US1287863A - Submarine torpedo. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Dec. 1T, 1918.

n.: muuu uns co. rnmuma. wunnwran. n ck e ira Mes CLYDE C. ROWN, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

` SUBMARINE fronrnno.

Specification of Letterslatent.

Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

. Application led March, 1918. Serial No. 224,550.

as are released or-l freed and actuated by.

the `action of a passing vesself Thevinvention .is especiallyadapted for the .destino-.

tion of submarine, or-submersibl'e war-ves sels,- and'to tlnsend-the invention utilizes a ;cable -or traekway, lform-ing abarrier against which the 'eneinyvessel is V.calculated l' to strike,` and actuate the` propelling mechanism of the torpedo through the conse,

quentl movement vof the cable orv trackway which' vcable formsv a 'guide to the object tobe destroyed.' i-

In'v the accompanying drawings one complete example of the physical embodiment of' the invention is illustrated, wherein- Y Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the 'submergedftorpedof'and its supporting cable or trackway, with a non-submersible vessel=passing over the bar-nier. 'and showing also a submerged vessel about to strike the cable or barrier.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing a submerged vessel as having struck the barrier or cable, buoyant supports for the cable being displaced by the moving torpedo. and the torpedo traveling toward its destination and guided over the suspended cable.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged. fragmentary view showing a resilientr or elastic connection and a frangible connection between the cable and a buoy and the torpedo and a buoy, for actuating the propeller.

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail of the torpedo and its connections.

Fig. 5 is a broken, bottom plan, of the front end of the torpedo.

Fig. 6 is a perspective detail of one of the cable supportingr buoys.

Fig. 7 is a detail of the cable clutch of one of the cable supporting buovs, showing the detachable feature of the buoy.

In utilizing the invention a cable 1 is stretched, at a suitable depth, in the water, between the two stay cables 2, 2, which in normal condition, stand vertical, and

are attached to the anchors 3, 3,` resting on the bottom of the sea. Large buoyant floats or spherical buoys 4, i connect.

the stay cables with the suspending cable, and a sufficient number of detachable buoys 5 are designed to support the cable at the proper depth. Each of these detachable buoys is provided with a clutch device G by which the buoy is held below the surface of the water, and a release lever 7 is pivoted at 8 to each of these detachable buoys, and by the proper manipulation of these levers, the buoys 5 are successively detached, and then rise to the surface of the water .to indicate the. travel of the torpedo.

At one end of the supporting cable, and

connecting it with the buoy V4', is a .ccn-

tractilespring 9 anda cord 10 4that are factors in freeing the Vtorpedo 11. The torpedo is made up of the usual casing, and extending longitudinally therethrough isa Central .tube 12 through which passes the cable l. and at the front of the torpedo the usual charge or explosive mixture is.

indicated at 13. The detonators 14 are arms that project bevond the front of the torpedo,

and are pivoted at l5V on the outer surface of the torpedo casing. with their firing pins extending, operatively, into the explosive charge. and the charge is exploded when the detonators, one or more, strike an object with suiicient impact.

The torpedo is propelled through the in strumentality of an air motor 16. located at the stern of the torpedo, when the valve 17 is withdrawn from the ports 18, and the motor has an inlet motive Huid port 19 and an outlet port 20 as shown. The valves or ports 18 that are uncovered, when the valve 17 is pulled open by the cord 10, are openings in a tubular journal 21 located in the stern bearing 22, and the propeller 23 is revoluble with this tubular journal 2l that is revolved in its bearings by the motor to drive the torpedo. As the torpedo proceeds it successively detaches the buoys 5 by reason of the nose 'of the torpedo contacting with the buoy fastening. to engage the release lever 7 to open the clutch 6 to free the buoys. The operation of the device is obvious. In Fig. 2 it is assumed the submarine vessel S has struck the cable 1 and the impact has stretched the spring 9. Only a slight movement is necessary to open the port-s 18 and this movement of the valve 17 non-stretchable,holds the valve 17 to Which Y it is attached, and the slight movement Yof the torpedo on itssupport causes the unseating of the valve 17. Compressed air in the casing 11 now rushes through the inlet 19 of the motor, the motor is actuated and by it the torpedo is propelled toward its target. In the'initial movement the valve 17 is Withdrawn and the cable and its spring 9 remain-suspended, taut, for a trackvva or guide direct to the vessel that has struc Y the cable. In its course, the torpedo frees the buoyant devices 5, successively, as indicated in Fig. 2, and When the arms or prongs 14 encounter the object of attack, the Vcharge is explodedk in the torpedo in close proximity to the target.

I claim V1. The combination with a suspended flexible support havingv an elastic portion, ,of a torpedo movable and guided onthe support, ai releasingdevice on the torpedo," a non-elastic member connected Withwthereleasing vdevice and adjacent the elastic portion and connected with the support, wherebythe torpedo is started when the support islexed.j- Y' 2. VThe combination with a submerged cable having an elastic portion and Vits end anchoring cables, of detachable buoyant sup-' ports'or the cable, a torpedo movable and guided on the cable, ai releasing device on the torpedo, means for detaching the buoyant supports, an inelastic member in proximity to the elastic portion and` with its re-V spective. ends attached to the releasing dev vice and cable. Y. Y. v W

3. VThe combination with a submerged, suspendedV cable having 4an elastic portion and an inelastic member paralleled there- Y with having one end fixed, of a torpedo'provided With a tubular guide membersurrounding the cable and movable thereon, and a releasing device on the torpedo to which one end of the inelastic member is attached, for the purpose described.

4. VThe combination With a submerged Vcable having buoyantly supported anchoring cables'and detachable marking buoys, of an elastic vportion at one'end of the cable and an inelastic member parallel therewith having one end fixed, a torpedo having a central tubular guide surrounding the cable, a releasing device'or the torpedo, and a oonnection'between vthe elastic portion and said devicefor the purpose described.

5.',The combinationV with* afguide cable suitably supported, of a torpedo movably supported thereon, andV propellingv means for the torpedo, o I" detachablefmarking devices on the cable, and means on thetorpedo for successively detaching saidrde'vices.

6. The combination with av guide cable suitably supported, of aztorpedo having `a central tubular guide surrounding the cable and propelling means fotheftorpedo, de-

tachable buoyant marking devices on the cable, and means on the torpedo ,for detachv ing said devices.

In testimony whereof aix my signature.

CLYDEC; BROWN.

Qopesof this patent may be obtained for ve cents eh, by 'addressing the Commissioner 'ofrlatenta Y Washington, D. C. i Y Y f I

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