DRAW-Bridge, a bridge made after the manner of a float, to draw up or let down, as occasions serve, before the gate of a town or castle. See BRIDGE.

A draw-bridge may be made after several different ways; but the most common are made with plyers, twice the length of the gate, and a foot in diameter. The inner square is traversed with a cross, which serves for a counterpoise; and the chains which hang from the extremities of the plyers to lift up or let down the bridge, are of iron or brass.

In navigable rivers it is sometimes necessary to make the middle arch of bridges with two moveable platforms, to be raised occasionally, in order to let the rafts and rigging of ships pass through. This kind of draw-bridge is represented in Plate CLXV., where A B is the width of the middle arch; A L and B L, the two piers that support the draw-bridge N O, one of the platforms of which is raised, and the other let down, having the beam P Q for its plyer. To N O are suspended two moveable braces E H, E H; which resting on the support E, press against the bracket M, and thereby strengthen the draw-bridge. These braces are conducted to the raft by means of the weight S, pulling the chain S L F.

DRAW-Net, a kind of net for taking the larger sort of wildfowl, which ought to be made of the best sort of pack-thread, with wide meshes; they should be about two fathoms deep and fix long, verged on each side with a very strong cord, and stretched at each end on long poles. It should be spread smooth and flat upon the ground; and strewed over with grass, sedge, or