Improvements in Submerged Boats for Carrying and Discharging Torpedoes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 21st July, 1891-Accepted, 30th Jan., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by THOMAS HAMPTON THOMAS, of No. 23, Beaver
Street, New York, in the United States of America.]
Improvements in Submerged Boats for Carrying and Discharging
Torpedoes.
I, OLIVER IMRAY of No. 28 Southampton Buildings in the County of
Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents 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 :-
This invention relates to the mechanical construction of submerged boats for
carrying and discharging torpedoes of the class wherein the hull proper is sub-
merged, but supported at a suitable distance below the surface by a float, and
wherein the hull is formed with a chamber or passage adapted to receive the
torpedo proper, provision being made for the automatic discharge of the torpedo
and the reversing of the boat's motor upon impact with the vessel or other object
which it is sought to destroy.
The main objects of my invention are:
First To provide for the protection of the float in case obstructions are
encountered as the boat is advanced in action.
Second To provide for a proper discharge of the torpedo.
Third To relieve the hull of all undue shock or jar at the time of impact;
and
Fourth-To provide for the safe storage and support of the signal-lights.
The above and many other minor objects are sought for and obtained by means
of the novel construction and combination of elements to be hereinafter described
and specifically pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar reference letters and figures indicate corresponding
parts in all the views.
Figure 1 is a side view of the torpedo-boat, parts being broken away.
Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the float, a portion of its arched support and a
portion of the float guard, parts being broken away and parts being shown in
section.
Figure 3 is a detail plan view of a portion of the float guard.
Figure 4 is an enlarged central longitudinal sectional view of the forward portion
of the torpedo-boat.
Figure 3 is a central sectional plan view of the parts represented in Figure 4.
Figure 6 is a sectional detail view on lines 6-6 of Figure 4.
Figure 7 is a central longitudinal sectional elevation of the stern of the torpedo-
boat.
Figure 8 is a central sectional plan view of the parts shown in Figure 7; and
Figure 9 is a detail view illustrating a portion of the rudder staff and its operating
lever.
In the drawings above referred to 10 represents the hull and 11 the float, said
float being supported by arched bars 12 and 12ª, that are rigidly supported in
castings 13 and 13.
The float 11 is preferably formed of sheet metal and filled with any buoyant
substance, such as cork or lampblack. Just abaft the bow and just forward of the
stern I pivotally mount arms 14 and 14°, that extend upward and over the float 11,
the upper end of the arm 14 being bifurcated and provided with guide-pins 15
and 15, between which the end of the arm 14" extends, said end being formed with
a hook or stop 16, which prevents the arms from separating. The arms 14 and 14"

page_text: constitute a guard for the float 11 and are normally upheld by spring-arms 17
and 17", that are rigidly connected to the arched arms 12 and 12", each of these
arms 17 and 17ª being provided at its end with an anti-friction roller, as 18, said
rollers bearing upon the under sides of the arms 14 and 14ª; and in order that the
spring-arms may be held from lateral displacement, I provide each arm with lips, 19
which overlap the sides of the arms 14 and 14ª.
From the construction above described it will be seen that if any floating
obstruction, such as a log or raft, be encountered as the boat is moving forward, the
arm 14 will be depressed against the tension of its spring 17 and will be gradually
carried downward, the momentum of the boat being gradually checked and the
movement of the two arms 14 and 14ª being sufficient to permit of their moving
close down upon the float supports 12 and 12", and consequently the boat would
pass forward beneath the obstruction.
Toward the stern of the hull 10 there is formed a chamber or passage, A, that is
normally closed by a trap or cover 19¹; and within this chamber the torpedo, B,
is held, all downward movement of the torpedo being prevented by a catch 20,
that is arranged as shown in Figure 1, the catch 20 being engaged by a catch 20º,
that is, in turn, connected to a rod 21, said rod extending forward through a
tube 22 to a point just to the rear of a follower 23. The follower 23 is normally
held in the position in which it is shown in Figures 4 and 5 by a heavy spring 24,
that is coiled within a tube 25, said tube being fixed in the forward com-
partment, C, of the hull 10, and all movement in advance of the position in
which the follower is shown in the figures referred to being prevented by a
gasket 26, that is screwed or otherwise held within the forward end of the
tube 25.
