A MACHINE TO BE WORKED BY STEAM FOR CUTTING CHAINS, WIRES, ROPES, OR OTHER MATERIAL TO WHICH TORPEDOES MAY BE ATTACHED
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Nock, of Haskemy, on the Golden Horn, in the
Empire of Turkey, Engineer, for the Invention of "A MACHINE TO BE
WORKED BY STEAM FOR CUTTING CHAINS, WIRES, ROPES, OR OTHER MATERIAL
TO WHICH TORPEDOES MAY BE ATTACHED."
Sealed the 24th April 1878, and dated the 17th November 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Nock at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th November 1877.
JOIN NOCK, of Haskemy, on the Golden Horn, in the Empire of Turkey, Engineer.
"A. MACHINE TO BE WORKED BY STEAM FOR CUTTING CHAINS, WIRES, ROPES, OR
OTHER MATERIAL TO WHICH TORPEDOES MAY BE ATTACHED."
My Invention relates to a machine applicable to the fore part of a vessel for the
purpose of cutting chains, wires, ropes, or other materials attaching torpedodes, so
that the vessel slowly feeling its way in water where torpedoes are laid, may by the
action of the machine in front of it, detach the torpedoes from their moorings, and
if required, may receive them in a net carried with the machine.
The machine consists of a strong frame which is hinged on a horizontal shaft at
the bow of the vessel, and is suspended by tackle from the bowsprit, so that by
tightening or slackening the tackle, the front of the machine framing can be raised
or lowered as desired.
In front the framing is spread out laterally and has at each side an inclined guide
bar projecting some distance before it, and also extending sideways to a width con-
siderably exceeding that of the vessel. Thus as the vessel moves onwards, any
chains, wires, or other attachments coming within the inclined guide bars are by
them guided towards the front of the framing where they are shorn by mechanism
acting in a manner similar to the cutters of a reaping machine, that is to say, by
reciprocating serrated cutters working between and across guiding fingers projecting
in front of them.

page_text: These reciprocating cutters are driven by steam power from the interior of the
vessel in the following manner :- -Within the vessel is mounted a horizontal shaft
extending lengthwise to near the bow, where it has fixed on it a bevil wheel. This
wheel gears with another mounted on the shaft forming the hinge of the cutting
machine, and the latter wheel gears with a third bevil wheel fixed on a shaft that
extends along the framing of the cutting machine towards its front part. A bevil
pinion on the end of this shaft drives a horizontal bevil wheel mounted on the
framing, and on the axis of this wheel are eccentrics or cranks which work the
reciprocating cutters.
Besides the cutters which reciprocate horizontally along the face of the machine,
I also provide at each side vertically reciprocating cutters or shear blades working
them by bell-crank levers from the horizontal cutter bars.
In order to secure such torpedoes as may be detached by the action of the machine
I provide an open framing carrying a strong bag net, which extends over the cutters,
so that detached torpedoes in floating upwards are caught in the net, from the upper
part of which they can be removed.
For the purpose of unshipping the machine when it is not required, I mount the
shaft on which its fraining is hinged in gale bearings, in which it is held by keys.
These keys are on levers worked by ropes or chains from the deck of the vessel, so
that by a pull on those ropes or chains, the keys are withdrawn, and the machine
with its hinge shaft is thus set free and can be removed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Nock in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th May
1878.
JOHN NOCK, of Haskemy, on the Golden Horn, in the Empire of Turkey, Engineer.
"A. MACHINE TO BE WORKED BY STEAM FOR CUTTING CHAINS, WIRES, ROPES, OR
OTHER MATERIAL TO WHICH TORPEDOES MAY BE ATTACHED."
My Invention relates to a machine applicable to the fore part of a vessel for the
purpose of cutting chains, wires, ropes, or other materials attaching torpedoes, so
that the vessel slowly feeling its way in water where torpedoes are laid, may,-by the
action of the machine in front of it, detach the torpedoes from their moorings, and
if required may receive them in a net carried with the machine.
The machine consists of a strong fraine which is hinged on a horizontal shaft at
the bow of the vessel, and is suspended by tackle from the bowsprit, so that by
tightening or slackening the tackle, the front of the machine framing can be raised
or lowered as desired.
In front the framing is spread out laterally, and has at each side an inclined
guide bar projecting some distance before it, and also extending sideways to a width
considerably exceeding that of the vessel. Thus, as the vessel moves onwards, any
chains, wires, or other attachments coming within the inclined guide bars, are by
them guided towards the front of the framing, where they are shorn by mechanism
acting in a manner similar to the cutters of a reaping machine, that is to say, by
reciprocating serrated cutters working between and across guiding fingers projecting
in front of them.
