UC-NRLF
A.FREDERICK COJLLIMS
ilnlvers'rij'' "^^^rm Inco-^c
'TUZ35
Digitized by tine Internet Arcinive
in 2007 with funding from
IVIicrosoft Corporation
http://www.arcliive.org/details/farmgardentractoOOcollricli
FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
FARM AND GARDEN
TRACTORS
HOW TO BUY, RUN, REPAIR
AND TAKE CARE OF THEM
BY
A. FREDERICK COLLINS
Member
Thb Royal Akro Club of the United Kingdom
Author »f
"K**pine Up with Your Motor Car,'' "Gas, Gasolene and Oil
Enginit,'"' "How to Fly,'' "Motor Car Startine,
Liehtins and lenition," ttc.
WITH NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS
AND DIAGRAMS
NEW YORK
FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY
PUBLISHERS
Copyright, IQ20, by
Frederick A. Stokes Company
All Rights Reserved
TO
LLOYD VAN GORDER
WITH THE APPRECIATION OF
THE AUTHOR
445203
A WORD TO YOU
The problem of farming to-day is how to raise big-
ger crops per acre and at the same time reduce the num-
ber of men and lower the cost of production.
The answer to the problem is to use ( i ) the proper
fertilization methods, and (2) the right kind of farm
machinery. Of the latter the tractor is by all odds the
most important factor in securing the desired results.
It is not enough however to simply buy a tractor
and put it to work in the field. The size of your farm
as well as your bank account will determine very largely
the size of the tractor you want. And having deter-
mined the size you must be exceedingly careful of the
kind of a tractor you buy and having bought it of the
way it is used and looked after.
While the day of the gas pipe and cast iron tractor
is past still the design and construction of tractors is
not at all fixed, or standardised as it is called, and to
make a tractor of any size pay on a farm of any kind
it must be designed right and then built right. When
you have bought such a tractor the next thing to do is
to get tillage and cultivating implements and harvesting
machinery that are made especially for tractor work.
Then a most important feature in the economical use
of the tractor is to know how to run it and how to take
A WORD TO YOU
care of it as well as the implements and machinery
that are used with it.
It may seem as though it is asking too much of the
farmer to invest in a complete tractor outfit and to
learn all about it but to make a success of farming in
these days the right kind of an equipment is vitally
necessary and the management of the farm must be
along approved scientific lines.
How to buy as well as how to use and take care of a
tractor is told in this book and by following the pre-
cepts which I have laid down you will have small
trouble in doubling, nearly, the output of your crop
per acre, everything else being equal.
A. Frederick Collins.
The Antlers,
Congers, N. Y.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I About Tractors in General i
What a Tractor is — Types of Tractors — How-
Tractors are Rated — Horse-Power Defined —
The Belt Horse-Power of a Tractor — The
Draw-Bar Horse-Power of a Tractor — The
Speed of Tractors — The Weight of Tractors
— The Plowing Capacity of Tractors — The
Normal Draw-Bar Pull in Pounds — The
Length, Width and Height of Tractors — The
Height of the Draw-Bar — The Clearance of
Tractors — The Sizes of Traction Members —
The Wheelbase of Tractors — The Face,
Length and Area of Crawlers — Percentage of
Weight on Driving Members — Range of Speed
and Gear Ratios — The Turning Radius of a
Tractor — The Prices of Tractors — In Con-
clusion.
II The Parts of a Tractor i6
The Chief Parts of a Tractor — The Frame
Comes First — What a Three Point Suspension
Means — The Draw-Bar — About the Axles of
Tractors — The Suspension Springs of a Trac-
tor — the Traction Members of Tractors —
Drum Traction Members — Crawler Traction
Members — The Power Plant of a Tractor —
Kinds of Bearings Used — The Gears Used in
Tractors.
Ill The MEtHANisM of a Tractor. Part i — How
the Engine is Made and Works .... 37
The Parts of a Tractor Engine — How a Single
Cylinder Engine Works — How the Multi-Cyl-
X CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
inder Engines Work — The Manifold and
What it is For — How the Muffler is Made —
Kinds of Oil Pumps — How the Engine is
Cooled — Kinds of Liquid Cooling Schemes —
How the Engine is Fed with Fuel — What the
Carburetor is For — Vaporizing the Fuel Mix-
ture — Kinds of Air Cleaners — The Electric
Ignition System — What the Battery System Is
— How the Battery and Circuit Breaker Sys-
tem Works — What the Magneto System Is —
The Low Tension Inductor Magneto — How
the Inductor Magneto System Works — The
Low Tension Armature Magneto — How the
Low Tension Armature Magneto System
Works — The High Tension Magneto — How
the High Tension Magneto System Works —
The Use of the Impulse Starter — The Use of
the Tractor Engine Starter — The Gas and Air
Starter — The Use of the Governor — The
Floating Governor — The Electric Governor —
The Power Take Off — The Tractor Engine
Complete — Finally About Tractor Lighting.
The Mechanism of a Tractor. Part ii — How
the Transmission System is Made and Works 98
What the Transmission Clutch is For — Vari-
ous Kinds of Clutches — How Clutches are
Made and Work — The Transmission — What
the Differential is For — Kinds of Differentials
— What a Locking Differential Is — What the
Final Drive Is — Kinds of Final Drives — How
Final Drives are Made and Work.
The Mechanism of a Tractor. Part hi —
How the Steering Gear and Brakes are Made
and Work 122
About the Steering Gear — How Wheeled
Tractors are Steered — Kinds of Front Axle
CONTENTS xi
CHAPTER PAGE
Assemblies — What the Steering Gear Consists
Of — How the Steering Gear Control Works —
Line Steering Gear Control — The Automatic
Guide Wheel Steering Control — How Crawler
Tractors are Steered — About the Brakes.
IV Garden and Truck Farm Tractors .... 139
What the Garden Tractor Is — Makes of Gar-
den Tractors — The Merry Garden Auto Cul-
tivator — The Beeman Garden Tractor — The.
Universal 1-4.9 Tractor — The Auto-Tiller.
V Tractors for Small Farms 153
The Indiana 5-10 Tractor — The General Pur-
pose 6-12 Tractor — The E. F. T. 6-12 Crawler
Tractor — The Cultitractor 2F-15 — The Little
Bear 4-8 Tractor.
VI Tractors for Average Farms 164
Ttvo Plow Tractors: The Bean Track-Pull,
6-10 Tractor — The Cletrac, 12-20 Tractor —
The Fordson, 12-22 Tractor. Three Plow
Tractors: The Austin, 15-30 Tractor — The
Andrews, 12-25 Tractor — The E. B., 12-20;
Model A A Tractor. Other Two and Three
Plow Tractors.
VII Tractors for Big Farms 182
The Oil-Pull Tractors — The Aultman-Taylor
Tractors — The Avery Tractors — The Bates
Steel Mule — The Tracklayer Tractors — The
Case Tractors — The E. B. Tractors — The
Caterpillar Tractors — The International 15-30
Tractor — The Twin City Tractors — The
Yuba Ball Tread Tractors — Othei Big Farm
Tractors.
xii CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
VIII Draw-Bar and Belt Power Applications . . 205
Some Draw-Bar Applications: Hitches for
Plows and Harrows — Hitches for Listers, Cul-
tivators, and Wagons — Hitches for Mow-
ers and Harvesting Machines — Commercial
Hitches — Home Made Hitches — About
Draw-Bar Loadings — Plows Recommended
for Normal Draw-Bar Horse-Power — How to
Figure the Draw-Bar Pull of a Tractor. Some
Belt Power Applications: The Grain Thresher
— The Corn Husker and Shredder — The Hay
Bailing Press — The Ensilage Cutter and the
Silo — The Corn Sheller — The Feed Grinder
Tractor Pulleys and Belts: The Speed of Ma-
chines — How to Find the Speed of a Pulley
or Belt — How to Find the Size of a Pulley —
How to Find the Belt Speed.
IX How to Take Care of Your Tractor . . . 218
Running the Tractor Yourself — About Hiring
a Tractioneer — Taking Care of Your Tractor
— Keeping the Tractor Oiled — Keeping the
Engine Cool — Caring for the Fuel System —
Caring for the Ignition System — Keeping
Your Tractor Clean. Summary of How to
Care for Your Tractor: Daily Care and Up-
keep — Weekly Care and Upkeep — Care at the
End of the Season — The Price of Tractor
Economy.
X Tractor Troubles and How to Fix Them . . 232
The Symptoms of Trouble — When the Engine
Knocks — When the Engine Overheats —
When the Engine Loses Power — Fixing a Few
Other Troubles.
XI Tractor Repairs and How to Make Them . . 248
How to Prevent Breakage — How to Repair
Broken Parts — On Making Emergency Re-
CONTENTS xiii
CHAPTER PAGE
pairs — Replacing Broken Parts — Repairing
Large Broken Parts — On the Removal of
Parts — To Take Off a Drive Wheel — To
Take Off and Put On Cylinders — Regrinding
Old Cylinders and Sleeves.
XII The Kind of Tractor You Want .... 256
The Field to Choose From — Kinds of Tractors
— What to Pay for a Tractor — Getting a
Tractor of the Right Size — Five Prime Fac-
tors — The Wheel vs. the Crawler — The Dif-
ferences in Engines — The Power Take-Off —
— Accept the Transmission System — The
Steering Gear and Brakes — The Firms Back
of the Tractors — How to Find the Horse-
Power of a Tractor Engine — How to Find the
Belt Horse-Power of a Tractor Engine — The
Draw-Bar Pull of a Tractor at Various Rates
of Speed.
ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
The Wheel Base of a Tractor 9
The Turning Radius of a Tractor 13
Two Kinds of Tractor Frames 18
Kinds of Three Point Suspensions 19- 20
The Draw Bar on a Twin City Tractor Frame 22
Kinds of Drive Wheels 25
Drive Wheel Grips 26
Effect of Drive Wheel Grips 27
Crawler Shoes and Crawlers 28
Kinds of Bearings 30
Top View of a Twin City 40-6$ Tractor 32
Thrce-Quarter View of a Twin City 6o-<)0 Tractor .... 33
Top View of a 5-Ton Holt Caterpillar Tractor 34
Three-Quartcr View of a lo-Ton Caterpillar Tractor • • • 35
The Parts of a One-Cylinder T-Head Engine .... 39- 40
Cross Section of a Single Cylinder T-llcad Engine ... 41
Diagram of the Four Strokes of a Single Cylinder Engine . 43
Diagram of a Four-Cylinder Engine Showing How Pistons
Are Connected to a Single Crankshaft 45
The Manifold of a Four-Cylinder Engine 46
Kinds of Lubricating Systems 48- 50
Kinds of Oil Pumps 51- 52
Kinds of Cooling Systems 53
Kinds of Radiators 54
Kinds of Liquid Cooling Systems 55- 56
Kinds of Engine Pumps 57
The Radiator Cooling Fan 58
Fuel Feed Systems '. 59- 61
The Principles of the Carburetor 63- 66
Kinds of Air Cleaners (How the Dry Air Cleaner Is Made
and Works) 67
Kinds of Air Cleaners (The Bennett Dry Air Cleaner Com-
plete) 68
Kinds of Air Cleaners (How the Water Air Cleaner Is Made
and Works) 69
The Battery and Circuit Breaker Ignition System . . .70-74
Wiring Diagram of the Battery and Circuit Breaker System . 75
The Parts of the Rcmy Inductor 77- 79
How the Remy Inductor Works 79
Wiring Diagram of a Remy Inductor Magneto Ignition Sys-
tem 80
xiv
ILLUSTRATIONS xv
PAGE
Parts of the Low Tension Magneto . 8i
Low Tension Complete Magneto 8j
Wiring Diagram of a Low Tension Magneto Ignition System 83
The High Tension Magneto System 84- 85
Wiring Diagram of a High Tension Magneto Ignition System 85
The Eisemann Impulse Starter 86
Eisemann Impulse Starter on a Tractor Engine Magneto , 87
The Electric Motor Starter System 88-89
The Christensen Gas Starter 90
Kinds of Engine Governors . . . • 92- 93
Kinds of Governors 94
The Power Take-Off 95
Enclosed Four-Cylinder Valve-in-the-Head 40-Horse Power
Stearns Engine 96
Diagram of the Transmission System 98
How a Single Disk Clutch Is Made and Works . . . loo-ioi
How a Multiple Disk Clutch Is Made and Works . . . .102
How the Cone Clutch Is Made and Works 103
How the Expanding Band Clutch Is Made and Works 104-105
How a Contracting Band Clutch Is Made and Works . . 105
How the Friction Drive Clutch Is Made and Works . . . 106
How the Sliding Gear Transmission Is Made and Works . 109
The Sliding Gear Transmission no
How the Planetary Gear Transmission Is Made and
Works 111-112
How the Differential Gears Work 114
How the Differential Is Made and Works 115
A Locking Differential 116
How the Chain Drive Works 117
How the External Bull Gear Drive Is Made and Works 118-119
How the Internal Bull Gear Drive Is Made and Works 120-121
How the Worm Drive Is Made and Works 121
Kinds of Front Wheel Assemblies 123
The Steering Gear Mechanism for a Single Front Wheel . . 126
Double Wheel Swivelled Axle Control 127
Kinds of Steering Gears 128-129
The Worm Steering Gear Coupled to the Knuckle Assembly 129
The Automotive Line Steering Control 131
Kinds of Self-Guides 132-134
How a Crawler Tractor Steering Gear Is Made and Works 135
Clutch Steering Gear of a Holt-Caterpillar 40-60 . . . .135
The Transmission Brake 136
The Emergency Brake I37
The Merry Garden Tractor Dissected 141
Cultivating Beets With the Merry Garden Tractor . . .142
The Beeman Garden Tractor I44
Some Tools Used with Garden Tractors 146-147
The Universal Garden Tractor I49
xvi ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
The Auto-Tiller Garden Tractor 151
The Indiana 5-10 Tractor 154
The General Purpose Tractor 157
The E. F. T. 6-12 Crawler Tractor IS9
The Cultitractor 7-15 161
The Little Bear 4-8 Tractor 163
Bean Track Pull 6-10 Tractor 165
The Cletrac 12-20 Tractor 168
The Fordson 12-22 Tractor 169
The Austin 15-30 Tractor 171
Top View of the Andrews 12-25 Drum Tractor (Showing
Friction Drive) 174
The E. B. 12-20 Tractor 176
The Oil-Pull Tractor 183
The Aultman-Taylor Tractor 186
The Avery Tractor 188
The Bates Steel Mule 189
The Tracklayer Tractor 190
The Case Tractor 193
The E. B. 40-65 Tractor I95
The International 15-30 Tractor 198
The Yuba Ball Tread 20-35 Tractor 201
Hitch for One Plow and Harrow 207
A Transmission Lubricating System 222
Lubricating System of a Fordson Tractor 223
Removing the Carbon from a Cylinder 235
Removing Piston Rings 236
Graphic Representation Showing the Extra Horse Power
Needed on Grades . 238
Diagram for Timing Valves 241
Magneto Timing Diagram Showing How the Magneto Is
Timed 243
Grinding Valves 245
FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
CHAPTER I
ABOUT TRACTORS IN GENERAL
The development of the internal combustion engine,"^
as that type of engine is called in which the fuel is
fired directly in the cylinders, has given rise to many
remarkable and highly useful vehicles such as the motor
car, the motor truck, the motor boat, the airplane, and,
finally, the tractor.
What a Tractor Is. — The v^ord traction, as you
probably know, means the act of drawing or pulling
along and, hence, the word tractor has come to mean
a self-propelled vehicle that is used primarily to pull
a plow, a harrow, a cultivator or other farm machinery
necessary in tilling the soil.
Since, however, the internal combustion engine is
employed as the motive power for driving a tractor,
it naturally finds a wide application as a power plant
for all kinds of belt work, such as grinding feed, driv-
ing a threshiiig machine, operating a corn sheller, an
ensilage cutter, a hay press, etc.
1 All gas, gasoline and oil engines are internal combustion en-
gines.
I
a : . .FARM AND. GARDEN TRACTORS
Types of Tractors. — Generically there are only two
types of tractors and these are (i) the steam engine
tractor, that is a tractor driven by a steam boiler and
engine, and (2) the internal combustion engine tractor,
or tractor which is driven by a gasoline or an oil engine.
Since the latter type of tractor is a more recent de-
velopment and is at once safe, efficient and flexible
it has all but supplanted the former type, consequently
it is the only type of tractor that I shall tell you about
in this book.
Of internal combustion engine tractors there are two
classes and these are (A) garden tractors, and (B)
farm tractors. The only difference in these machines
is simply that with the first kind the operator walks
while the second kind is large and he rides. Finally
some tractors have for their traction members (a)
wheels or drums, while others have (b) track laying
crazi'lers, and this is the most striking visual difference
in their make-up.
Specifically there are more designs of tractors than
you can shake a stick at for, different from motor
cars and motor trucks, the design of tractors has not
yet been standardised, that is it has not been fixed to
conform to a definite type.
Of course every tractor has a power unit in it and
means for transmitting the power of the engine to the
traction members; but the location of the engine, the
number and disposition of the wheels or crawlers, the
final drive and numerous other features of design are
scarcely alike in any two makes of tractors.
ABOUT TRACTORS IN GENERAL 3
How Tractors are Rated. — There are, however,
a number of ways by which tractors are rated and this
makes it easy to draw a comparison between those of
different makes and sizes. Named these ratings are
(i) the belt horse-power; (2) the draw-bar horse-
power; (3) the traction speed; (4) the weight of the
tractor, and (5) the plowing capacity of the tractor.
Horse-Power Defined. — The power of an engine
is measured by the number of pounds that it can Hft
one foot per second. The unit of power was gotten
up by James Watt and is called the horsepower (written
H. P.) and this is the unit that is ordinarily used in
engine practice to-day. One horse power = 550 foot-
pounds per second or 33,000 pounds per minute.^
The Belt Horse Power of a Tractor.— This is the
power of the engine that is developed at the pulley
when it is used for running grinding mills and other
farm machinery.^ The belt horse power rating is
usually about 80 per cent, of the horse power that
the engine is guaranteed to deliver by its maker. This
rating is understood to hold only when the engine
is in good order and is running at its rated speed.^
The belt horse power of a tractor engine is, of
course, always larger than the draw bar horse power,
in fact it is usually about twice as large. Thus when
you see a tractor rated at 1% to 4, 4 to 8, 12 to 24, 16
^ The way to figure the horse-power of a tractor, or other
internal combustion engine will be found in the Appendix, Page
269.
2 How to find the belt horse power is explained in the Appendix.
3 This is the speed given by the makers as being the one at
which the engine runs most efficiently.
4 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
to 30, et cetera, et cetera, you will know that the first
number is the horse power of the draw-bar pull, and
that the second number is the horse power of the
power take-off of the Mt pulley.
The Draw-Bar Horse Power of a Tractor. — The
draw-bar horse power is the pull measured in horse
power that a tractor is capable of developing at the
draw-bar. The standard draw-bar rating ^ is 80 per
cent, of the horse power that the maker guarantees is
developed at the draw-bar when the tractor is run for
two hours straight.^ Again it is understood that the
tractor is in good order and that the engine is running
at its rated speed. Tests to determine the draw-bar
horse power should be made on firm ground or sod
so that the traction members will not slip.^
The Speed of Tractors. — While the Society of
Automotive Engineers has determined that the most
efficient speed for plowing is 2% miles per hour for
tractors of 15 draw-bar horse power and under,
tractors are so designed and built that they can be
run at varying speeds from o + up to 5 miles an hour,
that is, each individual tractor can be adjusted to meet
the running conditions imposed upon it.
The Weight of Tractors. — Tractors weigh any-
where from 530 pounds which is the Beeman Garden
1 This is the standard of the Society of Automobile Engineers.
2 These tests are made with a tractor dynamometer, a full de-
scription of which, together with the way to use it will he sent you
pratis on request hy The Tractometcr Company, Santa Fe and
Slanson Aves., Los Angeles, Cal.
3 The way to calculate draw-bar horse power is given on Page
210. See also Draiv Bar Pull of a Tractor at Various Speeds,
Page 271.
ABOUT TRACTORS IN GENERAL 5
i%-4 H. P., tractor on up to 30,000 pounds
which is the Nichols and Shephard Company's Oil-
Gas, 35-70 H. P., tractor.
The 5-10 H. P., up to 9-18 H. P., tractors range
in weight from 2,450 pounds to 3,000 pounds; the
10-18 H. P., up to 14-28 H. P., tractors weigh from
3,300 pounds up to 5,000 pounds; the 15-22 H. P.,
up to 6-32 H. P., weighs from 4,400 pounds up to
7,800 pounds; the 17-35 H. P., up to 18-36 H. P.,
weighs from 5,300 pounds to 6,500 pounds; the 20-
30 H. P., up to 25-40 H. P., weighs from 6,400
pounds up to 13,000 pounds; the 30-50 H. P., up to
40-75 H. P., weighs from 13,000 pounds up to 28,-
000 pounds; the 40-60 H. P., up to 60-90 H. P.,
weighs 18,700 to 28,000 pounds, and, lastly, the 70-
120 H. P., tractors weigh in the neighborhood of 30,-
000 pounds.
The Plowing Capacity of Tractors. — The
simplest, if not the most accurate, way of determining
the capacity of a tractor to do the work you want it
to do is to know how many plows it will pull.
For plowing small plots a garden tractor that pulls
a single 12-inch plow is large enough. For truck
farming you will need a tractor that will pull one 14-
inch plow. For an ordinary size farm, say up to 160
acres, you will need a tractor which will pull two
plozvs, while for a big farm, that is to say one of more
than 240 acres, you want a tractor that will pull three
or more plows.
A tractor rated at from i to 4 draw-bar H. P., will
6 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
pull one 1 2-inch plow, one of 8 draw-bar H. P., will
pull tzi'o 1 2-inch plows, while a lo draw-bar H. P.,
tractor will easily pull tzvo 14-inch plows and three
14-inch plows can be used at times. A tractor rated
at 12 draw-bar H. P., and there are nearly fifty makes
to choose from, will pull three 14-inch plows, though
in my humble opinion a tractor of this horse power
will do better when pulling two 14-inch plows in most
soils.^
A 15 to 20 draw-bar H. P., tractor is best adapted
to pull three 14-inch plows, though sometimes four
plows are used. Tractors rated at 16 draw-bar H. P.,
will pull three, four and even five 14-inch plows, the
number, of course, depending on the kind of soil,
while for some of the 20 horse power tractors the
makers recommend six 14-inch plows. A tractor rated
at 22 to 26 draw-bar H. P., will pull five or six 14-
inch plows while a tractor of from 30 to 38 draw-bar
H. P., will pull from five to eight 14-inch plows, and,
finally, tractors above this draw-bar horse power rating
will take care of from eight to twelve 14-inch plows.
The Normal Draw-bar Pull in Pounds. — When
the tractor is used to haul loads or do other draw-bar
work it is well to know what the normal draw-bar pull
in pounds is. By normal is meant the number of
pounds that the tractor is rated as being able to pull
with the most efficient traction effort. The following
* There is no hard and fast rule as to how many plows a tractor
can pull for the reason that soils vary greatly and they are much
affected by moisture.
ABOUT TRACTORS IN GENERAL
table gives roughly the normal draw-bar pull in pounds
of tractors ranging from i to 70 draw-bar horse power.
Table of Normal Draw-bar Pull in Pounds
Normal
Draw-bar H. P.,
Belt H. P.,
Draw
-bar
of Tractor
of Tractor
Pull
in
Pounds
I
4
200
5
10
900
8
16
1,200
12
20 ,
2,150
18
36
3,100
25
50
5,000
30
60
6,000
40
80
10,000
70
120
12,600
The Length, Width and Height of Tractors. —
The total length of a tractor, or overall length as it is
called, means its length measured from its foremost
to its hindmost point. The width of a tractor is not
apt to be of much importance but the length of it may
Table of Tractor Dimensions
Trade Name
of Tractor
Beeman
Automotive
Short Turn ....
Creeping Grip . .
Yankee
Hollis
Lombard Tractor
Truck
Yuba
Linn Tractor
Truck
Caterpillar
Draw-bar
and Belt
Horse Poiver
Length
in Inches
Width
in Inches
86
96
96
i7yA
62
82
126
141
75
71
108
144
185
78
55
192
64
252
104
Height
in Inches
12-24
12-25
12-25
12-25
12-25
10-
20-35
20-35
70-120
39
52
66
72
58
67
72
55
90
8 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
greatly affect its turning radius. The length, width
and height of tractors vary greatly not only in dif-
ferent makes but according to their horse power ratings
as the table on Page / shows.
The Height of the Draw-Bar. — The draw-bar is
often swivelled so that it can be adjusted vertically
within narrow limits. The height of draw-bars from
the ground ranges from 6 inches, as in the Bull Tractor
Corporation's Big Bull tractor, to 24% as in the Case
20-40. In those tractors that have adjustable draw-
bars the vertical distance varies from 2 inches as in
the Beeman Model F, to 12 inches as in the Blumberg
Steady Pull 12-24.
The Clearance of Tractors. — The road clearance
in tractor parlance means the vertical distance between
the lowest part of the tractor, barring the traction
members, namely, the wheels or crawlers, and the
ground, and it is measured in inches. The clearance in
some tractors is as little as 6 inches and in others as
much as 22% though in most of them it is between 10
and 15 inches.
The Sizes of Traction Members. — The Face and
Diameter of Non-Drive Wheels. — As the small wheels
of a tractor are not always the steering wheels they
are called non-drive wheels in order to cover them all
under one classification. The face of the non-drive
wheels may be anywhere from 4 inches wide as in the
Coleman, Frick, Fargeol and Automotive tractors up
to 24 inches wide as in the single wheel Tracklayer 75.
The Face and Diameter of Drive Wheels. — The
I
ABOUT TRACTORS IN GENERAL 9
face of the drive wheels of tractors may be as little
as 3 inches wide as in the Merry Garden Auto-Culti-
vator, or as much as 30 inches across, as in the Minne-
apolis 60 and half a dozen other large tractors.
The diameter of the drive wheels range from 20
inches (1% feet), as in the Automotive, up to 90
inches (7% feet), as in the Aultman-Taylor 30-60.
The majority of tractors, however, have drive wheels
Fig. I. — The Wheel Base of a Tractor
whose diameters are between 40 and 70 inches. The
reason large wheels are used instead of smaller ones
will be found in Chapter XII.
The Wheelbase of Tractors. — The wheelbase of a
tractor is the distance from the center of the hub of
a front wheel to the center of the hub of a rear wheel,
as shown in Fig. i. Why a long wheel base is de-
sirable will also be explained on Page 262. The
wheelbase varies in different tractors, the shortest be-
lo FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
ing about i6 inches in the Merry Garden Auto Culti-
vator and 1 68 inches in the Twin City 60. The wheel-
base lengths used in most tractors run from 75 to
100 inches.
The Face, Length and Area of Crawlers. — Like
wheel traction members, crawlers are of all widths and
lengths and, consequently, their traction surface areas
vary within wide limits according to the ideas of their
respective designers and the size of the tractors they
are used on. Thus it is that the width of the face of
a crawler is as small as 7 inches, as in the E. F. T. 1 5-
30, and as large as 24 inches as in the Tracklayer 75.
