US1362683A - Torpedo-director - Google Patents

Description

P 33-236 ma 193629683 5R 1 ,362,683, K Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET lv INVENTOR Ml m Arromvzv A. DEL SOLAR.

TORPEDO DIRECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. e. 1911.

1,362,683. Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- IIWIIlIIIlIlIIIIIIIIIII/I gigfrw 3 w PATENT QFFICE.

UNETEE STATES ARISTIIDES DEL SOLAR, 015 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR 'IO ALFRED R.

SHRIGLEY, TRUSTEE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

TOBPEDO-DIRECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

Application filed September 6, 1917. Serial No. 190,030.

course bar, so-called, is to be set and maintained parallel with the course of the enemy which, considered in the instrument itself, amounts to an angular adjustment in relation to the fore and aft line of the ship firing 28' the torpedo.

One of the difficulties in handling any such instrument is the matter of constant adjustment and re-adjustment made neces sary by variation in course of the ship.

This is true of any ship, and particularly true of a submarine. Unless adjustment is immediately and accurately made for every movement of the ship from its course, the accuracy of the aim is correspondingly disturbed and the torpedo misses its mark.

The constant adjustment of the enemy course bar involves the presence of an extra man and makes it necessary to watch each deviation from course, correct the setting of the enemy course bar, or all substantial deviations from course, and vary the enemy course bar for all slight deviations. This introduces a serious possibility of error, especially under service conditions, and particularly in case a submarine is operating submerged.

It is only necessary to bear in mind that the captain of the torpedo boat or submarine in maneuvering for position or in avoiding the enemys fire will be required to change his mind from moment to moment and to vary his course with no time to make his changes known to the operator of the torpedo director. The same thing is true,

although to a somewhat less degree of course,

where through the manipulation of the steering wheel almost imperceptible changes in heading are made which, while hardly noticeable t0 the heading observer, may seriously affect the line of sight.

I My present invention involves maintainmg of the position of the enemy course bar parallel to the course of the enemy, independently of its relation to the fore and aft line of the ship, so that whether the course be varied or whether the course be altered, it wlll constantly and continuously maintain its factor in the angular set of the sight bar, as long as the enemys course is unchanged.

The construction of my device and its operation will be fully described in the specification which follows. Throughout the specification and drawings like reference numerals will be employed to indicate corresponding parts, and in the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a torpedo director in accordance with by invention, the parts being arbitrarily moved to more clearly expose underlying construction.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through my device.

In illustration and explanation of my device I have shown it equipped with the secondary sight circle for below deck use.

In the present form of my invention I pr0- vide a base U which may be fixed in any suitable place, and upon which is mounted a casing V having a cylindrical stem 0) fastened centrally of the base U. 011 the stem 0 is rotatably mounted as a bearing, a collar to of an arm D provided with a lock screw W by which it may be permanently set on the base U. The base U is graduated at A on which the end Q02 of the arm w reads as a pointer.

The graduated circle A is the torpedo circle which is in the form shown scaled from zero to 180 in both directions, the zero and the 180 mark being set in the true fore and aft line of the keel of the ship with the zero mark toward the bow thereof. This circle will therefore read in true angular relation to the fore and aft line of the ship.

The bar D which is termed the torpedo bar is intended to be set at the angle of the tube from which the torpedo is to be discharged, or at the angle the gyro is set, and it therefore lies parallel to the course of the torpedo in the water. The end of the torpedo bar is extended upwardly at 03 above the level of the base flange b and then returned radially inward over itself, as at F. The part F is graduated from its inner end outwardly as at H, these graduations reading in knots per hour and indicating the speed of different torpedoes so that the slide G may be set by the screw 9 for the speed of the particular torpedo which is to be discharged.

Upon the casing V is fixed the plate B which is formed as a shallow dished member provided with a surrounding lip or flange b. 011 the central stud E and bearing on a shoulder e thereof is mounted an arm K which is termed the enemy bar. This bar is intended to be disposed parallel to the course of the enemy ship against which the torpedo is to be directed. The bar K is provided at its outward end with a projecting plate is and an opening 78 through which the graduations of the sight circle I are visible. Within the opening 71: is mounted a piece L which is held by a set screw Z to the head 70, so as to be movable therewith when otherwise restrained.

These graduations of the sight circle I are preferably numbered in tw usual navigation series I and 1 which permit the reading to be reported in terms of quarter or in terms of angle to the north.

