CH. VI BREAK I I I 



some form of the French char a bancs (so called from 

 its being a car with benches placed across it), shown 

 in Plate XI. The driving-seat is exactly like that 

 of a coach, and can be made the same height from 

 the ground ; the splinter-bar, and consequently the 

 horses, will be then in the same relative place as in 

 a coach. The second seat, which can be made for 

 three, or for four persons, is a little higher than the 

 box-seat, and the leg-room is much better than on a 

 coach ; the rumble, as usual, seats the grooms. The 

 body has doors in the sides and a door behind, and 

 takes the place of the boots ; with open gratings 

 in the sides, or in the doors, dogs can be carried 

 comfortably. For country and sporting purposes 

 nothing can be better. A char a bancs like that 

 shown in the plate will weigh about 1600 pounds; 

 twice as much as a light mail-phaeton without a 

 perch. The connection of the hind springs with 

 the axles and with the body should be carefully 

 considered in designing this vehicle, since the brake 

 tends to push the hind axle backward in a manner 

 in which it will not be pushed in a carriage without 

 a brake. There is a way of connecting the front 

 end of the spring to the body which will counteract 

 this strain, but somewhat to the detriment of the 

 easy action of the springs (see Fig. 28). 



The pole, pole-hook, lead-bars, &c, of a break 

 should be exactly like those of a coach, but some- 

 what lighter, not, however, in proportion to the 

 difference of weight of the vehicles. 



