US249192A - Rocket-torpedo - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l. W. H. MALLORY.

ROCKET TORPEDO Ptentd Nov. 8, 1881.

2 Sheets S-heet 2:

(No Modal.)

W. E. MALLORY. ROCKET TORPEDO.

Patented Nov. 8, 1881.

UNTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HALF 'lO THOMAS F. ROWLAND, F

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

ROCKET-TORPEDO.

77 SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.

249,192, dated November 8, 1881.

Application tiledMay 2, 1881. (No modal.)

.70 all whom it may conccrn Be it known that I, WILLIAM il. MALLORY, oftbe city of Bridgcport, State of Uonnecticnt, have invcntcd a ncw and nseful Improvement 5 in Rockct-Torpedocs, ot which the follcwing is a full, truc, and exactdescription,reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention consists in atorpedo which is arrangcd to be propelled by the gas produced by the burning of some gas-producing substance, and in tbc pcculiar construction 'and arrangement of the powder-burning dcvices, and in a novel method of compnsating for me loss of wcigbt of the torpedo due to tbe destruction of the powder or otber gasproducing material, and that which I consider novel in my apparatns is claimed in the claims hereto annexed. 7 In my drawings similar letters refer to similar parts.

Figure 1 represents a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of the forward haltof iny torpedo; and Fig. 2, a similar view of tbe stem and of my torpedo. Fig. 3 represents a view, in section, of twdof my eartrid gcJ1oldin g devices; and Fig. 4, a view of one of thcm in perspective. Fig. 5 is a section thr0ugh Fig. 3 on the line 92 ac.

Arepresents generally n1y torpedo, which does not materially vary in cxternal configuration from the torpedoes ordinarily employer],

. being cylindrical and more or less pointer] at; both ends. The stem end is providcd witb wings or fins W, for tbe purpose of tnrning tire torpedo npon its axis as it advances tln0ugln the water. v

The forward chambcr, V, et m y torpedo may be charged with any suitablc explosive, to be fircd in any well-known way, and the novclty of my construction will be found in the ponder-chamber and stem end of my torpedo.

I arrange tbe powder which is to propel my torpedo in a number et small cartridges arranger] to be simultaneously bnrned, instead of usingonecartridgeofconsiderableextcnt. By this device, and by burning these cartridges simultaneouslytlrrouglr a considerable lcngth ct 'my torpedo, I am enabled -to equalize tire effect upon the torpedo of the loss of weight, and

to lnake the burning of the powder uniforin tbronghout the entire extent. 1t is' vcry un parent that if a single cartridgc of considerable length and weigbt bc burned the centcr et gravit y of tbe cntire torpedo must be varied as the combustion of said powder advances, wbile by dividing the powdcr into short sections, and also by inclining tbosc sections with reference to the axis of tbe torpedo, 1 avoir],

as far as possible, tbe longitudinal shifting cf tbe conter ot' graflty cf tbc torpedoboat. Further, by the, arrangement of a. nnmber ofindependent cartridges or charges simultaneonsly burning I am enabled to burn at all ti mes during tbc burning of the charge tbe same qnan: tity cf powder b v exposing tbe samc area of surface for combustion.

I preter to arrange my charges in a number of independent cartridge-holdcrs, which are in tbeir general configuration hollo w cones. These maybemadeotany suitable material; bntI find compressed papier-macb to be very suitable. These cartridge bolders and the container] charges are shown in detail in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, as before referred to., The cartridge-holder itsclt consists of a tbick hollowcone, L, pierced 7 5 longitudinally. These cones are likewisc pierccd with a series0f circular cavities, wbose axes are parallel to tlxeir outside surfaces.

These cavities are marked G, and may be readily seen in Fig. 3. I thcn prepare snitable cartridges of comprcsscd gunpowder, which are arranged to burn uniformly and for a long; cnough time to cnable tbe torpedo to complete its determined course: I donot limit myself to compressed gnnpowder, as otber slow-bnrn- 8 5 in g gas-producingbodies migbt be used. These compressed cartridges arc then'forced into the cavities G, previously described. The cartridge-shells K are adaptcd exactly t0 fill the cavities G. A suitable number of these cargo tridge-holders baving been prepared, I prefer to place them in my torpedo as follows: I first slip the requisite number ot cartridgc-bolders over a central stem or mandrel, and force tbem lwsely together. I thcn fill the angles formed 5 at tbe base ofthe cones witb fire-clay 1-, and then slip the combined cartridge'bolders and fire-clay witbin tbe metallic shell of thctorpedo. The rearmost cartridg&bolder is adapted to bear against a circular support, F, as showxz,

tridgeholderS are firmiy forced together, and

it will be fonnd thai; they form a practicaily continuons whoie, by reason of thcir iocking agansii each other, and the fire-clay is forccd ontward and against a surrounding metallic shell, so that the completed structure is solid, and firmly located within the metailic shell.

