Chap. XIII.
CARRIAGES FOR TRANSPORTING WEIGHTS.
1021
HU
In Tuscany the conductor, seated behind the carriage, can, by a simple lever working in agroove upon the axles, tilt the waggon forwards, and deposit the earth it conveys down a
Fig 1555.
steep bank or slope, without any inconvenience or danger to himself: an iron groove passesobliquely from one axle to the other; in this the end of a crooked lever runs, which holdsthe bottom bearer of the carriage by a ring;when this is pushed forward, with a slightupheaving of the load, its action lifts thehinder part and inclines the front forwardto shoot it out.
Railway Carriages -Waggons for the
transport of coals, as they discharge theirload generally from the bottom, are madelarger at top, or shaped like a hopper;they are sometimes of a more cubical shape,but this is not found so convenient.
In the example given, which is that in useat most of the northern collieries, the frame-work is put together with iron bolts, intowhich the uprights to receive the planksthat form the sides of the waggon are mor-tised; the wheels are of cast-iron, and havewooden brakes fastened by a cast-iron stud.
These waggons are about 9 feet in lengthat top, 6 feet 4 at bottom, and 4 feet inheight, as much in width at the bottom, andwill carry nearly 3 tons of coals.
The trucks used for the conveyance of Fig * 1557. movbment of cart.
merchandise consist of a platform or longi-tudinal frame, diagonally braced for greater strength, on which springs are placed, in order thatthe carriage may be kept as low as possible: one check of the guides over the axles project