US530466A

US530466A - Mary r

Info

Publication number: US530466A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1894-12-04
Anticipated expiration: 1911-12-04

Description

' (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1;

G. C. BAKER,DGCd.

M. R. BAKER, Administratrix. SUBMARINB TORPEDVO BOAT.

Patented Des. 4,1894.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. 0. BAKER, Deo'd.

M. R. BAKER, Administratrix. SUBMARINB TORPEDO BOAT.

No. 530,466. Patented D60. 4, 1894.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3. G. C. BAKER, Deod. M R BAKER, Admmmtmnnx SUBMARINE TORPEDO BOAT.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheeb 4.

v G. C. BAKBR, Deo?d.

M. R. BAKER, Administratrix. SUBMARINE TORPEDO BOAT.

No. 530,466. Patnted Bec. 4,'1894.

TNE NORRIS PETERS ce. FNOTG LITHKL, WASN'NGTN, n. c,

5 Sheets:Sheet 5.

G. o. BAKER, 15ecd.

M. R. BAKER, Administratrix. SUBMARINE TORPEDO BOAT.

(No Modal.)

Patented Des. 4, .1894.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE C. BAKER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS; MARY R. BAKER ADMINISTRA- TRIX SAID GEORGE C. BAKER, DECEASED.

' SUBMARINE TORPEDO-BOAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 530,466, dated December 4, 1894. Application filed March 14, 1893. Serial NO. 465,983. (No model.)

' Ta aZZ zhom 7275 may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE C. BAKER, of Chicago, in the county of Cook-and State of lllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Submarine Torpedo-Boats,

of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a submarine boat which is capable of being propelled upon the surface of the water, and which is also capable of motion downwardly through the water, or parallel with the surface, or of an upward motion, said boat being especially adapted to carry and discharge topedoes with requisite precision.

In my patent, No. 358,425, I have shown, described and claimed a stcering and propelling mechanism having the capabilities above mentioned, and which I prefer to employ in connection with my present invention with a view to the complete control of the boat under all conditions.

It is the object of my invention to produce means for driving the propelling mechanism,

of suc-h a nature as that of steam or other liquid power, and electricity may be utilized either separately or conjointly for the propulsion of boats of this character, and to this end my invention may be said to consist in 30 combining a steam or other liquid driven engine, a convertible electric machine, and the main driving shait of the propeller wheels as that the engine may be connected with said shaft, and the Vessel propelled upon the surface by steam, and which engine is also adapted to be connected with a dynamo whereby a series of storage batteries placed in the hold may be charged, and by connections between the dyanmo and shaft the direction of movement of the dynamo may be reversed, in which case electrical current is supplied thereto from the storage batteries, and the dynamo becomes a motor for driving the -shaft, and the vessel is thereby electricallypropelled when under water.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a submarine boat embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal longitudinal sectional view with the machinery and appartenances in plan.

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line of the propeller shaft. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view of a part of the propelling apparatus; and Fig. 6 is a detail view of the machinery employed for propulsion.

In carrying out my invention I construct the boat upon uniform limes, the general boaton each side of a vertical plane passing transversely through its middle. The vertical diameter of the body of the boat is proferably greater than the transverse diarneter, and the proportions Which I recommend are that the length of the boat shall be to its .greatest vertical diameter assayfour to one, and its verticaldiameter is to its transverse diameter assaytwo to one.

Theshell or body of the boat may be constructed of wood or xnetal or a con1bination of the two. As shown in the drawings, A is intended to represent a wooden shell covered With a wooden sheathing B, but steel ribs may be substituted for the wooden shell and the heathing may be of boiler or other suitable plate. The interior frame work of the boat may be of a simple character as its general form makes it self-bracing.

In the drawings I have shown a line of transverse beams 0 which suitably brace the sides of the boat and also serve to divide it centrally and longitudinally into upper and lower decks.

D represents'a fixed or solid ballast, and E water compartments With suitable bulk heads F wl1ich furnish the'division walls for the compartments and sustain a lower dock G upon which a part of the machinery may be mounted. Thepermanentballastisdesigned to maintain the boat upon an even keel while the liquid ballast is used to assist in the total submersion of the vessel, and suitable provision will be made for withdrawing the liquid ballast when running on the surface.

