WHEEL CARRIAGES.

1301

1200

1 ° e s a re locking, which bolt is enlarged within the box, and has an eye for the axlelass trough, being firmly secured to the plate I. and also to the sides of the box. Fig.

1200, is a plan or horizontal view of an axle and its box, belongingto one of the fore wheels; a piece q, is fixed to the under side of themain axletree, which supports the ends of the plates /, and therebyrelieves the pins e, e, of the strain they would otherwise have towithstand. The axles of the hind wheels are mounted upon similarplates l, l, with bearings and chambers with anti-friction rollers;but as these are not required to lock, the plates l, l, are fixed on tothe under side of the hind axletree by screw-nuts; there are smallopenings or doors, which can be removed for the purpose of un-screwing the nuts and collars of the bearings p, when the wheel isrequired to be taken off the carriage, when the axle can be with-drawn from the boxes. If it should be thought necessary,' otherchambers with friction rollers may be placed on the under side ofthe plate l, to bear up the end of the axles, and relieve the bearing ‘p. In order to stop or impede the progress of a carriage in passing. down hills, there is a grooved friction or brake wheel /, fixed, byclamps or otherwise, on to the spokes of one of the hind wheels ;

bi

and

■.brake-band or spring, of metal, encircling the friction wheel, one end of whichis fixed into the standard v, upon the hind axletree, and the other end con-e . 1 t by a joint to the shorter end of the lever w, which has its fulcrum in the standard

lent! ' ever ex t en ds fP t0 the hind seat of the coach, as shown in fig. 1198, and is in-

f'endi

to be under the command of the guard or passengers of the coach, and when de-

l 0 a hill, or on occasion of the horses running away, the longer end of the lever is^^Pressed, which will raise the shorter end, and, consequently, bring the band orlio,! 8 ® u > in contact with the surface of the friction wheel, and thereby retard its revolu-^ak an< ^ P reven t the coach travelling too fast; or, instead of attaching the friction

to the hind wheel, as represented in fig. 1198, it may be adapted to the fore

1199

1198

Mr

I

Mth; » and the end of the lever brought up to the side of the foot-board, or under it, amihiovo c °tnmand of the coachman, the standard which carries the fulcrum being made toby ® tipon a pivot, to accommodate the locking of the wheels. It will be observed, thattw, improved constructions of the carriage, and mode of locking, the patentee isal w ' e d to use muc h larger fore wheels than in common, and that the splinter-bars willthe c 18 *? e in the position of right angles with the track or way of the horses in drawing’ban n a e 1 ' r ria §e, which they are much relieved, and always pull in a direct and equal

th^ s ?' an ifest defect in all four-wheeled carriages, involving vast superfluous friction, isitiadj « size of the front wheels; a defect which has existed ever since Walter Ripponi\t ai , i^ e brst hollow turning coach with pillars and arches for her majesty Queen**eing then her servant,” until the railroad era, when our engineers remedied theof t Ur .V equalizing the wheels, at the expense of another defect—sacrificing the powerles 'tlt^ ln ®’ an< * tllus producing great lateral friction; whence a train of evil consequencesSes. .'-"-necessarily increased strength, and consequently increased weight of the carria-a nd’ acr eased power and weight of the engine to draw them, and overcome the friction;

Cour se, increased strength of rails, and greater solidity of railway.

^Uthof e *" ects are at last remedied by an invention patented by Mr. William Adams ,boj^ °* a Work entitled “ English Pleasure Carriages.” Instead of placing the perch-' e| hent \ arri ‘ t| g centre, as is commonly done, over the front axle, he places it at a con-btstance betioeen the'front and hind axles; so that when turning the carriage the