OILING AXLES. 519 



has been standing a few days or more the axle arms should 

 be oiled before the carriage is taken out. In establishments 

 where the numer of servants is proportionate to the amount 

 of work there is no excuse for a wheel becoming set, and 

 an accident of this nature indicates that the work in general 

 is being carelessly performed. Patent axles require such 

 careful manipulation that it is safer and cheaper in the long 

 run to have them looked after by a man from the coach 

 builders ; and when circumstances prevent this being done, 

 the owner should superintend the work for the first few 

 times. A description of the two leading types of patent 

 axles, the Collinge and Mail, is given on p. 67. 



For oiling the plain axle the servant should have a stand 

 about thirty inches high, and with sides from ten to fourteen 

 inches square ; the upper surface should be flat with a rim 

 two or three inches high, and beneath this tray, hooks and 

 shelves may be placed for the wrenches, cotton waste, oil 

 can, etc. 



When the wheels are to be oiled a wheel-jack, with the 

 pin and steps protected by leather, should be placed under 

 the axle arm near the hub, or if the jack is of the double- 

 arm pattern, under the centre of the axle bed. The cap and 

 nut should be removed and placed on the top of the tray, 

 the v/heel removed and stood in some convenient place, and 

 the leather washers taken out. First, the axle arm should be 

 carefully cleaned with some cotton w^aste, the oil groove 

 scraped out and any oil that has become hardened removed 

 by a rag saturated with turpentine. Second, the axle box 

 in the hub should be similarly cleaned, and the leather 

 washers rubbed off, smeared with tallow and replaced. In 

 cleaning the axle arm and box great care should be taken to 