The lengths of the crawlers vary all the way from
13/4 inches as in the Elgin iCH-20, to 153 inches in
the Leader C, 18-36. The smallest surface area used
in a tractor crawler is found in the Hicks 12-25,
which has only 334 square inches, and the largest
surface area is had in the Tracklayer 75 which has
3,700 square inches. The difference in the traction re-
sistance in drive wheels and crawlers will be taken up
in Chapter XII .
Percentage of Weight on Driving Members. —
The proportion of weight of the tractor that bears
on the drive wheels, or crawlers, varies in the two
types of machines as well as in the same type of dif-
ferent makes.
In two wheel garden tractors like the Beenian and
Atlantic Cultivator the full weight of the tractor, i. e.,
100 per cent., falls on the drive wheels. In the Allis-
Chalmers General Purpose, the Universal A-ig, 1-4,
I
ABOUT TRACTORS IN GENERAL ii
the Princess Pat VI, 10-20, and the Trenan 12-24,
tractors all of which have two large drive wheels and
one small support wheel, 90 per cent, of the weight
is carried by the former.
So, too, in the Anltman-Taylor 30-60, the Automo-
tive 12-24, the Short Dill 26, and the Mollis tractors,
which are equipped with four wheels, 90 per cent,
of the weight rests on the drive wheels, while in the
Power 15-30, which is a four wheel tractor, 95 per
cent, of the weight falls on the drive wheels.
In practically all other tractors having wheeled
members the weight on the drive wheels is from 50 to
88 per cent, of the weight of the tractor but with the
larger number of machines the weight is from 60 to
66 per cent, of the total tractor weight. Where
crawlers alone are used the weight carried by them
is of course 100 per cent, of its weight of the tractor.
Range of Speed and Gear Ratios. — The speed of
a tractor depends on three chief factors and these are
(i) the speed the engine is running at, (2) the size of
the drive wheels, and (3) the ratio of the transmission
gears, which means the size of one gear connected with
the crankshaft of the engine, with the size of another
gear that finally connects with the drive wheels.
High gear ratio means that the engine crankshaft is
connected to the drive wheels through the transmission
gears so that the tractor will travel at its greatest
speed. Hence, the speed of the engine shaft is reduced
only a small amount in relation to the spiral drive shaft
and the drive wheels.
12 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
Suppose that the high gear ratio as given by the
makers is 70: i ; now when the large gear of the trans-
mission is thrown into mesh with the small one of the
transmission the difference in the size of gears is very
small and this gives the tractor speed at the sacrifice of
power.
Low gear transmission is just the reverse of the
above, to wit, the engine crankshaft is connected to the
drive wheels through the transmission gears so that
the tractor will travel at its slowest speed. Now the
two gears in mesh vary greatly, the small one being
connected to the engine shaft and the large one to the
drive shaft or rear axle and wheels.
As an example, if the low gear ratio is 97: i when
the small gear of the transmission, which is connected
to the engine, is thrown into mesh with the large one,
the engine will have a speed 97 times as great as that of
the drive wheels. This gives the tractor power at the
expense of speed.
The Turning Radius of a Tractor. — The term
turning radius of a tractor means the radius of the
smallest circle, measured in feet, in which the tractor
can turn completely around. The radius of this circle,
or turning radius as it is called, is found as follows:
Turn the front wheels of your tractor to the right
or left as far as they will go and the turning radius
will then be the radius of the circle whose circumfer-
ence passes through the hub of the outer front wheel
and whose center is at the hub of the inner rear wheel
as shown in Fig. 2.
ABOUT TRACTORS IN GENERAL
13
There are several factors that determine the size
of the circle the tractor can turn in and these are (A)
in wheel tractors ( i ) the length of the wheel base, (2)
the number of wheels, (3) the disposition of the wheels
and (4) the angle of the arc through which the front
wheels turn.
Where (B) the tractor members are crawlers then
/
/
/
\
^ ir^
\ \
\
■^
\
N \
96 — *
TURNING ffAd^OS \
/(/GHr OR LEFT I
/
y
Fig. 2. — "The Turning Radius of a Tractor
the turning radius depends on ( i ) the length of the
crawlers, (2) their distance apart, and (3) whether
one of them can be reversed when a turn is being made.
Thus a three wheel tractor usually has a shorter turn-
ing radius than a four wheel tractor of the same wheel-
base while a four wheel tractor in which the front
14 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
wheels are mounted on a pivoted axle cannot turn in
as small a circle as one wherein the wheels are mounted
on a knuckle axle.
Some tractors have a turning radius as small as
4 feet, as for instance the Mollis, Model M, 15-2^
and the Short Turn 20-^0, that is to say either of these
tractors can turn in a circle whose diameter is 8 feet;
again, other tractors have a turning radius as large
as 48 feet, as the Ohio General, 13-30, which means
that the smallest circle it can turn in must have a
diameter of 96 feet.
The Prices of Tractors. — You can buy a tractor
such as the Atlantic Garden Cultivator for $185, or
you can spend $6,250 for a Yankee Ball Tread tractor,
or anything in between these amounts. Garden
tractors cost anywhere from $185 for the Atlantic
Cultivator, as above stated, to $465 for the Auto-
Tiller, and the above tractors pull one 4 inch to one
12 inch plow, according to the price, and you have to
walk behind them.
There are four 14 inch plow tractors in the market
and these cost from $785 to $900 each but in every case
they are provided with seats so that he who plows
may ride. Of tivo plozv tractors there are about 40
makes on the market ranging in price from $800 to
$1,595. Of the next size tractor there are an even
dozen styles and these are recommended to pull two
or three 14 inch plows and cost from $1,200 to $1,800.
Three plow tractors are the favorite of the makers
and, hence, it is a safe deduction to say of the buyers,
ABOUT TRACTORS IN GENERAL 15
for there are 65 makes of them and the prices run
from $1,125 to $5,800 though the average price is,
I should say, about $1,800. Of the three to four 14
inch plozv tractors there are only 25 makes and these
are sold at from $1,175 to $6,000 so that you have
a great range in price if not so many makes to choose
from.
Of the strictly four-plow tractors there are about
a score, and the current prices of these are from $1,750
to $4,000. There are in the neighborhood of a dozen
makes of tractors that pull from four to five, four to
six and four to twelve plows and the average price is
something like $3,000. And finally tractors that pull
from five to twelve plows cost from $5,000 to $10,000 ^
each.
In Conclusion. — While the above explanations
covering the factors of tractors are necessary in order
to gather an intelligent conception of their general
characteristics and hence have to do with the kind of
a tractor you want, still there are other vital features
which must be taken into consideration when you are
ready to buy a tractor and these will be fully discussed
in the last chapter.
1 The prices all through this book are provisional and are given
chiefly by way of comparison.
CHAPTER II
THE PARTS OF A TRACTOR
While the design of tractors is by no means fixed
still the individual parts of all of them are quite alike
and whatever the make may be the construction of
the different parts follows along the same general
lines if we make occasional exceptions.
Now the easiest way to get a clear understanding
of how tractors are built and work is to examine the
various parts, see how they are made, what they are
for and the roles they play. This you can do better
by first reading a description and looking at the pic-
tures of them than you can by going over the tractor
itself.
The Chief Parts of a Tractor. — A tractor of any
kind is made up of the following principal parts,
namely, (i) the frame, which is the foundation on
and around which the tractor is built, (2) the trac-
tion members, as the wheels and crawlers are called,
(3) the power unit, which includes the engine and
all of its ancillary devices, that develops the power,
(4) the transmission system, which transmits the power
of the engine to the drive wheels or crawlers by
various clutches, gears and shafts, (5) the steering
16
THE PARTS OF A TRACTOR 17
gear by and through which the tractor is steered, and
(6) the braking devices for stopping the tractor.
The Frame Comes First. — The frame is supported
by the wheels or crawlers, and it, in turn carries the
engine, the transmission system and all the other
numerous parts that go to make up the tractor.
Further, the frame must be sufficiently rigid so that
all of the power units will remain fixed in their posi-
tions relative to each other.
Now tractor frames are made in one of two ways,
to wit, either (i) of one piece of steel, or they are
(2) built up of structural steel. Where a frame is
made of one piece it is either (a) cast in a mold, or
(b) pressed of sheet steel, that is of boiler plate, but
where it is built up it is formed of I girders or ship
steel channels which are fastened together with hot
rivets hammered down with a power riveter which
applies a pressure of 75 tons to each rivet. A one
piece pressed U-section frame of a Willis tractor is
shown at A in Fig. j and a built-up deep girder frame
of a Twin City tractor is shown at B.
What a Three Point Suspension Means. — To en-
able the tractor to travel easily over rough ground
and so prevent the power units from being jarred
out of alignment a three point suspension is used.
A three point suspension means that the frame rests
on three points and not on four. As an illustration
take a four-legged table where one leg is shorter than
the others ; such a table will not stand evenly and will
be inclined to rock ; oppositely, a table with only three
■2^^
i8
THE PARTS OF A TRACTOR
19
legs will always set firm though it may not set level.
The three point suspension scheme is used in the
A -r/fS OALl. ANO SOCKCr SUSP£NS/0A/
Fig. 4A.— Kinds of Three Point
Suspensions
B - SPAfA/G
Fig. 4b.
SOSPSA/S/OAf
Kinds of Three Point
Suspensions
construction of wheel vehicles of all kinds be it a
wheelbarrow or a locomotive. In a tractor two of the
points of suspension must rest on the rear axle near the
20 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
hubs of the wheels and the third point of suspension
rests on the middle of the front axle.
C- Sv/iv£L suspcrtsiofr
Fig. 4C. — Kinds of Three Point
Suspensions
D -r/iE RIGfD SUSfi£NS/QN
Fig. 4d. — Kinds of Three Point
Suspensions
Kinds of Front Suspension. — The point that rests
on the front axle, or front suspension as it is called,
is either ( i ) a ball and socket smpension, (2) a spring
THE PARTS OF A TRACTOR 21
suspension, (3) a swivel suspension, or (4) a rigid
suspension.
In the ball and socket suspension a large ball which
is fixed to the front end of the frame fits into a socket
in the front axle as shown at A in Fig. 4. In the
spring suspension the spring is mounted on the front
axle and the front end of the frame is secured to the
middle of it as shown at B.
Where a swivel suspension is used the front end
of the frame is simply pivoted to the front axle
as shown at C, while finally in the rigid suspension
the front end of the frame is rigidly fixed to the front
axle as at D.
The Draw-Bar. — The draw-bar is usually fixed to
a cross brace on the frame, as shown in Fig. 5, that
sets in front of the rear axle and it should have a coil
spring suspension to allow it to give a little and to
absorb the shocks. The coupler end sets well back
of the rear axle so that plows and other implements
can be easily and quickly hitched to it. In some
tractors the draw-bar is ( i ) rigid, and in others it is
(2) pivoted to allow it to move from side to side,
while in a few it is (3) swivelled so that its height
can be adjusted.
About the Axles of Tractors. — There are two
axles used in tractors having four wheels,^ or where
a single, front, non-drive wheel, or a single, rear, non-
drive wheel is employed the stub journal it sets on
1 Except the Post tractor, which has four wheels but with one
drive wheel in the front and one in the rear.
22 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
may be considered as the equivalent of an axle. There
are two kinds of tractor axles and these are (i) the
non-drive axle, and (2) the drive axle.
The Non-Drive Axle. — This is usually the front
axle, though there are half-a-dozen tractors where it
is the rear axle and in the Post it is the middle axle.
Fig. s. — The Draw Bar on a Twin
City Tractor Frame
Where it is either the front or the rear axle it is ( i )
made to turn on a pivot in the end of the frame, or
it is (2) rigidly fixed to the end of the frame.
Where it turns on a pivot the wheels are mounted
on and rotate around the ends of it, but where it is
rigid and used for steering it is provided with knuckles
THE PARTS OF A TRACTOR 23
on which the wheels are mounted and these allow
them to swing either way. As these axle assemblies
have to do with steering the tractor as well as to help
support the frame, they will be more fully described in
Part III of Chapter III under the heading of the Steer-
ing Gear.
The Drive Axle. — As this axle carries the drive
wheels it must, therefore, always be at right angles
to the line of traction ; since this is the case it is rigidly
attached to the frame. There are three kinds of drive
axles that have found favor with tractor engineers,
and these are, (i) the dead axle, (2) the live axle,
and (3) the stub axle.
The dead axle, as it is called, is one that is rigidly
fixed to the frame and, hence, does not transmit
power to the drive wheels which revolve on its ends.
Tractors whose drive wheels are driven by chains and
bull-gears are of this type. A live axle is one that
revolves and transmits power to the drive wheels but
which runs in a hollow axle, or housing, and to the
latter is fixed the frame of the tractor; live axles are
used where the differential gears ^ are placed on a
separate shaft.
Finally a stub axle is one that carries the differential
between its opposed ends while the drive wheels are
keyed to the outer ends. The stubs rotate in a hollow
tube or housing and this is fixed to the frame of the
tractor.
The Suspension Springs of a Tractor. — Some
1 See Part II, Chapter III, for a description of the Differential.
24 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
tractors are provided with suspension springs but the
larger numbers are not so equipped. Where springs
are used they are either (i) coiled springs, (2) semi-
elliptic springs, or (3) platform springs.
Some tractors have their frames mounted on (i)
springs in front only, others have their frames
mounted on (2) springs in the rear only, and a few
have their frames mounted on (3) springs at both
the front and rear ends.
The Traction Members of Tractors. — There are
three distinct kinds of traction members used on
tractors and these are (i) wheels, (2) drums, and
(3) crawlers, endless track, tracklayers, or cater-
pillars,^ as this last type is variously called, and, lastly,
(4) there are divers combinations of wheels and crawl-
ers used.
Wheel Traction Members. — Many tractors have
three wheels only and this type is divided into those
that have {A) two drive wheels in the rear and a
single non-drive wheel in front, (J5) two drive wheels
in front which also serve to steer with, and a single
non-drive wheel in the rear, and (C) two non-drive
wheels in front and a single drive wheel in the rear.
But by far the larger number of makes of tractors
have {D) four wheels, and some of these are driven
by (a) the front wheels, the majority are driven by
{b) the rear wheels, while a few are driven by (c)
1 While tractors of the crawler type are often called cater-
pillars, the word caterpillar is the U. S. registered trade-mark of
the Holt Mfg. Co., Peoria, 111., and, hence, it can only be properly
applied to their tractors.
THE PARTS OF A TRACTOR 25
all four wheels. An outstanding tractor in the way of
traction members is the Wilson which has five wheels,
three of which are drivers at the rear end.
The Construction of Tractor Wheels. — The non-
drive wheels are either (i) made of cast-iron, or (2)
are built up oi pressed steel rims and spoked with flat
steel bars riveted to them.
Nearly all tractors use drive wheels of the built up
Am COMPRESSIONAL WHEEL 5 . A SUSP£NS/OAf tyHESL
Fig. 6. — Kinds of Drive Wheels
type and of these there are two kinds, namely, (^) the
compressional wheel and (B) the suspension wheel.
In the compressional kind the bars are riveted to the
inside of the rim and to the outside of the hub as shown
at A in Fig. 6. In this wheel the weight of the tractor
rests chiefly on the two or three spokes at the point
where the rim makes contact with the ground and
hence the stress on the wheel is compressional like that
on a wagon, or motor car wheel when made of wood.
In the suspension kind the spoke rods pass through
26 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
and are fixed on the outside of the rim and are secured
to the inside of the hub in the same fashion as the
wire spokes in a bicycle, or other spoked wheel, as
shown at B. Hence the weight is suspended from the
top of the rim and the stress is consequently distributed
on nearly three-fourths of the spokes. For this reason
the suspension wheel is considered the best practice.
A - ^ OGS OA^ A ORiVe iVH££L
Fig. 7a, b. — Drive Wheel Grips
B - >=? r TRACH SHOES OA/ A
The Lugs and Track-Shoes on Drive Wheels. — To
keep the drive wheels from slipping in soft soil and
to reduce the rolling resistance lugs and pads, or track-
shoes, as the latter are called, are fixed to and on the
rims as shown at A and B in Fig. '/, and in the first
case they can be put on or taken off.
Where lugs are used the wheel tends to sink into
the soft soil and then the line of travel is really up-
hill, as shown at C, and this adds to the power re-
quired to drive the tractor. To get around this un-
THE PARTS OF A TRACTOR
27
toward feature the pad, or track shoe, was devised
and a number of them are either pivoted on and around
the rim, as shown at D, or else they are hinged to-
gether in an endless series and set on the rim as at
B. With either kind of track-shoe the wheel is con-
verted into a semi-crawler, laying its own steel track
so that there is no digging in and in which the travel
is continuously in a straight line forward.
rf^^
^'GPtP PADS G/VE A LEVEL
L/Ne OF TRAVEL
Fig. 7c, D. — Effect of Drive Wheel Grips
Drum Traction Members. — A couple of tractors
use a wide drive wheel, or drum, at the rear, and like
the single drive wheel, the drum does away with the
differential, the construction of which is explained in
the next chapter. The drum is driven by chains on
the sides and they are provided with spikes or lugs.
A wide drive drum gives, of course, a larger amount,
of traction surface area than a drive wheel.
Crawler Traction Members. — How They Work.
— The principle involved in the crawler type of tractor
is that of an endless belt running on a pair of pulleys.
Different, however, from a belt running on pulleys
28 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
wherein the bearings of the latter remain in the same
relative positions, not only with respect to themselves
but also with respect to the earth, both the drive wheels
and the endless track of a crawler tractor move for-
ward together and progressively, due to the traction
resistance between the track and the ground.
The endless tracks used in crawlers are made of
jointed steel plates which have grooves or holes in
them at equal distances apart and the sprocket teeth
on the rims of the drive wheels mesh with these just
Fig. 8. — Crawler Shoes and Crawlers
as they do in a sprocket and chain bicycle drive. From
this you will see that the wheels themselves do not
touch the ground but each plate, or shoe, as it comes
in contact with the ground lays there until it reaches
the rear wheel when it is picked up ; and thus it is that
a steel track is laid by the crawler for the tractor to
run on.
How They are Made. — The construction of the
crawler shoes and the way they are linked together is
shown at A in Fig. 8, which is a top view of a Cletrac
crawler track, while the way the endless track is driven
THE PARTS OF A TRACTOR 29
by the sprockets is shown at B^ which is a side view
of a Leader tractor crawler mechanism.
Crawler tractors are very like wheel tractors in-so-
far as the various parts are concerned, since it has a
frame, traction members, engine and transmission
system. Unlike the wheel tractor, though, very few
crawler tractors have a differential but nearly all of
them have drive sprockets and the power from the
engine to the final drive shaft is, in nearly every make,
transmitted and controlled by clutches.
The Power Plant of a Tractor. — To drive the
traction members each tractor must have a power plant
and this consists of ( i ) a gasoline or an oil engine,
and includes the power take-off, (2) a clutch, (3)
transmission gears, or gear-set as it is called, (4) a
differential, usually but not always, and (5) the final
drive.
As each of the above is a highly specialized piece
of machinery that forms the very vitals of a tractor,
and, consequently, which you ought to know all about,
I will treat them separately and with due regard to
detail in the next chapter.
Kinds of Bearings Used. — What Friction Is. —
You have observed that when you slide one body
over another the motion is opposed by a kind of re-
sistance and this is called friction. Now friction is
caused by the minute elevations and depressions of
the opposed surfaces which interlock and it is further
increased by the adhesion of those parts that touch the
closest.
30 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
Now there are two kinds of friction and these are
(i) sliding friction and (2) rolling friction. Sliding
friction is much greater than rolling friction, though
the latter is in evidence even when the surfaces are
highly polished and this is due to both cohesion and
surface deformation where the latter makes contact
with the other body.
About the Bearings. — In tractors of both the wheel
and crawler types three kinds of bearings are used
PLAIN
3£A^/A/CS
B
5ALL
dEAR/NGS
c
ROLLER
BEAR/NGS
D
r/MHEN
TAPER ROLLER
6EAR/NGS
Fig. 9. — Kinds of Bearings
to lessen the friction, and these are (i) plain hear-
ings, (2) hall hearings, and (3) roller bearings.
In plain bearings a polished steel pin or journal, as
the middle and ends of a shaft are called, respectively,
is made to revolve in babbitt or bronze bearings. This
is because it has been found that where two surfaces
slide on each other — and the friction between a rotat-
ing journal and a stationary bearing is, obviously,
sliding friction — if one of them is harder than the
other the friction is less than where both are of the
THE PARTS OF A TRACTOR 31
same metal. A plain bearing is shown at A in Fig. p.
Since rolling friction is much less than sliding fric-
tion ball bearings and roller bearings are widely used
in the various rotating parts of tractors. A ball bear-
ing, see B, does not offer as much surface contact as
a roller bearing and, hence, there is less friction than
in the latter and these are always used for the smaller
bearings. But where bearings must carry great
stresses and strains roller bearings, as shown at C and
D, stand up better.
The specifications of 165 different tractors chosen
at random showed that there were 103 whose front
axles have plain bearings, 55 that have roller bearings
and 7 that are fitted with ball bearings, while out of
the same number of tractors y2 have rear axles with
plain bearings, 83 have roller bearings and 11 have
ball bearings.
The transmission bearings, countershaft, inter-
mediate shaft, differential, pulley and fan shafts of
various tractors use (a) plain bearings, (b) ball bear-
ings, and (c) roller bearings and these will be taken
into account as we move along.
The Gears Used in Tractors. — Gears are made of
seven kinds of metal, as the following list shows, and
which also indicates their worth as far as service is
concerned since they run from the poorest to the best.
Named, these kinds are, (i) cast iron, (2) cast steel,
(3) common steel, (4) carbon steel, (5) crucible steel,
(6) semi-steel and (7) alloy steel. Alloy steel is one
which usually contains a small per cent, of nickel or
3a
33
34
H
OS
<
9
OS
W
35
36 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
manganese and this makes it very tough and wear re-
sisting.
Further gears are either (A) cast, or {B) machined.
Where a gear is cast it cannot, of course, be as ac-
curate or run as smooth as one that is machined, that
is, one whose teeth are cut in a shaper. Finally, gears
may be either (a) case hardened or (b) heat treated.
In a case hardened gear only the outer surface is
hardened, while in a heat treated gear the whole mass
is tempered and retempered clear through and this pro-
vides a longer wearing gear. The best gears that
can be made are formed of chrome-nickel or mangan-
ese steel, machined and heat treated.
Tractor Types Complete. — A top view of a Twin
City 40-65 tractor is shown in Fig. 10, and a three-
quarter view of ,a Twin City 60-po tractor is shown in
Fig. II. Likewise a top view of a yton Caterpillar
tractor is shown in Fig. 12 and a three-quarter view of
a lO'ton Caterpillar tractor is shown in Fig. ij.
I
CHAPTER III
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR
From the chapter that has gone before you have
seen that the mechanism of a tractor of whatever make
consists of four chief parts and these are (i) the en-
gine; (2) the transmission system; (3) the steering
gear; and (4) the brakes, and to do them justice I will
describe them under three separate headings.
Part I
HOW THE ENGINE IS MADE AND WORKS
As I have previously pointed out all tractor engines
are built and operate on the same fundamental prin-
ciple whether they are formed of one or more cylinders.
But to simplify matters, let's take a single cylinder
engine and tear it down to get at the parts of it and
then reassemble it to find out how it works.
The Parts of a Tractor Engine. — A tractor engine
is made exactly like that of a motor car engine and,
hence, is built up of the following parts: (i) the
cylinder; (2) the piston; (3) the connecting rod; (4)
the crankshaft; (5) the inlet valve; (6) the exhaust
valve; (7) the timing gears; (8) the camshaft; (9)
37
38 FARxM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
the lubricating system ; (lo) the carburetor; (ii) the
ignition system; (12) the cooling system, and, finally,
(13) a crankcase, which is cast integral with (14) the
base.
The Cylinder, Piston, Connecting Rod and Crank-
shaft. — The cylinder, which is shown at A in Fig. 14,
IS an iron block with the inside bored out to a true
hole and to an exact size. One end is closed and the
other, which is open, is bolted to the crankcase / to
keep the dirt out and the oil in. The inlet and exhaust
valves G and H are fitted in the closed end of the
cylinder.
The piston, see B, is a hollow cylindrical casting
closed at one end, with grooves cut around it so that
iron piston rings can be fitted into them. These rings
make the piston fit close in the cylinder and yet permit
it to slide to and fro easily.
The small end of the connecting rod C is coupled
to it by means of a wrist pin, while the other and larger
end of the connecting rod is coupled to the crank pin of
the crankshaft which is shown at D; and, finally, the
crankshaft is mounted in either babbit or bronze bear-
ings.
The Inlet and Exhaust Valves, The Timing Gears
and the Camshaft. — To the crankshaft is keyed, that
is, fixed, a small timing gear and this meshes with a
larger timing gear, see E, that is keyed to the cam-
shaft F, and the cams on the latter work the inlet
valve G and the exhaust valve H which seat in the valve
openings in the head of the cylinder. They are closed
PAjuvjCo^S^t/je
INLSr
CARBUReTQR
A 0105S SECTION OF A CVLINDEK O _ IVRIST PIN
aiNGS AND iVR/Sr PIN
-eSARlNC
CeTffE comscriNG.
OiARIt
fNL£T
TlMINCCSAR
CAMSHAFT
F'rN£: T/MING GEARS ON CRANKSHAFT
AND CAMSHAFT
Fig. 14.— The Parts of a One-Cylinder T-Head Engine
39
40 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
F-rH£ CAMSHAFT
G & H 'THE iNLET AND eXflAUST
VALINES
I - THE CJ?ANK CASE
Fig. 14 (Cont.). — The Parts of a One-Cylinder T-Head
Engine
by spiral springs. The inlet valve opens to admit the
fuel mixture, and the exhaust valve opens to let out the
burnt gases.
The fuel mixture is produced by a carburetor which
mixes the gasoline, kerosene or other fuel oil, with
the right amount of air to make an explosive mixture
SPA/iK PLUC
HeAO
tXHAUSr
CRANK^
SHAFT
CRAAffCCASE
CAAfAA^O
CAM SHAFT
C£A/i$
Fig. 15. — Cross Section of a Single Cylinder T-Head
Engine
(Shows Intake Stroke)
42 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
of it. The carburetor is connected to the inlet pipe
which leads into the head of the cylinder and it will
be pictured and described in due time. The spark-
plug sets in the head of the cylinder and the spark
is produced at the precise instant it is needed to fire
the fuel charge ^ by means of either a battery or by
a magneto; these ignition devices will also be pictured
and described further on, as will be the lubrication and
cooling systems of the engine.
How a Single Cylinder Engine Works. — Know-
ing now what the parts are of a simple internal com-
bustion engine you can gather from Fig. 15 the way
they are assembled and the next thing to learn about
is how the engine works.
First, you must get it clearly fixed in your mind
that, different from a steam engine, there is only one
power stroke in every four strokes of the piston of a
tractor engine, that is, the explosive force of the fuel
charge acts on the piston only once in four strokes and,
hence, it is called a four stroke cycle engine.
The Four Strokes of the Engine. — These four
strokes are called (i) the suction stroke; (2) the com-
pression stroke; (3) the power, or explosion stroke and
(4) the exhaust stroke, all of which are represented
diagrammatically in Fig. 16.
The Suction Stroke. — In this stroke the fuel mix-
ture is sucked into the cylinder by the piston as it
moves down; in order for it to do so, of course, the
1 After the fuel mixture is compressed in the cylinder it is
called the fuel charge.
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR
43
inlet valve must be open and this is done by the timing
gears turning the camshaft round so that the high edge
of the cam moves up and pushes the valve open. It
is shown at A.
