Improved Means and Appliances for Indicating the Direction at Sea of Controlled Torpedoes or other Vessels.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Apr.. 1890
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Feb., 1891-Accepted, 1st Apr., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means and Appliances for Indicating the Direction at Sea
of Controlled Torpedoes or other Vessels.
I, CHARLES WILLIAM SLEEMAN, of 12, Bessborough Street, Pimlico, London,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
My invention consists of a means for enabling the direction, a torpedo may be
heading at any moment during its run or while at rest whether on the surface or
submerged, to be notified to the person directing the torpedo at the operating
station.
The object of my invention is to enable a torpedo to be run beneath the surface
of the water, and its course and every alteration of the same to be indicated to the
operator, either automatically or otherwise and so directed by him, without the aid
of, anything visible above the surface of the water; such as flags, discs, smoke,
light, and attached to or in connection with floats fins, masts tubes &c. in connection
with attached to or forming part of the hull of the torpedo. My invention at the
same time permitting of the absolutely free control, at the will of the operator, of
the movement of the rudder, or such other means as may be used for the steering
of the torpedo. In the following explanation I wish it to be understood, that by
station, I mean the position ashore or afloat from which the torpedo is directed and
controlled, and by the operator I mean the person or persons directing and con-
trolling the torpedo from the station. I am aware of a compass having been
previously used in connection with the directing of a torpedo, but its application
has not been attended with practical success, and differs entirely from the means I
employ in my invention. By my invention I can not only run a controlled torpedo,
which is altogether invisible to the operator, but by its means I give to the torpedo
a range of practically unlimited extent independent of the length of cable it
carries, ie. its inherent range. For instance suppose the torpedo to carry
1,000 yards of cable (through which the various functions of starting and stopping
its propelling engine, of working its rudder and such like actions, are controlled
from the operating station) that is to say, suppose it to be provided with an
inherent range of 1000 yards, I can then start it any distance, say 10,000 yards,
from the station, and so I bring the ship to be torpedoed within a striking range
of 11,000 yards from the station, though the torpedo itself has only 1000 yards
range. For this purpose I require a vessel carrying the necessary extra length
of cable in this case 10,000 yards to tow the torpedo out to this distance from the
station. I do not describe here the details of this arrangement, but only use this
example, to show that as by my invention I do not require to see anything visible
in connection with the torpedo whereby to direct it, its actual striking range is
unlimited, being in fact only limited by the distance at which the enemy's ship may
be seen from the station.
For the purpose of my invention I employ an ordinary ship or boat compass,
with the necessary electrical fittings for my requirements, a reversible step by
step instrument (electrical) of special construction, and a polarised relay, and
reversing key of ordinary construction, with also electrical cells or batteries and
insulated electric wires or cables formed of one or more insulated cores of the most
suitable kind. In order to more fully explain and illustrate my invention, I will
now proceed to explain the various figures upon the 2 sheets of drawings hereunto
annexed, which are marked with like letters of reference to like parts as far as
possible Sheet 1 containing Figs. 1 to 7 shows the arrangement of the compass as
require to use it, the construction of the reversible step by step instrument
required for this invention and a plan of a reversing key; while Sheet 2 containing
Figs. 8 to 11 shows diagrams of same at the various circuits I may employ.

page_text: Description of figures upon Sheet 1.
Fig. 1 is a plan of the cover D to the compass, which may be of glass, ebonite,
or metal or a combination of the same.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section of an ordinary compass C; where C' is the compass
card, marked in the ordinary way, or as may be required, and capable of swinging
freely round its pivot, and D is the cover, carrying the pendant attachments ², e³,
Figs. 1 and 2, insulated one from the other, and provided with each a contact piece
of platinum foil e, e Fig. 2, or such like conducting material, a is a single attachment
to C, arranged so as to slightly overlap e, when in contact with either of the
pendants ², ein D, and by which a current of electricity can be passed by the
wire w, from a source external to the compass, to either of the contacts e², e², in D
that the card contact, a, may happen to be in contact with at the moment, as the
card swings to the right or left with the alteration of the head of the torpedo.
The cover D may be provided with any number of contacts e², e, that is to say one
for each point of the compass or for each or point, or for each degree, depending
on the closeness or accuracy of steering required.
