US716517A - Steering apparatus for torpedoes. - Google Patents

Description

No. 7l6,5l7. Patented Dec. 23, I902, J. BURRESEN.

STEERING APPARATUS FOR TDRPEDOES.

{Application flied Sept. 2, 2902.

4 Sheets-Shut I.

(No Modal.)

N6. 7|6,5|7. Patented Dec. 23,1902.

J. BORRESEN. STEERING APPARATUS FOR TORPEDOES (Application 11168 Sept. 2, 1902.

4 Shuts-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

mmm: JWWZ Patented Dec. 23, 1902.. J. BORRESEH. STEERING APPARATUS FOR TOBPEDOES.

(Application filed Sept. 2, i902.) 4 Sheefi-Sheat 3.

(No Model.)

' Patented Dec. 23, I902. J. anm-zsan.

STEERING APPARATUS FOR TORPEDOES.

v (Applicatioh filed Sept. 2. 1902.

. 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

-nrri:n Sra'rns JACOB BORRESEN, OF C PATENT @rrrca,

HRI STIAN'IA, NORWAY.-

STEERING APPARATU$ FOR TCRPE-DOESQ SPECIFICATION zorming' part of Letters Patent No. 716,517, dated December 23, 1902. Application filed September 2, 1902' Serial lilo. 121,868. (No model.)

To, aZZ whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, JAooB Boasnsnn, a sub- -ject of the King of Norway and Sweden, re-

siding at Christiania, Norway, have invented certain new and useful'lmprovementsin Steering Apparatus for Torpedoes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,

'and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. v Y

My invention relates to steering apparatus for torpedoes, and more especially to that kind of steering apparatus in which a gyroscope is made use of, acting through a suitable motor on the vertical rudder each time the torpedo deviates from its course. In certain cases so-called adjustable gyroscopes are made use of, whereby it is made possible to eject the torpedo at an angle with the ob- Ject aimed at; and my invention consists in 25 means whereby such gyroscopes are made not I to act for a certain time after the ejecting of the torpedo, for purposes which I will now explain with reference to the annexed drawings, Figures 1 and 2, which show diagrams of torpedoes on their way after the ejection from a ship against another one.

When ships are provided with fixed ejecting-tubes and use is made of adjustable gyroscopes which allow the firing of the torpedo at an angle with the object aimed at, the torpedo will first move in a curve, steered by the rudder which is before the ejection set starboard or port,according to the circumstances. .It is evident that by such angular firing the hitting ofIhe object fired at will depend on a correct judgmeutof the distance between the two ships, because the true line a I) (see Fig. 1) will always be at an apgle with the, final course of the'torpcdo p b. This is, in fact, a very great drawback; and the object of my invention is to provide means whereby the torpedo is made to continue its circular course till it has reached the line a b, or ap proximately sothat is to say, in the neighborhood of the point q. My-invention in'this respect consists, broadly, in combining with the gyroscope and the vertical rudder of a.

operation on the rudder to steer the torpedo ina straight course from q to b. In this manner the distance between the fighting-ships is rendered unimportantfor the aiming and need not be taken in consideration when adjusting the gyroscope. The said time apparatus may be so constructed that it can be timed for difierent lengths'ot' arcs a q-that is to say, for difierent angles between the line a b and the actual ejectingdirection. A. special application may, however, be made of my invention for ships having fixed torpedoejecting tubes mounted for firing torpedoes in certain directions relatively to the course of the ship. An example is illustrated in Fig. 2, in which is shown a ship having a torpedotube directed at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the ship. With such torpedotube it is in case of a battle-ship desirable to be able to fire to pedoes directly sidewise and directly astern (for destroying a pursuing ship) or even directly ahead, and for this purpose I construct the steering apparatus so that it may either be adjusted for the straight firing or for a course of the torpedo, as indi cated by the lines a 1' b or a f c. In this instance I make use of a time apparatus with fixed time, while in the first-named example I makealse of a time apparatus with adjustable time.

As is well known, the gyroscope, in the usual arrangementyacts on thevalve governing the air inlet and outlet openings of the steering-cylinder through an arm or lever con ectod with the said valve (or its red) and wit 1 the vertical ringof the gyroscope, said ring having. a pin thatprojects into a slot in the said lever. The said time apparatus may, according to my invention, be combined directly or indirectly. with the said lever in such way "that the lever is kept out of engagement with the said pin until the distance for which the apparatus is timed has been passed by tile torpedo, whereupon the lever is allowed to come into engagement with the pin. In this manner of carrying out myjnvention the gyroscope will work freely with-.

out effecting any change in the position of the said governing-valve as long as the torpedo is in its circular path. I prefer, however, not to apply the time apparatus in this manner, but, instead thereof, leave the gyroscope in its ordinary connection with the airvalve undisturbed, so that the air-valve will move with the gyroscope-ring also in the said first period of the movement of the torpedo, and I apply on some pointof the. rigid connection between the vertical rudder of the torpedo and. the piston of the steering-cylinder, or on one of these parts themselves, a stop which keeps the rudder in its initial po sitiou until the time apparatus releases said stop, when the rudder will be under the influence of the gyroscope.

in the annexed drawings I have shown three forms of carrying out my invention.

