Improvements in Submarine Mines.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 4th July, 1888
Complete Specification Left. 4th Apr. 1889-4ccepted. 15th June, 1389
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Submarine Mines.
I, JOSEPH PANNELL GIBBINS of 4 Osborne Terrace Coombe Farin Lanc, Westcombe
Park in the County of Kent Submarine Mining and Electrical Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows:
My Invention has for its object to provide an appliance by which submarine
mines are exploded by concussion or by which an indication is made that such
concussion has taken place. For this purpose I provide a suspended weight with
which is combined a cord or connection preferably attached to an adjusting screw
by which its tension can be adjusted. The weight when the apparatus is subjected
to concussion moves so as to cause the cord or connection which is attached to a
hinged contact lever or circuit completer to operate the said lover or circuit completer
so as to complete the electric circuit for exploding the mine or indicating that con-
cussion has occured. The weight is suspended by a flexible and resilient suspender
and should be surrounded by a buffer all being mounted in a standard insulated
from the parts through which the electric circuit is completed.
In order to prevent the possibility of the contact being made by the movement
of the apparatus in the water, I may provide the contact making device with an
insulated spring plunger strong enough to retain the contact maker out of contact
normally but not to prevent the making of the contact by concussion as afore-
said.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agents for the said Joseph Pannell Gibbins.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Submarine Mines.
I JOSEPH PANNELL GIBBINS of 4 Osborne Terrace Coombe Farmı Lane Westcombe
Park in the County of Kent Submarine Mining and Electrical Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of this Invention and in what manner the saine is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My Invention has for its object to provide an appliance by which submarine
mines are exploded by concussion or by which an indication is made that con-
cussion has taken place when the explosion of the mine can be effected if so
desired. For this purpose I provide a suspended weight with which is combined
a cord or connection preferably attached to an adjusting screw by which its length
can be adjusted. The said cord or connection is also attached to a hinged contact
lever or circuit completer which normally under the action of the gravity due to its
own weight or by a spring or by both in combination is maintained in such a position
that the electric circuit for exploding the mine, or for indicating that concussion has
occurred, is not completed. When the apparatus is subjected to concussion the weight
moves so as to cause the cord or connection to operate the said lever or circuit com-
pleter so as to complete the electric circuit for exploding the mine or for indicating
that the concussion has occurred. The weight is suspended by a flexible and resilient
suspender and should be surrounded by a buffer all being mounted in a standard or
frame insulated from the parts through which the electric circuit is completed.
The weight of the lever or circuit completer, or the power of the spring which
presses on it, or both in combination, will be sufficient to retain the lever or circuit

page_text: completer out of contact with the contact piece by which the firing or indicating
circuit is completed but not sufficient to prevent the making of the contact by con-
cussion as aforesaid.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to the several
Figures on the accompanying drawings the same letters of reference indicating
corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 represents in elevation partly in section and Figure 2 in plan (with the
frame and upper part removed) an apparatus arranged according to my Invention for
being exploded by concussion and Figures 3 and 4 are similar views of an arrange-
ment of the apparatus for indicating that concussion has taken place so that the mine
can then be exploded or not as desired.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2. On the insulating base A are the binding screws a a³
for the attachment of the lead wires connected to the source of electricity for exploding
the mine the said screws being electrically connected in any manner, for example, by wires
led through the base to the lever F and bracket or standard B respectively.
In the
drawing the connection with the lever F is shewn as being made by the wire a and with
the bracket B by the wire a attached to the metallic base with which the metallic
bracket B is in electrical contact. On the bracket or standard B is an adjustable
contact piece D and on the bracket or standard Care screws d d supporting a pivot E
on which is fixed the hinged contact lever F. This lever F is provided with an
adjusting screw resting on an insulating pieco g. The frame H is fixed to the base A
and carries by the spring a weight I through which passes the cord J connected at
one end to the screwed stem j capable of adjustment by the screw nut the other end
of the said cord being connected to the lever F. The frame H carries a buffer ring h
of india rubber or other suitable material surrounding the weight I so as to receive its
impact. On the apparatus being struck by a vessel the weight I oscillates and through
the cord J draws up the lever F to make contact with the piece D and so completes
the circuit and explodes the mine.
In Figures 3 and 4 the parts are substantially the same as in the arrangement
Figures 1 and 2 but as the apparatus Figures 3 and 4 is arranged for indicating when
concussion occurs so that the mine can be fired or not as desired I place in the circuit
the high resistance coils K K the cores of which have the poles turned over as at k and
under them is situated the armature secured to the lever F. is a spring for
ensuring the lever F maintaining the normal position until concussion occurs. When
it is decided to fire the mine a current strong enough to magnetize the cores of the
coils sufficiently to attract the armature is sent through the circuit and the contact
lever F then comes against the contact piece D and the coils are short circuited and
the mine is exploded. It will be seen that if the coils be removed the apparatus will
be substantially like that shewn in Figures 1 and 2 so that the mine can be used
either without the coils as an "electro contact or electro mechanical mine" or with
the coils as an "observation mine."
In Figures 3 and 4 in place of the screw
screw rest is used which is provided with
rest on.
passing through the lever the adjustable
an insulating piece g' for the lever E to
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to he performed I declare that what 1
claim is
-
1st. In or for submarine mines an apparatus arranged or consisting of the combina-
tion of parts substantially as and for the purposes herein before described and illustrated
in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
2nd. In or for submarine mines an apparatus arranged or consisting of the combina-
tion of parts substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated
in Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
3rd. In apparatus used in connection with submarine mines in which on concussion
an electric circuit is completel to explode the mine or to indicate that concussion has

page_text: taken place, a lever or circuit completer which on concussion occurring is caused to
complete the circuit but which normally is maintained out of its circuit completing
position by gravity due to its own weight or by a spring, or by both together, sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 2nd dew of Anvil 188a