The conducting material of the contacts e², e³, and of a and the shape and form,
must be such that the necessary degree of contact is obtained with the least
possible destruction of free movement to the swing of the compass card, so as to
reduce any sluggishness of the card there may be to a minimum. In Fig. 2
each side of a, and e, is a conductor, so that whichever way the card swings
whether to the right (east of north) or to the left (west of north) a, equally
makes an electrical contact with either of the contacts e, e³, Fig. 1. In Fig. 3,
D is as before the compass cover, but with two sets of contacts, e², and el, similar
in all respects to those described for e2, 2 Figs. 1 and 2; the two sets are insulated
one from the other, and the contacts of each set may be insulated one from the
other, or in joint electrical circuit, that is to say all the contacts e, e², forming one
circuit, and e', el forming another circuit. In Fig. 4, C' is as before referred to
the compass card, but with four contacts a, a, a³ and a¹, instead of one contact as
in Fig. 2; these four contacts are insulated one from the other, and only one side
of each is a conductor, the other side being made a non-conductor; this is more
clearly shown in Figs. 10 and 11. Fig. 5 represents a plan of my double magnet
reversible step by step instrument, and Fig. 6 is a section of the same. S is the
instrument Z is an arm or pointer carrying the contact piece, and which can be
moved to the right or left round its pivot T over the whole of the circular
piece N by means of the electro magnets M, M' operating the mechanism about to
be described. I use in this case 3 wheels W', W2, W³, W and W being ordinary
toothed wheels, the teeth in W being cut in an opposite way to those in W³;
W2 is an ordinary cog wheel. I connect these wheels in one piece by the screws g, 9,
Fig. 6. F, F, are the arms of the frame work, carrying the circular piece N,
containing the contacts s 382ª,
; a portion of N is broken to show the
action of the mechanism. The number of these contacts is the same as the number
of contacts in the cover of the compass that this instrument S is working in unison
with. M, M, are ordinary electro-magnets; A, A', vertical arms attached to the
armatures of these magnets respectively; are two levers pivotted at p, p', respec-
tively and connected to the arms A, A, at b, b; P, P, are two stop levers pivotted
at respectively. The normal position (when the magnets are out of circuit)
of these levers and the arms A, A' is as shown in Fig. 5, and is maintained by the
spiral springs 1, 2, 3, and 4. The contact piece of the arm Z is maintained in
good contact with whichever of the contacts s, s', 53,
it has been moved
to, for instance with , in Fig. 5, by means of the spring a, in Fig. 6 or by
any of the well known methods used in ordinary electrical switches and keys;
the friction between and whichever contact in N it may be on, being sufficient to
hold them in contact, and the arm Z in the position it has been moved to.
action of the apparatus is as follows: Suppose the magnet M to be switched into
circuit with a battery of sufficient strength to enable it to pull its armature home
and consequently the arm A downwards, then the lever will be made to engage
.
The

page_text: with the tooth t, and carry it up to the position now occupied by tooth t', (the
armature now being home). By this action the wheels W', and W³ will be moved
round to the left one tooth the wheel W one cog, and the arm Z one step to the
left, bringing in contact with '; each of the wheels and the circular piece N
being similarly divided from the common centre T. On the current being switched
off from M, the springs 1 and 2 will cause the levers 1, and P, and the arm A with
the armature to take up their normal position as shewn in Fig. 5. By repeating the
operation of switching M in and out of circuit, the arm Z can be carried round the
circle N step by step forms s, to s¹, 83,
,, and back again to s. The
stop lever P is worked by the pin 5 on the arm A; the position of this pin 5 with
respect to the lever P being such as to cause the stop piece 10 to enter its cog in
this instance in the wheel Wat the moment of the armature being brought
home; this arrangement is for the purpose of preventing the possibility of the
arm Z jumping more than one step at a time.
÷
The same action as described above occurs only in the reverse direction if the
magnet M' instead of M be switched into the battery circuit; thus of the arm
can be moved from s, to s³, st
,, and back to s by repeated
switching in and out of circuit of magnet M; or by alternately switching M,
and M' into circuit, Z is moved one step to the left, and then one step to right.
The end of the lever l, is hinged or provided with a spring so that on the lever
being brought back to its normal position by its spring 1, it may give way to the
tooth behind it. Fig. 7 is a diagram of a reversing key K connections is the
knob by which K is moved to the right or left round its pivot p. P, N, and O are
three contacts in the arm of the key insulated one from the other; 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
are contacts external to the key arm, 1 and 4, and 2 and 3 being connected
together. By moving K to the right P and 2, N and 4 are brought into contact,
and O breaks contacts with 5; if moved to the left P & 1, N and 3 make contact,
and breaks contacts with 5, O remains in contact with 5 only when the key is
in its normal position as shown in Fig. 7, which the springs S, S, (in this figure)
bring it back to, after it has been moved either to the right or left, and then
released.
Description of figures upon Sheet 2.
.
.
•
.
local
earth plates.
The lettering in Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11 is the same in each case. C is the compass;
D the compass cover, and e¹, e, et
the contact pieces as shown in
Figs. 1 and 3. C' is the compass card, and a, a, a, a³ are its contacts shown in
Figs. 2 and 4, 61, 62, 68 represent the non-conducting side of a, a', a², a³ Figs. 10
and 11, when such is used. S is the step by step instrument, Z the movable
arm with its contact; 2, 4,
are the contacts in the circular piece N,
and M, M are the magnets of S. R is an ordinary polarised relay, m, m² its
magnet coils; R is pivoted at P, and has two contacts O, and 9 similar to O and 5
in Fig. 7. K is the reversing key shewed at Fig. 7 G is an ordinary galvano-
meter. B, B¹
batteries with C, C¹ positive, and h, h
negative poles. W, w
are the main electrical wires by which the
torpedo is electrically connected with the operating station. w, w
circuits wires, either in the torpedo or at the station E, E'
Fig. 8 in this arrangement, a compass C, step by step instrument S, relay R, and
battery B are placed in the torpedo; and a reversing key K, galvanometer G, and
battery B2 is used at the station, one main wire W is used. In this case and also in
Fig. 9, the compass is not used to automatically indicate at the station the direction
the torpedo is heading, but it only notifies this to the operator by the swing of the
galvanometer needle, as will be explained. The contacts e, e, e, in D are
connected to their respective contacts s², s, in S by a piece of multiple_cable,
the cores of which d², d, d
are shown in Figs. 8 and 9; in Figs. 8
in the torpedo; card contact a of C' is connected by wire to the negative pole
of battery B; contact of S is put to earth by wire w² at E; wire to connects the
inner coils of magnets M, M' also to h of B. Relay tongue contact P! is connected
to the positive pole c of battery B by wire to outer coil of M' to relay contact 7,

page_text: and of M to relay contact 8. Positive pole c¹ of one cell of B by wire W² to relay
contact 9, and O' of relay to magnet coil m' by W; the other relay coil m is put to
earth at E¹.