The en myxhaiLKisgraduated at lgnfromh the center outwardly in indication of knots per hgur, so that the slide which is, ifioiiiited thereon ma be s''t for the speed of enemy hip The slide M is held by a mm liead screw gn and carries on a raised post m a guide piece N which is swiveled on the post m Carried on a post on the slide block G which is locked by a screw 9 is the sight bar 0. This sight bar 0 passes through the slidmblonlnNmand gives the alinement for the p(int inthe-enifijifii iifisewhich p st geelipratth h ir n ofdisc'harge"o fjtlije .torpedo in order that thet'orpedoin ay intercept the enemy ship.

Mounted on a further extension of the post 9 of the slide G is a pointer arm P adjustable relative to the bar 0 through a screw R with a graduated head R and a scale R which provides for correction of tidal influence on the torpedo and forthe angle of parallaxresultant,from. the angua sv jfilsitgiills...torJ2elQran the jfa'rallax'error due to the distance of the torpedo tube from the director.

In the instrument thus far described, if properly set and handled, the bar 0 points to the position which the enemy ship must occupy at the moment of discharge of the torpedo in order to make a hit. If provided with a telescope, the ship would be so sighted. In below deck use it is obvious that an actual sighting of this bar 0 cannot be had. Furthermore, in all usual submarine structures it is not convenient and usually impossible to place the center of the instrument in the vertical axisof the periscope, so that the angle of the tube to the center of the periscope is no longer the true angle of that tube to the center of sight in the instrument, and the instrument reading must therefore be corrected by an adjustment.

For this purpose the end of the bar P is carried up as a. pointer 29 for reference to a second circle S mounted on a spoked carrier T which has a supplemental part T adapted to overlie the inner flange s of the circle S in assemblage. The carrier T is fixed on the squared top of the stud extension 9 and is formed as an upper and lower plate T and T between the peripheries of which is movably mounted the ring S.

The ring S has a double series of graduations S and S The outer one S adjacent the pointer 29 has graduations corresponding to the sight circle I, but graduated from opposite points, to wit, clockwise from zero to 360 with the zero at six oclock of the clock face and with its zero-180 line always parallel with the fore and aft line of the ship. This provides for the correct reading of the pointer 29 which will thus indicate on the scale S that degree of enemy position which would be indicated by a pointer radially run from the center of the periscope parallel to the sight bar 0, which would thus cut the circle of sight S at the true degree of horizon which would correspond with the reading of the periscope.

The scale S is on the outer face of the circle S which is slightly beveled, while concentrically within it on the flattened top of the ring is a set of graduations S reading from zero to 180 in both directions, which are read referable to a pointer mark U arbitrarily located on one of the spokes of the carrier T The scale S provides for a corrective setting of the secondary sight circle S according to the angle of the torpedo correction made by moving the bar D.

The exact location of this pointer is immaterial except that it and the scale should be so disposed that when zero of the scale S is opposite the pointer mark U the secondary sight circle S should have its Zero at six oclock of the instrument, or in other words on the aft end of the fore and aft axis of the instrument.

In case the torpedo tube is not a bow tube, as the example for which the arrangement shown in Fig. 1. is set, then obviously setting the torpedo bar D at the angle of the torpedo tube will vary the sight bar 0 from that position which it would occupy if the torpedo tube was a bow tube. For example, if the torpedo was to be fired from a starboard bow tube set at T5". then the torpedo bar I) would be turned to the starboard half way between the 40 and 50 mark, which would of course move the sight bar 0 laterally inasmuch as it is pivotally mounted on the torpedo bar D.

In order therefore to correct what would otherwise be an error in the reading of the pointer P the secondary sight circle S is so moved in the direction opposite to that in which the torpedo bar D has been moved until the inner graduations S show half way between the 40 and 50 opposite the pointer U. This will correct the reading of the pointer P on the secondary sight graduations S which will then indicate the exact degree of horizon on which the enemy ship must be sighted to make the hit.

The above constitute the general operations and adjustments, but there are at least two other factors for which adjustment must be made. These are the resultant drift of the torpedo in case of cross tide or the like, and secondly the angle of parallax which is variant depending upon the distance of the enemy ship and the distance from the director to the tube or the radial distance for a torpedo under gyro control or the resultant of any or all three.

