IMPROVE- MENTS IN WHIPPLETREES
Year: 1885

page_text: I WILLIAM HENRY SLEEP, of St Germans, in the County of Cornwall, Implement
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN WHIPPLETREES " to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in one, two, three and four horse
whippletrees the object of the invention being to equalize the strain of the
whippletree.
For this purpose I form the whippletree of channelled or U or U shaped steel,
or iron, tapered or curved from or near the centre towards the ends, and divided or
forked at the ends. In the channel I place a brace, or stay, having holes or loops
in the centre and also holes at the ends; the said brace or stay is placed between
the two flanges in the centre of the channel of the U shaped steel or iron and is
secured thereto by means of rivets or bolts passing through holes in the U shaped
steel or iron, and through the holes corresponding thereto in the ends of the brace
or stay. Attached to this brace or stay is a ring, link, crook or shackle by which.
the whippletree can be connected to the object to be drawn; or for reaping and
mowing machines and tramcars a pin can be used for fastening the whippletree to
the machine or to the pole of the carriage. Or I can place the brace or stay in
front of the whippletree, in the centre, when the shackle can be attached and
extended backwards and thus take or obtain all the strength. At each end of the
whippletree I place a ring, link, crook, or shackle, but a crook is preferable as the
trace or chain can then be more easily attached. At one end of the said crook a
hole or eye is formed sufficiently large to enable a bush bearing to pass through,
and through the said bush a hole is formed large enough for a rivet to pass through.
I then bore holes through the flanges or fork at each end of the whippletree, and
after placing the bush through the hole or eye in the end of the crook, the said
crook is placed between the flanges or fork and the rivet passed through the two
flanges, and through the bush, where it is firmly riveted. The said rivets bring
the sides of the channel tight against the bush which is a little deeper than the eye
of the crook, which allows the crook to work freely on the said bush-bearing, and
the greatest wear is therefore on the bush. When the trace or chain is to be
attached the crook is turned outwards which brings the point of the crook to the
end of the whippletree and the trace or chain can then be put on over the crook,
מ.

page_text: The crook will then retake its proper position and the point of the crook will be
hidden and protected between the flanges of the channel.
The manner in which the crook is attached prevents the chain or trace from
becoming detached whilst turning at the headlands and the point of the crook,
which bas hitherto proved so dangerous and in many cases fatal to kicking horses,
being hidden or protected as described, accidents are avoided and the line or rein
cannot become entangled in the crook. When repairs are required it is only
necessary to knock out the rivets, replace the worn parts by new wearing parts
and new rivets and the whippletree will be equal to a new one.
When constructing a three horse equalizing whippletree I use steel or iron of a
similar section to that herein before described but longer and stronger. I cut out
a portion of the centre of the front or curved part of the channel thereby forming
a slot for the purpose hereinafter described. At a suitable distance from each end
of the whippletree I rivet or bolt a short arm between the sides or flanges of the
channel. The said short arms work between the sides and through the herein-
before described slot which is large enough to allow of their working easily
forwards and backwards; the short arms are hung on bush-bearings similar to
those hereinbefore described and are operated by the centre horse. The short arms
which form short equalizing whippletrees are each formed with three holes, one at
each end, and a third at a suitable distance from the end. Each of these arms is
adapted to receive jointed links which are attached to the centre hole by means of
rivets, or bolts, and bush-bearings similar to those herein before described. To the
said jointed links is attached a curved bar provided with holes for the regulation
of the draught, the said bar thus connecting the two links together; and to the
said bar is attached a crook or shackle for connecting the implement or other object
to be drawn. The inner ends of the short arms are drawn together near the centre
of the long whippltree by means of jointed links working on bush-bearings to
which links the centre horse is attached whilst the other two horses are attached
to the ends of the whippletree. I make each of the short arms from two pieces of
steel, iron or other suitable metal, kept apart by means of shouldered rivets or
collars between the sides. The rivets or bolts which attach the ends of the arms to
the whippletree pass through the sides of the whippletree, through the sides of the
arm and through the collar or bush which keeps the sides of the arms apart. The
holes in the ends of the arms are sufficiently large to receive a bush-bearing through
which the bolt or rivet passes. The bolt when screwed, or the rivet when riveted,
will bring the sides of the large whippltree to bear on the collar or bush which
extends beyond the ends of the short arms, connected to the whippletree; the said
ends turn on the collar or bush. The connecting rod or link at the centre of the
short arms has a broad bearing which works freely on the bush bearing or collar
and keeps the small arms apart. The collar or bush is a little longer than the
bearing or the hole in the rod or link, thus allowing the two sides of the arms
to be rivetted close to the said collar or bush, whilst the rod or link can work
freely.