The Compression Stroke. — When the piston begins
to move up on its compression stroke the cam on the
camshaft has turned to a point where it releases its
pressure on the inlet valve rod and the spiral spring
SUCTION srnotcc o ^ygo^g: ^ srfiOAC ^-cxHAusr smoicc
Fig. i6. — Diagram of the Four Strokes of a Single
Cylinder Engine
on it closes the valve. As both the inlet and the
exhaust valve are closed the piston compresses the
fuel mixture more and more until it reaches the end
of its up-stroke when an explosive fuel charge results.
See B.
The Power Stroke. — It is at this point that the
timer of the ignition system, which is also worked by
the camshaft, closes the electric circuit and this makes
a jump-spark take place between the points, or
electrodes as they are called, of the spark-plug. When
the spark jumps between the electrodes it fires the
44 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
fuel charge and the expanding force of the burning
gases drives the piston down and this gives the power
stroke as pictured at C.
The Exhaust Stroke. — At the end of the power
stroke the exhaust valve is opened by the cam, on the
camshaft, and as the piston moves up on its exhaust
stroke it pushes the burnt gases out of the exhaust pipe
into the air as shown at D. This completes the cycle
of strokes when they are repeated all over again.
How the Inlet and Exhaust Valves are Timed. —
I think I made it clear above how the cams on the cam-
shaft open the inlet and exhaust valves at the precise
moment necessary and how they are closed by the
spiral springs when they have performed their re-
spective functions.
From what was said it must also be obvious that
for every complete cycle, that is four successive strokes
of the piston, the crankshaft makes two complete revo-
lutions while the camshaft makes only one revolution.
To get this result the gear on the camshaft has twice
the number of teeth on it that the gear on the crank-
shaft has, or to put it another way, the camshaft gear
and the crankshaft gear have a ratio of 2 to i, so that
the former turns only half as fast as the latter, when,
of course, the valves are lifted only once in every two
revolutions of the crankshaft.
How Multicylinder Engines Work. — When two
or more cylinders are used in an engine and their pis-
tons are connected to the same crankshaft it is called
a multicylinder engine. Multicylinders are used for
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 45
tractor engines to ( i ) reduce the size of it in propor-
tion to the power produced; (2) to increase the speed,
and (3) to make the engine run smoother.
As I stated under the last heading a single cyHnder
engine deHvers i power stroke to every 2 revolutions
of the crankshaft. Now with a two cylinder engine
there is a power stroke to each revolution of the crank-
shaft, while with a four cylinder engine there is a
C0MP/i£S5/0A/
exHAUsr
srROf<£
J.
S£ARMC
eBARlNG
C/iAH/KSHAFT'
Fig 17. — Diagram of a Four-Cylinder Engine Showing How
Pistons Are Connected to a Single Crankshaft
power stroke to every half revolution of the crank-
shaft when the power developed is practically con-
tinuous like that of a steam engine. Fig. ly shows
how the pistons of a four cylinder engine are con-
nected to a single crankshaft.
With a six cylinder engine there is a power stroke
to every one-third revolution of the crankshaft, when
the power strokes overlap each other and, hence, there
is no break in the continuity of the turning force, or
46 FARxM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
torque, as the engineers call it, and, finally, with an
eight cylinder engine there is a power stroke to every
one-fourth revolution of the crankshaft.
The Manifold and What it is For. — Where an
engine has two or more cylinders the carburetor is con-
nected with the inlet valve openings and the exhaust
valve ports lead to the open air through branched
pipes called a manifold. It is shown in Fig. i8.
£XHAU^ T MAWrOLD
MA^tFOlD ^m\ rr^^f^^^ ^^GO£S HERB
CA/tBUR£TOf<
goes here
Fig. i8.— The Manifolds of a Four-Cylinder Engine
How the Muffler is Made. — When the exhaust
gases from a cylinder discharge directly into the air
they make a report which sounds like that of a pistol.
This is caused by the burnt gases which are under a
high pressure coming in contact with the free air which
is under a lower pressure. To get rid of this noise a
silencer, called a muiRer, is used on some tractors.
There are numerous makes of mufflers on the mar-
ket, but all of them work on the principle of making
the exhaust gases flow forth and back through a num-
ber of tubes or around a spiral which reduces the pres-
sure to that of the outside air when they are discharged
into it.
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 47
How the Engine is Lubricated. — Kinds of
Systems. — In all engine lubricating systems of what-
ever kind the oil is contained in the lower part of the
crankcase, or a sump under it, or is fed into it from
a supply tank. From the crankcase, or sump, it is
either ( i ) splashed into the cylinders and on the bear-
ings, (2) splashed into the cylinders and also carried
up to an oil pipe through which it flows or is circu-
lated to the bearings, or (3) forced by a pump from
the sump up to the oil pipe through which it flows
to the bearings when it is thrown by the connecting
rods into the cylinders, or (4) each bearing is oiled
separately by a little pump of its own called an indi-
vidual pump, which pumps the oil from a tank to the
bearing that is to be lubricated.
The Splash System. — In this system the crank-
case is filled with oil until it is high enough to cover
the dippers on the ends of the connecting rods when
they are on the lower dead level, or splash level, as it is
called. As the dippers strike the oil they splash it up
into the cylinders and onto the bearings. It is an ex-
ceedingly simple lubricating system and a very good one
as well. It is shown at A in Fig. ip.
The Circulating System. — This is really a com-
bined splash and circulating system. The crankcase
has a sump, or reservoir, under it and this is nearly
filled with oil. The flywheel, which is inclosed in the
crankcase, carries the oil up to and into the oil pipe
where it runs down into troughs that are cut in the
floor of the crankcase; in this way they are kept full,
48 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
the excess running back into the sump. The connect-
ing rod dippers splash the oil into the cylinders and
fH£ SfiLAS/1 5YSr£M
M£5£/tyom
Fig. iqa. — Kinds of Lubricating Systems
onto the bearings as in the splash system just described.
It is shown at B.
rne splash cutcuLAriMc
srsreM,
X£S£Jf\/0//t
Fig. iqb.— -Kinds of Lubricating Systems
The Force Feed System. — In this system the oil is
pumped up from the sump, by an oil pump when it is
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 49
delivered by the oil pipe to the bearings of the crank-
shaft, thence on through a hole, or duct, in it and the
crankwebs to the crankpins on which are coupled the
connecting rods. The excess oil that drops off of the
crankpins is thrown by the ends of the connecting rods
into the cylinders and this lubricates the pistons and
the wristpins. This is the next best lubricating system
that has yet been devised and it is shown at C.
TH£ rO/tC£ F££D SYST£M
/!£S£RVO/f^
Fig, 19c. — Kinds of Lubricating Systems
The Individual Pump, Positive Feed System. —
This system of lubrication gives added life to the bear-
ings because it supplies fresh oil to them all of the time,
whereas the other systems use the same oil over and
over again.
The apparatus consists of a steel tank that contains
the oil and in the tank are as many small pumps, or
individual pumps as they are called, as there are bear-
ings to be oiled. The pumps are driven by a ratchet
50 FARxM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
wheel which is rotated by a pawl connected to an ec-
centric on the camshaft.
A sight feed measuring device shows the amount of
oil that is being used while a measuring plunger per-
mits the amount of oil that flows through the sight feed
to be varied at will. The oil that passes through the
sight feed then flows to the pump where it is forced to
the bearing to be lubricated.
D 'IND/VfDOAL PUMP POS/r/l^£ SrSTEM
Fig. 19D. — Kinds of Lubricating Systems
Kinds of Oil Pumps. — There are three kinds of
oil pumps used on tractor engines and these are (i)
the gear pump, (2) the plunger pump and (3) the
individual pump.
The Gear Pump. — In this pump which is shown at
A in Fig. 20, the oil is carried up by the teeth of the
gears. It is a very efficient type of pump and cannot
be excelled for positive action.
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 51
The Plunger Pump. — This type is a piston pump
made like those for pumping water. It is worked by
an eccentric connected on the camshaft of the engine,
and as shown at B.
The Individual Positive Feed Pump. — There are
two kinds of individual pumps used for positive feed
ourcer
If"-'
A- <^eA/{ PUMP
^j.-^*
B 'PLUNGER FUMP
Fig. 20A, B. — Kinds of Oil Pumps
lubricators and these are (i) those that have valves,
and (2) those that are valveless.
The disadvantage of valve pumps is that foreign
matter is apt to settle on the valve seat when the pump
will not deliver the oil. Valveless pumps are largely
used for tractor lubrication as the lubrication is posi-
tive in even the coldest weather. A Madison-Kipp
individual valveless pump is shown at C.
52 FARxM AND GARDEN T1\ACT0RS
PISTON VALViS
C -TM£ /NOIV/DUAI. rO/iC£ re£D PUMP
Fig. 20C. — Kinds of Oil Pumps
How the Engine is Cooled. — There are two
fundamental schemes used for cooling the cylinders
of tractor engines and these are by ( i ) the air cir-
culating system and (2) the liquid circulating system,
and, then, (3) cooling fans are also used in combina-
tion with both systems.
Air Cooled Engines. — Where the engine is cooled
by air the cylinders have radial ribs on them as shown
at A, in Fig. 21, and around these sets a jacket. The
air is made to flow from the top of the cylinders,
over them between the radial ribs and out through
the bottom by means of either (a) a suction fan fitted
to the fly wheel; (b) the suction of the exhaust from
the engine, or (c) by a centrifugal blower.
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 53
^^J^ftrt-^T-tcS^^^ C/Z //V/7i--^
JACKET-*
A
Affi COOL£/> CrUAlDER
Fig. 2IA. — Kinds of Cooling Systems
HOPPER \
m^^
/ HOPPEfK
P/STON
UMP
Fig. 24. — Kinds of Engine Pumps
operation and prevents such kerosene which may be
unburned from getting into the crank case.
Kinds of Circulating Pumps. — There are three
kinds of pumps used in the pump circulating system,
and these are, (i) the rotary pump; (2) the centri-
fugal pump, and ( 3 ) the plunger pump.
The first two pumps named above have rotating
elements and these are turned by the pump-shaft which
is geared to the crankshaft. The rotary pump is a
58 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
gear pump and is made like the oil gear pump shown
at A in Fig. 20. The centrifugal pump has an im-
peller and is shown in Fig. 24, while the plunger pump
0-C^OS5 S£Cr/ON OF
A dALL-B FARING FAN
Fig. 25. — The Radiator Cooling Fan
is made like the plunger pump shown at B in Fig. 20.
The Radiator Cooling Fan. — Where a radiator
system is used a fan of the radial type is needed to
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 59
pull the air from the outside through the radiator in
order to cool the liquid therein faster. The fan is in-
stalled back of the radiator and is driven by the crank-
shaft through either (i) a belt; (2) a chain, or (3)
by gears. With a belt driven fan there is liable to
be some slippage though the extent of it is largely
a matter of the kind and width of the belt. A radiator
fan is shown in Fig. 25.
,nLL£/i
a - c^awty fuel feed system
Fig. 26a. — Fuel Feed Systems
How the Engine is Fed with Fuel. — To com-
plete the engine two other auxiliary, but very neces-
sary, devices must be attached to it and these are (^4)
the jiiel system, and (B) the ignition system. To sup-
ply the engine with fuel there must be (i) a tank to
contain the gasoline, kerosene, or other fuel oil, and
(2) the carburetor which measures out the fuel, forms
a spray of it and mixes it with enough air to make
6o FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
an explosive fuel mixture which is then drawn into the
cylinders.
About the Fuel Feed System. — The purpose of the
fuel feed system is to keep the carburetor supplied
with liquid fuel from the tank. There are three kinds
TO /NTAKE
MAN/fOLO
Fig. 26b. — Fuel Feed Systems
of fuel feed systems used on tractor engines and these
are (i) the gravity feed system, (2) the vacuum feed
system and (3) the air pressure feed system.
The Gravity System. — This is the simplest kind of
a feed, the fuel flowing from the tank into the car-
buretor by gravity since the latter device is below the
level of the former as shown at A in Fig. 26.
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 61
The Vacuum System. — The fuel tank in this case
can set below the level of the carburetor as shown at
B. Between the supply tank and the carburetor is a
small fuel tank and this is connected with the inlet
manifold of the engine.
On the tank there is a float and valve feed which is
very like that of a carburetor, to be described further
A/R PMSSURE-
'/% GUAG£
AIR
COMPRtSiOM
C -rtie A/R ORESSURS r££0 SYSTEM
Fig. 26c. — Fuel Feed Systems
on, and when the intake stroke takes place it pulls
the air out of the small feed tank and so forms a
vacuum. The pressure of the air on the fuel in the
supply tank then pushes it into the vacuum tank.
When the latter has a pint or so of fuel in it the suc-
tion valve is automatically closed by the float and
valve and no more can be drawn in until it is used
up.
The vacuum tank is connected with the carburetor
62 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
and the fuel flows from the former into the latter by
gravity as in the gravity system.
The Air Pressure System. — Likewise in the air
pressure system the gasoline tank can set lower than
the carburetor, a small rotary air pump, or compressor,
as it is called, driven by the camshaft of the engine,
is installed at one end of a pipe that leads to the
supply tank and this compresses the air in the latter
until from i to 4 pounds pressure is had when the
liquid fuel is forced through the feed pipe and into
the carburetor. A hand operated air pump must be
used when there is no pressure in the supply tank
and the power pressure pump is not working. A com-
pressed air gauge in the air-pipe line shows the
pressure of the air in the tank. The system is shown
at C.
What the Carburetor is For. — The carburetor is
a device that is used to break up the liquid fuel into
fine particles and to mix the latter with air in the right
proportion to form an explosive fuel mixture.
This is done by forcing the fuel oil from a nozzle
into a stream of air which makes a spray of it as shown
at A in Fig. 2/. The constriction in the intake air
tube at the point where the fuel oil jet, that is where
the fuel oil leaves the nozzle is called, gives the air a
higher pressure, and hence velocity, and this is known
as a Venturi tube.
How the Carburetor is Made. — To keep the fuel oil
from flowing all of the time into the carburetor and to
gauge the amount that shall be used by the engine, a
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 63
Hoat valve is employed which automatically opens and
closes the pipe that leads to the supply tank.
A carburetor consists of three chief parts and these
are (i) a Hoat chamber; (2) a Uoat, and (3) a needle
valve. The float is formed of a hollow metal shell
whose diameter is about the same as the inside diameter
of the float chamber. The needle valve is fixed to
f^^HOtV THE CARBUR£TX>R i^/ORKS
Fig. 27 a. — The Principles of the Carburetor
the top of the float and the latter is then set in the
chamber.
How the Carburetor Works. — It must be clear now
that when there is no fuel oil in the chamber the float
will rest on the bottom of it and the valve will re-
main open. The fuel oil from the supply tank can
now flow into it and as it does so the float rises until
it closes the valve when the supply is shut off.
64 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
As the engine draws in the fuel mixture the level
of the fuel falls on the suction stroke and, of course,
the float with it which opens the valve and lets more
fuel run into the chamber. In this way the right
amount is at all times supplied to the nozzle and this
is determined by the throttle lever which controls the
ro fNTAKE
MAAf/FOLOk
rO£L SUPPLY
VALV£.
THROTTLE ^^ ^
VALVE (A t-'
i/j;
F U £ L
'izgnnznzzzEs^
INLET
\DR/P TUBE
^'C/ioss secr/oA/ of a complete carburetor
Fig. 27B. — The Principles of the Carburetor
throttle, or butterfly, valve in the lower end of the in-
let pipe leading to the cylinders.
In tractor engine carburetors, as well as those used
on motor cars and motor trucks, there is also an auto-
matic air valve which opens into the mixing chamber
as shown at B in Fig. 2/. This extra air valve sup-
plies more air to the fuel mixture when it needs more
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 65
air than it is getting from the main air inlet. It is
opened by the pressure of the air on the outside of
C-C^OSS S£C770NOF HOCLCY' CARBURETOR WirM
VAPORIZER FOR HEAVY Of L FUELS
Fig. 27c. — The Construction of a Carburetor
•THe. HOLLEY CARBURETOR WtTH VAPOMZER
^ COMPLETE
Fig. 27c. — The Principles of the Carburetor
the valve and closed by a spiral spring. In this way
a rich ^ or a lean ^ fuel mixture can be obtained. A
1 A rich mixture is one in which there is very little air mixed
with the fuel oil, and a lean mixture is one in which there is a
large amount of air mixed with the fuel oil.
66 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
cross section of a Holley carburetor is shown at C in
Fig. 21, and the carburetor complete at D.
Vaporizing the Fuel Mixture. — A carburetor
will vaporize gasoline sufficiently to form a good fuel
mixture before it is taken into the cylinders but kero-
sene and heavy oils must be further vaporized by a-
high temperature before they are drawn into the
cylinders.
t • TUB STBV^ART MEAVr OfL FUEL SVSTEM
Fig. 27E. — The Principles of the Carburetx>r
The chief scheme for doing this is to use the heat
of the exhaust gases to ( i ) heat the air before it is ad-
mitted into the carburetor; (2) to heat the juel oil be-
fore it flows into the carburetor; (3) to heat the mix-
ing chamber of the carburetor while the fuel mixture
is in the process of forming, and (4) to heat the in-
take manifold through which the fuel mixture passes
before going into the cylinders. Two of these vapor-
izing schemes are shown at E and F in Fig. 2^.
Kinds of Air Cleaners. — The greatest enemy of
the tractor engine is dust and sand which wear out the
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 67
piston and rings, scores the walls of cylinders and pits
the valves. The dust and sand get into the cylinders
through the carburetor air intake unless it is fitted
with an air cleaner. Now there are two kinds of air
cleaners and these are (i) dry air cleaners and (2)
water air cleaners.
MASOU
JAR
A- A MANTOM VOW or A Be^NtTT
CAMUtterOX AJR CLSAMBR
Fig. 28a. — Kinds of Air Cleaners
(How the Dry Air Cleaner Is
Made and Works)
The Bennett dry air cleaner, see A and B, Fig. 28,
shows how it is made and the way it works is like this :
The air is drawn by the suction stroke of the motor
through the openings in the sides of the cleaner and
into the spiral tubes. These tubes slant downward
and give the dust laden air a whirling motion so that
the dust is thrown out by centrifugal force when it
68 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
drops down into the Mason jar while the clean air is
drawn up and into the carburetor.
In the zcater air cleaner shown at C the dust laden
air is drawn by the suction stroke of the engine through
the water from the bottom ; the dust is absorbed by the
water while the cleaned air passes on through it into
the carburetor.
rO /NLET MANIFOLD
6 'A 6£A/A/£:rr a/m cleane/^ attach eo
ro r/iS CARaUR£TO/i
Fig. 28b. — Kinds of Air Cleaners
(The Bennett Dry Air Cleaner Complete)
The Electric Ignition System. — There is only one
fundamental scheme used for firing the fuel charges
of a tractor engine and this is by electricity. There
are, however, two kinds of electric apparatus, or igni-
tion systems as they are called, employed and these
are ( i ) the battery system and (2) the magneto system.
What the Battery System Is.— The battery
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 69
system, or battery and circuit breaker system, as it is
technically known, consists of (i) a storage battery,
(2) a switch, (3) a spark coil, or ignition coil, as it is
Fig. 28c.— Kinds of Air Cleaners
(How the Water Air Cleaner Is Made
and Works)
called, (4) a circuit breaker, or interrupt or, (5) a
distributor which is also a timer and (6) a spark plug
for each cylinder to be fired.
70 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
The Storage Battery. — The storage battery, see A,
Fig. 2p, which is used to supply the electric current,
delivers a large constant current until it is exhausted
when it must be recharged by a direct current from
either (a) an electric generator driven by the tractor
CO/^A/ECTORS
'ARS
A 'THE 5TORA G£ aATTERY, SHOW/NQ OA/S
CROUP OF ELEMENTS PARTLy REMOl/ED
Fig. 29A. — The Battery and Circuit Breaker Ignition System
engine, or (&) by a current from a house lighting cir-
cuit. Usually an auxiliary battery of dry cells can
be switched in so that in case the storage battery runs
down you can still operate the ignition system.
The Circuit Breaker and Condenser. — The circuit
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 71
breaker, or interrupter, shown at 5 is a mechanical
device that makes and breaks the battery circuit. It
consists of a cam fixed to a shaft driven by the cam-
8XeAK£X AJtAi^
SPA/MC
STAr/OMAA
COA/TACrPOt,
(a)^^/A/c/pi£ o/' THE aftcwr
(6)rH£ C/RCUir BACAKeti o^
A FOU/fCVUA/OEA eAfG//^£
B -^OlV TH£ CfRCU/r BREAKEA OR INrERRUPTOR /S MADE
AND iVOR/nl MAGNETS
POLE
PIECES
C'THE LOlVTENS/OJ^
MAGNETO
RUSHES
n y^ /^'THE AfiMATUIfS
SLOTTED iRON CORE
aASE
Fig. 33 a, b, c. — Parts of the Low Tension Magneto
brush presses on the ring and takes off the currents
as they are set up in the armature coil which rotates
between the poles of a permanent U-magnet, see B,
as in the case of the inductor magneto. The low ten-
sion armature magneto is shown schematically at C,
and complete at D.
The carbon brush is connected with the primary coil
of an ignition coil and the other end of the ignition
coil is grounded; one end of the secondary or high ten-
82 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
sion coil is grounded and the other end is connected
with the rotating arm of the distributor. The sta-
tionary contact points are connected with the spark-
plugs just as in the battery and circuit breaker system
and in the inductor magneto system.
D -LOIV TENS/ON ARMATURE
MAGNETO
Fig. 33D. — Low Tension Complete Magneto
How the Low Tension Armature Magneto
System Works. — When the armature revolves in the
magnetic field between the poles of the magnet the
wires of the coil cut the magnetic lines of force which
flow from the north pole to the south pole and these
are changed into electric currents. As the wires on
the armature cut the magnetic field twice in every
revolution, alternating currents are set up and these
are taken off of the collector ring by the carbon brush.
The carbon brush is connected to the interruptor
and the latter to one end of the primary coil of the
ignition coil, the other end of which is grounded. The
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 83
interrupter, which is rotated by the armature shaft,
breaks the circuit when the currents generated in the
armature coil reach their greatest intensity and these
set up alternating high tension currents in the second-
ary coil of the ignition coil. One end of the secondary
coil is grounded and the other end leads to the rotating
SPARK PLUC5
Fig. 34. — Wiring Diagram of a Low Tension Magneto
Ignition System
distributor arm, while the stationary contacts of the
distributor are connected with the spark-plugs in the
cylinders. A wiring diagram of the low tension
armature magneto system is shown in Fig, ^4.
The High Tension Magneto. — In the high tension
magneto the primary coil of the ignition coil is
wound on a slotted armature core. One end of it
84 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
is grounded and the other leads to the condenser
and thence to the interruptor both of which are
grounded.
Instead, however, of using a separate coil for the
ignition coil the secondary coil is wound directly on
the primary coil on the armature so that the latter
0\stn^*_^J''''ho\dc'-
con^et.
erminal nut for erounUInf
03^
^iGH rcNSioN MAC Nero ^^T ^
%
Fig. 35A.— The High Tension Magneto System
is really a revolving induction coil. One end of the
secondary coil is grounded to the annature core and
the other end leads to the collector ring.
The carbon brush is connected with the rotating
arm of the distributor, while the four stationary con-
tact points lead to their respective spark-plugs as in
all ignition systems. A cross section view of a high
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 85
tension magneto is shown at A, in Fig. 55^ and the
magneto complete at B.
B - 6OSCM HIGH TENS/ ON MAGNETO
COMPLETa
Fig. 35B. — The High Tension Magneto System
How the High Tension Magneto System Works.
— When the armature is rotated low tension cur-
rents are set up in the turns of wire in the primary
CX>I^CTO^
GROUfs/D
Fig. ^. — Wiring Diagram of a High Tension Magneto
Ignition System
86 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
coil as they cut across the magnetic field. As these
currents reach their maximum intensity the interruptor
breaks the circuit and this sharp break sets up high
tension alternating currents in the secondary coil and
delivers them to the collector ring. Here they are
taken ofif by the brush whence they flow to the dis-
tributor which carries them to the spark plugs. A
wiring diagram of a high tension magneto system is
shown in Fig. j6.
k' CROSS SECTION OF EJSEMASN
/MPULSe STARTER
Fig. 37A. — The Eisemann Impulse Starter
The Use of the Impulse Starter. — Where a bat-
tery and circuit breaker ignition system is used on
a tractor, you have the full current strength to start
with the moment you close the switch, but not so
with the magneto for it will not deliver its full current
sti;ength until it is running at its normal speed. This
makes it hard to crank a magneto equipped tractor by
hand.
To obviate this difficulty an impulse starter is at-
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 87
tached to the magneto, and, as its name implies, it
gives a quick turn to the armature on starting so that
it will develop its full current strength at the right
instant to give each cylinder in turn a hot spark at the
starting speed. An Eisernann impulse starter is shown
at A in Fig. j/, and on an Eisemann magneto at B.
Fig. 37B.— Eisemann Impulse Starter on a Tractor
Engine Magneto
The Use of the Tractor Engine Starter.— Of
over two hundred makes of tractors the engines of all
but twenty are cranked by hand, though most of them
have magnetos which are fitted with impulse starters.
Of the twenty that are fitted with starting devices half
of them are operated by electric current and the rest
by gas and air.
The Electric Starter. — There are a number of rea-
88 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
sons why starters have not found favor thus far with
makers and users of tractors. Chief among these is
that the magneto, which is fitted with an impulse
starter, makes it easy to crank the engine by hand.
The Electric Starter. — The electric starter comprises
four chief parts, i. e., (i) a storage battery, (2) an
electric motor, (3) a mechanical drive and (4) a
switch. The drive is a device that is coupled to the
jioroR
X^STA^r/A^c sw/r^H<
STOIfACE
BArrERY
ARMATUfie
DIAGRAM OF£L£QTRfC STARTER SYSTEM
Fig. 38A.— The Electric Motor Starter System
shaft of the armature of the motor and is connected
with the shaft of the engine when it is being started
and which is disconnected from the engine automa-
tically after the engine is started.
The electric motor, storage battery and switch are
connected in series as shown at A in Fig. ^8. Now
when you want to start the engine you press in on
the starting switch and the current from the battery
runs the motor. This spins the threaded drive shaft,
which is shown in detail at B, and then the weighted
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 89
gear on the screw shaft is screwed into mesh with the
gear cut in the rim of the flywheel of the engine
when it turns the crankshaft over.
When the engine is running at about its normal
DR/V£BOLT .^\i\^if- .fit
HEAD
/STOP
DR/VE
BOLT
\DR/V£:
SPRtNG
AUrOMAT/C
OR /NE/^rtA STOP'
THE 8ENDIX ELECTR/C STARTER DR/YE
Fig. 38B.— The Electric Motor Starter System
SCREW
GEAR
rHE ELECrR/C STARTER COMPLETE
Fig. 38c. — The Electric Motor Starter System
speed it causes the weighted screw gear to turn faster
than the threaded sleeve and this makes it unscrew it-
self out of mesh. The electric starter complete is
shown at C.
90 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
The Gas and Air Starter. — The principle on which
the Christensen gas and air starter works is that of
charging the engine cyHnders with a ready-made fuel
mixture and the explosion of the mixture starts the
engine.