As before stated, the guard-arm 14 is pivotally connected to the hull 10 in
close proximity to the bow, the direct connection of the arm being with a
casting 27, that is formed with a number of shoulders, a, that are normally
engaged by bell-crank catches 28, the said catches being pivotally supported in
slots formed in a casting 29, constituting a portion of a conical block 30, that
is centrally apertured. Within the aperture of the block 30 there is fitted a
stem 31, that extends outward and forward from the bow of the hull and carries
at its end by preference a harpoon-point 32 and laterally extending arms 33, said
arms being supported by a sleeve 34, that is normally held in the position in
which it is shown in Figure 1 by a spring 35.
The sleeve 34 acts as a retaining
attachment for spring-pressed arms 36, which, when the sleeve 34 is pressed back-
ward against the tension of its spring 35, would fly outward. The inner end of
the stem 31 bears against the follower 23 and also against the inner ends of the
catches 28, and the stem is held from accidental displacement by a brakepin or
screw 37, carried by the block 30 and arranged to bear upon the stem, the
arrangement being such that the stem will be held against any ordinary shock
or jar; but in case a heavy obstruction, such as a vessel, is encountered, the stem
will be forced backward, and in moving backward will carry with it the follower 23.
As before stated, the rod 21, which controls the torpedo retaining-catches, 20
and 20, extends forward from said catches to a point so that it will be borne
upon by the follower 23, and, consequently, as said follower is moved to the rear
the rod 21 will be carried backward a certain distance till its end escapes the
shoulder of 23 and the torpedo will be released.
At this time it is desirable that an impulse of considerable force be imparted
to the torpedo, and to this end I provide a plunger 40, in connection with which
there is arranged a spring 41, which tends to throw the plunger downwards. To
the upper end of the plunger I secure an arm 42, which bears upon a shoulder 43
formed on the torpedo, B, so that when the catch 20 is released, the spring 41 is
free to move its plunger downward, and as the plunger is so moved downward
the torpedo will be expelled from the chamber, A. Other means, such as a
charge of rocket powder, might be employed to aid the downward movement of
the torpedo.

page_text: It is intended that the torpedo-boat above described shall be driven by means of
screw propeller, 50, actuated by a compressed air, electric or any proper form of
motor (not shown in the drawings), and it is intended that the boat should be
controlled by means of a current and proper coils, located in connection with the
various actuating mechanisms carried thereby; and it is also intended that the boat
should be driven at an exceedingly high rate of speed, so that it becomes necessary
to provide some means for relieving the hull of all undue shock or jar incident to
the checking of the momentum thereof upon impact with the vessel which it is
sought to destroy. To the end last above named I have provided the heavy
spring 24, but as an auxiliary device I form the tube 25 with a series of apertures, b,
said apertures decreasing in size from the forward to the rear end of said tube. It
will be noticed that the chamber C is in free communication with the surrounding
It will
water, and consequently the tube 25 would be normally filled with water.
also be noticed that the follower 23 fits closely within the tube, and consequently
when the stem 31 strikes an obstruction of sufficient stability to cause it to be
driven backward, the follower will offer a gradually increasing resistance to the
backward movement of the stem, and the hull will thus be relieved from the
injurious effect of an instantaneous checking of its momentum.
The torpedo B is connected to the stem 31 by a flexible connection, such as the
chain 90, and the stem is arranged so that it will engage either the hull of the
vessel or net by which the vessel is surrounded; and then as the torpedo is ejected
it will pass downward to a point beneath the vessel hull, there to be exploded by
any proper mechanism.
It is desirable that the motor employed in driving the boat should be automatically
reversed the moment the stem 31 strikes an obstruction; and to this end I provide
a rod 21, the forward end of which like 21 is borne upon by the plunger 23, while
the rear end passes through a tube 22" and is connected to a suitable reversing
lever. Although, as before stated, any proper motive element might be employed
for the purpose of driving the boat forward, 1 greatly prefer to employ storage
batteries that are carried by the hull. These batteries I have not shown in the
drawings. And although any proper means might be employed to convey a
controlling current from the operating station to the torpedo-boat, I prefer to
convey said current to the boat by means of a conductor that is wound upon a
reel 60, mounted in a proper casing, arranged as indicated in Figure 1, the various
connections between the conductor and the operating magnets being established as
may be deemed advisable.
Any proper steering mechanism might be employed in connection with the boat,
but in practice I prefer to arrange a rudder 70 above the hull and just to the rear
of the arm 12, such rudder being supported by a post 71 that enters the hull
through a stuffing-box 72. The post 71 is stepped at c and carries an arm 73, to
which there is secured a connecting-rod 74, that is, in turn, connected to a stem 75,
that is carried by a core or armature 76, such core or armature being mounted
within solenoids 77 and 77". These solenoids might be arranged in any convenient
position, but in practice I prefer to arrange them about the propeller shaft 78, the
core 76 being just without a tube 79 through which the shaft 78 passes. From
this construction it follows that the rudder may be moved in either direction by
charging one or the other of the solenoids.
