IMPROVEMENTS IN PREVENTING COLLISIONS ON RAILWAYS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Armand le Comte de Fontaine Moreau, of
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, and 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris,
Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PREVENTING
COLLISIONS ON RAILWAYS."-A communication.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Armand le Comte
de Fontaine Moreau at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 18th October 1854.
I, PETER ARMAND le Comte DE FONTAINE MOREAU, of 4, South Street,
Finsbury, London, and 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, Patent Agent, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PREVENTING
COLLISIONS ON RAILWAYS" to be as follows:-
The Invention consists in constructing and working apparatus fixed at
certain intervals along the line of railways for preventing trains from coming
into collision, either by sounding a whistle or bell aside of the driver, or by
cutting off the introduction of steam into the cylinders.
Drawing I., elevation, & Drawing II., plan of the apparatus; Drawing III.,
section and elevation of details of the apparatus; Drawing IV., elevation and
plan of the apparatus, with modifications.
Figures 1 & 2, Drawing I., are similar, except that the position of the
apparatus is different. T is a revolving rod turning on the points I, I.
Nos. 1 & 4 are two pistons, which as the train passes are depressed by an
inclined plane, fixed under the locomotive, the tender, or carriage, and rise again

page_text: immediately after by the action of a spring. The pistons are provided with a
small friction roller R; K, K, & A2, A3, Fig. 2, are two levers moving on
their bearings, which on rising take the position a & K. C, M, is a rod, having
at one end a click to stop the lever "A, "A, and at the other end a plate S,
which is attracted by the electro-magnet 20 when under the influence of the
electric current. X,X', metal plate,. usually in contact, but which can be
separated. B is a small ball or metal plate fixed to. the .wire connected with
the plate X'; Fig. 2. O & O are two electro-magnets; E, E¹, E", is the
wire connecting-the electro-magnet with the continuous current of elec-
tricity; N, N, is the conducting wire of the constant current, furnished by
suitable disposed batteries. Figure 3 shews the apparatus adapted on the
line, two by two.
•
The inclined plane, fixed to the locomotive, tender, or carriage, in passing
on the piston 1.depresses it, and at the same time the rod K, K, which takes
the position K; the train is thus protected from behind by the rod T, which
becomes fixed, and in that position acts on the trigger of a train, arriving
before the said rod is set free. In its descent, the extremity K of the
lever K, K', puts the small ball B in contact with the plate y, and the electric
current is thus established between the two electro-magnets O, Fig. 1, and 20,
Fig. 2, by the conduct wire which connects them, passing by E, E', E",
O, Y, B, D, R, Z, X, X¹, 20, H, & H. The rods T, T, may be replaced by
the pistons 5 & 6, Drawing IV., which are alternately fixed or freed by the
flow or interruption of the electric current, and act as the rods L, L', direct on
the lever and trigger of the locomotive tender or carriage.
In this modification, the lever communicating with the trigger is placed
parallel to the inclined plane under the locomotive, but more forward, so that
this lever must always pass over the piston on its side before the inclined plane
comes in contact with the other piston.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Peter Armand le Comte de Fontaine Moreau in the Great S
Seal Patent Office on the 17th April 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE. PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PETER
ARMAND le Comte DE FONTAINE MOREAU, of 4, South Street, Finsbury,
London, and 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 3
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord

page_text: One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Peter Armand le Comte de Fontaine Moreau, Her special license that I,
the said Peter Armand le Comte de Fontaine Moreau, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Peter Armand le Comte
de Fontaine Moreau, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PREVENTING COLLISIONS ON RAILWAYS," communicated to me by a
foreigner residing abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Peter Armand le Comte de Fontaine Moreau, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calender
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Peter Armand le Comte de Fontaine
Moreau, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described.and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
that is to say:
The Invention consists in constructing and working apparatus, fixed at
certain intervals along the line of railways, for preventing trains from coming
into collision, either by sounding a whistle or bell aside of the driver, or by
cutting off the introduction of steam into the cylinders.
In the accompanying Drawing, Figure 1 represents a front view of the
apparatus without one of its sides, shewing the whole of the mechanism.
A is the piston on the right-hand side; B, the piston on the left side; C & C
are spiral springs, to raise the pistons A & B to their proper positions after
having been depressed; D is a small projection on the piston B, for the
purpose of catching the end of the lever E; E¹ is the part which balances
the lever E; and E", the upright which stops the rod; E is a plate of iron,
which serves to fix the lever E, by the. force of attraction of the electro-
magnet H; F is a catch, of wood or bone, or any other non-conducting
matter, attached to the lever E; when the latter is depressed, the catch presses
the wire attached to the plate G, against the wire wound round the electro-
magnet H. G is a plate of iron, connected with a wire G', along which a

