US622705A - Whiffletree-coupl ing - Google Patents

Description

Patented Apr. ",1899.

(No Model.)

llrrr rares JOHN l/V. NEAL, OF CIFAX, VIRGINIA.

NHlFFLETREECOUPLll\lG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 622,705, dated April l1, 1899. Application filed April 18,1898. Serial No. 678,057.V (No model.)

`lings and to provide a strong and durable one adapted to prevent the singletrees from dropping upon the heels of horses and frightening4 them and capable of swinging upward above a horizontal position to afford a straight draft when the horses of a vehicle start uphill after crossing a gully or other depression.

Afurther object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive coupling adapted to sustain the weight of a person on the singletrees and to withstand all the strain incideut to drawing a vehicle.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

I n the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a doubletree and singletrees provided with whillietree-couplings constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 isasectional View on line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a reverse plan view.

Like numerals of reference designate correspondingpartsin all the figures of the drawings.

l and 2 designate staples extending forward from a doubletree 2a and rearward from a singletree 3 and arranged in horizontal planes, the staple of the sin gletree being arranged above that of the doubletree, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings. Eachl end of the doubletree is provided with a coup ling, and the staples of each coupling are connected by a half-staple 4, arranged on the upper face of the doubletree and extending downward through the overlapping portions of the staples l and 2 and provided at the lower end of the depending portion with a forwardly-extendin g arm 5, arranged beneath the front end of the staple l, whereby the latter and the half-staple are lirmly interlocked to prevent anystrain exerted on the singletree from pulling the half-staple out of the staple l and disconnecting the whiliietrees.

The Shanks of the staples l and 2 are passed through perforations of the doubletree and the singletree and are connected by plates VG and 7, arranged,respectively,on therear edge of the doubletree and the front edge of the singletree and effectually preventing the sides or shanks of the staples from pulling out. The half-staple has its side orshank arranged on the upper face of the doubletree, and itis secured to the saine by a bolt S or other suitable fastening device, which .passes through the doubletree at a point between the .sides of the horizontal staple l.

The eye formed by the projecting portion of the staple 2 engages the half-staple, and

the lower portion of the rear edge of the singletree abuts against the projecting portion or eye formed by the staple l, whereby the singletree is supported in a horizontal position and is prevented from dropping upon the heels of horses and frightening the lat ter. By extending 'the arm 5 of the halt'n staple beneath the front of the eye of the staple 1 the singletree is adapted to sustain the weight of a person without liability of'bending the half-staple upward out of engagement with the horizontal staple l.

The singletrees are provided at their ends with staples 9, having plates 10, similar to the plates G and 7 of the staples l and 2, and the staples 9 are linked into eyes of whiiiietree-hooks ll; but any other suitable 'fastening device may be employed for connecting the traces with the singletrees.

The doubletree is provided near its ends with shackles l2, pivoted by bolts 13 and conu nected with stay-chains la, which limit the swing of the doubletree.

The invention has the following advan.n

ple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, possesses great strength and d ura bility and is adapted to support the singlen trees and prevent them from dropping below a horizontal position, and thereby keep them oft' the heels of the horses to avoid frightening the latter or otherwise annoying them. The singletrees are permitted to swing up- IOO Ward above a horizontal position to afford a straight draft when the horses are pulling upward, and they are adapted to sustain the Weight of a person. The half-staples are firmly inter-locked with the staples of the doubletree, so that they cannot become disengaged from the same by any strain exerted on the singletrees.

What I' clairn iss-,-

In a device of the class described, the combination With a doubletree, and a singletree, of eyes projecting respectively from the front edge of the doubletree and the rear edge of the singletree and overlapping, the eye of the singletree being located above that of the doubletree, and the half-staple secured to the upper face of the doubletree and extending` downward through the overlapped portions of the eyes and provided at its lower end with a forwardly-extending arm engaging the front of the eye of the doubletree at the bottom thereof to prevent the half-staple from being pulled out of such eye and also to support the singletree, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as -my oWn I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

JOHN W. NEAL. Witnesses:

HENRY THOMSON, C. W. COOKE.

Images