US2411156A - Automatic stabilizer - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 19, 1946. G. GRIMMINGER 2,411,156

AUTOMATIC STABILIZER Filed March 26,1945

FIG. 1

44 as 35 I2 1 N V EN TOR.. GEORGE GRIMMINGER 11118 ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 19, 1946 uuirs s'r ZAlLiSt 2 Claims.

Towed bodies of the type mentioned are used in antisubmarine warfare, but, in principle, the invention is not limited to such use. When so used, however, the body, which may hereafter be termed a torpedo, is properly towed by means of a cable secured to the towing vessel, and is intended to be positioned astern of the towing vessel, and at depths which will vary with circumstances.

Proper depth can be reached without great difficulty, by adjusting the length of the towing cable and the angle of the depressing planes ofthe torpedo to provide adequate negative lift, or depressing force.

The problem of lateral stability, and thus also the maintenance of depth, is much more dimcult. Under tow, an antisubmarine torpedo of the nature described soon begins to swing on the towing cable out of its proper vertical relation with the towing ship. The action is progressive, and it is not uncommon, if normal speed is maintained, for the torpedo to rise, outwardly, until it breaks the surface of the water.

The usefulness of devices of this kind, of course, depends on their being towed at considerable depth. Numerous attempts have been made to prevent the erratic behavior mentioned, but none has been entirely successful The principal obj ect of this invention is to provide means for maintaining the lateral and directional stability of a torpedo or similar body, said means comprising a simple pendulum and linking mechanism between the same and the rudder.

Other objects will appear from a reading of the following specification and claims.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section midway through the shell of a torpedo adapted for towing, only the after portion of the torpedo being shown, and Figure 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, It represents the shell of a torpedo, the forward portion of which may be assumed to be of normal streamlined form, and to be provided with a wing member of usual construction, and means for securing a towing cable.

At the stern of the torpedo are arranged horizontal fins or stabilizers H and I2, and. vertical fins l3 and I4, and aft of fin M is a vertical rudder l5. A bracket l5, mounted on the top amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) of fin 54, receives the top of the rudder post ll. Below, the rudder post passes through a bearing journal E6, and into the torpedo. The lowerend of the post has secured thereto an arm or tiller is which extends forwardly, and in which is arranged a verticall depending crank pin 20. A washer i9 is shown on the post ll between the journal it and the arm I!) for promoting free movement therebetween.

Hung from the top of the body it, as by screws 2i and 22, is a bracket 23 provided with two longitudinally spaced members 24 and 25. These members have aligned holes formed therein to receive a clevis pin or pintle 26.

Suspended for free oscillationon the pintle 26 is pendulum which comprises a bar 21 and a weight or bob 23. As shown, the bar is provided with an enlargement 29, serving as a stop, and securing means 30 in thenature of a nut. The

bob 28 has a vertical hole formed therein, and

is adapted to be slipped over the bar 21, and up against the stop 29, whereupon the parts are secured together by tightening the nut 30.

It will be seen that the pendulum thus is adapted to swing transversely of the central vertical longitudinal plane of the torpedo.

Stops 3i and 32 are arranged in the lower portion of the body in the path of the lower end of the bar 21, and these stops limit the oscillation of the pendulum.

A lever 34 extends from the pendulum bar 21 to the depending pin 28 of arm I9. It is bifurcated at its forward end, thereby forming the two fingers 35 and 36 spaced apart slightl wider than the diameter of bar 21. The lever is similarly forked at its after end, for cooperation with the pin 20.

Somewhat aft of the pendulum is arranged a supporting member 38. This is shown as an angle bar, though it may be of any desired construction. The support is secured to the sides of the shell It in any convenient manner, as by welding.

A bolt 39, or similar member, is provided to serve as a fulcrum for the lever 34; and the lever, where it passes support 38, has a Vertical opening formed therein to receive the bolt 39. Preferably, reinforcing bosses, as 40 and M, strengthen the lever at this point; and a filler block 42 is secured in the angle of member 38. To assemble the structure shown, the fulcrum member 39 is passed downwardly through a washer 44, and through the boss to, the lever 34, boss 4|, washer 35, support 38, and filler block 42. It is then secured by a nut 43. Washers M and 45 assist in maintaining freedom of movement about the fulcrum.

It will be seen that a movement of the pendulum, to starboard for example, will produce a like movement of the forward end of lever 34, the exact amount, relative to the movement of the pendulum bob, depending upon the point at which contact is made between the lever and bar 27. The lever pivots on fulcrum 39, and its after end thus moves to port, producing, through its cooperation with pin 29, a like movement of arm l9 and a rudder movement to starboard,

In actual operation, of course, it is not intended that the pendulum move; rather, it is provided for the purpose of maintaining itself in true vertical relation. But any lateral movement of the torpedo body will produce a relative change in pendulum position which will result in a rudder movement opposing the lateral movement of the torpedo. Thus, should the torpedo swing to port, the pendulum will move efiectively or relatively to starboard, and the other parts will react as explained in the preceding paragraph to bring the torpedo back to proper course.

'The above description is in specific terms. It is not intended, however, to restrict the invention to the exact structure shown and described; but for the true limitations of the invention, reference should be had to the appended claims.

This invention may be manufactured and/or used by or for the Government of the United States of America without the payment to me of any royalty thereon or therefor.

I claim:

1. In a towed underwater body, means automatically maintaining lateral and directional stability comprisin a pendulum including a supporting bar and a bob, a bracket in the top of the body for supporting the pendulum for swinging movement transversely of the central vertical longitudinal plane of the body, a vertical rudder having a post extending into the,body aft of the pendulum, said post supporting said rudder for swinging movement into and out of the said central vertical longitudinal plane of the body, a tiller fixed to and extending forwardly of said post, said tiller provided at its forward end portion with a vertical crank pin, a bar fixed transversely within said body intermediate the pendulum and the tiller and provided with a vertical pivot, and a lever havin forked forward and after ends respectively straddling said supporting bar and said crank pin, said lever being mounted for swinging movement about said vertical pivot, said bob being of a mass sufiicient to control the rudder without the aid of any power source, said pendulum upon alignment with said central vertical longitudinal plane so disposing said lever as to align said rudder with said longitudinal plane, and said pendulum upon transverse swinging movement in either direction imparting movement to said lever to swing said rudder in a corresponding direction.

2. In a towed underwater body, the means recited in the preceding claim, said body being of conventional streamline form having a transversely curved inside surface, and transversely spaced abutments fixed within said body in the path of travel of said pendulum to limit movement of said pendulum in either direction from said central vertical longitudinal plane so as to prevent denting or wedging engagement of the pendulum bob with the transversely curved inside surfac of said body.

GEORGE GRINHVEENGER.

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