Guidelines for Design, Production and Testing of Animal-Drawn Carts

Compiled on behalf of the Animal Traction Network for Eastern and Southern Africa (ATNESA) as a resource book on animal-drawn carts, these guidelines cover all aspects of their design, production and marketing. Full details - with many three dimensional drawings - are given of the construction of a range of ox and donkey carts, including wheels and axles, with information on materials and costs. Information is based as far as possible on designs that have been shown to work effectively. Other sections cover harnessing of oxen and donkeys, manufacture and marketing, credit and design standards. The guidelines are aimed at promoting improved supply, quality and use of animal-drawn carts in the region.

Table of Contents:
PREFACE ix SECTION A: GUIDELINES ON CART DESIGN 1 A1: INTRODUCTION 3 A1.1 FEATURES OF GOOD CART DESIGN 3 A1.2 RECOMMENDATION FOR MINIMUM DESIGN STANDARDS 4 A1.3 LAYOUT OF MANUAL 5 A1.4 REASONING BEHIND THE GUIDELINES 6 A2: CART CONSTRUCTION 7 A2.1 CART CAPACITY 7 A2.2 CART DIMENSIONS 9 A2.3 LAYOUT OF TWO-WHEEL CARTS (Figure 2.2) 11 A2.4 LAYOUT OF FOUR-WHEEL CARTS 13 A2.5 CONSTRUCTION OF TWO-WHEEL CARTS 14 A2.6 DESIGN OF A STEEL BASE-FRAME (Figure 2.3) 15 A2.7 CONSTRUCTION OF BODY 18 A2.7.1 Body Made From Sheet Steel 18 A2.7.2 Steel Frame With Wooden Body (Figure 2.6) 23 A2.8 WOODEN BASE FRAME AND BODY 25 A2.9 BAMBOO OR TIMBER POLE CONSTRUCTION (Figure 2.8(i) and (ii)) 26 A2.10 COMPARISON OF DIFFERENT METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION 29 A2.11 DESIGN OF A HINGED TAILGATE (Figure 2.9) 31 A2.12 ATTACHMENT OF DRAWPOLE (Figure 2.10) 33 A2.13 OTHER TYPES OF CART BODIES 34 A2.14 DESIGN OF 4-WHEEL CARTS (Figure 2.13) 38 A2.15 BRAKE DESIGN 42 A2.16 SUSPENSION 47 A3: WHEEL/AXLE ASSEMBLY 53 A3.1 BASIC FACTORS 53 A3.1.1 Tyres 53 A3.1.2 Rolling Resistance 54 A3.1.3 Friction and Wear in Bearings 56 A3.1.4 Wheel and Bearing Loads 58 A3.1.5 Comparison of the Performance of Different Types of Wheel/Axle Assemblies 58 A3.2 TYPES OF WHEELS 61 A3.2.1 Scrap Rims and Axles 61 A3.2.2 Pressed and Rolled Rims 68 A3.2.3 Wheels for Manufacture in Small to Medium Size Workshops 70 A3.2.4 Fabricated Steel Wheels 73 A3.2.5 Wooden Wheels 76 A3.3 HUB AND AXLE 80 A3.3.1 Machined Hub and Axle Assembly (Figure 3.15) 80 A3.3.2 Fabricated Hub and Axle Assembly (Figure 3.16) 85 A3.3.3 Axle Assemblies with Bush Bearings 88 A3.3.4 Live-Axle Assembly (Figure 3.18) 91 A3.3.5 Other Hub/Bearing Options 98 A3.4 COMPARISON OF WHEEL/AXLE ASSEMBLIES 102 A3.4.1 Comparison of Wheel/Axle Assemblies for Ox-Carts (Table 3.2) 102 A3.4.2 Comparison of Wheel/Axle Assemblies for Light, Single-Donkey Carts (Table 3.3) 107 A3.5 PUNCTURE-RESISTANT TYRES 109 A4: COMPARISON AND SELECTION OF CART DESIGNS 115 A4.1 RANGE OF OPTIONS 115 A4.2 SELECTION OF PREFERRED CART DESIGN 118 A4.2.1 Recommended Design 118 A4.3 ALTERNATIVE DESIGNS 123 A4.3.1 Alternative Designs of Wheel/Axle Assemblies 123 A4.3.2 Intermediate Designs 125 A4.4 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT 128 A4.4.1 Cart Construction 128 A4.4.2 Wheel and Axle Assemblies 128 A4.4.3 Brakes 130 A4.4.4 Suspension 130 APPENDIX 1: SOURCES OF FURTHER INFORMATION 132 SECTION B: GUIDELINES ON HARNESSING 135 B1: INTRODUCTION 136 B2: HARNESSING OF OXEN 138 B3: HARNESSING OF DONKEYS 143 B4: RECOMMENDATIONS FROM WORKING GROUP ON HARNESSING AND HITCHING 150 SECTION C: MANUFACTURE, MARKETING AND MAINTENANCE OF CARTS 155 C1: INTRODUCTION 157 C2: POSSIBILITIES FOR IMPROVEMENTS 160 C3: RECOMMENDATIONS FROM WORKING GROUP ON CART MANUFACTURE 164 C4: RECOMMENDATIONS FROM WORKING GROUP ON MARKETING 166 C5: RECOMMENDATIONS OF WORKING PARTY ON MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR 169 SECTION D: GUIDELINES ON CREDIT 171 D1: INTRODUCTION 173 D2: TYPES OF CREDIT SCHEME 174 D3: ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF CREDIT PROGRAMMES 178 SECTION E: GUIDELINES ON TESTING OF CARTS AND DESIGN STANDARDS 183 E1: INTRODUCTION 185 E2: RECOMMENDATIONS FROM WORKING GROUP ON TESTING AND STANDARDS 187