US1309121A - Planoaoapk co - Google Patents

Description

G. E. ELIA.

EXPLOSIVE MINE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 19. 1911.

Si er l I NTO/ME75.

G. E. ELIA.

EXPLOSIVE MINE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION man Nov. 19. |911.

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1MB coLuMBlA PLANoanAPnvco.. WASHINGTON, D. t:v

' G. E. ELIA. 4 EXPLOS-IVE MINE APPARATUS. APPLICATION man Nov. I9. 1917.

1,309, 1 Patented July 8, 1919.

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f its reliability.

UNITED sTA'rnsrAirnNT OFFICE..

` GIOVANNI EMANUELE EIIIA, 0F TURIN, ITALY.

Patented July. 8, 1919.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led November 19, 1917. Serial No. 202,858.

i all 'whom t 'may concern:

f Be it known that, I, GIOVANNI EMANUnLn ELIA, a subject of the King of Italy, residing at Turin, Italy, have invented certain y vnew and useful Improvements in Explosivef. MlneApparatus,

and I Ydo hereby declare Vthe following to be a full, clear, and exa'ct description of .the invention, such as will ,I 'Y enable others skilled in the art to which it y l()y "li'lhis invention relates toex-plosive mines appertains to make and use the same.

and is directed to the provision of apparatus forlaying mines within an area which 1s so protected by rthe mines ,or the navy or the vfortresses of the: enemy as to make it too i, dangerous for surface vessels to enter it.

l The .invention involves the provision of f. then discharging it and an anchor for means? forpropelling a mine a predetermined distance .whichvmay be as much as a hundred or several -hundred miles and the mine. Preferably, the mine, the anchor, and themeansf connecting the mine to the .anchor @are such'thatl when the ymine and anchor are' discharged, the vmine'automatically asf sumesa position at a predetermined distance below the surface of the sea.

l 'In accordance with the invention, a selfpropelled automatically steered boat 1s p rovided, eithera surface boat or a submarine i boat, arranged to carry'a mine and its Y anchor, andthe propelling apparatus of the boat has proceeded a liberate the mine after predetermined distance for which it was initially set to travel. Preferably the-boat employed for conveying the mine is a surface boat, kas the cost of construction of such a boat is small comy'pared to that of a submarine boat for accomplishing-the same purpose. It may be the boat is utilized to y propelled by any suitable mechanism, such,

y thereof for instance, as an electric motor supplied with current from'a storage battery or an internal combustion engine, the former beingipreferably employed on account of This boat may have an opening o-f -substantial size in the bottom normally closed against the entrance of'lwater by a suitable closure, and after `the boat has proceeded the distance for whichit was set, the propelling mechanism or Some other-mechanism provided on the boat may be arranged to release or eject the closure from the opening' so as to permit the sea water to' enter the hull of the boat andeafu-sethe boat to sink.Y

Ait the Y time The ytype of mine which I prefer to employ is that consisting of a mine casing for the explosive, an anchor, a paying-out gear carried by the anchor, a cable extending from the paying-out gear to the mine cas,- ing, and a stop for the paying-out gear controlled by a suspended weight. The closure for the opening in the bottom of the boat may constitute the weight referred to. With such a construction the dropping of the weight from thel opening in the bottom of the bo-at, ei'ected automatically as above outlined, would cause the paying-out gear to be locked and to be held in the locked condition until the boat lsank to the bottom, whereupon the pull of the weight would be-released from the lock for sired depth of submergence. At this point the operation of the paying-out gear would be arrestedV by any suitablemechanism so as to hold the mine at the desired position of submergence.

In combination with mechanism of the character described, I prefer to provide automatic means for exploding the mine in case the mechanism for sinking the boat or discharging the mine from the boat fails to operate after the mine lhas been conveyed the predetermined distance. The purpose of this mechanism is to eliminate the possibility of the enemy against whom the mine 'is sent, retrieving a mine apparatus which has failed to operate and turning it against those who devised it.

