Mr. Curtis has applied the principle of construction just described to trucks for the conveyance of private carriages. Fig. 1 is a side view, and Fig. 2 an end view, and Fig. 3 a plan of the machine: the same letters refer to the same parts of the machine in each Fig. so far as the parts are shown in each, a is the framing of the machine, which is suspended below the axle in the usual way; b the hind wheels connected with the shifting frame c, which frame is held in its place by the bolts d d d d, or by any other usual and suitable means; e e are two eccentrics hung upon the cross shaft f, upon one end of which shaft the ratchet a is hung, and upon the other the head I, into the holes of which the lever k is inserted, when it is required to turn the shaft f round, so as to bring the eccentrics into contact with the rails or otherwise. l is a windlass placed upon the front bar of the machine, round which a rope coils, so that when a carriage is required to be placed upon the machine, one end of the rope is made fust to the carriage, and the other end to the windlass, then a man turning the windlass round by means of the handle m, the carriage is drawn upon the machine; the machine is connected to the train by means of the coupling n in the usual way, and the diagonal bars are placed as shown, in order that the concussion of the train may be transferred to the main frame of the machine a; o o o o are the wheels of the carriage placed upon the machine: the body and carriage are omitted in the drawing, as it is not material to the explanation of the invention that they should be shown.

The mode of operation is as follows: - when a carriage is required to be placed upon the machine, the eccentrics are brought upon the rails, and made to occupy the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, the effect of which is to raise the end of the carriage to which the shifting frame and wheels are attached, a space equal to that included between the shaded line x and the dotted y, and to support it whilst the frame c and wheels b are withdrawn; then the eccentrics are turned back until they occupy the position shown in the drawing, when the end of the machine is lowered to the ground, and occupies the position shown by the dotted lines z z. The carriage is then brought to the machine, the rope from the windlass is made fast to it, the floor of the machine being formed into an inclined plane; the carriage is dragged upon the machine by the windlass with great facility. When placed upon the machine the eccentrics are again brought into the position shown by the dotted lines, which raises the end of the machine; the shifting frame c and wheels b are connected with the machine, and made fast by the bolts d, the eccentrics are then brought into the position shown in the drawing, riding clear of the rails; the ratchet a and pall h are provided to retain the eccentrics in any position they may be placed in: the best way to effect all these operations, is to place the machine upon a turn-table, the fore wheels and eccentrics being upon the table, when the machine can be disengaged from the wheels, and placed to receive the carriage in a very simple and easy manner; the same operations apply if the machine is employed for goods, cattle, or any other purpose.