Swingletree

Swingletree

A swingletree (British Isles) or singletree (North America) is a wooden or metal bar 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.

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.

ee also

*Horse collar
*Breastcollar
*Horse-drawn vehicles
*Horse harness
*Draft horse
*Draught animal


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Swingletree — Swin gle*tree , n. [So named in allusion to its swinging. See {Swingle}, v. i., and cf. {Swingtree}.] A whiffletree, or whippletree. See {Singletree}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • swingletree — [swiŋ′g ltrē΄] n. SINGLETREE …   English World dictionary

  • swingletree — noun Etymology: Middle English swyngyll tre, from swyngyll rod for beating flax (from Middle Dutch swengel) + tre tree Date: 15th century whiffletree …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • swingletree — /swing geuhl tree /, n. Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S. a whiffletree. Also called swiveltree. [1425 75; late ME; see SWINGLE1, TREE] * * * …   Universalium

  • swingletree — noun a whippletree …   Wiktionary

  • Swingletree — A kind of shock absorber of reins and tracers, which equalised the strains when horse and cart changed directions. It was also known later as a whippletree. [< OldEngl. swingle = piece of wood] …   Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases

  • swingletree — [ swɪŋg(ə)ltri:] noun chiefly Brit. a crossbar pivoted in the middle, to which the traces are attached in a horse drawn cart or plough …   English new terms dictionary

  • swingletree — swin·gle·tree …   English syllables

  • swingletree — swin•gle•tree [[t]ˈswɪŋ gəlˌtri[/t]] n. dial. whiffletree • Etymology: 1425–75 …   From formal English to slang

  • swingletree — /ˈswɪŋgəlˌtri/ (say swingguhl.tree) noun a crossbar, pivoted at the middle, to which the traces of the harness are fastened in a cart, carriage, plough, etc.; whippletree. Also, swinglebar …  

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