The invention relates to a method and a device for moving a torpedo, said torpedo being released from a radially and an axially fixed position in a carrier and being moved axially in forward direction along said carrier towards a torpedo tube arranged on a distance from said carrier exceeding the length of said torpedo.

In a submarine armed with torpedos and provided with torpedo tubes said torpedos normally are fixed in chutes or the like during operation of the submarine. To become combat ready the torpedo must be moved from said carrier to said torpedo tube, said tube then being closed. As the torpedo tube has to be available to the loading operator said carrier does not reach all the way to said torpedo tube, and therefore problems arise when the last section of the torpedo is moved the distance between said carrier and said torpedo tube.

According to prior art technique said movement has been accomplished by means of loose wires or the like, on which has been attached some kind of loading means connected to said torpedo. As the space within a submarine is very limited this operation has involved major problems. In prior art constructions a tamping rod has been used for the last part of the movement.

An object of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned problems. Another object is to simplify the handling for the loading operator, among other things to avoid heavy lifting. To achieve the objects referred to above the device according to the invention has the characteristics appearing from claim 1 and claim 3, respectively.

In order to explain the invention an embodiment thereof will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

FIG. 1 is a side-elevation view of a device according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a part of the device according to the invention, FIG. 3A and 3B are perspective views of the device according to the invention in a starting position and

FIG. 4A and 4B are perspective views of a part of the device according to the invention.

FIG. 1 shows the arrangement in principal of a torpedo 10 positioned in front of a torpedo tube 11 in a submarine. Please note that the torpedo in FIG. 1 for drafting reasons is cut in two places and in reality is longer in relation to the person appearing in FIG. 1. During operation of the submarine said torpedo is fixed, by means of bands 12,13, in a guideway 15 shaped as a chute. The distance between said chute and said torpedo tube is far smaller than the length of said torpedo. A so called loading means 14 is releasably mounted in the rear part of said torpedo. Said loading means comprises a loading means head 14A and a loading means holder 14B, which is attached to said torpedo. The forward movement of said loading means in said chute is described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 3 and 4, the chute being shown in FIG. 1. From FIG. 2 it is more clear that a carrier 16 in form of a chain runs in said chute. Said chain is driven by a conven¬ tional motor 19 through a gear box.

From FIG. 2 it is clear that said chute is formed with two skid rails 20A and B, on which said torpedo slides during its movement towards said torpedo tube. Between said skid rails is arranged an elongated three part guide bar 21 having a U-shaped cross section. Inside, on the base of said guide bar runs one part of said chain 16. The return part of said chain runs on the underside of said guide bar 21. A twin rack 18 is slidably disposed on two ledges 22

extending inwardly from the vertical stems of said guide bar. The teeth of said twin rack 18 are arranged approxi¬ mately in level with the upperside of the stems of said guide bar. The outlook of said loading means 14 is shown on FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B. By means of three vertically disposed adjusting screws 23,24 and 25 different parts of said loading means are displaceably downwardly against and upwardly from said chain 16, said twin rack 18 (see FIG. 4B) and said guide bar 21, respectively. Said loading means holder 14B comprises also a coupling 26, which is releasably connected to said torpedo (see FIG. 4A) .

With reference to FIG. 3A and 3B the function of said loading means 14 will be described. In the starting position said adjusting screw 23 is screwed up, whereby a larger gear wheel 27 carried in said loading means is lifted out of engagement with said chain 16, which in this position is standing still. Also the adjustment screw 25 is screwed up whereby ratches 29 (see FIG. 4A) pivotally carried in said twin rack under spring biasing are lowered down in recesses 30 in the upper part of the stems of said guide bar 21, thereby locking said twin rack 18 in relation to said guide bar 21. The adjustment screw 24 is screwed down, whereby a driving rod 31 (see also FIG. 4B) engages said chain 16. In this position said chain 16 is moved by said driving motor 19, the upper part of said chain being moved towards said torpedo tube bringing by means of said driving rod 31 also the complete loading means and the torpedo. When the loading means reaches the end of said guide bar 21 the movement of said chain is stopped and said adjustment screws are readjusted as stated below.

The adjustment screw 23 is now screwed down and said larger gear wheel 27 engages said chain while at the same time two smaller gear wheels 28 arranged on the same shaft

as said gear wheel 27 engages said twin rack 18. Also said adjustment screw is screwed down to release said twin rack 18 from said guide bar 21 by said ratches 29 being pressed downwardly and pivoted out of position in said recesses 30. At the same time said loading means holder 14B is fixed in said twin rack. Said adjustment screw 24 is screwed up and releases said driving rod 31 from engaging said chain. The two main parts of said loading means, i.e. the loading means head 14A and the loading means holder 14B are releasably connected. FIG. 3 shows an embodiment according to which said main parts are connected by means of an external locking rod 32, but in another embodiment said adjustment screw 25 acts on an internal locking device, not shown here, which releases said main parts from each other. When the driving motor again is brought to drive said upper part of said chain towards said torpedo tube the larger gear wheel 27 and the smaller gear wheels 28 will rotate. Thereby said twin rack 18 is given a forward movement which applies also to said loading means holder 14B mounted thereon.

In the position shown in FIG. 4 said twin rack has been moved a short distance out of said guide bar 21. The movement is then maintained until said torpedo has reached the desired position in said torpedo tube.