US11218A - Submarine battery - Google Patents

Description

'FREY '& BURNHAM;

Marine Torped'o.

No. 11.218. Patented July 4. 1854.

N.PETERS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTBN. D C

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Marine Torpedo. No. 11,218.

Patented July 4, 1854.

NPETERS, PHoTO-uTHoGRAPMER. wASmNGTON, D G.

' EREY BURNHAM.

Marine Torpedo,

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Patented Jul y 4, 1854.

* UNITE STATES FFTQE.

SUBNIARINE BATTERY.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. HL2E8, dated July 4, 18134.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, J. FREY and D. B. BURNHAM, of Battle Creek, in the county of Calhoun and State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and Improved Submarine Battery, of which the following is a specification.

Figure 1 is a perspectiye view. Fig. 2 is a plan of lower cabin, gun, and machinery. Fig. 3 is a plan of upper deck and smokepipe.

It consists of a propeller of about one hundred and fifty tons burthen, with an engine of suitable capacity situated in the bottom and near the stern. The lower section, A, Fig. 1, of the hull is constructed similar to other propellers, but thicker-say three feet thick. At three feet from bottom is a guard, B, put onfor the support and protection of the guns and gates. Upon this guard B are placed port-hole cases-one in front and as many in the sides as desired. The port-hole cases are cast of iron, three feet wide, four feet long, and four feet high, and built firmly in with the sides of the boat. At the top of these cases it is decked over and another guard, 0, put on, same as B. This upper guard, C, is calculated to be j ust under water. From this guard 0 commences double sides D and E, Fig. 3. The inner one, D, is four feet'thick, and the outer one, E, two feet thick, leaving a space between of threeinches, with ribsF running up and down every four feet, forming a series of tanks, G. These double sides are carried up twelve feet. At seven feet from upper guard or deck, C, is another deck, H, put on with a space, I, of about five feet between it and the cover K. The cover K is boiler-plate iron, and perfo rated with numerous small holes, and supported with stands upon the upper deck, H. The smoke-pipe L, Fig. 3, runs up from the furnace through the two interior decks, and forms a T between the upper deck, H, and cover K, one arm L running forward to the bow of the boat and closed. This arm L has a damper, M, just forward of the elbow. The other arm runs back and through the back end of the boat. This end also has a damper. This pipe L is double, or is a pipe, N, within a pipe, both of which are perforated, so as, by turning the inner one, these openings are opened or closed, as desired.

The gates O to the port-holes are cast-iron,

and hung by the stem P, running up through the cap and down into the bed-plate of the p0rt-hole cases. They are lined up to the necessary thickness on the inside with wood and gutta-percha packing put on all the joints and edges. There are two gates at each end of the .p0rt-hole-one set before and one behind the gun; the outer edges of each set or two shutting together, forming a wedge, all opening outward, and bearing a space of four feet between each set for the gun S, Fig. 2. They are fastened, when closed, by hooks and bars on the inside. These gates are opened and closed by means of a cog-wheel, T, on the top of the gate-stem I, which meshes into another cog-wheel onthe outer end of a shaft, U, lead ing through from the inside of the boat. The gun S is a short mortar, about three feet long, resting upon center-pins V. It is held in place by a spring, \V, bearing upon one of the center-pins, which is flattened for that purpose. The ball X has a taper point projecting about ten inches from the muzzle of the gun, and has a shank about twelve inches long, and same size of the bore of the gun. Around this shank is placed a packing-collar. The ball at the muzzle of the gun, beinglarger than the shank forms a flange, which, being driven down against the collar and the collar against the muzzle, excludes all moisture from the interior.

The object of the double sides D and E and the water-tanks O is to prevent the boat from being burned by hot balls. Should the enemy throw a hot ball into the side of this man-ot war, it is calculated that it would pass through the outer side, E, and into the inner one, D, where it would lodge, when the water from the tanks G (all of which communicate with each other by an opening near the top) would flow upon it and cool it.

The object of the perforated iron deck or cover 'and the perforated smoke-pipe L is, in case an enemy undertakes to board this boat, to smoke them off by closing the damper in the back end of the pipe and opening the damper M in the forward arm,and turningthe inner pipe, N, so as to emit the smoke into the upper chamber, I, from whence it has got to escape throughthe opening in the cover K. By throwing a few shovels full of sulphur into the furnace you drive the enemy from the deck immediately. The middle deck or cabin is intended to be used for ordinary cannon, and

will be lighted by tubes and hatchways. Thelower cabin or hold is also ventilated by hatchways.

Action of the subnuwine manofiwar.\Vhen this boat is brought into action,it is supposed to be loaded.- lVhen you approach an enemy, the outside gates are thrown open, and when the touch-rod Y (which projects a few feet beyond the boat,immcdiately under and in front of the gun) comes in contact with the object it is forced in, by which action the inner end of the touch-rod Y lets loose a spring, A, which spring, has a hammer on it so arranged as to strike another touch-rod, B, which is driven, by means of a stuffing-box, through the inner gates and against another touch-rod, G, which passes, by means of a stuffing box, through the breech and into the interior of gun, Fig. 2, where it comes in contact with the percussion D, (which is inclosed with the cartridge in athin copper case, and lies against the lower end of the ball X,) which contact explodes the percussion and fires the gun, and when the gun is fired it revolves, which action lessens the concussion, drives the ball I through the hull of the enemy four or five feet under water, making such a hole as could not be calked. The outside gates are then closed by the shaft and cog-wheel, and the water in the port-hole is drawn off by the pipe E into alarge tank or vat, F, in the bottom of the boat, from where it is pumped out by means of apump worked by the engine.

After the water is drawn from the port-hole, the inner gates are opened, the gun turned with the muzzle inward, wiped dry and 1e loaded, placed. back, touch-rods and spring adjusted, inner gates closed and outer ones opened, and it is ready for another discharge.

Having thus fully explained the construction and action of our invention,what we claim, andwish to secure by Letters Patent, is

boat underwater, with port-holes and gates, in such a manner as the guns may be loaded and fired at pleasure.

JOSEPH FREY. D. B. BURNHAM. lVitnesses:

JOHN MEAcHAir, B. F. GRAVES.

Our arrangement of guns in the hull of a

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