US542876A - dezewiecki - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' S. DRZEWIEOKI. APPARATUS FOR EJEGTING 0R LAUNOHING TORPEDOES.

No. 542,876. Pat nted July 16, 1895.

WTNESSESa: I i

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Shee-t 2.

S. DRZEWIEOKI. APPARATUS FOR BJBGTING 0R LAUNGHING TORPEDOES.

Patented July 16, 1895.

W. WITNESSES.- NVENTOH QM W , RAMA,

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4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

S. DRZEWIEGK'I. v APPARATUS FOR BJEGTING 0R LAUNOHING TORPBDOES No. 542,876.

Patented July 16, 1895.

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(No Model.)

S. DRZEWIEGKI.

APPARATUS FOR EJEGTING: OR LAUNGHING TORPEDOES.

Patented July 16, 1895.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR' 9X3 WW %;,ATT0RNEYJ UNITED STATES 'PATENT ()FEICE.

STEPHANE DRZEWIECKI, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

APPARATUS FOR EJECTING OR LAUNCHING TORPEDOES.

:iPEGIEIGATI ON forming part of Letters Patent No. 542,876, dated July 16, 1895.

Application filed October 24, 1894- Serial No. 526,830. (No model.) Patented in France June 1, 1892, No.222,062; in England May 6,1893,N0. 9,041; in Germany May 14, 1893,110. 73,174; in Italy June 80, 1893, No. 34,028, and in Austria-Hungary December 5, 1893,1510. 26,162.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHANE DRZEWIECKI, engineer, residing in Paris, France, have invented certain Improvements in Apparatus for Ejecting or Launching Torpedoes from Torpedo Boats or Vessels, (for which I have obrained a patent in France, dated June 1, 1892, No. 222,062; in Italy June 30, 1893, No. 34,028; in Great Britain May 6, 1893, No. 9,04:1; in Germany May 13, 1893, No. 73,174, and in Austria- Hungary December. 5, 1893, No. 26,152,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for ejecting or launching torpedoes from torpedo boats or vessels, and consists in an improved arrangement and construction of the launching-gear, whereby the course of the torpedo, when released from the vessel, is

enabled to be directed or regulated with great precision and at any desired angle with the side of the vessel. The apparatus is moreover so arranged as to offer little or no resistance to the progress of the vessel through the water.

The apparatus heretofore employed for the broadside ejecting or launching of torpedoes, in which rails or guides are pushed out from the bottom or side of the torpedo-vessel, at right angles to the latter, to direct the torpedo as it starts on its voyage, presents serious disadvantages. The rails or guides being rigidly connected to the vessel, oifer considerable resistance to its progress through thewater, and the saidguides being caused to move at the same rate as the vessel, the torpedo on leaving their extremities receives a lateral impetus or bias in the direction of motion of the vessel which affects its course and renders it impossible to direct it with the required precision. The gear is moreover of a complicated character, and occupies a large amount of space. By means of my present invention these disadvantages are obviated.

With this object I employ for launching the torpedo abeam or guide, hinged to a sliding or movable frame placed in a chamber or recess in the side of the vessel. This beam or guide being normally secured in a position parallel with the keel of the boat until the launching takes place, is retained and released by any suitable mcchanism-such, for example, as that hereinafter, described. When released, the movement of the torpedo boat or vessel and the resistance of the Water cause the beam to rotate or swing backward and outward on a vertical pivot or hinge, the actual release or launching of the torpedo being automatically regulated or timed in such a manner as to cause it to be .disengaged from the beam directly the latter has moved through a predetermined angle-say ninety degrees,-for example. The aforesaid movable frame enables the beam, when clear of the torpedo and returned to the recess, to be transferred to a loading or charging box in the interior of the vessel, and forming a continuation of the recess, in order to receive a fresh torpedo. A sliding door or valve separates this loading or charging box from the launching recess and another door or lid enables the torpedo to be introduced into the charging-box from the interior of the vessel.

In order that this invention may be readily understood, 1 shall now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to the several figures on the annexed sheet of drawings, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in elevation and partly in longitudinal section a part of the side of a torpedo-- boat provided with torpedo-launching gear constructed according to thisinvention. Fig. 2 represents the said gear or apparatus partly in plan and partly in horizontal section. Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2, but shows the parts in a different position, the launching-beam being represented as having been swung outward so as to stand at right angles to the side of the vessel. Fig. fl represents in longitudinal vertical section the charging box or part of the apparatus in which the torpedoes are attached to the launchingbeam. Fig. 5, drawn to a larger scale, represents in transverse section, taken on the line 1 2, Fig. 1',the part of the apparatus on which the launching-beam is hinged or pivoted. Figs. 5 and 5 represent in elevation and in plan, respectively, partly in section, details of the mechanism connected with the pivot or hinge of the launching-beam represented in Fig. 5. Fig.6 represents in transverse vertical section, taken on the line 3 t, Fig. 1, the arrangement of the arms or claws by which the torpedo is attached to the lan nching-beam. Fig. 6 represents the said claws in end elevation. Fig. 7 represents in transverse vertical section, taken on theline 5 6, Fig. 1, the mechanism for effecting the longitudinal displacement of the frame carrying the launching-beam; and Fig. 7 represents a detail of this mechanism hereinafter referred to. Fig. 8 represents in transverse section, on the line 7 8, Fig. 1, a windlass and mechanism for controlling a hawser regulating the angle of the launching-beam. Figs. 8 and 8 illustrate in elevation and in horizontal section, respectively, the said Windlass, which is situated upon the movable frame at the opposite end to that at which the pivot of the launchingbeam is placed. Fig. 9 illustrates in transverse vertical section, taken on the line 9 10, Fig. 1, the loading or charging box, in which the torpedo is attached to the beam. Fig. 9 represents the lid or cover of the said box in plan. Fig. 10 represents the charging box in transverse section, the lid or cover being open and the launching-beam placed in position with its arms or claws open for the reception of a torpedo. Figs. 11,11, and 11 drawn to a still larger scale, illustrate in elevation, (partly in longitudinal section,) in transverse section, and in plan, respectively, a catch or hook employed for opening or releasing the arms or claws by which the torpedo is secured to the beam. I

