Drag-Belt

A variety of brake, consisting  of a strong chain or belt with a hook at one end, which, beeing attached to the hind wheel of a vehicle while descending a hill, prevents its revolving, and thus retards motion.

Drag-Shoe

An iron or wooden box placed under the wheel of  a vehicle, and attached to the vehicle by a chain, to prevent the wheel from rolling when going down a hill.

Dormeuse Chariot

"Dormeuse" (fr.: "sleeper") is a travelling carriage which was much in use in Europe during the pre-railway period. The body had extensions, either front or rear, or both, enabling the occupants to have a bed made up and recline at full lenght. Thus, the travellers could sleep in their carriage.

Double suspension

The combination of two different forms of springs or suspension, usually C-springs over elliptic springs.

Dennett spring

The Dennett spring (three-quarter spring) was invented in England about 1825. It is a type of platform spring (like the mail or telegraph spring), but has only one cross spring. It is also called three-quarter spring.

Drag-staff

A straight bar of wood or iron which trails loosely at the back end of a vehicle. Upon the stoppage of the horse, it presses against the ground and thus prevents the vehicle from rolling backward.

Dormeuse

"Dormeuse" (fr.: "sleeper") is a travelling carriage which was much in use in Europe during the pre-railway period. The body had extensions, either front or rear, or both, enabling the occupants to have a bed made up and recline at full lenght. Thus, the travellers could sleep in their carriage.

Diligence

This vehicle was intended for the transportation of passengers and mail. There were seats for the passengers inside and outside the carriage and a special compartement for luggage and mail. The mail coach appeared at the end of the 18th Century and lost its popularity in the second half of the 19th Century, when it was substituted by the railway.

Duc

"Duc" (fr.: "Duke") is the name of a four wheel formal park vehicle without coachman´s-seat or luggage space. It is a cross between a Pony Phaeton and a Victoria. It was driven by the owner but frequently accompanied by a liveried groom. Usually hung on elliptical springs, altough some early examples were mounted on C-springs.

Daumont, à la

"A la daumont" is a term appended to different types of vehicles, driven in a special method which was introduced in France under Napoeleon I. by the Duke of D´Aumont. These carriages have no driving seat or coach-box, a small box ("coffre") being  substituted  upon the front gearing. They were drawn by a team of four or six horses and driven by mounted coachmen ("jockeys"). They were usually  accompanied by two footmen behind.

Drag-Chain

A variety of brake, consisting  of a strong chain or belt with a hook at one end, which, beeing attached to the hind wheel of a vehicle while descending a hill, prevents its revolving, and thus retards motion.

Dog-stick

A straight bar of wood or iron which trails loosely at the back end of a vehicle. Upon the stoppage of the horse, it presses against the ground and thus prevents the vehicle from rolling backward.

Demi-barouche

Small or cut-down type of barouche, shortened by the removal of the front quarter.