76 LOCOMOTION. 



with the body of the axle : this sets the wheel nnder 

 so far that it crowds towards the shoulder and creates 

 much friction. Regardless of this, carriage makers 

 often set the wheel still farther under the vehicle, and 

 make the wheel dishing, the spokes standing out in a 

 bracing position from the hub, the under portion of 

 them being perpendicular, while the upper ones stand 

 thirty degrees from a perpendicular position. The 

 wheel is stronger when it assumes this dishing form, as 

 the laboring spokes stand more upright than they 

 otherwise would with this crooked axle ; but the great 

 difficulty is, the wheel runs hard, it presses too hard 

 against the shoulder. To prevent the wheels inclining 

 to run off from its toeing out too much, the end of the 

 axle is bent forward, and this is called the gather of 

 the axle ; but here is no rule for the gather : each man 

 crooks his axle according to fancy. Is it a wonder, 

 then, that some of our carriages run so hard ? We find 

 there is much difference in their running. This in- 

 creased friction is not the whole difficulty ; the carriage 

 is vastly more liable to be overset by this under setting 

 of the wheels, and we know of no rule by which you 

 can set wheels properly while such a difference exists 

 in the size of the boxes : we therefore propose that 

 the inner and the outer boxes be made very nearly of 

 a size. We well know there is more friction with 

 large axles and boxes, but we are satisfied we gain on 

 the whole, and that a wheel set in a perpendicular 

 position, with a straight axle, will need no gather, and 

 will run with much less friction than when set in the 

 common mode. You have, then, a plain, straight rule 

 to go by, which may be practised by you, and taught 

 to your children. 



