The Locomotive Of Today

140 The Framing, Wheels, etc. : Springs, etc. the springs are driven home, this being found to reduce break- ages and prolong the life of the springs. An arrangement of underliung spring and gear suitable for a clriving axle box is shown at J. The spring is similar to that at A, being coupled to the axle box by a link and pins. A large pin passes through the horns of the box and the top of the link; another one at right angles to it passes through the forks upon the buckle and the link, the spring having freedom to swing in either direction upon these pins. The ends of the spring are coupled to the frame by hangers and pins, which allow the spring freedom to lengthen when loaded. When springs are so fitted and hung, and the weight upon the wheels requires to be adjusted, it can only be done by changing the spring and substituting one with more or less camber, according to whether a greater or less weight is to be carried on the wheels. At K is shown a somewhat similar arrangement, but instead of the springs being coupled direct to the frames, washers of inclia-rubber are inserted between to form a cushion for the springs and lessen the shocks upon them. Brackets are carried down from the frame, and through holes in them the bolt of the hanger passes; below, an inverted cup is placed on it and the rubber cushions put on, each being separated by a thin metal washer. A thicker washer is used for the last and then two nuts, one checking the other. The weight can here be adjusted by means of the nuts and screws without changing the springs. As all the-axle boxes fitted with independent springs are permanently loaded with the full weight to be carried by them it follows that, as the wheels pass over inequalities of the rails, this weight per axle may be largely increased for the time being'; therefore many engines have two or more pairs of wheels fitted with compensating or equalising levers or beams, so that the rising and falling' of the wheels mentioned may be accommodated without causing an undue load to be carried by any one box. With these beams every shock to one wheel and spring will be in part taken by the next to which they are coupled, thus lessening the injurious effects. This equalising is common in Britain and on the Continent, and is universal in America. At L a form of compensating gear, cbnnecting the clriving wheels of a four wheels coupled engine is shown. The outside ends of each spring are hung to curved brackets attached to the frame, the inner ends being in a similar way attached to either extremity of a beam, which is pivotted at its centre to a carrier fixed to the frame between the coupled wheels. The