IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINED SHAFTS AND POLES FOR VEHICLES
Year: 1885

page_text: I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
COMBINED SHAFTS AND POLES FOR VEHICLES" a communication to me from abroad
by John Pettinger of Santa Barbara, in the County of Santa Barbara and State of
California, United States of America, Gentleman, to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to facilitate the adjustment of vehicles for use
with two or three horses.
The combined shaft and pule is constructed with a bent or U bar or hounds the
ends of which are designed to be attached to the forward axle of the vehicle by
thill couplings or other suitable means provided, with saddles to receive the shafts
and fastening springs and links to secure the shafts in place the arms of the bent
bar being connected by a cross bar.
Upon the opposite sides and equally distant from the centre of the cross bar are
secured two sockets in which are pivoted the rear ends of the shafts, which are
secured in place in the sockets by nuts. The bends in the rear parts of the shafts
are such that when the concave sides of the said bends are towards each other the
forward parts of the said shafts will be at a suitable distance apart to receive a
horse between them and when the convex sides of the said bends are toward each
other the forward parts of the said shafts will be parallel with each other, and close
together to adapt them to serve as a pole.
To the transverse part of the bent bar near its bends are attached two saddles
to receive the shafts when arranged with their concave sides toward each other, in
which the said shafts are secured by springs whose outer ends are inserted in holes
in the longer outer prongs of the saddles and whose inner ends are secured in place
by clevises or links hinged to the U bar and swinging over the ends of the said
springs.
To the centre of the transverse part of the bent bar is secured a double saddle to
receive the shafts when arranged with their convex sides toward each other and

page_text: where they are secured in place by the same springs which are removed from the
prongs of the saddles and are inserted in holes in the inner prongs of the double
saddle their free ends being secured by the same links.
If desired the links or clevises can be made to slide upon the bar so that longer
springs can be used than is possible when said links are stationary.
When the shafts are arranged for three horses an extension thimble is placed
upon the forward end of each shaft, to give the necessary length which thimble has
a strap or a neck yoke which is attached to its forward end, and provided with
rings to receive the breast strap of the centre horse and the breast strap of a side
horse.
When the shafts are arranged for two horses a double thimble is placed upon
the forward ends of the two shafts, to give the necessary length to the pole, which
thimble is provided with lugs to serve as stops for the neck yoke ring.
To the centre of the cross bar which connects the arms of the U bar is attached
the rear end of a draw bar to the upper side of the forward end of which and to
the centre of the U bar is pivoted by a pin a short double tree, which serves as a
whiffletree for the middle horse when there are three horses.
In the forward end of the draw bar is formed a socket to receive a long double
tree which is secured in place by a pin which passes between the adjacent ends of
two lugs or stops on the forward edge of said long double tree and by a second pin
which passes through the draw bar at the rear side of a semi circular projection on
the centre of the rear edge of the long doubletree.
When two horses are to be used a short doubletree can be secured in the socket
in the same manner as the long doubletree; or the short doubletree can be secured
by the pin as before described. With this construction the shafts can be easily
and quickly adjusted to adapt them for use with two or three horses, as may be
required.
The parts of the shafts that rest in the saddles can be provided with annular
grooves for the said saddles and the springs to rest in to hold the shafts from
longitudinal movement.
To hold the extension thimble in place plates are interposed between the shafts
and the thimble. These plates at their forward parts enter the thimbles and are
provided with shoulders for the edges of the thimble ends to rest against to hold
the thimbles from rearward movement and the plates are also provided with
inwardly projecting pins which enter holes in the shafts to hold the said plates
from slipping out of place. Several holes are formed in each shaft to receive the
pins so that the plates and thimbles can be adjusted forward or rearward, as longer
or shorter sbafts may be required.
When the shafts are adjusted close together to form a pole, a double holding
plate can be used so that the said holding plate and its dowel pins will assist the
double thimble in holding the shafts from spreading.

page_text: Improvements in Combined Shafts and Poles for Vehicles.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention (a communication to me
from abroad by John Pettinger, of Santa Barbara, in the County of Santa Barbara,
and State of California, United States of America, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The object of this Invention is to facilitate the adjustment of vehicles for use
with two or three horses.
The Invention consists in a combined shaft and pole, constructed with a bent bar
or hounds provided with saddles to receive the shafts and fastening springs and
links to secure the shafts in place; a cross bar provided with sockets to receive the
ends of the shafts; and the shafts pivoted in the said sockets whereby the said
shafts without being detached can be arranged at such a distance from each other
as to receive a horse between them, or close together to serve as a pole. Upon the
end of each shaft, when the shafts are arranged at a distance from each other, is
placed an extension thimble provided with a strap or neck yoke to adapt the said
shafts to be attached to three horses abreast. Upon the ends of the two shafts,
when arranged side by side, is placed a double thimble provided with lugs to adapt
the said shafts to receive a neck yoke ring. To the centres of the bent bar, or
hounds, and the cross bar is attached a draw bar provided with a socket and pins
to adapt the shaft to receive a short doubletree, or both a short and a long double-
tree, according as two or three horses are to be used, as will be hereinafter fully
described.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification; in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in
all the Figures.
Figure 1 is a plan view of the improvement, shown as arranged for three horses,
the thimbles being shown partly in section.
Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same taken through the line x. x
Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a plan view of the same, shown as arranged for two horses,
Figure 4 is a sectional front elevation of the same, taken through the line y.Y
Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a front elevation of one of the thill-sockets.
Figure 6 is a sectional end elevation of the pole taken through the line =>
Figure 3.
Figure 7 is a plan view of the middle part of the long double-tree, enlarged, and
howing the fastening pins in section.
Figure 8 represents the rear part of a grooved shaft, the saddle and fastening
pring being shown in section.
Figure 9 is a sectional elevation of a part of a shaft and thimble, and of a holding
late.
Figure 10 is an underside view of a single holding plate.

