IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO TORPEDO BOATS AND APPARATUS FOR GUIDING CONTROLLING AND FIRING THE SAME
Year: 1878

page_text: TUT the invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO TORPEDO
BOATS AND APPARATUS FOR GUIDING CONTROLLING AND FIRING THE
SAME"
A communication from abroad by John Louis Lay, of Paris,
France, dated the 22nd February 1878 No. 747 which Letters Patent
have been assigned to and are now vested in the said John Louis Lay.
DISCLAIMER AND MEMORANDUM OF ALTERATION proposed to be
filed by the said John Louis Lay.
WHEREAS Her Most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria by Her Royal Letters
Patent bearing date the 22nd day of February in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy eight in the forty first year of Her Reign
did for Herself Her Heirs and Successors give and grant unto the said William
Robert Lake his executors administrators and assigns the sole privilege of making
using exercising and vending within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland the Channel Islands and Isle of Man the said invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN AND RELATING TO TORPEDO BOATS AND APPARATUS FOR GUIDING CON-
TROLLING AND FIRING THE SAME
"
a specification of which invention was duly
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office in pursuance of one of the provisoes in the
said Letters Patent.
And whereas by an Assignment dated March 20th A.D. 1879 and duly recorded
in the Great Seal Patent Office aforesaid the said Letters Patent and all right title
and interest in and to the same have been assigned to and are now vested in me
the said John Louis Lay.
And whereas since the said Assignment was made and recorded it has been
ascertained that having regard to what was known previous to the date of my
Patent the claims made in my said specification were too wide and I am desirous
of limiting the same in the manner hereinafter appearing.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE therefore that I the said John Louis Lay by and with the
consent of Her Majesty's Attorney General do alter and amend the said Specifica-
tion as follows-that is to say, referring to the Queen's Printers' copy of the said
specification and to page 8 thereof I strike out of line 26 the words "of this part
of my invention," and on page 12 I strike out of line 22 the words "of my
invention." On page 14 in line 39 I strike out the word "claim" and I insert
after "I" the following words "do not claim in a broad or general manner a.
“ Lauunda hoot as a host cherred with explosive material controllable by electricity

page_text: "
"
Figure 9 is a horizontal section of a portion of the boat, showing the same
provided with adjustable side wings or horizontal rudders; Figure 10 is a
"vertical longitudinal section of the same.
"
"
"
"
"
Figure 11 is a transverse section on the line z, z, Figure 9.
Figures 12 and 13 show one of the said wings or blades in plan and edge
view.
"
Figure 14 is a longitudinal vertical section of the stern of my torpedo boat,
showing the same with two propellers and with steering apparatus; Figure 15
"is a horizontal section of the same; Figure 16 is a transverse section on the
"line x, x1, Figure 14.
[
"
Figures 17 and 18 are side views of one of my torpedo boats with a detaching
magazine, showing the same in two different positions; Figure 18ª is an end
"view of the same; Figure 18b is a transverse section on the line y', y¹, Figure 17.
"Figure 19 is a longitudinal section of the drum or reel on which the cable is
coiled in the said torpedo boat; Figure 20 is an end view of the same.
"
"
ff
Figure 21 is a transverse section of the barrel or core of the said drum
Figure 22 shows a side view and transverse section of a 'thimble' or ring,
through which the said cable passes in paying it out.
"
Figure 23 is a longitudinal section of a governor or reducing valve employed
"in connection with the carbonic acid or other gas engine on the said torpedo
"boat.
16
<
"
Figure 24 is a longitudinal section of a water valve used in the said boat for
admitting water to compensate for the diminution of weight due to the escape
or exhaust of the gas.
«
Figure 25 is a longitudinal section of a throttle valve used with either the
ammoniacal gas engine or the carbonic acid gas engine in my torpedo boats.
"
Figures 26, 27, 28, and 29 show the electro magnets and shunt for operating
the valves in my torpedo-boat, Figure 26 being a front elevation of part of the
same; Figure 27 a plan of these devices; Figure 28 a plan of the base board on
which the magnets are secured; and Figure 29 a side elevation of Figure 27.
Figure 30 is a plan; and Figure 31 a side elevation of a keyboard forming
part of my improved apparatus.
£6
Figure 32 is an elevation of one of the pole changers of the said keyboard;
and Figure 33 is a section on the line z¹, zl, showing the pole changer in a
different position.
16
"
Figure 34 shows a portion of the said pole changer.
Figure 35 illustrates my device for connecting two of these pole changers for
operating the same simultaneously.
<
Figures 36, 37, and 38 illustrate the arrangement of the magnet in connection
with the said keyboard for working the index finger or needle thereof Figure 36
being a front elevation; Figure 37 an end elevation; and Figure 38 a plan of
the same.
"
Figure 39 is a plan of the shore battery or set of batteries, and keyboard and
connections,
"
It will be observed that some of the above-described views are drawn to a
larger scale than others.
"The remaining Figures illustrate modifications of various parts of my invention
as hereinafter described.
«
46
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout these Drawings.
A is the hull or body of the boat, which has conical ends A³, A², and is formed
of thin plate iron or steel, or other suitable metal. This hull is divided into
sections or compartments for the various purposes hereinafter described. The
part or section in the end A' forms the magazine containing the charge of
dynamite or other explosive material; A³ is the compartment or section con-
taining the gas reservoir or holder. The compartment A* contains the apparatus
for holding and paying out the cable. The compartment A° in the end A
contains the motor engine, the steering apparatus, and other parts hereinafter

page_text: •
"
described; all of these compartments are separated from each other by air-tight
"bulkheads A³.
<<
"
"
"
My torpedo boat may be provided with a single screw propeller, as in Figures 6
"and 7, or with a double screw, or two screws or propellers, as shown in Figures 1,
"2, 3, 14 and 15. The propellers B, C, revolve in opposite directions; the shaft D
"of the propeller B is hollow or tubular, and the shaft E of the other propeller C
passes through the same; the said screws or propellers B, C, are actuated by an
engine shown at F, Figures 1, 2 and 3. In the boat shown in Figure 3 the
engine is operated by the expansive force of carbonic acid gas, while in the boat
"shown in Figures 1 and 2 it is driven by ammoniacal gas; or I may use com-
pressed air or any other fluid which will be an equivalent for such gases. The
" connection of the engine with the two propeller shafts is effected by two sets of
The said engine has a boss or
"bevel gearing, or by other suitable means.
projection G, on which is fixed a bevel wheel 1. The engine shaft passes through
"this boss and fixed wheel, and is provided with a stud or finger fixed on it, and
"which carries a similar wheel 2 that rotates freely on the said stud in gear with
"the wheel 1, and also with a similar wheel 3 fixed on the screw shaft E. In this
arrangement of gearing the engine shaft carries the wheel 2 around the fixed
"wheel 1, and thereby imparts rotation to the wheel 3 and shaft E, with an
The shaft E,
" increase of velocity of the screw shaft in the ratio of two to one.
"
«
" also carries a bevel wheel 4, which gears with a similar wheel 5 fitted to turn
"freely on a stud or shaft fixed in any convenient manner to the side of the boat.
"This wheel 5 also gears with a wheel 6 on the tubular or sleeve shaft D, and
thereby imparts motion to the same and the propeller B in a direction opposite
"to that of the revolution of the propeller C. This arrangement of gearing affords
"the means for obtaining very advantageously the required velocity of the two
propellers in opposite directions.
"
tr
"
"In the modification of this gearing, shown in Figures 2° and 2b, E is the screw
shaft; B, C, are the screws or propellers; A* is a bush rivetted or otherwise
firmly and solidly fixed in the stern of the boat. The screw shaft passes through
" this sleeve which is provided with a suitable water-tight packing box and gland,
" and the inner propeller B is fitted to turn freely on the sleeve. On the outer
end of this sleeve is formed a neck or projection, on which is formed or fixed a
stationary stud E°. On this stud is fitted to turn freely a bevel wheel E' which
gears with the propellers B and C by means of teeth formed around their
st
86
" bosses.
"The outer propeller C is keyed or otherwise fixed on the extremity of the
"shaft E, and therefore it rotates with the said shaft. By its rotation and through
"the medium of the bevel wheel or pinion E¹, it imparts rotation in the opposite
"direction to the propeller B.
"
I may use a guard or protector of any suitable form for the said mechanism.
"The said boat or vessel is provided with a double set of side wings or
horizontal rudders H, two forward, and two aft; these side wings or rudders are
"mounted on shafts or spindles I, passing transversely through the boat, as shown
" in Figures 9, 10, 11.
"C
"
"
"Attached to the shafts I are crank arms J, which have slots for the reception
"of the ends of the cross head K. The boss of this cross head forms a nut,
through which passes the vertical screw L supported and kept from endwise
" movement by the bearings L' L'; and by turning this screw to the right or left
"the cross head K and shafts I are adjusted to set the said wings H vertically to
any desired angle, that is to say, they may be set to occupy a horizontal position,
or a more or less inclined position in the proper direction to cause the submerging
" of the boat by the action of the water on the said wings as the boat moves
"forward. This screw L is operated from the outside of the boat by a key or
"wrench applied to the end of the screw L; these side wings or rudders are
adjusted to the required angle for causing the necessary submergence or partial
submergence of the boat before starting or leaving the station.
**
**

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"
Two guide rods N, one aft, and one forward, project up from the said vessel
to enable the operator to determine its position at any part of its journey, and
"in case of a night attack these rods are provided with lights; the said rods can
"be raised or lowered at the will of the operator.
"The said rods are attached to the outer ends of shafts or spindles O which
pass through water-tight sleeves or tubes, as clearly shown in Figure 4. These
"shafts O are provided at their inner ends with cranks O' which are connected
by rods Os to the pistons of cylinders P. These cylinders are supplied with the
"ammoniacal or other gas whose entrance and exhaust are effected and controlled
by the means herein-after described.
**
41
"In Figures 40, 41, 42, I have illustrated a modified form of the apparatus for
operating or adjusting the guide rods; N° is a cylinder which is secured in the
"boat in any suitable manner, and is provided at N¹, N', with ports or apertures
"for the entrance and exhaust of gas.
"The rod N is preferably provided with a disc N2, and has a piston N** at its
"lower end fitted to slide up and down in the tubular piston rod or sleeve No,
"whose lower end is provided with a piston N' which works up and down in the
"said cylinder; N³, N³, are rods secured in the bottom of the cylinder N*, and
"which pass through the piston N₁ to the upper end of the said cylinder in an
"inclined or spiral direction in such a manner, that when the said piston moves
up or down it will be rotated or turned one-fourth of a revolution on its axis in
"the said cylinder.
"
"When the said disc rods and sleeves are in the position shown, the disc N°
"stands fore and aft of the boat, and therefore presents practically no surface to
"view in the line of the boat's movement; but when the operator desires to
bring the said discs into view, gas is admitted from the flask or reservoir to the
"bottom of the cylinder N*, and forces up the piston N¹ and sleeve N³, at the
same time entering the bottom of the said sleeve and raising the rod N and
"disc N, turning the latter athwart or across the boat, thus affording the means
"for ascertaining its position or keeping it in view.
*
"
"In the sleeve Ns and near the top of the same is a small opening covered
"with a valve No; when the sleeve is up this valve prevents the entrance of
water into the same. This valve is provided with a small spiral spring, and is
"attached to a valve rod N7; the valve rod extends down slightly beyond the
piston N*.
"
"
«
When the piston N* has nearly reached the end of its downward movement
"the end of the valve rod N' strikes the cylinder bottom, and thereby the valve
is opened against the resistance of the spiral spring. Gas then enters the
"sleeve N and forces down the piston N**, and the disc rod and disc N³, and
brings the latter again into the position shown in Figure 40; then gas is again
"admitted to the lower sides of the pistons, the pistons move, and the valve rod
being released the spiral spring brings the valve No again over the port or
opening in the sleeve, and as the said sleeve passes into the water through the
stuffing box on the upper end of the cylinder N*, the valve N° being closed no
"water can enter, and the upward movement of the piston N' again reverses the
position of the guide disc and presents its face to the operator.
"
«
"
"
Instead of using the aforesaid inclined or spirally arranged rods, I may use V
grooves or projections in the cylinder for turning the pistons and discs.
"In Figures 43, 43ª, and 44, I have shewn a further modification of the above
"described apparatus, wherein the rod N and disc N³ are turned or reversed in,
"and by the up-and-down movements of the piston N, through the agency of
"inclined surfaces n¹, on the upper and lower sides of the piston in combination
"with surfaces n² in the top and bottom of the cylinder, similarly inclined, but
" arranged transversely to those on the piston.
"When the latter and the disc N2 are in the position shown in Figure 43, the
"disc stands fore and aft of the boat as above described, but by admitting gas to
"the space below the piston the latter and the rod N are raised, and when the