With such a mine-laying apparatus, it is possible to plant mines in a protected area without encountering means employed for protecting that area. For instance, a substantial number of the self-propelled mine-carrying boats maybe conveyed to a point adjacent to but outside the protected area of the enemy, each of them may be set to travel a selected distance and all of themmay be started in operation and released for travel into the protected area. Preferably the -boats would be sent forward under coverof darkness to reduce the possibility of interference with them by the enemy: Each `boat would preferably be provided vvith gyroscopically controlled steering mechanism for .gnidmg iton thev course selected for it. As eacl'i'boat reached' the end of its predetermined rerun, the automatic mechanism in the boat ivould Voperate f to release or discharge the mine and the mechanism associated With the vcasing forv the explosive of the mine would cause 'the casing to be anchored at the selected distance'below the surface of the sea;y Inthis Wayit would be possible ,tofso'w mines 'over an extended area `Which supposedly vvas protected against incursions of mine Ylayers sov vasy'to cause-the destruction of en'einyships which would proceed through'the varea `feeling assured that it was free' fromdangen The invention hereinabovefoutlinec'l be practised with 'apparatusvarying'between Wide limits 'fas to its character and structural` features.' The lself-propelled` boat forv lcarryingthe mine 'may bea surfaceboat` or 'a submarine bo'a't an'd'jmaybe constructed'hof any :suitable materials; 'tli'e'boat may-be prop'elled' by any suitable form of motor lniiech'ai nisin; and the planting of the "mine 'afterY the boat has proceeded zthe,selected 'distance may be effected by causing thebo'at with the mine vtherein'fto sink or by discharging-fthe llle-fifomthe boat. 'Fo'rth'is reason "I de'- sire tohave it 4i'ii'i'de'ijstood that the invention not -Vlimited Wit'lilrespect'to fthestructural v characteristics' 'of 'the apparatus employed for 4'practisingA it, exceptas may be indicated by- :the terms 'employed incertain of the claims appended hereto.

A. LI 'have illustrated diagrammatically v accompanying drawings a mechanism Which may be employed for ,practising them-ven gramm'atic AView illustrating the lmine-carry` ingpboat in j'thijee different positions; Figs;

Y* ZQand are diagrammatic longitudinal section and planvieyvs respectively vof the 'boat and the mine therein Fig. '-1 is "a vievvfillusi trating cer-"tain of the parts of-the mine; lii'g.` `V5171's a 'diagrammatic vieW *of certain of the"` electrical apparatus; and Figx isra sectional fvieW of the Weight Vfor larresting the'o'peration of"thepayingiout'gear of the mine. Y Referringv 'first 'to' Figs. '2 and B, tl'ilezjselfpropelled 'boat "for conveyingthemine i's indicated atv; It is preferably made 'of sheet steel lpressed finto the configuration re'- quire'd. It'inay befdcckedover entirely orito aconsiderabie extentl so 'as toprevent the entrance ofwater intofthve hull during the run.

InltheY draiifingsythe 4boatis shown 'asdeked spring 13 "blea'rsaftonc' endipon" agcoll'ar cai'` fi-ai-by sea i2 andai; the fanti-feudali@ `a standard, the construction being. such that l.when 4tlierod ,12 is released, it is" n 'ioved'int'he direction of its length the vspring; 13,tofiifiove the cover 9 from. 'the' closedposition in' Which it is shown in F ig.

2Ltozan open position at right anglesthereto. The boat is provided Witha propeller 14 driven from fa suitable motor carried by the,

In the presentl instance, yany yelectric having boat. motor loris shown for this purpose, i'tsfshaft lffp'rovi'ded with 'a' pinion =meshi with la gear on 'apropeller shaft'?, Which -f and carries tliepropeller ill. Current is supplied/to ythe"motor '15 yby a storage battery. contained Within Ta battery vbox 18.*5 'Thel motor llniay be belted :totali air compressor.

19 fors'upplying 'compressed airthrough fa ipe 2O toV a gyroscopic "steeringwgear 21.

"hissteering'gear iscOnneGte-'dby a link to `a crank on the ru'dd'ershaft.. :Thespecilicy j construction "of the? gyro'scopic steering igeaii need not be described in fdeta'i'l jas it v'may l#be j `ci any construction suitablelfor theipiiiqgfose'.-V

