US1149505A

US1149505A - Torpedo-launching tube.

Info

Publication number: US1149505A
Application number: US2257115A
Authority: US
Inventors: William Dieter
Original assignee: EW Bliss Co Inc
Current assignee: EW Bliss Co Inc
Priority date: 1915-04-20
Filing date: 1915-04-20
Publication date: 1915-08-10
Anticipated expiration: 1932-08-10

Description

W. DIETER.

TORPEDO LAUNCHING TUBE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.20,1915.

1,149,505. Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET li Q INVENTOR fW1TNF5sEs= m By Ail eys,

W. DIETER.

TORPEDO LAUNCHING TUBE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.20,1915.

1 149 505 Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I INVENTOR WITNESSES; m l

fliitorneys, 1 M Wi w UNITED TTE PATENT FFIQE.

WILLIAM DIETER, OF NEW YORK. N. Y.. ASSIGNOR TO E. W. BLISS COMPANY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPOR-ATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

TORPEDO-LAUNCHING TUBE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Au 10, 1915.

Application filed Apri120, 1915. Serial No. 22,571;

and State of New York, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Tor pedo-Launching Tubes,.of which the following is a s ecification.

My invention relates to launching tubes from which submarine torpedoes are project-ed, and has for its object to provide said tubes with anti-friction devices by which the projection of the torpedoes therefrom may be facilitated.

A desirable form in which my invention may be embodied is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein,

Figure l is a longitudinal section of a torpedo launching tube equipped with my invention partly broken. Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 2-2 Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail end view of one of the housings for my invention and associated parts. Fig. i is a similar View with the yoke removed; and Fig. 5 is a cross section on the lines Fig. 2.

My invention is illustrated as applied to a torpedo launching tube A which as to its general construction is of a known type and is provided with a compressed air tank B and the usual sighting glass C. The body or, wherein the torpedo is held before launching is separated from the spoon a by a gas check a and the tube has a pivot 01, mount- ,.-ed upon a suitable rotary standard a which rotates upon the base a and is borne thereon by anti-friction devices. The spoon a is broken for convenience of illustration.

According to my invention an anti-friction device D is provided for the purpose of facilitating the launching of the torpedo and this is mounted within the body a so that the upper surface thereof shall receive the weight of the torpedo and enable the same to leave the launching tube without friction. I have illustrated the said antifrietion device as being contained upon the lower surface of the tube in which position it supports the torpedo during launching and eases its passage through the tube. Preferably a series of such anti-friction devices are employed and I prefer to place the same on both sides of the pivot a as shown at D whereby the tail of the torpedo" is supported until it has completely left the tube.

Each anti-friction device D is preferably situated within a housing E which forms an extension of the torpedo tube and in the form shown where the inner part of said housing communicates freely with the body.

of thetube a, the housing is made fluid pressure tight so that none of the fluid pressure employed to launch the torpedo shall leak through the housing. This is of greater importance for the housings which lie at the rear of the gas check a than for those situated beyond the gas check.

The form of anti-friction device D which I prefer to employ is a roller, the outer or bearing surface of which I prefer to make of a shape substantially conforming to the exterior surface of the torpedo and as these are cylindrical, said surface is illustrated as concave axially. Such form of roller acts to guide the torpedo during launching. The rollers D are mounted upon spindles I-I upon which they may revolve or which may revolve with the said rollers. I prefer to mount the said rollers to revolve upon their respective spindles. These spindles have suitable bearings at their ends illustrated.

as bushings I. These bushings are provided for each end of the spindle and are maintained in position by removable yokes J likewise situated at each end and which are provided with bolts whereby they are secured to a fixed part of the housing E. The bushings I are mounted in openings B in the ends of the housings E and each of the said bushings is illustrated as having an annular peripheral channel 2' which may, if desired. receive a packing to prevent leakage of fluid pressure.

In the practical employment of my invention it is highly desirable that the antifriction devices D should be capable of adjustment so that their bearing surfaces may be brought to correct position to properly support the torpedo G and whereby the clearance of the torpedo may be varied. F uch adjustment is relatively very slight and is useful because in the ordinary process of manufacture the extremely slight projection of the bearing surface above the bottom of the tube would not always be obtained with the desired accuracy. It is also highly desirable in the case of the particular anti-friction devices illustrated. the roller l that each end of this roller should be made adjustable aml that the adjustments for each end should be the same.