Upon the dock Gis plaoed the boiler H, the sm0ke pipe fromthe Eurnace of which deliv- IOO ers into the vertically adjustable smoke stack I. The ends of this stack are closed and its side wall is perforated near its bottom to register with the opening in the smoke stack from the fnrnace when the stack is elevated, While a perforation in the upper end of this smoke stack permits the discharge of the smoke into the atmosphere. The nnder side of the closed top is fianged and adapted to scat upon the flange of the opening in the top of the boat in which the stack slides. When thsmoke stack is lowered its imperforate portion seals the end of the smoke pipe from the furnace thus preventing the escape of smoke into the boat, whileits upper end seats itself thus preventing the entrance of water to the interior of the boat through the opening in its shell.

The steam from the boiler is supplied t0 a suitable engine, as J, which is adapted to drive the main shaft K carrying the propellors. This engine is also s0 geared With the dynamo L that the latter may be driven thereby to charge the storage batteries M which are arranged within the interior of the boat. The dynamo also has driving connection with the main shaft so that when it is not practicable to run the engine for the driving of the boat the dynamo may be convertedinto a motor which is supplied with cnrrent from the storage battery and the boat driven by this electrical means.

I employ for the intermediate connections between the engine, shaft and dynamo a system of gearing adapted to be engaged and disengaged at will, as follows: Onthe propeller shaft K are fixedly secured two collars l, 2 separated a snffioient distance to accommodate two gear wheels 3, 4: which are rotatable on said shaft but held from lateral play by the said collars. These wheels are fixedly secnred to each other,the wheel 3 being however of smaller diameter than the wheel 4: which latter engages 'either directly with the gear wheel of the dynamo, or indirectly throngh an interposed idler gear 5 as shown. The wheel 4 is provided with lateral perforations to receive pins 6 arranged in the collar 1, and by this means the wheels 3 and 4 are thrown into and out of engagement with the shaft at the Will of the operator. On this shaft also is fixedly seoured a gear wheel 7 adjacent to the wheels 3 and 4;. On the crank shaft 8 of the engine is a gear wheel 9 which is arranged to turn therewith bntis movable laterally thereon, a key 10 being employed for this pnrpose. This wheel 9 by its lateral movement may be thrown into engagement With the gear wheels 3 or 7. By its engagement with the wheel 7 the propeller shaft is revolved, and if desired the dynamo may be simultaneously operated by moving the pins 6 inward into engagement with the perforations in the wheel 4, thus oausing the latter to turn with the shaft and commnnicate motion to the dynamo. By moving the wheel 9 into engagement with the wheel 3, and by disengaging wheel 4 from collar 1 the dynamo may be driven While the propeller shaft is at rest. VVhen the boat is submerged and the propulsion is to be obtained by electrical power, the wheel 9 is thrown out of engagement, and the wheel 4: into engagement with the shaft; and the electricity being tnrned on the dynamo becomes a motor and operates the propelling mechanism.

If desired the motor may be ntilized to assist the engine when the boat is on the surface, and in this case the connections eau be made between the shaft and both the engine and motor.

on a short shaftjournaled in a slidingbracket, and so located with relation to the wheel 3 on the shaft K as that it may be thrown into or out of engagement with'said wheel to operate throngh snitable mechahism a pump orother devices as occasion may require.

The propelling apparatns is particnlarly shown in Figs. et and 5, and comprises in the form shown the propeller blades N, which are mounted upon short shafts carried in sleeved bearings 0, which sleeve enoircles and is rotatable upon the main driving sl1at. Bevel gears mounted upon the respective ends of the main shaft and enmeshed with similargear wheels on the propeller shafts furnish means whereby rotary motion may be imparted to the propeller blades. Said sleeves are supported in collars O rigidly secnred to the shell of the boat and provided with suitable glands or stnffing boxes to prevent entrance of water. Theinner ends of the sleeves are provided with suitable gearing-as, for example, the worm gears Q which are tnrned by the worms R, the latter being arranged to be manipulated preferably from the pilots station. Obviously upon the rotation of these worms in either direction the propellers may be moved in the are of a circle around the driving gear which imparts motion to them and hence the direction of movement of the boat is controlled by simply shifting the propellers with reference to the driving shaft and by such adj ustment of the propellers the boat may be driven forward or backward upon the surface or below the surface of the water, or it may be drawn clown into the water or caused to rise out of the water and at any desired angle of movement.

