US1161182A - Torpedo-expulsion tube. - Google Patents

Description

J. BARRAJA-FHAUENFELDER.

TORPEDO EXPULSION TUBE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 1, 1914.

L, 1 L1 8, Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

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J. BARRAJA-FRAUENF'ELDER.

TORPEDO EXPULSION TUBE. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 1. 1914.

1 ,1 61., 182.. Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

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Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

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JOSEPH BARRAJA-FRAUENFELDER, 0F BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE LAKE TORPEDO BOAT COMPANY OF MAINE, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A COR- PORATION OF MAINE.

TORPEDO-EXPULSION TUBE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

Application filed December 1, 1914. Serial No. 875,039.

States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of C0nnectiout, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Torpedo-Fixpulsion Tubes, of which the-following is a specification.

Air I for expe-lling torpedoes from" the tubes of submarine torpedo boats, is supplied to the tubes under pressure, and is carried in tanks connected to thetubes by pipes controlled by various forms of valves interposed in the pipes or arranged in separate casings which are connected to the tubes. -The common arrangement is objectionable owing to the many fittings necessary in connecting the tanks and the valves to the tubes and the consequent expense in their installment. r J

The object of my invention'is to dispense with the usual compressed air holding tanks and replace them by an air chamber surrounding and communicating with the tube, and to provide a simple and efficient construction and arrangement of valve mechanism for controlling the admission of the expulsion air to the tube, and for preventing ingress of water to the air chamber, said valve being located in the chamberand seated by the air used for forcing or firing the'torpedo from the tube.

The invention consists of a torpedo tube having a compressed air-holding jacket applied to it, preferably integrally, and communicating with it, and; a balance-valve within the air acket which is held to its seat by the air 'under pressure within the jacket, means being employed for operating" the valve from a station adjacent to the inner end of the tube, and for preventing the water which rushes into the tube afterin certain a fragmentary longitudinal section of the forward end of a submarine torpedo boat showing one installation of my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the breech end of the torpedo tube. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section drawn on the line aa of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse sec 5 is a detail transverse section drawn through the breech end of the torpedo tube and the air-holding jacket illustrating the construction and arrangement of the valve mechanism, the firing valve being shown partly in section.

1 designates the forward end of a subma rine or submersible torpedo boat, and 2 a torpedo tube arranged therein and opening through the hull of the boat. The inner end of the tube is provided with a jacket 3, preferably cast integral with the body of the tube 2, and serving as an air-holding chamber 3 which is designed to contain a sufficient quantity of air under pressure to expel one torpedo from the tube, the air being supplied to the chamber through a pipe l extending from a suitable source of compressed air supply not shown.

The jacket is bowed or enlarged on one side in order to provide a vertically arranged casing 5, the upper end of which casing constitutes a cylinder 6 which com-J munlcates wlth the air-holding chamber 3,

through an opening 6, and in which the balanced firing-valve hereinafter described, operates. The casing is closed at its lower end and provided with an intermediate partition 7 thereby providing a dualcasing, said partition 7 having a central opening 8 the upper and lower edges of which are shaped to provide valve seats. The space or chamber thus formed below the partition communicates with the inner or breech end i of the tube 2 through an opening 9 formed held'to the bottom of the casing 5, and the valve is held to its seat by a coiled spring interposedbetween the valve and the bottom of the said casing and surrounding the said sleeve and valve stem.

(lo-acting with the valve seat at the upper end of the opening 8 is a balanced firingvalve 11 having a stem 11 provided at its upper end with a piston 12 of larger diameter than the valve lland operating in the upper end of the cylinder 6, the valve being-normally held to its seat by a light coiled spring 13 interposed between the cylinder 6 and thus equalize the pressure 'upon the upper and lower sides or ends of the piston 12 so that the pressure of the air upon the top of the valve proper will hold the latter tightly to its seat.