page_text: "
“inclines n' come in contact with the edges of the inclines n³ on the top of the
cylinder the former will slide upon the latter, and by its sliding will be caused to
" turn on the axis of the piston rods until the points n³ are brought into the
" centre n of the inclines n. By this action of the inclined faces on each other
"the disc is turned for a quarter of a revolution to bring it into view of the
operator as above described, and by admitting gas to the upper end of the
cylinder the movements are reversed and the disc returned to the position shown
" in Figure 43.
4
"To keep the rod N from turning loosely or independently in the sleeve N³,
" and to ensure its presenting the least practicable surface to view when raised Í
prefer to make the same with an oval transverse section, as shown in Figures 42
" and 44.
"
""
86
"In the modification of this apparatus shewn in Figures 45, 46, and 47, the
" rod N³ is fixed in the bottom of the cylinder N*, and the piston and slceve N, N³,
work up and down over the rod. The said sleeve is preferably made oval in
" transverse section, as shown in Figure 47, for the purposes above stated. In this
case the boat would be started with the discs raised, as shown. The lower end
" of the disc-rod N rests on a plate N° on the upper end of the Bxed rod N8 in the
cylinder. Gas being admitted to the upper end of the said cylinder, the piston
" and sleeve descend while the disc N2 and rod N are held stationary in a vertical
position until the top of the sleeve reaches the plate N" on the said fixed rod.
"Then the disc rod N having nothing to retain it in position drops overboard,
leaving nothing above the surface of the water for an enemy to see.
If at any
subsequent time the operator should require to ascertain the position of the boat
"he can raise the sleeve above the surface."
66
"
46
"
"Another modification of the apparatus for effecting the operation or adjustment
of the guiding rods N is shown in Figure 48, which is an exterior side view with
part broken away of one of my torpedo boats. In this arrangement of the said
apparatus the rods N are jointed or pivotted at the top of the boat, and are
"connected by an external rod or bar Ñ¹º The piston rod n³ is provided with a
toothed rack, which gears with a toothed segment or arc n7, and by the
movement of the piston in the cylinder N⚫, the said toothed rack acting on the
arc n³ turns the same on the joint or pivot, and thereby raises or lowers the said
rods. Figures 48° and 48b illustrate another modification, in which the rod N⁰
"that connects the two levers N is inside the boat.
4
"
6
$6
"In some instances instead of using adjustable guiding rods I may employ
" hollow fixed rods or tubes, with balls of india-rubber or other like material at
"the upper ends of the same. These balls can be inflated with gas from the
"reservoir by means of a suitable valve to render them visible to the operator,
"and when no longer required can be caused to collapse by exhausting the gas
" from them.
"
The medium of communication between the said torpedo boat and the land or
" other station occupied by the operator, and whereby the said boat is started,
"stopped, steered, fired, and has her position ascertained, is an electric cable Q,
"which is carried in the boat in a coil arranged longitudinally in the air-tight
chamber in the reel frame R, and is payed out as the boat progresses through a
"tube S, projecting aft under the boat and beyond the rudder and propellers, so
"that the said cable will not be caught in or fouled by the same; or it may be
payed out through the hollow shaft S', Figure 7. One end of this cable is
" connected to a keyboard at the station on shore or on board of the ship or other
" structure from which the torpedo boats are controlled. This keyboard is
provided with a suitable battery or other means for generating the electric
"current, as hereinafter described.
**
"
"
The said cable is composed of several wires, each of which is insulated from
"the others. One of these wires is connected with the mechanism for starting
"and stopping the boat, one is connected with the steering apparatus, one serves

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for indicating to the operator at all times the exact position of the rudder, one is
"connected with mechanism for elevating and depressing the said guide rods, and
one serves for firing the charge in the magazine.
«
"
<<
#
"
"
"
"The motive power for effecting the necessary movements of the mechanism or
apparatus in performing the above operations is obtained from the aforesaid
engines, which are provided with suitable valves arranged in combination with
electro-magnets, shunts, and the devices connected with the said wires of the
cable, as hereinafter set forth.
"For placing the cable Q in the form of a coil in the said chamber I prefer to
use a reel, constructed as shown in Figures 19, 20, and 21, that is to say, it is
provided with an inner core or barrel R¹, and two flanges R2. The said Hanges
are connected or tied together at or near their periphery by rods or bars R³,
provided with hooks, which take hold of the rims of the flanges R. The book R*
" at one end of each rod is loose, in order that it may be adjusted to fit over the
"said rim, and when properly placed thereon it is tightened on the said rim to
" bind the ends of the coil by a screw nut, as shown. The coil of cable is covered
by a sheath R. The core or barrel R¹ is divided longitudinally into two or more
parts to permit it to be removed from the coil. While the cable is being coiled
on the reel the said core and end flanges are secured by discs Ro, provided with
"necks or trunnions R', through which is passed a rod R³, with a head at one end
" and screw nut at the other end. The said trunnions rest in bearings, and the
"reel turns thereon while the cable is being coiled. When the cable is coiled on
"the said reel the rod and end pièces are removed, the core is then drawn out
piece by piece. The thimble or ring R³ Figure 22, is placed inside the end of the
"coil for the cable to pass through, and the inner end of the cable is taken through
"the ring, the said cable being thus payed out by commencing at the inside of
"the coil.
"
"
"In Figures 49, 50, 51, 52, I have shown a modification of the above described
arrangement of the coiling apparatus.
66
Figure 49 is a longitudinal sectional view; Figure 50 is a transverse section;
Figure 51 is an end view of the same; and Figure 52 is a side view partly in
"section of the core and flanges.
"In this modification the hull of the boat is made to form the coil casing. And
"to allow the gas supply pipe and other pipes to be carried through this chamber
"I flatten one side of the barrel or core R', and of the coil, as clearly shown in
Figures 50 and 51.
"
"
The rudder is operated and controlled by means of a small auxiliary engine
"shown at T, Figures 1 and 2, which is started, stopped, and reversed by the
electric current conducted through the said cable, in connection with magnets
"attached directly to a valve forming part of the said engine. This valve is so
"actuated by the said magnets that when the current passes in one direction the
engine will move the rudder to starboard, and when the current acts in the
opposite direction it will turn the rudder to port.
**
И
"The steering apparatus is most clearly shown in Figures 14, 15, and 16. In
"these Figures I have shown the boat provided with a double rudder, or two
rudders, one below and one above the boat, and both fixed to one shaft or
stock U', or two shafts united by a yoke through which the propeller shaft
passes. But it will be readily understood that I may, if desired, use only one
"rudder. On the rudder stock U₁ is an arc or sector U, which is connected by
worm or bevel gearing with the engine shafts T¹. This arc or sector U* is
provided with metallic pins or projections U*, on its under side, and below this
arc and in the path of the same I arrange a spring Us; when the rudders move
"these teeth or points U* come in contact with the aforesaid spring, thereby
closing the electric circuit, as hereinafter described.
C
34
"On both sides of the rudder stock U₁ I arrange a spring or arm U*, which in
its normal position rests against a contact point or post Us, and these arms
thereby complete the electric circuit. But this circuit is also completed through

page_text: a resistance coil. When the rudders U are hard-a-port or hard-a-starboard, the
" end of the arc or segment U³, which is furnished with insulating points U**,
" will be brought into contact with the corresponding spring Uª, and will push the
same out of contact with the said point or post Us, and can then move no further
in that direction. This position of the rudder is indicated on the keyboard
through the electric cable, as hereinafter described.
"
"
"
"
"In Figure 3a I have shown a modification of my steering apparatus, in which
a three-armed lever Uº is fixed on the rudder post and is connected directly to
the pistons of two engine cylinders U7 Figure 3, by rods Us. The arm U° of
this lever is provided with a friction roller which works upon the V spring U¹º.
The latter is so formed that when the rudder is by the action of the said pistons
"moved either to port or starboard, it tends to restore the said rudder to its
" central position by bringing the said friction roller over either of its inclined
"surfaces into the central angle of the said spring, as shown. Or the spring U10
may be arranged at one side and the central arm of the yoke dispensed with as
" in Figure 3.
"
"The mechanism for firing the charge in the magazine A' is most clearly shown
"in Figure 8, and operates as follows;-Projecting from the front extremity or
"stem of the boat is a rod or pin V which extends through a suitable packing
"box W into the said magazine or charge chamber; when the boat strikes an
object, the said rod is forced inward into contact with the springs or points X,
thereby closing an electrical circuit and igniting a cartridge, shown at Y, in the
magazine.
44
"
"
"The charge in the magazine can also be fired at any moment by the operator
on shore closing a circuit on the keyboard and thereby cutting out one of two
"resistance coils placed in the circuit to prevent accidental or premature discharge;
"that is to say, there are two resistance coils. The battery is not sufficiently
powerful to fire through both resistance coils at the same time. When the boat
" strikes an object, the resistance coil in the magazine is cut out by the driving
" inward of the rod V, as above described, the battery then fires through the one
on the keyboard. On the other hand, if the operator desires to fire the torpedo
boat before she touches the object of attack, he manipulates the switch to
"cut out the coil in the keyboard, the charge then being fired through the coil in
" the magazine. This arrangement of the two resistance coils is very effectual in
preventing accidents.
"
"
66
<<
"
46
"In order that the said torpedo boat may be provided with material for main-
taining the action of the motor engines for a sufficient time, it is sometimes
necessary that the reservoir or vessel containing the gas or fluid from which the
"motive power is generated should contain such gas or fluid under a pressure
very much higher than that under which the same can be used in the engines.
Therefore it is necessary to provide means whereby this pressure can be reduced
" in its passage from the said reservoir to the engine. For this purpose I employ
"the valve shown in Figure 23, which I term a reducing valve. In this Figure a
represents a portion of the pipe which conducts the gas or other fluid from its
"reservoir or generator to the engines. I interpose in this pipe a box or chest b
"which has an aperture at c controlled by a small slide valve d, so that when this
"slide valve is in the position shown in the Drawings, there will be a free passage
" for the fluid through the said pipe, but when the valve d slides over and closes
"the aperture c such passage for the fluid will be stopped. This slide valve d is
"attached to a rod e which extends through a stuffing-box to a piston f fitted in a
"Sinall cylinder g.
Below the said piston the cylinder 9 has a pipe h which
"extends to the said feed pipe a, and communicates with the same at some point
"between the aperture and the aforesaid engine. The said valve rod e is also
provided with a spring i, which tends always to draw the valve down and open
"the aperture c.
This spring is regulated to the desired pressure in the engine
"cylinders by means of the screw nut i¹; and when the pressure in these cylinders
"And the portion of the pipe adjacent thereto does not exceed the desired limit,
"