The fmjor 1'5, compressor i9 @adv-battery; box ijs,- arepieferbty 'nc'iQsed wthinfasuitl- L e Sofas ferro* ablecoinpartment by tect-them 4against"sica watten 'fiif such waterl' were to -"ga?n entrance to the hnllfl'off'the l In'thebottom of theh'ull ofttli'e boat is 'tnv open-ingof,substantial size, an'dthisfis 'closed boar f @tive the enfdf 'of a reciprocating lrcdf25. At

ifs released vfrom the openin'gfin 'the vhull fof the boat automatically topermit Water lto entertii'e -hullthrough the -Opening. Forth-is purpose' fthe rpropellerE sh'aity '11"7' or anypthdr shaft 'of 'the propellingmechanism jis arranged :to Withdraw the A'endfof-rod 25 :from

the recessi'nthe closure 24 after a ip'iedete1A'- mined period of operation' ofthe fpropelling f yi'ehaiii'sm; yThis 'is indicated'infliigssl and boat; The di'iving`;mechan is m for the member f2? 'includes a'l reduction gear 'andfmeans for'setting some part, such as'the membe-TQ?, tofcause operation olffrod25fat is 'indicated inFig/QVb-ythefWorm"28fonrthe the predetermined time, The ieduction gear shaft' 1 7 f and the wenn 'wheel' 1r29y with? which 1 f vvpoint by 'pin "30 for lockii'ig'the farm :27 to any one'fo theteetli of a ratchet 'Wheel' T31 secured frigidly 'gto the f'shaft fthe "Worm Wheel 'The 'end of armi?? 'is adapted to vengage the link. 26 at the end of the run of 1 y the'boatand move the rod 25 in the direction of its length to withdraw its end from the recess inthe closure 24'. For the purpose n o'fiinsuring that the closure 24 will be ejected from the opening in the hull of the boat v when it is released by a rod 25, a bell-crank v y levery 32 may be pivotally mounted adjacent g'to-the closure 24 with one end connected to i the rod 25fand the other end overlying the lclosure 24. When the rod 25 is moved to releaseclosure 24, it operates the bell-crank lever 32 so that the free end of the lever comes downcn top of theclosure 24 as the end of rodf25 is disengaged from the closu'recand thelever 32 for-ces the closure 24 downwardlyout of the opening in the hull oifjtheboat'.` yThe parts of this mechanism,

v that. isparts 25, 26 and 32, are normally held in the positions in which they are shown i `lbis" in Fig. 2, fby a' spring 33 connected at one end to therod25 jandat theother to a stationary elementf 1 Themechanism for releasing the closure 24-forthe opening in the hull of the boat may alsobe employed for effecting the openofitheboat. (In Fig. 2, the rod 12 is held in the position infwhich it is shown against thejtension oi, spring 13 by a latch on the end of ...a rod *Y 34. A spring normally presses ythis rod upwardly to hold its end in the notch in theQend, of rod 12. The lower V- end of rod 34is connected to one end of a piv- .f 35v otedbell-crank lever, 35 whose other end carries a pin 36 extending toward the link 26.-!When this link is operated by the arm 27, it is carried into engagement with the endo the pin36,thereby rocking the lever 35 and pulling the rod 34 downwardly until the end of the rod releases the rod 12 and thus allowsthespring 13 to turn the cover 9 totheiupright open position. v Withinthe'jboat isthe mine, consisting of the casing 37 for the explosive and the anchor 38. Within the anchor casing 38 ris a f out, gear illustrated diagrammati- 'f cally,ini Fig,4as` consisting of a reel 39 pivotallymounted upon the walls of the anchor ycasing 38. A cable 40 is wound on thisreel andY passes upwardly through a gu'ldeinthe top of the anchor casing, itsend Vbeing?l( :onnectedy,to.an eye 41 on the mine gfcasing`37.l iOne'endk of the reel 39 is proj vided vwith-gear teeth with which a'lockingdevice coacts. This locking device consists ,of-.a-:leve142 pivotally mounted on a stand ard 43 onthemine casing and normally held out ofzcontact with the paying-out gear by a spring 44. y A weight is connected to one end of thelever 42v by a iexi'ble cable 45. This 'weight mayform .the closure 24 for the opening in the bottom of the hull. When the 4weight is in .the opening,- the cable 45 is 65 slack, but when the weight is ejected from` i ing of the'cover 9 f or the opening 1n the deck l'has sunk a substantial distance,

the slack in the cable 45- is taken up and the weight transferred to the lever 42 turns the lever against spring 44 to carry its end into engagement with the teeth on the paying-out gear. This locks the paying-out gear and causes the mine casing 37 to be carried down with the anchor casing 38 and the boat 7 until the weight 24 engages the bottom, whereupon the lever 42l is again turned on its pivot by spring 44 to release the paying-out gear. By reason of this locking of the paying-out gear, the mine casing 37 is carried down withthe anchor and when the paying-out gear is released by the weight engaging the bottom, the buoyant mine casing 37 begins to ascend. AIts ascent is controlled by a hydrostatic device the opening,

operatingin conjunction with a second lock -or the paying-cut gear.

