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.

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

Ron Dennis