A weight acts only through its perpendicular
A spoked wheel, a loaded beam, and a plumb line testing the rule
A brief axiom states that any weight attached to a machine by whatever line acts only through its perpendicular. It is illustrated by a spoked wheel hung with a series of small weights, a loaded horizontal beam, and a plumb line carrying a weight marked 4. The surrounding figures are labelled only with strings of numbers.
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The perpendicular action of a weight
Every weight that is attached to a machine by any line whatever acts only through its perpendicular. However the cord is angled, only the vertical component of the load counts.
Loaded wheel and beam
A circle divided by many radial spokes hangs a row of equal small weights, and below it a horizontal beam carries a further line of hanging weights. Both figures test how the suspended loads pull along their perpendiculars.