IMPROVEMENTS IN SUBMARINE TORPEDOES, AND IN APPLIANCES PROAL FOR PROJECTING THESE AND OTHERES.
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Nelson Hutchinson, General in Her Majesty's
"
Army, of Wellesbourne, near Bideford, in the County of Devon, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SUBMARINE TORPEDOES, AND IN APPLIANCES
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Nelson Hutchinson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th April 1881.
WILLIAM NELSON HUTCHINSON, General in Her Majesty's Army, of Welles-
bourne, near Bideford, in the County of Devon. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SUBMARINE
TORPEDOES, AND IN APPLIANCES. FOR PROJECTING THESE AND OTHER TORPEDOES.',
By my Invention the torpedo charge instead of being carried as is often the case
at the end of a long spar, or driven by machinery below the surface of water,
is placed in the head of a very long arrow projected with slow burning powder
from a light unrifled barrel.
The arrow after alighting on the water is propelled forward by compressed air
or clockwork acting on propellers. The arrow, say about 40 feet in length, would
be formed principally of a spar of some buoyant wood (might be poplar), or of light
metal tubes probably strengthened by being filled with compressed air. To prevent
a concussion when the gun is fired that might derange the driving machinery,
or the arrangement for igniting the torpedo-charge, the rear part of the arrow is
formed of elastic materials, and the igniting arrangement is cushioned on a soft
yielding substance.
In the accompanying illustration, Fig. 1,—
W is a thick gas-tight wad.
a, b, c, d, e, f, are elastic discs, probably of vulcanized india rubber, to act as
buffers.
.
R is a cylindrical rod on which the buffers are strung. A piston fixed on its
front end fits air-tight in the cylindrical recess in the spar, and on the gun being
fired compresses the air.
L shows where the strip of water proofed linen lies attached to the heel of the
arrow, which acting as a tail increases its steadiness in flight, and obviates the

page_text: P, PP, are propellers probably attached to threo shafts driven by one main
shaft lying parallel to the axis of the spar.
t, t, t", are some of the strengthening ties required at the openings for admission
of the water necessary as a fulcrum for the propellers to act on; is a thin flat semi-
circular piece of metal hinged water-tight with sufficient firmness for the air not to
displace it on a diameter of the spar. On touching the surface; the resistance of
the water pushes the leaf upwards and causes a projection from it on the other side
of the hinge- to. release the clock work machinery or compressed air. This
machinery is placed where its weight is least injurious to the arrow's flight in the
air, and most aids in giving it a horizontal position in water. The weight lies low
that the arrow may never roll over.
C is a nearly semicircular piece of sheet metal fixed to the spar after it is pushed
forward (through the open breech) before the torpedo charge is attached. From C's
slanting position it meets the water face on, and therefore resists the tendency of
the arrow to continue the downward-direction in which it alights. By an arrange-
ment connected with the driving machinery, the bolts that hold C are released at
the expiration of the computed time that would bring the spar into a horizontal.
position. C then drops off. The-length of the spar gives good space for the
machinery. B represents a pr. of wheels on a fixed axle driven with an endless
chain (or band) by the driving machinery of the propellers. The extremities of
'the axle are supported by arms springing from under the spar. A projecting wire
rod, with a circular flat head retained lightly by a catch, on striking against a
defensive net or a ship's side springs inwards, and releasing a stop allows an
arrangement connected with the revolving main shaft to act on the endless chain
clasping the axle between the wheels, and forces them to revolve upwards in the
direction that will guide the head under the net, or, if there be none, under the
armour on the ship's bottom.
1
The wheels would be, say, an inch thick, and about two inches apart. There
would be two soft vulcanized india rubber tires on each wheel (sec Fig. 2), the
inner tire about of an inch deep, the outer about inch pierced with a great
number of flat headed nails, so that their points projecting a trifle beyond the
outside of the tire would form a rough face that would give the revolving wheel a
sufficient hold on the smoothest armour to deflect the arrow's head and carry it well
below the surface before the explosion. Unremittingly driven on by the propellers
the elastic tire would for several inches press against the side of the ship with a
flat holding surface. By a regulated proportion between the buoyancy of the spar
and the weight of the head whatever sensitiveness to depression was considered
best could be given.
