AN IMPROVED SYSTEM AND MACHINERY FOR REMOVING SMOKE, VAPOUR, AWT GAS PROMPERING FROM LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES IN TUNNELS OF RAILWAYS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Leon Pochet and Louis Lemoine, of Paris,
Boulevard de Strasbourg, No. 23, Engineers, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED SYSTEM AND MACHINERY FOR REMOVING SMOKE, VAPOUR,
AWT GAS PROMPERING FROM LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES IN TUNNELS OF RAILWAYS.”
Sealed the 14th June 1872, and dated the 24th April 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Leon Pochet and Louis
Lemoine at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 24th April 1872.
We, LEON POOHET and LOUIS LEMOINE, of Paris, Boulevard de
Strasbourg, No. 23, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "Ar IMPROVED SYSTEM AND MACHINERY FOR REMOVING
SMOKE, VAPOUR, AND GAS PROCEEDING FROM LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES IN TUNNELS OF
RAILWAYS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved system and machinery involving
the formation or construction of railway tunnels, whereby all noxious
vapours and steam from the engines are passed into chambers, troughs,
or receivers above or at the side of the lines of rails..

page_text: The Invention consists in forming one or more chambers in the tunnel
above the level of the engine chimney, so that the blast is carried into
such chambers together with the smoke and sulphurous gases. The
chambers may be kept closed by valves which are opened in succession
by the force of the blast, and re-closed under the pressure of springs or
counterweights.
In some cases the chimney or blast pipe may be curved to lead the
exhaust steam and smoke into openings or passages in the side walls, or
the exhaust and smoke can be carried into water troughs arranged in
or along the sido walls.
In the case of the top chambers first referred to the chambers can
be opened or closed at the ends when desired to permit of workmen
entering for cleaning them, and also- for regulating the draft through
them for ventilating purposes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Leon Pochet and Louis Lemoine in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 24th October 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, LEON
POCHET and LOUIS LEMOINE, of Paris, Boulevard de Strasbourg, No. 23,
Engineers, send greeting.
"
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said Leon Pochet and Louis Lemoine, Her 2
special licence that we, the said Leon Pochet and Louis Lemoine, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
Leon Pochet and Louis Lemoine, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, 3
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and

page_text: Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED SYSTEM AND MACHINERY FOR
REMOVING SMOKE, Vapour, and GAS PROCEEDING FROM LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES IN
TUNNELS OF RAILWAYs," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the
said Leon Pochet and Louis Lemoine, or one of us, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or their hands
and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or them, 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.
i
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Leon Pochet and Louis Lemoine, do
hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say :—
This Invention relates to an improved system and machinery in-
volving the formation or construction of railway tunnels, whereby all
noxious vapours and steam from the engines are passed into chambers,
troughs, or receivers above or at the side of the lines of rails.
The Invention consists, firstly, in forming one or more chambers in
the tunnel above the level of the engine chimney, so that the blast is.
carried into such chambers together with the smoke and sulphurous
gases. The chambers may be kept closed by valves which are opened
in succession by the force of the blast, and re-closed under the pressure
of springs or counterpoise weights.
In some cases the chimney or blast pipe may be curved to lead the
exhaust steam and smoke into openings or passages in the side walls,'
as in the second part of our Invention, or the exhaust steam and
smoke can be carried into water troughs arranged in or along the side
walls.
In the case of the top chambers first referred to the chambers can
be closed or open at the ends when desired to permit of workmen
entering for cleaning them, and also for regulating the draft through
them for ventilating purposes.

page_text: Our Invention will be readily understood on reference to the annexed
Drawings, in which Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a vertical and a
longitudinal section of an arched railway tunnel, having the chamber
or trough for the reception of the smoke, vapour, or gas, formed at the
top of the tunnel; while Figures 3 and 4 are similar views of a flat or
girder roofed tunnel having the reception chamber at its side.
The reception chamber is divided from the tunnel when it is placed
at the top of the latter, as in Figures 1 and 2, by a false roofing, hori-
zontal flooring, or partition A, and when it is at the side, as in Figures 3
and 4, by vertical partitions B, at the right of an opening or slit F,
herein-after mentioned in the partition; the beams by which it is
supported are interrupted and it is maintained by other portions of
beams L, L.
The chimney of the locomotive instead of being cylindrical is con-
structed of a conical or bevil form, as seen at G in Figures 1 and 2,
or is turned sideways towards the side J, Figure 3, so that its orifice
instead of being circular is a prolonged rectangle.
The partitions are in some cases pierced with a longitudinal slit or
opening F exactly parallel to the plane.or axis of the line, sufficiently
wide to permit the top of the funnel or uptake to move therein, as seen
at Figures 1, 2, and 3, so that as the train moves the steam and gases
which escape from the funnel procced into the chamber M formed by
the partitions. This smoke, steam, and vapour chamber M can (as
shown at Figure 1) be divided into two distinct compartments by a
partition T.
In order to prevent the reissue of steam, smoke, or vapour from the
chamber into the tunnel proper, we propose in some cases to apply flap
or other valves S, shown separately at Figures 5 and 6, consisting of
plates of wood, iron, or copper, turning upon an axis of rotation O.
Their course is limited by a stop or knocker H, and when necessary
we make use of an appliance, such as a flat spring R or a spiral or other
spring rolled around the axis in order to bring the valve back upon its
seat if its weight is not sufficient.
In practice we prefer that the length of each valve should be limited
to, say a yard, and on the passage of a train the valves oven and close !

page_text: And, fourthly. We claim the means or appliances for preventing the
return of smoke, steam, vapours, and gases from the divisions or chambers
in railway tunnels, substantially as described.
!
In witness whereof, we, the said Leon Pochet and Louis Lemoine,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Sixteenth day of
October, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
Witness,
CH. ARMENGAUD.JE,
Civil Engineer,
23, B. Strasbourg,
Paris.
(L.S.)
L. POCHET.
LOUIS LEMOINE. (L.S.)