Figs. 1 and 2 are diagrammatic illustrations of the operation of the device. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one form in which a time or distance apparatus with. fixed time is made use of and in which the stop is made to act on the rod extending from the steering-cylinder to the rudder. Fig. 4 is a side view of another form of apparatus in which the time apparatus is adjustable for different lengths of arcs. In this form of'apparatus I have shown the stop applied directly to the rudder. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views. Fig. 7 is a third form of apparatus; and 8, 9, and 10 details.

In the following description reference is had to Fig. 3. 1 indicates the shell of the torpedo, and 2 a partition-wall in the same. 3 indicates the slide-valve of the steering-cylinder. Its rod l is provided with a screwthreaded part 5, which carries the nut 6. The end 7 of the slide-rod l is square. The said not 6 has two pins 8, which connect the out with the forked end of the gyroscope-lever9, the pivot of which is indicated at 10. 11 indicates the ring of the gyroscope, and 12 a pin on the ring, projecting into the bi furcatiou 13 of the lever 9. is an internally-screw-threadedcylinder mounted inside the shell of the torpedo. In this cylinder a screw-threaded block 21 is placed, having lceyholes 22 on its upper face, enabling the screwing up and down of the block by means of a suitable key. Through a square hole in the bottom of the cylinder 20 passes a square rod 23, the upper end 24; of which is round and is connected. with the screw-block, so that the latter may turn on this round end,as shown. The lower end of the rod 23 is by means of a link 25 connected with a crank 26, the hub of which has a square hole'which fits on the square end 7 of the valve-rod 4. The operation of this part of the mechanism is as follows: When the block 22 is screwed clown-,thc valve-rod 4 will be turned, and thereby as the nut h is held stationary by the lever 9 the rod will, on account of the sorewthreaded part 5workin the nut, be displaced longitudinally.

dream When the c'auk 26 is in the middle position (indicated by the line 'm,) the steering-valve 3 will be adjusted for midship-rudder in the position indicated by the line b, the valve will be adjusted for port-rudder, and in the drawn position it will be ad ustet-l for starboard-rudder at the ejection of the torpedo. The square end 7 of the slide-rod moves freely in the boss-hole of-the crank v26, so that when the gyroscope works the lever 9 may without hindrance of the crank 2t move the slide 3 longitudinally.

30 is a rack which can slide freely in the guide-piece 31,mounted on the partition-wall The rack is by a link. 29 connected with the pin ofthe crank 26. 32 isatoothed hollow cylinder, having an extension 33, which has bearing in a guide-piece 34;. The toothed-cylinder32 is carried by a screvwthreaded rod 35, screwed into the'screw-threaded bore 36 of the cylinder. torpedo, establishing in the usual way connection between the rudder and the steering cylinder governed by the slide-valve 3. The steering-rod carries a collar 49, and behind the steeringn'od an arm 48 is pivoted at 47. This arm'is held down on the rod, either in front or in back of the collar or directly down upon it, by its own weight assisted by the spring 46, and extends immediately above the end 37 of the cylinder 32. it will be uuderstood that the arm, when in position in front or back of the collar, will serve as a stop for the steering-rod, the latter being in this manner held port or starboard by the arm, so that it cannot be moved by the steering-cylinder. This part of the mechanism works as follows? When the block 22 is screwed down so that the crank 26 obtains the position m, the rack 30 will be ptshed to the left,thereby turning the toothed cylinder so that it will screwitself up on the rod 35. If the block 22 is screwed down so that the crank 26 obtains the position b, it will be seen that the rack will be pulled back to the illustrated position, thereby lowering also the cylinder 32 to the position shown in the drawings. From this it will be understood that when the block 22 is set for midship-rudder the top of the extension 33 of the cylinder will in this manner be adjusted to a. higher position than when the block is set for starboard or port rudder, and it will thereby lift the arm 48 so much that the collar 49 can pass freely underneath the bent part of the arm. in other words, in this position the steering-rod will be free to move either way from the moment of starting.

repr sents a shaft of the machinery of the torpedo, being so connected with the mo tor-shaft or rotation in the moment the torpedo is ejected. The shaft carries a cam-whe 41, against whichn rod 42 is hold, as shown. The rod has bearing 4.3 in the partition-wall and is, g by means of a bell -crank lgpivoted at 45,001:- i nected to the lower end of the aforesaid rod 50 is the steermg-rod of the.

a clockwork that it is set at $10 v with screw-threads.

