I find this yoke interesting.  It is a slider yoke that uses a different mechanism than most, but the adjustable staple is particularly interesting.

Ad taken from: Scientific American, Volume 10 1864

Improved Ox Yoke

Those who have witnessed the practical every day work on a farm must have been struck with the imperfect means by which oxen are usually attached to the yoke and how severely it taxes them at times not only by its weight but because of its rigid and unyielding nature. The usual pace of the ox is slow and stately and in his progress he naturally swings his ponderous head from side to side with even measure but with the ordinary ox yoke all this is denied him and he must literally bow to his yoke and bear its burden as best he may.  The consequences of this badly arranged ox yoke are that the beast is chafed and fretted by it that he works with much less willingness and gets wearied out sooner than he would if the yoke were adapted to his natural habits.  In the engraving herewith presented we have a yoke which is very different from the old-fashioned one and much better suited to the peculiarities previously alluded to. In addition to this consideration, it is very much lighter neater looking and it is believed altogether a great improvement.  In Fig 1 we have an elevation of this yoke in A is the yoke proper and B the bolster or saddle which spans the beast’s neck.  These bolsters slide back and forth on the yoke being connected in the manner shown in Fig 2.  By referring to this figure the reader will see that there are grooves C in the yoke and that the bolsters have projections D which fit in them; he may also see that there is a metallic bar E connected to the bolsters on the yoke; these bars are strongly fastened to the endless belt F which runs upon the rollers G.  It is easy to see as the bolsters are moved back and forth on the yoke the belt will run over the rollers and cause them to work evenly and easily as often as the oxen move their heads.  Uneven roads and the natural habits of the ox are thus accommodated and the result is a much greater amount of work with less fatigue to the cattle.  The bows H also pass through metallic bushes I and the yoke beam has slots J in it through which the bows move as the bolsters approach or recede from the center.  The eye bolt in the center is also fitted to a semicircular seat and the plate K has slots in it also so that it can slip from side to side.  This yoke is very strong and well made; it is correct in principle and we hope to see it generally substituted for those so long in use.  It was patented on the 4th of November 1862 through the Scientific American Patent Agency by TD Lakin and assigned to himself and Charles Wilder of Peterboro NH For further information address Charles Wilder as above.

Here is the actual patent for the yoke.

US36882