54 



POLE-HEADS 



CH. Ill 



a regular pattern of crab, or metal mounting of the 

 pole, which is well adapted to its purpose and 

 should be adhered to. It is shown in Fig. 29, and 



consists of a kind 

 of sheath which fits 

 on the end of the 

 pole and is fast- 

 ened to it by two 

 bolts, which must 

 be strong, since 

 by them the leaders pull. This sheath terminates 

 in a hook to take the lead-bars. At the root of the 

 hook is the cross-head, which is free to turn upon 

 the stem, and has a ring at each end into which the 

 pole-chains are fastened. The arms of the cross- 

 head should be about six inches long from the cen- 

 tre of the pole to the rings. A strap, attached to 

 the pole, passes through the eye on the point of the 

 hook ; it should be strong and always kept in good 

 order, as it may serve to prevent the lead-bars from 

 being jerked off the hook in case of an accident 

 with the leaders. 



In many French four-horse vehicles, the hook is 

 under the pole ; but this is not a good arrangement ; 

 the bars are liable to come off unless the point of 

 the hook is fastened by a screw to the pole, which 

 is troublesome. 



The whole pole-head should be of the best steel, 

 highly polished. On a public-coach it is usually 

 painted black, but lately, on some public-coaches, 