Chemistry is advancing with such vast bound, and so much time and talent are
devoted at this moment to the invention of explosive substances, that it is
probable some compound may ere long be discovered which would adınit of a small,
yet light & powerful charge being prepared that could be carried with safety at
the head of the arrow. Such a result would greatly add to the future value of the
proposed missile for torpedo charges of small bulk and weight, and of such an
explosive character that much depth below the surface would not be required as a
resisting fulcrum, would lead to a corresponding decrease of dimensions in the gun
and arrow.
The bomb thrown by hand that destroyed the unfortunate Czar shows
in what a condensed form materials can even now be carried that would explode
with destructive power in shallow water.
'
It is said to have often occurred that ships have come in contact with; yet glided
over, submarine torpedoes without causing them to explode. By my Invention the
arrangement for igniting, the charge is made so sensitive that however slowly a
vessel might be drifting a touch would ignite the charge.
As the same arrangements, though not quite so simple, are applicable to the
ignition of the charge carried in the head of the arrow, I will explain them, as a
very slight change would make them suitable for submarine torpedoes.
The front part of the head of the arrow (see Fig. 3) is formed of such a thin

page_text: flexible material, probably sheet copper, that it readily yields to a blow. To
prevent its ever being driven in so far as in lieu of retaining its round form, to get
angular projections that might endanger its being caught in the meshes of a
defensive net, strong arched rods are fixed within it. The two stiff metal yet light
cylinders nearly an inch in depth are fixtures to the flexible front. By openings in .
them they can pass clear of the rods. By means of a segment screw locking water-
tight with a quarter turn, the flexible front is substituted just before firing the
gun for the thick protecting front usually carried. The trigger and trigger striker
have each a pair of flat wide spreading arms, so diverging from each other that no
part of the head can be driven in without the edge of one of the cylinders acting on.
the trigger and freeing the hammer. The trigger-striker is pivotted on two
supports springing from the top of the tube clear of the hammer. The metal
fulcrum is firmly attached to the tube. The tap fixed in the strong metal tube,
which is about two inches long, has two slightly curved passages at right angles to
each other. The smaller passage is designed for the instantaneous combustion of
the torpedo-charge; the larger passage is filled with a sensitive yet slow burning
material. When neither passage is presented to the channel running through the
tube, the tap becomes a safety tap. According as the tap-handle (not shewn) is
turned either in the plane of the axis of the tube or transversely to it, the hammer
on being released strikes a fulminate patch on the top of the tube, which ignites
the torpedo charge instantly through the small open passage, or slowly through the
larger passage in order to retard the explosion for the second or two the head is
forcing its way through opposing obstacles. A little delay in the explosion would.
be of no consequence, as the propellers would keep the charge close to the ship's
side. A strong copper cap might answer better than the patch, because less likely
to be displaced by vibration. The whole of the igniting apparatus is attached to
the tube seated in the thick india rubber ring which is firmly fixed to the case
holding the torpedo charge. A safety pin (passing through a water-tight packing)
when pushed in front of the pivot on which the hammer works prevents its
striking. That the pin may never slip off the fulcrum there is a groove to
receive it.
In adapting this igniting arrangement to submarine torpedoes, it is manifest
that the tube filled with a priming charge and held in the upper part by elastic
stays, could be produced to any length through a deep air-chamber to the bursting
charge, thus giving any required capacity to that chamber. The whole of the
head could be made yet more sensitive to pressure than is represented by the
addition of a circular thin flat belt in the transverse plane A, B. The cords that
would be required to withdraw the safety pin and replace it in position are
shown in Fig. 3. The pin refusing to come out should shew that through some
mishap the hammer had been released, and falling into a groove in the pin bad
prevented its being withdrawn.
The proposed long barrel would allow the arrow to be long, and the longer it is
the more it would resist deflection from aim both in air and water, and the less
would be the risk of the head becoming unduly depressed by pressure from
defensive booms and nets. The endeavour would be to so project the arrow that
it should alight short of the defences, and run under them, pushing and lifting
them aside. Instead of exploding the charge by pressure on the arrow's head,
it might be better that an arrangement should be made for its being exploded
by the action of the wire rod (Fig. 1) that releases the catch, which prevents the
driving machinery from acting on the pair of wheels. This would render un-
necessary the thin sensitive head that has been described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Nelson Hutchinson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th October 1881.
