US693872A - Propulsion of torpedoes, &c., by compressed air. - Google Patents

Description

N0. 693,372. Patented Feb. 25, I902.

F. M. LEAVITT. PROPULSION OF TORPEOOES, &c., BY COMPRESSED AIR.

(Application filed Apr. 12, 1900.)

ZSheet-Sheat (No Model.)

.INVENTOR Patented Feb. 25, I902. F. M. LEAVITT.

PROPULSION 0F TORPEDOES, &c., BY COMPRESSED AIR.

(Application filed. Apr. 12, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

(No Model.)

FIG. 9.

INVENTORZ awu Q/Z By Attorneys, m1 650M M 'wglEssEs;

UNITED STATES PAT NT O FICE.

FRANK M. LEAVITT, OF BROOKLYN, NE'VV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO E. W. V

' BLISS COMPAN", OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF PROPULSION OF TORPEDOES, 866., BY COMPRESSED AIR.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 693,872, dated February 25, 1902-.

Application filed April 12, 1900. Serial No. 12,545- (No model-l To all whom, it 711,011 concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK M. LEAVITT, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Propulsion of Torpedoes, &c. ,by Compressed Air, of which the following is a specification.

This invention provides improved means for storing andgenerating power from compressed air especially applicable for use in automobile torpedoes, although in part available for the propulsion of other moving bodies or vehicles by means of the power stored in a reservoir of air under very heavy pressure. I

Myinvention is applicable where air is compressed to a high pressure in a reservoir or flask, being left stored therein until ready for use, whereupon the compressed air is passed through a pipe to the engine or motor which it drives. Thisjs the system heretofore used for the propulsion of the Whitehead torpedo. According to my invention I apply heat to the compressed air in the reservoir by effecting a combustion therein of a suitable combustihis material, such as a liquid hydrocarbon. Hence I provide a suitable charge of-such combustible material, either in the compressedair reservoir itseif drpreferably in a chamber communicatingtherewith, and when ready to utilize the power of the compressed air I ignite the combustible material and cause it to burn within the reservoir, so that its combustion serves to heat the air, and so increase its mechanical etficiency or capacity to do work. I effect the combustion of such material in a gradual and progressive manner, preferably by feeding it into the reservoir at a rate proportional to the fall of the pressure of air therein.

My invention also relates to means for lgniting the combustible charge at or shortly after the turning on of compressed air to start the engine.

My invention also relates to means whereby the igniter is set in operation by the launching of the torpedo.

Having-thus indicated the nature of my inventionJ will proceed toexplain theprcferred voir.'

mode of applying the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show itas applied in connection with an automobile torpedo, and wherein- Figurel isalongitudinal mid-section of the torpedo, showing its propelling and starting mechanism. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section of the middle portion of Fig. 1, showing the parts more in detail. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line' -l 3 in Fig. 2. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are enlarged detail views of the igniting mechanism in vertical longitudinal mid-section. Fig. 7 is a rear elevationof the cocking-plunger removed. Figs. 8 and 9 are vertical longitudinal mid-sections 0f the igniting mechanism, showing it before and after action.

In the drawings let A designate a compressed-air reservoir or flask; B, an engine or motor to be driven by the compressed air; 0,

a chamber containing the combustible material, and a a pipe conveying compressed air from the reservoir to the motor. Preferably I place, within the reservoir A a receptacle or vessel D, having an open top, but partly covered over by a hood E. A pipe b connects the bottom of the chamber 0 with the bottom depth, so thatin filling the chamber with the combustible liquid an air-space will be left above the liquid, as at 0 The pipe a is extended within the reservoir by apipe a, connecting it with the hood E, so that the compressed air passing from the reservoir to the engine is compelled to circulate first into the chamber D, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2. Communicating with this pipe I have shown a valve F, which is the ordinary charging-valve for automobile torpedoes, through which compressed air is forced into the reser- The pipe (1. leads to any suitable valve for controlling the admission of compressed air to the engine in order to start the engine, and for this purpose I have shown at G the ordinary starti ng and pressu re-red uci n g val vc used in the Whitehead torpedo, with its starting arm or hook by which the valve is opened, in the act of launching the torpedo in the well-known manner; but any other valve or controlling means may be provided, my invention having no relation to this feature.

Before describing the igniting mechanism I will describe the operation of the system.

