AN IMPROVED AXLETREE WITH LEVERS."
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Blouin, of 79, Faubourg du Temple, Paris,
Mechanician, and Nicolas. Didier Mercier, Medical Doctor, of No. 10,
Rue de Richelieu, Paris, aforesaid, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
AXLETREE WITH LEVERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Blouin and Nicolas
Didier Mercier at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 24th March 1864.
We, ALFRED BLOUIN, of 79, Faubourg du Temple, Paris, Mechanician, and
NICOLAS DIDIER MERCIER, Medical Doctor, of No. 10, Rue de Richelieu,
Paris, aforesaid, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED AXLETREE WITH LEVERS," to be as follows:-
The construction of our improved axletree or hoist will be best understood
by reference to the accompanying Drawing forming part of this our Pro-
visional Specification, A, A', denoting the chain upon which the axletree
exerts its action, it passes over a wrought-iron pinion a; B, a cast-iron box
guiding the chain as it passes on to and off of the pinion; C, C, framing; D,
main wheel, with three rows of teeth, upon which the levers exert their action;
E, pulley and collar of the break; F, fly wheel, by which the break is
governed; G, lever for throwing the levers H, I, J, out of gear from the

page_text: wheel D when it is desired to lower the burthen by easing the break; H, I, J,
levers working the wheel D, and themselves actuated by the braces K, L, M,
carrying pins b, c, d, which slide in the grooves of the levers H, I, J; N,
cranks, worked by hand; O, platform, supporting the apparatus; and P,
clickwork. It need scarcely be observed that this axletree or hoist may not 5
only be worked by hand, but by steam or other power.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Blouin and Nicolas Didier Mercier in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 23rd September 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ALFRED
BLOUIN, of 79, Faubourg du Temple, Paris, Mechanician, and NICOLAS
DIDIER MERCIER, Medical Doctor, of No. 10, Rue de Richelieu, Paris,
aforesaid, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Alfred Blouin and Nicolas Didier Mercier, Her special licence that
we, the said Alfred Blouin and Nicolas Didier Mercier, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Alfred Blouin and
Nicolas Didier Mercier, our 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 for "AN IMPROVED AXLE-
TREE WITH LEVERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Alfred
Blouin and Nicolas Didier Mercier, our executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our, or one of our, their, or one of their hands
and seals, 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 calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Alfred Blouin and Nicolas Didier
Mercier, do hereby declare the nature of our 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, reference being had to the accom-

page_text: panying Sheet of Drawing forming part of this Specification, and to the figures
and letters of reference placed thereon:-
Our axletree is composed, firstly, of a cast-iron rectangular framing a,
placed horizontally or perpendicularly to the ground upon a platform or wooden
cross pieces. Secondly, of a wheel 6 (termed the governing or working wheel)
furnished with three rows of teeth, and having a collar forming pulley to
receive a screw break. Thirdly, of a screw break c acting on the collar or
pulley of the wheel 6, and worked by the small fly-wheel c'. Fourthly, of a
pulley or chain pinion d, fixed on the wheel b, and of two friction rollers e,
intended to keep the chain on the pulley. Fifthly, of the chain f, which is to
carry the load or burthen. Sixthly, of three grooved levers g alternately moving
the wheel b. Seventhly, of three braces or crank pieces h, working the levers;
these crank pieces carry pins which slide in the grooves of the levers.
Eighthly, of a mode of throwing the levers g out of gear, consisting of a lever i,
which by means of forked pieces embracing the axle of the said levers lifts
or lowers it, of a wedge; fixed to the framing by a small chain, and which
supports the axle of the levers when they are placed in gear for lifting, and,
lastly, of a small bolt k, on which rests the lever i. Ninthly, of a sort of
clickwork placed at the end of the framing behind the wheel b; this click-
work is composed. of three pieces 7 (having the shape of a common or hook
scapement) all placed on the same axle, and opposite the teeth of the wheel b,
which lifts them in passing, and of the lever m, which serves to lift the whole
three pieces when it is desired to turn back the wheel b. Tenthly, and
lastly, of two crank handles n, moved by hand labour. It will be evident that
the crank handles may be replaced by pulleys, and that the axletree may be
set in motion by any motive power.
The action of our improved axletree or hoist is as follows:-On turning the
crank handles the braces or crank pieces h fixed on the same shaft obey the
movement, and at each turn of these crank pieces the levers act one after the
other, and at regular intervals on the wheel b, each lifting one tooth; the
chain is drawn by the pulley, and the load naturally follows. In this move-
ment the teeth of the said wheel lift, as before stated, the three pieces 7, which
oppose no other resistance than that of their weight, and at once fall again, to
be afterwards relifted by each tooth. If it is desired to arrest the load without
the aid of the crank handles, there is firstly the catches of the clickwork,
which are naturally propped against the teeth of the wheel b, then the screw
break easily tightened by the small fly wheel c². To throw out of gear, seize
the lever i, withdraw the wedge j, and push back the bolt k to permit the
descent of the axle of the levers g, which then free themselves from the teeth

page_text: of the wheel b. To throw into gear it will be seen that all that is required is
to replace the wedge and the bolt, thus relifting the axle of the levers.
After what we have above stated, we are of opinion that a simple description
of the Drawing and re-enumeration of the parts will suffice for the complete
comprehension of our Invention.
Figure 1 is an elevation, and Figure 2 a plan of our improved axletree.
a indicating the framing; b, wheel, furnished with three rows of teeth, and
with collar forming pulley on the side; c, screw break, worked by the fly
wheel c¹; d, pinion, fixed on the axle of the wheel 6, and on which passes the
chain; e, friction rollers, supported by a piece of iron bolted to the framing;
f, chain; g, grooved levers on same axle; h, braces or crank pieces working
the levers; i, lever for throwing out of gear; i¹, forked pieces on the axle of
the lever i; j, moveable wedge; k, bolt, on which rests the lever i; l, teeth or
catches of the clickwork; m, lever of clickwork; n, crank handle.
In witness whereof, we, the said Alfred Blouin and Nicolas Didier
Mercier, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Seventeenth day of
September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-four.
ALFRED BLOUIN.
(L.S.)
NICOLAS DIDIER MERCIER. (L.S.)