This hydrostatic device is shown 1n Fig. 6. It comprises a weight 46 mounted on the cable 40 and adapted to slide thereon. At a point near its end the cable 40 has a sleeve 47 secured to it. Inthe weight is a transverse opening adapted to receive a rod 48 whose end engages. a recess in the sleeve 47 to secure the weight to the cable. The rod 48 is pivotally mounted at its outer end upon a lever 49 pivoted upon the weight 46 and Ithe lever 49 is normally held in the position for locking the weight to the cable by means of the rod 48 by a spring latch 50 extending through an opening in an arm on the weight 46 and into -a recess in the end of the lever 49. The latch 50 is connected to the anchor casing 38 by a flexible connection 51, such that when the mine has ascended enough' to take up the slack in the connection 51, the latch 50 is withdrawn from its engagement with the lever 49. The purpose of the latch is merely to prevent disengagement of the weight 46 from the cable 40 during the initial downward movement of the boat and the mine carried thereby. After the mine v the lever 49 and rod 48 are held in the positions in which they are shown in Fig. 6 by a hydrostatic device consisting of a valve 52` connected to the lever 49 and bearing upon a seat formed on the weight 46. A spring 53 in the recess under this seat presses the valve 52 outwardly. While the mine is submerged to a considerable depth, the pressure of the water on the valve- 52 holds the latter upon its seat against the tension of spring 53. Whenv the payingout gear is released by the lever 42 and the mine ascends, the latch-50 is withdrawn during the early part of the ascent and the rod 48 is held in the locking position solely by the hydrostatic device 52. When the mine in its upward movement reaches the depth of submergence at which it is desired that the mine be permanently anchored, the pressure of the spring 53v overcomes' the pressure of the' wateren the outer `face of the Water,

side of the valve 52 and ,the` spring presses the valve and the lever-49 outwardly, carrying the end of rod 48 out of the recess lin the sleeve 47. The Weight 46 being .released thus, slides oli' of the sleeve 47 and ,down the cable 40 all the' Way `to the anchor cas.- ing. vAtthe anchor'casingthe Weight ,en-f` gages a lever 54 pivotallymounted u 'ponthel anchor casing at 55 and normally heldin the position in which it Vis lshovni in Fig. 4 by a shearing pin 56 of soft'metal. delivered .by the .'Weightfto the Alever 54 shears the pin 56andturns the lever 54 ony its pivot 55 to carry yit intoengagementmith the kteeth 'on the head of the reel'3'9'; -This locks vthe reel against rotation sojthat the buoyant casing '37 for the explosiveisvfheld atthedepth at which this ing-out gear operated.

Fig. l illustrates the boat .-vviththmmine therein proceeding on its run upon the surthe `openingin the vhull .of the boat being closed by the-Weight24. This figure also illustrates-the- :seconfd ,positiQn of the boat after thecover for the opening in the ydeck lhas been raised t'to thev upright position and the Weight has been ejected from the openin'gin the bottom! By lson of the ejection of the .Weight from the openV- ing, Water has entered the'hull :of the boat to such eXtentaslto cause it to sink :and the flexible lconnection from the ,Weight yto the lever .42 has been `dravvntaut. and jhas operated the levery 42 to lock lthe.paying'out gear `of the mine. The :figureA 'also fshoyvs the boat in a third position resting uponithe bottom of the sea. The Weight124 has struck the sea bottom and when the lever 42y ,Wasy

thus relieved of the Weight, it Wasopera-ted by its spring to release Athe ,paying-'out gfelar.'Y

On such release ofthe paying-out,geel?,A lille' buoyant casingk 37 fvfor determined depth of submergenceasfis indi-4 cated, at Which time the hydrostatically conftrolled lock for the Weight 46. operated to release the Weightand'a'llovv it to"d"e`.v scend to ,operate the Second lock v,forthe paying-out gear. v l x vIn combination With the kparts 'above described, an automatic firing mechanism-'is preferably provided for exploding the fn'iinlej in case the automatic 'mechanism Zforcau'sing the sinking oftheboat lfails' to oper`- ate. For this purpose fthje mine casing 37 has'a firing head 58 thereon and avliring pin v59 is mounted. opposite v this head. in suitable guides. A spring 60 is arranged to operate the lirin-g ping 59 when :the 1latter is released by alatch61 Whoseend is re#` i a recess inthe pin '59.`l The 61 lis operated by a` spring '6 2jact1ngy'ona bell-crank lever 63 connectedV to the detent.