.
=
At the station-negative pole 2 of battery 12 is connected to contact N of
reversing key K by wire the positive pole c² to contact P of K by wire ³;
contact of K to galvanometer by 10; G is put to earth at E2; contact 5
of K to contact 1 of K by w³; contact 2 of K put to earth at E³. The station is
electrically connected to the torpedo by the main wire W from contact 1 of K to
the magnet coil m¹ of R at r in W¹. In Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11 the card contact,
or contacts, a¹
are supposed to be as shown out of contact with the
contacts in D; similarly the contact of S with the contacts in N; and the
keys K, and relays R in their normal position. Suppose in Fig. 8 that the torpedo
heads (say N.N.W.), so as to bring a in contact with e, as shown by the dotted
lines in C. To find how the torpedo heads the operator at the station moves K to
the right so as to bring P on 2, and N on 4, at the same time breaking the
contact 0-5; then a current will pass from c³ of B² by w³ to P-2 to E³, by the
earth return (water) to E¹ of R, through coils m, m² to, by W back to Kat 1,
across to 4-N and by w to h² of B2; thus completing circuit between B³ and the
relay, and so causes the tongue of R to move, say to the right bringing P¹ to 8,
and breaking contact O'--9. A current will then pass in the torpedo from c of B
by w to P-8 so through the magnet M of S, and back by w to of B; thus
causing M to act, and so moving Z one step to the left and bringing in contact
with son the circle N. The operator releasing key K, it at once returns to the
normal position shown Fig. 8, by the springs Fig. 7 and then breaks the circuit
of the relay in the torpedo, the tongue of which is brought into its normal position
by means of similar springs. 01 and 9 of R, and O and 5 of K are now in contact
but no current can pass through the galvanometer as Z, and C' are not in unison,
and therefore no deflection of the galvanometer needle is obtained. By repeating
the operation of moving K to the right Z is brought to 8, but still no deflection;
another movement of K to the right, and Z brought to 0, then on releasing K
the operator will get a deflection of the G needle; because with a of C on ela,
and of Z on 10, and the relay tongue, and key K as in figure, a current will flow
from of B in torpedo to a, by 100, from 10 by 10 to 810, by w² to E, through
the water to E of G, by w to O-5, by to 1 of K, by W to a, by W
to O 9 of R by W' to c of the cell of B in torpedo--thus completing the circuit
between cell h-c of B with the galvanometer G and deflecting its needle, thus
indicating to the operator that the arm Z of S is in unison with the position of the
compass card in other words that Z points in the direction the torpedo is heading.
By any well known mechanical means the key K at every movement to the right
or left, mechanically moves a pointer, one step at a time, over a dial marked
similarly to the compass card, and the circular piece N of S by which the operator
is informed of the direction the torpedo is heading, shown by the position of
the pointer at the station when the needle of G is deflected. It will be
noticed that the galvanometer circuit has two paths, where W branches at
through the relay coils m, m' to earth at E', but the strength of the current from
the cell c' of B is not of sufficient strength to cause the relay to act, though
powerful enough to deflect the needle of (r.
The method represented in Fig. 9, shows how the same operations described for
Figs. 8, can be performed without the aid of a battery in the torpedo, by using either
one or two main wires to connect the torpedo with the station. First with one
main wire. By moving key K to the right a current passes from c of B by w
to P-2 to E, by earth to E, through m', m, by w to, and returning by W to 1
across to 4- -N, by w³, to h of B, so completing relay circuit; and causing its
tongue to move to the right; the same current as passed from E to E, also passes
by earth to E3 of S, now that P' is on 8, through M to 8-P by w to, and so
in the same manner as before to h of B; in other words the current from B performs
the double operation of operating the relay and one or other of the magnets M, M

page_text: of S by means of a branch circuit which is closed when P¹ is on 8, or on 7 ; this
current must necessarily be powerful enough for both purposes.
The reversing key could be readily arranged to switch say 3 cells into the relay
circuit, and then by a further movement of K to the right, or left as the case may
be, to switch a further set of cells into the circuit for the additional strength of
current necessary to work one or other of the magnets M, M. With the key K,
and relay R in normal position, and a of C¹ on e, and of Z on s, a current will
pass from of B' by w² to G, to E3 by water to E of S, to, by d³ to eª—a,
by w to 9-0 of R, by w to, by W to 1 of K by w to 5-0 of K, and by wo¹
to ' of B', completing the galvanometer circuit, and deflecting its needle.
