GB365028A - Torpedo-launching apparatus, more particularly for fast-moving ships or scouts - Google Patents

Abstract

365,028. Launching torpedoes. SOC. ANON. DES ATELIERS ET CHANTIERS DE LA LOIRE, 4, Rue de Teheran, Paris. Sept. 11, 1931, No. 25531. Convention date, Sept. 25, 1930. [Class 9 (ii).] In a torpedo launching apparatus especially intended for fast-moving ships and comprising a frame mounted on longitudinal pivots and adapted to be swung out and down to launch the torpedo, means are provided to start the propelling motor of the torpedo automatically just before the torpedo is released. As shown in plan in Fig. 3 and in section in Fig. 1, the torpedo a is held against crutches p on a tube c by a pair of jaws b hinged at b<1> and locked by a lever lying between the tail ends b<2> of the jaws b. The tube c is hinged to curved arms e mounted on the edge of the ship on longitudinal pivots e<2>, and is connected by a rod f to a plunger f<2>, Fig. 4, movable in a cylinder f<1> which forms a continuation of a cylinder g containing another plunger h. Normally, the plunger f<2> which is provided with a hook f<3> is held in place by a pivoted catch i locked by the plunger h. To launch the torpedo, compressed. air is admitted between the plungers by a port g<1> and forces the plunger h back against a spring h<1> and away from the catch i. The plunger f<2> now released is pushed out by the compressed air and swings the arms e out round their pivots e<2>. During this movement, a sleeve l, Fig. 8, at the end of the tube c is drawn by a line n attached to a fixed point on the ship and compresses a spring m. Near the end of the movement, a notch l<2> in the sleeve comes opposite a pivoted catch o and allows this catch to swing out and release a rod k slidably mounted in the tube c. The rod k is then moved along the tube c by the compressed spring m. A finger k<1>, Fig. 3, on the rod first trips the starting lever of the torpedo motor ; then a shoulder at one end of a slot k<2> in the rod k strikes one arm of the bell-crank lever d and moves this lever away from the tails b<2> of the jaws b, which are thereupon opened out by the weight of the torpedo ; the torpedo is thus launched with its motor previously started. The plunger h may be operated from outside the cylinder g by a handle h<4> and may be secured in either of its extreme positions by a pin inserted through a hole in the cylinder and through either of two holes h<2>, h<5> in the stem h<3> of the plunger. The pivots e<2> of the arms e are provided with spring- controlled cams to cushion shocks and to tend to maintain the arms in the raised position.