A swingletree (British Isles) or singletree (North America) is a small wooden or metal bar behind a harnessed horse. It is used to balance the pull of a draught horse or other draught animal when pulling a vehicle. It is a kind of whippletree, and the term is also used sometimes for other whippletrees.[1]: 261 [2]: 188
A typical wooden swingletree with iron fittingsThe red horizontal bar behind the horse is a swingletreeA swingletree built into a cart. The swingletree is the triangular piece in the foreground; the traces are the leather straps leading forward from this. (Swingletrees are more commonly a simple bar, not a triangle.)
It is a horizontal bar, attached or suspended in the middle, and able to hinge fore-and-aft in a horizontal plane. The traces (the straps by which the animal pulls) attach to its ends, and the vehicle is pulled from its middle.
The centre of the swingletree may be bolted directly to the body of the vehicle, this bolt pulling the vehicle along. Alternatively it may hang loosely by a chain or strap from the body of the vehicle, and in this case the pull is taken by chains from the centre of the bar to the ends of the axle.
The action of a swingletree is to balance the pull from alternate shoulders as the animal walks. It is used especially when the animal is in a breastcollar harness, because this can easily rub the shoulders if the pull is uneven. It is needed less for an animal in a horse collar, as the pull does not pass over the shoulders in the same way. For this reason heavier vehicles may have no swingletree, as they are normally pulled with a horse collar.[1]: 261
^ abWalrond, Sallie (1979). The Encyclopaedia of Driving. Country Life Books. ISBN0600331822. OL 4175648M.
^Smith, D.J.M. (1988). A Dictionary of Horse Drawn Vehicles. J. A. Allen & Co. Ltd. ISBN0851314686. OL 11597864M.
April 14, 2024
swingletree, swingletree, british, isles, singletree, north, america, small, wooden, metal, behind, harnessed, horse, used, balance, pull, draught, horse, other, draught, animal, when, pulling, vehicle, kind, whippletree, term, also, used, sometimes, other, wh. A swingletree British Isles or singletree North America is a small wooden or metal bar behind a harnessed horse It is used to balance the pull of a draught horse or other draught animal when pulling a vehicle It is a kind of whippletree and the term is also used sometimes for other whippletrees 1 261 2 188 A typical wooden swingletree with iron fittingsThe red horizontal bar behind the horse is a swingletreeA swingletree built into a cart The swingletree is the triangular piece in the foreground the traces are the leather straps leading forward from this Swingletrees are more commonly a simple bar not a triangle It is a horizontal bar attached or suspended in the middle and able to hinge fore and aft in a horizontal plane The traces the straps by which the animal pulls attach to its ends and the vehicle is pulled from its middle The centre of the swingletree may be bolted directly to the body of the vehicle this bolt pulling the vehicle along Alternatively it may hang loosely by a chain or strap from the body of the vehicle and in this case the pull is taken by chains from the centre of the bar to the ends of the axle The action of a swingletree is to balance the pull from alternate shoulders as the animal walks It is used especially when the animal is in a breastcollar harness because this can easily rub the shoulders if the pull is uneven It is needed less for an animal in a horse collar as the pull does not pass over the shoulders in the same way For this reason heavier vehicles may have no swingletree as they are normally pulled with a horse collar 1 261 See also editBreastcollar Draft horse Draught animal Horse collar Horse harness Horse drawn vehiclesReferences edit a b Walrond Sallie 1979 The Encyclopaedia of Driving Country Life Books ISBN 0600331822 OL 4175648M Smith D J M 1988 A Dictionary of Horse Drawn Vehicles J A Allen amp Co Ltd ISBN 0851314686 OL 11597864M Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Swingletree amp oldid 1190738306, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