page_text: continual stream of electricity passes; H is the electro-magnet on the left-
hand side, which is rendered magnetic by the piston B descending upon the
lever E, and thereby pushing the wire attached to the plate G in contact with
the wire wound round the electro-magnet H; the plate of iron E, attached
to the lever E, becomes fixed to the electro-magnet H by the force of its
magnetic power, and therefore the wire attached to the plate G is kept in
connection with the wire wound round the electro-magnet by the pressure of
the catch F, when the piston B ascends to its former position by the force of
the spring C. When the lever E is depressed upon the electro-magnet II, the
upright part of it E" will be moved to the perpendicular, and serve to fix
the rod K. K is a rod of iron, fixed between two iron knees L by means of a
bolt M, upon which it freely works, the lower end being of such a length as
to descend below the lever E"; L are iron knees, between which the rod Kis
fastened; M is the bolt by which the rod K is fastened, so as to swing easily
between the knees L, L; N is the electro-magnet on the right-hand side; the
wire wound round which being in connection with the electro-magnet H,
both become subjected to the influence of the electric fluid at the same moment,
or the reverse. For the sake of illustration, the electro-magnet N is supposed
to be electrified, the plate O is attracted towards the electro-magnet N, and the
lever P, having escaped from the catch P, has by the weight of its end P
assumed a horizontal position, so that the upright part P" has come opposite the
rod K and fixed it. O is a plate of iron, hung by a piece of spring steel O', so
that when the electro-magnet N is no longer under the influence of electricity,
and the lever P has descended, it takes a perpendicular position, and holds the
ever P by the catch P. P is the second lever; P¹ being the balance end,
to weigh it down to a horizontal position, when the plate O is attracted to the
electro-magnet N, and slips off the catch P; the upright part P" then moves
opposite the rod K. and fixes it. Qis a wire in connection with the wire G',
over which passes, a continual stream of electricity; R is a piece of copper,
connected with the electro-magnet 'N, and under which the wire Q passes upon
the descent of the piston A; the end of the wire Q is pressed down, and the
current of electricity broken at the same time; the end of the lever P is also
caught and pressed down by the piston A, so that the plate O, being no longer
magnetised, assumes a perpendicular position, and upon the piston A being
pushed up by the spring C, the lever P is held down by the catch P, resting
upon the end of the plate O. S is a strap of iron, to better secure the upright
parts of the levers F and P.
Figure 2 represents a back view of the, apparatus; Figure 3, a plan;
Figure 4 an end view

page_text: The manner of using the apparatus is as follows:-Suppose a single line of
rails is required to be protected in such manner that trains cannot come in
collision; A, B, in the accompanying Drawing represent the line of railroad.
The apparatus are placed between the rails at such distances apart as the
nature of the traffic may require. I suppose them placed, as shewn on the line
A, B, and that a wire for conducting the electric fluid extends from one end
of the line of railway to the other, and is connected to each of the apparatus;
another wire is then attached to the apparatus marked 1 and 2, so as to connect
them together in such manner that when 1 is electrified, 2 'will be electrified
also, and when the electricity is cut off from 1, it will also be cut off from 2,
and vice versa. The apparatus 3 & 4 are connected in the same manner,
and thus each alternate apparatus is connected until the whole is complete.
Upon a train passing over the apparatus 1, one of the pistons is depressed,
by means of an inclined plane fixed under the engine or tender, and the electric
current is put in communication with the apparatus, and conveyed by means of
the conducting wire to apparatus 2; at the same time the rods in the centre
of apparatus 1 & 2, between the pistons, are fixed in such a manner that any
train following in the direction from 1 to 2 would be stopped by the rod on the
apparatus 1, and a train proceeding in the direction from 2 to 1 would be
stopped by the rod 2. The part of the railroad between 1 and 2 is therefore
completely barred to any train but that which is passing over it; on arriving at
apparatus 3, the same operation is repeated, and the railroad barred between
3 & 4; upon the train passing over apparatus 2, one of the pistons is
depressed, and the electric current broken; the rods on the apparatus 1 & 2
are fixed, and the line between apparatus 1 & 3 becomes clear for another train.
This operation is continued by the trains running in either direction. The
principle of the apparatus, therefore, is to protect trains running in either
direction from accidents by collision, by a series of apparatus operated upon by
electricity, and set in action by the passing of the trains, the effect being to
warn the driver by a whistle or bell, which is set going upon a locomotive on
its passing one of the apparatus, with its rod fixed; a trigger descending from
the locomotive performs this operation, and at the same time shuts off the
steam, and applies the break if required.
On examining the Drawing, two electro-magnets are seen; one on the
right, the other on the left. These magnets are put in communication with
the current of electricity which is continually passing along the wire extended
from one end of the railroad to the other end, (& which, as before stated, is
in communication with each apparatus,) by means of the descent of the
piston B, which presses the wire G against the wire wound round the

