GB920845A - Torpedo steering system - Google Patents

Abstract

920,845. Torpedoes. CLEVITE CORPORATION. July 5, 1960 [July 16, 1959], No. 23453/60. Class 9 (2). A torpedo has a tubular body and one or more control surfaces movable relatively to the body and spaced therefrom, each control surface extending circumferentially of a circle centred on the axis of the body and of diameter not greater than that of the body. In Fig. 1, a shroud ring 12 is supported from the torpedo body 10 by struts and has adjustable trailing edge surfaces 18, 20, 22, and 24. Each surface is deflectable inwards from its streamlined position by a one-way acting plunger controlled by hydraulic pressure, see Fig. 5 (not shown), transmitted through a bore in the adjacent strut from a master unit 58 shown in Fig. 6. This comprises a housing 60 with end walls 62, 64, containing a solenoid winding 70 and a suitable insulating layer 71. A sleeve 74 having a part conical end 77 is disposed in a bore within layer 71, end 77 mating with one end of a plunger 80. A piston 90 within sleeve 74 is urged towards plunger 80 by a spring 96, and has a T-shaped internal conduit system 93 communicating with a piping system 100 leading to the control surface operating plunger (not shown). When the device is de-energized, the spring 96 moves the piston 90 and plunger 80 until the latter abuts wall 62. When the solenoid is energized, plunger 80 is attracted magnetically into the solenoid winding, and fluid flows through conduit system 93 to the piping 100. When the conduit system enters sleeve 74, fluid can no longer flow through it, but continues to flow through piping 100 as piston 90 is advanced by plunger 80. The control surface is thus displaced until further displacement is prevented by a pre-set stop, Fig. 5 (not shown). When the solenoid is deenergized, the surface returns to its streamline position. In a modification, the control surfaces 18, 20, 22, 24 are omitted, and the shroud ring is universally tiltable, as in Fig. 8, where a part-spherical bearing member 128 supports a ring 126 on which the shroud ring is supported by struts 124. Each of four balls 132 (an opposed pair are shown) is connected by a rod 131 to a plunger 104 operable by the pressure in the piping of its associated control unit 58, Fig. 6. Springs 146 urge the ring 126 away from the torpedo body. Operation of any one unit tilts the ring to produce a control effect.