35. The operation of these parts is as follows: When the torpedo is ejected, the shaft 40 will commence moving and the cam-wheel 41 will push the rod l2, and thereby the rod 35, with the cylinder 32, and its extension will be lifted, and the latter will, after a certain fixed time, hit the arm 48 and lift it, so that the steering-rod will be free to move. This will be the same whether the arm lies as shown or on the other side of the collar.

The manner of using the apparatus will be clear from the above without further explanation, and I shall only add that the drawings are only to be considered as diagrams illustrating the working of the device. The details may in practice be constructed in any suitable Way.

In Figs. 4, 5, and 6 I have illustrated another form of my apparatus, the same being provided with an adjustable time device. 1 indicates the shell of the torpedo. is one of the fins, and 61 one of the vertical rudders, having one ofits bearings in the'shell at 62 and the otherat 63 near the edge of the fin. 64 is the tube which serves as a shaft for one of the propellers. This tube is provided at 65 Above this point on a fixed axle 66 a gear-wheel'67 is loosely mounted, engaging with its teeth the threads of the screw 65. wheel 68 is also loosely mounted on the axle 66. By means of a screw or pin 69 in the wheel 67 entering a hcle 70 in the wheel 68 the two wheels may be coupled together in a simple manner. The wheel 68 is provided with a spiral groove-71 on its inner side, and entering this spiral groove is a pin or projection 72, carried by a radially-movable push- "rod 73, mounted in a radial slot 74 in the fin 61. Near the edge of the fin 'anarm 8,0 is mounted. It is shown as composed of two branches, one on each side of the fin and united at the fulcrum by the pin 81, at the middle by a stay 82, and atthe end, while on the under side it carries a triangular lug 83, which serves as a stop for the rudder. The arm is held downby a two-armed spring 84, acting against ribs' on the fin. In the position shown the said lug holds the rudder starboard. When' the screw 65 rotates, it drives the wheel 67, and this, being coupled with the wheel Us, causes this to rotate, and the spiral groove on the latter will force the push-rod 73 outwardly, so that its end will hit the arm 80 and lift it, whereby the rudder will be released, so it'can move freely. By loosening the screw 69 the wheel 68 maybe turned, whereby the starting position of the push-rod 73 is adjusted, and thereby the apparatus timed. An index may, as shown, be provided on the rod, whereby the exact adiutstment for different angles of ejection may be provided for.

It need not be explained that an adjustable time device, constructed upon the lines here described or of other suitable construction,

may also be combined with the apparatus Close to this gear-wheel another first described. I may also instead of applythe gyroscope-valve and the steering-cylinder. How this maybe done I have illustrated in Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10. der, ahd b b and c c the air-conduits leading from the gyroscope-valve to either side of the piston. d is a valve which is hollow and provided at ewitha row of holes open'ingihto an annular chamber connected by a tube f with the compressed-air reservoir of the torpedo. IAt two places the body'of the valve is perforated-namely, at g and at h-which perforations are. placed at an angle with each other and so as to, in different positions of the valve, correspond with the conduits b 0,

respectively; Besides these perforations the valve-body is provided with two axial grooves Zm,which are disposed respectively above and below theperforations h and g, extending to the outside of the valve-housing. When the valve has the position shown, the-perforation 71 corresponds with the air-conduit o and the groove 7- with the air-conduit b, as

clearly seen from the sections, Figs. 9 and 10, which are taken, respectively, on the lines 9 9 and 10-10, Fig. 7. In this position air is led from f through the valve, the perforation h, and the conduit 0' into thecylinder to the left-hand side of the piston, which will there- -fore be held in the position shown, the air on right-hand side having exit through the conduit band the groove 1. I When the valve is turned about sixty degrees, the connections will be so as to keep the cylinder in its left-hand-position. Thevalveisfurthermore provided with cross-channels n 0, which are dis the steering-cylinplaced in the same plane, the one above the other and at an angle of about sixty degrees with the perforation g and groove 'm. When the valve is turned so-as to bring these channels to correspond with the air-conduits b b and c 0, there will be no connection between the air-pipefand the cylinder, and the air let into the conduits band 0 by the gyroscopevalve will, unhindered by the valve d, pass to the cylinder a, which will then act freely under lBhB influence of the gyroscope-valve. The stop-valve d is acted upon by a springp, fastenedto the valve andtto the valve-hoes ing, as shown, and it tends to turn the valve in the direction indicated by an arrow in Fig. 8. On top of the valve is mounted an arm r,,'pivoted at s, so it can swing a little in a vertical plane, a spring t holding it down. On the underside this arm carries a tooth M, which by the action of the said spring is held in engagement with notches v 'v' v" in an arc to, mounted in suitable manner concentric with the valve. The arm '1' isprovided with a laterally-projecting arc-shaped extension 7". 02 indicates a lifting member, of a similar nature and arrangement as the piece 33 in Fig. 1 or the piece 73 in Fig. 2. The working of this apparatus is as follows:

If the arm '0' is set as shown in Fig. 8 at the start of the torped s, the connection of the airconduitswill he as above described and the piston will be held in the right-hand end of the cylinder till the lifter 03 touches the under side of the arm r and lifts the tooth 100L113 of engagement with the notch c, this mo ment being, shown in Fig. 7.) The spring 19 will then turn the valve one hundred and twenty degrees and bring the channels 71 and o to correspond with the air-conduits b h' and l t ,hncrcai't-er the wnoie mechanism will he under the action of the gyroscope. The areshaped extension '1" of the arm r serves as a rest for the arm on the piece m while swinging around, preventing the tooth it from engaging the notch 71. When the-arm at the start is placed so that its tooth engages the notch '0', the piece a; will hit the arm atits extension and lift it, as in the former instance.

I claim i 1. In atorpedo, steering mechanism, means whereby such mechanism is held temporarily in a given position, means for automatically changing the position of the steering mechanism to alter the course of the torpedo, and means for preventing such alteration of course for a predetermined time after the ejection of the torpedo.

2. In a torpedo, steering mechanism, means whereby such mechanism may he held in a certain position fora predetermined space of time after the eiection of the torpedo and means for automatically changing the position of thesteering mechanism after the expiration of such time.

In a torpedo, a rudder, means whereby the rudder may he held in suclra position as to direct the torpedo in a curved path for a predetermined space of time after its ejection, and means for automatically changing the position of the rudder after the expiration of such time in such manner as to alter the course of the torpedo from a curved to a straight path.

4. In a torpedo, steering mechanisnnmeans whereby such steering mechanism may be temporarily held in a position calculated to cause the torpedo to travel in a curved path for a predetermined time after its ejection, means for automatically shifting the position of such steering mechanism and directing the torpedo in a straight line directly away from the starting-point, and means for holding such shifting mechanism out of operation until the expiration of the predetermined time.

5. In a torpedo, the combination with the gyroscope, the steering mechanism and means for transmitting the movements of the gyroscope to the steering mechanism, of means whereby such transmission of movement is prevented. for a certain predetermined time after the ejection of the torpedo.

6. In a steering mechanism for torpedoes, the combination with a rudder, of agyroscope,

means for holding the rudder in a desired po sition for a predetermined time after the ejection of the torpedo, and means for automatic ally releasing the rudder and bringing it under the influence of the gyroscope at the expiration of such predetermined time.

7. In a steering apparatus for torpedoes, the combination with the gyroscope, the steering valve, the steering-cylinder and its piston. the steering-rod, and the vertical rudder, or" means for holding the latter in a certain po* much a predetermined time alter the ejection of the torpedo, and means for automatically releasing it and bringing it under the in fluence of the gyroscope when the said predctermined time has elapsed.

8. In a steering apparatus for torpedoes, the combination with the gyroscope, the steering-- valve, the steering-cylinder and its piston, the steering-rod, and the vertical rudder, of a stop for holding the rudder arrested in a certain position, and a time apparatus con prisin a rotary part of the mechanism of the torpedo and a pusher which is capable of releasing the said stop when being moved by the said rotary part.

9. In asteeringapparatus for torpedoes, the combination with the vertical rudder, the steering-rod, and means governed by a gyroscope for moving the latter, of a stop for holding the rudder port or starboard independent of the action of the gyroscope, and an adjustable time apparatus connected'with he lorpedo mechanism and comprising a movable part capable of displacing the said stop flflli thereby releasing the steering mechanism.

10. In a torpedo, in combination, gyroscope,a gyroscope slide-valve, ascrew-threaded part on the rod of said slide-valve, a nutthreaded on said part, a two-armed lever pivotally connected with said nut and in engagementwith the pin of the gyroscope-ring, a

square extension of the said valve-rod, a cranlr longitudinally movable on said'sqnare part, means accessible from the outside of the tor pedo for adjusting the said crank in different positions correspond'ng to port, midship and starboard position of the rudder, a time apparatus, a stop-levercooperating with a stopon the steering-rod of the torpedo, a pusher connected with the time apparatus and adapted to he moved into engagement with and push the stop-lever out of engagement with said stop, a toothed'cylinder forming part of the said pusher and screwed on a threaded portion of the same, a rack in engagement with the teeth of the said cylinder, and a link connecting the rack with the aforesaid adjustable crank.

in witness whereof. I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two Witnesses.

JACOB BORRESEN.

Witnesses:

J OB VAALER, 0. MtiLLnn.

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