4 
THE PERGHERON REVIEW 
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Patents applied for in U. S. and Canada. — E. A. Wliite. 
Figure 2. Diagram of 10-Horse IVIultiple Hitch. Readily Adapted to 8, 6 or 4 Horses by Dropping Off the Rear Units 
horses to operate a 14-inch plow, and when plowinj; 
becomes extremely hard at least 4, 1,500 pound horses 
slioidd be nsed for this work. As a general rule the 
number of liorses used on our plows should be increased. 
At the present time the abreast hitcli is standard for 
plows. With this style of equalizer it is impossible to 
use 3 horses on a sulky plow or 4 horses on a gang- plow 
(no horse walking on the plowed ground) without caus- 
ing "side-draft." If more horses are used, the "side- 
draft" is increased. Not only does this method of hitching 
increase the draft of the plow from 15 to 30 per cent but 
the horses are crowded which leads to tramping and 
excessive heating. Without going into the theory of the 
case it can definitely be stated that "side-draft" cannot 
be eliminated when the abreast hitch is used without 
working some of the horses on the plowed ground. 
Therefore in order to secure an equalizer which is desira- 
ble both from the standpoint of the horses and the imple- 
ment some form of tandem hitch must be used. Hitches 
based on this plan have been devised which eliminate 
"side-draft," and give the horses abundant space in 
which to work. 
In designing these hitches due attention has been 
given to the demands that naturally come from various 
sections of the country. For example, in the East it is 
desired to use four horses, in the Central states six, and 
in the far West eight or ten. Simplicity was striven for 
with the result that a hitch has been developed which 
can be used for 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10 horses by merely selecting 
the proper units. In order to facilitate the discussion 
the 10-horse hitch will be described first. The diagram 
of this equalizer is shown in Figure 2. The horses are 
worked in 5 pairs. When plowing one horse of each 
team walks in the furrow. Tlie lead team works against 
the third swing team and the pull between these two 
teams is equalized by a two-foot chain passing around 
a pulley. From one end of this chain a drawrod 11 feet 
long goes to the lead team. The third swing team is 
attached to the other end of the chain. The lead team 
and the third swing team work against the second swing 
team. The pidl is equalized by the block and tackle 
placed immediately behind the second swing team. Tliis 
block and tackle consists of one movable and one fixed 
pulley. A draw rod 11 feet long leading ahead is 
attached to the movable pulley. A chain 3 feet, 6 inches 
long is threaded througli the pulleys. The second swing 
team is attached to the free end of this chain. The first 
swing team works against the three teams ahead of it. 
The pull is equalized by means of a block and tackle 
consisting of a movable, single-pulley block and a sta- 
tionary double-pulley block. The first swing team is 
attached to the free end of the chain with which this 
block is threaded. The wheel team works against the 
4 teams ahead of it. The pull is equalized by a block and 
tackle consisting of one double-pulley, movable block 
and one double-pulley, stationary block which is at- 
tached to the plow. The wheel team is attached to the 
free end of the cliain with which these blocks are 
threaded. This hitch then consists of a series of block 
and tackles so ai-ranged that each team works against the 
team or teams ahead of it and is for use on a 3-bottom 
36 inch or 42 inch gang plow. The proper length of 
double-trees to use is given at the end of this article. 
Too much emphasis cannot be laid upon the necessity of 
using the lengths of eveners specified if "side-draft" is 
to be eliminated. 
Objections are frequently made to the tandem style 
of hitch on the grounds that the draft of the load is in- 
creased and that it is very hard on the lead team or 
teams. The result of practical experience in the field 
leaves no room to doubt tlie validity of these objections, 
at least it furnishes ample evidence of the fact that a 
lead team generally works at a disadvantage. A careful 
stiidy of the tandem hitch in field use reveals some very 
interesting facts which throw much desired light on this 
perplexing problem. These conditions are admirably 
illustrated in Figure 5 where a four horse team is work- 
ing two and two. The tugs of the wheel team come 
away from the shoulders at approximately right angles 
while in the case of the lead team the tugs pull up on 
the belly-bands and the angles naade with the shoulders 
are less than ninety degrees. Practical men are unani- 
•^"^oJ, ll-o' long 
AsV 3a- 4> 
fh Oak. 
Figure 9. Close Up of Four-Horse Wagon Equalizer 
Figure 10. 
The Five-Horse Pulley Equalizer. 
Especially in Small Fields 
A Good Hitch, 
