US1140137A - Explosive barrier. - Google Patents

Description

G. E: ELIAx EXPLOSIVE BARRIER.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 113, I915.

MWf/VTO/i' Gmvanni Emanueie EIIa Patented May 18, 1915 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W/JWESSEJI ATTORNEY) G. El EMA.

EXPLOSIVE BARRIER.

APPLICATION FlLE'D JAN. 18, 1915.

l,14:0,1 37. Patent efl May 18, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M lfA/ESSES: wmvro/r Li (Biz/Vanni Emanuele EHO @QKMQJMGIWK (N1.

G. E. ELIA.

EXPLOSIVE BARRIER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. I8, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- g kemmmwg WITNESSES: I WVf/VTOI? QQWWMJ GlOVCJrmi Emanuele EH0 P/ M 2o.

ATTOHWUJ UNITED STATES vlarrrnntr OFFICE.

GIOVANNI EMANUELE ELIA, 0F ROME, ITALY, ASSIGNOR T0 VICKERS LIMITED, 01 LONDON, ENGLAND.

EXPLOSIVE BARRIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 1915.

To all whom. it may concern Be it known that I, GIOVANNI EMANUELE Ema, gentleman. a subject of the King of Italy, and residing at 16 Via Ludovlsi, Rome, Italy, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Explosive Barriers, of which the following is a complete specification.

This invention has for its object an explosive boom for the defense of ports and other similar purposes, and it has more particularly in view to insure the explosion of at least one of the boom elements on the boom being crossed by a running vessel, said explosion occurring namely if the vessel possesses a flaring bow (sliding vessel) which enables it to pass over the boom. By combining the boom which forms the object of this invention with another suitable execution form, it is thus possible to insure the explosion of the boom elements, whatever the shape of the vessel be, which crosses the boom.

In the accompanying drawings showing by way of example an explosive boom embodying the invention: Figure 1 is a diagram showing the boom in front view; Fig. 2 is a side view and Fig. 3 a plan view of a boom represented at the moment of its be ing crossed by a vessel with flaring bow; Fig. 4 represents a combined boom for the destruction of vessels with flaring bow or with straight-bow; Fig. 5 represents at a larger scale a detail of an explosive element for the boom shown in Fig. 1.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the body of the boom is constituted by a floating rope or cable a connected by vertical cables 0 to a heavy lower cable b immersed to a suitable depth. The floating cable a. has a specific weight which is less than that of the sea water or it can be provided with floats, such for example as cork floats, similar to those used with fishing nets, for maintaining said cable in the position shown by chain lines in Fig. 1. The two ends of both cablesa and b are connected to a common float or buoy (l moored to an anchor c fixed to the bottom.

Arranged on the floating cable a is an explosive receptacle j which is preferably located at the middle of each section connecting two adjacent vertical cables 0. The explosive receptacles f are'thus maintained at. the surface of the water or at a small distance from this surface so as to diminish their visibility. As shown in Fig. 5, each receptacle has the shape of a hollow .sphere containing an explosive charge, said sphere being traversed along its horizontal axis by a watertight channel 9 at one end of which a detonator k is arranged, which is provided with a primer 2' located in front of a striker j secured rigidly to a sleeve L screwed as for example by means of a left hand threaded part 172., to a member a. The latter is maintained by means of a right-hand screw thread on a cylindrical stem p which is free to rotate in the casing f and to theouter end of which is rigidly fixed a lever or arm 9. This arm Q terminates into a weight or any other device for preventing said arm from moving. The sleeve is is provided with a projection 8 entering into a guiding groove 25 so as to prevent any relative rotation of said sleeve k with respect to the channel 9.

Each explosive receptacle is inserted in the length of the cable a, which is fastened to the outer end of the stem p and to a lug, not shown, provided on the cap 1', closing the end of channel 9. Swivel joints '0 are used for this fastening, so as to allow the receptacle f to rotate freely, relatively to the cable a. In the drawing only one of these joints is shown, it being connected with the stem [1, but it is to be understood that one will be connected with the cap 1' also. In the normal position, the channel 9 is thus horizontal and in alinement with the cable (1 whereas the lever or arm 9 is vertical and directed downward on account of the gravity.

\Vhen a vessel with a flaring bow having for instance the shape shown diagrammatically in Fig. 2 comes into contact with the boom, the rounded portion of its bow lowers the boom which passes consequently underneath the keel of the vessel without being bodily moved to any appreciable extent. lVhile passing over the boom however, the hull of the vessel comes into contact with at least one receptacle f and rotates it by frictlon.

The arm (1 acts as an obstacle to the rotation of the stem 72 by reason of its inertia, while the sleeve k partakes of the rotation of the receptacle f. This results in an unscrewing of the member 11 either with regard to the part 0 or to the part In accordin to the traveling direction of the ship. Y en the receptacle f has completed a certain number of turns, one of the screw-threaded parts 0 or m is completely released and the sleeve 70, violently repulsed by a spring at located in its inside, projects the striker j against the primer 5, thus bringing of the receptaclef.

The length of the screw-threaded parts at Shape, the arrangement shown in Fig. 4 will rotation of receptacles f be preferably adopted. This arrangement consists in providing in the known manner an explosive receptacle '0 on each vertical cable 0, the ignition of these receptacles being preferably brought about by the pull exerted on the cable 0, as is well known in previous devices. By combining these two protections, the destruction of the vessels with flaring straight bows will be insured. The vessels which are provided at the bow part with a device for destroying the protecting booms, can also be damaged as a consequence of the with which said vessels come into contact after the boom is broken.

This invention is applicable to the defense of the ports and to the formation of stockades or strong chains for all purposes in the open sea or in sight of the coast, the anchoring being effected in a manner approriated to each particular case.

What I claim is: I

1. In an explosive barrier, a floating cable, and a rotatable explosive device carried by the cable, said explosive device having a about the explosion bows as well as of those with 1 sliding and spring pressed hammer, a nonber and connected with the said parts so as to be detached from one or the other of the parts according to the direction the device is rotated.

2. In an explosive barrier, a floating cable, and a rotatable explosive device interposed in the cable, said explosivedeviee having a sliding and spring pressed hammer, a nonrotatable member, and a member having a right and left hand screw connection with the hammer and the non-rotatable member respectively, whereby when the device is rotated the hammer will be released.

3. In an explosive barrier, a rotatable explosive device having a sliding and spring pressed hammer, a loosely mounted member having a weighted arm exterior of the device for preventing the member from turning, and a member interposed between the said member and hammer andhaving a right and left hand screw connection with the said parts.

4. In an explosive barrier, an explosive device, comprising a hollow sphere having a transverse channel, a detonator in one end of the channel, a spring pressed hammer carrier mounted to slide but not to turn in the channel, a rod projecting into the spherical body and having on its inner end a right hand thread and an arm on its outer end, and a member screwing on the said rod and having on its other end a left hand screw thread screwing into the hammer carrier.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Rome (Italy), this fourteenth (14th) day of January, 1915.

GIOVANNI EMANUELE ELIA... In the presence of- ULYSSES J. BYWATER, GUSTAV TIIADEN.

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