The improved whippletrees can be made for use with one, two, three, four or
other number of horses, and with any kind of implement, machine, tramcar, carriage
or cart.
The employment of steel, or iron of a U or U shape in cross section as
herein before described for the whippletree forms an important feature of my
invention.

page_text: I WILLIAM HENRY SLEEP, of St Germans, in the county of Cornwall, Imple-
ment Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in one, two, three and four horse'
whippletrees the object of the invention being to obtain increased strength com-
bined with lightness.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe the same
by reference to the accompanying drawing in which figure 1, represents a plan of a
one horse whippletree constructed according to my invention; figure 2, is a front
elevation of part of the same and figure 3, is a vertical section on line A, B, of
figure 1; figure 4, is a plan of a two horse whippletree; figure 5, is a plan of a
three horse equalizing whippletree and figure 6, is a section of part of the same;
figures 78, and 8ª are transverse sections shewing three forms or sections of body
which I employ in constructing my improved whippletrees; figure 9, is a plan of a
whippletree suitable for use with harrows. Similar letters of reference indicate
similar or corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawing.
In carrying out my invention which I will first describe by reference to figures 1,
2 and 3, I form the body a, figure 1, of the whippletree of channelled Ō or ♥
or shaped steel, or iron as shewn in section at figures 7, 8 and 8ª, the edges a³,
being sometimes turned inwards (as at figures 7 and 8.) so as to face each other; by
this means the sides a¹, of the body are prevented from collapsing through any
extraordinary strain; the body a, is tapered or curved as shewn in figure 1, from
the centre or thereabouts towards the ends which are divided or forked as shewn
at b, in figure 2, which is an elevation of one of the ends of the body a. In the
channel of the body a, that is to say, between the flanges a¹, forming the sides of
the channel I place a brace, or stay c, having holes c', in the centre and holes c³, at
the ends the edges a², of the channel at the part where the brace or stay c extends
out therefrom are not turned in or (as shown) are cut away, the brace or stay c,
serving as a substitute for the turned in edges and preventing the body from
collapsing in the centre; the brace or stay c, is secured in the said channel by
means of rivets or bolts d, passing through the holes c³, in the ends of the brace c,
and through holes corresponding therewith in the flanges a¹, of the body a, of the
whippletree. Attached to this brace or stay in one of the holes c¹, is a crook or
shackle e, (or a ring or link) by which the whippletree can be connected to the
vehicle or object to be drawn. Or for reaping and mowing machines and tramcars,
a pin can be used for fastening the whippletree to the machine or to the pole of
the carriage. Or I can place the brace or stay in front of the whippletree,
when the shackle can be attached and extended backwards and thus bear all the
strain.
