An Improved Whiffletree-clip.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Apr., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 19th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 17th Mar., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Whiffletree-clip.
I, ELDRIDGE HALL SAWYERS, of Unionville, Appanoose County, Iowa, U.S.A.,
Inventor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved clip for whiffletrees; the object of the
invention being to provide a clip which is more simple in construction than those
clips at present used.
My improved clip consists of a piece of flat metal bent into a U-shape. A flat
piece of metal of equal width is secured at one end to one side of the U-shaped
piece and near the hend thereof. The other end of the piece of metal is then
bent upwardly and then horizontally to make a double U-shaped clip. The whiffle-
trees to be clipped together are placed between the arms of the double U-shaped
piece of metal and bolts passing through the arms hold the whiffletrees in place.
Dated this 19th day of April 1893.
ELDRIDGE HALL SAWYERS.
An Improved Whiffletree-clip.
I ELDRIDGE HALL SAWYERS of Unionville, Appanoose County, Iowa, U.S.A.
Inventor, 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 clips for single and double-trees and also to the formation
of said parts in connection with the clip, and has for its object to simplify the
construction of devices of this character and strengthen the connection of the
several parts, and with this object in view, the invention consists of the construction
& arrangement of the parts thereof as will be more fully hereinafter described and
claimed.
In the drawings
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved form of clip.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a double-tree showing the improved construction
applied in connection therewith.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line a. a. Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the device shown in connection with the
single-tree.
Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in
the several figures.
Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1, designates the lower embracing or
supporting portion of the clip which consists of a U-shaped plate adapted to be
fitted over the end of the main tree 2 of a double-tree, or the central portion 3, of
a single tree 4, or it may be employed in connecting the single-trees in a double-
tree, as fully shown in Fig. 2. A brace 5, is secured to the top portion of the
U-shaped plate and consisting of a rear flat arm 6 and a front raised end 7. The
rear flat arm 6, has a bolt or rivet 7*, passed therethrough and through openings
in the rear portion of the said U-shaped plate and said bolt or rivet may also
form a means of securing the clip in position or serve as a brace therefor. Through
openings in the front part of the U-shaped plate and the upwardly bent end 7, of

page_text: the brace 6, a bolt 10, is passed which forms the pivotal support for the single-
tree when used alone or as a part of a double-tree, it being seen that the upward
bent end 7 of the brace 6 forms a space with the front part of the U-shaped plate
to receive the central portion of the single-tree in either the double-tree construction
or when said single-tree is used alone to allow full movement of the latter and to
properly mount the same in position.
It will be understood that the clip as set forth may be applied at any desired
point and used in any manner and for any purpose for which it is applicable.
When said clip is used at the center of a double-tree or draft equalizer as shown
in Fig. 2, the inner ends of single-trees 11 thereof are formed or provided with
inwardly extending opposingly situated plates 12 having their ends slotted and
overlapping in order to cause the slots thereof to align, and in this instance the
said slotted plates 12 engage the pin 7x, which is centrally located as more clearly
shown in Fig. 3. This arrangement of parts provides for a central connection for
a centrally located single-tree and acts efficiently to equalize the draft, as will be
observed when the said central single tree is drawn forward the ends of the single-
trees 11 are also drawn forward and being of a loose connection to the plates 12
will easily and readily resume their normal positions when the draft on the outer
ends of the single-trees 11, equalize the draft at the inner ends thereof. This
provides a very useful and advantageous construction and arrangement of parts as
will be readily seen and understood by those skilled in the art.
The bolt 10 in connection with the clip would naturally become worn even
though it be made of hard metal and the brace 6 is attached to the U-shaped plate
in such manner that it may be removed and a new bolt 10 supplied and mounted
in position whenever found necessary and the parts readily re-arranged in proper
position. It will be seen that the clips employed in the central line of draft will
be especially beneficial for employment with the double-trees of light vehicles as
it will not permit a pulling or twisting on one side or the other but directly in a
straight line.
Other advantages will appear from time to time to those using the device and
need not be further enlarged upon herein.
It will be further understood that the clip herein set forth may be equally well
used in manufacturing light work for buggy single or double-trees or wherever
else the use of the clip may be found desirable & applicable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a device of the character set forth, a clip consisting of a lower U-shaped
plate bent into form and extending the entire length of the device, and an upper
brace having its rear end secured to the upper part of said plate by a bolt that
extends therethrough and through the said plate and the front part of the same
bent upward and having a bolt extending therethrough and through the front of
the said plate, said brace and plate being separated and bent into proper form and
the bolts forming pivots and means of attachment for the parts of the whiffletree
substantially as described.
2. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of single trees having
slotted plates secured to the inner ends thereof, said slotted plates having the
slotted portions thereof overlapping each other between the inner ends of the said
single trees, and another single tree having the clip attached to the centre thereof
and embracing the said over-lapped portions of the slotted plates and having a
bolt passing therethrough and through the slots of the said plates, substantially as
-described.