Before admitting air into the reservoir A and while its contents are at atmospheric pressure the plug is removed, and therequired quantity of alcohol or other suitable liquid hydrocarbon is poured into the chamber O, so as to fill it to the level as established by the lower end of the tube 0', thereby leaving the air-space 0 above the liquid. The pipe 1) extends so high that no liquid will run over into the receptacle D while filling the chamber 0. The plug a is then tightly closed, and the reservoir being otherwise hermetically sealed air is pumped in through the valve F and pipes a a until the desired pressure is obtained-for example, fifteen hund red pounds per square inchwhere upon the admission-valve is closed or plugged, and the air thus introduced is left stored in the reservoir until power is to be applied. During this compression of the air as fast as its pressure exceeds that in the air-space c it displaces the column of liquidin the tube 11 and bubbles up through the liquid in chamber C, so that the air in the space is compressed to the same pressure as that in the reservoir. When it is desired to apply the power thus stored, the

starting-valve G is opened to admit the air to the motor B. As soon as the air begins to escape from the reservoir its pressure diminishes and the air in the space a expands and gradually forces the liquid to flow from the chamber G into the receptacle D. In the system shown all the compressed air is assumed to be in a gaseous condition, and the reservoir comprises but one compartment, which serves for carrying both the store of compressed air and the receptacle D, instead of comprising two communicating compartments for the air and the receptacle D, re-

spectively, as would be the case if the com-- pression of the air had been carried to the point of liquidity. At a suitable time the combustible liquid is ignited in the receptacle D, (by any suitable igniting means, preferably that to be hereinafter described,) so that the liquid will burn in the receptacle D, its combustion being supported by the compressed air, so that it burns rapidly, and its heat being given up to the compressed air, so that the latter is increased in efiiciency. The flames and hot gases resulting from this combustion mingle with the stream of air which is flowing into the receptacle D and out through the hood It and pipe a, the space around the hood being made amply wide to permit a flow of air so slow as to avoid blow- 7 ing out the flame. By the gradual expansion of the air in the space 0 as the pressure in the reservoir diminishes the combustible liquid is gradually and progressively fed into the receptacle l). Hence by suitably proportioning the volume of the air-space c to thequantity of alcohol or other liquid the flow of the latter into the reservoir may he graduated to any proportionate rate desired. I prefer to adopt such proportion that the flow of alcohol shall be continuous during nearly the entire period of generation of power, so that the last of it will not be consumed until shortly before the pressure falls to a minimum at which it is no longer available for power purposes.

The energy stored in a given weight of air, or, in other words, its capacity to perform work, is in direct proportion to its absolute temperature. It therefore results from my invention that the efiiciency of the air is so increased by the heat of combustion within the reservoir that a greater amount of power can be obtained with a given weight of air for the same period of time than the same weight of air can be made to produce when not heat ed. In practice I have found it practicable to add suliicient heat to increase the work done by the air about fifty per cent. My invention also avoids the disadvantage of the cooling of the engine and passages due to the expansion of the compressed air.

I will now describe the igniting means.

I provide a tube d, leading through the reservoir from its exterior to the receptacle 1), through which tube I may introduce an igniter H, which is shown partly in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and which in its preferred form is shown in detail removed 'in Figs. 5 and 6. At the outer end of the tube at I provide a lock or cooking mechanism which as a whole is designated J. This mechanism is contained within a shell I, (shown bestin Fig. 4,) which is adapted towithstand theheavypressure and provides a means for closing the outer end of the tube d against this pressure. \Vithin this shell is fitted a plug or casing K, which is preferably coned exteriorly and is ground to fit a coned socket in the shell I, so as to make an air-tight joint. In the upper part of this plug K is a cylindrical chamber in which movesaplunger L. (Shown separately in Fig. 7.) In the lower part of the plug is formed a cylindrical chamber in which moves a piston M, these chambersbeing separated by a partition 1'. The plug K is held down'wit-hin the shell I by a screw-plug 7;, which screws into a threaded socket in the shell I and carries a disk or cap 7;, which makes a tight joint with the top of the plug K, so that air cannot escape from the interior of this plug. The plunger L is pressed down by aspringc, seated within the cap I.:'. Through the partition i passes a rod or valve-stein f. This stein has at its upper end a coned valve or head which when it is down seats against a coned seat in the upper part of the partition '13, and at its lower end it carries aconed valve which when it is moved up seats in a coned seat formed at the lower'side of this partition thereby preventing leakage of air around the stem when it is in either position. The chamber m beneath the piston M communicates by a pipe m with the compressed-air conduit at auy'point between the valve G and the engine 1 -as, for example, with the valve-chest of the engine--as shown in Fig. 1, so that when air is turned onto the engine it will flow back through the pipe m and force up the piston M. The chamber above this piston is vented to the outer air by a passage 19, which is preferably led by a pipe 19 to an outlet beyond the igniting mechanism, as shown. Thetube (1 is continued through the shell I by an oblique passage (1 therein and inthe plug K, as shown in Fig. 4, this passage leading to the exterior. Through this here or passage the igniter H is inserted. This igniter is tubular and has a flange q, which is ground to a tight fit with a shoulder q in the shell I, and'when the igniter is in place it is forced tightly against this shoulder by means of a cap or screw-plug I, which screws into a threaded socket P in the shell I, so that air cannot escape around the igniter. The igniter is preferably a percussion fuse or primer of the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6.- It carries at its lower end a cartridge 2', con- 1 taining a slow-burning powder or other suitable combustible, which when the igniter is in place projects within the receptacle D; as-