ceived in One of the belll-lcrankf63 carriesztlhegrk larmature o f a Solenoid 6:4`vvhichijie connected *Gliby l the s'pringf62 andfioperation: ofthe `-firing 59by1vsp1ingf'v60 to'fire the "Infine loclz for vlvthe pay'.-

also

i the explosive-Was permitted to rise until j it 'reached tl1e1OlTe-v i mech anisrn for in `the circuitr of r the j electric motor 1 5. Tln`1s"\vli`ile'.the motorie supplied vithf'curf rent froinvthe battery 118, the solenoid 64 is energized and holds :its armature attracted against the-tension of spring 62, thus`,main` ejecting the2 closure 24 at the end of these-1 lecteldrun" v'ver'e t`o"1fail to operate, andina stead lthe boat/Were to 'c'ontinuefonits `.Way propelled by' the moto`r-driv6n"mechanismg the circuitof` the .niot'or would 'be auto'mati-fV cally opened,` resulting inldenergizationot the vsolenoid .64,1 withdr'av'valofv the `vdetent 'F'r this' purpose a sWitGh`65Sl0u11fd in position to be on Continuation of l 4um fmovementipfwhat armffb'eyondthe position for'y ejectlng `the heb tHe, ned

boat; propellingffpparatuztheefor means.; j 1.05 kof said propllngapparatus when theb'oatA for eliminati@ .ally fermnatngltheepelatih' ha'straveled a definite,fpredeterrninedfdis `v said propelling {mechanlsrnggvvhen 'suc tance has been j'traveled, fforlayllifl carried ,by thefhet; '.'Sl'lbstantially bells!L boat, La mine calied thereby aut'onaticall operatedjrnechanism for "th sink tothe bottom immediately t `e been dprofpelledia selected distance; an' au mat'ic'means for laying theminevvhenh hef;

boat sinks; substantially as 2 describedi 4. The' combination of` a boat for' ing a'mine,' an automatic propelling jin nism Within theboat, a mine; carril-iidv boat, .ineens Qpereted by theipiiil '111e'. i opening 'the hull ofthe' boat immediately y upon 'the' 4eoncll'isio'n offthj'e run' of .the boatQtoy permit lthe entrance offlsea vvater and thug lAs'inkf'the boat, .and mine-lay! sl'ibstantally as described.

ing:apparatusy operated when theboat 'i y.

"KY i' tainingthe deteni-,Bli'n the notch fin the fir-v` j ing'pin;59. Ifithauto'matic mechanism for 8 5 Weight 24 andfopening the'closure' purpose of thismechanismrjustdescribed 1s'Vr an. lautomati,cally 'terminating the .Soliera-vl. i i" l i' thepropeliingap-- loo L11.0 if* l l"boat, a mine carried thereby provided with Y vio mergence for which it is set immediately the ',boat has accomplished a run of denite,

predetermined length; substantially as de-I scribed.

G. The combination of a self-propelled Y boat, a mine carried thereby, means for autocarried a predetermined. distance by Ymatically laying the mine after it has been the. boat, and means for firing the mine automatically in case of failure of the mechanism to operate; substantially as described.

- 7V. The combination of a boat, a propelling mechanism therefor, a mine carried by the boat, and automatically-operated means for causing the mine to be discharged from the 'boat as soon as the b-oathas been propelled a predetermined distance; substantially as described.

8. The combination of a boat, a propelling mechanism therefor, a mine carried by the boat including a buoyant casing for an explosive Vand means for anchoring the casing at a selected distance below the surface of the sea, and means for automatically effecting the release of the mine as soon as the boat has proceeded a predetermined distance; substantially as described.

9. The combination of a boat, a propelling mechanism therefor, a mine carried by the boat including a buoyant casing for an explosive and means for anchoring the casing at a selected distance below the surface of the sea, and means operated by the propelling mechanism of the boat for effecting the release of the mine as soon as the boat has proceeded a predetermined distance; substantially as described.

