CH. V BRAKE 83 



moved ; as he requires to exert more force, his arm 

 is constantly getting into a better position to do so, 

 and during the whole operation, the body is much 

 less disturbed, — an advantage when it is remem- 

 bered that all movements in driving should be as 

 little noticeable as possible. I prefer decidedly the 

 brake which works forward, and many brakes are 

 now made in that way, but the advantages seem to 

 be somewhat evenly divided. 



The handle should be flexible sideways, enough 

 to enable it to be pushed off by pressing the outside 

 of the riofht arm against it. 



The brake-blocks should be applied to the front 

 of the wheel, because the rod running to them is 

 thereby shorter and consequently lighter, and be- 

 cause if applied to the back they will work up out 

 of the sockets by the action of the wheel, unless the 

 sockets have their lar^e ends down, in which case 

 the blocks will drop out if not fastened. The 

 brake should be applied at a point of the tire level 

 with the axle. If it is not exactly at that point, it is 

 better to have it a little below it, so that when the 

 brake is put on, the springs of the coach will help 

 to keep up the pressure ; whereas, if it is above the 

 line of the axle, every time that the body of the 

 coach jumps up, on a rough hill, the pressure of the 

 brake will be for the moment diminished. 



It was a long time before the brake, which was 

 first used on the Continent, was adopted in Eng- 

 land, the older coaches having the shoe only, but in 