These three corrections may be made by separate adjustment or by a single net adjustment of the pointer bar P relative to the sight bar 0. This will add or subtract from the scale reading just that amount necessary to allow for the drift or angle or the net correction of the tube. In the form shown I accomplish this by the adjustment screw valve R having a Vernier head and scale R R It will be borne in mind that as thp torpedo has a limit of range, it is necessary that the point in the enemys course at which the enemy ship is sighted when the torpedo is to be fired may be too great to effect a hit. The distance at which the enemy ship may be sighted when the torpedo is fired depends upon its distance at that moment, and the relation of its course to that which the torpedo is to take. If the "interception of the line of the enemys course with the line of the torpedos course is at a point in excess of the range of the torpedo, no hit would be effected and the torpedo lost.

It therefore becomes necessary to know at the moment when the enemy ship is sighted, and it is desired to launch the torpedo, whether the enemy ship is at a distance so that it will be within the range of the torpedo if fired. As different torpedoes have different ranges and different speeds, it is necessary to have means by which these facts may be determined. This I accomplish by longitudinally channeling the sight bar 0 with an undercut grooving 00 within which may he slipped a strip of card board or celluloid 0 I provide as many of these slips as there are torpedoes of different range or speed, either or both, or: blank strips of celluloid may be provided so that they may be graduated for any torpedo. Each strip 0 has an indication of the range and speed of the torpedo with which it is to be used, and I scale each strip according to the range and speed of the torpedo. These scales are to be read with reference to a pointer mark O on the slide N of the enemy course bar.

Vhen the instrument has been properly set with the proper scale 0 in place, the ofiicer in charge of the instrument while waiting for theenemy ship to come into the indicated position when the torpedo must be discharged, notes the enemys distance as reported to him. By reference to the position of the pointer O on the scale 00 he is able to judge in advance whether the enemy ship will probably be within range, and if at the moment of fire the enemy ship is announced to be at a distance greater than the limit indicated on the scale 0 he will withhold the discharge of the torpedo and wait until on another adjustment the enemy appears on the point of sight and within range.

By locating the scale on the sight bar, I am able on account of its guided relation on the slide N on the enemy course bar K to use a graduated scale which will show for the actual speed of the torpedo as set on the scale H of the bar D the limit of actual distance within which the enemy must be at the time of point of sight in order to have the enemy ship within the actual range of the torpedo on its course,

This scaling may be very simply effected by measuring the distance between the center of the pivot post E and the center of the pivot post of the slide G on the torpedo bar D with said slide set with the given speed of the torpedo. This distance is measured off and marked on the card from the center of the pivot post 9 so that when the card is in place the maximum range at the given speed indicated on the strip will be the same distance from the center of the post as the post 9 is from the center of the post E.

This distance on the strip representing the known limit of range in yards, may be subdivided and the various proportional ranges marked off. Where the graduations for the enemy course bar begin laterally of the pivot E, as is preferable so that the slide may be brought to zero for a straight ahead shot without interfering with the post E, then care must be taken in measuring the distance between the points to provide for the slight correction which would be thus required.

As this calculation is perfectly simple the strips furnished with my device may be marked off by the torpedo officer for the speeds and ranges of torpedoeswhich he carries in his torpedo equipment.

With the above understanding of the construction and operation of my device it will be seen that if the enemy bar K be in true parallelism with the course of the enemy at the moment of discharge, a hit should be certain. As heretofore pointed out, considerable difficult is experienced in keeping a turn and the accuracy of the torpedo is correspondingly increased.