desirable method of attaining this adjustment is that illustrated wherein the hearings l for the roller spindle ll in the bushing l are made eccentric by being bor d oll' center. and l have found that a sullicient adjustment nia v be obtained by producing the said boring about one-eighth inch otl' center. The eccentric bushings l are revoluble in their hearings l) and as the v are turned the anti-friction rollers l) are correspondinglv raised and lowered. Means are provided for gaging the extent of adjust: ment imparted to the rollers I) and for locking the bushings in adjusted position and such means comprise a series of holes K with which each bushing is provided on its outer end surface. and these holes as the bushing is turned one wav or the other are brought to register with a corresponding hole K in a normally stationar part. as for instance in the yoke .l. and the bushing is held in adjusted position by a pin L which passes through both of the holes. As illustrated the pin ll is screw-threaded into the hole 1( in the volte and is adapted to enter any of the correspomling holes K in the bushing which may be inalinement. Each of the bushings is equipped with a similar series: of perforations K, and these are correspondinglv placed in the said bushings, aml to insure accuracy of adjustment of the two ends of the roller D each of the holes in the said series K is correspondingly numbered. Arrows are provided which indicate the direction of rotation of the bushing to attain the desired adjustment. A lubricating cup M is provided through which lubricating material is introduced and which passes through an axial channel it in the spindle H and thence through radialpassages 71. to the bearings. A passage 2' is provided with leads to the channel 2'.

The bushings I are illustrated as provided with annular flanges i which over-hang the walls of the housing bearing B and provide stops for the accurate adjustment of the said bushings. The roller spindles H are likewise provided with annular shoulders 71 which are adapted to bear against the inner edges of the bushings I.

Each housing 2 is preferably provided with drainage openings (Z at a lower part thereof and which are closed by suitable plugs against leakage of pressure.

I have illustrated six anti-friction devices D within the pivot (1 of the launching tube and one device outside of the pivot, but the number of such devices is not material and more or less thereof may be employed, or they may be differently arranged. Furthermore the precise construction of anti-friction devices illustrated. although this is the best hIItHYH to me. is not the only form in which my invention could be embodied. and although I have illustrated such device as being made adjustable this adjustable fea ture might he dispensed with by a nice relation of the parts in imtnufzu-ture. These and other modilications mav he made in m v invention within the limits of the appended claims without departing from the essential spirit of the invention as set forth in such claims.

What 1 claim is:

l. torpedo launching tube. and antifriction launching rollers therein having concave surfaces aml devices for adjusting said rollers relative to a torpedo in said tube.

2. torpedo launching tube and antifriction launching rollers therein having concave surfaces.

5 torpedo launching tube, and antifriction launching rollers therein having concave surfaces and devices for vertically adjusting each end of each of said rollers.

l. torpedo launching tube. and antifriction launching rollers therein having concave surfaces, at spindle for each of said rollers. b a rings for each end of said spindle and means for adjusting each of said hearings.

A torpedo launching tube having a series of fluid tight housings disposed throughout the lower surface thereof and on both sides of the pivotal mounting of said tube and anti-friction devices rotatably mounted therein.

(3. A torpedo launching tube, anti-friction launching rollers therein, a spindle for said rollers. eccentric revoluble bushings for each end of said spindle and locking devices for said bushings.

7. Atorpedo launching tube, anti-friction launching rollers therein, a spindle for said rollers, eccentric revoluhle bushings for each end of said spindle, adjustinggages at each end'of said bushing for obtaining corresponding adjustments and a lock for each end of said bushing.

8. A torpedo launching tube, anti-friction launching rollers therein, a spindle for said rollers. eccentric revoluble bushings for each end of said spindle. each bushing having a series of corresponding spaced perforations and a locking pin mounted in a fiXed part at each end of. said bushing to have longitudi nal movement and adapted to enter either of said perforations.

9. A torpedo launching tube, anti-friction launching rollers therein with concave surfaces, a spindle upon which said rollers turn, bushings ateach end of said spindle, each bushing having a series of corresponding spaced bolt holes. a locking bolt mounted in a fixed part and adapted to enter either of said bolt holes.

10'. it. torpedo tube, a revoluble anti-friction device therein,a spindle therefor, ec-

centric revoluble bushings for each end of said spindle, a yoke at each end of said bushings and locking devices associated with each yoke for engaging said bushing at spaced and identified intervals for obtaining a simultaneous adjustment of allparts of said anti-triction devices relative to a torpedo in said tube.

11. A torpedo tube, revoluble rollers therein, bearing surfaces substantially conforming to the torpedo, a spindle therefor upon which said rollers turn, revoluble eccentric bushings for said rollers, yokes for each of said bushings, each bushing having an annular series of correspondingly spaced and identified bolt holes, a locking bolt threaded in each yoke and. adapted to enter either of said bolt holes in its respective bushing.

12. A torpedo launching tube, rollers at the lower parts adapted to engage and support the torpedo and case its passage through the tube, and means for adjusting said rollers vertically adapted to vary the clearance of the torpedo.

13. A torpedo launching tube, rollers at the lovver parts adapted to engage and support the torpedo and case its passage through. the tube, and means for adjusting each end of said rollers vertically adapted to vary the clearance of the torpedo.

1%. A torpedo launching tube having antifriction launching rollers on both sides of the pivot.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM DIETER.

\Vitnesses:

HENRY M. TUBE, FRED WHITE.