The starter consists of (i) an air compressor, (2)
a compressed air tank, (3) a carburetor, (4) a com-
pressed air gauge, (5) a gas distributor, (6) a clutch
Fig. 39. — The Christensen Gas Starter
for the air compressor, and (7) a check valve for each
engine cylinder.
To start the tractor engine compressed air is re-
leased from the tank and this passes through the start-
ing carburetor, together with some gasoline, which is
independent of the engine carburetor. The starting
carburetor converts the air and gasoline into a highly
explosive fuel charge and this is delivered to each cylin^
der of the engine on its power stroke by the starting
distributor. The spark then fires each cylinder sue-
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 91
cessively until the engine is started and begins to run
on its own fuel mixture. The Christensen starter is
shown in Fig. jp.
The Use of the Governor. — Nearly every tractor
engine is fitted with a governor to control its fuel sup-
ply so that it will run at practically the same speed
from no load to full load and this is very important,
especially where the engine is used for belt work, since
the load is always variable. Now there are three kinds
of governors used on tractor engines and these are
(i) the centrifugal, or iiyhall governor, (2) the
-floating governor, and (3) the electric governor.
The Centrifugal, or Flyhall, Goz'crnor. — The prin-
ciple of this type of governor is the same as that used
on a steam engine, that is, a pair of weights which
tend to fly apart farther the faster they are rotated,
moves a lever that closes the throttle valve accord-
ingly, or as the speed decreases they are forced to-
gether by a compression spring and this opens the
valve.
The centrifugal governor is mounted between the
carburetor and the intake manifold and is connected by
means of a flexible shaft to some rotating part of the
engine. The throttle valve which is normally in a
position so that it does not keep the fuel mixture from
flowing into the cylinders is closed by the centrifugal
action of the governor just as soon as the engine is
running at its normal speed.
The construction of a Pierce governor is shown
in cross section at A in Fig. 40 which will also give
92 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
you a good idea of how it works. The governor may
be driven from any rotating part of the engine such
as the camshaft, magneto shaft or pumpshaft.
The Floating Governor. — The principle of the
floating governor is the same as that involved in a ball
that rides on a jet of water, that is, the control disk
of the governor rides on the column of gas that passes
through the governor. The greater the force of the
--.>
>\ -HOM^ THB CtNTMntCAL OH ^UY BALL COySHMOH /$ A4AP€ AMO WOMS
Fig. 40A. — Kinds of Engine Governors
jet of water the higher the ball will ride and, likewise,
the stronger the pressure of the column of gas the
higher the governor disk will ride.
This disk which is balanced against the force of a
spring opens and closes the butterfly throttling valve
between the carburetor and the intake manifold of the
engine. A cross section of the Monarch floating gov-
ernor is shown at B in Fig. 40.
The Electric Governor. — The electric governor of
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 93
the Remy Company consists of two pieces of apparatus
built into one unit. Named, these pieces of apparatus
are, (i) the electric generator, and (2) the governor
lever.
The generator is a simple direct current dynamo and
this develops current for starting, lighting and ignition.
The generator is mounted so that it will turn through
an arc of 30 degrees. The current that flows through
9. -CROSS -SECT/ON OF THE MO/^ARCH
FLOAT/^G GOVERNOR
Fig. 40B. — Kinds of Engine Governors
the field coils of the generator causes the iron cores of
the field magnets to become strong electro-magnets
and, in virtue of their magnetic attraction for the
armature a magnetic drag is set up in the latter; this
being the case the armature in rotating in this mag-
netic field tends to turn the field magnets in the direc-
tion that the armature is rotating.
The governor-lever is operated by the turning of the
field magnets of the generator and this opens and
94 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
closes the carburetor throttle instantly when the tractor
load is increased or decreased, thus providing an auto-
matic electric governor that accurately controls the
speed of the engine. The generator and governor are
enclosed in an iron case that is both dust and water-
proof. It is shown at C in Fig. 40.
,<^'
CO/L
CO/iMUTATOH.
MMATURE
!2^
F/aDfflAM£
gUSf/£S
Sfitt/MC
p
%
~-'
^
I 1
7^
^_
\
pisroM.
XOMMUTATOfi £f^O OF /i£Mr EUCrHIC
CO¥tRNOft £A/0 OfKEMY
ELecmiC COi^£fiNO/t
Fig. 40c. — Kinds of Governors
The Power Take Off. — All tractors with one or
two exceptions are provided with a poivcr take off, that
is, the engine can be disconnected from the tractor and
its power used for driving stationary machinery.
The pulley which is attached to the engine of the
tractor sets on either {A) the right-hand side of the
tractor or else {B) on the front end of it. The pulley
is driven by the engine through either (i) a direct
drive, w^hich means that it is coupled direct to the
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 95
engine shaft, (2) by gears, or (3) by a friction drive.
In most of the makes of tractors the pulley is fitted
with a pulley clutch so that the machine which is being
used can be stopped without stopping the engine as
well as starting it easier. Likewise some tractors are
fitted with a pulley brake so that the belt power can be
A' THE POWER TAKE 'OFF
Fig. 41. — The Power Take-Off
brought to a stop very quickly after the engine is
stopped or the pulley clutch is released.
The widths and diameters of pulleys vary on differ-
ent sizes and makes of tractors but the tractor belt
speed that will meet the widest range of conditions is
2600 feet per minute, according to the rating of the
Society of Automotive Engineers. The pulley of a
power take off with its clutch is shown in Fig. 41.
96 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
The Tractor Engine Complete. — Finally, when
all of the above parts and devices are assembled into
a single unit you have the tractor engine, complete as
shown in Fig. 42.
Fig. 42. — Inclosed Four-Cylinder Valve-in-the-Head 40-
HoRSE Power Stearns Engine
Finally About Tractor Lighting. — There are two
schemes for providing lights on a tractor so that it is
available for night work and these are (i) by using
gas, and (2) by using electricity.
Acetylene Gas Lighting. — In this lighting scheme
acetylene gas is made in an apparatus called a generator
which causes water to drop on calcium carbide. It is
easy to handle and gives a very strong, bright light.
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 97
Electric Lighting. — There are three ways by which
tractors can use electricity for Hghting and these are
(i) by a storage battery alone; (2) by an electric gen-
erator alone, and (3) by a combination of the storage
battery and a generator.
Where a storage battery alone is used it must be
charged from a lighting circuit and this means more
than less bother. An electric generator driven by the
tractor engine will give you light and plenty of it
but only when the engine is running. Hence the only
satisfactory way to light a tractor by electricity is
to equip it with a storage battery and a generator just
as motor cars are.
When the engine is running the generator delivers
a current and this charges the storage battery, and
when the engine is stopped the storage battery sup-
plies current to light the lamps.
CHAPTER III
(Continued)
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR
Part II •
HOW THE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM IS MADE
AND WORKS
The transmission system comprises a number of
elements and chief among these are (i) the trans-
mission clutch, (2) the transmission gears, or trans-
mission as it is called for short, (3) the differential
£N Gll^e
0000
Fig. 43. — Diagram of the Transmission System
gears, or just differential, and (4) the final drive.
The transmission clutch, so-called to differentiate it
from the pulley clutch, connects the crankshaft of the
engine with the transmission gears; the latter are all
connected with the differential, where one is used,
98
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 99
and, lastly, this connects with the final drive as shown
diagrammatically in Fig. //j.
What the Transmission Clutch is For. — Since
an internal combustion engine develops power only
when it is running at its normal speed the engine must
be disconnected from the tractor, or other load for
that matter, when you start it up. As it gathers
momentum and attains its normal speed the tractor
can then, and only then, be gently and gradually con-
nected with the crankshaft of the engine, and to do
this a transmission clutch is needed.
Now the clutch of a tractor is a most peculiar and
particular piece of mechanism and, as it has to cushion
the power when it picks up the load, it is likewise
very important for on its action largely depends the
life of the transmission devices back of it as well as
that of the engine in front of it. Hence, if it is to
■give you first class service it must not slip, drag, grab
or stutter.
Various Kinds of Clutches. — All clutches used in
tractor transmission systems are based on the prin-
ciple of friction, that is, two surfaces, one of which
is fixed on the end of the crankshaft and the other on
the end of the clutchshaft, are so arranged that they
can be brought into contact gradually by the tractioneer
and by the friction so produced they will soon rotate
together as though they were a single unit.
There are no less than seven different kinds of
clutches used on tractors at the present time and these
are (i) the single disk clutch, (2) the multiple disk
loo FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
clutch, (3) the cone clutch, (4) the expanding band
clutch, (5) the expanding shoe clutch, (6) the con-
tracting band clutch, and (7) the friction wheel clutch,
though the latter device is not in the strict sense a
clutch at all though in a few tractors it is used as such.
How Clutches are Made and Work. — In all
clutches except the so-called friction wheel clutch, the
surfaces are held in contact with each other either by a
A • A SIMPLE ots/c CLore//
Fig. 44A.— How a Single Disk Clutch Is Made and Works
powerful spring or else by a clutch lever and they are
only disconnected by either pressing in on a clutch foot
pedal or by reversing the clutch bar.
The Single Disk Clutch. — This clutch is also known
as a dry-plate clutch because formerly the disks, or
plates, as the metal surfaces which make contact with
each other are called, were immersed in oil. In this
clutch a single disk, or plate, is rigidly mounted on
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR .10 ly
the end of the clutchshaft between two asbestos rings
which are supported by the flywheel on the crank-
shaft of the engine.
When there is no pressure exerted by the tractioneer
on the clutch pedal, or clutch lever, two or more pivoted
1 #^ // /
BMAKefACe
SAIC iEAKlHi^
^-%A BOfiC AW BECK SINGLE DISK
3 CLUTCH 5HOWN IN PART CROSS
^^ SECTION
Fig. 44B. — How a Single Disk Clutch Is Made and Works
arms or bell-cranks act by means of a powerful spiral
spring like so many wedges and this forces the disk
or plate into contact with the asbestos rings. When
you press in on the clutch pedal, or lever, the disk and
the rings are pushed apart and this disconnects the
joi fAW AND GARDEN TRACTORS
engine from the transmission. This clutch is shown
in the diagram at A in Fig. 44 and a Borg and Beck
single-plate, dry-disk clutch is shown in partial cross
section at B.
The Multiple Disk Clutch. — This clutch consists of
a number of disks, or plates, fixed to the clutchshaft
and an equal number of rings secured to the inside
of the rim of the flywheel. These disks and rings
.<.'*"^
cd
M'-^
CLurcH
A'OIACXAM or A MULTIPLE OlStC CLUTCH
Fig. 45.— How a Multiple Disk Clutch Is Made and Works
alternate and interleave as shown at A in Fig. 45. It
works on the same principle as the single disk clutch.
A spiral spring keeps the disks on the clutch shaft in
firm contact with the rings that are keyed to the fly-
wheel rim, though they can be forced apart by either
pressing down on the clutch pedal or throwing the
clutch lever. The Cotta multiple disk clutch is shown
at B.
The Cone Clutch. In this type of clutch the fly-
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 103
wheel is recessed, that is, hollowed out so that a conical
member will fit into it. This member, which is usually
of pressed steel and covered with leather, is keyed to
the end of the clutchshaft, as shown in the diagram
at A in Fig. 46. Now when the clutch lever is re-
leased the spiral spring forces the cone into the fly-
wheel of the engine when, of course, the friction be-
A
Fig. 46.
How THE Cone Clutch Is Made and Works
tween them will make them revolve together as though
they were a single piece. B shows how the cone clutch
is worked by the clutch pedal.
The Expanding Band Clutch. — In this clutch a
flexible steel band, whose outside surface is covered
with asbestos, is secured to the clutchshaft and sets in-
side of the recessed flywheel of the engine. The ends
of the band are pivoted to the arms of the toggle
joint and this in turn is connected by a rod to a clutch
104 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
lever all of which is shown diagrammatically at A in
Fig. 47, and complete at B. This band is kept ex-
panded by a spring when they grip the rim of the fly-
wheel. To disconnect the clutchshaft from the en-
gine you pull a lever and this makes the band con-
tract a little and so relieves the pressure.
A-^fAG/fAM or AM £XPANDIf/G BAND
CLUrCH
^-LXPAND/NC BAND CLUTCH
ON A TftACTOJf
Fig, 47. — How the Expanding Band Clutch Is Made and
Works
The Expanding Shoe Clutch. — This clutch works
in about the same way as the expanding band clutch,
except that a number of wooden blocks, called shoes,
are secured to the clutchshaft by a toggle-joint or bell-
cranks as shown at A in Fig. 48. These shoes set in-
side the flywheel of the engine and are made to press
out and against the rim by means of a spring. To dis-
connect the clutch you pull the clutch lever when they
move toward the center which reduces the friction and
the clutch elements can then rotate separately.
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 105
The Contracting Band Clutch. — With a clutch of
this type a steel band lined with asbestos is used that
is very like the expanding band type described above
SHOE CLUrCH
^•O/ACRAM or AN EXPAND/NG
5H0£ CLUTCH
Fig. 48. — How the Expanding Shoe Clutch Is Made and
Works
^-D/Ac^AM or A coAfr/tAcrwc
OAND CLUrCH
%rH£ TWIN cirrcoffT/iAa/NO
BAND CLUTCH
Fig. 49. — How a Contracting Band Clutch Is Made and
Works
but in this case the band fits around the rim of a wheel
that is fixed to the flywheel of the engine. The ends
of the band are connected with a toggle-joint and
io6 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
when this is pressed in by a spring it draws the band
tight on the wheel when the clutchshaft will rotate
'^^
A 'THE FRtCTfON DfilVE CLUTCH
B -the: ANDREWS FRfCTlON ORIVE CLUTCH
Fig. 50. — How the Friction Drive Clutch Is Made and
Works
with the crankshaft. It is shown schematically at A
in Fig. 4p and the actual clutch on a Twin City tractor
is shown at B,
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 107
The Friction Drive Clutch. — This clutch consists
of a wheel keyed to the clutchshaft and whose rim is
covered with leather. This wheel presses on the
smooth flat surface of the flywheel of the engine and
at right angles to it when the clutchshaft is made to
revolve by the rolling frictional contact between them.
Hence it is a friction drive rather than a friction clutch.
It is shown in principle at A in Fig. ^o, and as used
on the Andrews tractor at B.
The Transmission. — Since the engine must run at
a practically constant speed and the tractor must travel
at different speeds there must be some connecting
mechanism between them to increase and reduce the
speed of the tractor without affecting the speed of the
engine and this is done by means of a transmis-
sion, gearset, or change-gears as this part is variously
called.
There are two kinds of transmissions used for chang-
ing the speed of tractors and these are (i) the fric-
tion transmission, and (2) the change-gear transmis-
sion. About I per cent, of 1920 tractors are fitted
with the first kind and the remaining are equipped with
the latter kind.
The Friction Wheel Transmission. — This transmis-
sion is constructed exactly like the friction clutch
described under the foregoing heading. In fact a fric-
tion drive clutch also serves as a transmission since
when the clutch, or driven wheel, that makes contact
with the driving wheel, which is keyed to the crankshaft
of the engine, is moved from the center of the latter
io8 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
over to its circumference the former will revolve at
varying speeds.
Further, if the driven w^heel is moved from one
side of the driving wheel to the other side it will have
its direction of rotation reversed. A reference to A
in Fig. §o will show how these actions take place.
The Gearset Transmission. — There are two kinds
of change-gear transmissions used in tractor trans-
mission systems and these are (i) the sliding gear
transmission and (2) the planetary gear transmission.
Gear transmissions have from i to 4 speeds forward
and from i to 4 speeds reverse, but nearly all tractors
are provided with transmissions that give 2 speeds
forward and i reverse.
The Sliding Gear Transmission. — In this transmis-
sion there are three shafts used and these are (a)
the countershaft for the forward speed gears, (b) the
second countershaft, sometimes called the secondary
shaft, for the reverse gears and (3) the drive shaft.
On the countershaft there is rigidly fixed to, or
keyed, three gears as shown at A in Fig. 5/. On the
drive shaft are two movable gears that can slide along
it as it is splined, that is grooved lengthwise, and, hence,
while the gears can slide they must turn with it just
as though they were keyed to it. In the diagram A
these gears are numbered, /, 2, 5, 4, and 5, 6, respec-
tively.
The gear / on the countershaft meshes with, and is
driven, by the ge^r 2 on the clutchshaft which is con-
^nected to the engine through the clutch. The gear j
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR
109
on the countershaft is driven by the gear 4 when the
latter is shifted into mesh with it by the gear-shift yoke
which is fixed to and thrown by the gear-shift lever at
the will of the tractioneer. The gear 5 on the counter-
shaft meshes in the same way with the gear 6 on the
splined shaft when the gear-shaft lever is thrown but
when the gear 4 is moved over by the yoke the gear
6 moves also so that only one of these gears can mesh
with its complementary gear at a time.
oc
Oc
DtACRAM OF A SLrV/AfC GEAR
rRANS/^ISS/ON(F0/iWA/iD)
i
^l
'4
lC3f
^ 0/AC/iAMOFASLf£i/MCG£AR
TKANSMISS/ON (fiSVEJfSe)
Fig. sia, b. — How the Sliding Gear Transmission Is Made
AND Works
Since the gears j and 4 and 5 and 6 are of dif-
ferent sizes it must be clear that the drive shaft which
propels the tractor will revolve at two different speeds
depending on which set of gears are in mesh, and,
consequently, by shifting the gear-shift lever you can
get either speed you want. If a third speed is wanted
still another pair of gears must be put on the counter
and drive shafts.
To reverse the tractor, that is, to back it up, a second
no FARiM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
countershaft must be used and this is geared to the
clutchshaft and driveshaft as shown at B. Because
of this second countershaft when the gears on it are
shifted to mesh with the clutchshaft it makes the drive-
shaft rotate in the opposite direction.
Some gear transmissions use only spur gears as in
the Avery tractor, and this is possible where the crank-
shaft of the engine sets parallel with the axles of the
C- r//£ SLfOMG C£AR T/IAA/SM/SS/O/^
ON A rtv/A/ c/7-y r/^ACTo/i
Fig. 51C.— The Sliding Gear Transmission
tractor, but beveled gears must be used to change the
direction of the power where the engine crankshaft sets
at right angles to the axles as in the Wallis tractor.
The bevel gear is, however, just as efficient in trans-
mitting power as the spur gear. The sliding gear
transmission and gear-shift lever of a Twin City trac-
tor is shown at C.
The Planetary Gear Transmission. — The outstand-
ing feature that differentiates this transmission from
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 1 1 1
the sliding gear transmission is that all of the gears
are always in mesh. By looking at the drawing A in
Pig- 5^> you will see that the clutchshaft carries the
driving gear and that there are three small gears, or
planet gears, as they are called, because they revolve
around the driving gear like the planets around the
'^f^
A'OIACRAM or rH£ PLANETA^y C£AR
TRANSMISSfON
Fig. 52A. — How the Planetary Gear Transmission Is Made
AND Works
sun, that mesh with the latter and also with a large
internal, or ring gear.
The planet gears rotate on pins that are fixed to
the ring plate and around this and the large ring gear
is a contracting brake hand of the kind described in
connection with the contracting band clutch. These
bands are tightened and loosened by means of toggles,
L
112 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
operated by a lever in the hands of the tractioneer in
the same way as the sliding gear transmission.
Now the way the planetary gear transmission works
is this: When both brake bands are loose all the
gears will turn with the driving gear and this gives
the highest speed forward. When, however, the brake
band is tightened around the ring plate the drive gears
carry the planetary gears around it; consequently,
B 'PLANErAHY G£A/i TfiAA/SMfSS/Of^ ON
UrrtE B£AR TRACTOR
Fig. 52B.-
How THE Planetary Gear Transmission
Is Made and Works
since they are in mesh with the ring gear, it revolves
and this gives the second speed' forward.
But when the ring plate brake band is tightened
around the ring gear it stops and the planetary gears,
which rotate in the opposite direction to the ring gear,
make the ring plate also move in the opposite direc-
tion and this gives the reverse speed. • It is shown at
j9 in a Little Bear tractor.
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 113
The Counter and Intermediate Shafts. — Very often
in reading about various tractors you will come upon
the terms countershaft and intermediate shaft. These
are the shafts that carry the transmission gears and,
hence, they are located between the clutchshaft and
the final driveshaft.
What the Differential is For. — As long as a
tractor moves in a straight line both drive wheels, of
course, revolve at the same speed. But when a tractor
makes a turn the drive wheel on the outside has to
cover more ground than the one on the inside. Now
if both drive wheels are rigidly fixed to the same axle,
or shaft, it is clear that the outside wheel will have
to slip to keep up with the inside wheel when making
a turn.
To keep the outside drive wheel from slipping and
to give it the same traction resistance that the inside
wheel exerts when the tractor is making a turn a
mechanical movement called a differential is inter-
posed between the two drive wheels. This scheme not
only eases off the strain on the tractor but it permits
it to make shorter turns. Where only one drive wheel,
or drive drum, is used there is no need for a differ-
ential and this is the reason that tractors of this type
are built, but a differential is an absolute necessity
on a tractor that has two drive wheels.
Kinds of Differentials. — All differentials work on
the same principle so that when you know how one
of them works you will understand them all. The dif-
ference in differentials, then, is not one of principle,
114 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
for all of them are compensating gears which permit
the power to turn both drive wheels equally when the
tractor is moving in a straight line, or to turn inde-
pendently of one another when one wheel has to cover
more ground than the other. The specific difference
in differentials lies in (i) the kind of gears used, and
(2) whether they can or cannot be locked.
ro £AfC/Af£
^ .//OH' r//£- p/FF£/i£Nr/AL C£AR$ WORff
Fig. S3A. — How the Differential Gears Work
How the Differential is Made and Works. — You can
easily understand how the differential is made and
works if you will look at the diagram of the gears
shown at A in Fig. 55 and the actual differential on the
E-B tractor as shown at B.
You will see from the diagram that a drive gear is
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 115
secured to one end of the drive shaft and this meshes
with and drives a ring-gear. To the ring-gear is fixed
a gear frame and, hence, these revolve together.
There are usually tw^o differential gears used in tractor
transmissions, and one of these is secured to one of
the axle shafts and the other to the other axle shaft.
R - r//£ D/FFERENT/AL GEAR OAf AA/ £S
TRACTOR
Fig. 53B.— How the Differential Is Made and Works
These shafts abut and are in alignment v^ith each other
as shown in the diagram.
The differential pinions, or small gears, of which
there are usually three or four, are pivoted to the gear
case and these mesh with the large gears that are
keyed to the axle shafts.
It is easy now to understand how the differential
ii6 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
works: when the axle shaft is driven by the large
spur-gear, the beveled pinions, of course, turn round
with it. If, now, the tractor is moving straight ahead,
the distance of travel of both drive wheels will be
the same and, hence, the power delivered to the spur-
gear on the axle shaft will make all of the gears re-
volve together as though the drive shaft was a single
Fig. 54. — A Locking Differential
piece and when this is the case both drive wheels will
revolve at the same speed.
But when the tractor makes a turn the beveled gear
nearest the inside drive wheel will rotate more slowly
than the one nearest the outside drive wheel; this
is in virtue of the fact that the power driving the
spur-gear makes the beveled pinions turn on their
pins, yet at the same time it delivers power to both
drive wheels. In the real differential shown at B
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 117
three or more beveled pinions are fitted in a frame
called a spider and this is fixed inside the spur-gear.
What a Locking Differential Is. — Since tractors
usually travel comparatively long distances before they
have to make a turn in plowing, etc., it is good engi-
A THE CHAIN DRIVE
OXIV£ SPROCKET
B - TH£ CHAIN DRIVE OAI THE ELCIAI TRACTOR
Fig. 55. — How the Chain Drive Works
neering practice to lock the opposite differential gears
which operate the drive wheels and this is done by one
or more dog-clutches.
These clutches can be thrown in and out of mesh as
desired. When they are in mesh both drive wheels
rotate as though they were fixed to a single axle.
ii8 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
When rounding a corner the clutches can be thrown
out of mesh and the differential is then free to let them
revolve as distinct members. Fig. 5^ shows a locking
differential.
What the Final Drive Is. — There are very few
tractors whose drive wheels are keyed directly to the
V\/H££L
As.'rH££XT£Rf^ALBULL C£AR DP/V£
Fig. 56A. — How the External Bull Gear Drive
Is Made and Works
drive shafts that are connected with the differential
but instead the rear end weight of the tractor is usually
carried by an axle and the drive wheels are driven from
the drive shafts by some kind of a power transmitting
scheme and this is called the final drive.
Kinds of Final Drives. — There are four kinds of
final drives used on tractors and these are (i) the
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 119
chain drive; (2) the external bull gear drive; (3) the
internal bull gear drive, and (4) the worm drive.
Further, these drives may be either (A) open, or (B)
enclosed.
How Final Drives are Made and Work. — The
Chain Drive. — The chain drive consists of a small
sprocket wheel on each end of the countershaft that
^Qthe external bull cear drive ov
a u 10 rumely tractor
Fig. 56B. — How the External Bull Gear Drive Is Made
AND Works
carries the differential gear. Another and larger
sprocket is fixed to each drive wheel and the sprockets
are then connected by means of a drive chain as shown
at A in Fig. §^. The chain drive on the Elgin tractor
is shown at B.
The External Bull-Gear Drive. — In this drive a
large gear with teeth cut on its outside circumference,
120 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
which is called a bull-gear, is bolted to the center of
the drive wheels. The small drive gear, or bull-pinion
as it is called, is keyed to the shafts that carry the dif-
ferential and meshes with the bull-gear. This type of
drive is shown at A and B in Fig. 56.
The Internal Bull-Gear Drive. — In this drive the
rt'-j^"
A^^£ /A/r^RNAl BULL
o/i/v£(eNCLOsa> type)
Fig. 57A. — How the Internal Bull Gear Drive Is
Made and Works
bull-gear is an internal one, that is, it is a ring-gear
with teeth cut on its inner circumference as shown
at A in Fig. 57. The small drive gear, or bull pinion^
is coupled to the differential shaft as in the case of the
external bull-gear drive, but, of course, it meshes with
the bull-gear on the inside.
The Worm Drive. — A worm-gear is a screw whose
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 121
threads mesh with the threads of a spiral gear as shown
in Fig. 58. When the worm-gear is used for the final
B-r/y£ INTERNAL BULL GEAR DRf^E ON A
WATERLOO BOy MODEL A/ 12 '2S
Fig. 57B. — How the Internal Bull Gear Is Made and Works
Fig. 58. — How the Worm Drive Is Made and Works
drive the large spiral gear is made in the form of a
ring-gear and the differential spider sets in and is fixed
to it.
CHAPTER III
(Continued)
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR
PART III
HOW THE STEERING GEAR AND BRAKES
ARE MADE AND WORK
The steering gear and brakes make up the two last
mechanical devices that are used on tractors and both
of these are quite simple in construction and, hence,
easy to understand. As they are entirely different
parts of the tractor mechanism I will describe them
under separate headings.
ABOUT THE STEERING GEAR
Tractors that are fitted with wheels are steered by
turning the front members to one side or the other
like any other wheeled vehicle, but tractors of the
crawler type are steered in a fashion all their own
and this will be described presently.
How Wheeled Tractors are Steered. — There are
three ways by which the front wheels of a tractor
can be turned and these are ( i ) by handles when it
turned by manual effort, like a push-cart; (2) by a
steering wheel gear when it operated like a motor car
or a motor truck, and (3) by lines when it is driven
122
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 123
like a team of horses. Finally, the tractor can be
automatically steered straight ahead when it is used
for plowing by (4) a guide rod, or wheel, that sets
into and follows the furrow.
