pitchfork

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Pitchfork in action
A historical pitchfork made entirely of wood (right), as was still in use at the beginning of the last century. The tool on the left is a pitchfork .

A pitchfork , or Heuforke is a fork-shaped , about 170 cm to 300 cm long tool that is used to hay to be transported, or ascending or unload. The pitchfork is used in the stable for stalked feed.

nature

A pitchfork has two to four tines, which are sufficient for long stalks if the worker forks up the stalks so that they do not fall. The prongs are usually more curved. Pitchforks also have a long handle that is slightly curved. The shape is particularly suitable for lively use.

In contrast, pitchforks , which are primarily designed for lifting power, have four or five prongs and a shorter, slightly thicker handle that allows heavy loads to be lifted for a long time. The handle and tines of the pitchfork are less curved. In contrast to digging forks, pitchforks never have a handle on the upper end of the handle.

Using the pitchfork

In agriculture

The pitchfork is still in regular use on all farms today, but is no longer used as often as it was necessary before the invention of agricultural machines. In the past, when the forks were made individually from wood and had to be used every day for many weeks, a good fork made of elastic wood and with an ergonomically well-shaped handle was worth a lot because the worker could save energy with it. The two-pronged version is particularly practical when loading pressed hay bales and is pierced into the straw bales parallel to the stalks. The two sides of the bale or the lower part of the sheaf where this is possible are also known as the "buttocks". The lancing direction perpendicular to the stalks is more forceful with sheaves and often difficult with bales. The two-pronged fork is also light. Four- or more-pronged forks are a hindrance when working with hay, straw or forage, as the kinetic energy required for piercing is greater and the fork head weighs more.

The three-pronged version is particularly suitable for distributing feed in the stable, as the stalks are often a bit shorter here or have to be distributed more precisely when swinging. The fork can be turned slightly during the throw and passes this rotation on to the hay. These forks often come into contact with the concrete or stone floor and are often ground to a razor-sharp edge as a result of the work at the ends of the prongs. Wooden forks can also get very sharp. That makes working in a group dangerous, which is why there were some rules in rural Germany about who was allowed to throw first and when. These rules differed from region to region. In rural Thuringia z. B. Before work, a sequence among the harvesters is established to prevent accidents at work. The apprentices came last and had to wait to throw until no one else wanted to throw. The foremen, on the other hand, were able to take full advantage of the momentum regardless of the others and were therefore more effective at work, but also more resilient. Rules that throws right in front of left and down in front of up ( barn , straw rent) were also common.

Working with the pitchfork requires a lot of skill, as a rational and dynamic interplay of body movement and fork can save a lot of energy, which is especially important when working for days. The position of both hands on the fork style needs to be optimally selected. Depending on the worker, there were different ideas about how to hold the fork. When working with the three-pronged fork on the floor, the left hand should remain closer to the body, with the right hand being guided more freely and used like a lever (right-handers). There are different techniques for throwing bales, which differ significantly in their efficiency. In general, inexperienced workers tire much faster and can throw less far.

Similar to cutlery , the forks are often used strictly separately for feed and manure in the rural environment, i. H. the pitchfork is only used for feed. Another fork is used for other purposes. The light color of the wooden pitchfork was a sign of a careful farmer who never used the fork for purposes other than intended. A wooden pitchfork takes on a dark color during the first use (tannins), which lingers in the wood for a long time. Wooden pitchforks were protected from rainwater and transported with their heads in a sack or cloth. This is no longer necessary with metal forks.

The pitchfork can still be used to throw any feed that is long enough that it does not slip between the tines. When used in the silo, smaller-grain feedstuffs often hold together due to their own density. In addition, the fork is ideal for throwing fodder beets over greater distances or on hills, whereby the beets are pricked slightly and accelerated over the head.

As a weapon

For example, forks were also used as weapons in the peasant wars .

They are also shown in films as weapons when farmers and villagers rehearse the revolt - often in combination with torches and other farmers' weapons .

Picture gallery

Manufacturing

In the past, all forks were made entirely of wood. Today pitchforks consist of a wooden handle and a fork head made of steel with drawn and forged tines, often made of high-quality material and with a diamond profile at the base of the tines . The fork is attached to the handle in northern Germany by means of a spring clamp or in central Germany by means of a forged grommet and nail or screw. The spring clamp is a separate two-part component made of sheet metal which consists of a jacket and a cap. It completely encloses the wooden handle at the end and is attached to the wood with two nails. The fork is then driven tightly into the spring clamp from below by means of a mandrel. Unlike pitchforks, pitchforks have a thinner, more curved handle, which is preferably made from flexible woods such as ash. Wooden forks wear out quickly and break more easily.

See also