James 3:8 says that, “No one can tame the tongue.” It’s a sobering truth for all of us and, believe it or not, it’s been a challenge for wagon makers and users since the days of Moses. When it comes to early western vehicles, there’s no shortage of folks who have tried to get more control over wagon tongues. From stiff tongues to drop tongues, coach tongues to no tongue, what’s in front of the wagon or stage has everything to do with what’s behind it. Tongues can whip, twist, drop, crack, split, jam, shatter, and stick.There’s an endless array of real life tongue disasters that have littered history.
Many problems associated with wagon tongues can be attributed to the condition of the terrain. Steep, narrow, rocky, uneven, and extremely rough environments created nightmarish struggles for travelers throughout the American West. Other challenges might come from a lack of maintenance, poor construction, or animal-related issues.
Tongues were often made of ash but, in speaking with Doug Hansen of Hansen Wheel and Wagon Shop, he has also seen factory tongues made of both Red and White Oak. At times, wood availability and raw material cost could affect what wood was used; and, of course, there were times in westward travels that whatever was available is what was used.
So, how did nineteenth and early twentieth-century folks deal with the different problems of having what amounted to a flagpole being stuck in front of the vehicle? Below are a few of the hardships faced as well as how those ordeals were dealt with...
Tongue Supports – Far from being a twentieth-century invention, there are patents for tongue springs and supports that date back at least as early as the 1850s. Day in and day out, the weight of a drop (sometimes called floating) tongue was often carried by weary animals. The challenge of allowing the tongue to maintain some flexibility while also lessening the load on the necks of the draft animals led to a number of hopeful solutions. Some designs were patented, others were not. A few of the more common tongue springs were hooked around the tongue bolt and then run under the axle and rear portion of the tongue. Others used separate springs that the tongue bolt ran through. Some designs were mounted to the sandboard or bolster with a coiled spring extending to the tongue. Still another type mounted to the end of the tongue yoke and when deployed, it helped minimize the weight of the tongue on the animals. Prolific innovator and wagon maker, T.G.Mandt, patented an idea like this in 1888. Even the legendary Peter Schuttler brand was exploring patents for tongue springs as early as 1875. Whatever the inspiration, there were a lot of ways that early wagon makers and inventors tried to get folks to ‘Hold their tongues!’
This particular tongue spring and attachment was patented in 1885.
Auto Steering – The typical antique farm wagon is designed with a straight front axle that pivots in the middle and is connected directly to the wheels. Effectively, this type of configuration means that anything impacting either front wheel will directly affect the axle and, thereby, the tongue. For example, if a forward wheel should fall into a hole or rut, or be jarred by a rock or other obstruction, that shock will immediately transfer to the tongue and, by association, the draft animals. The mules and horses pulling a wagon were constantly hammered in the shoulders and legs as well as being jerked about. The pressure on the animal’s neck also created problems with sore areas and jittery behavior. The entire design created a domino effect of problems that could and did cause runaways.
Conversely, wheels that operate more independently of the axle provide an element of security to the vehicle and riders by isolating the impact of rough terrain and minimizing any jerking motions. Because of this, some brands touted fixed axles with more independent wheel steering. It was a concept adapted and employed by the entire auto industry.
This 'pivot axle' running gear was available in the 1880's PRIOR to the automobile. This is yet another engineering advancement that was mimicked by the auto industry. Note also the factory-installed, built-in bolster springs.
Proper Fit – Loose lips may sink ships but a loose or wagging tongue is also detrimental to the wellbeing of a wagon and team. Ideally, a wagon tongue should fit snugly between the futchel socket (forward section of front hounds). The pull of the animals on the doubletree draws the tongue tight into the hound with the queen or tongue bolt serving predominantly to hold the tongue in place. Over time, normal wear and tear could affect this fit. As a result, there were a number of ‘adjustable’ tongues that were marketed. These tongues were equipped with a yoke that could be narrowed or widened, making them adaptable to about any difference in the widths between the futchel/hound sections. Most of these tongue hounds seem to have been patented and used in the early 1900s.
This variable-sized tongue is designed to fit a multitude of different tongue yoke widths. This design was patented in 1913.
Unique and Patented Tongues – There were a number of unique styles of wagon tongues. Many of the designs were focused on a specific type of wagon or a particular use, such as hay carriers, freighting, military needs, grain wagon dumping, and even automatic braking. Below is a ‘bent’ tongue configuration that was patented by the Peter Schuttler brand in 1879...
This late 1870’s patent dealt with the trail-tongue for freight wagons. As ‘back-actions’ or a connected pair of freight wagons traveled across country, mountains, rivers, and uneven terrain could cause problems with the tongue of the rear wagon impacting the box of the front wagon. This ‘bent’ tongue designed by Peter Schuttler engineers helped overcome that problem.
This fifth wheel lock, patented in 1897, could be temporarily engaged to help prevent the forward axle from being tossed to and fro in extremely rough country. By design, it also prevented the tongue from banging back and forth into the draft animals.
Wear plates – The use of about anything creates wear and tear that can affect the overall performance of the item. It’s the same with wagon tongues. That’s why many makers and users applied additional ironwork to different areas of the tongue. For instance, some makers placed a flat piece of metal around the hole for the hammer strap pin/wheel wrench. This not only strengthened the hole but helped eliminate wear from the doubletree sawing back and forth on the tongue. Other places receiving wear plates were the area just in front of the doubletree and to the sides, extending forward. Often, the pole cap at the far end of the tongue also received extra ironwork. In addition to strengthening the end of the tongue, it also served as a way to help prevent horses from gnawing on the wood.
Harness – The sudden jerking of tongues in rough terrain led some to develop harness configurations that helped take the stress out of the situation. One of those, an 1864 patent, employed a system of springs to help alleviate the shock within sudden jolts and the related lurching of the tongue. Other than the patent ideas, I’m not aware of a surviving example of this spring-supported harness.
Pole Caps – The ends of most wagon tongues will be equipped with an open loop, ironing on the top and bottom, and a hold-back. Some wagon accidents were caused when the neck yoke slipped away from the tongue, allowing it to drop. To help avoid this issue, some makers incorporated a safety catch on the end of the tongue, helping prevent the tongue from falling out of the neck yoke ring. That way, even if the tugs came unhitched or the doubletree or clevises came loose, the end of the tongue was still secure. Sometimes farmers, ranchers, and businesses would bolt the neck yoke to the tongue to achieve similar results. Other safety measures included the ironing of the tongue end, especially on the top, bottom, and sometimes the sides. So, in these cases, whatever rubbed the tongue, the wood was still protected from wear. Each was an effective answer.
This tongue design was patented in 1881 and features a spring-loaded catch to help prevent the neck yoke from slipping off of the tongue.
Whatever the challenge, having a good-fitting, well-maintained, and properly-designed tongue was – and is – important. It’s not only crucial in the prevention of unnecessary delays and costs but it speaks directly to the health and well-being of the wagon occupants, draft animals, and the wagon and contents themselves. For collectors and reenactors, today, it may be tempting to view the tongue as only a visual accessory. During the time period these elements were used, though, it was a vital part of the vehicle. In order to get where a person was going, they definitely needed to ‘Watch their tongue.’
Ps. 20:7