In order to'operate the firing valve 11 sov 'tha-t'the airunder pressure in the chamber 3 may escape into the breech end of the torpedo tube to expel the torpedo, I provide the upper end of the cylinder wall with a vent port 16 having a vent pipe 17 provided with'a hand operated valve 18. To operate the valvell to discharge a torpedo from the tube 2, the valve 18 is opened to vent the upper end of the cylinder 6 and thus release the pressure upon the top of the piston when, by reason of the greater pressure area of the lower end of the piston relatively to valve 11, the valve will be pneumatically lifted from its seat by the compressed air in the chamber 3 and the air allowed to escape 'past the outwardly opening check-valve into the breech end of the torpedo tube. As the piston is moved upwardly in the cylinder 6 it will close the vent l6 and thus cut off the escape of the air through it. As the action of the firing valve is almost instantaneous, it will be appreciated that but very little of the compressed air is wasted. The space or chamber 8 between the valves 10 and 11 is vented through a port 19 formed in the outer wall of the casing 5 and having a short pipe 19 provided with a normally open hand operated valve 20.

The inner end of the torpedo tube 1s provided with a breech block 21 of suitable design and the tube is drained of the water which rushes into it when the torpedo is fired, through a valve controlled drain pipe 22 leading to one of the ballast tanks of the boat.

23 designates a combined vent and blow ofli pipe leading from a suitable source of compressed air supply (not shown), and which is provided with a three-way valve 24 having a vent port adapted for adjustment to permit the escape of the air from the torpedo tube when the outboard cover thereof is open so as to permit the water of flotation to completely fill the tube prior to the discharge of a torpedo. \Vhen the valve is adjusted to vent the tubethe air from the latter escapes into the boat, and when adjusted to permit the air from the source of compressed air supply to enter the tube to blow the water therefrom, the outboard cover of the tube is closed and the valve in the drain pipe 22 is opened so that the water may be blown from the tube into the ballastta'nk with which it is connected.

25 designates a pressure gage and 2G a reflex gage connected to the torpedo tube in any usual way and for the usual purposes.

The operation of the invention is as follows:WVhen a torpedo is to be discharged, the outboard cover of the tube is first opened, and the three-way valve 24 adjusted to vent the tube and to permit the tube to be eompletely filled with water from a surrounding body of water. The valve 24 is then closed, as is also the valve 20 controlling the venting of the chamber 8 between the valves 10 and 11, to place the tube in condition to fire the torpedo. To fire the torpedo, the valve 18 is opened to vent the upper end of the cylinder 6 and thereby operate the firing valve 11 as previously described and thus permit the compressed'air in the chamber 3 to enter the tube to force the torpedo therefrom. As soon as the torpedo leaves the tube and the air has been exhausted therefrom and from the air chamber 3', the spring 10 will automatically seat the valve 10 and thus prevent the water rushing into the tube from entering the air-chamber 3 and from coming into contact with the firing valve 11. As soon as the pressure in the chamber 3 is reduced below the tension of spring 13, said spring 13 will force the valve 11 to its seat.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I provide an exceedingly simple and efiicient apparatus for controlling the expulsion of a torpedo from the tube and that by forming the torpedo tube with a compressed-air holding chamber I not only dispense with the usual compressed-air tanks and fittings, but I also locate the firing valve immediately adjacent to the air inlet to the tube and within convenient reach of the operator, and I also provide a housing for the valves whereby they are protected against accidental damage and consequent leakage.

What I claim is 1. The combination with a torpedo tube, of a jacket surrounding the tube at or near its rear and forming therewith a chamber for the reception of compressed air for use in firing the torpedo, said jacket having made therewith and as a partthereof 'a valve casing and having therein a valve for controlling communication between the air chamber and jacket and into the tube The combination witha torpedo tube, of a jacket surrounding the tube at or near its rear and forming therewith a chamber for the reception of compressed air for use in firing the torpedo, said jacket having made therewith and as a part thereof a valve casing, a valve seat dividing said casing into chambers respectively communicating with the tube and the air chamber in the jacket, and a valve arranged in said casing for controlling such communication including a balanced firing valve.