10.v The combination of 4a boat, a propelling mechanism therefor, a mine carried by the boat including a buoyant casing for an explosive and means for anchoring the casing at a selected distance below the surface of the sea, means for causing the boat to sink after it has proceeded a predetermined distance, and means whereby the buoyant mine casing is then enabled to rise to the position forwhich it has been set; substantially as described.

11. The combination of a boat, a propelling mechanism therein, positively-operating mechanism for causing the boa-t to sink as soon yas it has been propelled a predetermined distance, and a buoyant mine carried by the boat which is floated from the boat when the latter sinks; substantially as described.

12. yThe combination of a boat, a propelling mechanism therefor, a gyroscopic steering mechanism for the boat, means operated by the propelling mechanism for admitting water to the hull of the boat to sink it, a buoyant mine casing carried by the boat, means for normally holding the mine casing to the boat, means for releasing said mine casing when the boat sinks to enable it to rise, and an ancho-r for the mine casing also carried by the boat; substantially as described.

1.3. kThe combination, with a mine-carrying boat; of propelling mechanism therefor; mine-laying mechanism; and a device for automatically bringing said mine-laying mechanism into action as soon as the boat has been propelled a predetermined distance.

14. The combination, with a mine-carrying boat; of propelling mechanism therefor; mine-laying mechanism; and a device operated automatically by said propellingmechanism, as soon as the boat has traveled a predetermined dis-tance, for bringing said mine-laying mechanism into action.

15. The combination, with a mine-carrying boat; of propelling mechanism therefor; -mmelay1ng mechanism and a device operated automatically by said propelling mechanism, when the boat has traveled a predetermined distance, for bringing said mine-laying mechanism into action; said device including a member which is settable initially to regulate such distance.

16. The combination, witha mine-carrying boat; of propelling mechanism therefor; mine-laying mechanism; a device for automatically bringing said mine-laying mechanism into action when the boat has been propelled a predetermined distance; and means for automatically exploding the mine in case the mine-laying mechanism fails to act at such time.

17. The combination, with a mine-carrying bo-at; of propelling mechanism therefor; mine-laying mechanism; a device for automatically bringing said mine-laying mechanism into action when the boat has been propelled a predetermined distance; and means operated automatically by said device for exploding the mine in case the minelaying mechanism fails Ito act at such time.

18. The combination, with a mine-carrying boat; of propelling mechanism therefor; mine-laying mechanism; a device operated automatically by said propelling mechanisnn) when the boat has traveled a predetermined distance, for bringing said mine-laying mechanism into action; and means for automatically exploding the mine in case the mine-laying mechanism fails to act at such time.

19. The combination, with a mine-carrying boat; of propelling mechanism therefor; mine-laying mechanism; a device operated automatically by said propelling mechanism, when the boat has traveled a predetermined distance, for bringing said mine-laying mechanism into action; and means operated vautomatically by saidi devi'ce for exploding the mine 1n case? the mine-laying. mechanism 4fails to act at suchtime.l

20. The combina-tion,l with: a'mine-carnying boat; of propelling mechanism therefor; mine-laying mechanism; and a. devicev for automatically bringing. lsaid mine-laying mechanism into action and terminating. the operati-on! of. said propelling mechanism whenV the boatl has been" propelled! a: predetermined distance.

2l. The combination; with a mineecarrying boat; of propelling mechanism therefor;

and a device operated automatically bythe propelling mechanism, when they boat khas traveled a predetermined distance', for ybringing the mine-laying. mechanism int-o action and terminating the operation.l of' said pro pelling mechanism;`

22. The combination, with a: minescarrying boat; ofv propelling mechanism there-- for; a controller for ter yinzit-ing the operation of the propelling mechanism; minelaying mechanism; a controller vtoi'elease said mine-laying mechanism; and a device In', testimonyawhereo I igeeagiai for.` automatically eliectingtheaoperation of- Imaticallyeiecting:thefloperationy of both controllers when the` boat has been. propelled. a predetermined.` distance# said device in cluding element-Which is 'initially settable, to regelateisuchdista-nee.v Y f l A Qlaflhe combination; 'Wit-h: a mine-car1y ing'boat off-propelling mechanism therefor;

minelay'i-ng mechanism. operable-- automatifcally tof rlaythemine propelled Aalfpre'determiiied'i distance; and

when the boat has been means-"operable automatically to terminate the openationv of.' the: propelling mechanism vand toi explode the` minel infcasefthe mine.- laying mechanism fails'to act. 1

aiitimysignature. QGLQVANNL ELIA...`

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