At each end of the whippletree I attach in the manner hereinafter described a
crook, to which crooks are attached the traces or chains (or a ring link or shackle
can be employed but a crook is preferable as the trace or chain can then be more

page_text: "
easily attached). At one end of each of the crooks f, a hole or eye is formed
sufficiently large to allow of a bush bearing g, being placed in the said hole as
shewn in figure 3; through the centre of the said bush bearing g, a hole is formed
large enough for a bolt or rivet h to be passed through. I then bore holes through
the flanges a¹, of the forked part b, at each end of the whippletree, and after
placing the bush bearing g, in the hole or eye in the end of the crook f, the said
crook is placed between the flanges or fork b, and the rivet h, is passed through
the two flanges a¹, and through the bush bearing g and is then firmly fixed or
riveted. The said rivet h, brings the sides a¹, of the channel tight against the
bush g, which is a little longer or deeper than the eye of the crook f, which allows
the crook to work freely on the bush-bearing g, without being impeded by the
flanges a¹, of the forked ends of the whippletree when the flanges are held tightly
by, the rivets h, the greatest amount of wear is on the bush g. When the traces or
chains are to be attached the crooks f, are turned outwards as shewn in dotted
lines at figure 1, whereby the points of the crooks are brought to the ends of the
whippletree and the traces or chains can then be put on over the crooks. The
crooks f, will then retake their proper position as shewn by the full lines of the
drawing and the points of the crooks will be hidden and protected between
the flanges a, of the channel.. (.1
By this construction and manner of attaching the crooks f, the chains or traces
are prevented from becoming detached whilst turning at the headlands and the
points of the crooks, which have hitherto proved so dangerous and in many cases
fatal to kicking horses, being hidden or protected as described, accidents are
avoided and the line or rein cannot become entangled in the crooks. When
repairs are required it is only necessary to knock out the rivets h, replace the worn
parts by new wearing parts and new rivets and the whippletree will be equal to a
new one.
The two horse whippletree shewn in figure 4, consists of three bodies a, each
constructed in a similar manner to the one horse whippletree hereinbefore
described and shewn in figure 1, except that the brace or stay c, of the back part
of the whippletree is shewn provided with only one hole or eye c¹, to allow of it
being attached by means of a pin to tramcars or the like but it can if required be
connected by a crook as hereinbefore described when referring to figure 1; the
braces or stays c¹, of the front parts or bodies of the whippletree to which the
horses are attached are also formed with an eye or hole c¹, whereby they can be
attached to the back part or body by rivets and bush bearings in a similar manner
to that described for the crooks f.
Where two horses are to be attached to one end of the whippletree and one at
the opposite end I place the brace or stay c, at about one third of the distance
from the end to which the two horses are attached (as shewn in dotted lines at
figure 4) and by this means I'equalize the draught or the strain on the whippletree
so that the work is equally apportioned to each horse.
When constructing a three horse equalizing whippletree as shewn in figure 5,
I use steel or iron of a similar section to that hereinbefore described and shewn in
figures 7 and 8 but I make the back part of the whippletree longer and stronger.
I cut out a portion of the centre of the front or curved part of the channel thereby
forming a slot a³, for the purpose hereinafter described. At a suitable distance
from each end of the said part I attach by means of a rivet or bolt m, a short
arm n, placed between the sides or flanges a¹, of the channel. The short arms n,
work between the sides of the channel and through the slot a³, which is large
enough to allow of their working easily forwards and backwards; the short
arms n, as shewn in figure 6, (which represents a longitudinal vertical section
through one of the arms n, and part of the whippletree to which it is attached)
are hung on bush bearings 9, similar to those herein before described for the
crooks and are operated by the centre horse... The short, arms: n, form short
equalizing whippletrees and besides the holes through which pass, the rivets m,
they are each formed with two other holes, one at the outer end, and the other at

page_text: a suitable distance from the end. To each of the arms n, is attached a jointed
link o, at the hole near the centre, by means of rivets or bolts o¹, the said bolts
being also provided with bush bearings g similar to those hereinbefore described.
