WHIFFLETREES Meaning and
Definition
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Whiffletrees, also known as whipples or swingletrees, are mechanical devices used in the context of horse-drawn vehicles to connect the traces to the vehicle's carriage or plow. Derived from the old English word "whip," meaning to swing, and "tree," referring to a wooden or metal bar, whiffletrees serve as a pivotal component in the harnessing system of horses or oxen.
Typically made of sturdy wooden or metal materials, whiffletrees consist of a horizontal bar with a centrally located pivot point called the "kingbolt." The kingbolt allows the whiffletree to rotate freely while being affixed to the vehicle's draught pole or thill. At either end of the whiffletree, there are attachments known as "hooks" or "clevises" that secure the traces, which are the bands or straps connected to the animal's shoulders or yoke.
During the operation of a horse-drawn vehicle, the whiffletree acts as a linkage mechanism between the horse and the vehicle, enabling the animal to pull the load forward. The motion of the horse or ox causes the whiffletree to swing back and forth, providing flexibility and smoother movement. Additionally, the whiffletree helps distribute the weight evenly across the animal's shoulders and distributes the pulling force generated from the horse to the carriage or plow.
In contemporary times, whiffletrees are mainly used in traditional or antique horse-drawn vehicles, such as carriages, wagons, and carts, for farming, transportation, or recreational purposes. However, with the evolution of modern machinery and vehicles, the use of whiffletrees has significantly decreased, making them more of a historical artifact than a commonplace item in the present-day
Common Misspellings for WHIFFLETREES
- wiffletree
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Etymology of WHIFFLETREES
The word "whiffletrees" is composed of two parts: "whipple" and "trees".
The term "whipple" comes from Middle English "hwipplen" or "whiplen", which means "to whip". This word evolved from Old Norse "hvippa" or "hvifla", meaning "to swing" or "to wave".
The term "trees" is unrelated to the plants we know as trees. In this context, "trees" refers to the plural of "tree", which is an archaic word that means a wooden bar or beam.
The combination of "whipple" and "trees" gave rise to "whiffletrees", which is a bar or beam with loops or rings at each end. These loops are attached to the traces of a horse or other draft animal to distribute the pulling force evenly.
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