US1661686A - Torpedo director - Google Patents

Torpedo director Download PDF

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Publication number
US1661686A
US1661686A US621483A US62148323A US1661686A US 1661686 A US1661686 A US 1661686A US 621483 A US621483 A US 621483A US 62148323 A US62148323 A US 62148323A US 1661686 A US1661686 A US 1661686A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
bar
torpedo
pointer
enemy
course
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US621483A
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English (en)
Inventor
Mortimer F Bates
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Sperry Gyroscope Co Ltd
Sperry Gyroscope Co Inc
Original Assignee
Sperry Gyroscope Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Sperry Gyroscope Co Ltd filed Critical Sperry Gyroscope Co Ltd
Priority to US621483A priority Critical patent/US1661686A/en
Priority to GB32608/23A priority patent/GB211840A/en
Priority to FR579721D priority patent/FR579721A/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US1661686A publication Critical patent/US1661686A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F41—WEAPONS
    • F41G—WEAPON SIGHTS; AIMING
    • F41G9/00—Systems for controlling missiles or projectiles, not provided for elsewhere
    • F41G9/008—Means for controlling firing of torpedoes; Torpedo directors

Definitions

  • This invention relates to torpedo control and has for its object the provision of an improved device for such control. More specifically, my invention relates to an automatically controlled device for ascertaining the proper moment of discharge of a torpedo to make a hit. While the particular device herein disclosed and described is primarily adapted and intended for use in connection with the launching of torpedoes, the principles involved are undoubtedly applicable to analogous usages, and my invention is not to be limited to torpedo usages alone, even though for the purpose of setting forth r and defining my invention, lf may be obliged to employ description and explanation in the more specific terms of this particular use.
  • the factors to be dealt with in a device where the interception of the course of an enemy ship is to be figured are the course and speed of the enemy ship, the course of the torpedo carrier, the speed and range of the torpedo, the angle of discharge of the torpedo, the rudder set of the torpedo, the drift of tide or current and the correction of the sight line due to variations in the course of the ship.
  • an element known as the enemy course bar is to be set and maintained parallel with the course of the enemy ship.
  • which considered in the instrument itself is tantamount to an angular adjustment in relation to the fore and aft line of thel ship firing the torpedo.
  • Another objectof my invention is to provide an efficient means for locking the enemy course har and the compass card together, which comprises an electromagnetic clutch.
  • Fig. 1 is a. plan view
  • Fig. 2 is a side elevation with certain parts in section
  • Fig. 3 is an' enlarged sectional view illustrating the operating parts
  • Fig. 4 is a sectional detail of Fig. 3.
  • Fig. 5 is an elevation of a modification of a portion of the Fig. 2 device.
  • Fig. 6 is a diagram of the circuits.
  • the numeral 1 indicates a cylindrical casing in which is mounted certain operating mechanism to be described in detail hereinafter.
  • the casing is mounted in gimhal rings 2, 3 in the usual manner, and has secured thereto, such as by screw 4.
  • a top plate 5 which is formed on its periphery with ay flange 6 fitting over the edge of the casing 1.
  • graduations are graduations, as shown at in Fig. 2. preferably from zero to 180 in An object of the present invention is auto-- both directions, the zero and the 180 mark being set in the true fore and aft line of lthe keel of the ship with the zero mark toward the bow thereof.
  • the plate 5 is also formed with a central opening 8, and an upwardly extending sleeve 9 concenn tric therewith.
  • A. sleeve 10 is rotatably fitted around the sleeve 9, and carries a bar formed on diametrically opposite sides thereof as shown at l1 and 11', which bar is termed the torpedo bar.
  • rllhis bar is intended to be set at the angle of the tube from which the torpedo is to be discharged and it therefore lies parallel to the course of the torpedo in the water.
  • rIhe end 11 is formed with a pointer 12 to cooperate with the scale 7, and the end 11 is formed with a flan e 13 carrying a set screw 14 arranged to hol the pointer 12 in fixed relation to the scale 7 in a manner readily understood.
  • the end 11 of the torpedo bar is formed with an upwardly extending arm 15 which rigidly supports at 16 a scale which is calibrated to read knots per hour and indicating the speed of different torpedoes, the scale itself not being visible in the figure.
  • the scale is on the upper surface of a hollow frame 17 arranged to accommodate a slide block 18, which is moved along the scale 16 by a screw 19, in a manner readily understood.
  • the frame 17 is rigidly Secured to the arm 15 of the torpedo bar and is mounted in the same vertical plane as and parallel to said bar. Therefore, the slide block 18 may be set bythe screw 19 for the speed of the particular torpedo which is to be fired.