shown in Fig. 2. An ordinary percussioncap '1" serves for igniting this cartridge. The cartridge-is carried at the end of a tube 3, which passes through the tube (Z and at its upper end is joined to a tubular shells, Fig. 5, of larger bore, which preferably is made in two sections, its upper part 5 forming a cap.

A rod Q, forming a firing pin or hammer, is

the upper side of the sleeve s, Fig. 5, and

engages the head Q in the manner shown in Fig. 8, where the hammer is cooked, its spring S being compressed. In introducing the igniter it is passed down through the passage (1 until the sear Z of the plunger, which is pressed down by its spring e to the position shown in Fig. t, catches the head Q, whereupon the cap P is screwed in and forces down the igniter until its flange 1 seats against the shoulder 11'. In this operation the hammer, being held stationary by the sear, the spring 5 is compressed, as shown in Fig. 8.

In operation the launching of the torpedo throws the hook 9 into position to openthe slaiting-valve G, which admits air-pressure to the engine and also admits compressed air through the tube on to force up the piston M, 1

as tobe ignited by the cartridge, after which the alcohol enters the receptacle Dat a uniform rate and burns as it-enters. After the operation is completed the apparatus may be prepared for another operation by first letting any remaining air escape from the reservoir A, then'unscrewing the cap P and removing the igniter H, applying thereto a new cartridge-r and percussion-cap r, and then reinserting the igniter and cooking it, as before described. A fresh charge of combustible liquidis introduced into C before again pumpingin air.

My invention is not limited to the use of a liquid hydrocarbon, such as alcohol, as a compressed combustible gas may he used or even a solid combustible material.

, My invention may be greatly modified in its practical application, and I do not limit myself to any one means of applying my invention. I prefer the igniting means herein described; but other igniting means may be used-as, for example, an electric fuse.

I claim as my invention the following-defined novel features, substantially ashereinbefore specified, namely: p

1. In an automobile torpedo, the combina tion with means for storing fluid under pressure, an engine driven by such fluid, and means for starting the engine upon thelaunching of the torpedo, of means for heating the fluid supplied to the engine, and means for starting the action of said heating means adapted tobe set in operation by the launching of the torpedo. I

In an automobile torpedo, the combination with means for storing fluid under pressure, an engine driven by such fluid, and means for startin gthe engine upon the launchin g of the torpedo, of a heater in which a combustible is burned for heating the fluid supplied to the engine, an igniter adapted to ignite said combustible, and means'set in operation by the launching of the torpedo for operating said igniter.

3. In an automobile torpedo, the combination with means for storing fluid under pressure, an engine driven by such fluid, and a starting-valve for admitting such fluid to the engine on the launching of the torpedo, of a heater in which a combustible is burned for heating the fluid supplied to the engine, an

igniter adapted'toignite said combust.ible,.

from the chamber Q into the receptacle D, so

and means set in operation by the opening of said valve for operating said igniter.

at, In an automobile torpedo the combination with a compressed-air reservoir, an engine, and means for starting the engine upon the launching of the torpedo, of an igniter adapted to ignite a combustible within the body of stored compressed air, and means set in operation by the launching of the torpedo for operating said igniter.

5. In an automobile torpedo the combination with a compressed-air reservoir, an engine, and a starting-valve for admitting compressed air to the engine on the launching of the torpedo, of an igniter adapted to ignite a combustible within the body of stored compressed air, and means set in operation by the opening of said valve for operating said igniter.

6. In an automobile torpedo the combination with a compressed-air reservoir, an engine, and means for starting the engine upon thelaunching of the torpedo, an igniter adapted to ignite a combustible within the body of stored compressed air and a fluid-pressure device for operating said igniter adapted to receive compressed air upon the launching of the torpedo.

7. In an automobile torpedo the combination with a compressed-air reservoir, an engine, and a starting-valve for admitting compressed air to the engine on the launching of the torpedo, of an igniter adapted to ignite a combustible within the body of stored compressed air anda fluid-pressure device for operating said igniter connected beyond said Valve to receive com pressed air upon the opening of said valve.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK M. LEAVI'IT.

Witnesses:

E. S. Pon'rnn, M. AnoNsoN.

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