The following description, with reference to the annexed drawings, of an apparatus for launching torpedoes arranged in accordance with my invention,is given merely as an example, showing how my invention may be carried out in practice without limiting my self as to the details of construction.

A s represented in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and t, the improved apparatus or launching-gear is provided with a launching-beam O capable of swinging on a vertical axis or hinge in a chamher a b c cl, formed in the side of the torpedoboat, which chamber can be closed by means of a door, as represented in Fig. 7. The said beam is placed in a horizontal position parallel with the axis of the torpedo indicated at T, Figs. 1 and 2, and is provided with two pairs of claws or curved armsm m nit, Figs. 1, 2, 6. and 7, which embrace and hold the terpedo T in position at the side of the beam. The latter is forked at the rear end, Figs. 5 and 5, and swings upon a hinge formed with two pins or pivots 0, passed through eyes in the extremities of the legs of the fork. These two pins, upon which the beam is capable of describing about half a revolution, are attached to the extremity of a movable frame M capable of being actuated bya rack 00 and pinion 13, being guided by longitudinal rails r. This frame is contained in the chamber claws.

or recess a b 0 cl in the side of the boat below the water-line, the entrance being provided with a sliding door 2, Fig. 7, controlled by mechanism connected with the door at two points and actuated from the interior of the boat, as indicated in Fig. 7.

The forward end of the beam can be pushed out of the recess by means of a lever L, working on. an axis 0', one extremity Z of which lever is situated inside the boat, the other extremity being forked,as indicated in Figs. 5 and 5 and engaging with a pin 2', provided on the beam 0. When the forward extremity of the beam is slightly protruded by the action of this lever,-the resistance of the water, combined with the motion of the boat, causes it to swing outward and backward, as represented in Fig. 3.

One end of a rope or steel hawser 1; is attached to the beam 0, the other end being made fast to a drum :5 in the interior of the recess a be d. This hawser is placed in clips 6, Figs. 3 and 7, arranged at the side of or above and below the beam. Starting from the drum 1!,

the hawser 2: is first laid in the lower clips 6, Figs. 3 and 7, back and forth from one end to the other as many times as is necessary, according to the length of the hawser, and then in the upper clips until its extremity reaches a lever-armf, to which the hawser is secured. As thebeam swings outward it is gradually pulled out of the clips, after which, being made fast at its two ends, it arrests the motion of the beam when the latter has swung outward sufiiciently, as indicated in Fig. 3. By regulating the length of the hawser by means of this drum the angle or direction of the beam when swung out can be accurately adjusted or regulated. Vhcn taut, the hawser acts upon the catch or hookf, Figs. 3 and 11, which is attached to the beam andcauses the curved arms or claws m m and n at, hereinbefore referred to, to open and release the torpedo T, Fig.3, which isthen perfectlyfree in the water, with regard to which it has no relative initial velocity, having received practically no impetus from the movement of the vessel. The said catch is in the form of a double hook-or lever-armf, hinged to the beam C, Figs. 11, 11, and 11", and acted on by a spring or springs f which tend to retain it in the position represented by Fig. 11. \Vhen pulled by the hawser 'v, the hooked lever-arms f act upon slidesf, jointed to levers or arms 72 on rods or shafts g g, arranged parallel with the beam and forming the axes of oscillation of the aforesaid curved arms or Under the action of the said leverarms the claws m m and n n are caused to open at the proper time (see dotted lines, Fig. 11) and release the torpedo, and at the same time the propelling mechanism of the latter is released, so that it immediately commences to move in the line in which it is directed when disengaged from the beam. The

boat continuing to advance, the beam 0 being supported by the taut hawser n, Fig. 3,

ICO

now moves onward with the boat without interfering with the motion of the torpedo T, Fig. 3. The beam is thendrawn or swung back and returned to the recess a b c d by winding the hawser on the drum t of the Windlass, Figs. 3, 8, 8 and 8 Worked from inside the boat by means of a crank 27 and suitable interposed gearing, Fig. 8. This drum is constructed to act on the hawser with a springy or yielding action, being provided-for this purpose with a spring or a series of rubber balls 29, Figs. 8 and 8", in the interior of the drum, acting against radial arms or stops provided on the drum and on the shaft.' When the beam has been returned to the recess, it may be charged with another torpedo by opening a door or valve V, Figs. 1 and'2, at the end of the recess communicating with a water-tight chamber or charging-box a b c 01, arranged in a line with the recess a b c d and provided with a removable cover u, Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 9, firmly secured by transverse bars and with bolts and nuts.

