Cart drive

The reduction of friction in the shafts and the use of a gear for improving the exploitation of human force make this model an interesting example of applied physics and mechanics notions. Leonardo understands that the cart’s resistance to traction can be diminished by adopting thin shafts.
In the cart drive, which anticipates the modern differential gear, motion is transmitted to a single wheel through a pinion, while the other wheel is free to turn at its own speed, depending on the bends of the road.
Codex Atlanticus sheet 1049