Another effect of the equalizing levers is that each side of the locomotive is supported in such a way that the action is the same as it would be if it was supported on one point. If, for example, we have a heavy beam, say a piece of timber like that shown by _A B_, fig. 184, suspended at one point, _C_, in its centre, to the middle, _a_, of a long spring, _D E_, the ends of which rest on two supports, _F_ and _G_, it is evident that if the point of suspension is at the middle, _C_, of the timber and _a_ of the spring, the weight of the timber will rest equally on the two supports, _F_ and _G_, and that the ends of the timber can move up or down or vibrate about the point of suspension, _C_, without affecting the distribution of weight on the supports, _F_ and _G_. If, now, the timber is suspended from three points, _A_, _C_ and _B_, fig. 185, that is, its middle and two ends, as shown in fig. 185, the ends, _A_ and _B_, being attached to the ends of the springs _b c_ and _d e_, the latter resting on the supports _F_ and _G_, and connected at their opposite ends to an equalizer, _f g_, whose fulcrum is at _a_, it is evident that each of the end hangers must support one-half of that part of the weight of the timber between it and the middle, and that the centre hanger must support one-half the weight between the middle and the two ends. Thus the hanger _A b_ must support one-half the weight of the timber between _A_ and _C_, and _B e_ must support one-half of that between _B_ and _C_; in other words, the end hangers would each sustain one-fourth of the weight of the timber and the middle one-half of its weight. If the weight of the timber is 1,000 pounds, the end hangers would each sustain 250 and the middle one 500 pounds. The weight of the middle of the timber is hung on the equalizer, and one-half, or 250 pounds of it is thus transferred to each of its ends _f_ and _g_, and thence to the hangers _f c_ and _g d_, and thus to the springs, so that the ends, _c_ and _d_, of the springs, sustain a weight of 250 pounds, therefore, as the opposite ends also sustain the same weight, it is evident that each of the springs bears a total load of 500 pounds, or one-half of the weight of the timber, which is the same load they sustained in fig. 164. If the ends of a timber supported as shown in fig. 185 are moved up or down about the centre point of suspension, it is evident that the distribution of weight would not be affected any more than it was in fig. 164 by a similar movement, because if the ends of the timber move as shown by the dotted lines around the centre point of suspension _C_, the end _A_ will ascend as much as _B_ descends. The same thing is true of the ends _b_ and _e_ of the springs and of their opposite ends _c_ and _d_, and also of the ends of the equalizer, so that when the timber, springs and equalizer are in the position shown by the dotted lines, it is in equilibrium, just as it was when the timber