page_text: electro-magnets, & so long as this electric current exists, gives to these
electro-magnets a highly magnetic power; so that, supposing the piston B on
the left-hand side to have been depressed, & the corresponding electro-
magnet H thereby subjected to the influence of electricity, the plate E¹ of
the lever E, which is immediately above the magnet, would be attracted to it,
and the movement occasioned by this attraction would cause the upright part of
the lever E" to move exactly opposite the the little rod K in the centre of the
apparatus, and fix it in an upright position. The electro-magnet N, on the
right-hand side of the apparatus, being in communication with the other, is at
the same time rendered magnetic, and the plate O, which is suspended opposite
to it, is moved to the magnet by the force of its attraction; this movement allows
the second lever P to escape from the catch P, by which the plate O held it,
and its own weight moves it, until its upright part P" arrives opposite the
rod K in the centre of the apparatus, and assists in fixing it. These movements
are performed simultaneously in each alternate apparatus placed on a railroad,
upon a train passing and depressing the piston on the left-hand side. Now, as
these apparatus are placed in pairs, back to back, it follows, that a train in pass-
ing over the apparatus 1, would depress the piston B on the left-hand side, and
produce the effects above described; and on arriving at the apparatus 2, the
train would then depress the piston A on the right-hand side, and this, by press-
ing down the conducting wire Q, would break the electric current, the electro-
magnets would instantly lose their power of attraction, the first-mentioned
lever E by means of its own weight would fall back to its original position,
and the second lever P, being pressed down by the piston A, would be caught
by the suspended plate O; thus the rod K in the centre of the apparatus would
again become liberated, and the line cleared for the passage of another train.
Trains proceeding in the opposite direction would produce exactly the same
effect; as, if the apparatus were placed in pairs, back to back, the pistons on the
left side would always be acted upon first, and consequently the electric current
established, the rods fixed, the line protected. This apparatus may be used on
a single or a double line of railroad, and may be applied over the whole length
of railroad, or upon particular parts of it only, and may be placed at such
distances as the traffic seems to require; whether at one or at twenty miles
apart, the action will be the same.
The apparatus may also in several respects be modified without in any
respect changing the principle of the Invention; for instance, the rod now
placed in the centre may be made, to work upon. an axle passing. through the
side of the apparatus, and the pistons now passing through the top of the
apparatus may be worked by means of a lever passing through the. side, so

page_text: that the top of the apparatus would be entirely closed and water-tight; other
changes may also be made, and the apparatus may be modified in such manner
that one electro-magnet will be sufficient; and the piston may be entirely
dispensed with, substituting a leverage or other mechanism, to be worked by
the flange of the wheels of a passing train or engine, to bring the conducting
wires into contact; and other changes may also be made, which, however, it is
unnecessary to mention, as the principle of the Invention would still remain
unaltered.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention communicated to
me, and the manner of putting the same into execution, I wish it to be under-
stood that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein laid down, so
long as the principle of the Invention be retained; but what I claim is, the
construction of an apparatus which, when set in motion by the passage of a
train, serves to start a whistle or other description of alarum for preventing
collisions on railways, as herein-before described and referred to in the Figures
of the Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Armand le Comte de Fontaine
Moreau, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of April,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
L. DE FONTAINE MOREAU. (L.S.)