IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING, GUIDING, FIRING, AND OTHERWISE CONTROLLING OR OPERATING TORPEDO BOATS
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Robert Lake at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd November 1878. A communication
from abroad by John Louis Lay, of Paris, France.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING,
GUIDING, FIRING, AND OTHERWISE CONTROLLING OR OPERATING TORPEDO BOATS."
[A communication from abroad by John Louis Lay, of Paris, France.]
My Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for working, guiding, or
controlling torpedo boats, or torpedoes of the class described in the Specification of
my former Letters Patent dated 22nd February, A.D. 1878, No. 747, and comprises
novel apparatus for heating the carbonic acid gas used as the motive power for
driving or propelling the said torpedo boats, and also to improved electrical appa-
ratus whereby the carbonic acid gas engines are started and stopped as required,
and the other parts of the machinery are controlled by means of a cable connected
with the shore or other station, so that the boat may be started and stopped, steered,
or guided in any direction, fired or otherwise manipulated by the operator at the
said station as described in the said former Specification.
According to the first part of my present Invention I arrange in the hull of the
said boat a series of flasks or receptacles for the liquid carbonic acid gas, and connect
the said flasks by means of suitable pipes. Between these series of flasks I arrange
a metallic receptacle, preferably U shaped in transverse section, in which are placed
a series of connected pipes or tubes extending to and fro across the said receptacle
and from the top to the bottom of the same. From the lower extremity of this
series of tubes a pipe extends to one of the aforesaid flasks, and the carbonic acid
gas is thus free to pass into the said tubes. To the other end of the series of tubes
is connected the pipe which leads to the engine of the said torpedo boat.. .The.

page_text: aforesaid receptacle is partially filled with alcohol, and in connection with the same
I arrange a suitable fuse to be ignited by electricity sent through the aforesaid
cable. I prefer to use for this purpose a small portion of gun cotton placed upon a
platina wire suitably connected with electric wires operated through the said cable.
In order to maintain the combustion of the alcohol when lighted I place a series of
perforated tubes in the said alcohol, and in connection with these tubes a suitable
reservoir containing compressed air is arranged. To prevent the escape of air into
the alcohol chamber when the torpedo boat is at rest I arrange a valve in the pipe
leading from the compressed air reservoir to the aforesaid perforated pipes, and
operate the said valve by means of the rod of a piston which is moved in one
direction in a cylinder to close the valve by means of a spring, and in the other
direction to admit the air to the aforesaid perforated pipes by means of the carbonic
acid gas passing through the supply pipe connected with the said engine, the said
cylinder and feed pipe being connected by a suitable pipe for this purpose. I
prefer to arrange a reducing valve in the air pipe between the air reservoir and the
aforesaid alcohol receptacle in which the perforated pipes are arranged,
According to a modification of the above described apparatus instead of employing
a series of flasks or receptacles for containing the carbonic acid gas I use one recep-
tacle only, and so place and support the same in the hull of the torpedo boat as to
leave an annular space between the interior of the hull and the said receptacle.
Within this annular space I arrange a series of pipes extending to and fro across
the same; one end of this series of pipes communicates with the said flask or reser-
voir, and the other end with the engine supply pipe. In connection with the
aforesaid annular space a suitable chamber is arranged in the hull of the boat for
containing the alcohol which flows freely into the annular space through a suitable
opening or openings in the said chamber. Within this chamber a suitable igniting
fuse and a series of perforated air pipes are arranged and controlled as above
described. When the alcohol is lighted in the said chamber and in the annular
space surrounding the said flask, this flask will be heated and also the series of pipes
leading from the same to the engine supply pipe; if desired I may arrange a further
series of pipes in the aforesaid chamber and extending down from the supply pipo
so that the gas may be further heated whilst passing to the engine. In both of the
above described forms of my apparatus the products of combustion pass out through
a suitable exhaust or discharge pipe.
Another part of my said Invention relates to the means for controlling the opera-
tion of the said torpedo boats by a cable or conductor consisting of a single wire
only, in place of a cable with several wires as heretofore employed and as described
in my said former Specification. This single wire cable permits the torpedo boat to
carry a coil of cable of a much greater length than has heretofore been practicable,
and will therefore extend the range of operation of the said torpedo boat. In
'carrying this part of my Invention into practice I arrange in connection with the
battery on the shore or other station an apparatus to be controlled by the operator,
and connect with the same a suitable apparatus carried in the boat, the connection
between these apparatuses being effected by means of the said single wire cable.