WILLIAM NELSON HUTCHINSON, of Wellesbourne, Bideford, in the County of
Devon, General in Her Majesty's Army. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SUBMARINE
TORPEDOES, AND IN APPLIANCES FOR PROJECTING THESE AND OTHER TORPEDOES."
By my Invention the torpedo-charge instead of being carried, as is often the case,
at the end of a long spar, or driven by machinery below the surface of the water,
is placed in the head of a long arrow projected with slow-burning powder from any
barrel of sufficient bore to receive it easily. The arrow after alighting on the water
is driven forwards by compressed air, or more economically by rough clock-work
acting on propellers. The arrow, say, from 20 to 30 feet long, would be formed
near the rear part of some buoyant wood (might be poplar), the middle and fore part
of light metal tubes. To prevent a concussion when the gun is fired that might
derange the driving machinery or the arrangement for igniting the torpedo-charge,
at quite the rear part the arrow is formed of elastic materials, and in submarine
torpedoes the igniting arrangement is cushioned on a soft yielding substance.
In the arrow all parts likely to be deranged by concussion or vibration would be
similarly protected.
Figure 1. W is a thick gas tight wad.
a, b, c, d, e, f, are elastic discs probably of vulcanized india-rubber to act as
buffers; R is a cylindrical rod on which the buffers are strung. A piston fixed on
front end fits air tight in the cylindrical recess in the spar (or metal tube), and on
the gun being fired compresses the air within it.
L shows where the strip of waterproofed linen lies attached to the heel of the
arrow, which, acting as a tail, increases its steadiness in flight and obviates the
necessity of giving much weight to the head. A freely rotating disc in front of
the wad (W) prevents its deranging the folds of the linen while it (the wad) follows
the curved grooves in a rifle barrel.
P, P, P, are some of the propellers attached to and driven by the main shaft..
lying in the axis of the arrow or a little below it.
t, t, t, are some of the strengthening ties required at the openings made for the
admission of the water necessary as a fulcrum for the propellers to act against.
They are bars of steel flattened in the direction of radii, but where the propellers
work (in order to obtain space) they have the same curve as the outline of the
arrow.
C, Figs. 2 and 3, is a nearly semicircular piece of sheet metal fixed to the
arrow before the torpedo-charge is attached. From its. slanting position it meets:
the water water face on should the arrow alight with its head downwards, and thus
resists the tendency to continue its course in that direction. During its flight in
the air the pressure of the air against C keeps the head up..
.
Figure 3 shows how each of the two bolts. passed through loops on C is pushed
through a water tight hole in the side of the tube and thus locks on a spring-catch
at the end of the strong spiral springs 8, 8. Coarse clock work, say, on the
American lever. nutmeg.principle, is wound up just before the gun is fired, and set
to the time when it is considered that the arrow will alight on the water and the
propellers should begin to revolve. The clock work would be placed near the
strong winding wheel, No. 6, Figure 9. There would be a small hole in the tube
(forming a portion of the arrow) closed with merely a common cork for the gunner
to wind up this time-piece, also an adjacent small hole for him to see the dial plate
and set the piece to run for as many minutes or fractions of minutes as he wishes.
It might be a three wheel train time piece with the second arbor (a solid cylinder)

page_text: from the main spring fixed friction tight, and having a rectangular notch cut,
nearly half inch wide, for the long arm of a spring catch to rest on the arbor until
the clock has run the arranged time. Its short arm would then free the long arm
of another crank, to which would be fixed a strong cylindrical spiral spring which
would instantly drag out the locking pin that prevented the revolution of wheel
No. 1, Fig. 9. This wheel (driven by the powerful jack-spring not yet described)
acting on other wheels gives rapid rotation to the main shaft and propellers, as
will be explained. On the arbor just named another notch would carry the
long arm of another crank, which, being freed a little later, would make its short
arm release a catch that had prevented the springs s, 8 (Fig. 3), from withdrawing
the bolts that held C in position. It then drops off clear of the arrow.
