A Stationary Friction Wedge Brake for Railway Wagons, Pit Trams, Tubs or Corves, and the like
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 11th Sept., 1890-Accepted, 16th Dec., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Stationary Friction Wedge Brake for Railway Wagons, Pit
Trams, Tubs or Corves, and the like.
JEREMIAH RHODES Colliery Manager Shirland Derbyshire BENJAMIN LEE Engine-
wright Shirland Alfreton Derbyshire. We do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
It is a fixed or stationary wedge friction brake it can be made any length and to
take hold of as many wagons or tubs, or trams or corves or anything that has wheels
on and runs on rails as the purchaser thinks well. It is constructed of two pieces of
angle or other iron put down inside the road just to clear the wheels and these two
work inside boxes made to bolt down on to the sleepers or frame, and there are in
these boxes two taper glut or distance peices one at each end and on the angle or
other iron are put taper wedges to work in the above boxes at equal distances accord-
ing to the length of the brake, and strength of the iron, and nature of the work
requires them. It is very simple in construction and very effective and not likely to
wear out or get out of order. It can be worked by a boy. There is a shaft put
across the frame under the rails this shaft can be put at either end of the brake as it
will work either by pulling or pushing it forward on the shaft are two short arms and
one lever for the boy to get hold of to work it by. From the two short arms are two
connecting rods to the end of the angle or other irons so when the boy brings or
pushes the lever forward the same way as the wheels are going, the wedges cause the
angle or other iron.to move laterally and presses them against the inside of the wheels
and the load or wheel assists to bring the iron and wedges forward and put on the
friction and stop the trains &c.
'It could be fixed at the bottom of inclines and inade self-acting so that if anything
broke and let any wagons or trucks or tubs, or tram or corfes run away it could be
made to stop them.
It would be very usefull for steadying anything that had wheels on where it was
not convenient to get at the brake that was on them, or for them that had no brakes
on them.
It is these wagons that are so small and are so numerious such as trams, tubs,
corves, &c. that are used in and about all kinds of mines and are very awkward to
fix a brake on them and which require a brake on them as bad as any wagons do that
caused us to bring this invention out. It is the wedges that makes it so simple and
durable. When it is put on it holds itself on without any fastening and just pushing
the irons back on which are fastened the wedges, which can be done by a boy releases
the wheels. There are slots in the wedges and studs in the boxes that brings the
angle or other irons off the wheels when pushed back so that the wheels can go by
without touching the irons, if the brake is not applied.
It can be made to work either on one side wheels or both if it was only wanted to
work on one side it would only require one iron and one box on one end of each
sleeper or where wedges was fixed. To lengthen this brake is simply putting as
many length of angle or other irons to answere the same purpose at the end of one
another, and as many wedges on and as many boxes on as is necessary according to
what it is wanted to do.
רד
114ih dan of Danamhor 1880
JEREMIAH RHODES.
BENJAMIN LEE.

page_text: A Stationary Friction Wedge Brake for Railway Wagons, Pit
Trams, Tubs or Corves, and the like.
JEREMIAH RHODES Colliery Manager Shirland Alfreton Derbyshire BENJAMIN LEE
Enginewright Shirland Alfreton Derbyshire do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
This invention relates to the construction and arrangment of a fixed or stationary
wedge brake for steadying or lowering or stopping railway wagons pit trams, tubs or
corves and the like. It can be made any length, and to take hold of as many wagons,
tubs, or corves or anything else that runs on rails as the purchaser thinks well.
It is constructed of two pieces of angle or other iron put down inside the road just
to clear the wheels and these two work inside boxes made to bolt down on the sleepers
or frame and there are in these two boxes two taper glutts or distance pieces one at
each end, and on the angle or other irons are put taper wedges to work in the above
boxes at equal distances according to the length of the brake and strength of the iron
and the nature of the work requires them.
It is very simple in construction and very effective and not likely to get out of order.
It can be worked by a boy. There is a shaft put across the frame under the rail.
This shaft can be put on either end of the brake, as it will work either by pulling, or
pushing it forward; on the shaft are two short arms and one lever for the boy to get
hold of to work it by. From the two short arms are two connecting rods to the end
of angle or other irons. When the boy brings or pushes the lever forward the same
way as the wheels are moving; the wedges causes the angle or other irons to move
laterally and presses them against the inside of the wheels and the load or wheels
assist to bring the irons & wedges forward and put on the friction and stop the
train &c. It could be fixed at the bottom of an incline and made self acting so
that if anything broke and let any wagons, trucks, tubs, or trams or corves run
away it could be made to stop them. It would be very useful for steadying any-
thing that had wheels on when it is not convenient to get at the brake that was
on them, or for those that had no brake on them. It is those wagons that are so
small and so numerous such as trams, tubs, corves &c. that are used in and about all
kinds of mines and are very awkward to fix a brake on them and which require a
brake on them as bad as any wagons do. That caused us to bring this invention out.
It is the wedges that make it so simple and durable. When it is put on it holds itself
on without any fastening and just pushing the irons back on which are fastened the
wedges (which can be done by a boy) releases the wheels. There are slots in the
wedges and studs in the boxes that bring the angle or other irons off the wheels
when pushed back so that the wheels can go by without touching the irons if the
brake is not applied.
It can be made to work on either one side wheels or both. If it was wanted to
work on one side it would only require one angle iron and one box on one end of each
sleeper or where wedges are fixed. To lengthen this brake it is simply putting as
many lengths of angle or other irons to answer the same purpose at the end of
each other and as many wedges on and as many boxes on as is necessary according
to what it is wanted for to do.
The above Specification will be better understood by referring to the accompanying
drawing and the following letters.
Angle iron A A, wheels B B, boxes CC, sleepers D, wedges E E, shaft F, rails GG,
short arms H H, lever I slotts J J, studs K K.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1. The use of the wedge for applying a friction wedge brake for steadying, or
lowering or stopping railway wagons, pit trams, tubs or corves and the like.
Dated this 11th day of September 1890.
JEREMIAH RHODES.
BENJAMIN LEE.