  • a hollow sleeve 22 which carries a compass card 23, which is arranged to maintain the same position in azimuth by means of mechanism to be hereinafter described.
  • the sleeve 22 is rotatably journaled a shaft 24 which carries a member 2 5 known as the enemy or pointer bar.
  • the shaft 24 may be journaled in the sleeve 22 by means of ball bearings as shown at 26 and at its opposite end in a frame 27 carried by the plate 5 as shown at 28.
  • the enemy bar is intended to be disposed parallel to the course of the enemy ship against which the torpedo is to be directed.
  • the enemy bar 25 carries a scale 29 graduated from lthe center outwardly in knots per hour, so that the slide block 30, which cooperates therewith in a manner similar to the block 18 with respect to scale 16, may be set for the speed of the enemy ship, by means of the lscrew 31, as will be readily understood.
  • a shaft 32 which carries a sight har 33, which passesethrough the slide block 30, as shown in Fig. 2 at 50, and gives the alignment for the point inthe enemys course which the enemy ship must occupy at the moment of discharge of the torpedo in order tat the torpedo ⁇ may intercept the enemy s 1p.
  • lhe sight har- 33 is loosely mounted on the shaft 32, and has an arm 34 projecting therefrom on which is rotatably mounted a graduated head 35, to cooperate with a pointe'.l 36.
  • rlhe head 35 is secured to a screw indicated by the dotted line 37 which screw is in threaded engagement with an arm 38 of a sleeve 39 which is rigidly secured to the shaft 32.
  • a pointer 40 On the sleeve 39 is secured a pointer 40. lt is therefore clear that the sight bar 33 is moved with the shaft 32,.:1nd that the pointer 40 and the sight bar 33 may be relatively displaced through the rotation of graduated head 35.
  • Any sut'able type of scale may be provided to indicate the movement by the head 35 which may provide for correction of tidal influence on the torpedo and under certain conditions, for the angle of a parallax resultant from the angular gyroscope set of the torpedo, and the parallax error due to the distance of the torpedo tube from the director.
  • the sight bar 33 points to the position which the enemy ship must occupy at the moment of discharge of the torpedo, in order to make a hit.
  • the ship would be so sighted, and such an arrangement is shown in Fig. 5 in which the telescope 41 is shown pivotally mounted to rotate about an axis 42 normally at right angles to the sight bar'33 on the shaft 32.
  • the axis 42 may be supported by a spair of arms 43 secured to-a base 44 which is arranged to fit the upper square end of the shaft 32 and held thereon by a screw cap 45.
  • the telescope and the bar 33 are sighted along the same line, but, as above pointed out, they may be relatively displaced by the rotation of the head 35 to make the corrections referred to.
  • torpedo tube is a bow tube, that is, the axis thereof coincides with the fore and aft axis of the vessel, pointer 33 will give the correct reading oli/scale 23. If, however, the torpedo tube is not a bow tube but has its axis at an angle to the fore and aft axis ofthe vessel, then torpedo bar 12 is moved through this angle thus moving also pointer 33, and introducing an error. To compensate for this error I provide the following adjustment. p
  • the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is provided in which the pointer 40 is mounted for reference to a circular card 46 which is rotatable on a ring 47 fixed on the square top of shaft 32.
  • the card 46 has a double lseries of grznluations 46 and 46".
  • the outer one 46 adjacent the pointer 40 has graduations corresponding to the sight circle 23', that is the graduations on the compass card 23, but graduated i' rom the opposite points. to wit, clockwise from zero to 360"l with the zero at six oclock of the clock face and with its zero-18()o line always parallel with the fore and aft. line of the ship.
  • the scale 46 is concentrically arranved within the scale 46con the ring 46 and 2has from zero to 180 in both directions which are read referable to a pointed mark 48 arbitrarily located on one of the spokes lof the ring 47.
  • the scale 46 provides for a corrective setting of the sec- 'onda-ry sight circle 46 according to the angle of the vtorpedo correction made by moving the bar 11.
  • this pointer is immaterial, except that it and the scale should be so 'disposed that when zero ofthe scale 46" is oppo site the pointer mark 48, thel ⁇ 'secondary sight circle 46 should haveits zero at six oclock of the instrument, or in other words, on the aft end of the-fore and aft axis of the instrument.
  • the seconda-ry sight circule 46 is so moved in the direction opposite-to that in which the torpedo bar 12has been moved ⁇ until the inner graduations 46 sli/ow half way between the 40 and 50 opposite the pointer 48, This will correct the'reading of the'pointer 4'0 on the secondary' sight graduations 46 which will then indicate the exact degree of horizon on which the enemy ship l J to Judge 1n advance whether the enemy mustbe 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 incase 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 radal'distance for a course at which the enemy ship is sighted when the torpedo is tired may not ⁇ be too great to effect a hit.