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"the said valve will not completely close the aperture c.
But when the pressure
" exceeds this limit, the piston fwill be forced upward and will overcome the
"resistance of the spring so that the slide valve d will close the aperture c.
"Thus it will be seen the said valve constitutes a device, whereby the
pressure in the engine cylinders is automatically regulated by and according
" to the pressure existing in the pipe between the valve c and the said cylinders.
"In Figures 53 to 56 I have shown modified forms of reducing valves;
Figure 53 is a longitudinal central section of one of these valves; and Figure 54
is a transverse section on the line x*, *, thereof. Figures 55 and 56 are similar
" views of another valve.
44
4
66
" In practice, both of these valves are preferably employed, that is to say, the
" valves A** and B** are placed in the gas pipes, as hereinafter described. This
"valve is constructed with a cylinder or cylindrical box b', containing an internal
cylinder b, and spaces or passages 6s exist between these two cylinders. The
"outer cylinder or box 6¹ is connected at its ends with the pipes a, a³, by screw
couplings 6, 6; d' is a valve which is fitted to a seat in the coupling b* and
"whose stem or spindle e¹ extends into the inner cylinder 63 through a packing
box 66. The end of the stem inside this inner cylinder has a piston f¹ fitted to
" work tight but freely therein. It will be seen that the area of this piston is
greater than that of the valve d¹. The end of the said cylinder b is open as
shown, so that the pressure inside the outer cylinder and pipe a¹ will act to force
"the piston f¹ inward, and to keep the valve d' up to its face. But when the
pressure in the pipe a acting on the said valve overcomes the pressure on the
piston f¹, the said valve is forced open and fills the cylinder b₁ and pipe a¹, the
greater area of the piston then giving to the pressure exerted thereon a
preponderance over that acting in the valve, so that the latter is immediately
" closed.
"
"
"
"
"
"The construction of the valve shown in Figures 55, 56, is substantially the
same as that shown in Figures 53 54, and the description of this construction
" and operation of the one will apply equally to the other of these valves, except
"that the valve shown in Figures 55, 56, has a spring i which permits the limit of
"reduced pressure to be varied as in the valve shown in Figure 23.
16
"
"In Figure 57, which is a horizontal section, I have shown a convenient
arrangement of the pipes and valves in my improved torpedo boat, the other
parts of the apparatus being omitted to permit the said pipes and valves to be
clearly seen. In this figure I have shown the reducing valves last above
described, both arranged in the gas pipes between the reservoir and the engines.
"The valve A** first reduces the pressure from the very high degree in which it
" exists in the said reservoir to a comparatively moderate pressure in the pipe a¹,
" and the valve B** admits the gas still further reduced in pressure from the
pipe a to the pipe a³, from which it passes from the throttle valve to the
engine.
"
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46
16
<<
The pipe as extending through the flask or reservoir provides communication
"between the water spaces A' at the ends of the same; a** is a valve for closing
"the pipe a, and which is opened from the outside of the beat before the same is
started; a is a safety valve for relieving the engine and pipe a²; a' shows the
position of the aforesaid throttle valve, which is controlled by the operator
through the cable and the magnets at as; a³ is a small valve for admitting water
"to the spaces A7 to compensate for the gas taken from the reservoir; a is a pipe
which conveys gas from the pipe between the engine and throttle valve to a
"small cylinder a; this cylinder is provided with a spring piston connected by a
"lever to the said valve aº. When the throttle valve is open the gas overcomes
"the spring of the said piston, and opens the valve a³, thereby admitting water to
" the spaces A. When the throttle valve is closed the spring forces back the
piston, and closes the valve a. A is a pipe for permitting the escape of air
" from the spaces A7 into the exhaust pipe of the engine.
14
"Another form of valve for regulating the admission of water to compensate for

page_text: " the exhaust of the gas in the boat when the carbonic acid gas engine is used is
"shewn in Figure 24; it is similar in construction to that shown in Figure 23, and
"
the same letters are used to indicate the corresponding parts thereof. The pipe j
“ extends from the compartment containing the engine to the spaces A' at the
"ends of the flask containing the carbonic acid. The said engine compartment
"is open to the sea, so that it will always be full of water. The slide d
"closes the pipe j so that no water can flow through the same, except when the
" said slide d is raised by pressure on the piston f. The pipe h below this piston
" is connected with the gas feed pipe to the engine, so that as the gas is supplied
" to the engine from the gas reservoir, the pressure thereof raises the piston fand
"slide d, and permits water to flow through the pipe j into the water space
surrounding the said reservoir or flask.
[
44
"
<
In Figure 25 I have shown a novel form of throttle valve, which I use in com-
"bination with the engines on my torpedo boat. a is the pipe which feeds the engine
" with the gas or other fluid; is a valve box placed in the said pipe, and containing
"a valve m, which controls the passage of the fluid through the same; m² is a valve
" rod passing through a stuffing box, and connected with a piston n in a cylinder o;
"the said rod. is provided with a spring, which tends always to keep the valve in
a position to close the said pipe a. Below the cylinder o is a box or casing p
containing a slide valve p₁ and there is a passage q forming a communication
" between the said casing and the space in the cylinder below the piston n. To
" the rod or spindle of the slide p' is connected the insulated bell-crank lever p³,
"which is connected with magnets, and operated by an electric current passed
through the same. ql is an orifice that admits gas to the casing p. When the
" current passes in one direction it will move this slide to admit gas through the
"orifice q and passage q to the underside of the piston, thereby raising the same
"and the valve m, which then admits gas to the propelling engine. By reversing
"the electric current the port or passage q is closed, and the exhaust port q* is
opened, the supply of gas being cut off and the engine stopped.
64
"When ammoniacal gas is used ammonia in a liquid state is carried in a
cylinder containing a series of tubes, and which is surrounded with water. The
gas having exerted its power in the engine, is exhausted into this water,
surrounding the aforesaid cylinder, and it is absorbed by the water, and during
"the absorption beat is developed, which is imparted to the ammoniacal gas in the
"cylinder, thereby maintaining a uniform pressure.
16
"
In Figure 1 I have shown in this water compartment a small fan or propeller
"driven by a rotary engine for the purpose of keeping the water in agitation, and
thereby ensuring this desired uniformity of temperature.
"
"
"
In some instances I make the magazine detachable from the hull of the boat,
so that on striking an object it will descend or drop down in the water before
exploding. This modification is illustrated in Figures 17, 18, 18ª, 18b.
"
The magazine A* is attached at its lower side to the boat by a chain or other
" suitable connection. At its upper edge it is held by a rod a*, as shown in
Figure 17. This rod is fitted to slide in dovetailed bearings, as shown at b*, and
"when this magazine is in its place on the boat the said rod is engaged with a
catch or stop c*, but when the said rod is driven against any object it is forced
"back and released from the said catch or stop, and the magazine then drops, as
" in Figure 18, and is fired.
"6
"
"To effect the firing I prefer to use a ball d° placed in a tube containing two
springs or plates e°, and arranged in an upwardly inclined position, as shown in
Figure 17, one of the said springs being connected with the cable and the other
" with a wire that passes through the cartridge to the 'ground.'
"
$$
"While the magazine is in the position shown in Figure 17 the circuit is
'incomplete, but when the magazine drops the said ball falls into the position
"shown in Figure 18; the circuit is then completed, and the magazine is
" fired.
"The electrical or electro-magnetic apparatus for generating, directing, and

page_text: "
"
"
"
controlling the currents, whereby the above-described operations are effected,
may be of any suitable kind, but I prefer to use the apparatus shown in the
accompanying Drawings, and which I will now describe.
"As shewn in Figure 39 the battery r consists of any desired or requisite
"number of cells constructed and arranged in any suitable manner, and connected
by proper conducting wires with the keyboard 8. The latter is provided with a
" series of pole changers 81, 82, 83, 84, and switches 88, 88. One of the said pole
changers is shown detached in Figures 32, 33, 34.
น
"Each of these pole changers is arranged to effect and control one of the
"above-named operations, and is therefore connected with one of the aforesaid
insulated wires forming the cable. For instance, the pole changer 8' effects the
" starting and stopping of the propelling engine; 82 controls the steering
" apparatus; 8³ is connected with the steering index; 8* operates or adjusts the
"aforesaid guiding rods, and the switches 85, 86, control and effect the firing of the
charge in the magazine.
"
"
"
"
15
"The connections between these pole changers and switches, and the apparatus
they operate or control on board the boat, are as follows, that is to say ;-The
"Baid propelling engines have a throttle valve, which controls the admission of the
gas from its generator or reservoir to the cylinders of the said engine, and in
" combination with this valve in the boat I arrange a shunt t and set of electro-
magnets u. The armature u¹ of the latter is connected with a lever u², which
is pivotted at us, so that the action of the electric current in one direction
through these magnets will pull one end of the said lever down, and the action
"of the current in the other direction will pull its other end down, that is to say,
by reversing the current through these magnets the movement of the said lever
"is reversed; and this lever being connected by the aforesaid bell-crank lever p³,
Figure 25, or by other suitable means with the slide p¹ of the said throttle
"valve will open or close the same, and thereby start or stop the engine as
required.
"
"
«
પ
"For operating and controlling the above-described steering. apparatus, and
indicating the position of the rudder to the operator on shore I use the following
"devices in combination with the pole changers 88, 83, on the keyboard:-These
"pole changers are geared together by insulated toothed wheels v, vl, which are
"fixed on the spindles or axes of the said pole changers, so that the latter work
accurately together, and maintain the same relative positions to each other. The
pole changer & is connected by one of the said insulated cable wires with a shunt 8*
on board the boat, which shunt is connected with a set of magnets arranged in
combination with the valve of the engine that drives the stearing apparatus,
and which valve is reversed or opened and closed by the reversal of the currents
through the said magnets, as above described, and the said engine moves the
rudder to port or starboard at the will of the operator.
"But in order that the operator may know the exact position of the rudder at
any moment I employ the device herein-before described, consisting of a series
of pins or projections fixed on an arc or other portion of the rudder stock, and
arranged in combination with an insulated spring projecting into the path of
the said series of pins. This spring is connected by one of the cable wires with
the pole changer 8 on the keyboard which is geared with and moves in unison
with the pole changer & so that the electric current that controls the steering.
engine, and the current that returns the indication of the rudder's position, will'
both be reversed simultaneously. A separate battery is connected with the index
on the said keyboard, whereby a constant current is maintained between this
index and the indicating apparatus on the boat.
"The current passing from the said spring to the shore is made to indicate the
position of the rudder by the index on the keyboard by the contrivance shown
in Figures 36, 37, and 38. This contrivance consists of a set of magnets w,
which have a vibrating armature w₁ pivotted to oscillate between them. One
end of the armature lever provided with insulated spring pawls w³ which take

