The Works Of Messrs. Schneider And Co.

TORPEDO-LAUNCHING TUBES. 233 side by drawing on the Hxed handle. When the torpedo is placed home in the tube, the same motions are repeated inversely to close the disc. On its inner concave surface the disc is provided with a recess in which the charge is placed. The gases How through the tube by vents, arrangée! in such a inanner that the propelling machinery of the torpedo is not in direct contact with them, the pressure rising progressively in the tube. The vent in which the fuse fits is cut through the centre of the disc, and ends in the centre of the small powder chainber. A spring ejector serves to withdraw the fired fuse. The Hriiip- device consists of the bolt and the working mechanism. The bolt, which is similar to those used for | guns, is made movable in a longitudinal groove fitted to the outside surface of the disc, the bottom of the groove forming a fixed rack. On the bolt is fitted the centre of the joint of a ball-hammer, on the hinge of which is eut a series of teeth that engage the fixed rack. The whole is put together in such a way that when the bolt is at the extreme limit of its travel, the ball of ths hammer, which is provided with a percussion pin, is in contact with the rear of the fuse ; when it is at the lowest part of its travel, the hammer is brought down. It is sufficient, therefore, to move the boit in its groove to communicate to the striker, the required vis viva to fire the fuse. This action is imparted to the bolt by the firing device, the disen- gaging of which can be controlled either by hand or by electricity. The firing device acts on the boit to bring it up to the limit of its travel by means of a two-branched lever, which is jointed under the lower rear end of the tube, and con- I trolled by a horizontal piston worked by a spiral spring cuntained in a fixed cylinder. A vertical disengaging mechanism, held by a pawl mounted on the armature of an electromagnet, keeps it in position. The disengaging of the system is obtained in lifting the pawl by hand or by an electric current. The two-armed lever can then work the firing bolt freely. To bend the main-spring, a round rod is operated, which is placed in a socket at the end of the shaft which carries the firing lever. This socket is provided with a cam which, when the lever is operated, causes the disengaging gear to turn until it grips the pawl of the electromagnet. When this is effected, the rod is put back in the accessory ehest. The stop-latch serves to fix the torpedo in the tube as long as the firing device is not worked. It consists of a cylindrical piston, made to enter the tube for a certain length, and is fitted to the lower part near the rear. A sût is eut in the piston in which the lower fin of the torpedo fits. This latch is governed by a spring ; and, as mentioned further on, is arrangée! so as to leave the torpedo free previous to the firing of the charge. As long as the torpedo remains motionless in the tube, its mechanism does not work, the compressée! air in the reservoir not reaching the cylinders that work the pro- peller. As soon, however, as firing takes place, the torpedo | advances in the tube, and immediately this forward motion I is started, the valve opens which admits the compresse«! air, under the action of the starting finger that projects from the inside surface of the tube at the spot ch osen for the lever, which Works this valve, and which is fitted to the torpedo. A brake serves to fix the torpedo in the tube until it is fired. It consists of a piston, which may project on the inside and bear on the torpedo under the action of a spiral spring, contained in a suitably-shaped casing. It can only act when the torpedo has been placed completely home ; until then it is maintained on the outside. To this efiect, it is provided with a threaded rod, to which is fitted a handwheel. During the time the charging of the tube goes on, the threaded rod is brought clown in its nut, and the brake is flush with the inside wall of the tube, its spring being compressée!. As soon as the torpedo is in place in the tube, the brake is made to Lear on it and its spring gets relaxed by turning round the handwheel. In order to close the tube when it is not required in service, to keep the inside free from sea-water, a cover is fitted to the front end and made to swing on a hinge, the joint not being tight as is the case for the rear closing arrangement. This cover is worked by a series of levers of the usual kind ; the safety devices, however, vary with the shape and dimensions of the tube, and with the accom- modation on the manœuvring platform. In torpedo-firing service, it is absolutely necessary that the succession in the operations of charging and firing be effected in a uniform order, as the least mistake might give rise to most serions conséquences. All the varions working parts must, therefore, be joined together mechani- cally or united with clutches, so that all mistakes be impossible. These special arrangements are as follows : (a) A system which fixes the firing device until the time when firing is to take place. A movable pin can be placed so as to go through the vertical arm of the firing lever and the trigger. This jonction of the two parts prevents ail action, and the pin is only removed the instant firing is to take place. (b) On the same shaft to which the firing lever is fitted, is a second one which Works the stop-latch through a finger which pénétrâtes it. The latch forcibly <lis- engages the torpedo before firing takes place, as the striker only drives against the fuse when the firing lever reaches the limit of its travel, while the latch runs down completely when the lever has performed half of its travel only. (c) The front cover is governed by a bar which is connectée! through a series of levers and a longitudinal rod, to a hand-lever placed on the right side of the tube near the rear end. Perpendicular to the axis of this hand- lever, and near its joint, is a round stop which, when the lever is brought right back and the front cover open, acts on a spring pawl placed in a frame on the side of the tube. This pawl holds back the trigger, thus rendering firing impossible until the stop on the hand-