IMPROVED APPARATUS, APPLICABLE TO CARRIAGES ON COM- MON ROADS, FOR THE PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTS AND INCREASING THE POWER OF LOCOMOTION
Year: 1853

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Louis Alexandre Farjon-
Demoulin at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Louis Alexandre Farjon-
Demoulin at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 11th October 1853.
(Void by reason of notice to proceed not having been given within the
time prescribed by the Act.)
I, LOUIS ALEXANDRE FARJON DEMOULIN, Engineer, of 17, Rue
Sedaine, Paris, Empire of France, do hereby declare the nature of the
Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS, APPLICABLE TO CARRIAGES ON COM-
MON ROADS, FOR THE PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTS AND INCREASING THE
POWER OF LOCOMOTION," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in certain mechanical arrangements for pro-
ducing a break appplicable to the wheels of vehicles, and for regulating
their motion.
Reference being had to the Figures of the Drawings, and to the
letters marked therein; Figures 1 & 1, Drawings 1 & 3, plans
shewing the mechanism.in its natural size. Figures 2, 2, & 3, Draw-
ings 2, 3, & 4; elevation & plan. The same letters in each Figure
represent parts which are similar.
Figure 2, A. the handle fixed on the shaft a, at the other extremity
of which is the lever B, terminated at the upper part by an eye,

page_text: through which passes a ring of the iron rod b. This rod is attached
at its other extremity to the ring of the second lever C, fixed on
the iron shaft c, at the extremity of which is retained by a nut
the lift catch D. The motion from left to right of the handle A
moves the levers B and C from right to left, and raises the corres-
ponding catch E, and disengages it from the teeth of the wheel F,
fixed at the nave of the wheel of the carriage. It thus replaces
the iron hoop which forms a drag. The catch E being raised allows
the vehicle to move forward, although the back catch G remains fixed
in the teeth of the wheel F; to raise the catch G, the mechanism.
is exactly similar to the first. H, is a second handle placed a little
behind the former one. I, are two levers fastened together by an iron
rod d. In working the handle II from left to right, the lift catch J
will raise the second catch G, which will thus quit the teeth of the
wheel F, to occupy the position indicated in Figure 1. The catches
E, G, are adjusted in the support K, bolted against the shafts L of the
vehicle as well as the catches D, J, to the support M, on a journey.
When it is not necessary to use the mechanism the catches are raised
by means of the handles A, H, in order to avoid their friction on the
cog-wheel F. But if, on the contrary, the vehicle has to go up a stiff
ascent, and is liable to run back, it is then necessary that it should be
constantly lowered. In this case the hind catch G must be allowed to
fall into the teeth of the wheel F, and by making the vehicle move
obliquely from right to left, ascends as it were by itself without fatigue-
ing the horse; the apparatus then serving not only as a more powerful
wedge than the ordinary ones, but also to a certain point as a propeller.
In order to effect the working of the catch G, instead of acting
directly on the lever H, the lever N is substituted, and to which the:
cord P is attached. On pulling the latter from right to left the lever
N makes this movement by turning round with its shaft e, of which it
forms a part.
Then the piece Q presses against the extremity of the
spring R, and pushes it against the front of the shaft of the vehicle, as
it has a notch in which catches a projecting piece f, cast in one piece:
with the lever 1. In order to retain the latter in its place the spring
K quits the lever I, which is then moved away by the weight of the

page_text: eatch, again falling of itself on the teeth of the wheel F, and thus by
its shaft a, prevents the vehicle from running back. Although the
catch G never fails to act as required by its own weight, the effect, of
it may nevertheless be increased by making use of a spiral spring which
will act on the lever I.
A similar arrangement is adopted to move the catch placed in front
of the wheel F. It is thus that by means of the second cord S, the
crank T is acted on, and consequently the piece U pressing on the
extremity of the spring V, the latter disengages itself from the projec-
tion f, g, which retained in its place the lever B, and consequently the
action of the weight of the catch E is then freely felt, which makes it
fall and fasten in the teeth of the wheel F, by which the vehicle is
prevented from advancing.
It may be remarked that, as far as regards the wheel F, the catches
E, G, and the lift catches D, J, the apparatus is placed on each side of
the shafts, which act alike by means of transversal shafts which carry
the levers C, I, and the lift catches D, J. If in bad weather it is
only wished to drag one wheel it is only necessary to raise one catch
with the hand and keep it up with a pin.
APPLICATION TO CARRIAGES MOUNTED ON SPRINGS.
For carriages on springs the apparatus is not fixed to the shafts;
there is then adapted between the springs Y, and the naves of the
wheel, a piece of wrought iron A, Fig. 3, Plate 4, fixed astride on the
nave by the bridle a, and kept in place by means of the screws b. This
piece is intended to bear the catches B, C, before and behind. This
movement is made by the balances D, E, fixed on the transversal shafts
F, G; the latter are supported by the support A. It is at their ex-
tremity that are adjusted the lift catches H, I, retained by nuts, which
are intended to raise the catches B, C, in order to disengage them from
the wheel J.
On these same shafts F, G, against the inner face of the pieces A,
are fixed the driving bolts K, L, intended to drive back the spring M
from the frame A, in order to allow the catches B, C, to fall again into
the wheel J, when required. For this purpose there is placed at the

page_text: extremity of the spring M, as may be seen in the Plan, Figure 4, a
pointed pin or bolt C, which, after having gone through the piece A,
lodges in a hole pierced in the thick part of the catch B, C, and keeps
it in a raised position. It will be remarked in Figure, that the
springs M, towards the part where the driving bolts are placed leave a
small opening to allow the latter to introduce themselves between the
springs and the piece A. When the balance beams D, E, are made to
turn, the driving bolts K, L, will remove to one side the left-hand spring
M, as is designed in Fig., and the catch B, being no longer held up,
will fall by the action of its own weight on the teeth of the wheel J.
In this state the carriage cannot advance, but it can run back, since
the second catch is held and raised by the pin or bolt of the spring M
on the right, as is shewn in the Drawing. To produce an opposite
effect, that is to say, to enable the carriage to advance, and not go
back, the balance beam E on the right is made to act in such a man-
ner that the driving bolt L pushes aside the spring M; which
disengages the pin from the catch G, which being no longer retained
falls by its own weight into the teeth of the wheel J. At the same
time the balance beams D, E;"acting together, the driving bolt K, by
its rotation, will permit the spring M, to approach the piece A, when
the catch B will be raised and maintained in that position because the
pin c will introduce itself into the hole of the catch B. It is easy to
be convinced that nothing can prevent the catches B, C, from falling
simultaneously on the wheel J, to keep the carriage perfectly still, as
also to retain the catches raised above the wheel J, if no accident is
feared, in order to avoid the noise which will be occasioned by their
friction on the teeth of the wheel while the carriage is in motion.
These different movements are performed instantaneously at the will of
the conductor', and without any possibility of his making a mistake, as
the two cords, although of the same length, are placed one over the
other. With the upper one the carriage is instantly stopped, and with
the other it is again set in motion. If it is wished to avoid the rods
F, G, which go through the width of the carriage, balance beams
similar to those marked D, E, may be placed on each side of it, and
worked by a double set of cords. The wheels and the catchies B, C,

page_text: with their accessories, are covered with a thin sheet of copper or other
metal, which can be gilt, silvered, or bronzed at pleasure, and cut
according to any particular pattern in order to conceal the mechanism.
This coating, the form of which may be varied; far from being an
inconvenient or unsightly accessory, contributes on the contrary to the
ornamentation of any carriage on springs, from the humblest hackney
coach to the most splendid equipage.