Were it preferred the two results just described could be effected by time fuses
instead of by clock work. The rod on which the elastic buffers are strung is
headed by a piston, as shewn in Figure 1. To this piston on its prolonged
imaginary axis a light metal rod could be fixed (marked by the dotted line) which,
on the piston being driven forward, would pass air-tight into the body of the
arrow, press on a trigger much similar to the arrangement seen in Figure 4, and
explode a double-way detonating copper cap, and thus ignite two time fuses in
separate pipes of unequal length. The shorter fuse would give active life to the
jack-spring, with all it acted on, by burning the twine saturated with a solution of
nitre, or in other mode by chemistry made sensitive to rapid combustion, that had
held the spring at rest; the longer time fuse would burn the similarly prepared
twine that had restrained C's bolts from flying inwards. Tubes of good metal about
9 inches in diameter might be made whilst possessing the requisite strength
to have more buoyancy than similar lengths of wood of same diameter; therefore,
were it deemed advisable, the arrow could be so balanced that C would not be
required.
The pair of drums (y) on each side of the spiked wheel No. 5, Fig. 4, are fixed
on its prolonged axis. The extremities of the axle are supported by arms springing
from under the platform (Fig. (4). Endless waterproofed hempen bands n, n,
around those drums and about drums (a) fixed to the wheel No. 4, force the spiked
wheel No. 5 to revolve upwards in the direction that would guide the head
containing the torpedo-charge under the net, boom, or other defensive obstruction,
or, should there be none, under the armour on the ship's bottom. A metal rod
projecting beyond the spiked wheel with a circular head (K), retained temporarily
in position by a catch (c, Fig. 4) seated on india-rubber on striking against a
defensive net, &c., or on a ship's side, springs inwards, and releasing a stop on a
strong spiral spring (v attached to- the tube), allows it to draw the rod inwards.
A projection on the rod hits a catch bacting as the trigger when the hammer
strikes the copper cap, which ignites the fuse connected with the torpedo-charge.
Number 5 wheel would be, say, two inches thick. It would have two soft
vulcanized india rubber tires, the inner tire about three fourths of an inch deep, the
outer about one fourth of an inch, so pierced with a number of flat headed nails
that their points protruding a little beyond the tire would form a rough face which
would make the upward revolving wheel feel its way under any defending
obstruction, and give it sufficient hold on iron plates to deflect the arrow's head,
and carry it well below the armour before the explosion. Unremittingly driven
on by the propellers the elastic tire would press against the side of the ship with
a flat rasping surface. By a regulated proportion between the buoyancy of the
arrow and the weight of the head whatever sensitiveness to depression was
considered best could be given.
The means of propulsion by compressed air are undisguisedly shown in fish
torpedoes, but the driving machinery that will now be described seems preferable
on the score of economy, saving of risk, and in its simplicity, for but little skill
would be demanded in its manipulation, and it would prove thoroughly effective.
As a spring of great power would be required it would resemble what is commonly
called a bottle-jack spring. It could have any power, as there is ample space to give

page_text: it
any
breadth. It would be coiled in a box (Figure 9), about the main shaft..
The inner end of the spring would be attached to loops on the bottom of the box,
the other end of the spring to corresponding loops on the tube. The box would
be connected by a ratchet and click to the wheel Number one of nearly the same
diameter as the tube. The box with its spring would be wound up by the water
tight bevelled thick wheel Number six acting on a correspondingly bevelled pro-
jecting ring on the box. Except when winding up the box and wheel would
revolve in unison. The winding key might have yet longer arms than are usually
given to the keys used by men watering roads from water mains.
The large wheel (Number one) is attached to a cylinder about the main shaft, and
revolves at both ends in cylindrical projections attached to the two diaphragms D
and E fixed within the tube. The wheel is toothed on the inner part of the pro-
jection d, and thus drives the wheel Number two, working on a stud attached to
diaphragm E, which drives wheel Number three, playing on a stud attached to a bar
on the said diaphragm, which drives the main shaft (through its pinion g) with great
velocity. The rotation imparted to the main shaft, whether by compressed air or
machinery, drives all that should be set in action. A coned bevelled head (h)
Figs. 4 & 10, drives the wheel, Number four, lying in a vertical plane a little on one.
side of the imagined-prolonged axis of the shaft. Most of this wheel lies in a
metal case (m) that projects beyond the tube. On the wheel's axle (projected on
both sides through sockets fixed watertight in the case) the pair of drums (x)
before spoken of drive the pair of similar sized drums (y) attached to the spiked
wheel Number five, Figs. 1, 2, and 5.
Figure 5 shows transverse sections as seen from the front. The narrow tube,
Figure 7, contains the fuse for igniting the torpedo-charge, a slow burning fuse if
the ship attacked be protected by netting or booms, quick burning if unprotected.