The combination with a torpedo tube, of a jacket surrounding the tube at or near its rear and forming therewith a chamber for the reception of compressed air for use in firing the torpedo, said jacket having made therewith and as a part thereof a valve casing, said casing communicating with the tube and separating the air chamher from said tube and having a valve seat, and a valve therein for opening communication between the air chamber and the tube.

4. The combination with a torpedo tube, of a acket surrounding the tube at or near its rear and forming therewith a chamber for the reception of compresed air for use in firing the torpedo, said jacket having made therewith and as a part thereof a valve casing, said casing communicating with the tube and separating the air chamber from said tube and having a valve seat, a valve therein for opening communication between the air chamber and the tube, and a check valve interposed between said valve seat and the tube to prevent escape of water from the tube into the air chamber.

5. The combination with a torpedo tube, of a jacket surrounding the tube at or near its rear and forming therewith a chamber for the reception of compressed air for use in firing the torpedo, said jacket having made therewith and as a part thereof a valve casing, said casing divided transversely and communicating with the tube at one side of said division and with the air chamber at the other side and ported to afford communication between the two, a valve seating upon said division member and having a piston fitted in a chamber in the casing above the division, and means to operate said piston to open and close said valve.

6. The combination with a torpedo tube, of a acket surrounding the tube at or near its rear and forming therewith a chamber for the reception of compressed air for use in firing the torpedo, said jacket having made therewith and asa partthereof a valve casing, said casing Vertically arranged at one side of the jacket and communicating at one end with the airchaniber and at the other-end with the tube and having-a transversely arranged partition provided with an opening for establishing communication between the air chamber and the tube,

"and a balanced firing valve for controlling such communication through said partition.

7. The combination of a torpedo expulsion tube, a jacket surrounding the rear end thereof and forming an air chamber with the tube, a valve casing within said chamber and itself divided into a jacket chamber and a tube chamber, said division having an opening through it for establishing communication between said chambers, said opening having valve seats at opposite ends, a check valve arranged for cooperation with the seat next to the tube chamber and a firing valve cooperating with the seat neXt to the jacket chamber, and means for effecting the operation of the firing valve.

8. In a firing mechanism for torpedo expulsion tubes, a tube having a chamber communicating therewith, a jacket having a chamber communicating therewith, said chambers communicating with each other by means of a passage having a valve seat at each end, a springpressed check-valve seated at the tube end of said passage, a firingvalve seated at the jacket end of said passage, a piston connected to said firing-valve, said piston having an opening therethrough, and a manually controlled outlet leading from the chamber above said piston, said piston being capable of closing said outlet when moved toward the end of the chamber.

9. In a firing mechanism for torpedo expulsion tubes, a tube having a chamber communicating therewith, a jacket surrounding said tube and having a chamber communicating with said jacket, said chambers communicating with each other by means of a passage, valve seats at the ends of said passage, a spring pressed valve seated at the tube end of the passage, a firing-valve seated at the jacket end of the passage, a piston connected to said firing valve and of a diameter greater than said valve, said'piston having an opening therethrough whereby communication is established between the jacket and the upper end of said chamber, and a manually controlled outlet leading from said upper end of said chamber, said piston being of a size to close said outlet when moved toward the end of said chamber.

10. The combination of a torpedo expulsion tube, a jacket formed integral therewith and surrounding the tube at or near its inboard end and forming with the tube an air-holding chamber, an opening arranged Wholly Within the chamber, for effect- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set ing communication between the chamber and my hand this 19th day of November, A. D. the tube, and a valve mechanism for con- 1914.

trolling the admission of air from the air JOSEPH BARRAJA-FRAUENFELDER.

chamber to the tube also located Within and -Witnesses:

forming a substantial part of the jacketed PHILIP B. BRILL, air chamber. Y E. G. GALLAGHER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

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