An alternate method is to use 2 main wires, the second one W¹ being shown by
dotted lines Fig. 9; the main wire W is used for the relay, and galvanometer
circuits only, as in Fig. 8, and W₁ for the S magnet circuits. Suppose to
broken at, and P¹ on 8, then a current will pass from c² of B by W₁
to P-8, through M of S to E³, through water to E and so to ² of B³.
The double wire method offers greater security of certainty of action. The
method of using in practice either of the systems in Figs. 8 and 9, afore described
is as follows:-
Suppose the torpedo in the water ready for running, with all the wires connected
up, and pointer of the reversing key dial at the station previously put in
unison with the movable arm of the step by step instrument in the torpedo,
say both pointing due north. Further suppose the torpedo lying with its head
pointing due east, the operator would then work the key K the necessary number
of times to bring his pointer east, and similarly the movable arm Z of S, carefully
watching the galvanometer at each movement of the key; then if the torpedo
heading east, he will get a deflection of the needle of G, when the pointer points at
east on the dial, all threc, dial, step by step instrument, and compass being in unison.
The torpedo being started on this course, as long as the needle remains deflected,
the operator knows that it is maintaining that course; if the needle ceases to
deflect, it has altered its course, and the operator has then to find the new
course of the torpedo by moving the key K to the right or left until he
obtains a deflection, when the position of the pointer will show the new course
the torpedo is taking. A torpedo having 2 propellers revolving in opposite
directions, and properly designed will show hardly any variation of its course,
and very little practice by the operator will enable him to follow its course
very accurately. Suppose it is desired to alter the course of the torpedo from
cast to south; the operator would then give the torpedo port helm, and by
means of the key K he would by this invention be able to follow every alteration
of the course as the torpedo swings round from east to south, and by righting,
and starboarding the helm at the proper point of its swing, he could catch the
torpedo directly on the new course it is to be run on. In fact the operator
has the same absolute control over the steering of a torpedo invisible to him,
by means of this invention, as in the case of steering any ordinary vessel.
Further, though the torpedo may alter its course during its run, it may not be
always advisable or necessary to give any helm, so that the free control of
the rudder of the torpedo, by the operator is an absolute essential of practical
running. Figs. 10 and 11, illustrate three methods of working my invention with
an automatic indicating compass, that is to say, every alteration of the compass
card in the torpedo is automatically indicated on or by a step by step instru-
ment at the station.
In Fig. 10, a compass only is required in the torpedo, and a step by step
instrument, with or without a relay at the station, but two main wires are needed.
Fig. 11 shows how a similar operation can be performed with only one main wire
by additional contacts, on the compass card and a battery in the torpedo. In Fig. 10,
the card C' carries two contacts a, a insulated from one another but necessarily, as
shown in this figure exactly on opposite points of the compass card, and having one
side or surface b, b, non-conducting, so that C₁ in swinging to the right, brings a in

page_text: contact with 2, and the non-conductor of a¹ on to 8; in swinging to the left a
with e, and with ed. The D contacts et es
are in this case formed
into one circuit, as shown by the double lines joining them. Suppose C¹ to swing so
that a comes on ², then a current will pass frome of B by i to M of S at the
station, by W to a-e², to E, and back by water to E, and so to / of B, completing
the circuit of B through M, and causing that magnet to act, and to move one step.
If C¹ swings to left, bringing a¹ to e, then the current from c of B passes through
M', and by W to a¹-e, to earth at E (the common earth for all Ĺ contacts) by
water to E3 and of B, by which M¹ is operated, and Z moved one step the reverse
way. The alternate method in Fig. 10, is used to allow of a weak current in the
main wires, the relay putting the magnets of S in operating at the station. The
dotted lines show the main wires W2 W3 used to explain this method W and W
being supposed to be broken at y¹ and respectively suppose a in contact with e²,
a current will then pass from of B³ by W, W₁ to a-e², to E, and by water
to E2 of R, through m, m¹ to 3 of 13 by ; thus completing relay circuit, causing
its tongue to move to the right or the left and so switching M or M' of S' into
circuit with B' as has been before explained. The reverse operation takes place
if a be in contact with e; the circuit then is, c², we', m³ m, E, E, e', u', W, W³
to h², completing the relay circuit in opposite direction. In Fig. 11, the compass
card C is provided with four contacts, a, a¹, a², a³ insulated one from the other, but
not necessarily as shown in figure on exactly opposite points of the compass card,
and having their reverse sides or faces non-conducting as shown at 6, 11, 12, 68;
D has two sets, or circles of contacts e², eo, e¹, et . and e', e³, e, e',
'
the contacts of each set are connected together the outer circle being connected
to c of B, and the inner circle to of B by the wires and w respectively. As
the card C¹ swings round as its pivot, say to the right, then a and e², u³ and e' will
make contact the position of the contacts a and a³, and a¹ and a³, on the compass
card must be such that a and a make simultaneous contact with one or other of
the outer and inner circle of contacts respectively; similarly in the case of
the contacts a¹ and a². A current will then pass from cof B in torpedo
by w to outer circle of D contacts to ea, by W to m m' of R at station, to E³, by
water to E', by w to ae by w to h of B thus completing the relay circuit at the
station, by which the step by step instrument that would be in connection with it,
as shown in Fig. 10 is operated. If the card C swings to the left bringing a on e¹,
and a one, a current will pass from c of B, by w to e-a', by w³ to E through