page_text: " into ratchet wheels w. On the game shafts on which these ratchet wheels are
"fixed are wheels w* formed with insulated teeth, and geared with each other.
"The shaft of one of these wheels is geared by bevel pinions w with a vertical
" shaft w³ to which is attached the index needle or finger ***. Therefore it will
" be obvious that this index finger is placed in connection with the aforesaid spring
" and series of pins attached to the rudder yoke on board the boat.
"
"Now it will be obvious that when the rudder is turned in either direction these
pins will come successively in contact with the said spring, and at each contact
" and separation the circuit will be made and broken, aud an impulse will be
"transmitted through the cable, whereby a corresponding movement will be
"transmitted to the said index finger or pointer ** on the keyboard.
"
"
"The pole changer is connected with another of the insulated wires of the
'cable, which on board the boat is connected with a shunt to and set of magnets
arranged in combination with the aforesaid cylinders that operate the said
guiding rods, so that by sending the current in one direction the said rods will
" be raised, and by sending the current in the opposite direction the said rods
"will be lowered.
"
"The switch 8 is connected with another of the said insulated wires of the cable,
"which forms the circuit, including the aforesaid two resistance coils.
"
"
"By adjusting this switch the operator completes the circuit through the two
resistance coils, and then, but not till then, the charge can be exploded, either by
"the operator or by the action of the firing pin or rod, when the same is driven in
" and cuts out the other resistance coil, as above described.
"
"
"By referring to Figure 8 the arrangement of the resistance coil and connecting
wires on the boat may be fully understood.
"The resistance coil X' is connected by the wires 7, 8, to the binding screws
9, 10, which are insulated from the case or box Z, but, are connected with the
springs or points X. The wire 11 from the keyboard battery is connected to
"the screw 9 and the wire 12, extends from the screw 10 through the cartridge Y
" to the 'ground'
"
"Now when the operator, as aforesaid, cuts out the resistance coil on shore by
actuating the switch 8 the current from the battery is sufficiently powerful
" to fire the said cartridge through the resistance coil X³, and the operator can
"thus fire the charge at any moment; or he can await the contact of the boat
" with the ship or other structure to be attacked, when the charge will be fired
automatically by the driving in of the rod V as above described. When this
" rod is driven, so that its inner extremity or point V' is in contact with the
springs X, the circuit is completed through the wire 11, springs X the point V¹,
"and wire 12, and the charge is fired.
"
"
"
46
*
"
65
"Figure 58 is a vertical longitudinal section, and Figure 59 is an end view of
a brake apparatus for the said cable.
"Aº shows part of the paying-out tube through which the cable passes in
leaving the torpedo boat; B is the apparatus for automatically checking the
paying out of the cable, which apparatus, as shown, is attached to and forms
part of the said paying-out tube. aº is a vertical cylinder, which is cast in one
piece with the longitudinal tubular portion 6º connecting with the paying-out
tube, as above described. c is a diaphragm or division, through which passes
"the rod do, having at its upper end a piston e and at a part below the said
diaphragm a guide plate or disc fº, the latter being provided as a supporting
guide to the rod in its vertical movement. The said rod do passes through the
stuffing box go. h is a curved piece of india-rubber or other suitable material,
"which is attached between jaws to the lower end of the rod do. 2° is a tube
leading into the cylinder aº above the diaphragm cº, which tube is connected at
" its other end with the gas supply pipe in such a manner that when the engine
" is working there will be a constant pressure of gas upon the underside of the
piston eo, the gas being cut off when the engine is not at work. 70 is a spiral
བྷ 2 རྒྱུ རྣ རྟ རྣ ནྟ ྟ ཋ བ བ བ ང རྟ
"
"

page_text: 66
"
spring acting against the piston eº, and kº is a portion of the cable within the
paying-out tube.
«
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign Correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it under-
"that I do not claim in a broad or general manner a torpedo boat or a boat
charged with explosive material controllable by electricity from a station with
"which the said boat remains in connection by means of a cable payed out from
"the boat during the movement of the same. Nor do I claim as new any feature
"of construction of the electric or electro-magnetic apparatus or devices herein-
"above described or any feature relating thereto otherwise than as is indicated in
"the claiming clauses hereunto annexed Nor do I claim generally the employ-
"ment of ammoniacal or carbonic acid gas or other fluid as a source of motive
power nor any other of the devices or contrivances hereinabove described or
"shown in the accompanying drawings except as defined and set forth by the
following claiming clauses that is to say I claim,
"
«
"First. In a torpedo boat the arrangements or contrivances for carrying an
" electric cable, and for paying out the same through a tube extending aft beyond
"the screw propeller, or through a central tube passing through the propeller, and
" which cable may or may not have a brake applied to the same, all as above set
"forth.
16
«
Second. The apparatus for working the rudder or rudders of my torpedo boat,
consisting of the engine and rotating shaft geared with the rudder stock,
"connected with an electrical circuit, and controllable by the operator at the
"shore or other station, as above set forth and for the purpose specified.
"
"
"Third. In a torpedo boat the provision in the bow or nose of the same of the
firing rod or pin fitted to slide through a stuffing box, and which, when driven
inward, completes an electric circuit, and thereby explodes the charge in the
magazine, as above set forth.
"
Fourth. The combination with the rudder yoke of the devices consisting of the
springs and resistance coils arranged at the two sides of the rudder stock, and
"connected with the electrical circuit in such a manner that the rudder when
"jammed hard a-port or starboard will be stopped without injury to any of the
parts, as above set forth.
"
"Fifth. The arrangement of the electrical circuit, whereby the firing of the
magazine is accomplished with the two resistance coils and short circuit, as
"above set forth and for the purposes specified "
In witness whereof I the said John Louis Lay have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Third day of August in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty twen
JOHN. LOUIS. LAY. (LS)
To the Commissioners of Patents for Inventions.
I hereby grant my fiat, giving leave to the above named John Louis Lay; the
Assignee of the said Letters Patent, to file in the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents for Inventions, with the Specification to which the same relates, the above
written Disclaimer and Memorandum of Alteration.
Dated this 28th day of August 1882.

page_text: 16
LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO TORPEDO BOATS, AND APPARATUS
FOR GUIDING, CONTROLLING, AND FIRING THE SAME." A communication from
abroad by John Louis Lay, of Paris, France.
Sealed the 14th May 1878, and dated the 22nd February 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd February 1878.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO TORPEDO
BOATS, AND APPARATUS FOR GUIDING, CONTROLLING, AND FIRING THE SAME."
communication from abroad by John Louis Lay, of Paris, France.]
[A
The said Invention is designed to provide the means whereby a boat or vessel
charged with suitable explosive materials, that is to say, a torpedo boat, may be
propelled by machinery contained therein, and at the same time may be kept fully
under the control or management of an operator or staff of operators at a station
on land or on board a ship or other vessel or structure. After being launched from
such station, vessel, or structure, the said torpedo boat may be kept under observation
and accurately guided or directed to an ironclad ship or other object of attack,
and may be fired or discharged at any desired moment, or may be caused to return
to its station without being fired.
In practising my Invention I construct a vessel which has a cylindrical hull with
conical ends of sheet iron or steel, and of any convenient length and diameter. This
vessel is provided with a double screw or two screws or propellers revolving in
opposite directions for its propulsion. The shaft of one of these propellers is hollow
Dios lo 971

page_text: The said
or tubular, and the shaft of the other propeller passes through the same.
screws or propellers are actuated by an engine operated by the expansive force of
carbonic acid gas or ammoniacal gas, or by any other fluid which will be an equi-
valent for such gases. The connection of the engine with the two propeller shafts
The said boat
is effected by two sets of bevel gearing or by other suitable means.
or vessel is provided with a double set of side wings or horizontal rudders, two
forward and two aft. These side wings or rudders are adjusted to any angle by
means of a screw and arms and levers or other suitable apparatus inside of the boat,
and operated from the outside of the same. These side wings or rudders are for the
purpose of causing the required submergence or partial submergence of the boat
when in motion. Two guide rods, one aft and one forward, project up from the
said vessel to enable the operator to determine its position at any part of its
journey, and in case of a night attack these rods are provided with lights. The
said rods can be raised or lowered at the will of the operator by the means herein-
after specified.
The medium of communication between the said torpedo boat and the land or
other station occupied by the operator, and whereby the said boat is started, stopped,
steered, fired, and has her position ascertained, is an electric cable, which is carried
in the boat in a coil or on a reel, and is payed out as the boat progresses through a
tube projecting aft under the boat or through the aforesaid hollow shaft. One end
of this cable is connected to a keyboard at the station on shore or on board of the
ship or other structure from which the torpedo boats are controlled. This keyboard
is provided with a suitable voltaic battery for generating the electric current.
The said cable is composed of several wires, each of which is insulated from the
others. One of these wires is connected with the mechanism for starting and
stopping the boat, one with the steering apparatus, one with devices for indicating
to the operator at all times the exact position of the rudder, one with mechanism
for elevating and depressing the guide rods, and one with devices for firing the
charge in the magazine.
The motive power for effecting the necessary movements of the mechanism or
apparatus in performing the above operations is obtained from the aforesaid engines,
which are provided with suitable valves arranged in connection with electro-
magnets.
In connection with the cable and magnets in the boat I arrange a
"shunt" or
commutator for reversing or changing the current to effect the various operations
required.
For holding and paying out the cable I prefer to use a reel constructed-with an
inner core and two flanges. The said flanges are connected at or near their peri-
phery by rods or bars, and the whole is covered by a sheath. When the cable is
coiled on the said reel the core is drawn out, and the cable in paying out or un-
coiling commences at the inner coil. The chamber in which this reel is placed is
made air-tight.
On the aforesaid keyboard are switches or keys, whereby the electrical current is
changed to produce the desired results. For instance, by turning the switch in one
direction a positive current is produced, which will open a throttle or other valve
connected with the engine, while by turning it in an opposite direction a negative
current is produced, which closes the said valve. The said keyboard is provided
with a needle or pointer that traverses a graduated arc. This needle is connected
with a ratchet and pawl or other suitable gearing, which is actuated by a set of
magnets. The electric current operating the magnets is conveyed to the boat
through the aforesaid cable.
The rudder is manipulated by a small auxiliary engine, which is started, stopped,
and reversed by the electric current conducted through the said cable in connection
with magnets attached directly to a valve forming part of the said engine. This
valve is so actuated by the said magnets that when the current passes in one
direction the engine will move the rudder to starboard, and when the current.acts
1

