement of said cables, submerged buoyant torpedoes connected to the free
ends of said cables, and sheaves for winding in the cables substantially as described.
(3) The combination with cables adapted to be located adjacent to the bed of
a stream harbour or the like, and operating means therefor located on the shore, of
a series of hemispherical weights carrying guides for said cables and a series
of buoyant torpedoes held captive by said cables substantially as described.
(4) The combination with cables adapted to be located adjacent to the bed of
a stream, harbour or the like, and operating means therefor located on the shore,
of a series of buoys permanently or detachably connected to said cables, and snap-
hooks connected to the buoys or cables, substantially as and for the purposes
hereinbefore set forth.
(5) A torpedo consisting of a shell made in two sections bolted together with a
diaphragm between them to form two watertight chambers, a box carried by said

page_text: diaphragm and a percussion cap fitted in said box, and means for striking the cap
to explode the contents of the one chamber, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
(6) A torpedo comprising two chambers, one of said chambers containing ex-
plosives in connection with a percussion cap, and the other chamber containing a
plunger slidably mounted in and projecting out of said chamber above the con-
cussion cap, a head or wheel on the outer end of the plunger, a collar on the
plunger, or a transverse pin passed therethrough, a washer to support the collar
or pin, and a spring in compression between the collar or pin and a spider or cross
bar, all substantially as and adapted to operate as hereinbefore set forth.
Dated this 9th day of December 1898.
R. RAINSFORD,
Agent for Applicants.