Kinds of Front Axle Assemblies. — By assembly
is meant the way in which the front wheel is, or wheels
are, mounted on the axle or other supporting member
so that it, or they, can be turned. There are three
=C:
A3SCM0LY
B • SWIVeUED AXLC ASSEMBLY C -KNUCKLE AND AXIS
ASSEMSir
Fig. 59. — Kinds of Front Wheel Assemblies
kinds of assemblies employed in tractor construction
that have front wheels for the steering members and
these are (i) the pivoted fork assembly, (2) the
pivoted axle assembly and (3) the knuckle and axle
assembly.
The Pivoted Fork Assembly. — Where a single wheel
is used for the steering member it sets in a fork and
this turns on a vertical pivot like the front wheel of
a bicycle as A in Fig. 59 shows.
The Swivelled Axle Assembly. — Two wheels are
124 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
used in this assembly and these are mounted on the ends
of an axle which is pivoted to the front end of the
tractor frame as shown at B. It is like the front axle
assembly of a wagon, in that the axle and. hence
the wheels, swings from side to side around the
pivot.
The Knuckle and Axle Assembly. — In this assembly
the rigid front axle always remains in the same posi-
tion, that is, parallel to the rear axle. Each end of
the axle carries a knuckle which is fixed to a stub axle
and on this the wheel turns. The knuckles form
hinged supports which permit the wheels to turn from
side to side. Each knuckle is fitted with a knuckle
arm and these are connected together by means of a
tie-rod. A steering arm is fixed to one of the knuckles
and this connects with a drag link all of which is shown
at C. This is the standard assembly axle that is used
in all motor cars and motor trucks and is also used
on nearly all of the best tractors.
What the Steering Gear Consists Of. — The steer-
ing gear control is made up of ( i ) the steering wheel,
(2) the steering wheel shaft, (3) the steering gear
proper and (4) the front axle assembly described
above, while (5) there is often one or more universal
joints used in the steering wheel shaft.
The steering wheel is simply a large spoked wheel
which the tractioneer turns one way or the other when
he wants to steer his tractor to the right or left. To
this wheel is fixed the steering shaft and this has a
worm gear, or a bevel pinion, on its other end.
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 125
Whichever gear is used it meshes with either (i) a
spiral gear, (2) a nut, or (3) a sector.
The Universal Joint. — This is a mechanical move-
ment that is used to couple the steering shaft together
where it is necessary to make a bend in the latter and
yet allow it to revolve. A universal joint consists of
two U-shaped yokes each of which are connected to
the ends of the shaft where it is cut to form an angle,
and the ends of the yokes are then pivoted together.
Such a coupling allows both shafts to turn freely and
together regardless of the angle they set at, nearly.
How the Steering Gear Control Works. — The
Single Wheel, Pivoted Fork Control. — Where a single
front wheel is used in a pivoted fork for steering the
tractor, the upper end of the pivot is keyed to either
( I ) a spiral gear or a bevel gear, depending on
whether a H'orm gear or a beveled pinion is fixed on
the steering shaft, or (2) to a grooved wheel.
Where a spiral gear is used the end of the steer-
ing shaft is fitted with a small worm gear that meshes
with it as shown in Fig. 60. But where a bevel gear
is keyed to the end of the pivot the end of the steer-
ing shaft must be provided with a bevel pinion that
meshes with the bevel gear on the pivot of the fork.
Where a grooved wheel is keyed to the pivot of the
fork the bevel gear is mounted on an arm that is fixed
to and projects from the bearing of the fork. This
gear also has a groove cut in its periphery, or rim,
and a chain, or cable, is looped around it and the
grooved wheel, and then drawn up tight. In this case
126 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
also the steering shaft has a beveled pinion that meshes
with the bevel gear which carries the chain or cable.
It is obvious, now, that when the tractioneer turns
the steering wheel the motion is transmitted by the
shaft to the bevel pinion or worm and by the latter
to the bevel gear or spiral gear on the pivoted fork
Fig. 6o. — The Steering Gear Mechanism for a Single
Front Wheel
assembly. Where the grooved wheel is used it Is,
of course, rotated by the bevel gear through the chain
or cable.
The Double Wheel, Szmvelled Axle Control. —
Where the front end of the tractor frame is pivoted to
the middle of the axle, the latter and, hence the wheels,
are turned to the right or left by chains which wind
on a dnim in opposite directions. The drum is rotated
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 127
by a worm on the steering shaft that meshes with a
spiral gear on the former. When the steering wheel
is turned one way or the other the worm gear rotates
the drum accordingly and the chain on one side winds
up while the one on the other side unwinds, thus turn-
ing the axle and the wheels either way as desired.
It is shown in Fig. 61.
The Double Wheel, Knuckle Control. — In this steer-
ing arrangement the steering wheel works either a
Fig. 61. — Double Wheel Swivelled Axle Control
worm and nut gear as shown at A in Fig. 62, or a
worm and sector gear, as shown at B, at the end of
the steering shaft. Where a worm and nut gear is
used the nut is moved up and down as the steering
shaft is turned by the steering wheel.
Where a worm and nut gear is used one end of an
arm is fixed to the nut, see A, and the other end of
the arm is pivoted to the drag-link, which, as described
under the heading of The Knuckle and Axle Assembly,
and shown at C in Fig. 59^ is connected with the steer-
128 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
ing arm of the knuckle. Now when the steering wheel
is turned the worm on the end of the steering shaft
screws the nut on it up or down ; this raises or lowers
the nut which pulls up or presses down the arm that is
connected with the drag link and this turns the steering
knuckles too and fro.
But where the worm and sector gear is used the
A 'WORM AND NUT GEAR
Fig. 62A. — Kinds of Steering Gears
worm on the end of the- steering shaft turns the
toothed sector which is a section, or arc, of a spur-
gear; as this carries an arm that is connected with
the drag link, when the steering shaft is turned the
worm screws the toothed sector around and this forces
the drag link forth and back which turns the steer-
ing knuckles, and, consequently, the wheels, as I have
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 129
B - WORM AND SaCTOR. GEAR
Fig. 62B. — Kinds of Steering Gears
described above. The arrangement is shown in
Fig. 63. — The Worm Steering Gear Coupled to the Knuckle
Assembly
Line Steering Gear Control. — How It Is Made. —
In the Hne controlled Automotive tractor the power
to steer it, that is, to swing the front wheels around,
130 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
is taken from the camshaft of the engine. From the
camshaft the power is deHvered by means of a pair of
bevel gears to a splined shaft and on this are two cone
clutches with a collar between them.
A shifting fork, which is held in place by a groove
in the collar, keeps the clutches in a fixed position
through a pair of springs. The shifting fork has a
lever fastened to one end of it and which works at
right angles to it; this shifting lever is connected with
the clutch operating lever which ends in a T shaped
head and the driving lines are fastened to the extreme
ends of the T cross-head thus making it possible to
steer the tractor no matter what position the clutch
operating lever may be in.
At the end of the T shaped clutch operating lever
is fixed an 8-tooth ratchet and on the other end of
the shaft which carries it is keyed a cam having four
points, thus giving eight positions, one for each tooth
in the rachet and one for each space between the teeth.
The clutch lever that operates on this cam, is con-
nected with a dash-pot ^ and this allows the clutch to
be operated at a speed of three seconds every other
time the lines are pulled back.
How the Line Control Works. — The first four
inches of pull on the lines retards the engine speed
while the rest of the pull operates the clutch, and every
pull alternately throws the clutch in and out — in when
1 A dash-pot is a device to prevent the too sudden motion of the
clutch lever. It is usually a piston working in a cylinder filled
with glycerine
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 131
it is between the points of the cam and out when it is
on the points.
The transmission gears are shifted by the use of
two cams in the same way that the clutch is worked
and while a third line is recommended by the makers
for shifting the gears it can, however, be connected
Fig. 64.— The Automotive Line Steering Control
to the steering lines but in this case more care must
be taken to manipulate them.
The cams on the gear-shifting device work together
at all times so that when one lever is being operated
the other is held in place and the arrangement is such
132 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
that one lever cannot be engaged until the other is
in a neutral position. The Automotive line controlled
steering gear is pictured in Fig. 64.
The Automatic Guide Wheel Steering Control.
— In order to relieve the tractioneer from the strain
A • THE FARMERS S£Lf'CU/0£
Fig. 65A. — Kinds of Self-Guides
of having to constantly steer the tractor in a straight
line when plowing an automatic guide, or self-guide,
as it is sometimes called, which can be attached to any
tractor, is often used. The farmer's guide is simply a
piece of bent pipe as shown at A in Fig. 65.
The guide, which is shown at B, where one wheel
THE xMECHANISiM OF A TRACTOR 133
is used, and at C where two wheels are used, is formed
of a frame whose rear end is connected with the front
axle and a disk furrow wheel attached to the front
end of the frame. The disk wheel drops into and
follows the furrow and so keeps the tractor straight.
-r//£^ SeCf^'GUfDE ATTACHMENr FOR
A 5/NGLE FRONT WHEEL TRACTOR .
Fig. 65B. — Kinds of Self-Guides
but when you come to the end and want to turn
round or to move from one place to another, pull
upon the rope and this lifts the disk from the ground.
How Crawler Tractors are Steered. — There are
two schemes used for steering crawler tractors,
namely, those that are ( i ) steered by one or two front
wheels and those that are (2) steered by the crawlers
134 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
themselves. Tractors having wheels and crawlers
are steered by the same kind of a steering gear as
the four wheel tractors, but with tractors having
crawlers only the method of steering is quite different.
In a tractor where crawlers are the only traction
members used they are operated independently of each
C -THE SELF'GU/D€ 'ATTACHM£NT
FOR A DOUBLE F/^QA/T h/HEEL FRACrO^
Fig. 65c. — Kinds of Self-Guides
other and, hence, to turn the tractor one crawler is
disconnected from the driving gear and the power is
applied only to the other one. When this action takes
place the shaft that drives the crawler runs twice as
fast as when both crawlers are working together.
In some tractors one crawler can be reversed while
the other is running ahead and in this way the tractor
can be turned almost in its own length. The diagram
at A in Fig. 66 will give you an idea of how the crawl-
THE MECHANISM OF A TRACTOR 135
1^
7,1"
3
'•^i —
D/ACAAM e/vciive
Fig. 68a. — The Merry Garden Tractor Dissected
are only two wheels 100 per cent, of the weight of
the tractor rests on them and as it weighs 250 pounds
this gives it a fair traction resistance. The clearance
is 9 inches to the axle and it straddles a row that is
12 inches wide.
The engine is of the vertical type, has one cylinder
and when running at its normal speed, which is 900
revolutions per minute, it develops about i draw-bar
and 2 belt horse power. It has the splash system of
lubrication and is water cooled by the thermo-siphon
142 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
system; a 5 quart cylindrical water tank is mounted
above the wheels and is connected to the jacket of the
engine cylinder by a couple of short lengths of pipe,
but the action is exactly like that of a hopper water
cooled engine.
The fuel used is gasoline and the tank, which also
rf^
^^i
Fig. 68b. — Cultivating Beets with the Merry Garden
Tractor
holds 5 quarts, is, likewise, mounted on top of the
tractor and parallel with the water tank. The tractor
will run from 4 to 8 hours on a gallon of gasoline
depending on the work it is doing. A magneto system
of ignition is used to fire the fuel charge in the cylin-
ders.
GARDEN TRACTORS 143
The handles are adjustable so that they can be held
by a boy or a man. On the right handle there is a
control lever which gives a change of speed, and on
the left there is a clutch control lever so that the drive
wheels can be thrown into or out of gear with the
engine.
The Draw-bar Pull. — The tools that can be used
with this little tractor are (i) sl 4-inch plow, (2) a 4-
inch double moldboard plow, (3) a covering plow,
(4) a pair of hoes, (5) a rake, (6) narrow or wide
cultivator teeth, (7) a three prong cultivator, (8) disk
hoes, (9) an onion digger, and (10) a lawn mower
with 30-inch knives can also be fitted to it.
The speed of the tractor when used as a cultivator
is about 120 feet per minute and this is just about
equal to the work that four men can do with hand
cultivators.
The Power Take Off. — The engine has a power
take off and where it is wanted a pulley is furnished
by the company at a small extra cost. The engine
can then be used to operate a churn, separator, saw
and other small contrivances.
The Beeman Garden Tractor. — This tractor is
made to do the work in a truck garden that is usually
done with a horse. It is built by the Beeman Garden
Tractor Co., Minneapolis, Minn., and it is sold for
$285.
How it is Made. — The traction members of this
tractor consist of two drive wheels with a face of 3H
inches and a diameter of 25 inches. It is ordinarily
144 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
equipped as a lift tractor but large castor wheels can
be used to sustain the rear-end weight, and where
the ground is rough they can be extended on either
side of the tractor. Where the drive wheels only are
used loo per cent, of the weight rests on them, of
course, but where the castor support wheels are used
the weight on the drive wheels is about 80 per cent.
Fig. 69. — The Beeman Garden Tractor
The tractor is 17 inches wide, 39 inches high and
weighs about 537 pounds and this is sufficiently heavy
to insure a good traction resistance. The highest ad-
justment of the draw-bar is 1 1 inches and the lowest
is 9 inches, while the straddle is 1 1 inches.
You steer the tractor by means of a pair of handles
GARDEN TRACTORS 145
and on the right hand is a lever that controls the
throttle which you work with your thumb and fore-
finger, while on the left hand one is the clutch lever
which you can release with your little finger as shown
at A in Fig. dp.
The engine has a single cylinder and is of the verti-
cal type and when it is connected to the drive wheels
it will develop i^ horse power at the draw-bar and
deliver 4 horse power at the belt. It runs at a speed
of from 230 to 2,000 revolutions per minute, depend-
ing on the amount of fuel that you give it, but its
nonnal speed is 1,250 revolutions per minute. A
gallon of gasoline will run the engine when working
in the field for about 5 hours and on the belt for
about 7 hours.
The engine is lubricated by the splash system and
it is cooled by the thermo-syphon system, the water
being forced through a large cellular radiator on the
front of the tractor. The gasoline is fed to the
carburetor by the gravity feed system from a i gallon
tank that sets above the engine while a high tension
magneto ignition system is used to fire the fuel
charge.
The Draw-bar Pull. — The cultivator attachments
that can be used by hitching them to the tractor are ( i )
a 7-inch plow, (2) a 6-inch harrow, or an 8-blade, 12-
inch disk harrow, (3) sweeps, (4) disks, (5) a knife
weeder, (6) disk hoes, (7) diamond pointed shovel,
(8) a corn shovel, (9) a spring tooth for cultivating,
(10) beet hoes, (11) a bull tongue, (12) an onion
Fig. 70A.— Some Tools Used with Garden Tractors
146
GARDEN TRACTORS
147
digger, etc., and all of which are shown at A and B
in Fig. yo.
Any ordinary one-horse plow can be used by taking
off the handles and clevis and hitching it to the tool
frame of the tractor. When the plow is hitched up
^££r HOES
SHOVEL
BULL
TONCUE
Fig. 70B. — Some Tools Used with Garden Tractors
right it will give not only the depth and width you
want but when it is properly adjusted the tractor
will hold to the furrow and you have only to follow
along until you come to a corner and then turn it.
To take the plow from the ground you simply lift
up on the handles of the tractor and this raises the
148 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
point of the plow when it quickly comes lo the sur-
face; a latch catches and holds the plow up and it
will then slide on its heel along the ground. When
you want to plow again all you have to do to start the
point into the ground is to pull up a small trip chain
which is fastened to the spring latch and this brings
it at an angle so that it will dig in and it will go in
to whatever depth you adjust it for.
The speed of the tractor when plowing is from %
to 2% miles per hour depending on the soil and it
only takes about 2 gallons of gasoline to plow right
along for 10 hours.
The Power Take Off. — The Beeman tractor will do
anything in the way of belt work that any four horse
power engine will do and, different from a stationary
engine, it will do it anywhere.
With the power take off you can run a feed grinder,
pump-jack, washing machine, milking machine, cream
separator, fanning mill, onion topper, feed cutter,
circular saw, corn sheller, grindstone, emery wheel,
and even a small electric lighting plant.
The Universal 1-4.9 Tractor. — This truck garden
tractor is a little bigger all round than the tractor
just described and, consequently, it will do work that
is proportionately heavier. It is built by the Elder-
fields Mechanics Co., Port Washington, Long Island,
New York, and costs $425.
Hoiv it is Made. — The Universal garden tractor has
three traction members, two drive wheels in front and
one small support wheel in the rear. The drive wheels
GARDEN TRACTORS 149
are 36 inches in diameter, have a 5-inch face and 75
per cent, of the weight rests on them. It has a length
of 84 inches, a width of 33% inches, a height of 42
inches and it weighs 750 pounds. Further, it has a
wheel-base of 84 inches, a clearance of 12 inches and
a turning radius of 2 feet. It is steered by a pair
of handles while the clutch is operated and the fuel
supply is controlled by levers on the former.
Fig. 71. — The Universal Garden Tractor
The engine is of the vertical type, has a single
cylinder with a 3^^ by 5-inch bore and it runs at a
normal speed of 800 revolutions per minute but it
can be run at from 500 to 1,000 revolutions per minute
by giving it less or more gas. It is lubricated by the
splash system, has a gravity feed fuel system and either
gasoline or kerosene can be used while its fuel tank
will hold 4 gallons.
It is cooled by the thermo-syphon system, has a
150 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
cellular radiator and a fan. A storage battery cir-
cuit breaker system is used to fire the fuel charge and
hence you must have an electric lighting circuit to
charge the battery with. Finally, the crankshaft of
the engine is connected to the drive axle by means
of a worm and gear and this gives the tractor one
speed forward though this can be varied by making
the engine run faster or slower. It is shown in
Fig. 71.
The Draw-bar. — The Universal has a normal draw-
bar pull of 200 pounds and it will pull one lo-inch
plow. The draw-bar is fixed to the tractor 13 inches
from the ground and the plow is hitched to it between
the drive wheels and the support wheel. All the other
attachments cited above for the Beeman tractor, only
on a somewhat larger scale, can be used with this
tractor. It can be used not only in gardens but to
clean up the corners of a big farm where a large tractor
cannot go.
The Power Take Off. — The belt pulley has a 2-inch
face and is 5% inches in diameter and it will deliver
4 horse power when the engine is running at its normal
speed of 800 revolutions per minute and more when it
is running faster. It will, of course, run all kinds of
belt machinery that does not take in excess of 4 horse
power.
The Auto-Tiller.— This tractor is built right along
the lines of the one just described, but it is a trifle
larger, is better equipped and will take the place of
a team of horses on the farm. It is made by the World
GARDEN TRACTORS
151
^Harvester Corporation, New York City, and its price
is $465.
How it is Made. — It has two drive wheels 36 inches
in diameter with a 5-inch face and a pair of small
support wheels in the rear. Its wheel-base is 36 inches
and 70 per cent, of the weight of the tractor rests
on the drive wheels, while its turning radius is 6 feet.
Its length is 115 inches over all, its width is 40 inches,
its height 46 inches and its weight 1,150 pounds.
Fig. 72. — The Auto-Tiller Garden Tractor
Finally, it is steered by means of handles and its clutch
and throttle are controlled by levers on them. This
tractor is pictured in Fig. ^2.
The engine is of the vertical type, has one cylinder
whose bore is 5 x 7 inches and develops 4.9 horse
power. It is lubricated by the splash system, has a
tubular radiator and is cooled by the pump circulating
system and a fan. Either the magneto or the storage
battery circuit breaker system is used for ignition ac-
cording to your preference. When the latter is used
152 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
don't forget that the battery requires constant care
and must be kept charged and that it takes an electric
light current to do it with.
The crankshaft of the engine is connected to the
final drive, which is of the worm and gear type, by
a contracting band clutch, and a sliding gear transmis-
sion. The tractor has two speeds forward, namely,
1% and 3 miles per hour.
The Draw-Bar Pull. — The draw-bar of this tractor
is fixed to the frame 15 inches above the ground. It
has a normal draw-bar pull of 975 pounds and it will
in consequence pull one 14-inch plow. The plow is
hitched to the draw-bar between the drive wheels and
the support wheels. All the farm implements that a
team of horses can pull can be used as well or better
with this tractor. It can be hitched to a light riding
plow when the tractioneer can ride and this puts it
very closely in the class of the regular farm tractor.
Under such conditions it has a speed of about 2 miles
per hour.
The Power Take Off. — As the engine develops
5 horse power, nearly, it can be used for all manner
of light belt work.
CHAPTER V
TRACTORS FOR SMALL FARMS
With the idea of meeting the demand for a tractor
that would permit it to be used economically on a small
farm a few manufacturers are making a one-plow
machine that sells at a low price.
The specifications which I have given in this chapter
cover all of the tractors that I know of whose makers
recommend their use Avith a single plow. As you will
see these tractors take on a wide diversity of design
and construction in the efforts of the builders to pro-
vide a machine that shall at once be useful for all the
varied purposes of farm work, easily handled, have
good wearing qualities and, last but not least, have a
low initial cost.
How well they have succeeded may, in a measure,
be gathered from the text that follows but never was
the ancient Roman expression, which tells us that the
" proof of the pudding is in the eating," so thoroughly
exemplified as in the tractor, and especially in the one-
plow tractor, for about the only way to actually find
out how well it is adapted to your needs is to buy one
and try it out yourself.
The Indiana 5-10 Tractor. — This is a new, light
153
154 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
weight and inexpensive tractor. It is designed to take
the place of a team of horses and to do all manner of
light belt work. It is made by the Indiana Silo Com-
pany, of Anderson, Ind., and it sells for $900.
How it is Made. The Traction Gear. — The frame
of this tractor is built up of structural steel, the front
axle is drop-forged and the frame is rigidly fixed to
it. A live rear axle is used and both axles are roller
Fig. 73.— The Indiana 5-10 Tractor
bearing. The drive wheels are in front and these
are 50 inches in diameter and have a 12-inch face while
the two rear wheels are 36 inches in diameter and have
a 4-inch face. The wheel-base is 62 inches and the
turning radius is 7 feet.
The Indiana has a length of 212 inches, a width of
54 inches, a height of 60 inches and it weighs 2,000
pounds, of which 95 per cent, is on the drive members.
The height of the draw-bar, which is swivelled, is
28 inches and the clearance at the lowest point is 26
inches.
TRACTORS FOR SMALL FARMS 15^
The Power Plant. — The engine is of the vertical
type with four cyHnders, the bore of which is 3% by
4V2 inches, has an L head and is cast in block. ^ Its
normal speed is 950 r. p. m. It has an enclosed cen-
trifugal governor to control the speed of the engine.
The engine is lubricated by the force feed system and
a plunger pump keeps the oil in circulation. The cool-
ing scheme includes a cellular radiator and the water is
kept in circulation by the thermo-siphon system and a
ball-bearing, belt-driven fan. Gasoline is the fuel used
and this is delivered by the gravity system from a 12-
gallon tank to the carburetor. An air cleaner is at-
tached to the inlet of the carburetor and the exhaust
gases heat the air before it enters the mixing chamber.
A dual system of ignition is used and this includes
the battery and circuit breaker system and a mag-
neto.
TJie Transmission System. — This is made up of a
disk clutch, an enclosed sliding gear transmission, with
ball bearings, which gives four speeds forward and one
reverse and a range of speeds from i^4 to 4 miles per
hour. The differential is enclosed, has beveled gears
and is ball bearing, while the final drive is by means of a
chain and sprocket. All the gears are made of steel,
are machined and heat treated. It is shown in Fig. /J.
The Draw-bar Pull. — The normal draw-bar pull of
this tractor is 900 pounds.
The Power Take Off. — The pulley has a diameter of
7 inches and a face of 6V2 inches, and when the engine
1 From the French en bloc which means all in one piece.
156 FARxM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
is running at 1,200 r. p. m., it will deliver 10 horse
power.
The General Purpose 6-12 Tractor. — To pro-
duce a tractor that would do all the work on a small
farm the Allis- Chalmers Manufacturing Co., Milwau-
kee, Wis., put the General Purpose tractor on the
market. Its price is $795.
How it is Made. — The Traction Gear. — This
tractor has three traction members, two of which are
drive wheels in front and one small truck wheel, which
can be taken off, in the rear. The drive wheels have
a 6-inch face and a diameter of 48 inches and these
are keyed to a stub axle the bearings of which are
plain. The width of the tractor is 54 inches, its
height 72 inches and its weight is 2,100 pounds while
the weight on the drive wheels is 90 per cent. It is
steered by turning the drive wheels.
The Power Plant. — The engine is of the vertical
type, has four cylinders with a bore of 3% by 4%
inches, and an L head which is removable. The normal
revolutions per minute of the engine is 1,000 and at this
speed it develops 12 horse power. The engine is also
fitted with a centrifugal governor to keep the speed
of the engine uniform.
The splash system of lubrication is used and the oil is
poured, into the reservoir as it is needed. The cool-
ing scheme includes a tubular radiator through which
the water is kept circulating by the thermo-siphon
system while a belt driven fan pulls the air through the
radiator. The magneto system is used for ignition.
TRACTORS FOR SMALL FARMS 157
The fuel recommended is gasoline and this is fed by
gravity from a 9 gallon tank while a dry air cleaner
is fixed to the carburetor.
The Transmission System. — The clutch that con-
nects the engine to the transmission gears is of the
dry plate type. The transmission, or gear-set, has
sliding gears and this gives the tractor one speed for-
ward and one reverse. To vary the tractor speed the
governor must be adjusted to give a different engine
Fig. 74. — The General Purpose Tractor
speed. Tractor speeds of from 1% to 2.8 m. p. h.,
can thus be had.
The differential gears are enclosed and these trans-
mit the power to the final drive which is of the in-
ternal bull-gear type. The gears of the transmission
and differential are machined and heat treated and the
transmission and the fan are ball bearing. Finally,
the steering gear is of the worm and segment type.
A picture of it is shown in Fig. 14.
The Drazv-Bar Pull. — The draw-bar has a normal
pull of 1,000 pounds at a speed of 2^2 miles per hour.
158 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
The Pozver Take Off. — The face of the pulley is
^V-y inches and its diameter is 10 inches. It is driven
from the crankshaft by a gear and the pulley clutch
is of the dry plate type.
The E. F. T. 6-12 Crawler Tractor.— In the early
days of tractor building the crawler was made only in
large sizes but every year sees smaller crawlers in the
market. The E, F. T. 6-12 is the smallest crawler
that has been built and it is made by the E. F. Town-
send Tractor Company of Los Angeles, Cal. It sells
for $850.
Hozv it is Made. — The Traction Gear. — The frame
of this little crawler is built up of structural steel.
The front axle is drop forged, a dead drive axle is used
and both have plain bearings. The frame is mounted
on the front axle on a semi-elliptic spring.
The traction members consist of two crawlers each
of which are 60 inches long, have a 7-inch face and a
traction surface of 602 inches, while it has a wheel
base of 43 inches and a turning radius of 6 feet. It
is steered by a pair of levers that control a pair of
clutches on the drive shaft.
The length of the tractor is 85 inches, it has a width
of 50 inches and it weighs 2,000 pounds, and 100 per
cent, of it is on the crawlers. It has an adjustable
draw-bar that can be varied in height from 7 to 20
inches and a clearance of 9 inches. A rear extension
provides a seat for the tractioneer and this is sup-
ported by a small wheel as shown in Fig. 75.