page_text: in the opposite direction it will turn the rudder to port. On the rudder stock is an
are or sector, which is connected by worm or bevel gearing with the engine shaft.
This arc or sector is provided with metallic teeth or projections, and above this are,
and in the path of the same, I arrange a spring. When the rudder moves, these
teeth or points come in contact with the aforesaid spring, thereby closing the electric
circuit in which the rudder stock is included, the magnets on the keyboard at the
same time, and to the same extent, operating the aforesaid needle or pointer, so that
the same will indicate to the operator the exact position of the rudder.
On both sides of the rudder's stock I place a spring, which rests against a contact
point and thereby completes the electric circuit. The circuit is also completed
through a resistance coil. When the rudder is hard-a-port or hard-a-starboard the
end of the arc or segment, which is furnished with insulating points, pushes the
said spring out of contact with the said contact point, and can then move no further
in that direction.
The aforesaid rudder is arranged on the under side of the boat, but in some
instances I employ a similar rudder in the upper side of the said boat, this top
rudder being connected and operating with the first-named rudder.
When carbonic acid gas is used it is carried in a flask in a liquid state and
received into small flasks or reducers, wherein it expands before passing to the
engine. The same result can be obtained by enlarging the pipes leading from. the
flask to the engine. As the gas pressure in the flask is in excess of the pressure
required in the engine, this pressure is reduced by the interposition of reducing
valves operated by the gas itself.
When ammoniacal gas is used, ammonia in a liquid state is carried in a tubular
cylinder which is surrounded with water. The gas having exerted its power in the
engine is exhausted into the water surrounding the aforesaid cylinder, and it is
absorbed by the water, and during the absorption heat is developed, which is
imparted to the ammoniacal gas in the cylinder, thereby maintaining a uniform
pressure.
The said boat is also provided with a compensating water tank for admitting
water ballast. The water is admitted to the tank through a cock or valve, which
opens and closes with the throttle valve; hence no water is taken in when the boat
is at rest. The object of this provision for water ballast is to compensate for the
loss of weight caused by the expenditure of gas and paying out of the cable.
The guide rods are elevated and depressed by the electric current acting through
magnets upon a valve arranged in combination with cylinders whose pistons are
connected by arms and levers to the rods; this valve controls the admission or
discharge of gas into and from these cylinders. The said rods are made hollow or
tubular in order to let the air escape from the water tank when water is admitted.
Projecting from the front extremity or stem of the boat is a rod or pin, which
extends through a suitable packing box into the magazine or charge chamber, and
when the boat strikes an object the said rod is forced inward, thereby closing an
electrical circuit and igniting a cartridge in the magazine.
The magazine can also be fired at any moment by the operator by closing a circuit
on the keyboard. There are two resistance coils in the circuit. The operator cuts
out one resistance coil by operating a switch or key on the keyboard; the firing
rod cuts out the other resistance coil when forced into the magazine. The battery
s not sufficiently powerful to fire through both resistance coils at the same time.
When the boat strikes an object, and the resistance coil in the magazine is cut out,
s above described, the battery fires through the one on the keyboard. When the
operator desires to fire, he having cut out the coil in the keyboard, the charge is
red through the coil in the magazine. This arrangement of the two resistance
coils prevents danger of accidental or premature firing by the operator.
In some instances I make the magazine detachable from the hull of the boat,
o that on striking an object it will descend several feet in the water before
xploding.

page_text: The said torpedo boats may be launched from a submarine fort that will hold a
number of the said boats. This fort may be raised or lowered by admitting or
ejecting water from compartments in the bottom. The torpedo boats can be
detached from it by lines connected to levers, or through the medium of electro-
magnetic apparatus.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd
August 1878.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO TORPEDO 1
Southampton Buildings, London.
BOATS, AND APPARATUS FOR GUIDING, CONTROLLING, AND FIRING THE SAME."
communication from abroad by John Louis Lay, of Paris, France.
A
The said Invention is designed to provide the means whereby a boat or vessel
charged with suitable explosive material, that is to say, a torpedo boat, may be
propelled by machinery contained therein, and at the same time may be kept fully
under the control or management of an operator or staff of operators at a station on
land, or on board a ship or floating battery. And after being launched from such
station, vessel, or structure, the said torpedo boat may be kept under observation
and accurately guided or directed to an ironclad ship or other object of attack, and
may be fired or discharged at any desired moment, or may be caused to return to
its station without being fired.
The manner in which I carry my said Invention into practise is clearly illus-
trated in the accompanying Drawings, which I will now proceed to describe."
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a torpedo boat constructed and
provided with guiding and controlling apparatus, and with means for propelling it
by ammoniacal gas according to my Invention; Figure 2 is a horizontal section of
the same; Figure 3 is a horizontal section, showing the same provided with means
for driving it by carbonic acid gas; Figure 4 is a transverse section on the line x, x,
Figure 1 Figure 5 is a transverse section on the line y, y, Figure 1.
Figure 6 is an external view, partly in section, of the stern of one of my torpedo
boats.
Figure 7 is a longitudinal section of the same with modifications, as herein-after
described.
Figure 8 is a longitudinal section of the stem of the said torpedo boat, shewing
the mechanism for firing the same.
Figure 9 is a horizontal section of a portion of the boat, shewing the same pro-

page_text: vided with adjustable side wings or horizontal rudders; Figure 10 is a vertical
longitudinal section of the same.
Figure 11 is a transverse section on the line 2, 2, Figure 9.
Figures 12 and 13 shew one of the said wings or blades in plan and edge view.
Figure 14 is a longitudinal vertical section of the stern of my torpedo boat,
shewing the same with two propellers and with steering apparatus; Figure 15 is a
horizontal section of the same; Figure 16 is a transverse section on the line x¹, x¹,
Figure 14.
Figures 17 and 18 are side views of one of my torpedo boats with a detaching
magazine, shewing the same in two different positions; Figure 18ª is an end view
of the same; Figure 18b is a transverse section on the line y', y¹, Figure 17.
Figure 19 is a longitudinal section of the drum or reel on which the cable is
coiled in the said torpedo boat; Figure 20 is an end view of the same.
Figure 21 is a transverse section of the barrel or core of the said drum.
Figure 22 shews a side view and transverse section of a "thimble" or ring,
through which the said cable passes in paying it out.
Figure 23 is a longitudinal section of a governor or reducing valve employed in
connection with the carbonic acid or other gas engine on the said torpedo boat.
Figure 24 is a longitudinal section of a water valve used in the said boat for
admitting water to compensate for the diminution of weight due to the escape or
exhaust of the gas.
Figure 25 is a longitudinal section of a throttle valve used with either the
ammoniacal gas engine or the carbonic acid gas engine in my torpedo boats.
Figures 26, 27, 28, and 29, shew the electro-magnets and shunt for operating the
valves in my torpedo boat, Figure 26 being a front elevation of part of the same;
Figure 27, a plan of these devices; Figure 28, a plan of the base board on which
the magnets are secured; and Figure 29 a side elevation of Figure 27.
Figure 30 is a plan; and Figure 31, a side elevation of a keyboard forming part
of my improved apparatus.
Figure 32 is is an elevation of one of the pole changers of the said keyboard;
and Figure 33 is a section on the line 2', z¹, shewing the pole changer in a different
position.
Figure 34 shews a portion of the said pole changer.
Figure 35 illustrates my device for connecting two of these pole changers for
operating the same simultaneously.
Figures 36, 37, and 38, illustrate the arrangement of the magnet in connection
with the said keyboard for working the index finger or needle thereof, Figure 36
being a front elevation; Figure 37, an end elevation; and Figure 38, a plan of
the same.
Figure 39 is a plan of the shore battery or set of batteries, and keyboard and
connections.
It will be observed that some of the above-described views are drawn to a larger
scale than others.
The remaining Figures illustrate modifications of various parts of my Invention,
as herein-after described.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout these Drawings.
A is the hull or body of the boat, which has conical ends A1, A2, and is formed
of thin plate iron or steel, or other suitable metal. This hull is divided into
sections or compartments for the various purposes herein-after described. The part
or section in the end A' forms the magazine containing the charge of dynamite or
other explosive material; A³ is the compartment or section containing the gas
reservoir or holder. The compartment A contains the apparatus for holding and
paying out the cable. The compartment A³ in the end A² contains the motor
engine, the steering apparatus, and other parts herein-after described; all of these
compartiments are separated from each other by air-tight bulkheads A
My torpedo boat may be provided with a single screw propeller, as in Figures 6
and 7, or with a double screw, or two screws or propellers, as shewn in Figures 1

page_text: 2, 3, 14, and 15. The propellers B, C, revolve in opposite directions; the shaft D
of the propeller B is hollow or tubular, and the shaft E of the other propeller C
passes through the same; the said screws or propellers B, C, are actuated by an
engine shewn at F, Figures 1, 2, and 3. In the boat shewn in Figure 3 the engine
is operated by the expansive force of carbonic acid gas, while in the boat shewn in
Figures 1 and 2 it is driven by ammoniacal gas; or I may use compressed air or
any other fluid which will be an equivalent for such gases. The connection of the
engine with the two propeller shafts is effected by two sets of bevel gearing, or by
other suitable means. The said engine has a boss or projection G, on which is fixed
a bevel wheel 1. The engine shaft passes through this boss and fixed wheel, and
is provided with a stud or finger fixed on it, and which carries a similar wheel 2
that rotates freely on the said stud in gear with the wheel 1, and also with a
similar wheel 3 fixed on the screw shaft E. In this arrangement of gearing the
engine shaft carries the wheel 2 around the fixed wheel 1, and thereby imparts
rotation to the wheel 3 and shaft E, with an increase of velocity of the screw shaft
in the ratio of two to one. The shaft E also carries a bevel wheel 4, which gears
with a similar wheel 5 fitted to turn freely on a stud or shaft fixed in any con-
venient manner to the side of the boat. This wheel 5 also gears with a wheel 6 on
the tubular or sleeve shaft D, and thereby imparts motion to the same and the
propeller B in a direction opposite to that of the revolution of the propeller C.
This arrangement of gearing affords the means for obtaining very advantageously
the required velocity of the two propellers in opposite directions.
In the modification of this gearing, shewn in Figures 2a and 2b, E is the screw
shaft; B, C, are the screws or propellers; A* is a bush rivetted or otherwise firmly
and solidly fixed in the stern of the boat. The screw shaft passes through this
sleeve which is provided with a suitable water-tight packing box and gland, and
the inner propeller B is fitted to turn freely on the sleeve. On the outer end of this
sleeve is formed a neck or projection, on which is formed or fixed a stationary
stud E. On this stud is fitted to turn freely a bevel wheel E' which gears with
the propellers B and C by means of teeth formed around their bosses.
The outer propeller C is keyed or otherwise fixed on the extremity of the shaft E,
and therefore it rotates with the said shaft. By its rotation and through the
medium of the bevel wheel or pinion E¹, it imparts rotation in the opposite direction
to the propeller B.
I may use a guard or protector of any suitable form for the said mechanism.
The said boat or vessel is provided with a double set of side wings or horizontal
rudders H, two forward, and two aft; these side wings or rudders are mounted on
shafts or spindles I, passing transversely through the boat, as shewn in Figures 9,
10, 11.
Attached to the shafts I are crank arms J which have slots for the reception of
the ends of the cross head K. The boss of this cross head forms a nut, through
which passes the vertical screw L supported and kept from endwise movement by
the bearings L1, L2; and by turning this screw to the right or left the cross head K
and shafts I are adjusted to set the said wings H vertically to any desired angle,
that is to say, they may be set to occupy a horizontal position, or a more or less
inclined position in the proper direction to cause the submerging of the boat by the
action of the water on the said wings as the boat moves forward. This screw L is
operated from the outside of the boat by a key or wrench applied to the end of
the screw L; these side wings or rudders are adjusted to the required angle for
causing the necessary submergence or partial submergence of the boat before
starting or leaving the station.
Two guide rods N, one aft, and one forward, project up from the said vessel to
enable the operator to determine its position at any part of its journey, and in case
of a night attack these rods are provided with lights; the said rods can be raised or
lowered at the will of the operator.
The said rods are attached to the outer ends of shafts or spindles O which pass
through water-tight sleeves or tubes, as clearly shewn in Figure 4. These shafts O