In case operations are carried on at night it is desirable that some provision be
made for the tracing of the course of the boat, and to this end I mount signal-
lights, e, e, beneath the guard-arms 14 and 14; and I find in practice that this
arrangement has many advantages over the ordinary signal staff employed in other
submarine torpedoes.
With such constructions as those above described the motor of the torpedo-boat
will be automatically reversed upon impact with the vessel it is sought to destroy
and at the same time the torpedo will be automatically discharged and will leave
the boat at an angle such that it will pass downward and beneath the net by which
vessels are usually surrounded when in action, and then, drawing upon the chain by

page_text: which it is connected to the stem, the torpedo will rise and will explode at a point
directly beneath the vessel's hull.
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 in respect of a submerged boat for carrying and discharging torpedoes, is
1. The combination with the hull of a float connected thereto and a yieldingly-
mounted guard-arm that extends upward from the hull and above the float.
2. The combination with the hull of a float, arranged directly. above said hull,
and yieldingly-mounted guard-arms that extend from the hull over and above
the float.
3. The combination with the hull of a float, rigidly connected thereto, and
yieldingly-mounted guard-arins that extend from the hull upward and over the
float.
4. The combination with the hull of a float, connected thereto, and yieldingly-
mounted guard-arms, that extend from the hull upward and over the float and
interlock at their upper ends.
5. The combination with the hull of a float, connected thereto, guard-arms that
extend from the hull above the float, and springs arranged in connection with the
guard-arms.
6. The combination with the hull of a float connected thereto, guard-arms that
are pivotally connected to the hull ends and extend upward and over the float and
interlock at their upper ends, spring-arms carried by the float, and anti-friction
wheels carried by the spring-arms and arranged to bear on the guard-arms,
substantially as described.
7. The combination with the hull of a float connected thereto, guard-arms that
are pivotally connected to the hull ends and extend upward and over the float and
interlock at their upper ends, spring-arms carried by the float, anti-friction wheels
carried by the spring arms and arranged to bear on the guard-arms, and lips also
carried by the spring-arms and arranged to overlap the sides of the guard-arms.
8. The combination with the hull of a float connected thereto, a guard-arm that
extends above the float and is formed with a bifurcated upper end, pins which
connect the members of the bifurcated end, a second guard-arm that is connected
to the hull and extends upward and over the float and enters the space between
the members of the bifurcated end and the pins, and springs arranged in connection
with the guard-arms.
9. The combination with the hull of arched arms rigidly connected thereto, a
metallic float carried by the arms and filled with a buoyant material, such as cork,
guard-arms that extend above the flout, and springs arranged in connection with
the guard-arms.
10. The combination with the hull of a float connected thereto yieldingly-mounted 4
guard-arms that extend from the hull upward and over the float, and signal-lights
carried by said arms.
11. The combination with the hull of a stem, extending forward therefrom, a
block through which the stem passes, a brakepin by which the block and stem are
connected, and bell-crank catches carried by the block, borne upon by the stem and
arranged to engage the hull, substantially as described.
3
12. The combination with the hull, formed with a chamber adapted to receive
a torpedo, of a catch adapted to engage the torpedo, said torpedo, a rod arranged
to operate the catch, a follower which bears upon the rod, a stem which operates
the follower, and a connection between the torpedo and the stem, substantially as 5
described.
13. The combination with the hull of a spring-guide, a spring arranged therein,
a follower which bears upon the spring, and a forwardly-extending stem which
bears upon the follower.
14. The combination with the hull of a tube, arranged in the forward part 5
thereof and formed with a series of apertures, a follower, mounted within the tube,

page_text: and a stem which extends forward from the hull bow and bears upon the
follower.
15. The combination with the hull of a tube, arranged in the forward part
thereof and formed with a series of graduated apertures, a follower mounted
within the tube, and a stem which bears upon the follower and extends forward
from the hull bow.
16. The combination with the hull of a tube, arranged in the forward part
thereof and formed with a series of apertures, a follower mounted within the tube,
a spring arranged within the tube and bearing against the follower, and a stem
which bears upon the follower and extends forward from the hull bow.
17. The combination with a rudder of solenoids, a core arranged in connection
therewith, and connections between the core and the rudder, substantially as
described.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.