IMPROVEMENTS IN TORPEDOES.
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Ambrose McEvoy, of the London
Ordnance Works, Bear Lane, Southwark, in the County of Surrcy,
66
for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN TORPEDOES.'
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Ambrose
McEvoy at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 16th June 1874.
I, CHARLES AMBROSE MCEVOY, of the London Ordnance Works, Bear
Lane, Southwark, in the County of Surrey, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TORPEDOES," to be as
follows:
This Invention-applies to mechanical torpedoes, or torpedocs which
are arranged to explode when struck externally by a passing vessel,
and without requiring any galvanic battery or electrical firing arrange-
ments.

page_text: In the use of such torpedoes a safety locking apparatus, which can
be put on and taken off from a distance, and which is certain in its
action, is much required, as without it such torpedoes are dangerous
both to lay and afterwards to remove when they are no longer required.
Now according to my Invention I combine with mechanical torpedoes
electrical locking apparatus so arranged that whilst a current is main-
tained in the coils of the locking apparatus the torpedo cannot be fired
by any blow which it may receive, but as soon as the current ceases
I also connect
to flow the torpedo becomes sensitive and ready for use.
with the torpedo a convenient length (it may be one hundred yards) of
telegraphic cable containing an insulated wire or wires coupled with
the electric locking apparatus, and whilst the torpedo is being placed
a battery on board the torpedo boat or vessel is connected with the
further end of the cable.
it may
When all is adjusted the boat or vessel leaves the torpedo the battery
is disconnected, but the length of telegraph cable is left behind, and
if desired have a small anchor attached to it. On removing the
torpedo when it is no longer required the length of telegraph cable is
first found and coupled with a battery, and then the torpedo itself is
approached without danger.
The mechanical firing apparatus which I prefer to employ consists
of a ball mounted on a spring arm. When the torpedo receives a blow
the arm vibrates, and the ball strikes upon sealed glass tubes containing
an acid or liquid which, when the tube is broken, escapes and ignites
a suitable chemical preparation on which it falls, thus the charge of
the torpedo is fired. On the end of the spring arm I mount a sliding
armature which is situate just in front of an electro-magnet, and when
the magnet attracts its armature the arm is held stationary.
I also, by preference, cause the armature in approaching the electro-
magnet to close a second circuit in which is included a galvanometer
on board the torpedo boat or vessel, thus the efficient action of the
locking apparatus will be signalled back to the operator, and if, in
consequence of derangement of the apparatus, he should not receive
such a return signal he will know that the torpedo is dangerous to
approach.
I also provide a screw pin on the torpedo in order to lock the
mechanical apparatus; this pin can be inserted and withdrawn from

page_text: the exterior. The screw pin is used to lock the mechanical apparatus
whilst the torpedo is conveyed from place to place; it is only whilst the
screw pin is being manipulated, and after it has been withdrawn that
the electric lock is required,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Ambrose McEvoy in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 16th December 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
AMBROSE McEvoy, of the London Ordnance Works, Bear Lane, South-
wark, in the County of Surrey, send grecting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Charles Ambrose McEvoy, Her special
license that I, the said Charles Ambrose McEvoy, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Ambrose
McEvoy, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TORPEDOES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Charles Ambrose M'Evoy, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Ambrose McEvoy, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, that is to say:-

page_text: This Invention applies to mechanical torpedoes, or torpedoes which
are arranged to explode when struck externally by a passing vessel,
and without requiring any galvanic battery or electrical firing arrange-
ments.
In the use of such torpedoes a safety locking apparatus, which can
be put on and taken off from a distance, and which is certain in its
action, is much required, as without it such torpedoes are dangerous
both to lay and afterwards to remove when they are no longer required.
Now according to my Invention I combine with mechanical torpedoes
electrical locking apparatus so arranged that whilst a current is main-
tained in the coils of the locking apparatus the torpedo cannot be fired
by any blow which it may receive; but as soon as the current ceascs
to flow the torpedo becomes sensitive and ready for usc. I also connect
with the torpedo a convenient length (it may be 100 yards) of tele-
graphic cable containing an insulated wire or wires coupled with the
clectric locking apparatus, and whilst the torpedo is being placed a
battery on board the torpedo boat or vessel is connected with the further
end of the cable.
When all is adjusted the boat or vessel leaves the torpedo, the battery
is disconnected, but the length of telegraph cable is left behind, and
it may, if desired, have a small anchor attached to it. On removing the
torpedo when it is no longer required the length of telegraph cable is
first found and coupled with a battery, and then the torpedo itself is
approached without danger.
The mechanical firing apparatus which I prefer to employ consists
of a ball mounted on a spring arm. When the torpedo receives a blow
the arm vibrates, and the ball strikes upon sealed glass tubes containing
an acid or liquid which, when the tube is broken, escapes and ignites
à suitable chemical preparation on which it falls, thus the charge of
the torpedo is fired. On the end of the spring arm I mount a sliding
armature which is situate just in front of an electro-magnet, and when
the magnet attracts its armature the arm is held stationary.
The armature in approaching the electro-magnet may also, if desired,
be caused to close a second circuit in which is included a galvanometer
on board the torpedo boat or vessel, thus the efficient action of the
locking apparatus will be signalled, back to the operator, and if, in
consequence of derangement of the apparatus, he should not receive

page_text: such a return signal ne WILI KIOWY
approach.
I also provide a screw pin on the torpedo in order to lock the
mechanical apparatus; this pin can be inserted and withdrawn from
the exterior. The screw pin is used to lock the mechanical apparatus
whilst the torpedo is conveyed from place to place; it is only whilst the
screw pin is being manipulated and after it has been withdrawn that
the electric lock is required.
In order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I have shewn in the Drawings hercunto annexed
a mechanical torpedo having electrical locking apparatus combined with
it, as above described.
Figure 1 of the Drawings shews a vertical section through the torpedo
and locking apparatus. In this Figure x is the outer casing of the
torpedo; y is an inner casing, from the bottom of which is supported
a spring arm a carrying a ball 6; around this ball is ranged a number
of glass tubes c containing an acid or liquid; which when the glass
is broken escapes and ignites a suitable chemical preparation by which
they are enveloped and fires the charge of the torpedo. To the con-
struction of this mechanical firing apparatus I separately lay no claim.
a is a sliding armature mounted on the end of the spring arm; d is
an electro-magnet by which the armature may be held; e, e, arc
insulated wires passing from the ends of the coils of the magnet, as
shewn, and which may be led to a battery on board the torpedo boat
or vessel; f is a screw pin which can be screwed inwards from the
exterior of the torpedo, and by which the spring arm may be locked
whilst the torpedo is conveyed from place to place; g is a deep elastic
washer placed below the head of the pin f.