page_text: are provided at their inner ends with cranks O¹ which are connected by rods 0° to
the pistons of cylinders P. These cylinders are supplied with the ammoniacal or
other gas whose entrance and exhaust are effected and controlled by the means
herein-after described.
:
In Figures 40, 41, 42, I have illustrated a modified form of the apparatus for
operating or adjusting the guide rods; N* is a cylinder which is secured in the
boat in any suitable manner, and is provided at N', N', with ports or apertures for
the entrance and exhaust of gas.
The rod N is preferably provided with a disc N2, and has a piston N** at its
lower end fitted to slide up and down in the tubular piston rod or sleeve N³, whose
lower end is provided with a piston N' which works up and down in the said
cylinder; N, N³, are rods secured in the bottom of the cylinder N*, and which
pass through the piston N* to the upper end of the said cylinder in an inclined or
spiral direction in such a manner, that when the said piston moves up or down it
will be rotated or turned one-fourth of a revolution on its axis in the said
cylinder..
When the said disc rods and sleoves are in the position shewn, the disc N2 stands
fore and aft of the boat, and therefore presents practically no surface to view in the
line of the boat's movement; but when the operator desires to bring the said discs
into view, gas is admitted from the flask or reservoir to the bottom of the
cylinder N*, and forces up the piston N* and sleeve N³, at the same time entering
the bottom of the said sleeve and raising the rod N and disc N³, turning the latter
athwart or across the boat, thus affording the means for ascertaining its position or
keeping it in view.
In the sleeve N³ and near the top of the same is a small opening covered with a
valve No; when the sleeve is up this valve prevents the entrance of water into the
same. This valve is provided with a small spiral spring, and is attached to a valve
rod N7; the valve rod extends down slightly beyond the piston N
When the piston N* has nearly reached the end of its downward movement the
end of the valve rod N' strikes the cylinder bottom, and thereby the valve is opened
against the resistance of the spiral spring. Gas then enters the sleeve N³ and forces
down the piston N**, and the disc rod and disc N2, and brings the latter again into
the position shewn in Figure 40; then gas is again admitted to the lower side of
the pistons, the pistons move, and the valve rod being released the spiral spring
brings the valve No again over the port or opening in the sleeve, and as the said
sleeve passes into the water through the stuffing box on the upper end of the
cylinder N*, the valve No being closed no water can enter, and the upward move-
ment of the piston N* again reverses the position of the guide disc and presents its
face to the operator.
Instead of using the aforesaid inclined or spirally arranged rods, I may use V
grooves or projections in the cylinder for turning the pistons and discs.
In Figures 43, 43ª, and 44, I have shewn a further modification of the above
described apparatus, wherein the rod N and disc N2 are turned or reversed in, and
by the up-and-down movements of the piston Nt, through the agency of inclined
surfaces n', on the upper and lower sides of the piston in combination with surfaces
n in the top and bottom of the cylinder, similarly inclined, but arranged transversely
to those on the piston.
>
When the latter and the disc N2 are in the position shewn in Figure 43, the disc
stands fore and aft of the boat as above described, but by admitting gas to the
space below the piston the latter and the rod N are raised, and when the inclines n¹
come in contact with the edges of the inclines n³ on the top of the cylinder the
former will slide upon the latter, and by its sliding will be caused to turn on the
axis of the piston rods until the points ns are brought into the centre n' of the
inclines n². By this action of the inclined faces on each other, the disc is turned
for a quarter of a revolution to bring it into view of the operator as above described,
and by admitting gas to the upper end of the cylinder the movements are reversed
and the disc returned to the position shewn in Figure 43.

page_text: To keep the rod N from turning loosely or independently in the sleeve N³, and
to ensure its presenting the least practicable surface to view when raised I prefer
to make the same with an oval transverse section, as shewn in Figures 42
and 44.
In the modification of this apparatus shewn in Figures 45, 40, and 47, the rod
N8 is fixed in the bottom of the cylinder N*, and the piston and sleeve N, N³,
work up and down over the rod. The said sleeve is preferably made oval in trans-
verse section, as shewn in Figure 47, for the purposes above stated.
In this case
the boat would be started with the discs raised, as shewn. The lower end of the
disc rod N rests on a plate N° on the upper end of the fixed rod N8 in the cylinder.
Gas being admitted to the upper end of the said cylinder, the piston and sleeve
descend while the disc N2 and rod N are held stationary in a vertical position until
the top of the sleeve reaches the plate N° on the said fixed rod. Then the disc rod
N having nothing to retain it in position drops overboard, leaving nothing above
the surface of the water for an enemy to see. If at any subsequent time the operator
should require to ascertain the position of the boat he can raise the sleeve above
the surface.
Another modification of the apparatus for effecting the operation or adjustment
of the guiding rods N is shewn in Figure 48, which is an exterior side view with
part broken away of one of my torpedo boats. In this arrangement of the said
apparatus the rods N are jointed or pivotted at the top of the boat, and are con-
nected by an external rod or bar N¹º The piston rod n³ is provided with a toothed
rack ne, which gears with a toothed segment or arc n', and by the movement of the
piston in the cylinder N*, the said toothed rack acting on the arc n' turns the same
on the joint or pivot, and thereby raises or lowers the said rods. Figures 48 and
48b illustrate another modification of this part of my Invention, in which the rod
N10 that connects the two levers N is inside the boat.
In some instances instead of using adjustable guiding rods I may employ hollow
fixed rods or tubes, with balls of india-rubber or other like material at the upper
ends of the same. These balls can be inflated with gas from the reservoir by means
of a suitable valve to render them visible to the operator, and when no longer
required can be caused to collapse by exhausting the gas from them.
The medium of communication betwee the said torpedo boat and the land or
other station occupied by the operator, and whereby the said boat is started, stopped,
steered, fired, and has her position ascertained, is an electric cable Q, which is carried
in the boat in a coil arranged longitudinally in the air-tight chamber in the reel
frame R, and is payed out as the boat progresses through a tube S, projecting aft
under the boat and beyond the rudder and propellers, so that the said cable will
not be caught in or fouled by the same; or it may be payed out through the hollow
shaft S', Figure 7. One end of this cable is connected to a keyboard at the station
on shore or on board of the ship or other structure from which the torpedo boats
are controlled. This keyboard is provided with a suitable battery or other means
for generating the electric current, as herein-after described.
The said cable is composed of several wires, each of which is insulated from
the others. One of these wires is connected with the mechanism for starting and
stopping the boat, one is connected with the steering apparatus, oue serves for indi-
cating to the operator at all times the exact position of the rudder, one is connected
with mechanism for elevating and depressing the said guide rods, and one serves for
firing the charge in the magazine.
The motive power for effecting the necessary movements of the mechanism or
apparatus in performing the above operations is obtained from the aforesaid engines,
which are provided with suitable valves arranged in combination with electro-
magnets, shunts, and the devices connected with the said wires of the cable, as
herein-after set forth.
For placing the cable Q in the form of a coil in the said chamber I prefer to use
a reel, constructed as shewn in Figures 19, 20, and 21, that is to say, it is provided
with an inner core or barrel R', and two flanges R². The said flanges are connected

page_text: or tied together at or near their periphery by rods or bara R³, provided with hooks,
which take hold of the rims of the flanges R². The hook R* at one end of each
rod is loose, in order that it may be adjusted to fit over the said rim, and when
properly placed thereon it is tightened on the said rim to bind the ends of the
coil by a screw nut, as shewn. The coil of cable is covered by a sheath R*. The
core or barrel R¹ is divided longitudinally into two or more parts to permit it to be
removed from the coil. While the cable is being coiled on the reel the said core and
end flanges are secured by discs Ro, provided with necks or trunnions R', through
which is passed a rod R8, with a head at one end and screw nut at the other end.
The said trunnions rest in bearings, and the reel turns thereon while the cable is
being coiled. When the cable is coiled on the said reel the rod and end pieces are
removed, the core is then drawn out piece by piece. The thimble or ring R, Figure
22, is placed inside the end of the coil for the cable to pass through, and the inner
end of the cable is taken through the ring, the said cable being thus payed out by
commencing at the inside of the coil.
In Figures 49, 50, 51, 52, I have shewn a modification of the above-described
arrangement of the coiling apparatus.
Figure 49 is a longitudiual sectional view; Figure 50 is a transverse section;
Figure 51 is an end view of the same; and Figure 52 is a side view partly in
section of the core and flanges.
In this modification the hull of the boat is made to form the coil casing. And to
allow the gas supply pipe and other pipes to be carried through this chamber I
flatten one side of the barrel or core R¹, and of the coil, as clearly shewn in Figures
50 and 51.
The rudder is operated and controlled by means of a small auxiliary engine shewn
at T, Figures 1 and 2, which is started, stopped, and reversed by the electric current
conducted through the said cable, in connection with magnets attached directly to
a valve forming part of the said engine. This valve is so actuated by the said
magnets that when the current passes in one direction the engine will move the
rudder to starboard, and when the current acts in the opposite direction it will
turn the rudder to port.
The steering apparatus is most clearly shewn in Figures 14, 15, and 16. In these
Figures I have shewn the boat provided with a double rudder, or two rudders, one
below and one above the boat, and both fixed to one shaft or stock U', or two shafts
united by a yoke through which the propeller shaft passes. But it will be readily
understood that I may, if desired, use only one rudder. On the rudder stock U'
is an arc or sector U2, which is connected by worm or bevel gearing with the engine
shafts T¹. This arc or sector U2 is provided with metallic pins or projections U*,
on its under side, and below this arc and in the path of the same I arrange a spring
Us; when the rudders move these teeth or points U* come in contact with the afore-
said spring, thereby closing the electric circuit, as herein-after described.
On both sides of the rudder stock U' I arrange a spring or arin Us, which in its
normal position rests against a contact point or post Us, and these arms thereby
complete the electric circuit. But this circuit is also completed through a resistance
coil. When the rudders U are hard-a-port or hard-a-starboard, the end of the arc
or segment U2, which is furnished with insulating points U**, will be brought into
contact with the corresponding spring Us, and will push the same out of contact
with the said point or post Us, and can then move no further in that direction.
This position of the rudder is indicated on the keyboard through the electric cable,
as herein-after described.
In Figure 3. I have shown a modification of my steering apparatus, in which a
three-armed lever Ue is fixed on the rudder post and is connected directly to the
pistons of two engine cylinders U7, Figure 3, by rods U8. The arm Up of this lever
is provided with a friction roller which works upon the V spring U. The latter
is so formed that when the rudder is by the action of the said pistons moved either
to port or starboard, it tends to restore the said rudder to its central position by
bringing the said friction roller over either of its inclined surfaces into the central

