US458677A - howell - Google Patents

Description

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J. A. HOWELL. MARINE TURPBDU.

110.458,67?. Patented Sept. 1,1891.

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Patented Sept. 1,1891.

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J. A. HOWELL.

MARINE TURPBDO.

110,458,677. Patented Sept. 1 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JHN ADAMS HOWELL, 0F TlIE UNITED STATES NAVY.

MARINE' TORPEDO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 458,677, dated September 1, 1891. Application tiled February 23, 1889. Serial No. 300,796. `(No model.)

To a/ZZ whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN Anims HOWELL, of the United States Navy,have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Marine "1orpedoes, of which the following'is a specification. v

My invention has relation to an automobile o`r self-propelling marine torpedo of the same general type as that setforthin myLetters Patent, No. 311,325, of January 27, 1885, the n10- tive power being furnished by'one or more fly-wheels which, previous to the launching of the torpedo, are put in rapid revolution, and the torpedo being provided with diving and steering rudders, by which it is autom'atically maintained in a straight course and at a predetermined depth in the water.

My present improvement has more particular reference to a torpedo of the kind in which the axis of the ily-wheel liesin the longitudiv nal axis of the torpedo; and they consist in certain arrangement or construction of the propelling and diving mechanism by whiehI am enabled to neutralize the tendency of the torpedo to roll about its longitudinal axis by reason of the friction of the ily-wheel axles and shafts in their bearings and by reason of the rolling leverage which would, in the absence of my improvement, be created in gearing down from the fly-wheel shaft to the propeller shaft or shafts.

The nature of my improvements andthe manner in which the same are or may be carried into effect can best be explained and understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a horizontal and Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of so much of the rear portion of the torpedo as needed to illustrate my invention. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section, on an enlarged scale, of the main ilywheel and shaft and its gear to the propellershaft. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the gearing connecting the ily-wheel shaft to the pro palier-shaft, and Figs. 5 and G are enlarged views of the mechanism shown in Figs. 1. and 2.

The ily-wheel F (shown in Figs. 1, 2, and Si) is mounted on an axle which lies in the longitudinal axis ofthe torpedo. This axle is su pportedin suitable roller-bearings u, o, fixed in place in the frame-work which supports the central section of the torpedo. The friction of the fly-wheel axle and shaft in' their bearings tends to revolve the torpedo itself on its longitudinal axis in the saine direction as the direction of the revolution of the ilywheel. flhis tendency is eounteracted by means of two vertical rudders A A',Fig. E2,whieh, from the method and effect ot' their action, are called helicoidal rudders. NVhen acted upon by their mechanism, they swing in opposite directions, and thus act only as aserew to roll the torpedo. They are operated as follows: The rudder-posts B B, Fig. 2, pass verticallythrough the shell of the torpedo, being pivoted at their outer ends to small fins a: m, and at their inner ones to supports secured to the bulk-head ll. To their inner ends are secured arms N N, Fig. 1, which are connected by links L L to arms I l, Figs. 1, 5, and o', which in turn are secured to the tiller-axle (l C. The tiller l`, which is protected by the box Figs. 1 and is operated by pallets which are brought to engage in the cams Il' il' by the action of thependuluin llLFigs, 2 and 6, which is connected to thetiller-arm by a flexible axis Y. The tiller-arm is pivoted at its center or horizontal axis on the prolongation of the fiexible axis Y,protected by the box 1j, and at each end is formed or provided with a pallet to engage the cams ll ll. The cams 1I 1l are iixed to a wheel or disk M,whieh is in rigid connection with the eogwheel M', which is geared to the worin W on one of the screwshafts. r1`he ilexible arm Y of the tiller and its cover y pass through a Slot y'" in the shaft U, and is assisted in maintaining its normal position by the ends of the springs Q. When the torpedo is 1nov ing through the water, the cog-wheel M', and consequently the cams 1l Il', is kept in constant revolution by the screw-shafts, the pallets of the tiller-arm being so adjusted that when the torpedo is exactly upright they will both be free from the cams. If the torpedo rolls, the pendulum will maintain the plane of the pallets horizontal, so that the inclina tion given to the canrwhecl by the roll of the torpedo will throw one oi. the cams into nction with one of the pallets. 'lhe tiller is thus swung and with it the rudders, which, by their conneetionsyaro thrown in opposite directions, and thus tend to roll the torpedo back to ils upright position. The axis of the IOO fly-wheel, being in the longitudinal axis of the torpedo, may be prolonged togear to and operate twin propolier-shafts, and these shafts may be concentric` so that their screws will lie one behind thc other.

In `rearing the ily-wheel siraft to the pro` pellcr-sliafts, if the connectinggear he hung directly to the body of 'the torpedo, it would forni a fuleruni and lever for the reaction of the ,lriving force. thus causing the torpedo to revolve about its longitudinal axis and necessitating thereby very large helicoidal rudders to keep the torpedo upright. In order to overcome this effect, the lgwhcel shaft S S, Figli, which islockcd to the y-wheel axle, terminates at n, being prolonged by, but not connected directly to, the shalt R. A gearwheol Z, Figs. 3 and 4, is secured to the end of S, while a necklace or disk. )C X is Secured to the end of R and carries the four gearwheels D D l) D, Fig. 1, which `near between Z and a spur-wheel easing (l O O, which is secured to the outer of the two concentric screw-propeller shafts, the shaft R being the inner one. Thus the gearing down of the ywheel axle to the screw-propeller shaft is the same as if an axle were revolving in a. bushing Whose outer cylinder was permitted to revolve. There is therefore no ifulcrum for the action of the screws to revolve the torpedo. The outer shaft li' passes through a stutngbox in the torpedo bulli-hond ll' ll and carries in itself a stalling-borg, through which the inner shaft R passes. Each shaft of course carries its own propeller or screw. The latter are omitted from the drawings, inasmuch as they are not needed for the purpose of ex planation.

Having described my invention, what l di",- sire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. The combination, with the torpedo shell or case and the fly-wheel having its axis in the longitudinal axis of the torpedo, of the helicoidal rudders and actuating mechanism therefor driven from the fly-Wheel and adaptd ed to operate the helicoidal rudders at the times and in the manner substantially as hcreinbefore sot forth.

2. The combination of the torpedo case or shelhthe fly-wheel having its axis on the longitudinal axis of the torpedo, the fly-Wheel shaft and gear-wheel thereon, the shaft R, the necklace or disk secured thereon and the gear-wheels carried by said disk, the outer concentric shaft R', and the spur-wheel casi ing 0, these parts being arranged together for joint operation, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto sei my hand this 29th day of November, 1888.

JOHN ADAMS HOWELL. Witnesses:

WM. SWANsBoRo, JOSEPH WATERS.

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