Nautilus (1800 submarine)
Replica of the Nautilus
The Nautilus was a designed and built by the American Robert Fulton submarine. Precursors were the three wooden dive boats by Cornelis Jacobszoon Drebbel from 1620, which by Denis Papin in 1691 designed in behalf of the Landgrave of Kassel dive boat and the first time equipped with real underwater propulsion Turtle ( "turtle" ) of the American David Bushnell in 1776.
The working end of the 18th century in France Fulton designed the Nautilus 1793-1797. To realize the project, he turned to the Board, but was refused. Only after he had submitted his proposal to the Secretary of the Navy, him permission to build was granted. The Nautilus was built on the Perrier shipyard in Rouen in 1800; she was 21 feet 3 inches ( 6.47 meters) long and consisted of copper plates which were mounted on a boat skeleton of iron. The Nautilus had the first U- boat side and hydroplanes to control. By flooding and emptying of the hollow iron keel buoyancy could be regulated. With air, the vehicle was powered by a water tight snorkel from leather. Under water, the Nautilus was powered by a propeller that was put on winches in rotation, over water by means of a fan-shaped sail on a fold- mast.
The first successful test was held in Rouen in July 1800. Since the flow of the Seine, however, seemed prejudicial, Fulton moved the boat to Le Havre. Compared with one of two sailors rowed boat which is also driven by two men Nautilus covered a distance of 360 feet (110 m ), two minutes faster back. During this time, Fulton changed the rudder, the propeller he was now four wings like a windmill.
On July 3, 1801 Fulton reached a depth of 25 feet (7.6 m) in a diving attempt in Le Havre. With a crew of three, he appeared by the light of two candles over an hour. By means of a copper "bomb", the 200 cubic feet ( 5.7 cubic meters ) of compressed air contained, he was able to extend the time to 4 1/2 hours. As a further renewal, a 1.5 inch ( 38 mm) wide glass plate was inserted in the observation tower. The incident light enough for the inventor of the reading of a clock, so that in daylight no more candles were needed. Fulton observed that a compass could also be used under water. The Nautilus sank a schooner by a nachgeschleppte gunpowder charge Fulton called Torpedo ( after the Latin word for " torpedo "). The observational Marine Committee recommended inspires the construction of two additional brass submarines to 36 feet ( 11 m ) in length, 12 feet (3.7 m ) wide with eight -man crew and 8 hours of dive time.
Although he had attracted the attention of Napoleon with the project, France renounced but a continuation of development finance, for which various reasons are circulating.
Fulton went to England and designed for the Royal Navy, a new Nautilus. This should be 35 feet (11 m) long and can cruise at sea with a 6- man crew for 20 days. On its surface 30 mines should be able to be attached. In the above-water silhouette they resembled a sloop with the mast and sail. The two- bladed propellers should continue to be operated with hand force. Immersed took two vent pipes, the air supply, light could come up through the tower. After the British naval victory of Trafalgar the promotion was discontinued, and Fulton left England in October 1806, which he left all his papers concerning the submarine construction to the American Consulate. These were published only in 1920.
In honor of author Jules Verne Fulton called in his novels 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ( 1870) and The Mysterious Island ( 1874/1875 ) Captain Nemo's submarine Nautilus also.