ROADS 



173 



MACHINES FOR MAINTAINING ROADS 



Road Drags. The principal machine for maintaining 

 roads of all kinds is the road drag. As devised by Mr. D. 

 Ward King this consists of two planks or halves of a split 

 log, about 8 feet long, and held about 30 inches apart with 

 braces. These planks are so placed that one will follow 

 the other when drawn at an angle of 45 degrees with the 

 direction of travel. The front plank is usually shod with a 

 steel blade for about one-half its length, which resists the 



ClnUd 

 ; , platform. 



VIron plate ^"-J Iron plate 



Fig. 94. Road drags made of plank and split log. 



wear and enables the drag to have more effect upon the sur- 

 face. Two chains are provided, one from each end of the 

 drag, which are of such length as to give the drag the desired 

 inclination with the direction of travel. 



It has been found that the drag works best with the longer 

 chain passed over the plank, and the shorter chain attached 

 near the middle of the short plank close to one end. There 

 are many other types of drag to be found in use. One is 

 known as the V drag, which is designed to cover the entire 

 width of the road surface at a time. There are also several 

 types of road drags made of angles or bars of steel in place of 

 the planks of the King drag. 