To the opposite ends of the jointed links o, is attached a curved bar p, provided
with holes c', for the regulation of the draught, the said bar thus connecting the
two links together; to the bar p, is attached a crook e (or a shackle) for connecting
the whippletree to the implement or other object to be drawn. The inner ends of
the short arms n, are drawn together near the centre of the long whippletree by
means of jointed links q, pivotted by rivets or bolts q¹, to the holes in the free
ends of the short arms n, and working on bush bearings g, to which links q,
a crook f, is attached to which and to the crooks f, at each end of the whippletree
are attached three single horse whippletrees similar to that shewn in figure 1, and
to which the three horses are attached. I make each of the short arms as shewn
in figure 6, from two pieces n¹, n³, of steel, iron, or other suitable metal, kept apart
by means of the rivets q¹ and o¹, which are shouldered between the sides as shewn
for this purpose. The rivets or bolts m, which attach the ends of the arms n, to
the whippletree pass through the sides of the whippletree through the sides of the
arm n, and through the collar. or bush g, which serves to keep the sides of the
whippletree apart. The holes in the ends of the arms are sufficiently large to
receive the bush bearings g, through which the bolts or rivets m, pass. The bolt
when screwed or the rivet when riveted will bring the sides a¹, of the large
whippletree to bear on the collar or bush g, which extends beyond the holes in
the ends of the short arms n, connected to the whippletree, the said ends turn and
work on the collar or bush g. The connecting rods or links o, work freely on their
bush bearings or collars g, which assist in keeping the parts n', n², of the short
arms n, apart. The collars or bushes g, are a little longer than the holes in the
rods or links o, thus allowing the two sides n¹, n³, of the arms n, to be rivetted
close to the collar or bush whilst the rod or link can work freely. Or the collars
or bushes g, can alone serve the purpose of keeping the sides n¹, n³, of the arms
apart and the shoulders on the rivets o', and q', be dispensed with. At a suitable
distance from the ends of the main body a, of the three horse whippletree
I sometimes place crooks f, as shewn in dotted lines in figure 5, of the drawing
so as to allow of the three horse whippletree being employed as a two horse
whippletree in the manner herein before described.
The improved whippletrees can be made for use with one, two, three, four, or
other number of horses and with any kind of implement, machine, tram car,
carriage or cart.
Instead of making the short arms n, from two pieces or bars n¹, n³, of metal,
I sometimes form them of metal of similar shapes in cross section to that employed
for the bodies a, of the whippletrees.
The body a, of the whippletree shewn in figure 9, is formed of the shapes in
cross section herein before referred to and shewn in figures 7 8 and 8" and the
whippletree is more especially adapted for use with barrows, that shewn being
suitable for attachment to a pair or other number of harrows; the whippletree is
formed with two braces or stays c, to which the links o, are attached; the links o,
however are carried forward instead of extending backwards as in the whippletree
shewn in figure 5; and the bar p, attached to the links o, is provided with a
swivel link e, to which are connected one of the whippletrees hereinbefore described
and represented in figures 1, 4 and 5, of the drawing according to the number of
horses required for the draught; the whippletree is connected to the implements
to be drawn by means of chains r, r, r, r.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. Forming the bodies of whippletrees of channelled steel or iron of the shape
in cross section represented in figures 78 and 8 of the accompanying drawing.

page_text: 2. In an equalizing whippletree the combination of the short arms n, constructed
of two pieces of metal maintained at a distance apart, with collars or bushes
forming bearings for links or rods and for the said arms substantially as herein-
before described and represented in figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawing.
3. The combination with the herein described crooks for receiving the traces or
chains of the horses of a whippletree formed with divided or forked ends adapted
to receive the points of the said crooks substantially as and for the purpose
herein before described and represented in the accompanying drawing.
4. Providing the wearing parts of a whippletree (such as the crooks and pivotted
arms) with collars or bushes forming removable bearings for the said parts sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described and represented in figures 3 and 6 of the
accompanying drawing.
5. The improved whippletrees hereinbefore described and represented in figures 1
and 4 of the accompanying drawing.
6. The improved equalizing whippletree herein before described and represented
in figure 5, of the accompanying drawing.
7. The improved whippletree suitable for use with harrows as hereinbefore
described and represented in figure 9 of the accompanying drawing.
1007