IMPROVEMENTS IN TORPEDOES to
Year: 1884

page_text: I, ARTHUR WILLIAM SLATER of 10 Lansdowne Place Blackheath in the County
of Kent Student of Electrical Engineering do hereby declare the nature of my
Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN TORPEDOES to bo as follows:-
This invention consists of a locomotive torpedo controllable or otherwise from a
point at a distance.
The torpedo may travel totally or partially submerged.
It consists of two or more parts a case containing the motive power and other
apparatus and a light watertight compartment or case capable when required of
containing the explosive or bursting charge which charge may also if required be
contained in a third case.
'
Each of these cases is so fitted that it can be detached at the will of the operator
by electrical or mechanical means.
°
The weights of the respective cases are so regulated that when separated from
one another they will either sink or float in water as required.
Any motive power suitable for driving such machines can be used to drive tho
torpedo.
When the torpedo has travelled any required distance after it has been discharged
the case containing the explosive is detached from the other case or cases by
electrical or mechanical means.
When the case containing the explosivo is detached it continues its progress
through the water in consequence of its momentum irrespective of the other case
or cases which either sink or float as required.
When required a buoy attached to the case containing the motive power is
released. This buoy is of such a shape and displacement as by its buoyancy to
pay out the cable attaching it to the case containing the motive power and by
means of it this case may be recovered.
To simplify the finding of the buoy by night an electric lamp fed by a battery
in the case containing the motive power is fixed upon it.
The torpedo may be constructed so that upon the case containing the explosive
being detached from the case containing the motive power the case containing the
motive power will either sink or float as required at or about the place of detach-
ment or its motion through the water will be reversed.
}

page_text: The torpedo may have two rudders one of which is locked during the forward
motion of the torpedo and released so as to act as required during the reverse
action of the motive power: the other which acts during the forward action of the
motive power being locked during the reverse action.
These rudders may be moved as required by electrical or mechanical means at
the will of the operator.
The torpedo may be so constructed that as soon as the cases separate water may
be forced out of a chamber in the case containing the motive power by compressed
air or otherwise by means of which the case may be floated and thus recovered.
The case containing the explosive may be made to sink on striking the object
aimed at and to explode whilst sinking beneath it.
I, ARTHUR WILLIAM SLATER of 10 Lansdowne Place Blackheath in the County
of Kent, Student in Electrical Engineering do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN TORPEDOS and in what imanner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
c
This invention consists of a locomotive torpedo controllable or otherwise from a
point at a distance.
The torpedo may travel totally or partially submerged.
It consists of two or more parts a case containing the motive power and other
apparatus and a light water-tight compartment or case capable when required of
containing the explosive or bursting charge, which charge may also if required be
contained in a third caso..
Each of these cases is so fitted that it can be detached at the will of the operator
by electrical or mechanical means.
The weights of the respective cases are so regulated that when separated from
one another they will either sink or float in water as required.
Any motive power suitable for driving such machines may be used to drive the
torpedo.
When the torpedo has travelled any required distance after it has been discharged
the case containing the explosive is detached from the other case or cases by
electrical or mechanical means.
When the case containing the explosive is detached it continues its progress
through the water in consequence of its momentum irrespective of the other case
or cases which either sink or float as required.