This metallic sheil bas prcfl-rahiy a. spiral channel ont upon its snriace. Surronnding the central section of the torpedo, and extend- .ing over so much of the 'torpedo as is acted on by the powder, is an elastic tube, which may be made of india rnbber or other snitabie ma teriai. This clastic tube 01' casing is arranged to be filled xvjth a snflicient qnantity of air to exactly float the weight of powder ivhich is to be consnmed. In other words, the weight of Water displaced by reason of the"pr0scnce of air within the cSing shonldbeas neari' as possib eqnal to the weight ofthe powder to be -consumed. Sinitabltapparatus is provided for .filling this expahsible casihg with air, and I provide the spiral channe], before referred to, in Order that the air-pressure may be simultaneousiy applied throughout the cntire extent of this casing, althongh ibis not absolntely necessary in ail cases. The air-cbaxhber within the expansible casing D connects witlr the air-chamber E in'the stem of the-torpedo by meansof time-orifics B. The chagnhcr E communicates With the combustion-tube by free orifices T. ,When the torpedo ischarged and ready for use these orifices T are arranged to be closed by a plng,S, which also closes the open end of the combustionchamber and protects the charge. By this arrangement of a collapsing air-casing I am enabled to exactiy compensate for the loss of weight in the torpedo due to the brning of the powder, and to simultaneonsly andeqnaliy compensate for of the torpedo ing consnmed.

It is plain finit-the cxpanding diaphragm V D might be arranged in several ways so as to prodnc the same result and in the same way. For instance, il: might be located witbin the 'exterior metailic casing of the torpedo, or two chambers might .be provided, one ai; eiither end of the cartridge-chambcr, and by freeiy connecting the same and aliowing tiie contained air to escape the same resuit might be accomplished.

withi which the charge is be Il: will be found that an apparatus' constructed 'lik0 the one befor'e dcscribed wiil, owing to the'natural laws governing the flow of gases niider varying pressures, opcrate to rednce the displaccment of the expansble diaphragm uniformly dnring the same pe riods0f time: outil the air has been entirely driven ont, uniformly and equaliy eompensate for the bnrning of the powder, so that it will be fonnd that my tortliis loss of weight thronghont the entirelength .been prop'eri v charged with cartridgcs, as previonsly explained, I procced to infinie the diaphragm D, which may bc done by any suitabie valve, lino ping S having been previously drivcn into the end ofthe combustion-chamber. as s2hown. This plng .s to be provided with a snitablc exploder, the one I prefer being an apparatns to fire acharge ot ioose pow der throngh and to the end of the central opening, aronnd whch the cartridges are placed, thercby simultaneonsiy firing all the cartridges. This exploder may.b ignited by electricty or in any other snitable way. Th torpedohavin'g been placed in position in the water, and properly dirctdd 'to strike the desired object, the exploderis fired and the explosion -immediatelydrives out the plug S. .Then the powder, burning rcguiarly, by its reacti0n forces the't-orpedo fo1ward at a. higli velocit. At the same time the air within the diaphragm, being releascd, flows ont through the time}orifices R and thefre openings T, and escapes with the products of combustion, and thereby, as heiorecxplained, the specific grav ity of the torpedo romains nnaltcred, and it pursues the same direction in which it was original] y aimed. The fins W, by rotatin g the torpedo on its axis, cause il? (0 pnrsne a straightiine in its forward motion.

\VhatIclaim as my invention, and dcsire to secnro by Letters Patent, is--- 1. A rocket-torpedo providcd with a number of independent radially-airanged propelling-charges, and means, s1ibstantiali as de.- scribed, ivhereby said charges may be simultaneously fired.

2. A rocket-torpedo provided with a. number of'independent charges located at ditfrenf points in the length of the vessel, and menus, substantiilly as described, whereby said charges may be simnltaneonslyfired, to bmn al: the saine time, without afiecting the center of gravity of the vessei, a's sel: forth.=

3. A rocket-torpedo in which separate pow- .,der-receptacles are arranged in diverging lines from the axis of the torpedo ontward, with their mouths toWard the center, snbstantiaily as and for the purpose set; fortin.

4. A rocket-torped0 Drovidcd with a compeuSating collzsing diaphragm or chamber having atiineischarge orifice, substantiaily as described. V

Arocket-torpcdo providcd with a compensai,ing coliapsing diapbragm or chamber, which chamber is provided with a timc-orifice whose arca 'aliows the coilapsing of the cham- -ber simltanonsly and coincidently with the burning of the powdcr,snbstantialiy as de-- scribed. r

(3. The combination, in a rockebtorpedo, 01 a series of independcnt cartfldges adapted to be simni tanconSly fircd, and the collapsing diaphragm ling a. tme-discharge orifice, substantial as deseribed.

7. A rocket-torpedo provided with a numcollapsng c0mpeusatng-diaphmgm tuechamber of which s provided with a firme-orifice, and a.plugconfit 11mg the air wit-hin the dia-- hmgm-0humlmrmu] 'ad'apted to ho dmou from the torpedo, thereby mleasing tlne air by the explosion -of the powder, snhstn-nlially as described.

9. A rocket-torpedoiu whioh tho propellingcharge is arranged within a series of sepamte iudependent pockets radially armnged, and all communicatiug with a central chamber open toward the renr, substantially as set forth.

' WM. H. MALLORY.

Witnesses:

ANTHONY GREF, J r., WILLIAM A. POLLOCK.

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