IMPROVEMENTS IN TORPEDO BOATS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Hunter Brandon, Engineer and Patent Agent, of
No. 1, Rue Laffitte, Paris, France, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TORPEDO BOATS." A communication from Benjamin Berkley Hotchkiss, of
Paris, in the Republic of France.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said David Hunter Brandon at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th August 1880.
DAVID HUNTER BRANDON, Engineer and Patent Agents, of No. 1, Rue Laffitte,
Paris, France. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TORPEDO BOATS." A communication by
Benjamin Berkley Hotchkin, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
This Invention refers to that class of torpedo boats which under ordinary
circumstances float on the surface of the water, but which on approaching an
enemy can be sunk about three feet below the surface of the water, and is thus by
the water protected against the enemy's fire, only some small and little important
parts remaining constantly above the surface.
My improvements refer particularly to a novel method of raising and sinking
the boat which is described in the following Specification, reference being had to
the ten figures of the accompanying Sheet of Drawings of which
Fig. 1 is a plan of the new boat.
Fig. 2, a longitudinal elevation in section.
Fig. 3, an end elevation in section through A, A, Fig 1, the boat being
represented floating.
Fig. 4, a similar sectional elevation, the boat being represented submerged.
Figs. 5 and 6, two similar sectional end elevations representing a modification
in the construction of my boat which is represented floating in the first of these
Figures and submerged in the second.
Fig. 7 is a similar sectional end elevation representing a second modification in
its construction.
Fig. 8 is a plan; Fig. 9, a longitudinal elevation; and Fig. 10, an end elevation
of a similar boat of a modified shape.
The main body 1 of the boat, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, carries on its two sides two
moveable floats 2, 2, which help to sustain a part of the weight of the main body.
IF'

page_text: These floats are constructed of a material of lower specific gravity than water,
preferably cork, and are so arranged that even if damaged by projectiles they
cannot be destroyed, and offer still sufficient buoyancy to prevent the main body
from sinking.
The floats are connected with the main body by means of hinges 3 running
along the entire length (see Fig. 8), so that they can be turned within a certain
angle by means of suitable mechanism operated from the interior of the boat.
When the floats are in the depressed position, shown in Fig. 3, the boat swims
on the surface, but when these floats are turned upwards the main body of the
boat sinks below the surface, as shown in Fig. 4, so that all its essential parts are
protected against the enemy's projectiles.
Figs. 1 to 4 shew the complete arrangement of a torpedo boat for fish torpedoes.
One of these torpedoes is placed in a suitable discharge pipe 5 in the bow of the
boat. The discharge pipe is in the ordinary manner closed by two closing devices
6 and 7 controlable from the interior of the boat. Reserve torpedoes 8 are kept at
the bottom of the boat; 9 is the tower for the officer; 10, the wheel, which by a
chain 11 or other suitable intermediate mechanism is connected to the rudder 12.
A boiler 13 of suitable construction furnishes the steam for the engine 14 of the
screw propeller 15; 16 are entrance openings or manholes closed by watertight
covers.
The tight spaces 17 and 18 at the bow and stern of the boat contain compressed
air to give the necessary draught to the boiler fires, and to renew the air in the
interior of the boat if this becomes necessary. The chamber 19 at the bottom of
the central part of the boat can be filled with water to facilitate the motion of the
floats when it is desired to sink the boat below the surface by expelling the water
from this chamber; the reduction of the specific gravity of the main body aids the
descending motion of the floats. The floats 2 are moved and held in position by
bent rods 20 which pass through stuffing boxes adapted in the wall of the boat;
the ends of these bent rods are connected by means of drawing rods 21 with the
nuts 22 which are raised and lowered by turning the screw stems 23. The
simultaneous turning of these screw stems is effected by means of the three
horizontal shafts 24 by means of a hand wheel 25 adapted at any convenient place
on either.
Instead of the bent rods 20 the construction shown in Fig. 5 may be used, in
which the shaft of the hinge 3 carries several levers 26 which are moved by any
suitable mechanism arranged in the interior of the boat.
Fig. 6 shows a modified form of the floats 2 which are of semi-cylindrical section
and form when swung up a full cylinder as shown in dotted lines."
In Fig. 7 these floats 2 are rigidly attached to the main body, and the raising
and sinking of the latter is effected simply by letting water into or expelling it.
from the chamber 19. These fixed floats differ from other similar known arrange-
ments in their peculiar form, the object of which is to give the boat greater
stability against rolling.
Besides the cylindrical form of the main body of the boat, shown in the preceding
Figures, I propose in some cases in order to obtain more stability to use the
elliptic form shown in Figs. 8, 9, and 10. This form differs from other similar
forms used heretofore in submarine boats, inasmuch as that of my boat is perfectly
symetric with reference to the horizontal central plane, whereby the boat is caused
to obey the rudder more easily than if other forms were used.
The construction of boat herein shown is not exclusively adapted for fishi
torpedoes only, with suitable modifications spar torpedoes may be employed with
equal facility.

page_text: surface to be protected from the enemies' fire, and which except some essential
parts such as pilot house chimney and air pipe presents in this position above the
surface only the floats which are not destructible by projectiles, substantially as
above described and shown.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Hunter Brandon, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty eighth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
R. H. BRANDON,
Witness.
D. H. BRANDON. (L.S.)
R. H. BRANDON,
Witness.