# What is this (19th century pioneer) machine? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 19, 2021, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-19th-century-pioneer-machine/946836 "2021-07-19T16:31:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2021, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-19th-century-pioneer-machine/946836/1 "2021-07-19T16:31:14Z")
I was in Omaha this weekend, and there’s a park downtown with a large sculpture of a wagon train going across the park. The wagons have things like plows and scythes and axes and shovels attached, and also…[this thing.](https://imgur.com/a/9ZWgoOv) The thing down on the right is clearly a handle, and if you pumped that handle, the left end of the top piece with teeth would go up and down. The teeth make me think that it’s intended to ratchet something. What is it for? ---
**Author:** ![its\_the\_daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bb73d2/32.png) [@its\_the\_daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/its_the_daddy)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2021, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-19th-century-pioneer-machine/946836/2 "2021-07-19T16:41:32Z")
Looks like a jack (to lift one wheel for repair?) ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2021, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-19th-century-pioneer-machine/946836/3 "2021-07-19T16:42:09Z")
Of course! ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2021, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-19th-century-pioneer-machine/946836/4 "2021-07-19T16:42:16Z")
It is the jack, for the wagon wheels. [Wagon jack - definition of Wagon jack by The Free Dictionary](https://www.thefreedictionary.com/Wagon+jack) ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2021, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-19th-century-pioneer-machine/946836/5 "2021-07-20T02:50:50Z")
Which is to be distinguished from a [jackwagon](https://www.yourdictionary.com/jackwagon). ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2021, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-19th-century-pioneer-machine/946836/6 "2021-07-20T10:11:44Z")
Is jackwagon the insult or is an insult characterized as being a jackwagon? The text on that page is unclear and seems to indicate both. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2021, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-19th-century-pioneer-machine/946836/7 "2021-07-21T15:50:12Z")
They used poles on Wagon Train. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2021, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-19th-century-pioneer-machine/946836/8 "2021-07-21T17:45:41Z")
As Swedes were not available until dinner… ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2021, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-19th-century-pioneer-machine/946836/9 "2021-07-23T00:44:40Z")
I would think that the Germans would always be egar to take things away from the Poles.