Chapter 81: Taking Action

A week later, the New York Air Brake Company delivered the blueprint to the Axelsen & Nielsen Air Brake Company.

In the office, Jonathan and Amelia anxiously waited for Poul to unfold the blueprint delivered by their competitors. With bated breath, Poul scanned the contents of the blueprint - the schematic diagram, dimensions, and specifications - until a scoff escaped from his mouth.

"Ms. Weiss, what did Mr. Simmons say about his air brake again?" Poul demanded.

"Uhm...that the piping diagram is different from ours? Why? Is something the matter?" Amelia replied, sensing the tension in the room.

"Oh, there is clearly something the matter here, Amelia," Poul snapped, placing the blueprint down on his desk. "The New York Air Brake Company literally changed the layout of the piping."

Jonathan, taken aback, blinked and looked at the blueprint in disbelief. "What do you mean?"

"This is the schematics of our air brake," Poul pulled out a blueprint from the drawer and unfurled it on the table. "See for yourselves, what did you notice?"

As Jonathan and Amelia scrutinized the blueprint, Poul's suspicions were confirmed. The specifications and dimensions were identical, but the piping diagram was unmistakably different.

"This could only mean one thing," Jonathan mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah, the New York Air Brake Company infringed on our patent, made a slight alteration, and called it their own. I'm not letting them get away with this so easily," Poul seethed, his eyes ablaze with fury.

"We can finally inform Mr. Morgan and tell him about our findings," Jonathan suggested. "As promised, he will refer us to a lawyer who is best at handling patent infringement cases."

"How shameless of them," Amelia said, her voice betraying her anger. "To blatantly copy our air brake design and claim it as their own. It's unethical and dishonorable."

"Indeed, it is," Poul agreed. "But let us not dwell on our indignation. We must focus on our course of action. Mr. Morgan will be able to recommend us a skilled lawyer, but it won't be an easy fight."

"We've invested a significant amount of money in our air brake system," Jonathan said. "We can't let the New York Air Brake Company get away with this infringement. We owe it to our clients and ourselves to protect our invention."

Amelia nodded in agreement. "I'm with you all the way, Mr. Axelsen. We can't let this injustice stand. It's time to fight back."

Poul stood up from his desk, his expression resolute. "Then let us begin."

"That's what I want to hear," Jonathan said and continued. "I actually read a certain topic about infringement. That this was a common practice in the early days of any industry when the legal status of patents was not always clear and it was difficult to prove infringement. Some companies may have calculated that the potential profits from selling products outweighed the risks of being sued by the inventors."

"Just because it was a common practice doesn't mean we will have to turn a blind eye to it," Poul said firmly, glancing at Amelia to emphasize his point. "Ms. Weiss, I want you to contact Morgan's office now."

"Yes, Mr. Nielsen," Amelia bowed, turned around, and walked over to the telephone.

Jonathan and Poul fell into a deep conversation, discussing their next steps in the legal battle they were about to face against the New York Air Brake Company. They knew it would be a long and arduous process, and they had to ensure that they had a strong case against their competitor.

A few minutes later, Amelia hung up the phone, a satisfied smile on her face. "Mr. Morgan will send the lawyer as soon as possible. He gave me the name of the lawyer, do you want me to share it with you?"

"Of course, what's his name?" Poul asked.

"George Harding," Amelia revealed.

***

August 31st, 882. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

George Harding arrived at the headquarters of the Axelsen & Nielsen Air Brake Company, a small office room in a modest two-story house. As he entered the building, he was greeted by Amelia, the company's executive secretary, dressed in a simple blouse and skirt.

"Good day, Mr. Harding," she said with a nod. "Mr. Nielsen is expecting you. Please follow me."

Amelia led Harding to a small office room on the first floor, where Mr. Nielsen was waiting for him. The room was sparsely furnished, with a desk, a few chairs, and a shelf of books. Looking at Nielsen, he noticed that the company founder is young, probably in his eighteen years. He has silver hair, an Albian. Though Morgan already informed him about Poul Nielsen, seeing it personally was surprising.

When George Harding entered the Axelsen & Nielsen Air Brake Company, Poul Nielsen couldn't help but size him up. The tall, lean man sported a top hat, a tailcoat, and long black hair that flowed down to his shoulders. He carried a black briefcase, which seemed to contrast with his elegant appearance.

"Good day to you, Mr. Harding," Poul said, rising from his chair and extending his hand. "Welcome to the headquarters of the Axelsen & Nielsen Air Brake Company."

"Thank you, Mr. Nielsen, good day to you as well," George replied, taking Poul's hand.

"Please take a seat," Poul gestured to the chair across his desk.

George sat down, his posture straight and professional. Poul picked up a file and opened it, scanning the information about George's education and qualifications.

"George Harding. Born in 844 in Philadelphia. Attended the University of Pennsylvania where you earned a degree in mechanical engineering. And then you went to study law at Harvard University and was admitted to the bar in 873," Poul read aloud and continued. "It's good that you have a degree in mechanical engineering. With that, it'll be easy for you to understand what we are fighting here."

"I know," George replied, "Mr. Morgan already informed me. Is the issue about the air brakes of the New York Air Brake Company being strikingly similar to yours?"

"Yes," Poul confirmed. "The New York Air Brake Company infringed on our patent, changed the piping diagrams, and then called it their own. I was hoping we could stop them via legal means."

"So you want to file an injunction?" George inquired.

"Yes, I want him to stop manufacturing air brakes," Poul explained. "You see, he is stealing our clients, offering them air brakes that are fifteen dollars cheaper than us. Without our clients, we will suffer financially, and the investors may pull out their investments. Hearing this, I'm sure you understand the gravity of our situation."

"I do, Mr. Nielsen," George agreed. "And I would love to take your case. But first, we need to discuss the specifics of your patent and the infringement itself. Do you have any evidence that the New York Air Brake Company has indeed copied your design?"

Poul nodded and produced several documents from his desk drawer, laying them out for George to inspect. Blueprints of the Axelsen & Nielsen air brake system, complete with detailed technical drawings, were placed alongside a set of corresponding blueprints from the New York Air Brake Company.

"As you can see, the specifications and dimensions are the same, but the piping diagrams are different," Poul explained, pointing to the two sets of blueprints. "Our patent covers not just the design of the air brake itself, but also the specific piping layout that we developed to make it work. The fact that the New York Air Brake Company changed the piping layout shows that they knowingly infringed on our patent."

George studied the blueprints carefully, nodding occasionally as Poul spoke. After a few minutes, he looked up and met Poul's eyes.

"I believe you have a strong case here, Mr. Nielsen," George said. "The evidence you've presented is compelling, and it's clear that your patent has been infringed upon. We can file for an injunction and ask the court to order the New York Air Brake Company to stop manufacturing air brakes immediately."

Poul felt a sense of relief wash over him. He had been worried that the legal process would be long and difficult, but with George on their side, he felt confident that justice would be served.

"Thank you, Mr. Harding," Poul said, shaking George's hand once more. "I appreciate your help in this matter. Please let us know what further information you need from us to proceed with the case."

"Of course, I need to know more about your air brakes."

"Very well."

Poul began and George Harding listened attentively as Poul explained the intricate workings of their air brake system. He asked insightful questions, and before long, he had a clear understanding of the patent and the infringement.

With all the necessary information at hand, George excused himself and promised to work on the injunction papers immediately. "I'll keep you posted on the progress," he said as he shook their hands and made his way out of the office.

Poul and Amelia watched him go with a sense of relief, knowing that they were now one step closer to stopping the New York Air Brake Company from infringing on their patent.