610

HISTORY OF ENGINEERING.

Book I.

and the wards. The trays are conveyed along the ground floor in a small truck, and alongthe galleries, or upper wards, by a light trussed iron carriage, which traverses on the top ofthe gallery railing. The front and side views of the machine are at the top of the figure ;the power which hoists it is placed on the floor line of the basement; its profile and

^

r

Fig. 574.

MACHINES FOR RAISING PROVISIONS.

arrangement are shown below, as are also the plan, side, and end elevation of the iron car-riage which traverses the galleries.

The different rations or allowances for the prisoners, being placed in large trays, arethus conveniently mounted from the basement floor, where the kitchen and magazines forthe provisions are situated. When they have arrived at the level of the gallery wherethey are intended to be distributed, the horizontal bar at the top of the balcony on eachside becomes a railroad, upon which the light iron carriages make their passage from oneend of the corridors to another : the officers in attendance who have the distribution staythe carriage at the door of each cell, and give out the requisite meal. There is immenseconvenience derived from this simple arrangement, the whole passes so steadily that itarrives at its destination exactly in the same state in which it sets out; there is no confusionor waste by any article being broken or spilt by the way ; by these mechanical means thefood is served to the prisoners with such despatch that it runs no risk of being cooled inits passage up long flights of stairs, or through the corridors.

The plan in the accompanying figure shows the position of the four wheels which run