GRIPE FOR CARRIAGES, 



Apparatus to ting Oil his hnK, may. confine or releafe the wheels of his car- 

 of^ carriages. ^i^ge at pleafure, dntl prevent accidents in defcending hills, or 

 in managing reftive horfes. 



I am. Sir, 



Yoiir humble Servant, 



WILLIAM BOWLER, 

 Fivjhury-Street, May 1 3, 1 803 . 



To Mr. Charles Taylor, Sec, 



Iteference to the Engraving of Mi\ William Bowler*s Gripe for 

 the Wheels of Carts and Carriages, Plate X. 

 A B. The extent of the body of the cart. C D. The two 

 (hafts. E. The front ladder of the cart, part of which pro- 

 jects over the fliafts, and is fupported on them : the other part 

 is fattened to the upright piece F. G. The handle of the le- 

 ver. Aiding betwixt two uprights, and moveable on an iron 

 bar and pivot at H, in the upright piece F. By preffing dow^ 

 this handle, the moveable joints I K raife upwards the lower 

 part of another lever L, fo as to prefs againft the lower part 

 of the nave of the wheel, and at the fame time the moveable 

 joints prefs down the lever O, and caufe this lever to a6l againft 

 the upper part of the nave of the wheel ; thus compreffing 

 the nave of the wheel betwixt a double brace, and either re- 

 tarding wholly the motion of the wheel, or allowing it to move 

 a little, as may be thought requifite. The circle of the nearer 

 wheel is ftiown by the dotted lines P; but this wheel is not 

 added, as it would prevent this gripe from being clearly feen. 

 The handle of the lever G produces at the fame time a fimilar 

 efFeft on the further wheel R, by means of the bar of iron 

 which croflfes the cart at H, and a6ls in the fame manner on 

 fimilar double joints at the other fide of the cart, as may be 

 feen at S, where the further double gripe is ihown preffing on ^ 

 the nave of the further wheel. T. A fmall catch, which, by 1 

 falling into the notches or teeth of the lever, when it is prefled 

 down, holds both the gripes in one certain pofition. 



When the wheels are to be fet at liberty, the catch T is re- 

 moved out of the teeth of the lever ; then the lever G mk 

 raifed above the hole V, and kept from Aiding down by an 

 iron pin attached to the Chain U, being put underneath the 

 lever, through the hole V. 

 '•^"' The 