water to E of R, through m' m, by W, branching at by W to a²—³, by w to h
of B, completing relay circuit in opposite direction. With the methods repre-
sented in Figs. 10, and 11 it will be necessary to know the direction the torpedo is
heading, before connecting up the main wire or wires to the station instruments, so
as to be able to set the movable arm Z in unison with the compass. Suppose the
torpedo in the water lying alongside a vessel fore and aft, having on board a
compass then the direction of the vessel's head will be that of the torpedo's head,
and will be known by the vessel's compass; suppose this to be for instance north,
then the operator will set the arm Z one step to the right or left of the north
point on N; this will be found by the direction of deflection of a galvanometer
needle placed in the circuit; on connecting up the main wires, the arm Z will be at
once moved on one step to the north point on dial, as a, or a' of C¹ will be in
contact with the contact on D representing the north point of the compass, and
thus directly the main wires are connected up, the circuit through one or other of
the magnets M, M of S or S' at the station, will be completed. The main wires
may be connected up, and Z moved into its right position before the torpedo is put
in the water, if this be preferred and feasible, which would not be the case if
the torpedo is started from a vessel stationed at a distance from the actual operating
station. Of the various methods of using my invention as shown in Figs. 8, 9, 10,
and 11, I prefer the arrangement in Fig. 10, with or without the relay, because the
compass C only is required in the torpedo. In Fig. 11, the saving of one main
wire is gained at the expense of complexity of the compass connections, and the

page_text: addition of a battery in the torpedo. I can apply my invention to most if not all
of the existant torpedoes, controllable or uncontrollable, and though my invention
is intended mainly to do away with the necessity of visible means for enabling the
operator to direct a torpedo, yet it would prove of considerable advantage in
assisting the directive controllability of a torpedo steered by visible means.
Further my invention could be applied with considerable advantage to enable the
vessels carrying the mines in counter-mining operations to be directed from a
distance on a given course or courses. In fact it affords a means of controlling the
direction of any torpedo or vessel which is required to be run in a desired course
without the presence of any person on board to operate it.
I wish it to be understood that I consider the reversible " Step by Step"
instrument which I use in connection with this invention as a separate invention by
itself and I am this day applying for Provisional Protection for such "Step by
Step" instrument.
Dated this 1st day of April 1890.
RAYNER & CASSELL,
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means and Appliances for Indicating the Direction at Sea.
of Controlled Torpedoes or other Vessels.
I, CHARLES WILLIAM SLEEMAN, 12, Beesborough Gardens, Pimlico, London,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
My invention relates to improved means and appliances for ascertaining the
direction at sea of controlled torpedoes, whether propelled on the surface or under
water, this being effected without the position of the torpedo being shown by visible.
means as heretofore practised.
The object of my invention is to guide a torpedo in such a manner that any
deviation from its course shall be forthwith indicated automatically or otherwise to
the operator in charge thereof at the station on shore or at a floating or other
station, so that he may be able to direct or steer the torpedo as if on board thereof
without the aid of any visible object above the water such as flags, dises, smoke,
light attached to or issuing from the vessel.
One of the advantages of my invention is that a torpedo is allowed a practically
unlimited striking range which is independent of the cable it carries for the purpose
of performing thereon the various starting, stopping and steering operations.
Should the torpedo for instance carry a cable 1000 yards in length which would
form its own range and it was required to explode a ship at a distance of 10000 yards
from the station for example, the range of the torpedo would be extended by
providing a vessel carrying the extra 10000 yards of cable required to tow the
torpedo out at this distance from the station where the torpedo could be manoeuvred
for the purpose in view with a reserve of 1000 yards that is to say within its
own range.
In carrying my invention into practice I use the following apparatus viz.: a
ship's compass furnished with the necessary electrical appliances to operate a step
by step instrument of special construction, a polarized relay, a reversing key of
ordinary construction, two electric batteries and the necessary insulated cables or
wires.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a plan of the compass cover provided with the various electric
contacts.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the compass.

page_text: Fig. 3 is a plan of my improved reversible step by step instrument and Fig. 4 a
vertical section on line x y of Fig. 3.
Fig. 4 is a detail.
Fig. 5 is a diagram of the reversing key showing its connections.
Figs. 6 and 7 are diagrams showing the arrangements of the electrical circuits
and connections carried out when the torpedo is controlled and directed in the
manner hereinafter set forth.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2 D is the compass cover which may be made of
glass, ebonite, or other suitable material, C is the compass and C¹ the compass card
furnished with suitable divisions.
The compass cover is provided with insulated projections e² e Figs. 1 and 2 to
each of which is fixed a notched contact piece e formed of platinum foil or of other
similar conducting material, while the card C₁ which is centrally pivoted at ris
furnished with a projection a. As the card C¹ oscillates in consequence of the
deviations of the head of the torpedo the projection a comes into contact with one
of the pieces e thus causing a current supplied by any outside source of electricity
to be sent through the line wire w.