here the north is the point of control selected, it is obvious that the angles of my ship s0 steadily on its course that the pretorpedo director become relatively compass determined angle of the enemy course is angles, and the scales I and I may be read concentrated. In other words, each variain compass indications by locking the tortion of the torpedo carrier tends to bring pedo bar D- in the fore and aft line of the the enemy course bar K out of its position ship and swinging the enemy course bar K of parallelism to the enemy course. Even into parallelism with it in which position slight variations due to current or the slight it may be locked by turning up the ears X movement in the steering gear may produce 0n the end of the enemy course bar. a variation from parallel which multiplied The cars X may be set in either position by by the considerable distance of range promeans of a screw 09. The screw w when set duces a serious error. up to tighten its clamp enters a recess in Furthermore, considerable variation of the cross piece of the ears X and must therecourse i ll e ary, sp ially in fore be released to free the plate B before action, and even these deliberate variations the ears X can be turned up when the dein emergencies and under excitement are vice is to be used as a compass. difficult to report accurately and to make 11611 in this position with the screw Z adjustment fall properly. I therefore have released, the plate 13 is free to rotate under made provision for automatic compensation its control so that the compass indications for variation from the determined course, may e read from the pointer L of the so that the enemy bar K will be maintained enemy bar, which has been set to point toin parallelism with the enemy course regardward the bow of the ship and hence points less of the swinging of the ship. the course. In this manner the bearings I accomplish this by floating that portion may be taken or verified at any time by any of my apparatus which relates to the enemy ofiicerat any torpedo station or ship. course, to wit, the scaled plate B and enemy Various modifications in the parts, their course bar K, so that it may move indemountings and graduations may obviously edently of the base V which is of course e made, all without departing from the in fixed relation to the ship. The control spirit of my invention if within the limits of these floating elements may be variously 0f the appended claims, and likewise my ineifected, but it is preferably controlled with vention may be used or applied in use other relation to a fixed and variable point, such wise than as specified. :2, as the true north. What I therefore claim and desire to se- For the purpose of illustration, and as a cure by Letters Patent is: highly eflicient means of effecting this result, 1. In a torpedo director, a graduated base I have shown and located within the casing circle, a second graduated circle adjustably V the mechanism of a gyro compas s rep rter, mounted thereon, a graduated slide member such as is used witlfjjlifg'fyiiiscopic co nt ridlpivoted to and radially adjustable with reiif'a sliipsffs y and whicli coiisists of spect to said base circle and circumferentlie fiib tiveelements which, through suitable train of gearing, not necessary to be shown, rotates the plate B and with it the enemy bar K which has been fixed inany predeautgmatically maintaining said first nang ed 1 l 0 termined initial position by the set screw 1.

tially adjustable with respect to the second circle, a polnter bar pivotally connected to the last named slide member, and means for slidriinen lger in const'i'nt relafion to antar- As here shown a shaftl, which is prefery selected polnt of control vum.Wm,V ably hollow to accommodate the lead Wires "'Qil Iii atorpedodirector:a graduated bas for the magnets is journaled in suitable bearcircle, a second graduated circle adjustably ings in the casing V. Fast on shaft 1 is a mounted thereon, a graduated slide member 15 spider or other appropriatesupport ,2 for pivoted to and radially adjustablewith rea plurality of electro-magnets 3, which are spect to said base circle and circumferenadapted to cooperate with an armature 4 tially adjustable with respect to the second mounted upon and insulated from the cascircle, a second slide member radially ading V. justable 'FrTthe base circle, a ointer bar l ZO As the mot iy e ele men t is rotated by the pivotally connected to the last named slide transmitted impul f thehcentralhcoii member and slidably and pivotally conllief'p late"'B ivill'fbe Eli QYQWHQG i, ected to the other slide member, a loclgifor 'tidii of theis hip; from cp ugs e andthe fixing said first-named slide to saicTadjustenemy hearse bar K th'u's shifted to effect a ably mounted circle, and means for adjustreadjustment of the sight bar 0. In this manner the enemy course bar is kept constantly parallel to whatever angle she may ably rotating said adjustably mounted circle to maintain its position relative to an arbitrarily selected point of control.

aeoeetzrszom. seismic 3. In a torpedo director, a graduated base circle, a second graduated circle adjustably mounted thereon, a graduated slide member pivoted to and radially adjustable with respect to said base circle and circumferentially adjustable with respect to the second circle, a second slide member radially adjustable on the base circle, a pointer bar pivotally connected to the last named slide member and slidably and pivotally connected to the other slide member, and means for maintaining said first named slide member in a fixed direction in azimuth.

4:. In a torpedo director, a graduated circle, a slide adjustable relative thereto, an element of constant directive tendency, and an operative connection between said element and said slide for maintaining said slide in a fixed direction in azimuth.

5. A torpedo director, a graduated circle, agraduated slide adjustable relative thereto, means for locking said slide to said circle, an element of constant directive tendency, and an operative connection between said element and said slide for maintaining said slide in a fixed direction in azimuth.

6. In a torpedo director, relatively adjustable graduated circles, means for setting said circles in a predetermined relation, and a control mechanism of constant directive tendency for adjustably maintaining said circles in a fixed direction in azimuth.

7. In a torpedo director, a graduated circle and a slide adjustable relative thereto, and means for adjustably maintaining said slide in a fixed direction in azimuth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARISTIDES DEL SOLAR. Witnesses:

MARION F. WVEIss, AGNES V. OC'ONNELL.

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