The launching-beam C, together with the frame M on which the said beam is hinged, are transferred from the recess a b c d to the charging-box a b c d by means of a toothed pinion 19, Figs. 7 and 7*, gearing with a rack 00 on the lower part of the movable frame M,

which'is guided by the rails or guides r, ar

ranged on the upper and lower sides of the recess and of the charging-box and engaging with projections formed upon the said frame.

When the frame M, with the beam 0 and Windlass t, have been transferred to the loading or charging box a b c d, Fig. 4, the valve or door V is closed, and after the water has been pumped out or removed from the charging-box the water-tight lid or cover U1 is opened, as represented in Fig. 10, thus enabling the men in the torpedo-boat to obtain access to the launching beam and gear in the said box. The hawser 'v is then unwound from the drum t and laid in the clips 6 attached to the beam 0. The upper claws m and n for holding the torpedo are then raised by taking out the pins h, Figs. 11, 11, and 11 connecting the slides f with the levers it fixed upon the shafts g g of the clawsm and 'n. A fresh. torpedo T, Fig. 10, can then be placed between the said claws m and n and the lower claws m n, which latter are supported upon a guide-rail s, after which the upper claws are lowered onto the torpedo so as to connect it to the beam. The connecting-pins h are then "replaced and a stirruppiece is, which releases the hammer or motor of the torpedo when the latter is launched, is adjusted in the proper position, after which the safety-key holding the striker of the torpedo is attached to a chain secured to the extremity of the frame. The cover-u of the charging-chamber is then tightly closed and the valve V at the end opened, after which the frame M, with the beam 0 and torpedo T,

are moved back into the recess a b c d, Fig.

of the recess, until the pin i on the beam engages with the forked lever L, which serves to push the beam out of the recess. By these means the beam is retained in the recess and cannot be moved outward except by the action of the lever L, being retained by the joint or hinge 0' at the end and by the fork on the lever L. I

All shafts or rods passing through the side of the boat work in glands or stufting-boxes to prevent leakage. In order to eject or launch a torpedo at any angle other than a right-angle with the axis of the boat, it is simply necessary to lengthen or shorten the hawser o by means of the Windlass t. The length of the hawser when taut determines the position or angle of the beam 0 at which the mechanism for opening the claws and releasing the torpedo comes into action.

At the moment when the torpedo leaves the beam the latter is almost stationary, owing to the resistance of the water, and the torpedo can consequently be directed with great precision. Owing to the movement of the beam upon its hinge, it exerts practically no pressure on the water, and after completing its movement upon its hinge or pivot it presents to the water a sharp angle formed by wooden slabs attached to each side of the iron bar or plate forming the core of the beam.

1. In apparatus for ejecting or launching torpedoes, a pivoted launching beam adapted to swing outward and backward from the torpedo boat, and carrying the torpedo, and means for automatically releasing the torpedo from the said beam directly the latter has moved through a predetermined angle, substantially as set forth.

2. In apparatus for ejecting or launching torpedoes, a pivoted launching beam adapted to swing outward and backward from the torpedo boat, and carrying the torpedo, means for automatically releasing the torpedo from the said beam directly the latter has moved through a predetermined angle, and means for adjusting this angle according to the direction to be given to the torpedo, substantially as set forth.

3. In a torpedo boat, the combination of a launching'recess open to the exterior and a charging recess, with a movable frame adapted to be transferred from one recess to the other, and a launching beam pivoted to the said frame, substantially as set forth.

4:. In a torpedo boat, the combination of a pivoted launching beam, with a launching lever engaging with the said beam to start the beam until the resistance of the water, due to the forward movement of the boat automatically completes the required movement on the, hinge.

5. In a torpedo boat, the combination of a pivoted launching beam adapted to swing outward and backward, movable arms on the said beam to embrace the torpedo, with a hawser, adjustable in length, adapted to limit the movement of the beam, and means act uated by the hawser when the beam has reached the end of its movement .to open the said arms to release the torpedo and the motor of the torpedo simultaneously, substantially as set forth.

(5. In a torpedo boat, the combination of a pivoted launching beam provided with a series of clips for the hawser, with a Windlass drum and a hawser attached at one end to the Windlass drum and at the other to the waste said beam, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a torpedo boat, the combination of a launching beam provided with upper and lower claws, with a charging chamber provided with rails to guide the lower claws, the upper claws being capable of being raised to admit of the introduction of the torpedo, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereofl have signed myname to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

STEPHANE DRZEWIECKT.

Witnesses:

LEON CRANCKENS, CLYDE SHROPSHIRE.

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