The projection a and the contacts e should be arranged in such a manner as to
interfere as little as possible with the free motion of the card upon its pivot while
the cover D may be provided with any number of projections e²e one to .every
point, half point, or quarter point of the compass according to the accuracy with
which the torpedo is to be steered.
to 32
The reversible step by step instrument Figs. 3 & 4 which indicates at the station
the deviation of the compass and hence the movements of the torpedo above
described consists of a hand or pointer P carrying at the bottom the projection e
by means of which a contact is established with either of the contacts 1, 2, .
arranged in a circular row upon a circle N which is broken to show the inside of
the mechanism. This circle is carried by two pillars h h the lower ends of which
are formed integrally with a plate m furnished with a central boss and bolted upon
the bed plate. The pointer P is pivoted at E upon the upper end of a central
vertical axis L moving within the boss of the plate m and carrying upon a shoulder
formed thereon three wheels, fixed together by the screws kk, i.e. the ratchet
wheel W, the cog wheel W, and the ratchet wheel W2; the two ratchet
wheel: WW2, having their teeth formed in opposite directions.
The spring blade s is mounted on the pivot E and secured thereon and against
the pointer P by the nut E', its other end bears upon the outer end of the pointer P
and has a tendency to press the projection e upon the contact 1.
M. M are two electro magnets carried by the standards bbbband
actuating the pointer P, they have each a central horizontal arm A, A¹, carrying
their armatures D D', and furnished with two pins and the former of
which engages in a slot of the two pawls B B pivoted at p p upon suitable rods.
The ends of these two pawls are controlled by the spiral springs ss connected
thereto as shown, while the spiral springs likewise control the stop levers C C¹
pivoted at p and having hooked ends as shown. The pawl B engages with the
ratchet wheel W and the pawl B' with the ratchet wheel W', while both the stop
levers gear with the cog wheel W¹.
The circle N has as shewn in Fig. 1 32 contacts corresponding and operating in
unison with the contacts of the compass cover D above described. The electro
magnets M M' are connected together as shewn by the dotted line a.
The apparatus operates as follows:
The magnet M (Fig. 3) having been switched into circuit with a battery of
sufficient power to enable it to attract its armature D and hence to draw the hori-
zontal arm A, the pawl B is moved into the position as shown on the right hand
side of Fig. 3 while turning with it the tooth 2 of the ratchet wheel which now
reaches the position previously occupied by the tooth °. This motion causes the
three wheels W, W, W to turn a tooth and the pointer one step to the left the
projection e of the latter being now placed on the contact 3 as shewn in dotted lines

page_text: in Fig. 3 while the stop lever C enters under the action of the pin & the subsequent
interval between the teeth of the wheel W' and prevents the pointer P from moving
more than a step each time the armature D is attracted.
The magnet M being subsequently put out of circuit the pawl B, the stopping
lever C and the arm A with them are all brought back to their normal position,
similar to that of the pawl B', lever C¹ and arm A' shewn on the left hand side of
Fig. 3.
By thus switching the magnet M in and out of the circuit the pointer P can be
made to travel successively from right to left over the 32 contacts of the circle N,
whereas by switching in a similar manner the magnet M' in and out of circuit the
pointer P will likewise travel over the contacts 1 to 32 from left to right, that is to
say in a reverse direction to the former, and by alternately switching the magnets M
and M', in and out of circuit the pointer will be moved one step to the left and
another to the right. The ends and c¹ of the pawls B B are hinged in the
manner shown in Fig. 4 and are each provided with a spring s holding such end
down to prevent it from bending when the pawl is raised, while allowing it to yield
to the teeth of the ratchet wheel when brought back to its position by the
spring s or sl.
When
Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of my improved reversing key K and connections.
This key pivots at p and can be moved to the right and to the left by means
of its knob, being further provided with three insulated contacts P, N, o.
These are further provided with five external contacts 1. 2. 3. 4 and 5 four of
which are connected together two by two viz., 1 and 4 and 2 and 3.
the key K is in its normal position the contact is placed on contact 5 but
when the key is moved to the right the contact o leaves contact 5 and the
contacts P and N coincide with contacts 2 and 4 respectively, while a motion
of the same key to the left brings P and 1 and N and 3 in contact one with
the other, the contact o having again left the contact 5.
The spiral springs ss serve to bring the key back into its normal position as
shown in Fig. 5 after it has been electrically moved either to the right or to the
left hand side..
€ 8
•
Referring now to the diagrammatic views shown in Figs. 6 & 7, C is the compass,
C' is the
D its cover e, e¹,
are contacts similar to those shown in Fig. 1.
compass card and a its contact. S is the reversible step by step instrument above
described, Z the pointer and its projection forming a contact with either of the
contact pieces ² 94. &c. &c. of the circle or limb N while M M are the two
electro-magnets.
R is an ordinary polarized relay, pivotted at p and provided with two contacts O
and 9 similar to the contacts O and 5 of the reversible key K (Fig. 5) which is
likewise shown in Figs. 6 and 7. B B B2 are electric batteries. W WW2 are the
line wires by means of which the torpedo is connected to the station and w w¹ are
local circuit wires used either in the torpedo or at the station.
E E E are earth connections.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 6 the compass C, the step by step instru-
ment S, the relay R and the battery B are placed in the torpedo while the
reversing key K, the galvanometer G, and the battery B2, are arranged at the
station. In the arrangenients shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the compass is not used to
automatically indicate at the station the direction of the torpedo but merely notifies
this to the operator by a deflection of the needle of the galvanometer as will be
hereinafter more fully explained. In Fig. 6 the contacts e³ e...e of the compass
of the step by step
cover D are connected to the corresponding contacts s² *..
instrument S by the wires d³ d which are in practice enclosed in a cable.