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The apparatus under the control of the operator on shore or other station is con-
structed as follows, that is to say :—A suitable hand or index finger mounted on a
vertical axis is arranged to move round upon a disc or dial containing upon its face
the necessary indications to enable the torpedo boat to be controlled, such as "stop,"
"go," starboard," "port," sink," "raise," "raise rods," "drop rods," "fire," or
others. The said index finger is moved from one indication to the other on the
said dial by means of a lever or handle projecting from the case containing the said
apparatus, and provided with a pawl arranged in connection with a ratchet wheel
on the aforesaid vertical spindle. Each movement of the said handle turns the
said spindle sufficiently to move the index finger from one indication to the next
one, the said handle being returned to its normal position by means of a spiral or
other spring after each movement. The said vertical spindle passes through an

page_text: insulated opening in a fixed commutator, which is provided on its periphery with
as many conducting parts or divisions with suitable insulating material between
them as there are indications upon the aforesaid disc or dial, and to the said spindle
I attach springs which bear upon the periphery of the said commutator. These
springs through the medium of the said cablo and other apparatus act in unison
with a commutator on the torpedo boat as hereinafter described. One important
feature of this Invention is that a weak or minor current from about 15 cells in a
50 cell battery, for instance, is always free to pass through the said apparatus and
cable to the apparatus on the torpedo boat. This current is not sufficiently strong,
however, to effect the movement or adjustment of the steering, firing, or other appa-
ratus of the torpedo boat, but is only intended to adjust the commutator in the boat.
to correspond with the movements of the index finger on the apparatus on
shore to form a circuit or connection with the particular part of the apparatus to
be operated, so that on moving the handle for closing the circuit whereby the
whole force of the current from the battery may pass to such part of the appa-
ratus and will actuate the same. In order to send a current of electricity
of the whole force of the battery to the torpedo boat after the aforesaid index
finger has been adjusted on the dial to the indication of operation to tako
place on the said boat I arrange upon the said apparatus another arm or lever"
provided with a suitable handle, the said arm being pivotted upon a vertical post
and held in its normal position by a suitable spring. In close proximity to this
post is another post on which is pivotted a two armed lever, the extremity of one
arm of the same being provided with insulating material which rests in contact
with the aforesaid arm or lever for closing the circuit. The other arm of the said
lever is provided with a flat spring or plate arranged between two posts, one of
which is connected by a wire with a post hereinafter called the "middle" post, the
purpose of which will be explained, and the other post to the "carbon" post, which
is in turn connected to the carbon in the said battery. The aforesaid flat spring
when the aforesaid arm or lever is in its normal position rests against the post in
connection with the aforesaid "middle" post. The other post connected with the
"carbon" post is also connected to the "line" or "mainline" post connected with the
cable by a wire passing first to springs arranged on the aforesaid vertical index
finger spindle in connection with the commutator, then through the post on which
the handle for turning on the full force of the battery is pivotted, and thence to
the said "line" post.
The aforesaid two armed lever is also connected by means of a wire with a post
which is in turn connected with the "ground" post, and its insulated end is kept
in contact with the aforesaid circuit closing arm or lever by a flat spring attached
to the said two armed lever and bearing against the aforesaid post connected to the
"ground post." The "zine" post leading from the zince in the said battery is con-
nected to a post arranged in close proximity to the aforesaid circuit closer arm or
lever, but which is not in contact with the same when the said lever is in its normal
position, so that the zinc and carbon elements of the said battery are disconnected,
and therefore no current can pass through the cable.
The aforesaid middle post is so connected to the zinc of the aforesaid 15 cells of
the battery, that when the main circuit closing handle is in its normal position, and
the spring plate on the end of the aforesaid two armed lever is in contact with the.
post connected with the aforesaid "middle" post, there will be a sufficiently powerful
current to effect a corresponding movement of the springs in connection with the
commutators on the apparatus on shore and on the boat, but not sufficiently
powerful to effect the operation or movement of the steering, firing, or other
mechanism. To effect this operation it is necessary to move the main circuit
closing lever so as to cause the spring plate on the aforesaid two armed lever to
move into contact with the post in connection with the "carbon" post, and cut out
the aforesaid weak or minor current, the zinc post then being in contact with the
said lever and thereby closing the circuit.

