US1324904A - Tobpedo-gtjabd fob ships - Google Patents

Description

A C KNAPPr TORPEDO GUARD FOR SHIPS.-

AFPLICATION FILED FEB. I3, 1919.

1 ,324:,904. Patented Dec. 16, 1919.

2 SHEET$-SHEET I.

A C KNAPP.

TORPEDO GUARD FOR SHIPS.

. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 13.,1919. 1,324,904. Patented Dec. 16,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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A'C KNAPZ P, OF 'VICTORIA, ILLINOIS. I

'TORPEDO-GUARD FOR SHIPS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 16,

Application filed February 13, 1919. Serial No. 276,816.

Togall whomitmayconcem;

B i t.-known that I, A CKNAPP, a c tizen o fthe United States, residingat Victor1a, 1n the county of Knox and Stateof IlliIlOlS, have invented certain new and useful provements in Torpedo-Guards for Ships; and I do hereby declare the following to be a iulL-elear, and exact description of the invention, such as-will enable others skilled in the art .to which it appertains to make and se the same- 1 i his, i entien re a es to p o g a ds, and m re p tic a ly to a g d sp e e ly adapted to be applied to ships for guarding or protecting the same from attacks by submar ne beats- Qne of the main objects of the invention is to provide a torpedo guard which will exend comp ete y about t sh p s as t p te t he same item att k y orpe om any quarte a further o jec is to provid a s ppor structure adapted o fi bo e s p s as to travel therewith, this structure being provided with a plurality of outwardly projecting arms which supp rt protecting plates, these plates serving to efiectually prevent a torpedo ir n QQ l Qt l g-Wfih t e hull of the ship. v Another object is to provide means whereby, when o e o t e pr c ing Plate s s ruck y a t rpedo, a d pth b m l he a o cally project d inthe rec on r m which he torpedo is shot so as teinjer r de oy the s bmarine b t wh h fi d t etorpe Further objects will appear ;f -rom the detailed description.

In the drawings: I

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a guard constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is aside view of the plied. m

Fig. 3 is a" transverse section.

.Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 :is a fragmentaldetail of the means same, as apior controlling the circuit of one of the ns. Fig. 6 is a fragmental detail section through one of the guns, and parts associated therewith.

In carrying my invention into efiect,

provide a supporting structure which is adapted to fit about the hull of a ship, "this structure comprising an upper frame land a lower float v.1t'ram'e 2, which .is somewhat smallerthan the upper Qframe, these two frames being rigidly secured together by brace'beams Bthus forming a framework or cradle which is adapted to fit about the hull of aship so as to :bepropelled through the water therewith. This cradle is provided with horizontallyprojecting arms 4 rigidly secured thereto at their i-nnerends, the outer ends of these arms being secured to an outer float frame 5 which is normally-positioned beneath the water surface. This float frame is of substantially rectangular cross section and conforms in outline to the crib structure. The outer v,fioat frame .5 is disposed in uniform spaced relation to frame 2 and disp sed in the pl n of h inn r m hes two fl at i em be ng rigi ly necte y cing and c nne t n em rs 7.. E ch of the 'arms .4 is provided in its outer end with a vertical slot or recess which snugly receives the inner end portion of a support.- ing arm 8 hingedly secured therein by a pivot bolt 9. As will be noted, this arm pro.- jects a short distance acrossthe nppe'r face of the outer float frame and is so connected to arm 4; as to have free upward movement about its axis, While having its downward movement positively limited by the float so as to normally projectsubstantiallyhorizontally therefrom. At its outer end, ar rn 8 is rigidly secured to a cross bar .10. This cross bar receives inwardly directed horizontal pins llwhich are slidable through openings provided through the cross bar for this purpose, these pins being secured at their outer ends to a substantially rectangular guard plate 12 which projects above and below bar 1 In practice, there are a relatively great number of these bar-sand plates provided, each supported by a pair of arms8, and these plates are disposed with their ends closely adjacent, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, so as to form a completely closed protecting wall about the hull of the ship.

An operating rod 13 is slidable through the bar'l0 at thecenter thereof, the outer end of this rod being inserted through plate [l2 and secured against movement there- .threugh e her 'diiree en by Liam nuts 4.