The projection a of the compass card C₁ is connected by the wire w° to the pole /
of the battery B while the projection of the pointer Z is connected to earth at E
by the wire 2 and the wire we connects the inner coils of the electro magnets M M¹
to the
pole of the battery B, the + pole of which is joined by the wire w¹ to
the contact tongue P¹ of the relay R. The outer coils of the electro magnets M M¹
-
B

page_text: -
are connected to the relay contacts 7 and 8 respectively. The + pole c¹ of one of
the battery cells is connected by the wire W2 to the relay contact 9 and the
contact O¹ of this relay is joined to the electro magnet m¹ by the wire W₁, while
the electro magnet m is connected to earth at E. At the station the
pole h² of
the battery B2 is connected to the contact N of the reversing key K by the wire w¹,
and the pole c² to the contact P of the same key by the wire w³; the contact Q
of which key is connected by the wire to to the galvanometer G, which is connected
to earth at E. The torpedo is clectrically connected with the station by a line
wire W. The instruments on board the former being connected with those at the
station by the line wire W', which joins at the contact 1 of the key K to the
electro-magnet m' of the relay R. The projections a and of the compass card C¹
and of the pointer Z are supposed to be respectively disconnected in Figs. 6 and 7
from the contacts &
of the compass cover D, and of the step
by step instrument S respectively, while the keys K and the relays R are in their
usual position.
With reference to Fig. 6 supposing by way of example that the torpedo headed
to North North West so as to bring the projection a in contact with e as shown in
dotted lines in the same figure. In order to ascertain this direction of the torpedo
the operator at the station will have to move the key K, to the right hand side so
as to bring the contact P upon 2 and N upon 4 while breaking at the same time
the contact between 0 and 5 and thus causing an electric current to flow from the
+pole of the battery B through the wire w³ to the contact P and thence to
earth at E3 through the contact 2 returning through earth or in this case through
salt water to the earth connection E¹ of the relay R whence it passes through the
electro-magnets m m' to a, then through the line wire W back to contact 1 of the
key across to 4 and back to N, when it proceeds along the wire to the + pole /²
of the battery B2, thus completing the circuit between B2 and the relay and
causing the tongue of the relay R to move say to the right hand side, the result
being that the contact P¹ passes on to 8, and the contact 0-9 is broken.
=
A current will then pass in the torpedo from the + pole c of the battery B
to the contact P-8 along the wire w¹, thence through the electro magnet M, and
return through the wire to to the pole of the battery B, thus exciting M and
moving its pointer Z one step to the left so as to establish a contact between
and on the circle N. When the operator releases the key K, the same is
brought back in its normal position (Fig. 6) by the springs S (Fig. 5) the relay
circuit is broken and the tongue of this relay is likewise brought back into its
normal position by similar springs, O' being again in contact with 9. The contact o
of the key K is now upon and no current can pass through the galvanometer
whose needle remains stationary. By moving the key K again to the right the
projection is brought to s and no deflection of the needle occurs, but a further
motion of the same key K, in the same direction as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6
will bring upon $10, and produce as the key is released a deflection of the needle
owing to the projection a of the compass card C¹ being moved upon the contact et
and the projection of the pointer Z upon so, while the relay tongue and key
remain in the position shown in the figure, a current will flow to a from the
negative pole of the battery B in the torpedo through the wire wº, passing
subsequently through the wire 10 from 10 to $10 and through the wire w² to E and
proceeding through the water to the earth connection E2 of the galvanometer G
thence-through-the-wire to the_contact 0-5 along the wire to the contact 1
of the key K through the wire W to and along the wire W to the contact O'=9
of the relay R, from which it is finally conveyed along the wire W2 to the + pole of
one of the cells of the battery B in the torpedo, thus completing the circuit between
the cell of this battery with the galvanometer G and hence deflecting its
needle and indicating to the operator that the pointer Z of the instrument S is in
unison with the position of the compass card, and hence that this pointer assumes
the same direction as that of the torpedo. By providing suitable mechanism
whereby the key K would cause a pointer to move one step at a time over a dial

page_text: divided in a similar manner to the compass card and over a circle, the operator
would be kept informed of the direction of the torpedo by the position of the
pointer at the station when the galvanometer needle is deflected. The galvanometer
has two circuits where the line wire W branches off at through the relay coils mm²
to earth at E¹ but the current from the cell h c of the battery B although strong.
enough to defiect the needle of the galvanometer G is not of sufficient strength to
actuate the relay R.
Fig. 7 illustrates a similar arrangement similar to that of Fig. 6 with this
difference that in the former case the operations are effected without the aid of an
electric battery in the torpedo by using either one or two line wires to connect the
torpedo with the station.
When only one line wire is used and the key K is moved to the right, a current
passes from the pole c of the battery,B along the wire w to the contacts P, 2 and to
the earth connection E' proceeding through earth to E, to the magnets m¹ m and
through the wire to to and returning along the line wire W to 1, then across to 4
and back to N from which it is conveyed by the wire w³ to the + pole h of the
battery B, thus completing the relay circuit and causing its tongue to move to the
right the same current that passed from E to E also travels through earth
to E of the instrument S and as P¹ is now on 8, it proceeds through the electro
magnet M to the contact 8-P', along the wire and reaches subsequently
continuing its journey as before to the + pole h of the battery B, that is to say that
this current performs two operations viz. :-it actuates the relay R, and one of the
electro-magnets M or M', of the instrument S, by means of a branch circuit which
is closed when P¹ is on 8, and it should be of sufficient intensity for this purpose.