page_text: A is a bent or U bar, the ends of which are designed to be secured to the forward
To the arms of this
axle of the vehicle by thill couplings or other suitable means.
bent bar A near their ends are secured the ends of a cross bar B. To the cross
bar B upon the opposite sides of, and equally distant from, its centre, are secured
two sockets C in which are pivoted the rear ends of the shafts D. The shafts D
are secured in place in the sockets C by nuts E screwed upon the rear ends of the
said shafts. The bends in the rear parts of the shafts D are such that when the
concave sides of the said bends are towards each other, as shown in Figure 1, the
forward parts of the said shafts will be at a suitable distance apart to receive a
horse between them and when the convex sides of the said bends are toward each
other, as shown in Figure 3 the forward parts of the said shafts will be parallel
with each other and close together to adapt them to serve as a pole. To the
transverse part of the bar A near its bends are attached two saddles F to receive
the shafts D when arranged with their concave sides toward each other, in which
the said shafts are secured by the springs G, the outer ends of which are inserted
in holes in the longer outer prongs of the said saddles and their inner ends are
secured in place by clevises or links H hinged to the said bar A, and swung over
the ends of the said springs Gas shown in Figure 4. To the centre of the
transverse part of the bar A is secured a double saddle I to receive the shafts D
when arranged with their convex sides toward each other, and where they are
secured in place by the same springs G. which are removed from the prongs of the
saddles F, and are inserted in holes in the inner prongs of the double saddle I and
their free ends are secured by the same links H as shown in Figure 3. If desired
the links or clevises can be made to slide upon the bar A. so that longer springs G
can be used than is possible when the said links are stationary.
When the shafts D are arranged for three horses as shown in Figure 1. an
extension thimble J is placed upon the forward end of each shaft to give the
necessary length to the said shaft, which thimble has a strap K or a neck yoke
attached to its forward end, and provided with rings L. the inner ring being
designed to receive the breast strap of the centre horse, and the outer ring being
designed to receive the breast strap of a side horse. When the shafts D are
arranged for two horses, as shown in Figure 3. a double thimble M is placed upon
the forward ends of the two shafts to give the necessary length to the pole, which
thimble is provided with lugs N. to serve as stops for the neck-yoke ring.
To the centre of the cross-bar B, is attached the rear end of the draw-bar O to
the upper side of the forward end of which, and to the centre of the bent bar A, is
pivoted, by a pin P, the short double-tree Q which serves as a whiffle tree for the
middle horse, when three horses are to be used, as shown in Figure 1. In the
forward end of the draw bar O is formed a socket S to receive the long double-
tree T. which is secured in place by the pin P passing between the adjacent ends
of two lugs or stops U (fig. 7) attached to the forward edge of the said long double
tree T. and by the pin V which passes through the draw bar at the rear side of
the semicircular projection W formed upon, or attached to, the centre of the rear
edge of the said long double-tree T. When two horses are to be used the short double
tree can be secured in the socket S in the same manner as the long double tree T.
as shown in Figure 3. Or the short double tree can be secured by the pin P. as
before described With this construction, the shafts D can be easily and quickly
adjusted to adapt them for use with two or three horses as may be required.
The parts of the shafts D that rest in the saddles F. F. I. can be provided with
annular grooves D¹ for the said saddles and the springs G to rest in, as shown in
Figure 8 to hold the said shafts from longitudinal movement. D' are plates placed
upon the shafts D and the forward parts of which enter the thimbles J. The
plates D are provided with shoulders D³ for the edges of the thimble ends to rest
against to hold the said thimbles from rearward movement. The plates D³ are
also provided with inwardly projecting pins D* which enter holes D³ in the
shafts D. to hold the said plates D2 from slipping out of place. Several holes D
are formed in each shaft D to receive the pins D₁ so that the plates D2 and

page_text: thimbles J can be adjusted forward or rearward,.as longer or shorter shafts may be
required.
In case the shafts D are adjusted close together to form a pole, a double holding
plate can be used, so that the said holding plate and its dowel-pins will assist the
thimble M in holding the said shafts from spreading.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention; and in what manner the same is to be performed; I declare that what
I claim is
1. In a combined shaft and pole, the combination with the bent bar or hounds A
of the saddles F. I. F the fastening springs and links G. H. the cross bar B. provided
with the sockets C and the pivoted shafts D substantially as herein shown and
described.
2. In a combined shaft and pole, the combination with the bent bar or hounds A
and the shafts D of the cross bar B, and the sockets C substantially as herein shown
and described whereby the said shafts can be turned into a central or a side
position as set forth.
3. In a combined shaft and pole, the combination with the bent bar or hounds A
and the pivoted shafts D of the central double saddle I, the side saddles F F, and
the fastening springs and links G. H. substantially as herein shown and described
whereby the said shafts can be firmly secured in either position, as set forth.
4. In a combined shaft and pole, the combination with the bent bar or hounds A
and the cross bar B of the draw bar O provided with the sockets S and the pins P. V.
substantially as herein shown and described whereby a short double tree, or both
a long and a short double tree can be applied according as two or three horses
are to be used as set forth.