At its inner end, rod 13 is pivotally secured in the bifurcated outer end of a rod 15 hinged at its inner end, as at'15, to a rod 15 slidable through a U-guide 16 secured on the u per face of float frame 5.1 r

R 15 is normally held 'n outward pk) sition by an expansion coil spring 17 mount-v ed about the rod and confined between an annular shoulder 18 formed on therod. and aguide bracket 19 secured on the upper face of the inner float frame 2 and slidably' receiving the inner end portion of the rod.

At its inner end, this rod is pivotally connected to the lower arm of a bell crank lever 20 the upper armof which is secured to a flexible member 21 for releasing a contact member. 22 for movement into contact with twospaced contacts23 connected to the 0pposite sides of an electricbattery B. A gun 24 of suitable type is mounted upon the top frame 1 in a substantially hor1z0ntal position, this gun being provided with a suit- .able breech block 25 which carries an electric'ally controlled firing mechanism includ ing members 22 and 23', and terminal members associated therewith for igniting an explosive charge, contact 22 being carried by a plunger 22' forced inwardly by an exansion spring 22*, and normally held out y. a releasing rod 21*.to which member 21 is secured, this rod being normally held raised by an expansion spring 21". The gun is adapted to receive an ex losive charge 26 for propelling a projecti e 27 therefrom.

This projectile is in the form of a depth bomb,containing an explosive chargeand being provided with a time fuse 28 which is adapted to be ignited simultaneously with firing of the cartridge. In practice, at least one of these guns ispositioned upon the top 1 frame 1 in alinement with each guard plate. When any one of the plates is struck either by a torpedo, or by a submarine boatitself, the plate will be forced inwardly so as to cause the gun to be fired thus discharging the projectile into the water over the guar plate, this projectile being exploded through i the medium of the time fuse soas to injure or wreck the submarine. In thecase. of a torpedo which is fired from a submarine boat, the projectile will be discharged me, straight line in the direction from which the torpedo was fired, so as to be positioned comparatively close to the submarine'at the time of its explosion. In the case ofa submarine boat being struck by one of. the

i guard plates, the gun will be fired thus giving a signal which'will' indicate accurately just where the submarine boat is positioned and'permit the same to 'be attacked with depth bombs of usual type. Ineither case the gun will act as a' signal and, in; the former case,'will also act to propel the projectileflin the direction from which the torpedo is shot and to thus possibly seriously injure or sink the submarine boat. In the event of a plate being struck by a torpedo which explodes, this plate and the associated parts can swin upwardl thus minimizing the effect of t e force 0 the explosion and preventin serious injury to the ship or to the guard therefor.

It will be evident that there may be slight changes made in the construction and arrangement of the details of my invention without departing from the field and scope of the same, and I intend to include all such variations, as fall within the scope of the appended claims, in this application in which a preferred form-only of; my invention is disclosed. I a i What I claim is: t V

1. In a torpedo guard for ships, the combination of a supporting structure adapted to fit about the'hull of a ship 50 as to be propelled therewith, float frames mounted in spaced relation with said supporting T of said guard plates and means for closing i the electric circuit or operating the. firing mechanism of each of said guns when the corresponding guard plate is forced inwardly. 2. In a" torpedo guard forships, a supporting structure adapted to fit about the hull of a shi so as to be propelled therewith throug the water, a float frame mounted in substantially spaced uniform relation tothe supporting structure, arms.

rigidly secured to said supporting structure and to the supporting frame for maintaining the same inproper spaced relation, supporting arms hingedly secured to the outer ends of the first mentioned arms for movement about horizontal axes, said supporting arms having their downward movement positively limited by the float frame so as to be normally maintained in substantial horizontal position, a cross bar rigidly sei cured to the outer ends of said supporting arms, a guard platesupported by sald cross bar for movement toward and away from the same, an operating rod slidable through thecrossbar and securedat its outer end to the guard plate, a rod hingedly secured at its outer end to the inner end of said operating rod, means for normally forcing said 186 rod outwardly so as to hold the guard plate spaced away from the cross bar through the medium of the operating rod, a gun carried by said supporting structure and provided with an electrically controlled firing mechanism, and means connected to said operating rod so as to be operated thereby for closing the circuit of the firing mechanism of the gun when said guard plate is forced inwardly.

in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses:

JOHN L.- RAY,

CARL V. NELSON.

A C KNAPP.

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