page_text: When required a buoy attached to the case containing the motive power is
released.
This buoy is of such a shape and displacement as by its buoyancy to pay out
the cable attaching it to the case containing the motive power and by means of it
this case may be recovered.
To simplify the finding of the buoy by night an electric lamp fed by a battery
in the case containing the motive power is fixed upon it.
The torpedo may be constructed so that upon the case containing the explosive
being detached from the case containing the motive power the case containing the
motive power will either sink or float as required at or about the place of detach-
ment or its motion through the water will be reversed.
The torpedo may have two rudders one of which is locked during the forward
motion of the torpedo and released so as to act as required during the reverse
action of the motive power the other which acts during the forward action of the
motive power being locked during the reverse action.
These rudders may be moved or may be locked as required by electrical or
mechanical means at the will of the operator.
The torpedo may be so constructed that as soon as the cases separate water may
be forced out of a chamber in the case containing the motive power by compressed
air or otherwise by means of which the case may be floated and thus recovered.
The case containing the explosive may be made to sink on striking the object
aimed at and to explode whilst sinking beneath it.
In order that my said invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the Drawing hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure I is a longitudinal section of a torpedo constructed according to my
invention.
It consists of an aftermost case A containing the motive power c the motor à
and other machinery for driving controlling and steering the torpedo.
To this case is fixed by suitable lugs and bolts another case B containing the
fuse e and explosive or bursting charge f as well as a small compartment g filled
with compressed air or other store of energy.
.
When the torpedo has been started and is approaching a ship or other object
which it is desired to destroy the operator separates the two cases by withdrawing
the bolts which hold them together either by electrical or mechanical means.
The motion of the propellor is also reversed and a valve is opened which, allows
the compressed air to escape from the compartment g through a small orifice h in
the after part of the case B.
This rush of air helps the caso B to keep up its speed until it strikes the ship or
object aimed at.
The case A containing the motive power etc is driven backwards to the starting
point and if a new case B is fixed to it it can be used to destroy another ship.
When the torpedo is driven ahead it is steered by means of the rudder & but
when it is going astern the rudder k is locked amidships and I steer the torpedo
by means of a rudder which is semicircular in form and is placed between the two
cases A and B and which when the two cases A and B are bolted together is held ⚫
at right angles to its normal position and is therefore not visible in the drawing.
These rudders are controlled electrically and I prefer to work them each by the.
action of two electro magnets or solenoids upon each other.
I pass a current of electricity continously in the same direction round one
solenoid by means of a battery in the torpedo which attracts or repels another
solenoid or electromagnet round which a current is passed from the controlling
station. The attraction and repulsion being varied at will by reversing the current
from the controlling station.

page_text: =
Sometimes I do not employ rudders at all but steer the torpedo by two screws
one of which working faster than the other causes the torpedo to deviate from its
¡course.
Figure 2 illustrates another form of my torpedo.
The lower case A contains all the machinery for driving steering or controlling
the torpedo and being heavier than the amount of water it displaces it is kept
from sinking by the buoyant case B to which it is attached by suitable bolts and
which contains the fuse and bursting charge.
This form of torpedo is controlled in the same manner as the torpedo illustrated
.by Figure L
When the torpedo has got within a short distance of the ship to be attacked
the operator separates the two cases by withdrawing the bolts by electrical or
.mechanical means and the case B continues its course until it strikes the ship aimed
at but the case A sinks and in so doing releases a buoy round which is coiled a
steel wire cable one end of which cable is attached to the buoy and the other end
to the case A which is recovered by means of the buoyed cable.
The buoy is of such a shape and displacement that when let go it will unwind
the cable and rise to the surface of the water with one end of the cable.
Having thus described the nature of my said invention and the manner of
performing the same I would have it understood that I claim
0
First. A locomotive torpedo propolled by any motive power whatever controlled
or otherwise from a point at a distance and consisting of two or more cases which
torpedo can be manouvered in such a manner that that part of the torpedo which
contains the machinery is not blown to pieces with the ship which it is attacking
but is steered back to the starting point to be used again or may 'under the control
of the operator be made to travel in any required direction to attack the same or
another vessel the explosive requisite being contained in a second case B similar in
construction to the first case B released as aforesaid. To each torpedo may bo
attached one two or more cases B containing the explosive and charge as above
described and to be similarly released when desired by the operator.
Second. A locomotive torpedo part of which can be sunk at will and recovered
by means of a buoyed cable substantially as described.
Third. The employment of two rudders in the steering of a torpedo one of
which is locked during the forward motion of the torpedo and released so as to
act as required during the reverse action of the motive power the other which acts
during the forward action of the motive power being locked during the reverse
action.
In witness I the said Arthur William Slater have hereunto set my hand and seal
this fifth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred