US2398801A - Magnetically controlled torpedo firing mechanism - Google Patents

Description

April 23, 1946. c. T. MINKLER 2,393,303

MAGNETICALLY CONTROLLED TORPEDO FIRING MECHANISM Filed June 15, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Iwembn": 'keqkrl'mzer April 23, 1946. c. T. MINKLER 2,393,301

MAGNETICALLY CONTROLLED TORPEDQ FIRING MECHANISM Filed June 15, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5. If M 1, EweQdZrr: v

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flair/W Patented Apr. 23, 1946 HTE water MAGNETICfiLLY CONTROLLED TORPEDQ 8 Claims.

(Granted under the a amended April 30,

This invention relates to mechanism for firin the warhead of a torpedo without actual contact between torpedo and target vessel through the effect of the vessels magnetic field upon themechanism hereinafter to be described.

Among the objects of this invention are:

To provide a torpedo firing device that will cause the explosion of a torpedo without the latter striking the target;

To provide a device of the type mentioned that will cause the explosion of the torpedo at the most vulnerable point of a target;

To provide a torpedo firing device that may be used with present types of torpedoes and that can be given periodic tests to determine its workable condition.

The present invention is in general similar to that disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 610,239, filed May 9, 1932, but difiers therefrom in the construction of the mechanism that is responsive to the magnetic field of a ship's hull.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a general assembly view of m invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the water driven impeller with the housing therefor in section;

Fig. 3 shows the solenoid used for moving the firing mechanism into operative position;

Fig. 4 is a circuit diagram of the invention;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the magnetically controlled thermionic tube;

Figs. 6 and '7 illustrate the probable nature of the movements ofthe electrons in the tube of Fig. 5 when the magnetic field of the target vessel is not acting and when it is acting, respectively,

Housing 3 for impeller 9 is disposed within the stream-lines of a torpedo body to prevent excessive drag, but it permits ready access of the water through which the torpedo is passing to the blades of impeller 9 to cause rotation of the impeller. Shaft it transmits the rotatory movement of impeller ii to an electric generator to which has a high voltage winding ii and a low voltage winding i2. These windings normally mounted on the same shaft are being separated in Fig. 4 for purposes of clarity of illustration and marked, respectively, H and L in that figure. Winding ii supplies the potential for plate it of triode I d and anode GS of magnetically controlled tube it. The winding l2 supplies the filament currents for both tubes and also the current for coil I? which sets up a magnetic field within tube It. With the elements of tube it suitably adjusted the flow of electrons from filament 3% to anode it would normally be along or March 3, 1.883, as

. downwardly the end of pawl lever 28 adjacent radial lines as indicated in Fig. 6; but when current flows in coil ll 9. whirling motion is imparted to the electrons, as indicated in Fig. 7, which, with suillcient intensity ofcurrent in coil li, will efiectually prevent any electrons from reaching the anode it.

Across field coil it of generator M is connected a gas tube It in series with a coil 29 wound to oppose coil it when energized. After the torpedo has been launched the speed of impeller 9 gradually increases and consequently drives generator (it at increasingl higher speeds, but when the generated voltage exceeds a predetermined value current passes through gas tube i9 and coil 20 which reduces the magnetic field due to winding l8 and so limits the output of the generator to'predetermined values.

A potential divider 2! is provided to adjustably determine the average potential of circuits supplied by generator l2 relative to circuits supplied by generator ii. B means of the potential divider 2i, working in conjunction with the condenser 36, the grid 23 is maintained suiilciently negative to block the tube iii, when no current flows through the anode id of tube it, thereby preventing a flow of current through the solenoid 2t. Adjacent the solenoid it is mounted a bell crank lever 26 having one end disposed to be contacted by core 26 of the solenoid and its other arm disposed under one end of a lever ii that is pivoted between its ends and has its other end lying upon a pawl bar 28. Upon a shaft i l that is geared to shaft iii is mounted a toothed wheel 29 adjacent the lug 3K9 on pawl bar 28, which bar is pivotally mounted on a lever that is rockable about pivot 32 and has an arm is disposed to actuate the torpedo firing element (not shown).

Normally the magnetic field set up by coil i1! prevents any of the electrons given off by filament 3% of tube it from reaching the anode it thereof, the anode being in the form of a cylinder coaxial with the filament 3 3. However, when a torpedo equipped with my present invention comes within the magnetic influence of a ship's hull, the magnetic field within the tube it is distorted from that normally produced by the coil ll, so that of coil ii is no longer effective in preventing the passage of electrons to anode i5, and current fiows in the anode circuit of tube it. The readjustment of potential occasioned thereby, operating through condenser 36 and resistor 31 upon the grid 23, unblocks the tube it and energizes solenoid 26. When current flows through solenoid 26 core 26 is moved to the left, as viewed in Fig. 3, rocking lever 25 on its pivot which in turn rocks lever 21 and thereby moves thereto, thus causing lug 30 to engage the teeth 01 wheel 29. The thrust of wheel 29 against lever 28 rocks lever 3| on its pivot in the direction indicated by the arrow and moves arm 3'3 thereof against the firing element or the torpedo firing mechanism and thereby causes the explosion of the torpedo.

It is apparent that with this invention it is not necessary that a torpedo strike the target to cause the firing of the torpedo. Further, the small delays inherent in the system permit the torpedo to move to a position directly under the ship before the explosion occurs, thereby attacking the vessel in its most vulnerable part and utilizing to their fullest extent both the detonation and compression waves.

It will be understood that the above description and accompanying drawings comprehend only the general and preferred embodiment of my invention and that various changes in construction, proportion and arrangement of partsmay be made within the scope of the appended claims without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

I claim:

1. In mechanism to actuate the firing element of a torpedo, an impeller disposed to be driven by water through which the torpedo is passing, a source of current actuated thereby, a toothed wheel also driven by said impeller, a device to actuate said firing element and having a portion engageable by said wheel, means including a triode tube to cause such engagement, said tube being biased normally to prevent fiow of plate current whereby said means would be operated and a magnetically controlled thermionic tube operatively connected to said source and having an anode connected to the grid of said triode, said magnetically controlled tube being adjusted to prevent flow oi anode current therethrough but adapted to respond to the magnetic field of a ships hull whereupon the anode current 01' said magnetically controlled tube overcomes the bias or said triode and causes the actuation of said firing element.

2. In mechanism to actuate the firing element of a torpedo, a source of electric current actuatable by water through which the torpedo passes, a triode tube operatively connected to said source and normally biased thereby to prevent the flow of plate current, means to operate the said firing element connected to be actuated by the plate current from said triode and a magnetically controlled thermionic device having an anode connected to the grid of said triode whereby when within the magnetic field of a ships hull the negative bias of the grid of said triode will be overcome and current will be caused to flow through said means to actuate said element.

3. In mechanism to actuate the firing element of a torpedo, a source of electric current actuatable by water through which the torpedo passes,

a triode tube operatively connected to said source and normally biased thereby to prevent fiow to plate current, means to operate the said firing element connected to be actuated by the plate current from said triode and a magnetically controlled thermionic device having a cylindrical anode. a cathode disposed axially of said anode,

said anode and cathode being suitably biased by said source and said anode being connected to the grid of said triode, and a current carrying coil connected to said source and disposed to control the electron fiow from said anode to said cathode whereby when within the magnetic field or a ships hull the negative bias of the grid of said triode will be overcome and current caused to fiow through said means to actuate said element.

4. In mechanism to actuate the firing element of a torpedo, a source of electric current actuatable by water through which the torpedo passes, a triode tube operatively connected to said source and normally biased thereby to prevent flow of plate current, means to operate the said firing element connected to be actuated by the plate current from said triode and magnetic means having a definite magnetic field controlling an electron stream responsive to deformation of said definite field by an exterior magnetic field to cause fiow of current in the plate circuit of said triode when in the magnetic field of a ships hull.

5. In a device of the class described, means to actuate the firing element of a torpedo, a solenoid disposed to cause said means to actuate said element, a triode tube having its plate connected to said solenoid, said tube being normally biased to the blocking point, magnetically controlled means to overcome said biasing, said last mentioned means having a magnetic field control ling an electron stream and being operative to overcome said biasing under the magnetic field deforming influence of the magnetic field of a ships hull, a source of current to operate said triode'and said magnetically controlled means and means operatable by water through which the torpedo passes to render said source operative.

6. In mechanism to actuate the firing element of a torpedo, a source of current actuatable by the water through which the torpedo passes, a triode, circuits operatively connecting said triode to said source normally to block the fiow of plate current, and an electron stream device responsive to an external magnetic field to unblock the triode and permit plate current to fiow.

7. In mechanism to actuate the firing element of a torpedo, a source of current actuatable by the water through which the torpedo passes, a triode, circuits operatively connecting said triode to said source normally to block the fiow of plate current, an electron stream device responsive to an external magnetic field to unblock the triode and permit plate current to fiow, and means to actuate the firing element operated by said plate current.

8. In mechanism to actuate the firing element of a torpedo, a source of electric current actuatable by water through which the torpedo passes, a triode tube operatively connected to said source and normally :biased thereby to prevent flow of plate current, means to operate the said firing element connected to be actuated by the plate -current from said triode, a magnetron tube including means to produce a magnetic field in said magnetron to prevent fiow of current there through, the result and field in said magnetron being deformable by a magnetic field produced by the proximity of a ships hull to permit current to pass through said magnetron, and means i to apply current from said magnetron to said triode to unblock the triode and permit current to pass.

CHESTER T. NHNKLER.

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