The Power Plant. — The engine has four cylinders
TRACTORS FOR SMALL FARMS 159
with a 3% by 4V2 inch bore. It is of the vertical type,
cast in block and has an L head. Its normal speed is
1,000 r. p. m., and it is controlled by a centrifugal
governor.
It is lubricated by the force feed and splash system,
the oil being circulated by a gear pump. The cooling
system includes a cellular radiator and the water is
kept in circulation by the thermo-siphon system with
Fig. 75.— The E. F. T. 6-12 Crawler Tractor
a fan to aid the cooling process. Any kind of liquid
fuel can be used though, of course, gasoline or kerosene
is to be preferred. The fuel is fed by the gravity
system from a lo-gallon tank to the carburetor. A
dry air cleaner is attached to the carburetor and the ex-
haust gases are used to heat the air as it is drawn in the
latter.
The Transmission System. — The clutch is of the
dry plate type and a sliding gear transmission provided
with roller bearings is used. There is no differential
and the final drive is an internal gear. The gears
i6o FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
throughout are made of carbon steel, machined and
heat treated.
The Draw-Bar Pull. — This tractor has a normal
draw-bar pull of i,ooo pounds.
The Power Take Off. — There is none.
The Cultitractor 2F-15. — This tractor is made by
the United Tractors Company, Inc., New York City,
and it sells for $785.
How it is Made. — The Traction Gear. — The frame
of the Cultitractor is a one-piece casting, the front
axle is drop forged and a live rear axle is used. The
front traction members are the drive wheels and these
are 40 inches in diameter with an 8-inch face, while
the small wheels which are 30 inches in diameter have
a 4-inch face and these support the rear end of the
frame. The wheel base is 90 inches and the turning
radius is 4% feet.
The length of the tractor is 120 inches, its width
is 52 inches, its height 54 inches, its weight 2,300
pounds and 95 per cent, of the latter rests on the
drive wheels. The draw-bar can be adjusted so that
it is 16 to 20 inches high and the clearance is 18
inches.
The Pozver Plant. — The engine is of the vertical
type, has four cylinders, with a bore of 3/4 by 4%
inches, an L head and is cast in block. The normal
speed of the engine is 1,000 r. p. m. and this is con-
trolled by an enclosed governor of the centrifugal
type. The force feed and splash system of lubrication
is used. The cooling apparatus includes a cellular
TRACTORS FOR SMALL FARMS 161
radiator and the water is circulated by the thermo-
siphon system and the air by a fan.
Any kind of Hquid fuel can be used and two 6-gallon
tanks are provided for it, one for gasoline and the
other for kerosene. The fuel is fed to the carburetor
by gravity and is vaporized by the heat of the exhaust
gases carried around the intake manifold. The car-
buretor is fitted with a dry air cleaner. The ignition
is by the high tension magneto system.
Fig. ^(i. — The Cultitractor 7-15
The Transmission System. — The clutch is of the
dry plate type, the transmission gears give two speeds
forward and i reverse, so that a range of speeds of
from I ¥2 to 3 m. p. h. can be had without changing
the adjustment of the governor. No differential is
used and the final drive is by an internal bull-gear.
The gears are made of cast steel, machined and case
hardened and ball bearings are used throughout the
transmission system. It is shown in Fig. /6.
i62 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
The Draw-Bar Pull. — The draw-bar has a pull of
1,000 pounds.
The Power Take Off. — The diameter of the pulley
is 8 inches and its face 4 inches; it is driven by a
gear from the crankshaft and its normal number of
revolutions is 600 per minute when it will deliver
15 horse power. It is fitted with an independent
pulley and a pulley clutch of the expanding type.
The Little Bear 4-8 Tractor.— This is a four
wheel tractor and appears to be a Ford frame, and
power plant set on tractor members, so if you can run
a Ford car you can run this tractor without further
experience. It is built by the L. A. Auto Tractor
Company, of Los Angeles, Cal., and it sells for $850.
How it is Made. — The Tractor Gear. — The frame
is built up of pressed steel, the front axle is of the
knuckle type and a dead rear axle is used. The drive
wheels have a diameter of 31 inches and all of the
axle bearings are plain. The wheel base is 50 inches
and its turning radius is 10 feet.
The length of the tractor is 102 inches, its width
is 58 inches and its height is 50 inches. It weighs
1,600 pounds and 75 per cent, of the weight is on the
drive wheels. It has the regular motor car type of
steering gear and fuel and ignition control.
The Pozver Plant. — The engine is of the vertical
type with four cylinders, has a bore 3% by 4 inches,
an L head, is cast in block, and its normal speed is
900 r. p. m. It is lubricated by the splash system.
The radiator is a tubular one cooled by a belt driven
TRACTORS FOR SMALL FARMS 163
fan and the thermo-siphon cooling system is used.
The fuel used is gasoline fed by gravity from the tank
to a carburetor which is fitted with a dry air cleaner.
The ignition is the low tension magneto system used
on all Ford cars.. It is shown in Fig. //.
Fig. 77. — The Little Bear 4-8 Tractor '
The Transmission. — This is the Ford planetary
gear transmission and it gives two speeds forward and
I reverse. The differential is bevel geared and en-
closed while the final drive is an internal bull-gear and
pinion.
The Draw-Bar Pull. — This tractor has a normal
draw-bar pull of 800 pounds.
The Power Take Off. — There is none.
CHAPTER VI
TRACTORS FOR AVERAGE FARMS
By the term average farm I mean one that is not
less than i6o acres or more than 240 acres in extent.
The economy of using a tractor on the average farm
is now beyond question only you do not want to get
the idea that it is going to save you a lot of money
as against the use of horses but what it will do is to
save you man-power and time.
A two- or three-plow tractor will be large enough
for the average farm providing its engine will develop
enough power to do all the belt work required of it.
There are only some 25 makes of two-plow tractors
on the market while there are more than 65 three-
plow tractors and a dozen or so that are recommended
for either two or three plows. Obviously, it would be
impossible within the scope of this book to give de-
tailed specifications of all of them but what I shall
do is to describe a few typical tractors and at the
end of the chapter you will find a table giving the
makers' names and addresses and the names and horse-
power of all the two, three and two and three-plow
tractors.
164
TRACTORS FOR AVERAGE FARMS 165
TWO PLOW TRACTORS
The Bean Track-Pull, 6-10 Tractor.— This
tractor is of the combined wheel and crawler type.
It is made by the Bean Spray Pump Company, of San
Jose, Cal., and the price is $1,445.
Hozi^ it is Made. — The Traction Gear. — This part
of the tractor is formed of a single crawler in front
and two non-drive wheels in the rear. The frame
is cast in one piece, a dead drive axle is used, the rear
axle is cast and has plain bearings and the front sus-
pension is rigid.
The length of the crawler is 36 inches, its width,
or tread, 12 inches, and its surface area 432 square
inches, while the diameter of the support wheels
is 26 inches and the rim face 6 inches. The tractor
has a turning radius of 5 feet. Its length over all is
102 inches, its width 60 inches, its height 44 inches
and it weighs 3,200 pounds, 85 per cent, of which
rests on the crawler. It is shown in Fig. yS.
Fig. 78.— Bean Track Pull 6-io Tractor
i66 FARM AND GARDEN TR.\CTORS
The Power Plant. — The engine is of the vertical
type, has four cyHnders cast in block with a 3/8 by
4 Mi-inch bore and an L head. The normal number
of revolutions of the crankshaft is 1,250 per minute,
and this is controlled by a centrifugal governor.
It is lubricated by the circulating system and a
plunger pump is used for this purpose. A cellular
radiator cools the water and this is kept in circula-
tion by a centrifugal pump, while a belt driven fan
pulls the air through the radiator. Distillate is the
fuel used and this is fed by gravity from the tank
to the carburetor. The intake air is heated by the
exhaust gases and the carburetor is fitted with a dry
air cleaner. The cylinders are fired by a high tension
magneto.
The Transmission System. — A cone clutch and a
spur-gear transmission with ball bearings is employed ;
the transmission gives one speed forward and drives
the tractor at 2 miles an hour. Since only one crawler
is used no differential is needed. The final drive is
an internal bull-gear and pinion. The gears are made
of carbon steel, are machined and heat-treated.
The Draw-Bar Pull. — The draw-bar is 14 inches
from the ground and the tractor has a normal draw-
bar pull of 1,125 pounds, which is roughly approxi-
mate to 7 h. p. wdien pulling at a speed of 2% m. p. h.^
^ The pounds draft a tractor will pull differs with different
speeds. Thus a tractor rated at 8 draw-bar horsepower will have
a draw-bar pull of 3,000 pounds when pulling i mile per hour
whereas it will only have a draw-bar pull of 850 pounds when
pulling 3]/j miles per hour. See Page 271.
TRACTORS FOR AVERAGE FARMS 167
The Power Take Off. — The diameter of the belt
pulley is 12 inches and the rim face is 4% inches. As
it is driven direct from the crankshaft its normal
speed is 1,250 r. p. m.
The Cletrac, 12-20 Tractor. — This tractor is of
the true crawler type and it was formerly called The
Cleveland Tractor hence the name Cletrac. It is made
by the Cleveland Tractor Company, of Cleveland, Ohio,
and sells for $1,585.
Hoiv it is Made. — The Tractor Gear. — The frame
of this tractor is built up of structural steel and the
front end is supported by semi-elliptical springs. The
front axle is roller bearing, and the rear axle is dead
while the drive is roller bearing.
It is 96 inches long, 50 inches wide, 52 inches high
and it weighs 3,157 pounds of which, naturally, 100
per cent, rests on the crawlers. The length of the
crawlers is 50 inches, the width of the face is 6% inches
and the traction area is 600 square inches.
The Pozwr Plant. — The engine is of the vertical
type, has four cylinders, the bore of which is 3% by 5/4
inches. The cylinders have the valves-in-the-head, are
cast in block and the normal speed of the engine is
1,200 which is controlled by a centrifugal governor.
A force feed lubricating system is used and the
oil is circulated by a gear pump. A tubular radiator
holds the cooling water and this is kept in circula-
tion by a gear pump, while a belt driven fan pulls
the air through the radiator. Kerosene is the fuel
recommended and this is fed from a 12-gallon tank
i68 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
by gravity to the carburetor. Both the air intake and
the inlet manifold are heated by the exhaust gases.
A high tension magneto is used for the ignition
system.
The Transmission System. — The clutch is of the
single plate type, the transmission has sliding gears
and gives one speed forward and one reverse while the
normal speed of the tractor is 2^/i> m. p. h. The
Fig. 79. — The Cletrac 12-20 Tractor
transmission shafts are ball and roller bearing. The
differential, which is used in this crawler tractor, has
spur-gears and is ball bearing, while the final drive
is an enclosed internal bull-gear and pinion. The
gears are of steel, machined and heat treated. It is
shown in Fig. /p.
The Draiv-Bar Pull. — The draw-bar is 12 inches
from the ground, and the draw-bar pull of the tractor
is 1,500 pounds, or roughly equal to 10 H. P. when
plowing at a speed of 2^/l» m. p. h.
TRACTORS FOR AVERAGE FARMS 169
The Power Take Off. — The belt pulley is 8 inches
in diameter and 6 inches wide and since it is driven
direct from the crankshaft it runs at the normal speed
of the engine, namely, 1,200 r. p. m.
The Fordson 12-22 Tractor. — This is a regula-
tion four wheel tractor and is built by Henry Ford and
Son, Inc., Dearborn, Mich. It sells for $850.
How it is Made. — The Traction Gear. — The
frame of this tractor is built up of structural steel.
Fig. 80. — The Fordson 12-22 Tractor
The front axle is of the knuckle type, is drop forged
and has ball bearings. The rear axle is live and has
roller bearings.
The diameter of the drive wheels is 42 inches and
the rim face is 12 inches; the wheel-base is 67, inches
and the turning radius of the tractor is 13 feet. It
has a length of 102 inches, a width of 60 inches, a
height of 55 inches, and it weighs 2,800 pounds, with
62^ per cent, of the weight on the drive wheels. See
Fig. 80.
170 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
The Power Plant. — The engine is of the vertical
type, has four cyhnders with a 4 by 5-inch bore, cast
in block and an L valve head, and its normal speed is
i,cxDO r. p. m. It is lubricated by the splash system
and cooled by a radiator, the water being circulated
by the thermo-siphon system, with a belt driven fan
to pull the air through the radiator. The fuel used
is kerosene and this is carried from its tank to the
carburetor by gravity, while water is injected into the
cylinders with the fuel mixture. The inlet manifold
is heated by the exhaust gases and the carburetor
has a water air cleaner on its intake pipe. Finally,
a magneto is used for the ignition system.
The Transmission System. — The clutch is of the
multiple disk type, the transmission gears, which are
ball bearing, are enclosed, and have 3 speeds forward
and I reverse, which give a tractor speed of 1% to
7 m. p. h. The differential has beveled gears and the
final drive, which is enclosed, is of the worm and
gear type. The gears are of alloy steel, machined and
heat treated.
The Draw-Bar Ptdl. — The draw-bar can be adjusted
from 7 to 1 5 inches from the ground and the draw-bar
pull is 1,800 pounds, or, approximately 12 H. P. when
pulling a plow 2% m. p. h.
The Power Take 0#.— The diameter of the belt
pulley is whatever you want it to be and its rim face
6% inches. It is connected to the engine by gears
but the speed is the same as the engine speed, to wit,
1,000 r. p. m.
TRACTORS FOR AVERAGE FARMS 171
THREE PLOW TRACTORS
The Austin, 15-30 Tractor. — This tractor is of
the true crawler type and is manufactured by the F. C.
Austin Company, Inc., of Chicago, Ills. Its price is
$1,800. This company also makes a 20-40 horse
power crawler that pulls from four to six plows and a
75 to 120 horse power crawler that pulls from six to
twelve plows.
How it is Made. — The Traction Gear. — The frame
Fig. 81.— The Austin 15-30 Tractor
is built up of structural steel and has a coiled spring
suspension in front. The front axle is drop forged
and the rear axle is roller bearing. The length of the
crawlers are 30 inches, have a face of 8 inches and a
traction area of 800 square inches. The turning radius
is 4 feet and it is steered by individual clutches. It is
shown in Fig. 81.
The Power Plant. — The eno^ine is of the vertical
172 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
type, has four cylinders with a 4 by 5-inch bore, an
L valve head and it has a normal speed of 1,000 r. p. m.,
which is controlled by a centrifugal governor.
It is lubricated by the. force feed system, a plunger
pump being used to keep the oil in circulation. The
radiator is of the cellular type, the water is kept
in circulation by a centrifugal pump, and a belt driven
fan is used back of the radiator. Kerosene is the fuel
recommended and this is contained in a 12-gallon
tank. It is fed to the carburetor by gravity and the
carburetor is fitted with a dry air cleaner. A high
tension magneto is used for the ignition system and
the magneto is equipped with an impulse starter. Fig.
81 is a picture of the tractor.
The Transmission System. — The clutch is of the
single disk type and is ball bearing. The transmis-
sion is of the sliding gear type, has 2 speeds forward
and I reverse which gives a range of tractor speeds
of from 2% to 3% m. .p. h. The differential, which
is enclosed, is of the spur gear type and is roller bear-
ing, while the final drive is by an enclosed chain. The
gears are of carbon steel, machined and heat treated.
The Draw-Bar Pull. — The draw-bar, which is
swivelled, is 1 7 inches from the ground and the tractor
has a normal draw-bar pull of 2,000 pounds, which
is equivalent to about 14 H. P. when pulling 2V'i m. p. h.
The Power Take Off. — The diameter of the pulley
is 8 inches and it has a face of 6 inches; it is geared
to the crankshaft of the engine and its normal speed
is 1,000 r. p. m.
TRACTORS FOR AVERAGE FARMS 173
The Andrews, 12-25 Tractor. — This is a good
example of a cheap two- or three-plow tractor. It is
made by the Andrezvs Tractor Company, of Minne-
apolis, Minn., and it sells for $695.
How it is Made. — The Tractor Gear. — The frame
is built up of structural steel and the front suspension
is fitted with coiled springs. The front axle is drop
forged and is of the knuckle type, while the rear axle
is dead.
It has three traction members, the drive member
being a steel drum having a diameter of 48 inches
and a rim face of 30 inches. The front wheels are
36 inches in diameter and have a face of 8 inches.
Roller bearings are used on both the front and drive
wheels. The tractor has a wheel base of 110 inches
and its turning radius is 24 feet. It has a length of
180 inches, a width of 88 inches, a height of 56
inches and a weight of 4,400 pounds. It is shown in
Fig. 82.
The Power Plant. — The engine is of the horizontal,
opposed cylinder type; it has four cylinders, cast
singly, with a 4- by 5-inch bore; the normal speed is
1,000 r. p. m., and this is controlled by a centrifugal
governor.
It is lubricated by the force feed system, has no
radiator but is air cooled by a belt driven fan. Gaso-
line is the fuel used and this is fed from a 20-gallon
tank by gravity to the carburetor. The ignition system
includes a high tension magneto.
The Transmission System. — No clutch is used as
s§
fe
60
u
H
174
TRACTORS FOR AVERAGE FARMS 175
the transmission consists of a friction drive which gives
a tractor speed of from i to 3 m. p. h., either for-
ward or reverse. Since a drum is used as the drive
traction member which is the equivalent of a single
drive wheel, no differential is needed. The final drive
is the chain and sprocket and this is open. The gears
are of cast steel, machined and case hardened and all
the bearings are plain.
The Draw-Bar Pull. — The draw-bar, which is
swivelled, is 16 inches from the ground and the normal
draw-bar pull is 1,900 pounds, or, a little over 12 H. P.
when pulling 2% m. p. h.
The Power Take Off. — The belt pulley has a
diameter of 12 inches and a 7-inch face and as it is
directly connected with the crankshaft its normal speed
is 1,000 revolutions per minute. It has an inde-
pendent clutch and a pulley brake.
The E. B., 12-20; Model AA Tractor.— This
is an excellent model of a higher priced tractor of about
the same capacity as the one just described only it
has the Society of Automotive Engineers rating and
this is only 80 per cent, of the actual power the tractor
develops. It costs $1,500.
How it is Made. — The Tractor Gear. — The frame
of this tractor is built up of structural steel. Its drive
axle is live and roller bearing and the front axle is
drop forged, has plain bearings and is of the knuckle
type.
The diameter of the drive wheels, which are in the
rear, is 45 inches with a rim face of 12 inches while
176 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
the front wheels are 36 inches in diameter and have a
6-inch face. The wheel base is 87 inches and the
tractor has a turning radius of 25 feet. It has a
length of 121% inches, a width of 55 inches, a height
of 75^ inches and it weighs 4,355 pounds, of which
66 per cent, is on the drive wheels. Its clearance is
14 inches. It is shown in Fig. 8j.
Fig. 83.— The E.-B. 12-20 Tractor
The Power Plant. — The engine is of the vertical
type, with an L valve head and the cylinders, which
are cast in pairs, have a 4%- by 5-inch bore. The en-
gine has a normal speed of 900 r. p. m. It is lubri-
cated by the circulating splash system and the oil is
kept in circulation by a plunger pump. The engine
is water cooled, has a cellular radiator and the water
is circulated by a centrifugal pump, while the fan is
gear-driven.
TRACTORS FOR AVERAGE FARMS 177
Kerosene is the fuel recommended and this is fed
by gravity to the carburetor; the latter is fitted with
a dry air cleaner and the exhaust gases heat both the air
intake and the manifold; water is injected into the
cylinders along with the fuel mixture. Finally a
magneto supplies the high tension current for the igni-
tion system.
The Transmission System. — This system has a cone
clutch and a sliding gear transmission fitted with roller
bearings, it has 2 speeds forward and i reverse and
this gives a tractor speed of 1.81 and 2.33 m. p. h.,
respectively. The differential has beveled gears, is
enclosed and has roller bearings, while the final drive
is an internal bull-gear and pinion. All of the gears
are made of carbon steel, machined and are heat treated.
The Draw-Bar Pull. — The draw-bar is pivoted and
adjustable from 14 to 16 inches from the ground.
The normal draw-bar pull is 2,500 pounds which is,
about equal to 16 H. P. when pulling 2^^ m. p. h.
The Pozver Take Off. — The belt pulley has a
diameter of 12 inches and a width of 6% inches, is
gear driven from the crankshaft and is fitted with
roller bearings. It also has an independent clutch of
the contracting band type.
OTHER TWO AND THREE PLOW TRACTORS
There are many other two and three plow tractors to
choose from and these are given in the following tables :
178 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
Other Average Farm Tractors
Automotive Corporation, Toledo, Ohio. .
Avery Company, Peoria, Ills
12-24
5-10
12-24
7-18
10-18
12-20
10-20
12-20
9-12
9-16
11-20
12-20
8-16
10-18
10-20
10-20
9-18
9-18
12-20
10-20
9-16
12-24
10-20
9-18
12-25
Automotive
Model B
Blumberg Motor Mfg. Co., Orange, Tex.
Blumberg Motor Mfg. Co., Orange, Tex.
J. P. Case Threshing Machine Co.,
Racine Wis
Steady Pull
Steady Pull
Case
Cleveland Tractor Co., Cleveland, Ohio. .
Dausch Mfg. Co., Sandusky, Ohio
Essex Tractor Co., Ltd., Essex, Ont
Fageol Motors Co., Oakland, Cal
General Tractors, Inc., Chicago, Ills
Gilson Mfg. Co., Lt., Guelph, Ont
Hackney Mfg. Co., St. Paul, ,Minn
International Harvester Co., of Am.,
Chicago, 111
Cletrac
Sandusky J.
Essex
Fageol
Monarch
Dixie Ace
Corn Tractor
International
Kansas Hay Press and Tractor Co.,
Kansas City, Mo
Prairie Dog
Kardell Util-
ity
Laughlin
Kardell Tractor and Truck Co., St.
Louis, Mo
Homer Laughlin Engineers Corporation,
Los Angeles, Cal
Moline Plow Co., Moline, Ills
Moline Uni-
Ohio Mfg. Co., Upper Sandusky, Ohio. .
R. and P. Tractor Co., Alma, Mich
Reliable Tractor Engine Co., Ports-
mouth, Ohio
versal
Whitney
R. & P.
Reliable
Rock Island Plovir Co., Rock Island, Ills.
Russell and Co., Massillon, Ohio
Sampson Tractor Co., Janesville, Wis...
Scientific Farming Machinery Co.,
Minneapolis, Minn
Heides " D"
Russell Jr.
Sampson M
Mark VI Prin-
cess Pat
Shelby Tractor and Truck Co., Shelby,
Ohio
Shelby Model
Wetmore
H. A. Wetmore, Sioux City, Iowa
Two OR Three Plow Tractors
Allis-Chalmers Mfg. Co., Milwaukee,
Wis
10-18
12-25
8-16
8-16
AUis-Chal-
mers
Andrews Tractor Co., Minneapolis,
Minn
Andrews
Avery Co., Peoria, Ills
Bean Spray Pump Co., San Jose, Cal —
Avery
Bean Tract
Pull
TRACTORS FOR AVERAGE FARMS 179
Two OR Three Plow Tractors (Con.)
Bull Tractor and Madison Motors Corp.,
Anderson, Ind
Chase Tractors Corporation, Ltd.,
Toronto, Can
Dayton-Dowd Co., Quincy, Ills
Elgin Tractor Corporation, Piqua, Ohio
Franklin Tractor Co., Franklin, Ohio...
General Ordnance Co., Inc., New York,
N. Y
Ohio General Tractor Co., Cleveland,
Ohio
Russell and Co., Massillon, Ohio
Stirling Machine and Stamping Co.,
Wellington, Ohio
Wichita Tractor Co., Wichita, Kas
12-24
12-25
12-18
10-20
15-30
12-22
15-30
15-30
12-22
9-18
Big Bull
Chase
Leader B
Elgin
Centipede
GO-F
Ohio General
Little Boss
Wellington F
Mid-West
Three Plow Tractors
Advance-Rumely Thresher Co., Inc., La
Porte, Ind
American Tractor Corp., Peoria, Ills
Appleton Mfg. Co., Batavia, Ills
F. C. Austin Co., Inc., Chicago, Ills
Bates Tractor Co., Lansing, Mich
J. I. Case Plow Works Co., Racine, Wis.
J. I. Case Threshing Machine Co.,
Racine, Wis
Champion Tractor Co., Argo, Ills
C. O. D. Tractor Co., Minneapolis, Minn.
Coleman Tractor Co., Kansas City, Mo.
Comet Automobile Co., Decatur, Ills....
Craig Tractor Co., Cleveland, Ohio
Dart Truck and Tractor Corp., Water-
loo, Iowa
Deere and Co., Moline, Ills
G. I. Dill Tractor Mfg. Co., Harrisburg,
G. I. bili'Tracto/Mfg. Co., Harrisburg,
Ark
C. H. A. Dissinger and Bro., Co.,
Wrightsville, Pa
Eagle Manufacturing Co., Appleton, Wis.
Electric Wheel Co., Quincy, Ills
12-20
Oil Pull
12-25
Yankee
12-20
Appleton
15-30
Austin
15-^5
Bates All
Steel Oil
15-25
Wallis
10-20
Case
i7y2X32
Champion
13-25
C. 0. D.
Model B
16-30
Coleman
15-30
Comet
15-25
Craig
Blue J.
12-25
Waterloo Boy
26
Dill Harvest-
ing
26
Short Dill
10-20
Capital
12-22
Eagle
14-28
All work
i8o FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
Three Plow Tractors (Con.)
Emerson-Brantingham Implement Co.,
Rockford, Ills
Essex Tractor Co., Ltd., Essex, Ont
Prick Co., Waynesboro, Pa
General Ordnance Co., Inc., New York,
N. Y
General Tractors, Inc., Chicago, Ills
Gould, Shapley and Muir Co., Ltd.,
Brantf ord, Ont
Hackney Mfg. Co., St. Paul, Minn
Hart- Parr Co., Charles City, Iowa
Hession Tiller and Tractor Corp.,
Buffalo, N. Y
Hicks Tractor Co., Milwaukee, Wis
Huber Mfg. Co., Marion, Ohio
Hunter Tractor Co., Los Angeles, Cal.. .
International Harvester Co., of Om.,
Chicago, Ills
Keck-Gonnerman Co., Mt. Vernon, Ind..
Kinnard and Sons Mfg. Co., Minneapolis,
Minn
La Crosse Tractor Co., La Crosse, Wis..
Leader Tractor Mfg. Co., Des Moines,
Iowa
Leonard Tractor Co., Jackson, Mich
Liberty Tractor Co., Dubuque, Iowa....
Macdonald Thresher Co., Ltd., Strat-
ford, Ont
Maxim Corporation, New York, N. Y.. .
Minneapolis Steel and Machinery Co.,
Minneapolis, Minn
Minneapolis Threshing Machine Co.,
Hopkins, Minn
Nelson Corporation, Boston, Mass
Nilson Tractor Co., Minneapolis, Minn..
Oliver Tractor Co., Knoxville, Tenn
Parrett Tractor Co., Chicago Heights,
Ills
Peoria Tractor Corp., Peoria, Ills
Pope Mfg. Co., Watertown, So. Dakota.