Most of it is inserted through the opening o into the pipe (fixed to the tube) which
has a detonating copper cap at the opposite end. The tube is so long that part
remains outside.
The torpedo-charge is carried in a metal case (Figure 8) which conforms to the
irregular shape given by the case to the front of the tube. Figure 11 shows a
horizontal section through the bottom of the case which is similar in shape to the
platform on which it rests. It is fixed on it just before firing by spring-clasps,
when the part of the fuse-tube that could not be received by the pipe is pushed
into the middle of the torpedo-charge.
z, Figure 1 & 2, is an arched hood lying above and between the spiked wheel-
and the head of the arrow that prevents entanglement from nets. It lies close to
the tire of the wheel, as openings in it give free passage to the vertical rows of
nail points.
Its
Figure 2 shows an arrangement by which the arrow's departure from the gun is
much facilitated. A is a crutch with crescent head that supports the arrow.
length is regulated by a screw in the middle; B is a chain looped to a hoop round
the muzzle. Its length is governed by a screw in the middle. An opening admits
the keel. D is a stay hooked on to a jointed hoop round the barrel abutting
against the trunnions. A notch in (or knob on) the arrow prevents the crutch from
falling forward prematurely.
The thin keel is fixed to the arrow after it is in the barrel. It might not be
found necesssary, and clearly would not be necessary, were the main shaft placed
a little below the axis of the arrow. The more horizontally the arrow can be made
to travel on the water, and the more it floats above the surface, the less will be
the demand on its driving power. The object sought is to drop the arrow short
of all defences, and make the head glide under then.
With unusually slow burning powder all the precautions described to lessen
concussion need not be adopted. The lock arrangement being placed close to the
side of the tube balances the weight of wheel Number 4. The bottom of the keel
might be slightly weighted, Lengths of tube would be screwed together where
adjustment was required before firing.

page_text: SUBMARINE TORPEDOES.
It is said to have frequently occured that ships at full speed have scraped against
submarine torpedoes without exploding them owing to the igniting arrangement
not being sufficiently sensitive to a touch.
Figure 12 shows a submarine torpedo whose round head, made of thin sheet
copper, is so flexible that explosion would follow the slightest thrust from any
vessel however slowly she might be moving. The stiff yet light sections of hollow
cones, Number one, Number two, Number three, about an inch deep, are fixtures
on the flexible head, which is never subjected to the chance of the slightest pressure
until the moment the torpedo is sunk in position, when the strong protecting head
that habitually covers it is removed.
The trigger and trigger striker have each a pair of flat wide spreading arms so
diverging from each other that no part of the head can be pushed in without the
edge of one of the sections acting on the trigger and freeing the bammer. The
trigger-striker is pivoted on two supports springing from the top of the tube clear
of the hammer. The metal fulcrum is firmly attached to the strong long tube,
which whatever may be the depth of the air chamber extends from the nipple (for
the copper cap) well into the case holding the torpedo-charge. The lower end of
the tube is embedded in a thick vulcanized india-rubber ring, or some soft substance,
fixed to the case. The upper part of the tube is held in position by india rubber
bands. However much the torpedo may be knocked about, even should it fall,
its igniting apparatus would yield to the shock without any part getting deranged,
but it would never yield so far as to allow an arm of the trigger or trigger-striker
to come in contact with any of the sections, Number one, Number two, &c., as long
as the well protected flexible head receives no pressure. The sensitiveness to
pressure would be increased by the sections being divided into parts.
A safety pin (drawn without any regard to perspective), passing through a
watertight packing, when pushed in front of the pivot on which the hammer works
arrests its action. That the pin may never slip off the fulcrum there is a groove
to receive it. The cords that would be required to withdraw the safety pin and
replace it in position are shown. The pin's refusing to come out would indicate
that through some mishap the hammer had been released, and entering a groove
made in the pin had prevented its being withdrawn. The whole of the tube is
filled with a priming charge.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that I claim the projecting of torpedo-charges in
the air, and subsequently propelling them in water; also the means of making the
torpedo charges glide under defonsive nets or other obstacles, and getting below
armour plates on ship's bottoms, substantially in the manner I have described.
With regard to submarine torpedoes I declare that I claim the giving thom
extreme sensitiveness to explosion, substantially in the manner I have described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Nelson Hutchinson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord
eighteen hundred and eighty one.