CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO THE WHEELS AND AXLES OF ENGINES, TENDERS, CARRIAGES, AND WAGGONS TO BE USED UPON RAILWAYS
Year: 1845

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ERNEST
EDGE, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Mechanic, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twentieth day of November, in the ninth year of Her
reign, and in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-five,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Ernest Edge, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said Ernest Edge, my executors, administrators, and assigns, and
such others as I, the said Ernest Edge, my executors, administrators, or
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and law-
fully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England and Wales and
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in all the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey,
Alderney, Sark, and Man, and also within all Her Majesty's Colonies
and Plantations abroad, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE
TO THE WHEELS AND AXLES OF ENGINES, TENDERS, CARRIAGES, AND WAGGONS
TO BE USED UPON RAILWAYS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a
proviso that I, the said Ernest Edge, shall cause a particular description of
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within
six, calendar months next, and immediately after the date of the said in part

page_text: recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had,
will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Ernest Edge, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described and
contained in and by the following explanation thereof (that is to say) :-
My Improvements applicable to the Wheels and Axles of Engines, Tenders,
Carriages, and Waggons to be used upon Railways are intended to be adapted
only in such cases where the wheels are mounted upon revolving axles, and
are designed to facilitate the transit of carriages over curves or other devia-
tions upon the line of railway. In ordinary locomotive engines, tenders,
carriages; or waggons used on railways, the wheels are both "staked," keyed,
or fastened upon their respective axles, and consequently both wheels revolve
with the axles whilst running; and-as-is-well-known, in the event of passing over
curves in the line, their action is not uniformn, but subject to considerable
friction and abrasion or "twist" against one side of the rails. My Invention
consists in so constructing wheels and axles that this imperfection may be
obviated, and is to be effected by "staking," keying, or fixing only one wheel
upon the revolving axis instead of both, and leaving the other wheel loose upon
its axis, and at liberty to turn, slip, or even remain for a time quiescent
when occasion may require, which Invention I claim by virtue of the above
in part recited Letters. Patent, and deliver this as my true and faithful Speci-
fication thereof.
my hand
In witness whereof, I, the said Ernest Edge, have hereunto set
and seal this Eighteenth day of May, One thousand eight hundred