Port Huron Engine and Thresher Co.,
Port Huron, Mich
Reed Foundry and Machine Co., Kala-
mazoo, Mich
12-20
J5-30
12-24
14-28
12-20
14-28
15-30
30
12-24
12-25
12-25
15-25
JO-20
12-24
14-24
12-24
12-25
20-30
16-32
12-24
12-24
12-20
12-25
15-24
16-25
15-30
12-25
12-25
17-27
12-25
12-25
E. B. Model
" A A "
Essex
Frick
GO-G
Monarch
Beaver
No. 5 Auto-
Ploiv
Hart-Parr 30
Wheat
Hicks
Huber Light
Four
Hunter
Titan
Keck-Gonner-
man
Flour City Jr.
Model F
Rex
Leonard
Klumb F
Macdonald
Maxim
Twin City 12
Minneapolis
Nelson
Nilson Jr.
Oliver
Parrett
Peoria J
Dakota
Port Huron
Reed
TRACTORS FOR AVERAGE FARMS 181
Three Plow Tractors (Con.)
Rock Island Plow Co., Rock Island, Ills.
Royer Ensilage Harvester Co., Wichita,
Kas
Shelby Tractor and Truck Co., Shelby,
Ohio
Short Turn Tractor Co., Moorehead,
M inn
Square Turn Tractor Co., Norfolk, Neb.
Sterling Machine and Stamping Co.,
Wellington, Ohio
Sutherland Machinery Co., Minneapolis,
Minn
Trenam Tractor Co., Inc., •Stevens Point,
Wis
Turner Mfg. Co., Port Washington,
Wis
U. S. Tractor Co., Minneapolis, Minn.. ..
U. S. Tractor and Machine Co., We-
nasha, Wis
Velie Motors Corp., Moline, Ills
Wabash Tractor Co., Wabash, Ind
Wisconsin Farm Tractor Co., Lank City,
Wis.
Wolverine Tractor Co., Detroit, Mich.. . .
12-20
12-25
15-30
28-40
18-35
20-40
16-28
12-24
14-25
15-30
20-30
12-24
25
16-32
15-30
H eider "C"
Royer
Shelby D
Short Turn
Square Turn
Wellington
New Age
Trenam
Turner-Sim-
plicity
U. S.
Uncle Sam
Biltwell
Motox
Wisconsin
Wolverine
CHAPTER VII
TRACTORS FOR BIG FARMS
The big farm has been the graveyard not only for
many a tractor but for many a^tractor manufacturing
company as well. Phoenix-like, however, other tractor
companies have risen out of the ashes and have built
their tractors upon the experiences of those that have
gone before so that it is now just as safe an invest-
ment to buy a tractor for a big farm as it is to buy
one for the average sized farm — that is, if you buy
understandingly.
The following specifications include, practically, all
the companies making tractors that will pull from four
to twelve plows. There are several factors that have
a definite bearing on the economical value of using
a large tractor as against two or more smaller tractors
which will pull the same number of plow bottoms and
you take up this matter with the engineers of the com-
pany whose tractor or tractors you are buying.
The tractors which I have described in this chapter
show the general construction of the latest and most
powerful types and from the accompanying text you
will be able to broadly compare them.
The Oil-Pull Tractors. — The Advance-Rumely
Thresher Company, Inc., of La Porte, Ind., make a
182
TRACTORS FOR BIG FARMS
183
line of big farm tractors that include a 16-30, pulling
four plows,^ at a price of $2,400 ; a 20-40, pulling five
or six plows, at a price of $3,300, and a 30-60, pulling
eight or ten plows, at a price of $4,700.
The Traction Members. — All of these tractors have
four wheels with the drive wheels in the rear.
The Power Plant. — All of them, also, are powered
with horizontal opposed two cylinder engines, the
Fig. 84. — The Oil-Pull Tractor
normal speeds of which are 530 r. p. m., for the 16-
30; 450 r. p. m., for the 20-40, and 375 r. p. m., for
the 30-60. All sizes are lubricated with the force
feed system. Oil is used as the cooling liquid and it is
circulated through the radiator by a centrifugal pump
while the air is pulled through the radiator by the
exhaust of the engine. The carburetor uses any kind
* All plows unless otherwise specified are 14 inch.
i84 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
of oil fuel and the ignition system includes a high
tension magneto with an impulse starter.
The Transmission System. — All sizes have an ex-
panding shoe clutch and a sliding gear transmission
that has 2 speeds forward and i reverse, and this
gives a tractor speed of 2.1 to 3 miles per hour for
the 16-30; 2 to 3% m. p. h., for the 20-40 and 1.9
m. p. h., for the 30-60. All sizes have bevel gear
differentials, the smaWest size being open and the two
larger sizes being enclosed and all are roller bearing.
The final drive is an external bull-gear and pinion
and this is open. The 30-60 tractor is shown in Fig.
84.
The Draw-Bar Pull. — In the 16-30 the normal
draw-bar pull is 2,850 pounds; in the 20-40 it is 3,750
pounds, and in the 30-60 it is 5,900 pounds.
The Pozver Take Off. — The belt pulley runs at the
same speed of the engine and, hence, the normal speed
is 530 r. p. m., for the 16-30; 450 r. p. m., for the
20-40, and 375 r. p. m., for the 30-60.
The Aultman-Taylor Tractors. — A line of three
big farm tractors is made by the Aultman-Taylor
Machinery Company, of Mansfield, Ohio. These em-
brace a 15-30 for three or four plows that sells for
$2,400; a 22-45 ^or four to six plows that sells for
$4,100; and a 30-60 for eight to 12 plows that sells
for $5,200.
The Traction Members. — All three tractors have
four wheels with the drive wheels in the rear.
The Power Plant. — The 15-30 has a four cylinder
TRACTORS FOR BIG FARMS 185
vertical engine whose normal speed is 900 r. p. m.,
the 22-45 has a four cyHnder, vertical, valve-in-the-
head engine whose normal speed is 600 r. p. m., and
the 30-60 has a four cylinder, horizontal engine, whose
normal speed is 500 r. p. m.
The lubrication in these tractors is by individual
pump positive feed ; the cooling system includes a tubu-
lar radiator, a centrifugal pump for circulating the
water and a belt driven fan. Either gasoline or kero-
sene is used and is fed to the carburetor by gravity while
the ignition system includes a true high tension mag-
neto.
The Transmission System. — All of the above sizes
are fitted with the expanding shoe clutch and a sliding
gear transmission. The 15-30 and the 30-60 have
I speed forward and i reverse, and the 22-45
has two speeds forward and one reverse, while the
tractor speed of all of them is 2.2 m. p. h. The dif-
ferential of the 15-30 is o'f the spur-gear type and
is enclosed while that in the two largest sizes is of
the bevel gear type and open. The final drive in all
of them is an open external bull-gear and pinion. One
of these tractors is shown in Fig. 8j.
The Draw-Bar Pull. — The normal draw-bar pull
of the 15-30 is 2,800 pounds; of the 22-45
is 4,800 pounds, and of the 30-60 tractor is 8,000
pounds.
The Power Take Off. — The normal speed of the
belt pulley of all three sizes is the same as the normal
speed of the engine which is given above.
i86 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
The Avery Tractors. — The Avery Company, of
Peoria, Ills., makes a line of three tractors for big
farms. These are an 18-36, that pulls four or jive
plows, the price of which is $2,250; a 25-50 that pulls
five or six plows, the price of which is $3,100, and a
Fig. 85.— The Aultman-Taylor Tractor
40-80, that pulls eight or ten plows, the price of which
is $3,950-
The Traction Members. — All of the above sizes have
four wheels with the drive wheels in the rear.
The Power Plant. — The engines in all of them are
of the horizontal opposed cylinder type and all are
lubricated by the circulating system. Likewise, all
have a tubular radiator through which the air is
TRACTORS FOR BIG FARMS 187
forced by the exhaust of the engine. Any kind of
liquid fuel can be used and this is fed by gravity to the
carburetor. Finally, all sizes have a magneto 'ignition
system.
The Transmission System. — The expanding shoe
clutch is common to all three sizes, as is the sliding
gear transmission which is open ; all of the sizes have
two speeds forward and one reverse and this gives in
the 18-36 and the 25-50 a range of tractor speeds of
2 to 3 m. p. h., and in the 40-80, of iy2 to 4V2 m. p. h.
The differential in all of them is of the bevel gear
type and open. The final drive is an open, external
bull-gear and pinion and the bearings in the drive axle
are plain. A large Avery tractor is shown in Fig. 86.
The Draw-Bar Pull. — The normal draw-bar of the
18-36 is 2,700 pounds ; of the 25-50 is 3,750 pounds,
and of the 40-80 is 6,000 pounds.
The Power Take Off. — In all three sizes the normal
speed of the belt pulley is the same as the normal speed
of the engine which runs it and this is given above.
The Bates Steel Mule. — This 15-22 tractor is
made by the Bates Machine and Traction Company, of
Joliet, Ills., and pulls three or four 14 inch plows. Its
price is $2,200.
The Traction Members. — The Steel Mule is a com-
bined wheel and crawler tractor having two wheels
in front and two crawlers at the rear.
The Power Plant. — ^The engine is of the vertical
type, has 4 cylinders and runs at a normal speed of
900 r. p. m. It is lubricated by the circulating pump
i88
TRACTORS FOR BIG FARMS 189
system and is cooled by a centrifugal pump and belt
driven fan. It uses any kind of liquid fuel which is
fed to the carburetor by gravity while a high tension
magneto is employed to fire the cylinders.
The Transmission System. — The clutch is of the
single disk type and is enclosed. The transmission,
which is roller bearing, is of the sliding gear type
with two speeds forward and one reverse which give
Fig. 87. — The Bates Steel Mule
a range of tractor speeds of from 2.4 to 3.4 m. p. h.
An enclosed bevel gear differential is used and the
final drive is an enclosed spur gear and pinion. It is
shown in Fig. 8y.
The Draw-Bar Pull. — The normal draw-bar pull of
this tractor is 2,250 pounds.
The Power Take Off. — The belt pulley has a speed
of 775 r. p. m., when the engine is running at its normal
speed.
The Tracklayer Tractors. — There are three sizes
of big tracklayer tractors and these are made by the
190 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
C. L. Best Gas Traction Company, of San Leandro,
Cal. The first two sizes are of the true crawler type
and the largest size is of the combined wheel and
crawler type. The 22-40 will pull from four to six
plows and costs $4,100; the 35-60 will pull from
six to eight plows and costs $4,900, and the 38-75
will pull from eight to twelve plows and costs $5,850.
The Traction Members. — The first two sizes,
namely, the 22-40 and the 35-60 are of the true crawler
Fig. 88. — The Tracklayer Tractor
type and hence have a crawler on either side. The
38-75 is a combined wheel and crawler tractor, hav-
ing one wheel in front and a pair of crawlers in the
rear.
The Power Plant. — The engines in all of them are
of the vertical, four cylinder type. In the 22-40 the
normal speed of the engine is 600 r. p. m. ; in the 35-
60 the normal speed is 650 r. p. m., and in the 38-75
it is 435 r. p. m.
TRACTORS FOR BIG FARMS 191
The lubrication system used in the 22-40 is the cir-
culating splash, in the 35-60 the force feed system
with a rotary pump is used, while in the 38-75 the
force feed and splash system is employed. The cool-
ing system in all of the sizes includes a tubular radiator
and a fan but the 22-40 has a gear pump, the 35-60
has a centrifugal pump and the 38-75 has a rotary
pump.
The fuel used for the 22-40 is gasoline fed by
gravity, for the 35-60, distillate fed by the vacuum
system and for the 38-75 also distillate, which is fed
by gravity. All of the sizes have the magneto igni-
tion system with an impulse starter. A Tracklayer is
shown in Fig. 88.
The Draw-Bar Pull. — The normal draw-bar pull
of the 22-40 is 3,200 pounds; of the 35-60 is 5,500
pounds, and of the 38-75 is 6,600 pounds.
The Power Take Off. — The r. p. m., of the belt
pulley of the 22-40 is the normal r. p. m. of the en-
gine, namely, 600 per minute; of the 35-60 at normal
engine speed is 650 r. p. m., and of the 38-75 it is 550
r. p. m.
The Case Tractors. — These big farm tractors are
made by the /. /. Case Threshing Machine Company,
Inc., of Racine, Wis. Here are two sizes, namely,
the 15-27, that pulls three or four plows and costs
$1,600, and the 20-40 that pulls five or six plows and
costs $3,000.
The Traction Members. — Both sizes are of the four-
wheel type with the drive wheels at the rear.
192 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
The Power Plant. — The engine in the 15-27 is of
the vertical type and has four cylinders, while its
normal speed is pcx) r. p. m. The engine in the 20-40
is of the horizontal opposed cylinder type and its
normal speed is 475 r. p. m.
The 15-27 engine is lubricated by the circulating
splash system and the 20-40 by the individual pump
positive feed system. Again, the smaller engine is
cooled by a tubular radiator, a centrifugal pump and a
fan, while the larger engine is cooled by the thermo-
siphon system, and employs a tubular radiator and a
fan.
Further, the smaller size uses kerosene or distillate
while the larger size uses any kind of liquid fuel and
both employ the gravity feed system. Finally, both
sizes are provided with a magneto having an impulse
starter for the ignition. Fig. 8p shows a Case tractor.
The Transmission System. — The clutch in both
sizes is of the expanding shoe type and the transmis-
sion is of the sliding gear type with two speeds for-
ward and one reverse; in the 15-27 the tractor speed
is from 2% to 3% m. p. h. The differential in the
smaller size is open and in the larger size it is en-
closed. The final drive in both sizes is an external
•bull-gear and pinion.
The Draw-Bar Pull. — The normal draw-bar pull of
the 12-27 ^s 2,500 pounds and of the 20-40 is 3,740
pounds.
The Power Take Off. — In both sizes the normal
belt power speed is the same as the normal engine
193
194 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
speed, to wit, 900 r. p. m., and 475 r. p. m., respec-
tively.
The E. B. Tractors. — The Emerson-Brantingham
Company, of Rockford, Ills., makes two big farm
tractors. The 20-35 P^^^s five plows and costs $2,cxdo,
and the 40-65 pulls eight to ten plows and costs $4,250.
The Tractor Members. — The tractors of both sizes
are of the four-wheel type with the drive wheels at the
rear.
The Power Plant. — The engines in both sizes are of
the vertical type, have four cylinders and run at a
normal speed of 700 r. p. m., and 500 r. p. m., re-
spectively. The 20-35 engine is lubricated by the
splash system and the 40-65 engine is lubricated by
the individual pump positive feed system.
The cooling system of the 20-35 includes a cellular
radiator, a centrifugal pump and a fan, while that
of the 40-65 has a cellular radiator, a plunger pump
and a fan. The fuel used in either engine is kero-
sene but in the 20-35 it is fed to the carburetor by
gravity while in the 40-65 it is fed by compressed air.
The magneto ignition system is used in both sizes.
The Transmission System. — A cone clutch is em-
ployed in both sized tractors as is also a sliding gear
transmission. In the 20-35 the latter has two speeds
forward and one reverse and this gives the tractor a
range of speeds of 1.71 to 2.26 m. p. h., while in the
40-65 it has one speed forward and one reverse, which
gives a traction speed of 2 m. p. h. The differential
of both transmission systems is open. The final drive
TRACTORS FOR BIG FARMS 195
is by an external bull-gear and pinion. A big E. B.
tractor is shown in Fig po.
The Draw-Bar Pull. — The normal draw-bar pull
of the 20-35 is 3,600 pounds and that of the 40-65
is 10,000 pounds.
Fig. 90. — The E.-B. 40-65 Tractor
The Power Take Off. — The normal speed of the
belt pulley of the 20-35 is 595 r. p. m., while that of
the 40-65 is 500 r. p. m.
The Caterpillar Tractors. — This line of four big
crawlers is built by the Holt Manufacturing Company,
of Peoria, Ills. The two smaller ones are of the true
crawler type and the two larger sizes are of the com-
bined wheel and crawler type. The 25-45 will pull
from four to six plows and the 40-60 will pull from
six to eight plows.
The Power Plant. — The engines in all of the above
196 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
tractors are of the vertical type ; in the first three sizes
they have four cylinders, and the last one has six
cylinders. In the 25—45 the normal engine speed is
600 r. p. m., in the 40-60 it is 650 r. p. m., in the
50-75 it is 900 F. p. m., and in the 70-120 it is 550
r. p. m.
The lubrication in all of them is by the individual
pump positive feed system and the cooling system in-
cludes a tubular radiator, a centrifugal pump and a
fan. The fuel used in the 25-45 is gasoline fed by
the vacuum system; in the 40-60 it is gasoline or
kerosene, likewise, fed by the vacuum system ; in the
50-75 either gasoline or kerosene is used and this is
fed by gravity, and in the 70-120 gasoline is recom-
mended and it is fed by the vacuum system. All sizes
are equipped with the magneto and this is fitted with
an impulse starter. A top view of a lo-ton Caterpillar
is shown in Fig ij, Chapter II.
The Transmission System. — All of the Caterpillar
tractors have multiple disk clutches. The 25-45 size
has a spur-gear transmission with two speeds for-
ward and one reverse giving a range of tractor speeds
of from I y* to 3 /^ m. p. h.
The 40-60 has a sliding gear transmission of three
speeds forward and one reverse, which give a range of
tractor speeds of from 1.4 to 3.9 m. p. h. ; the 50-75
has a planetary gear transmission with one speed for-
ward and one reverse, which give a range of tractor
speeds of from 2 to 5 m. p. h., and, finally, the 70-
120 has a sliding gear transmission with two speeds
TRACTORS FOR BIG FARMS 197
forward and one reverse which give a range of tractor
speeds of from i/4 to 3 m. p. h.
The 40-60 size has a differential but the other three
sizes have none. The final drive of the 25-45 is an
internal gear and pinion; that of the others is a chain
drive.
The Drazif-Bar Pull. — The normal draw-bar pull
of the 25 to 45 is 4,500 pounds; that of the 40 to 60
is 6,000 pounds; that of the 50 to 75 is 8,500 pounds,
and that of the 70-120 is 10,600 pounds.
The Power Take Off. — The speed of the belt pulley
at normal engine speed of the 25-45 is 865 r. p. m. ;
that of the 40-60 is 710 r. p. m. ; that of the 50-75
is 900 r. p. m., and that of the 70-120 is 460 r. p. m.
The International 15-30 Tractor. — This big farm
tractor is built by the International Harvester Com-
pany of America, at Chicago, Ills. It will pull four
plows and it costs $4,000.
The Traction Members. — This tractor is of the
four-wheel type with the drive wheels in the rear.
TJie Power Plant. — The engine is of the horizontal,
four cylinder type and has a normal speed of 575 revo-
lutions per minute. It is lubricated by the individual
pump positive feed system and is cooled by a tubular
radiator, a rotary pump and a fan. The fuel used is
kerosene and this is fed by a pump to the carburetor.
A magneto is the source of high tension current that
fires the fuel charge.
The Transmission System. — The clutch is of the
single disk type and the transmission, which is of the
198 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
sliding gear type has two speeds forward and one re-
verse and gives a tractor speed of 1.8 to 2.4 m. p. h.
The differential is enclosed and the final drive is by
a chain and sprocket and this is also enclosed. A pic-
ture of the International is shown in Fig. pi.
The Draw-Bar Pull. — The normal draw-bar pull is
2,350 pounds.
Fig. 91. — The International 15-30 Tractor
The Power Take Off. — The belt pulley has a speed
of 575 r. p. m., when the engine is running at its
normal speed.
The Twin City Tractors. — This is a line of big
farm tractors that is built by the Minneapolis Steel
and Machinery Company, of Minneapolis, Minn.
There are four of these tractors, namely, the 16-30,
TRACTORS FOR BIG FARMS 199
which pulls four plows and which sells for $3,500;
the 25-45, which pulls six plows and sells for $4,200;
the 40-65 which pulls eight plows and sells for $5,000,
and the 60-90, which pulls twelve plows and sells for
$6,000.
The Traction Members. — All of the above tractors
are of the four-wheel type with the drive wheels in
the rear.
The Power Plant. — The engines in all of these
tractors are of the vertical type and the first three sizes
have four cylinders while the last and largest has a six
cylinder engine. The 16-30 has a normal engine
speed of 650 r. p. m. ; the 25-40 has a speed of 600
r. p. m. ; the 40-65 and the 60-90 have a speed of 535
r. p. m.
The lubrication of them all is by the individual pump
positive feed system, and the cooling system includes a
tubular radiator, a centrifugal pump and a fan. The
fuel used in all of the sizes is gasoline or kerosene
and it is fed in the 16-30 by the vacuum system;
and in the others by the compressed air system. All of
the engines have the magneto system of ignition and
the magneto is fitted with an impulse starter.
The Transmission System. — The contracting band
clutch is used in all sizes of these tractors as well as
a sliding gear transmission. In the first two sizes
it gives two speeds forward and one reverse and in
the last two sizes it gives one speed forward and one
reverse. In the 16-30 the range of tractor speeds
is from 2 to 2% m. p. h. ; in the 25-40 it is 1.4 to 2
200 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
m. p. h. ; in the 40-60 and 60-90 it is 2 m. p. h.
All sizes have an enclosed differential and the final
drive in the 16-30 is an enclosed internal bull-gear and
pinion, while in the 25-45, the 40-65 and the 60-90
it is an external bull-gear and pinion. A top view of
a Twin City 40-65 tractor is shown in Fig. 10, and a
side view of a Twin City 60-90 tractor is shown in
Fig. II.
The Draw-Bar Pull. — The normal draw-bar pull of
the 16-30 is 3,000 pounds; of the 25-45 it is 6,700
pounds; of the 40-65 it is 7,500 pounds, and of the
60-90 it is 11,250 pounds.
The Power Take Off. — The belt pulley speed of the
various sizes at normal engine speed is as follows:
for the 16-30 it is 528 r. p. m., for the 25-45 it is
600 r. p. m., for the 40-65 and the 60-90 it is 535
r. p. m.
The Yuba Ball Tread Tractors.— These tractors
are built by the Ynha Manufacturing Company, of
Marysville, Cal. The 20-35 tractor will pull six to
eight plows, and costs $4,700, and the 40-70 will
pull eight or ten plows and costs $6,250.
The Tractor Members. — Both of the above tractors
are of the combine wheel and crawler type, having
one wheel in front and two crawlers at the rear. The
crawlers travel on large steel balls instead of on wheels,
hence, the name Ball Tread.
The Power Plant. — Both tractors have engines of
the z^ertical type with four cylinders ; the normal speed
of the 20-35 is 700 r. p. m., and the 40-70 is 600
TRACTORS FOR BIG FARMS 201
r. p. m. The lubrication of both sizes is the individual
pump positive feed type, and the cooling system in-
cludes a tubular radiator, a centrifugal pump and a fan.
The fuel used is gasoline or distillate and this is fed
to the carburetor by gravity, while a true high ten-
sion magneto is employed to fire the fuel charge.
The Transmission System. — In the 20-35 ^ multiple
disk clutch is used while in the 40-70 the clutch is of
the expanding shoe type. In both sizes the trans-
FiG. 92. — The Yuba Ball Tread 20-35 Tractor
mission is of the sliding gear type ; the 20-35 ^^s two
speeds forward and one reverse and give a range of
tractor speeds from 2.06 to 3.28 m. p. h., while in
the 40-70 it has three speeds forward and one. reverse
and give a range of tractor speeds from 1.59 to 2.84
m. p. h. The 20-35 ^^s no differential but the 40-70
uses an enclosed one. The final drive in both sizes
is a bull pinion in the crawler links. It is illustrated
in Fig. ^2.
The Draw-Bar Pull. — The normal draw-bar pull
202 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
of the 20-35 is 5,000 pounds and that of the 40-70 is
10,700 pounds.
The Power Take Off. — The belt pulley speed of the
20-35 is 700 r. p. m., and that of the 40-70 is 600
r. p. m., when the engine is running at its normal
speed.
Other Big Farm Tractors. — Besides the tractors
enumerated above there are many others built for farm
work, as the following table shows :
K
co "^
OO 00-m*jOO
CO fO rofO'^^00 fO
^ 2
si
S '^ 'J
a <;> s
Co
3e t 2 2 2
0V60
S '^ VJ ^
»< ;^ V Ci^
C3 a Q ;^"Cl
s s ^
ho «« o .
C »^ rt
'^ ^''^"^
CO . r u
-els
X . o t- u O
^ "^ C C I— ( ^l-H . ™
CKi 1« ;S c , ^ . o ^
o>.£.tipq ro ^^
^^d^^^ldS
•^ _. w- «_ en rt
U.5 >-'^ 2 .';i
C) H ^ t* f,
<^ o o t-^
»>-l «\| NO **< N
C5^
.2 5 "^ -e^
vo o o o oo
*- »- S
a. 2
in o o
1^'
OOO'O'OOOOOOO 'O^O o O "^
»o t^ »o f*^ f^vD "*^sp 'n"^ »'^"^'>)'p'>i'V)
>r^ lO >r^ <^0o io0>00^»vj0opv^>0
d J"
go.
V) o
is
C
. o
i:: o
H.2
1^5
o P--
r 2^
O I-
^ o
o ^
U c
u 04
bo
c
C/5
C
go
o"2
^1=
5 0^: H
hJ J
o
rt O
C w
X is
c
c
O
ll
mm
c '^
^ o-C OC/}
.2 ui .6
£sS^o
coc/iHHN
204
CHAPTER VIII
DRAW-BAR AND BELT POWER
APPLICATIONS
As far as tractor power is concerned all farm
machinery can be divided into two general classes
namely ( i ) those that are hitched to the draw-bar,
and (2) those that are belted to the pulley.
SOME DRAW-BAR APPLICATIONS
Where plows, harrows and other draw-bar imple-
ments are employed it is necessary, in order to get the
highest efficiency, (A) to use those that are built
especially for tractor work, and (B) to use the right
kind of hitches.
Implements made especially for use with tractors
are more serviceable than horse-drawn tools because
they are more substantially built and, hence, stand up
better under the stresses and strains to which they are
subjected, while the matter of using right or wrong
hitches often means the success or failure of the tractor
in field work.
Why Hitches are Needed. — The reason hitches
of various kinds are needed is (a) so that any kind
of an implement can be coupled to the tractor, (b)
20s
2o6 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
so that two or more implements can be coupled to the
tractor and used at the same time, and (c) so that the
draft is lightened to the greatest possible extent.
Hitches for Plows and Harrows. — For Plozvs. —
Hitches for use with either the modern tractor plow or
the engine gang plow are usually taken care of by the
manufacturers of these implements and of the tractors.
Some tractor makers furnish a plow hitch formed of
a plate with holes in it for the plow devices. So you
do not need to give the plow hitch any further thought.
For Harrows. — Neither do ordinary drag nor disk
harrows need any other hitch than the draw-bar which
the makers furnish with them as a regular part of
the implement. But where a number of harrows are to
be used abreast, a special hitch is needed. With a
tandem disk harrow that has a fore-carriage, or tongue-
truck, as it is called, fitted to it you will have to use a
chain hitch which is long enough to keep the tractor,
when it is traveling over uneven ground from exerting
any pressure on the tongue truck.
For Plows and Harrows. — It is a good plan to har-
row the ground as soon after it is plowed as possible
for it is then in a moist condition and is much more
easily and will be more thoroughly broken up than
if it is allowed to remain exposed to the sun and wind
for a time.