page_text: angle of the said spring, as shewn. Or the spring U10 may be arranged at one
side and the central arm of the yoke dispensed with, as in Figure 3.
The mechanism for firing the charge in the magazine A' is most clearly shewn in
Figure 8, and operates as follows:-Projecting from the front extremity or stem of
the boat is a rod or pin V which extends through a suitable packing box W.into
the said magazine or charge chamber; when the boat strikes an object, the said rod
is forced inward into contact with the springs or points ✗, thereby closing an
electrical circuit and igniting a cartridge, shewn at Y, in the magazine.
The charge in the magazine can also be fired at any moment by the operator on
shore closing a circuit on the keyboard and thereby cutting out one of two resistance
coils placed in the circuit to prevent accidental or premature discharge; that is to
say, there are two resistance coils. The battery is not sufficiently powerful to fire
through both resistance coils at the same time. When the boat strikes an object,
the resistance coil in the magazine is cut out by the driving inward of the rod V,
as above described, the battery then fires through the one on the keyboard. On
the other hand, if the operator desires to fire the torpedo boat before she touches
the object of attack, he manipulates the switch to cut out the coil in the keyboard,
the charge then being fired through the coil in the magazine. This arrangement
of the two resistance coils is very effectual in preventing accidents.
In order that the said torpedo boat may be provided with material for main-
taining the action of the motor engines for a sufficient time, it is sometimes
necessary that the reservoir or vessel containing the gas or fluid from which the
motive power is generated should contain such gas or fluid under a pressure very
much higher than that under which the same can be used in the engines. There-
fore it is necessary to provide means whereby this pressure can be reduced in its
passage from the said reservoir to the engine. For this purpose I employ the valve
shewn in Figure 23, which I term a reducing valve. In this Figure a represents
a portion of the pipe which conducts the gas or other fluid from its reservoir or
generator to the engines. I interpose in this pipe a box or chest b which has an
aperture at c controlled by a small slide valve d, so that when this slide valve is in
the position shown in the Drawings, there will be a free passage for the fluid through
the said pipe, but when the valve d slides over and closes the aperture c such
passage for the fluid will be stopped. This slide valve d is attached to a rod e
which extends through a stuffing box to a piston f fitted in a small cylinder g.
Below the said piston the cylinder g has a pipe h which extends to the said feed
pipe a, and communicates with the same at some point between the aperture o and
the aforesaid engine. The said valve rod e is also provided with a spring i, which
tends always to draw the valve down and open the aperture c.
This spring is
regulated to the desired pressure in the engine cylinders by means of the screw
nut ; and when the pressure in these cylinders and the portion of the pipe
adjacent thereto does not exceed the desired limit, the said valve will not com-
pletely close the aperture c. But when the pressure exceeds this limit, the piston f
will be forced upward and will overcome the resistance of the spring i, so that the
slide valve d will close the aperture c. Thus it will be seen the said valve con-
stitutes a device, whereby the pressure in the engine cylinders is automatically
regulated by and according to the pressure existing in the pipe between the valve c
and the said cylinders.
In Figures 53 to 56 I have shewn modified forms of reducing valves; Figure 53
is a longitudinal central section of one of these valves; and Figure 54 is a trans-
verse section on the line *, **, thereof. Figures 55 and 56 are similar views of
another valve.
In practice, both of these valves are preferably employed, that is to say, the
valves A** and B** are placed in the gas pipes, as herein-after described. This
valve is constructed with a cylinder or cylindrical box b¹ containing an internal
cylinder b², and spaces or passages 63 exist between these two cylinders. The outer
cylinder or box 61 is connected at its ends with the pipes a, a¹, by screw couplings
b, b; d' is a valve which is fitted to a seat in the coupling 64 and whose stem or

page_text: spindle e' extends into the inner cylinder 62 through a packing box 6°. The end of
the stem inside this inner cylinder has a piston f1 fitted to work tight but freely
therein. It will be seen that the area of this piston is greater than that of the
valve d. The end of the said cylinder 62 is open, as shewn, so that the pressure
inside the outer cylinder and pipe a¹ will act to force the piston f' inward, and to
keep the valve d' up to its face. But when the pressure in the pipe a acting on the
said valve overcomes the pressure on the piston f', the said valve is forced open
and fills the cylinder b¹ and pipe a¹, the greater area of the piston then giving to
the pressure exerted thereon a preponderance over that acting in the valve, so that
the latter is immediately closed.
The construction of the valve shewn in Figures 55, 56, is substantially the same
as that shewn in Figures 53, 54, and the description of this construction and
operation of the one will apply equally to the other of these valves, except that the
valve shewn in Figures 55, 56, has a spring i which permits the limit of reduced
pressure to be varied as in the valve shewn in Figure 23.
In
In Figure 57, which is a horizontal section, I have shewn a convenient arrange-
ment of the pipes and valves in my improved torpedo boat, the other parts of the
apparatus being omitted to permit the said pipes and valves to be clearly seen.
this Figure I have shewn the reducing valves last above described, both arranged
in the gas pipes between the reservoir and the engines. The valve A** first reduces
the pressure from the very high degree in which it exists in the said reservoir to a
comparatively moderate pressure in the pipe al, and the valve B** admits the gas
still further reduced in pressure from the pipe a¹ to the pipe a², from which it
passes from the throttle valve to the engine.
The pipe as extending through the flask or reservoir provides communication
between the water spaces A7 at the ends of the same; a** is a valve for closing the
pipe a, and which is opened from the outside of the boat before the same is started;
a is a safety valve for relieving the engine and pipe a²; a shews the position of
the aforesaid throttle valve, which is controlled by the operator through the cable
and the magnets at a8; a³ is a small valve for admitting water to the spaces A7 to
compensate for the gas taken from the reservoir; a¹0 is a pipe which conveys gas
from the pipe between the engine and throttle valve to a sinall cylinder a"; this
cylinder is provided with a spring piston connected by a lever to the said valve aº.
When the throttle valve is open the gas overcomes the spring of the said piston, and
opens the valve a, thereby admitting water to the spaces A. When the throttle
valve is closed the spring forces back the piston, and closes the valve a³. a12 is a
pipe for permitting the escape of air from the spaces A' into the exhaust pipe of the
engine.
Another form of valve for regulating the admission of water to compensate for
the exhaust of the gas in the boat when the carbonic acid gas engine is used is
shewn in Figure 24; it is similar in construction to that shewn in Figure 23, and
the same letters are used to indicate the corresponding parts thereof. The pipe j
extends from the compartment containing the engine to the spaces A7 at the ends of
the flask containing the carbonic acid. The said engine compartment is open to the
sea, so that it will always be full of water. The slide a closes the pipe j, so that no
water can flow through the same, except when the said slide d is raised by pressure
on the piston f. The pipe h below this piston is connected with the gas feed pipe
to the engine, so that as the gas is supplied to the engine from the gas reservoir, the
pressure thereof raises the piston fand slide d, and permits water to flow through
the pipej into the water space surrounding the said reservoir or flask.
In Figure 25 I have shewn a novel form of throttle valve, which I use in combi-
nation with the engines on my torpedo boat. a is the pipe which feeds the engine
with the gas or other fluid; is a valve box placed in the suid pipe, and containing
a valve m, which controls the passage of the fluid through the same; m² is a valve
rod passing through a stuffing box, and connected with a piston n in a cylinder o;
the said rod is provided with a spring, which tends always to keep the valve in a
position to close the said pipe a. Below the cylinder o is a box or casing p, con-

page_text: taining a slide valve p¹, and there is a passage q forming a communication between
the said casing and the space in the cylinder below the piston n. To the rod or
spindle of the slide p¹ is connected the insulated bell-crank levor p2, which is con-
nected with magnets, and operated by an electric current passed through the same.
q' is an orifice that admits gas to the casing p. When the current passes in one
direction it will move this slide to admit gas through the orifice q¹ and passage q to
the under side of the piston, thereby raising the same and the valve m, which then
admits gas to the propelling engine. By reversing the electric current the port or
passage q is closed, and the exhaust port q* is opened, the supply of gas being cut
off and the engine stopped.
When ammoniacal gas is used ammonia in a liquid state is carried in a cylinder
containing a series of tubes, and which is surrounded with water. The gas having
exerted its power in the engine, is exhausted into this water, surrounding the afore-
said cylinder, and it is absorbed by the water, and during the absorption heat is
developed, which is imparted to the ammoniacal gas in the cylinder, thereby main-
taining a uniform pressure.
In Figure 1 I have shewn in this water compartment a small fan or propeller
driven by a rotary engine for the purpose of keeping the water in agitation, and
thereby ensuring this desired uniformity of temperature.
In some instances I make the magazine detachable from the hull of the boat, so
that on striking an object it will descend or drop down in the water before
exploding. This modification of my Invention is illustrated in Figures 17, 18,
180, 18b.
The magazine A* is attached at its lower side to the boat by a chain or other
suitable connection. At its upper edge it is held by a rod a*, as shewn in Figure 17.
This rod is fitted to slide in dovetailed bearings, as shewn at b*, and when this
magazine is in its place on the boat the said rod is engaged with a catch or stop c*,
but when the said rod is driven against any object it is forced back and released
from the said catch or stop, and the magazine then drops, as in Figure 18, and is
fired.
To effect the firing I prefer to use a ball d* placed in.a tube containing two
springs or plates e*, and arranged in an upwardly inclined position, as shewn in
Figure 17, one of the said springs being connected with the cable and the other
with a wire that passes through the cartridge to the "ground."
While the magazine is in the position shewn in Figure 17 the circuit is incom-
plete, but when the magazine drops the said ball falls into the position shewn in
Figure 18; the circuit is then completed, and the magazine is fired.
The electrical or electro-magnetic apparatus for generating, directing, and con-
trolling the currents, whereby the above-described operations are effected, may be
of any suitable kind, but I prefer to use the apparatus shewn in the accompanying
Drawings, and which I will now describe.
As shewn in Figure 39 the battery consists of any desired or requisite number
of cells constructed and arranged in any suitable manner, and connected by proper
conducting wires with the keyboard 8. The latter is provided with a series of
pole changers 81, 82, 83, 84, and switches 83, 8. One of the said pole changers is
shown detached in Figures 32, 33, 34.
Each of these pole changers is arranged to effect and control one of the above-
named operations, and is therefore connected with one of the aforesaid insulated
wires forming the cable. For instance, the pole changer 8' effects the starting and
stopping of the propelling engine; 82 controls the steering apparatus; & is con-
nected with the steering index; 8 operates or adjusts the aforesaid guiding rods
and the switches 8; 80, control and effect the firing of the charge in the magazine.
The connections between these pole changers and switches, and the apparatus
they operate or control on board the boat, are as follows, that is to say-The said
propelling engines have a throttle valve, which controls the admission of the gas
from its generator or reservoir to the cylinders of the said engine, and in com-
bination with this valve in the boat I arrange a shunt tond set of electro-magnets u.

