Advertising Vehicles are constructed in a variety of styles, and their bodies often take the form of the goods carried, notably the shoe and the hat.
Hospital Antldances.—One of the latest styles of ambulance-wagons has the body sus pended, so that at the rear it is only 17 in. from the ground, which affords easy recess to the interior from the rear, this being the desideratum. There is a NYheel-house in front to allow of short turning. The upper part of the body is fitted with imitation shutters, which can be raised and lowered to admit of ventilation ; these shutters are secured from rattling by light steel window-strips. The two doors at the rear are hung on concealed hinges, and open out practically the entire width of back. Two beds can be used in this wagon, one hung, above the other. The front is suspended on an open futchel-gear, with the regular elliptic springs.
The back has an axle cranked down 17 in., and is suspended on it half-double sweep-spring.
The lower part of the body, up to where the spring is attached, is narrowed 8 in. on each side, being 48 in. wide outside at the top and 42 in, wide at the bottom, with a 5 ft. 2 in, track all round. The front wheels are :36 in. diameter and the rear 54 in.; number of spokes. 16; distance from center to center of axles, 78 in. ; diameter of fifth wheel, 22 in.; weight of vehicle, complete, about 1,100 lbs.
The new French city ambulances. Fig. 3, constructed after the plans of Dr. Nachtel. of Paris, are models in their way. Its smooth and varnished sides permit the vehicle to he kept perfectly clean. A litter of light wicker-work, of proper rind con venient form, gliding along two grooves, receives t he patient, who, owing to the elasticity of this material, is enabled to rest com fortably, and without experienc ing the usual though unnecessary jolting heretofore incidental to being rapidly conveyed over roughly paved streets. A little shelf contains all that is requisite for the dressing of wounds err. route. The ambulance is lighted by two large windows on each side. The entrance at the rear is closed by means of h folding- doors, thus preventing the. cold air and drafts from
reachillg the ocenpants, which is at present one of the objeetiona ble features of the American am bulance.
Gears.—A new gear. known as t he " Equivalent " ( Bart holcanew's patent), has helm recently put 'upon the market. It is intended specially for vehicles, such us surreys. Mucks, road-wagons, arid light-delivery wagons. which are often re quired to turn short. This gear takes the place of the platform ordinarily used for carriages, haying a wheelhouse under which the wheel runs in turning and "cramping," and in other styles of carriages, dispensing with the reach, which does not permit the wheel to turn com pletely under the wheel-house. A strong steel bar is bolted firmly to the under side of the front part of the body. and it extends rearwardly toward the wheel-house to a point just short of the path of the wheel, where it is curved downward (for from 6 to 12 in., according to the style of vehicle), forming a junction, through pivots, with two steel bars ar ranged one above the oth er (from 4 to 8 in. apart), with an intermediate. tie or brace ; these bars run ning forward and pivoted to a forged headpiece car ried by the spring-bolster and fifth wheel, thus prac tically joining the front axle. This gear prevents rocking or horse - motion of the front spring, stiffens the connection between the axle and body, and in sures perfect vertical 'no tion in riding. The parts are generally made by drop-forging. A trussed wagon-gear of it late type, suitable for use with three springs, is shown in Fig. 4. It is known as the Spite patent, and finds in favor with carriage-build ers for heavy work.
The Hose patent com bination platform -spring and gear has been used in various places during the last few years, and has been found especially valuable for light vehi cles. The front axle is cranked down several inches so as to be crossed conveniently by two diagonally arranged spring-braces, which carry the fifth wheel at the point of their intersec tion. The ends of these cross-braces are joined to the ends of the side-springs, as shown in Fig. 5.