These reciprocating cutters are driven by steam power from the interior of the
vessel in the following manner :-Within the vessel is mounted a horizontal shaft
extending lengthwise through the bow where it has fixed on it a bevil wheel. This
wheel gears with another mounted on the shaft forming the hinge of the cutting
machine, and the latter wheel gears with a third bevil wheel fixed on a shaft that
extends along the framing of the cutting machine towards its front part. A bevil
pinion on the end of this shaft drives a horizontal bevil wheel mounted on the
framing, and on the axis of this wheel are eccentrics or cranks which work the
reciprocating cutters.
Besides the cutters which reciprocate horizontally along the face of the machine,
I also provide at each side vertically reciprocating cutters or shear blades, working
them by bell-crank levers from the horizontal cutter bars.
In order to secure such torpedoes as may be detached by the action of the machine,
I provide an open framing carrying a strong bag net which extends over the cutters,
so that detached torpedoes in floating upwards are caught in the net, from the upper
part of which they can be removed.
For the purpose of unshipping the machine when it is not required, I mount the
shaft, on which its framing is hinged, in gab bearings, in which it is held by keys..
These keys are on levers worked by ropes or chains from the deck of the vessel, so
that by a pull on those ropes or chains the keys are withdrawn, and the machine
with its hinge shaft is thus set free and can be removed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents a side view, and Fig. 2 a.plan of a machine according to this
Invention, applied at the bow of a ram vessel.
A is part of the bow of the vessel through a stuffing box, in which projects a
shaft B which is caused to revolve by power within the vessel. C is a shaft
mounted on a bracket framing D at the bow, the bearings of this shaft being pre-
ferably secured in the bracket framing by keys c, that can be withdrawn by the
pull of ropes, such as o³, the shaft being thus freed from the bracket framing. On

page_text: the shaft C is hinged a frame E extending some distance in front of the vessel, and
.having at its front part a number of fingers e like those of a reaping machine. Beyond
these fingers two inclined side bars F extend still farther forward. The frame E is
supported at any desired level by tackle suspended from the bowsprit G. On the
framing E is mounted a shaft H, driven by bevil gearing from the shaft B, and
driving by bevil gear h¹ a vertical shaft I, on which are eccentrics working by bell-
crank levers i reciprocating cutter bars K that slide along the fingers e.
Bell cranks k, shewn in side view at Fig. 3; worked by the cutter bars K, give a
vertical reciprocating movement to the slides L carrying shear blades. A large bag
net M is attached to side bars f, and has an opening m at its upper part.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The shaft B being caused to revolve,
drives the shaft H through the bevil gear h, which permits the apparatus to be
raised or lowered on the shaft C as on a hinge. The shaft H through the bevil
gear h¹ drives the vertical shaft I and the eccentrics thereon, which cause the
cutter bars K and the shearing blades L to reciprocate. The vessel moving
slowly onwards, gathers ropes, chains, or other moorings of torpedoes between the
side bars F, which direct them towards the cutters K, so that they are severed
thereby.
Torpedoes that float when thus released rise into the net M from which they can
be removed by the hole at m.
Electric wires connecting to torpedoes are in like manner, if they lie horizontally,
caught under the shear slides L, and shorn thereby.
The keys c for retaining the shaft C in its bearings may be worked by levers, as
shewn at Fig. 4. According to this modification the key c is joined to a bell crank N,
on which bears a spring n that serves to keep the key in its place, unless when it is
withdrawn by pulling the rope c¹.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I claim,-
First. The use for severing attachments of torpedoes of apparatus consisting of
a framing hinged at the bow of a vessel, and carrying cutters like those of a reaping
machine with inclined bars guiding thereto, constructed and operating substantially
as herein described.
Second. Working the cutters above referred to by a shaft driven from a shaft
projecting from the vessel by bevil gearing, so arranged as to admit of the raising
or lowering of the cutter frame, substantially as herein described.
Third. The combination with the cutter bars K of shearing slides L, substan-.
tially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
Fourth. The use of the bag net M attached to the cutter frame, as herein
described.
Fifth. Retaining the bearings of the shaft C by keys that can be withdrawn
by ropes from the vessel when it is desired to detach the cutting apparatus, sub-
stantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Nock, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Second day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-eight.