An excellent brake for very large cranes is Matthew's hydraulic brake, in which water is passed from end to end of cylinders fitted with reciprocating pistons, cooling jackets being provided.
It is also the custom to balance a proportion of the reciprocating masses by balance weights placed between the spokes of the wheels, and the actual balance weight seen in a driving-wheel is the resultant of the separate weights required for the balancing of the revolving parts and the reciprocating parts.
The pumps, placed close to the point where the water accumulates, may be worked by an engine on the surface by means of heavy reciprocating rods which pass down the shaft, or by underground motors driven by steam, compressed air or electricity.
In the first method reciprocating bells, or piston machines, or rotary machines of varying capacity like gas-works exhausters, are employed.
With the exception of the addition of a pin-hole to the tangent sight and cross wires to the fore-sight, and of minor improvements, and Field of the introduction of French's crossbar sight and the artillery reciprocating sight, of which later, no great advance was sights.