  • the distance at which the enemy ship may be sighted when the torpedo is tired depends upon its distance at that moment and the relation of its course to that which the torpedo is to take.
  • each strip' 49 has an indication ofthe range and speed of the torpedo with which it is to'be used and each strip is scaled according to the range-and speed of the torpedo. These scales are to be read with reference to .a pointer mark 50 on the slide 30Zot' the enemyy course bar 25.
  • lit may be'desii'able to lock the parts in a fixed position.
  • a hole 51 is provided at Vone end, to be engaged by a spring-pressed plunger 52, on the arm 15, which plungeris normally held out of engagement by a pin 53 against the collar 54.
  • a similari locking device 55 may be provided for V'the compass card 23, mounted on a dishcd frame 56 secured to the sleeve 9 as shown in Fig. 3.
  • the enemy bar 25 may also be provided at its outward end with a projecting plate 57 having an opening 58, through which the sight circle 23 1s visible.
  • the opening 58 is in member 59 which carries a set screw 60 byI means of-Which it maybe secured on the frame 56 opposite a position on the sight circle 23 or the compass reading. This del vice is employed when the enemy bar 25 is manually operated.
  • the member 59 carries a pointer 61 and has a small scale reading in opposite directions from zero, located at the center point. By this arrangement, the bar 25 may be conven-l iently moved to coincide With the changesv Furthermore.
  • the sleeve 22, which carries the compass card 23, has fixed there- 'to an annular magnetic member 65 Vwhich has been hollowed to house a magnetizing coil 66, the surrounding Walls forming pole pieces to cooperate with the armature 62 and foi-in a magnetic clutch.
  • an annular magnetic member 65 V which has been hollowed to house a magnetizing coil 66, the surrounding Walls forming pole pieces to cooperate with the armature 62 and foi-in a magnetic clutch.
  • On the upper surface of the member 65 are two' slip rings 67 68, insulated therefrom by a member 69, y
  • the niember65 is also provided with a gear 72, which meshes with a gear 7 3 on a shaft 74.
  • the gear 73 is in two parts, the .lower of which is keyed to the shaft by a pin 7 5,and the upper of which is loosely mounted on the shaft 74, said two parts being connected by a spring 76.
  • This arrangement is to preventlost motion between the gears 73 and 72 .as is Well understood.
  • the shaft is'rotated by -a repeater motor 77 adapted to be actuated from a gyroscopic compass.
  • three rel-peater motors are employed as diagrammatically indicated in Fig.
  • the shaft 74 also' carries a gear 80 which is arranged to mesh with a crown gear 81 carried by a plunger 82, mounted in the casing '1, which latter gear is normally held from engagement with gear 8O by spring 83.
  • the shaft 82 is provided with a handle 84, by
  • the spring 83 may be coni-- lpressed and the crown gear 81 brought into ⁇ mesh with gear 8O and rotated to synchroni'ze the compass card 23l with the master compass which actuates the repeaters 77, 77 and 77. As shown in Fig. 6, these repeatersare connected in parallel, the circuit ⁇ 4being controlled by al switch 85.
  • the sight bar 33 In this manner the enemy course bar is kept constantly parallel to the ycourse .of the enemy ship.
  • the compass card and enemy 'bar may be instantly locked together ornnlocked. Itis obvious that they should be locked While the enemy maintains his course, but Whenever he changes, the enemylbar must be adjusted accordingly, and since changes in the .enemy course'may be rapid, and since the enemy course bar to be of any value Whatever must be adjusted ac- 1 cordingly, time is a'most essential element. A mechanical lock would be impractical.
  • atorpedo director In atorpedo director, a graduatedbase circle, a. rotatable element having a pointer i circumferentially adjustable on said circle, a 'graduated'slide member carried by said element and having a portion adjustable radially with respect to said base circle, a sight bar pivotally mounted on saidslide 'member for movement in a plane parallel to that of said pointer, a compass card concentric with the axis of said element, and a pointer bar rotatableon the axis of said ele- ⁇ ment adjustable to positions on the compass card, said pointer bar having a graduated slide member adjustable radially with respect to said base circle, said latter graduated member slidably engaging the free enel of said sight bar.
  • a torpedo director a graduated base circle, a rotatable element having a'pointer eircumferentially adjustable on said circle, a. graduated slide member carried by said element and having a portion adjustable radially with respect to said.base circle, a sight bar pivotally mounted ⁇ on said slide .member for movement in aplane parallel for movement with said sight bar and means for relatively displacing said telescope and bar.
