^EW FIELD GATE. 25 



Obfervatimis on its ConJlruStioii, 



The head and heel oF the gate may be of oak, and the bars Defcriprjan and 

 and braces of fir. Narrow and thick bars, when braced as >" thrnew'ran-* 

 tliis defign, are ftronger than broad and thin ones, containing ftru^ed fieW- 

 the fame quantity of timber, and they alfo oppofe a lei's furfacc^*^^* 

 to the wind. The two points in the heel of the gate, to which 

 the thimbles are faftened, may be confidcred as firm or fixed 

 points. From thefe points, viz. 1 and 2, two braces to pro-, 

 ceed to 4- and 3, in the middle of the bottom and top bars, and 

 being there fecured, thefe become fixed points, and from thefe 

 two points, viz. 4 and 3, two braces proceed to 5 and 6, 

 fixing thofe points. The gate is thusdoably braced, viz. from 

 the top of the heel to the top of the head, by means of the 

 braces 1, 4, and 4, 5 ; and from the bottom of the heel to the 

 bottom of the head, by means of the braces 2, 3, and 3, 6, 

 On each fide of the gate are two braces, and thofe parallel 

 to each other. The brace proceeding from the bottom of the 

 heel oF the gate, and that which is parallel to it, as alfo the 

 bottom bar, are all firained in the way of compreffion, and 

 the brace proceeding from the top of the heel, and the other 

 brace which is parallel to it, and alfo the top bar, are all firain- 

 eti in the way of extenfion. The firains in this gate being none 

 of them tranverfe, but all longitudinal, it would fupport a 

 vaft weight at its head without having its form altered. The 

 braces all lerve the double purpofe of keeping the gate in its 

 true form, and of fliortening the bearings of the bars, and 

 ftrengthening them. Few gates have lefs timber in their 

 braces; and perhaps in no other way can a gate be fo firmly 

 braced with fo fmall a quantity oF timber. 



At 5, 4, 7, and 8, two braces and a bar of the gate are 

 firmly fcrewed together by means of iron pins and fcrew nuts. 

 At the other points, where only one brace croffes a bar, common 

 gate-nails are ufed. 



If, in fome cafes, a-firong top-bar be wanted, to refift tlie 

 prefTure of heavy cattle, a bar or board, about fix inches broad, 

 and one inch thick, may be laid with its broad fide upon the 

 top bar, and fixed thereto by means of the ends of the braces 

 in the middle,, and by the heel and head of the gat^ at the two 

 ends of it. This board will, in this pofition, refift exadly the 



fam* 