page_text: I will now more particularly describe the apparatus on the said torpedo boat,
and which is connected to the above described apparatus by the cable as described.
On a top plate connected by pillars to a suitable base plate I place a commutator
so formed and arranged as to correspond with that in the apparatus at the shore or
other station. To each of the divisions of the said commutator is attached a wire
leading to the various parts of the apparatus or machinery in the boat, and so con-
nected therewith as to permit the necessary operations of the same to be effected as
desired. To the upper end of a vertical spindle or shaft passing through the top
plate on which the commutator is fixed, and through an insulated hole in the same, is
an arm which carries springs resting upon the periphery of the said commutator, and
attached to the said shaft or spindle and rotating with the same in the aforesaid
plate and the base plate. Upon the said shaft is fixed an escapement wheel con-
nected by a train of gearing with a shaft supported in the aforesaid plates, and
having attached to it one end of a spring similar to a watch spring, the other end
of the said spring being attached to one of the pillars supporting the top plate.
The teeth of this escapement wheel correspond in pitch with the divisions of the
commutator. In connection with the said escapement wheel I arrange a pallet upon
one end of a lever arranged to oscillate or operate as in ordinary clock work. The
other end of the said lever is so arranged in relation to a pair of electro-magnets
that when a current of electricity is passed through the same the end of the said
lever will be attracted, and through the said pallet and escapement wheel will turn
the aforesaid yertical shaft and the arm and springs in connection there with around
the commutator. In each movement of the said escapement wheel the said springs
will be brought to one of the conducting portions or divisions of the said commutator,
corresponding with the division or conducting portion of the commutator of the
apparatus on shore, that is, the movement or adjustment of the aforesaid index
finger or pointer to either of the indications marked on the dial will adjust the
commutator under the said dial to the proper position for effecting the operation
indicated, and the commutator on the boat will be adjusted in a corresponding
position. It will be seen from the foregoing description that by simply sending
a current of electricity through the said magnets, the said vertical shaft is so rotated
that the springs will rest upon the proper division of the commutator, and will
remain in that position so that the main current when sent through the cable will
effect the desired operation as indicated on the dial. But in order that the main
current may not pass through the said magnets and thereby operate the said springs
and cause improper working of the said apparatus, I place in the said apparatus a
shunt so arranged that the said main current may be diverted from the said magnets,
the said main current passing through the aforesaid base plate, and thence through
the spindle and springs to the proper division of the commutator connected to the
part desired to be operated.
I sometimes employ in connection with the above described apparatus at the shore
or other station an improved device to serve as a stop to prevent premature firing
of the torpedo by inadvertently manipulating the main circuit pivoted closer lever.
This divorce consists of a three armed lever, one arm of which projects beyond
the case enclosing the said apparatus. On the other arms of this lever are
formed lugs or projections, one of which is designed to enter a notch in a
disc attached to or forming a part of the aforesaid ratchet wheel on the ver-
tical index finger shaft. This notch is so arranged in the said disc that when
the said index finger reaches the indication "fire" on the dial, the said notch
will be in a position to permit the lug or projection on one arm of the said
lever to be forced into the same by means of a spiral spring attached to the said
lever and to the case of the apparatus. The projection on the other arm of the
said lever is at the same time forced in front of a pin projecting from the main
circuit closer lever, and holds the same so that it cannot be moved to complete the
main circuit until the end of the aforesaid three-armed lever projecting through the
case is properly manipulated to withdraw the said projections from their engaging

page_text: surfaces. Although I have described the aforesaid index finger as being operated
by a reciprocating lever I may in some cases arrange upon the case enclosing the
apparatus a series of knobs or buttons one for each division of the said dial, and so
arrange the same in connection with the vertical spindle that by depressing either
of the knobs the index finger will be immediately carried round to that division,
and consequently the springs in connection with the said commutator will be
adjusted in a correspondent position.