Improvements in Whippletrees or Neck Yoke Irons.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by EDMONDS JONADAD SUGDEN, of Pittsburgh, in the
State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Steel Worker.]
Improvements in Whippletrees or Neck Yoke Irons.
I JOHN THOMSON KING of 4 Clayton Square Liverpool in the County of Lancaster,
Patent Agent, 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 :-
of
Figure 1 shows in plan view a tapered metal bar adapted to be fitted with irons for
use as a single whippletree or neck yoke; figure 2 is a plan view of the finished
articles; figure 3 is a plan view of a double whippletree; figure 4 is a similar view
of a single whippletree; figure 5 is a vertical cross-section on the line -v
figure 2; figures 6. 7. 8. 9 and 10 are sections of different forms of metal bar which
may be used in the manufacture of my improved article; figure 11 is a plan view of
a single whippletree made of a bar of another class; figures 12. 13. and 14 are
sectional views of various forms of bars which may be used in making the article
shown in figure 11.
My invention relates to an improvement in single whippletrees; double whipple-
trees or neck yoke irons, and consists in construction of such articles as hereinafter
described and claimed, the construction being such as to afford the greatest possible
strength combined with elasticity and lightness of weight.
The article is made from an iron or steel bar provided with flanges and an inter-
vening web. Of this class of bars there are many forms, several of which I have
illustrated in the drawings (figures 6. 7. 8. 9 and 10), the best known of these foring
being the common I-beam and the channel bar. I take a bar of this sort and by
suitable means, such as hereinafter described, I taper it longitudinally from at or near
the middle towards the ends, and then apply to it the irons or means of attachment to
the vehicle and draft-chains in such manner that when in use the strain of traction
shall be exerted on the bar substantially in the plane of the web.
To increase the elasticity of the article it may be hardened or tempered in the
usual manner. Another method of manufacture is to produce the said article directly
in its finished form by casting from iron or steel in a suitable mold, without employing
any subsequent rolling or reduction. Such articles should be subsequently annealed
in the usual manner. The kind of material to be used and the precise manner of
manufacture of the articles will be determined by the qualities of elasticity lightness
or rigidity required in the finished product, all or any of which can be obtained by
the use of suitable material properly proportioned and skilfully and intelligently
manipulated. To describe more particularly the manufacture of these articles accord-
ing to the mode first above indicated: I take a bar of steel of the general form above
defined, and having cut it into suitable lengths, I roll or forge it into the shape shown
in figure 1, so that it shall taper from at or near the middle towards its ends. This
taper may be a gradual reduction in all its cross sectional dimensions or in any of
them. For example the web may be tapered and not the flanges, or the flanges may
be tapered and not the web, but I prefer to taper all these parts. At the ends of the
bar I preferably reduce the metal for a short distance, say about 4 inches, to round
or elliptical form, and afterwards bend these parts into the form of hooks or eyes 2 for
the attachment of the draft-chains, as shown in figures 2 and 4 or if desired the
hooks may be formed separately and welded to the ends of the bar. In figure 2 the
bar is shown provided at the end with books, in figure 4 it is shown provided with
eyes 2 and links 3 applied thereto. In figure 3 the double tree is provided with
links 9 which are fitted in holes formed for their reception in the web of the metal
bar, and at its ends it may also be formed with hooks or eyes as above described.
In order to add strength to the bar I may divide the web at the middle by a split 4

page_text: extending a suitable distance in both directions and spread laterally, thus forming a
truss which imparts very great strength to the bar or the same result may be obtained
by swaging out and widening the web at the middle of the bar. This truss is braced
by means of a clip 5 set at a suitable place or places on the bar, and having a portion 6
interposed between the divided parts or straps of the web. This clip may be shaped
to form a band encircling the article, having an integral hooked portion 7 as shown
in figure 2, or it may have a hole extending through it for the accomodation of a
ring-pin to attach the article to the pole or shaft of a vehicle as shown in figure 3.
The article shown in figures 2 and 4 is not split or divided. The clip may be shrunk
on the bar or may be otherwise applied, but it is applied in such manner, that in use
of the article, the plane of the web shall be substantially in the line of draft. The
combined hook and clip above described is cheap in manufacture and is of very great
strength. The mode of making the article directly in its tapered form by casting in
a proper mould will be readily understood. The advantages of my invention will be
appreciated by those skilled in the art. I have found that articles made as I have
described are much lighter than wooden articles of the same strength, aro much
neater more durable, and by reason of their elasticity, they relieve the horses from
the great strain of starting with heavy loads, without the use of separate tug springs
or other appliances. I do not limit my invention to its application to any particular
style or shape of single trees, double trees or neck yokes, except as stated in the
claims. Any desired pattern or style may be made according to my invention, and
any suitable fittings may be applied to them. The formation of the article in a truss
form, is of very great advantage in the strength it affords, independently of the form
of style of metal bar employed."
For example, the same construction could be applied with advantage to unflanged
bars. It will be understood also, that the article can be made without division or
trussing, and that the claims are not limited thereto, nor to any other limitations of
the description, unless expressly so stated therein.
Thus it is possible to secure some of the advantages of my invention, by forming
the article of a metal bar with longitudinal flanges and an intermediate web, without
tapering, it being necessary only that in such case the web should be in the plane of
the draft when the article is in use. In figure 11, I show a single whippletree made
of a tapered metal bar, whose cross section is shown in figure 12. It is radially and
longitudinally ribbed and the ribs are of unequal height. Thus the ribs a, b, are
equal in height, but the ribs cd, are larger, and in applying the draft-irons, the
larger ribs are set in the plane of draft. Each of the bars shown in figures 13 and 14
has three ribs
b, c of which the larger ribs c are set in the plane of draft. The
method of making my improved article may be modified in its details by those skilled
in the art of metal working.
a,
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. A whippletree or neck yoke iron of the nature described consisting of a metal
bar having longitudinal flanges and an intermediate web, and having draft irons in
such position that the web shall be substantially in the plane of the draft, substantially
as set forth.
2. A whippletree.or neck yoke iron of the nature described, consisting of a tapered
metal bar having longitudinal flanges and an intermediate web; substantially as set
forth.
3. A whippletree or neck yoke iron of the nature described consisting of a metal
bar having longitudinal flanges and an intermediate web and having the web divided
to form a truss; substantially as set forth.
•
4. A whippletree or neck yoke iron of the nature described consisting of a
tapered metal bar, whose cross section is that of an I-beam; substantially as set
..forth.
5. A whippletree or neck yoke iron of the nature described, consisting of .a.metal
bar-split and separated in truss.form.substantially.as set forth..

page_text: 6. A whippletree or neck yoke iron of the nature described, consisting of a metal
bar split and separated in truss form, and having a clip connecting the sides of the
truss; substantially as set forth.
7. A whippletree or neck yoke iron of the nature described consisting of a longi-
tudinally and radially ribbed metal bar, the ribs of which are of unequal dimension,
and having draft-irons applied thereto, so that the larger rib or ribs shall be substan-
tially in the plane of the draft, substantially as set forth.
8. A whippletree or neck yoke iron of the nature described, having an encircling
band or clip and a hook formed in the same piece or integral with the band or clip,
substantially as set forth.
Per pro J. T. KING,
J. Johnson.