  • the combination ot' a compasscard, a pointer bar, sighting means connected therewith, means for locking said card an'dbar together compri-ing an electro-magnetic clutch and# a switch for controlling saidclutch.
  • a torpedo director a graduated base circle, a rotatable element having a pointer circun'iferentially adjustable on said circle, a graduated slide member carried by said element adjustable radially with respect to said base circle, a sight bar pivotally mounted on said slide member for movement4 in a plane parallel to that ot' said pointer, a compa s card concentric with said element, a pointer baiV rotatable on the-axis of said element adjustable to positions on the compass card, said pointer bar having a graduated slide member adjustable radially With respect to said base circle, said latter graduated member, slidably engaging the .free end of said sight bar, means mounted lfor movementswith sa1d sight bar for mdicircle, a rotatable element having a pointer circumferentially adjustable on said circle, a graduated slide member carried by said element adjustable radially with respect to said base circle, a sight bar pivotally mounted on said slide member for movement in a plane parallel to
  • a sight bar pivotally mounted on said slide'inember for movement in a 'plane parallel to that of said pointer, a c0111-, pass card concentric with said element, al
  • pointer bar rotatable on the axis of said element adjustable to positions on the compass card, said pointer bar havin a graduated slide member adjustable radially with respect to said base circle, an electromagnetic clutchfor locking said compass card and j combination with a. casing having fixed pointer bar together, said latter graduated member slidably engaging the free end of said sight bar, means mounted for movement with said sight bar for indicating the course of the object to be aimed at, means for adjusting said latter means to compensate for corrections and a switch for controlling said clutch.
  • a torpedo director comprising a fixed base plate having a central opening and a graduated circle concentric with said opening, a sleeve on said plate surrounding said opening, a rotatable elcment surrounding saidi sleeve having a pointer circumferentially adjustable on said graduated circle, a graduatedy slide member carried by said element having a part adjustable radially with respect to said base circle, a sight bar pivotally mounted on said adjustable part for movement ina plane parallel to that of said pointer, a hollow member journaled in said sleeve and said Leonesa plate extending through said central opening, said hollow member carrying at its upper end a compass card concentric with said base cricle, and at its lower end one member of an electro-magnetic' clutch, a rotatable shaft within said hollow member carrying at its upper end a pointer bar adjustable to vpositions on the compass card, said pointer bar having a graduated slide member adjustable radially with respect to said base circle,
  • a structure as specified in claim l in combination with a casing having fixed thereto said base circle, an electro-magnetic clutch within said casing for locking said 'compass card and pointer bar together, a
  • said casing for driving Said clutch, means for synchronizing said repeater motor with the transmitter, means for locking the coinvthe lower end of said shaftto cooperate with vcompass controlled repeater motor within ⁇ pass card in a fixed position and means for locking the'pointer bar in a certain position.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Electromechanical Clocks (AREA)
  • Power Steering Mechanism (AREA)
US621483A 1923-02-26 1923-02-26 Torpedo director Expired - Lifetime US1661686A (en)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US621483A US1661686A (en) 1923-02-26 1923-02-26 Torpedo director
GB32608/23A GB211840A (en) 1923-02-26 1923-12-31 Improvements relating to torpedo directing apparatus
FR579721D FR579721A (fr) 1923-02-26 1924-02-04 Appareil à diriger les torpilles

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US621483A US1661686A (en) 1923-02-26 1923-02-26 Torpedo director

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US1661686A true US1661686A (en) 1928-03-06

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US621483A Expired - Lifetime US1661686A (en) 1923-02-26 1923-02-26 Torpedo director

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US (1) US1661686A (fr)
FR (1) FR579721A (fr)
GB (1) GB211840A (fr)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2421749A (en) * 1942-08-10 1947-06-10 Robert M Freeman Torpedo director
US2581401A (en) * 1946-04-01 1952-01-08 Robert M Freeman Torpedo director
US3002680A (en) * 1956-04-27 1961-10-03 Stephen J O'neil Graphical vectoring computer

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2421749A (en) * 1942-08-10 1947-06-10 Robert M Freeman Torpedo director
US2581401A (en) * 1946-04-01 1952-01-08 Robert M Freeman Torpedo director
US3002680A (en) * 1956-04-27 1961-10-03 Stephen J O'neil Graphical vectoring computer

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB211840A (en) 1925-02-12
FR579721A (fr) 1924-10-22

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