page_text: The armature ut of the latter is connected with a lever u², which is pivotted at u³,
so that the action of the electric current in one direction through those magnets
will pull one end of the said lever down, and the action of the current in the other
direction will pull its other end down, that is to say, by reversing the current
through these inagnets the movement of the said lever is reversed; and this lever
being connected by the aforesaid bell-crank lever p³, Figure 25, or by other suitable
means with the slide p¹ of the said throttle valve will open or close the same, and
thereby start or stop the engine as required.
For operating and controlling the above-described steering apparatus, and indi-
cating the position of the rudder to the operator on shore I use the following
dovices in combination with the polo changers 82, 83, on the keyboard:-These
pole changers are geared together by insulated toothed wheels v, 1, which are fixed
on the spindles or axes of the said pole changers, so that the latter work accurately
together, and maintain the same relative positions to each other. The pole
changer 82 is connected by one of the said insulated cable wires with a shunt a* on
board the boat, which shunt is connected with a set of magnets arranged in com-
bination with the valve of the engine that drives the steering apparatus, and
which valve is reversed or opened and closed by the reversal of the currents through
the said magnets, as above described, and the said engine moves the rudder to port
or starboard at the will of the operator.
But in order that the operator may know the exact position of the rudder at any
moment I employ the device herein-before described, consisting of a series of pins
or projections fixed on an arc or other portion of the rudder stock, and arranged
in combination with an insulated spring projecting into the path of the said series
of pins. This spring is connected by one of the cable wires with the pole changer g³
on the keyboard, which is geared with and moves in unison with the pole changer 82,
so that the electric current that controls the steering engine, and the current that
returns the indication of the rudder's position, will both be reversed simultaneously.
A separate battery is connected with the index on the said keyboard, whereby a
constant current is maintained between this index and the indicating apparatus on
the boat.
The current passing from the said spring to the shore is made to indicate the
position of the rudder by the index on the keyboard by the contrivance shewn in
Figures 36, 37, and 38. This contrivance consists of a set of magnets w, which
have a vibrating armature w' pivotted to oscillate between them. One end of the
armature lever is provided with insulated spring pawls w², which take into ratchet
wheels w³. On the same shafts on which these ratchet wheels are fixed are
wheels w* formed with insulated teeth, and geared with each other. The shaft of
one of these wheels is geared by bevel pinions w with a vertical shaft w³, to which
is attached the index needle or finger **. Therefore it will be obvious that this
index finger is placed in connection with the aforesaid spring and series of pins
attached to the rudder yoke on board the boat.
Now it will be obvious that when the rudder is turned in either direction these
pins will come successively in contact with the said spring, and at each contact and
separation the circuit will be made and broken, and an impulse will be transmitted
through the cable, whereby a corresponding movement will be transmitted to the
said index finger or pointer x** on the keyboard.
The pole changer 8* is connected with another of the insulated wires of the cable,
which on board the boat is connected with a shunt t* and set of magnets arranged
in combination with the aforesaid cylinders that operate the said guiding rods, so
that by sending the current in one direction the said rods will be raised, and by
sending the current in the opposite direction the said rods will be lowered.
The switch is connected with another of the said insulated wires of the cable,
which forms the circuit, including the aforesaid two resistance coils.
By adjusting this switch the operator completes the circuit through the two
resistance coils, and then, but not till then, the charge can be exploded, either by

page_text: the operator or by the action of the firing pin or rod, when the same is driven in
and cuts out the other resistance coil, as above described.
By referring to Figure 8 the arrangement of the resistance coil and connecting
wires on the boat may be fully understood.
The resistance coil X' is connected by the wires 7, 8, to the binding screws 9, 10,
which are insulated from the case or box Z, but are connected with the springs or
points X. The wire 11 from the keyboard battery is connected to the screw 9,
and the wire 12 extends from the screw 10 through the cartridge Y to the
"ground."
Now when the operator, as aforesaid, cuts out the resistance coil on shore by
actuating the switch 8" the current from the battery is sufficiently powerful to fire
the said cartridge through the resistance coil X', and the operator can thus fire the
charge at any moment; or he can await the contact of the boat with the ship or
other structure to be attacked, when the charge will be fired automatically by the
driving in of the rod V, as above described. When this rod is driven, so that its
inner extremity or point V₁ is in contact with the springs X, the circuit is com-
pleted through the wire 11, springs X, the point V₁, and wire 12, and the charge is
fired.
Figure 58 is a vertical longitudinal section, and Figure 59 is an end view of a
brake apparatus for the said cable.
A° shews part of the paying-out tube, through which the cable passes in leaving
the torpedo boat; B° is the apparatus for automatically checking the paying out of
the cable, which apparatus, as shewn, is attached to and forms part of the said
paying-out tube. a° is a vertical cylinder, which is cast in one piece with the
longitudinal tubular portion 6° connecting with the paying-out tube, as above
described. c is a diaphragm or division, through which passes the rod do, having
at its upper end a piston e°, and at a part below the said diaphragm a guide plate
or disc fo, the latter being provided as a supporting guide to the rod in its vertical
movement. The said rod do passes through the stuffing box g°. h° is a curved
piece of india-rubber or other suitable material, which is attached between jaws to
the lower end of the rod do. is a tube leading into the cylinder a° above the
diaphragm c°, which tube is connected at its other end with the gas supply pipe in
such a manner that when the engine is working there will be a constant pressure
of gas upon the under side of the piston e°, the gas being cut off when the engine
is not at work. is a spiral spring acting against the piston e°, and k° is a portion
of the cable within the paying-out tube.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it under-
stood that I claim,-
First. In a torpedo boat the employment of a double screw or two screws
revolving around the same axial line, and driven in opposite directions by means
of either of the peculiar arrangements of gearing, as above set forth and for the
purposes specified.
Second. In a torpedo boat the arrangements or contrivances for carrying an
electric cable, and for paying out the same through a tube extending aft beyond
the screw propeller, or through a central tube passing through the propeller, and
which cable may or may not have a brake applied to the same, all as above set
forth.
Third. The reel or drum so constructed that when the cable is coiled thereon the
said cable will be retained by a sheath or cover, and the barrel or core of the reel
may be removed and the cable payed out from the centre of the coil, as above set
forth.
Fourth. The ammoniacal gas motor, in which the gas is produced from liquid
ammonia contained in a cylinder or vessel surrounded with water, and so arranged
that the exhaust gas from the engine flows into this water, and either with or
without the small rotary engine or propeller working in the same, as above Bet
forth and for the purpose specified.

page_text: Fifth. In combination with the gas reservoir or holder in my torpedo boat the
employment of a reducing valve or series of such valves in the feed pipe, as above
set forth and for the purpose specified.
Sixth. The employment in combination with the carbonic acid gas holder and
engine in my torpedo boat of the water tanks or receptacles, and the water
admission valve or valves, as above set forth and for the purpose specified.
Seventh. The peculiar construction of the reducing valves and water admission
valves, as above set forth.
Eighth. In combination with the motor engines in my improved torpedo boat
the employment of a throttle valve controllable by the operator on shore, and
operating as above set forth and for the purposo specified.
Ninth. The peculiar construction of the throttle valve, as illustrated in Figure 25
of the Drawings.
Tenth. The apparatus for working the rudder or rudders of my torpedo boat,
consisting of the engine and rotating shaft geared with the rudder stock, connected
with an electrical circuit, and controllable by the operator at the shore or other
station, as above set forth and for the purpose specified.
Eleventh. The modification of this apparatus for working the said rudder or
rudders, consisting of a yoke fixed on the rudder stock, one arm of which yoke is
provided with an antifriction roller working on a bent spring, and whose other two
arms are connected directly to the pistons of two single-acting cylinders, which are
connected with an electric cable, and controllable by the operator at the shore or
other station, as above set forth and for the purpose specified.
Twelfth. The rods for indicating the position of the torpedo boat to the operator,
herein-above termed the guide or guiding rods, so attached to the boat that they can
be raised or lowered, and which are arranged by means of either of the forms of
apparatus shewn in the Drawing, or by other suitable devices in connection with a
small engine or cylinder, supplied with gas by a valve, which is connected with an
electric circuit and controllable by the operator, as above set forth.
Thirteenth. Providing a torpedo boat with a double set or two pairs of side
wings or horizontal rudders mounted on shafts or journals, or otherwise, and
adjustable at the outside of the boat, as above set forth and for the purpose
specified.
Fourteenth. In a torpedo boat the provision in the bow or nose of the same of
the firing rod or pin fitted to slide through a stuffing box, and which, when driven
inward, completes an electric circuit, and thereby explodes the charge in the
magazine, as above set forth.
Fifteenth. The construction of a torpedo boat with a detachable magazine, so
secured to the boat by a rod in the manner described, and as shewn in Figures 17
and 18 of the Drawings, or by other means, that when the boat strikes an object
the said magazine is detached and falls, and the firing is effected, as above set
forth.
Sixteenth. The electro-magnetic apparatus, consisting of the keyboard connected
with any suitable battery or generator of electricity, and provided with pole
changers, switches, index, and other devices, and connected with a cable, consisting
of a number of insulated wires carried in and payed out from the boat, and each
of which wires is connected with and operates apparatus in the said boat, as above
set forth and for the purposes specified.
Seventeenth. The employment in connection with my torpedo boat of means for
sending or passing an electrical current through a wire or wires connected with
apparatus on the shore, or wherever the operator may be stationed, and with
electro-magnets arranged in combination with a valve on board the boat, which
valve regulates or controls motor engines, as above set forth.
Eighteenth. The employment in like manner of means for producing an electrical
current, and passing the same through the shunt and magnets for controlling the
operation of the rudder or the guide rods of a torpedo boat, in the manner above
set forth.

page_text: Nineteenth. The apparatus, consisting of the segment geared in connection with
the engine shaft and operated to turn the rudder in either direction by the engine,
and the series of points or pins arranged in combination with the spring, which is
enclosed in an electric circuit, and thereby indicates on the keyboard the position of
the rudder, as above set forth.
Twentieth. The mechanism, consisting of the two pole changers geared together,
and in combination with the index finger on the keyboard, as above set forth and
for the purpose specified.
Twenty-first. The combination with the rudder yoke of the devices consisting of
the springs and resistance coils arranged at the two sides of the rudder stock, and
connected with the electrical circuit in such a manner that the rudder when jammed
hard a-port or starboard will be stopped without injury to any of the parts, as
above set forth.
Twenty-second. The arrangement of the electrical circuit, whereby the firing of
the magazine is accomplished with the two resistance coils and short circuit, as
above set forth and for the purposes specified.
Twenty-third. A torpedo boat or floating or moving torpedo constructed and
provided with apparatus for effecting its propulsion, guiding or controlling, and
firing, and which apparatus is controllable by an operator at the shore or other
station from which the torpedo is launched, as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
WM BORT LAKE (1.8)