The particular location of the propellers is of the utmost importance in the operation of a submarine boat. If this propelling apparatus were placed. nearer to one end of the boat than to the other the tendenoy to diva or rise out of the water, depending upon the location, would be almost irresistible, but by arranging the propellers a1: or about the middle of. the sides of the boat the eqnilibrinm is nndisturbed by the action of the propellers.

The arrangement of the apparatus within the interior of the boat and the particular l, indicates a gear wheel which is monnted driving means may be varied, as such particular arrangement and apparatus is not essential to the main features of my invention. The purpose of providing a steam engine, dynamo and storage batteries is to afford means, by the use of the steam angine, for propelling the boat when riding upon the surface of the water and to furnish means also for the generation of electricity which is stored in the storage battery and which can be utilized when the boat is below the surface of the water as a propelling force. Of course thesteam apparatus might be omitted altogether, and the storage batteries charged by means external (0 the boat.

T represents a conning tower which is arranged preferably in the upper portion of the shell of the boat and has transparent sections through which observations can be made. The conningtower has a swinging top T which, when in place, affords a water tight joint but which can be raised upon the rod 25 and when s0 raised clear of its scat oan be swung laterally to uncover a large opening to admit air or for the passage of men and supplies.

U represents openings provided With suitable covers, preferably transparent,wbich are used for the admission of light or uncovered to admit air to the interior of the boat when above the surface.

V represents a torpedo tube opening at the shell of the boat and toward one end and which is adapted for the discharge of the torpedo X; but a submarine gun may be located in the same position.

In practice I prefer to employ torpedoes of that type which are provided With propelling and directing means, the propelling means being electrical or pneumatic according to sonne known forme, and the steering mechanism being usually electrically controlled. Torpedoes 01" this type can be advantageously used in connection with my improved boat. Haretofore the use of these torpedoes has been limited because of the fact that no means have been provided for carrying them safely within range of the object of attack, and the range of the torpedo itself is so short that it could not be successfully used either oiensively or defensively against a war vessel carrying a modem long range gun. By combining a torpedo of this character with my improved boat, the boat and its attached torpedo may move under water to within range of the torpedo and the boat being brought to the surface the torpedo may be disconnected and discharged, its movements being controlled and guided by the gunner in the boat, and the latter can be bronght to the surface, the torpedo discharged and the boat withdrawn before the modern gun could be trained upon it.

A boat constructed as above described can be used for a variety of purp0ses. For example, in the examination of wrecks; in inspection of the character of the bed of lakes and other bodies of water; for the purpose of locating submarine structures; in the laying and inspection of telegraphic and other cables; and generally wherever it is desired to perform work below the surface of the water; but the chief object and aim of the invention is to provide a boat which shall be well adapted as a war vessel and particularly designed for the discharge of torpedoes.

The advantages of the boat above described for this last named purpose are perhaps sfficiently oovious as not to require extended mention. Attention is called to the fact bowever that sufficient celerity of movement may be obtained With a comparatively low motive power because the shape of the boat presents but little obstruction to its propulsion through the water. The main feature bowever is the ability to perfectly control the movements of the boat and to guide and direct it in any desired course without deflection whereby accuracy may be obtained in the discharging of torpedoes.

I do not inteud to limit my invention to the precise arrangement and details of construc tion except as indicated by the claims.

1 do not in this application make claim to the peculiar shaped hall, or to the feature of the vertically slidable smokestack, as such inventions form the subject matter of separate and divisional applications filed by me on September 25, 1893, Serial Nos. 517,156 and 517,155.

I claim- 1. In a submarine boat the combination With its propeller shaft, primary and secondary motors, connections between the said motors, and direct connections between each motor and the said shaft, the combination per- 105 mitting the accumulation 01: the secondary by the primary power, and the utilization of either power for operating said shaft.

2. In a submarine boat and in combination withthe propeller shaft au engine having dir [o rect connection therewith, a dynamo connection between the said engine and dynamo, and between the sbaft and dynamo, and a series of storage batteries, the oombin.tion permitting.the utilization of liquid orelectrioity 115 as a motive power.

GEORGE O. BAKER.

Wit n esses:

H. B. WILLSON, C. A. MICHENER.