Mr. Merriman has considerable experience in building torpedo launch systems, which is a fairly long process. Going back more than half a year, I collected a lot of pictures that Mr. Merriman posted about his torpedo launch systems, which took me quite some time to figure out their firing principles, exact dimensions, fabrication process, etc.... Thinking about them was a bit mind-boggling, especially trying to guess the principle of one of the launchers with only a few vague pictures for reference. I've done some sorting (this is my guess) to list which stage each of these torpedo launch systems are in.
Stage1:Six tubes shooter for the Thordesign Alfa sub.
Oh yeah, I was relying on those two pictures at the time, geez. One of the pictures is still rather blurry, really, and it took me over an hour to figure out how it fired. I was constantly sketching on paper, analyzing its structure and possible ways of firing, for which I contacted Bob about how such things work.... Fortunately, I finally figured out that the main principle is the ratchet intermittent motion mechanism, each time the push rod pushes , ratchet wheel rotates 60 degrees, the small metal rod will have a rapid "tap" to the poppet valve, poppet valve then release a small amount of gas to push the torpedo out of the launching tube and Of course, a pressure reducing valve may be needed to regulate the pressure. Later, when I watched The subcommitte 2000-2002 subregartta video where David described the principles of the Alfa submarine torpedo launch system, I realized that my suspicions at the time were correct.
Stage2:Six tubes shooter for the Skipjack sub
There are two types of launchers here, the first one is pneumatic launch, the second one is mechanical launch. The reason why I think this is the second generation is because the poppet valve has been reduced from the original 6 to 1 (for the first launcher). Because there is no internal structure diagram, so the principle I can only rely on guesswork. I think the pneumatic launcher has a gas distribution valve, and every time the ratchet rotates, the poppet valve releases a small amount of gas, which enters the gas distribution valve and then exits through the 6 tubes in this way. Since the gas distribution valve and the ratchet, the "hitting valve" (for "hitting" the poppet valve) rotate coaxially, the gas is discharged from the six tubes in this way. The gas then pushes the "piston" to release the torpedo from the O-ring.I drew a side view of the gas distribution valve, and I think the structure might look like this, maybe not the same as the real structure, but the principle should be similar.
The second model is a mechanical launcher, already has the prototype of the latest generation of launchers, relying on a cam that rotates and pivots the launch trigger, then a spring pushes the launch trigger back so as to get the torpedo out of the O-ring. This launcher has a locking mechanism at the rear, but no stop ball at the front.
Stage3: 4 tubes shooter for the 1/96 Sturgeon sub
This launcher is already very close to the latest launchers, with stop ball, a kind of safety locking mechanism. The launch principle relies on the cam hitting the "poppet valve" to eject a small amount of gas, which pushes the metal piston on the launcher, allowing the torpedo to break free of the O-ring. I do not know what the internal structure of this mini "poppet valve" is, perhaps inspired by the solenoid valve?
The effect is similar to that of a ratchet, with a thin bent copper rod soldered to the paddle to prevent the "paddle wheel" (I don't know what to call it) from reversing. I think a non-reverse bearing could do the same thing(Only one direction of rotation).
Stage4:The latest launch structure, I divided into three categories: a,b and c
a:This torpedo launcher can be launched both mechanically and pneumatically,just change the firing trigger
b:This torpedo launcher could only be fired mechanically. A good example is the 1/72 Gato submarine. The launch principle I believe has been described in detail on Bob's website.
c: This torpedo launcher can only perform pneumatic launch. The principle has been described before.
Finally, I wish Mr. Merriman could allow me do so (I think it should not be a secret), this is also my experience after thinking about various torpedo launchers, thank you very much for Mr. Merriman's contribution in this regard.
Sam
Stage1:Six tubes shooter for the Thordesign Alfa sub.
Oh yeah, I was relying on those two pictures at the time, geez. One of the pictures is still rather blurry, really, and it took me over an hour to figure out how it fired. I was constantly sketching on paper, analyzing its structure and possible ways of firing, for which I contacted Bob about how such things work.... Fortunately, I finally figured out that the main principle is the ratchet intermittent motion mechanism, each time the push rod pushes , ratchet wheel rotates 60 degrees, the small metal rod will have a rapid "tap" to the poppet valve, poppet valve then release a small amount of gas to push the torpedo out of the launching tube and Of course, a pressure reducing valve may be needed to regulate the pressure. Later, when I watched The subcommitte 2000-2002 subregartta video where David described the principles of the Alfa submarine torpedo launch system, I realized that my suspicions at the time were correct.
Stage2:Six tubes shooter for the Skipjack sub
There are two types of launchers here, the first one is pneumatic launch, the second one is mechanical launch. The reason why I think this is the second generation is because the poppet valve has been reduced from the original 6 to 1 (for the first launcher). Because there is no internal structure diagram, so the principle I can only rely on guesswork. I think the pneumatic launcher has a gas distribution valve, and every time the ratchet rotates, the poppet valve releases a small amount of gas, which enters the gas distribution valve and then exits through the 6 tubes in this way. Since the gas distribution valve and the ratchet, the "hitting valve" (for "hitting" the poppet valve) rotate coaxially, the gas is discharged from the six tubes in this way. The gas then pushes the "piston" to release the torpedo from the O-ring.I drew a side view of the gas distribution valve, and I think the structure might look like this, maybe not the same as the real structure, but the principle should be similar.
The second model is a mechanical launcher, already has the prototype of the latest generation of launchers, relying on a cam that rotates and pivots the launch trigger, then a spring pushes the launch trigger back so as to get the torpedo out of the O-ring. This launcher has a locking mechanism at the rear, but no stop ball at the front.
Stage3: 4 tubes shooter for the 1/96 Sturgeon sub
This launcher is already very close to the latest launchers, with stop ball, a kind of safety locking mechanism. The launch principle relies on the cam hitting the "poppet valve" to eject a small amount of gas, which pushes the metal piston on the launcher, allowing the torpedo to break free of the O-ring. I do not know what the internal structure of this mini "poppet valve" is, perhaps inspired by the solenoid valve?
The effect is similar to that of a ratchet, with a thin bent copper rod soldered to the paddle to prevent the "paddle wheel" (I don't know what to call it) from reversing. I think a non-reverse bearing could do the same thing(Only one direction of rotation).
Stage4:The latest launch structure, I divided into three categories: a,b and c
a:This torpedo launcher can be launched both mechanically and pneumatically,just change the firing trigger
b:This torpedo launcher could only be fired mechanically. A good example is the 1/72 Gato submarine. The launch principle I believe has been described in detail on Bob's website.
c: This torpedo launcher can only perform pneumatic launch. The principle has been described before.
Finally, I wish Mr. Merriman could allow me do so (I think it should not be a secret), this is also my experience after thinking about various torpedo launchers, thank you very much for Mr. Merriman's contribution in this regard.
Sam
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