The key could be easily arranged to switch say 3 cells in the relay circuit and a
further set of cells into the circuit to supply the intensity of current required to
operate the electro magnet, M or M', this being effected by a further movement of
the key K to the right or to the left according as required.
When the key K and the relay R are in their normal position and the projections a
and z of the compass card C¹ and of the pointer Z are respectively placed on the
contacts e and, an electric current will flow from the + pole c¹ of the battery B
along the wire w² to the galvanometer G and to the earth connection E³ whence it
will proceed by water to E of the instrument S, then to the contact -salong
the wire to the contact e-a through the wire to contact 9-0 of the relay R,
along the wire to x, through W to the contact 1 of the key K, along to the
contact 5-0 of the key K and finally through the wire w¹ to the negative pole ¹
of the same battery B' thus completing the galvanometer circuit and deflecting its
needle.
When two line wires are used, the second wire W¹, shown in dotted lines in
Fig. 7 is used for the circuits of the electro-magnets of the step by step instrument,
while the wire W, serves only for the relay and galvanometer circuits as shown in
Fig. 6. Supposing that the wire be broken at while P' is on 8, a current
will pass from the + pole c² of the battery B* through the wire W¹, to the
contact P-8, through the electro magnet M to E' and through water to E³, and
thence to the negative pole of the battery B². The arrangement of two line wires
affords greater security than a single wire. The practical mode of using the
arrangements above described and shown in Figs. 6 & 7 is as follows:-
-
Supposing the torpedo in the water ready to start with all the wire connections
properly established and the index of the dial of the reversing key at the station
placed in unison with the pointer of the step by step instrument in the torpedo and
pointing say both to due north while the torpedo is lying with its head directed
due east, the operator moves the reversing key K the necessary number of times to
bring the index, and the pointer to east while carefully watching the galvanometer
at each movement of the key, then so long as the torpedo heads to east and the
index points to east the galvanometer needle will be deflected, the dial, the step by
step instrument, and the compass working in unison. The torpedo having now
started on.its course, so long as the needle remains deflected, it is a sign that the

page_text: vessel is maintaining the same easterly course but as soon as the needle ceases to be
deflected, it proves that the vessel has veered and the new course must be found by
moving the key. K to the right or to the left until aideflection is obtained when the
index will indicate the fresh course pursued, thus the slightest variation in the course
of the torpedo can be accurately ascertained by the operator with very little practice.
If it was desired to alter the course of the torpedo from east to south, the operator
would give the torpedo port helm and the key would enable him to follow every
alteration in the evolutions of the torpedo from east to south, while by starboarding
the helm at the proper point he could catch the torpedo directly on the new course
it has to follow, thus constantly keeping an absolute control over the rudder of the
invisible vessel.
Supposing the torpedo afloat alongside a vessel having a compass on board, the
direction of the torpedo ill in this case be the same as that of the vessel, and will
be indicated by the cor pass, and should this direction be north for example, the
operator will have to s the pointer Z one step to the right or to the left of the
north point on the circle N, with the aid of a galvanometer placed in the circuit
when the line wires being connected with the station, the index will move one step to
the north point on the dial and the contact a or a¹ of the compass card C, will be
placed upon the contact of the cover D representing the north point of the compass,
the circuit through one of the electro magnets M or M', of the instrument S, at the
station being thus established.
My invention may be applied to all kinds of controllable as well as uncontrollable
torpedoes, and will be found highly advantageous in promoting the directive control
of torpedoes steered by visible means.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
(1). In means or apparatus for indicating the direction at sea of torpedoes or
.other vessels, the arrangement of one or more insulated electric contacts of a
compass card moving correspondingly with the torpedo carrying the compass so as
to indicate any slight deviation of the former in combination with one insulated
circular row of electric contacts, arranged on the compass cover and corresponding
to the points marked on the compass card substantially as described and shewn in
the accompany ng drawings and for the purpose set forth.
(2). In meas or apparatus for indicating the direction at sea of torpedoes or other
vessels, the combination of a compass provided with electric contacts with a reversible
step by step instrument, a relay arranged on board the torpedo which may or may
not carry an electric battery, a reversing key furnished with an index moving on
a dial and a galvanometer connected to one or more batteries arranged at the station,
the communication being carried out between the torpedo and the station by one or
two insulated line wires, the whole for the purpose of constantly indicating to the
operator at the station by means of the deflections of the needle of a galvanometer,
all deviations in the direction of the torpedo when the dial at the station, the arm
of the step by step instrument, and the compass card act in unison i.e.-indicate the
point on the compass corresponding with the actual direction of the torpedo, sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described and shewn, and for the purpose set forth.
(3). The improved means and appliances for-indicating the direction_at_sea of
torpedoes, and other vessels, arranged, combined and operating, substantially as
herein before described and shewn in Figs. 6 & 7 of the accompanying drawings, and
for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 2nd day of January 1891
RAYNER & CASSELL,
37, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.