PLATE TWO
THE INTERLOCKING MECHANISM
The two diagramatic views shown on this chart illustrate the
operation of the interlocking mechanism, and give a general
picture of the different parts or sections, as well as the relation
of each part to the others. The interlocking mechanism provides
a control over the other operating mechanisms on the torpedo
tube, and is a guard against improper operation of the tube, preventing accidental or unintentional firing. Each related part of
the interlocking mechanism must be in its proper position before
the other mechanisms can be set in operation.
These two diagrams and the descriptive matter herewith
should be studied in connection with Chapter 4, which describes
and illustrates the interlocking mechanisms and their operation
more comprehensively.
The functions of the different parts of the interlocking
mechanism may be described, briefly, as follows:
1. The threads on the muzzle door operating shaft (J) give the
cylinder slide (E), which operates in the breech bracket, a forward and backward motion when the shaft is rotated to open or
close the muzzle door. Therefore, in order to open the muzzle
door, the breech and muzzle door interlock handle (O) must
be in the "Muzzle Door Unlocked" position. This removes the
breech and muzzle doors interlock bolt (Q) from the slot in the
cylinder slide (E), and places it in front of the shoulder or lug
on the breech door locking ring (K), thereby locking the breech
door closed.
The drain valve interlock lever (L) must also be-in "Drain
Valve Locked" position, which removes the drain valve interlock head (F) from the slot in the cylinder slide (E), and places
the interlock bolt (U) in front of the latch (T) on the drain
valve interlocking shaft. The drain valve must be fully closed
in order to do this.
The cylinder slide (E) is now free to move on the muzzle
door operating shaft (J), so the muzzle door may be opened.
With the muzzle door opened, the cylinder slide (E) prevents the breech door from being unlocked and opened, and
also prevents the drain valve from being opened.
2. With the cylinder slide (E) in "Muzzle Door Opened" position, as shown in the upper diagram, the shoulder on the firing
interlock bolt (H) is free to rotate down when the firing interlock lever (F) is moved to the "Tube Ready to Fire" position.
If the muzzle door is closed, the shoulder on the firing interlock bolt (H) is prevented from rotating own, and the firing
interlock lever (F) can not be moved to the "Tube Ready to
Fire" position.
When the firing interlock lever (F) is in "Tube Ready to
Fire" position, the shoulder on the bolt (H) prevents any motion
of the cylinder slide (E), and the muzzle door can not be closed.
3. To place the firing interlock lever (F) in the "Tube Ready
to Fire" position, the impulse stop valve must be open so that
the interlock bolt (B) on the impulse stop valve stem (A) is
removed from the path of the shutter bar (C), as shown in the
upper diagram.
4. With the firing interlock lever (F) in "Tube Ready to Fire"
position, as shown in the upper diagram, the shutter bar (C)
prevents the closing of the impulse stop valve, and the hole in
the shutter bar (C) is lined up with the piston rod (D). This
allows the piston rod (D) to pass through the hole, the shutter
bar and open the pilot valve, thereby venting the upper part of
the firing valve and firing the tube.
If an attempt is made to fire the tube when the shutter bar
(C) is not in the correct position, the piston rod (D) lodges in
a recess in the shutter bar (C), this recess being sufficiently deep
to prevent any motion of the shutter bar until the air pressure
has been released from the torpedo stop cylinder, thereby allowing the stop piston to return to its original position. This eliminates the possibility of attempting to fire the tube with the shutter bar out of position, and then moving the shutter bar to the
correct position and allowing the piston rod to go through the
hole and open the pilot valve.
When the spindles on the depth setting mechanism (M)
and the speed setting mechanism (N) are all in the "Spindle
Out" position, as shown in the upper diagram, the interlock
sleeve (G) is free to rotate, and the firing interlock lever (F)
may be moved to the "Tube Ready to Fire" position.
To engage these spindles in their respective slots in the torpedo, the firing interlock lever (F) must be in the "Muzzle
Door Unlocked" position, as shown in the lower diagram. This
rotates the interlock sleeve (G), and brings the slot in the bar
of the depth setting interlock (M) into position so the depth
setting lever may be moved to the "Spindle In" position.
The shoulder on the interlock sleeve (G) will rotate out of
the way of the bar on the speed setting lever (N), and the lever
may be moved to the "Spindle In" position.
NOTE
The two diagramatic view's on this chart show the
interlocking mechanisms as they apply to torpedo
tubes having manually operated muzzle door mechanisms. The interlocking mechanisms which are applicable to torpedo tubes equipped with power operated
muzzle door mechanisms are shown on Plate Three.
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