You can plow and harrow in one operation if you
have a tractor of sufficient power, for all you need to
do is to hitch a plow to the tractor and a harrow to
the plow as shown in Fig. pj. Where a disk har-
POWER APPLICATIONS
207
row is used, instead of the peg harrow shown in the
cut, a rigid stub tongue takes the place of the chain
in which case the coupling is made by means of a
clevis.
Fig. 93. — Hitch for One Plow and Harrow
Hitches for Listers, Cultivators, and Wagons. —
No especial hitch is needed where a single lister, a
cultivator, wagon, a combined wagon and hay loader,
a lime, or manure spreader is coupled to a tractor,
the stub tongue of these vehicles serving the purpose.
Some makers equip their tractors with an automatic
coupler so that it is easy to hitch on a wide variety
of vehicles.
But where two or more vehicles or implements are
to be used at the same time a special hitch must be
employed. As an example, where a two row lister is
2o8 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
used for planting corn a special hitch is needed, and,
again, where two wagons are used with a hay loader
a special hitch is also necessary. In these and in many
other ways by doubling up the vehicles or implements
the work can be greatly facilitated provided the right
kind of hitches are used and this not only means a
great saving in time but very often of saving the crop
by getting it in in time.
Hitches for Mowers and Harvesting Machines. —
A special hitch must be used to hitch up two or more
mowers to a tractor as well as for harvesting machines ;
you can buy these hitches ready made or you can make
them yourself according to what you figure your time
is worth, the exigencies of the case and your inclina-
tion to do the job.
Commercial Hitches. — By this term is meant
special hitches of every conceivable kind that are manu-
factured and marketed by various companies, the
names of some of which are given below. By writing
them your needs they will send you the information
you want. Here is a list of companies that make
hitches :
Deere and Co., Moline, Ills. ; Detroit Pressed Steel
Co., Detroit, Mich. ; Emerson-Brantingham Imple-
ment Co., Rock ford, Ills. ; Grand Detour Plow Co.,
Dixon, Ills. ; International Harvester Co., Chicago,
Ills. ; La Crosse Plow Co., La Crosse, Wis. ; Meadows
Mfg. Co., Pontiac, Mich. ; Oliver Chilled Plow Co.,
South Bend. Ind., and the South Bend Chilled Plow
Co., South Bend, Ind.
POWER APPLICATIONS 209
Home Made Hitches. — Wherever a special hitch
is needed you can make it yourself at a very small
outlay of time and money. All you have to do is to
write to the Secretary of any of the following com-
panies and he will send you gratis printed and illus-
trated instructions for making hitches of every kind
which will fit every purpose.
Deere and Co., Moline, Ills. ; Emerson-Branting-
ham Implement Co., Rockford, Ills. ; International
Harvester Co., Chicago, Ills., and the Oliver Chilled
Plow Co., South Bend, Ind.
About Draw-Bar Loadings. — You do not need
to figure out how many plows your tractor will pull
for the maker has carefully determined this factor
basing it on all sorts of experimental data and prac-
tical tests. Hence, I'm telling you that your one best
bet is not to use any more plows than the maker says
your tractor will pull.
You will often be tempted, when you are plowing
and find the tractor pulling along at an easy, steady-
going speed to hitch on another plow, or a harrow or
two, but this is mighty poor policy for it is just such
additional loads that will be sure to make some part
of the tractor break or else send it to the junk-pile
when it would otherwise be giving you good service.
Whenever you want to hitch on one or more imple-
ments take ofT one or more of those you have on so
that the draw-bar load will always be well within the
capacity of the tractor.
Plows Recommended for Normal Draw-Bar
210 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
Horse Power. — The following table gives the
number of plows recommended by the makers, the
normal draw-bar horse power of the tractor, the lowest
and highest draw-bar horse power of the tractor and
the normal pull in pounds at a speed of 2^^ miles per
hour which is the speed recommended for plowing by
the Society of Automotive Engineers.
Table of Draw-bar Ratings
Pl07i'S
Recommended
Average
Draw -bar
H. P. Rating
Lowest and
Highest
Draw-bar
H. P. Ratings
Drazv-bar
Pull in Lbs.
at 2y3 miles
per hour
I
2
3
4
■ 5
6 and 7
8 and lo
I0.2
14
17.1
20.8
23.3
35
5
6 to 17
8 " 18
12 " 20
18 « 24
20 " 27
30 " 40
800
1650
2250
2760
3500
3760
5600
How to Figure the Draw-Bar Pull of a Tractor.
— To find the draw-bar pull of a tractor for a speed
of 2Vz miles per hour use the following formula :
Draw-bar Pull,
in Pounds
Average Draw-bar
Horse Power Rating X 33,ooo Foot Pounds
Speed per Minute in Feet.
Now let US take an example. The plowing speed is
2Vz miles per hour, or 205 feet per minute. Sup-
pose you want to find the draw-bar pull of a tractor
having an average draw-bar horse power rating of
14 traveling at the plowing speed of 205 feet per
POWER APPLICATIONS 211
minute, then substitute these figures for the terms
in the above formula, Hke this :
14 X 33.000
205
By working this out you will find that
462,000
2,250
205
and 2,250 is the draw-bar pull in pounds.
If you want to use some other speed than the
standard one of 2% miles per hour, or 205 feet per
minute, you must reduce the speed in miles per hour
to feet per minute and substitute as before in the above
formula.
SOME BELT POWER APPLICATIONS
In buying a tractor be sure to get one large enough
to do all of your belt work for with some of the
smaller sizes it frequently happens that the power
take off is not enough and then you will either have to
buy a stationary engine or go out and hire one. In
any event you will have to pay extra for the power
that your tractor ought to deliver.
The Grain Thresher. — About the hardest work
that a tractor has to do, as far as belt work is con-
cerned, is running a thresher. The makers generally
recommend the size of thresher that can be run with
212 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
their tractors just as they recommend the number of
plows they will pull.
The diameter of the belt pulley on threshers varies
with different makers from 5 to I2^/1> inches and the
face varies from 4 to 10 inches; the pulley speed ranges
from 300 to 1,300 r. p. m., and the horse power re-
quired to run them is anywhere from 8 to 80. How to
make your thresher, and the other machines which fol-
low, run at the speed recommended and still keep the
speed of your engine normal will be told presently.
The Corn Husker and Shredder. — This machine
is used to husk the corn and shred the fodder when
the latter is called stover and is used to feed farm
stock. The power take-off of the tractor is largely
used in the corn growing belts to run these combined
buskers and shredders. The diameter of the belt
pulley on buskers and shredders varies from 5 to 16
inches and the face varies from 6 to 10V2 inches while
the pulley speed ranges from 500 to 1200 r. p. m.,
and the horse power from 6 to 25 according to the
size.
The Hay Baling Press. — The purpose of baling
hay is to make it easy to handle and compact for ship-
ping and storing. There is only al30ut 5 pounds of
loose hay in a cubic foot while it weighs 40 pounds
per cubic foot after it is baled. To compress it to
this extent requires power and, hence, this is another
machine on which the belt of a tractor gets in its fine
work.
The pulley diameters of different makes of hay
POWER APPLICATIONS 213
presses vary from 8 to 44 inches and the faces vary
from 7^2 to gVz inches; the pulley speeds range from
185 to 750 r. p. m., and the horse power required
to run them is from 4 to 35.
The Ensilage Cutter and the Silo.— The word
ensilage, or silage as it is called for short, means a
fodder made by cutting up green corn stalks, alfalfa
and other vegetable matter, into short pieces and this
is preserved in a silo which is an air-tight tower.
The silo is widely used on farms throughout the
country, for silage provides a valuable green food for
farm animals during the winter months.
The matter of cutting the silage and of filling the
silos with it takes power and this is part of the belt
work that nearly every tractor has to do. The
diameter of pulleys of ensilage cutters varies from
5 to 20 inches and the face from 4 to 14 inches. The
speed ranges from 400 to 1,200 r. p. m., and from 3
to 35 horse power is required to drive them according
to size.
The silos are filled by elevators on the cutters that
convey the silage to the top and dumps it in. There
are two kinds of elevators used and these are ( i ) the
double chain conveyer, or web carrier elevator, and
(2) the blower elevator. In the latter type the silage
is blown up and into the silo by a rotating fan.
The Corn Sheller. — A corn sheller is, as its name
fairly indicates, a machine that shells the corn from
the cobs. There are two kinds of these machines,
namely, (i) the spring sheller and (2) the cylinder
214 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
sheller. A spring sheller has picker wheels while a
cylinder sheller has a cylinder with ribs fixed to it.
Nearly all shellers have self-feeders that convey the
corn-on-the-cob to the separating mechanism.
The diameter of the pulley wheels varies from 6
to 26 inches and the face varies from 2 to 12 inches;
the speed recommended ranges from 200 to 1,100 r. p.
m., while from i to 28 horse power is needed to run
them according to the capacity of the machine.
The Feed Grinder. — Feed grinders are made to
grind all kinds of grain for feed purposes. The grind-
ing is done by means of either (i) rollers, or by (2)
burrs which are roughened disks. These burrs are
usually of steel but when a fine meal is wanted burrs
of stone are used. It is between these rotating ele-
ments that the grinding is done.
Grinders are often fitted with elevators so that the
ground grain can be sacked in one operation. The
diameter of the pulleys varies from 4 to 16 inches
and the face varies from 3^/^ to 12 inches. The speed
they run at varies from 200 to 1,600 r. p. m., and it
takes from i to 30 horse power to operate them.
TRACTOR PULLEYS AND BELTS
The Speed of Machines. — A machine of whatever
kind must be driven at the speed it was built for, for
if it is driven too fast it will wear itself out in no
time and if it is driven too slow it will waste the
power and may fail to do good work.
Now the pulley speeds of tractors and of farm
POWER APPLICATIONS 215
machines are arbitrary, that is, every maker fixes the
speed at which his machines are to run without regard
to any standardized rule, consequently, when you buy,
say a corn sheller, you will quite likely discover that
it will not either begin to develop the speed the maker
recommends, or it will run at far too high a speed,
when it is belted to the pulley of the tractor. So your
first job will be to put on a pulley that will give the
right speed.
If the speed of the machine is a little too fast or
too slow you can adjust the governor on your engine
to make up the difference. The better way, though,
is to provide all of your machines with the proper
sized pulleys and then all you will have to do, when
you want to use any one of them, is to back your
tractor into the belt, as it is called, throw on the power
and you are ready for work.
How to Find the Speed of a Pulley or a Belt. —
It is often convenient to know the speed a shaft or
a pulley is making. It is easy enough to do this by
using a speed indicator — a little mechanical device
that you can buy at any tool store for a couple of
dollars.
The way to find the number of revolutions per
minute a shaft or pulley is running at is to press the
end of the indicator against the center of the shaft, or
by putting a wheel on the indicator shaft and pressing
it against the face of the pulley or a belt you can find
the surface speed of it, that is, the number of feet it is
moving in a minute.
2i6 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
How to Find the Size of a Pulley. — In order to
run any farm machine at its proper speed, that is the
speed which the manufacturer recommends as the best,
you must be able to calculate the size of the pulley
needed on the machine.
The pulley on your tractor is, of course, of a fixed
size and if you want to run, say, an ensilage cutter
at a given speed, a ratio between the sizes of the tractor
pulley and the ensilage cutter pulley must be had. You
can easily find the size needed by using the following
formula :
Diameter j^j^^ ^^ Tractor Pulley X R.P.M. of Tractor Pulley
^u^He"^ ~ R.P.M. of the Machine Pulley
Now let us take an example. An ensilage cutter,
or other machine, is to be run at a speed of 800 r. p. m.,
by a tractor whose pulley is 16 inches in diameter
and which is driven at a speed of 400 r. p. m. What
must be the size of the pulley on the ensilage cutter or
other machine ?
Substituting now the known figures for the formula
above we have
Diameter of ^^^^<40O
Machine Pulley g^^
or worked out
Diameter of _ ^^oo
Machine Pulley " "^ " ^ '"^^^'
and 8 inches is the diameter of the pulley you want
on your ensilage cutter or other machine.
POWER APPLICATIONS 217
How to Find the Belt Speed. — The belt speed
of your tractor is the rate of travel of any one point
on the belt and it is measured in feet per minute.
You can find it by the following formula :
(Diameter of Tractor
Pulley X3.i4i6)XR.P.M. of Tractor Pulley
Belt Speeds ^
12 inches
where the diameter of the tractor pulley X 3.1416 =
the circumference of the tractor pulley in inches.
As an example, suppose the diameter of the tractor
pulley is 18 inches and its speed is 550 r. p. m. Sub-
stituting these figures in the formula we have,
18X3-1416X550
Belt Speeds
12
or,
31,200
Belt Speed = = 2,600 feet,
12
and 2,600 feet is the speed of the belt in feet per
minute.
CHAPTER IX
HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR
TRACTOR
More tractors go to the scrap heap every year for
the want of care than because of wear. If a tractor
is built right to begin with and is operated and taken
care of right afterward there is no reason why it should
not give good service for a period of ten years.
But very few tractors are built right, for their de-
sign and construction is a new and a difficult branch
of automotive engineering and, hence, nearly all, if
not all, of them have their weak points. Then, they
are generally run by men who have had little or no
experience with tractors, and added to the above un-
toward features is the greater one of gross negligence
in failing to take reasonable care of it. The net result
of it all is that the tractor kicks in after a couple of
years and the owner kicks himself for having bought
it.
Running the Tractor Yourself. — Because the
tractor is built up of a number of finely organized and
highly specialized units does not prevent any one of
ordinary intelligence from running it just as any one
can drive a motor car or a motor truck after he has
been shown how a couple of times though he may
218
HOW TO TAKE CARE OF TRACTOR 219
not know the difference between a piston ring and a
wrist pin.
If you are going to run the tractor yourself, or have
some member of your family run it — and this is
isually the best way to begin to treat it right — you
ought to do one of two things, namely (i) to get some
one who really understands tractors to teach you all
he can about it, or (2) go to some motor car school
where tractioneering is taught and take the course in
operating and caring for it.
Nearly all tractor companies offer a course of in-
struction in the use of their tractors at a nominal fee
and you should by all means take advantage of it for
any small outlay you may make in the beginning will
be returned to you a hundred fold later on.
No sane farmer would think for a moment of letting
a callow city youth take entire charge of his team of
$800 horses without previous experience, but many
otherwise sane farmers turn their brand new $5,000
tractors over to Jim, Jack or Bill because they know
how to fix the gears on a windmill or a pumpjack.
The ultimate result will be the same in either case,
i. e., the horses will go to the bone-yard and the tractor
will go to the junk-pile in short order. No, if you
are going to use a tractor and make it pay on your
farm you have got to know the innards of it so that
you can scent where the trouble is the moment it shows
up and be able to take care of it at once instead of
letting it go until it develops into a breakdown.
About Hiring a Tractioneer. — If you are u^
220 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
against the proposition of hiring a man to run your
tractor try, if possible, to get one (i) who naturally
likes machinery, for he will be likely to take good
care of it, (2) who has run a gasoline or an oil engine,
(3) who knows something about heavy duty ma-
chinery, and, finally, (4) who has worked on a farm.
To put your hand on such a good man Friday is,
of course, well nigh, impossible but you can take a
chance on a fellow who possesses two or three of the
above qualifications. Another, and an excellent way
to get the makings of a tractioneer is to write to the
tractor schools for one, for they are constantly turn-
ing out any number of good, steady, ambitious young
fellows and all they need is a little practical experience.
Taking Care of Your Tractor. — There are only
four things that you have to look after all the time on
a tractor and these are (i) the lubricating system, (2)
the cooling system, (3) the fuel system, and (4) the
ignition system. The things that you have to look
after once in a while will be enumerated presently.
Keeping the Tractor Oiled. — The two chief parts
of a tractor that need constant lubrication are (i)
the engine and (2) the transmission system, and the
oils used for these parts are of very different kinds.
Now the great secret of taking good care of your
tractor is (A) to keep it lubricated with the right kind
of oil and grease, and (D) to keep it well oiled all
of the time, for nothing makes a tractor go to pieces
so quickly as the want of oil, and next to this is the
want of the proper kind of oil.
HOW TO TAKE CARE OF TRACTOR 221
Lubricating the Engine. — Different from a motor
car or a motor truck engine the engine of a tractor
is working all the time at full load and, consequently,
the high power explosions heat the cylinders to a much
higher temperature than in the engines of the two just
named types of vehicles.
This means, then, that an oil must be used to lubri-
cate the tractor engine that is heavier and has a lower
volatility, or Hash test,^ as it is called, than ordinary
motor car oils. As a general rule, where the engine
has a splash and circulating system, a heavy lubri-
cating oil is needed, but where the individual pump
positive feed system is used an extra heavy oil is neces-
sary.
The maker of your tractor will tell you the right
grade of oil to use for the engine as well as the make
of oil he prefers and you should by all means follow
his instructions for his information is based on long
experience and various kinds of costly tests. Or you
can write to the Tide Water Oil Company, 11 Broad-
way, New York, or the Vacuum Oil Company, 100
Broadway, New York, and either firm will tell you
exactly the kind of oil you should use and they will
tell you right.
Lubricating the Transmission System. — The trans-
mission systems of all tractors are about alike, and
Fig. p4 shows one in which the transmission runs in
oil and the differential is exposed, while Fig pj shows
1 The flash test is the lowest temperature at which the vapor
from an oil will ignite but not keep on burning.
222 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
the lubricating system of a Fordson tractor where all
of the rotating parts run in oil. Either a semi-Huid
oil or a gear compound is used and this is poured into
the transmission case through the filling plug hole until
it begins to run out of the constant level plug hole.
Fig. 94, — A Transmission Lubricating System
When you want to drain off the oil remove the drain
plug at the bottom of the case.
All transmission gears, chain drives and bull-gears
and pinions that are not enclosed can be lubricated
with a cheap drip oil or a heavy adherent gear grease.
The transmission shafts, drive shafts and wheel bear-
ings are usually fitted with grease cups though in
HOW TO TAKE CARE OF TRACTOR 223
some tractors these are lubricated by a unit oiling
system. When you get your tractor screw down the
grease cups until the grease oozes out of the sides of
the bearings as they require more grease when the
tractor is new.
A Few Lubrication Don'ts. — Don't fail to get a
lubrication chart from the dealer you buy your tractor
of as this shows you where every part of it is to be
Fig. 95. — Lubricating System of a Fordson Tractor
oiled and how often it is to be oiled. Don't use a
pail that has dust on or dirt in it for carrying oil from
the supply barrel to the engine.
Don't fail to cork up the barrel after you have
drawn oil from it. Don't let the pail of grease re-
main open, especially if you carry it on the tractor
with you, but always keep it covered with an air tight
cover; grease with dust or dirt in it is worse than
no grease at all. Don't start the engine unless you
224 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
know to a certainty that there is plenty of oil in the
sump or tank.
Keeping the Engine Cool. — Water Cooling. —
Where water is used for cooling the engine see that
it is never lower than the three-quarter level in the
radiator but always keep it full if possible. Low
water reduces the cooling capacity of the radiator and
this will cause the engine to heat up. Use only clean,
pure water — rain water is the best — and strain it
before you put it into the radiator. Every tractor has
a strainer in the filler of the radiator and be sure to
see that it is always in there.
Should you ever be so careless as to let the engine
run without water, or with the water failing to circu-
late, the pistons may become heated to such an extent
that they will stick in the cylinders.
In this event pour enough engine oil into the
cylinders to fill them and crank the engine until the
pistons again work smoothly. If the pistons are
badly stuck you may not be able to crank it even with
the oil in the cylinders. By pouring some kerosene in
the oil the pistons will be eased up so that you can
turn the crank provided they have not been too badly
damaged.
Water Cooling in Winter, — When freezing w^eather
comes on protect your engine against it by either ( i )
opening all of the drain cocks and letting the water
run out of the water cooling system every night, or
(2) pouring an anti-freezing solution into the radiator
made of ^5% of wood alcohol, 15% of glycerine and
HOW TO TAKE CARE OF TRACTOR 225
do% of water. This solution will not freeze if the
temperature does not fall more than 10 degrees below
o Fahrenheit.
A Couple of Water Cooling Don'ts. — Don't use a
pail to fill the radiator with that has had oil in it for
the oil will form a coating on the inside or outside of
the tubes and this will reduce the radiation of the heat.
Don't let dust, dirt or any other matter get into the
radiator for enough of it will keep the water from
circulating properly.
Oil Cooling. — Oil is used in some engine cooling
systems because (i) it does not boil, and, hence, (2)
it will not evaporate, and (3) it will not freeze. Any
good light lubricating oil or high test kerosene can be
used. The disadvantage of using oil is that it does
not radiate the heat nearly as rapidly as water.
Fan Cooling. — One of the common faults that
causes an engine to overheat is a fan belt that slips.
When you put on a fan belt be sure the smooth side,
that is, the hair side, is next to the pulley, and the
rough side, or Uesh side, is outside.
Caring for the Fuel System. — The Kind of Gaso-
line to Use. — In buying gasoline get as good a grade
as you can for the best is none too good these days.
You can make rough tests of gasoline with a hydro-
meter in the same way that you test the solution of a
storage battery with it. A grade of gasoline that has
a specific gravity ^ of 6^ or 70 degrees Baume is all
right for your tractor eilgine but the grade that you are
^ See any text book on Physics.
226 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
most apt to get has a specific gravity of 60 to 70 de-
grees.
It is usually easy to start the engine on a high grade
of gasoline, and sometimes it is very hard to start
it on a low grade gasoline, especially in winter. If you
are using a low grade of gasoline, or kerosene or
other fuel oil, keep a gallon or so of high grade gaso-
line on your tractor — most tractors are provided with
a tank for this purpose — to start the engine with and
you will have no trouble on this score.
Whatever kind of fuel oil you use be sure to filter
it through a piece of chamois skin to prevent particles
of dirt and sand from going through the fuel system
and into the cylinders. Filtering the fuel oil will also
remove any water there may be in it. You must take
care to keep the lint of cotton waste from getting
into the feed pipe for it will stop up the fuel inlet of
the carburetor, which has a fine strainer over it, and
this will prevent the fuel from flowing through, and,
of course, the engine will stop.
The Kind of Kerosene to Use. — Kerosene is not as
good a fuel for tractor engines as gasoline and unless
it is completely vaporized it will form heavy deposits
of carbon in the cylinders. Formerly water had to
be injected into the cylinders with the fuel mixture
to prevent the carbon from coating the cylinder walls
but recent improvements in preheating the fuel mixture
permits kerosene to be used very satisfactorily with-
out the use of water.
The kind of kerosene that is used for engines is
HOW TO TAKE CARE OF TRACTOR 227
of a lower grade, i. e., of a lower fire point ^ than that
used in lamps. The latter has a fire point of 140 to
1^0 degrees Fahrenheit while the former has a fire
point of only 100 to ITV degrees Fahrenheit. The
lower grade, however, makes a better fuel oil than the
higher grade for it ignites at a lower temperature,
evaporates more readily and is considerably cheaper.
Since it costs only about half as much as gasoline
this factor compensates for whatever shortcomings
it may have.
About Heavy Fuel Oils. — The same care must be
exercised in using kerosene, distillate and other heavy
fueL oils that is prescribed for gasoline.
Caring for the Ignition System. — Nearly all
tractors are equipped with a magneto for firing the
cylinders as they should be. Where a storage battery
and circuit breaker system is used you must see to it
that the battery does not get weak or run down. With
a magneto there is nothing to do except to give it a
little oil and clean the spark plugs. Although the
magneto is an enclosed piece of electrical apparatus it
should have a leather case fitted over it to keep it from
getting wet.
The spark plugs must be looked after to see that the
electrodes are in good condition and that they are
gapped right, that is the distance between the points
of the electrodes form the right length of spark gap. r^
1 The Hre point is the lowest temperature at which the oil will
ignite from its vapors when a small flame is brought near it and
quickly taken away.
228 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
Keeping Your Tractor Clean. — By this sign shall
ye be known, namely, the way your tractor looks. To
keep your tractor clean is an important matter not be-
cause it looks good but because it spells economy.
Clean the engine with waste, wipe or wash the dust
and dirt off of the radiator, hood and exposed parts
and if there is mud on the traction members, and
especially the bull-gears, scrape it off and your tractor
will run the better for it. Then run it under cover
and throw a tarpaulin over it.
SUMMARY OF HOW TO CARE FOR
YOUR TRACTOR
Daily Care and Upkeep. — The first thing in the
morning go over every part of your tractor and see
that it is fit and ready for the day's run. Begin by see-
ing ( I ) that the connecting rod bearings are tight and
if not take them up; (2) that every bolt and nut is
tight, and (3) that every part of the tractor is intact.
(4) Fill the sump of the engine, or tank, with lubri-
cating oil, fill the bull-gear oilers and fill and screw
down all of the grease cups. (5) Put a couple of
drops of light machine oil on the bearings of the
magneto. (6) Fill the fuel oil tanks, and (7) fill the
radiator with water. (8) Whenever you make a stop
feel of all of the engine bearings to ascertain if they
are cool and see that they are getting all the oil they
need.
Weekly Care and Upkeep. — At the end of every
week ( I ) drain the oil out of the crank case of the
HOW TO TAKE CARE OF TRACTOR 229
engrne, the pipes and the pump and flush them out
with gasoHne or kerosene and then put in fresh clean
oil. (2) See that the oil in the transmission case is up
to the constant level plug. (3) Drain the water out of
the cooling system and fill it with clean water, and
(4) take out the spark plugs, clean them and see that
they are gapped right.
(5) Where the tractor is working 10 or 12 hours
a day the exhaust valves must be ground at least once
every other week, but where the engine is running
18 or more hours a day they must be ground every
week. This grinding operation is to make them seat
properly and so prevent a loss of compression in the
cylinders. The inlet valves seldom require grinding
for the fuel mixture that strikes them is cool compared
with the burnt gases that strike the exhaust valves.
It is a very simple matter to grind these valves and I
will tell you how to do it in the next chapter.
Finally (6), every month drain the oil out of the
transmission case, flush it out clean with kerosene and
fill it with clean oil.
Care at the End of the Season. — When you are
all through with your draw-bar and belt work for the
season (i) run your tractor under cover where it
will be well protected from the rigors of winter. (2)
Pour a quart or so of semi-fluid oil into each cylinder
and crank the engine so that it will form a thick film
on the cylinder walls. ( 3 ) Take off the cylinder head,
or valve caps, and smear some semi-fluid oil on the
valves and valve seats. Then put some thick oil on the
230 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
threads of the valve caps and screw them back on tight,
all of which is done to prevent the moisture that forms
inside of the engine during the winter months from
rusting it. See to it that the prime and relief cocks
are shut tight. Then, (4) run off the oil in the gear
case and wash it out with kerosene.
(5) Drain off the water from the water cooling
system and take off all the cocks. (6) Shut off the
cock at the fuel tank and drain off the fuel oil from
the pipe and carburetor. (7) Either take off the
magneto and put it away in a perfectly dry place or
else tie a couple of thicknesses of canvas around it.
Likewise cover the governor and the carburetor with
canvas, and, (8) either take off the fan belt, or cover
it with canvas.
Finally, (9) as you are going over the tractor make
a note of every new part you will need the following
spring to put it in good shape and then and there write
out a list of them. Some time during the winter
send your order in to the manufacturer so that you
will be sure and have everything you need when you
want it.
When spring rolls round again start in by ( i ) tak-
ing off all the covers, then, (2) remove the semi-fluid
oil from the cylinders, this you can do by the
liberal use of kerosene, and see that they are well
washed out. (3) Pour a quart or so of the kind of
lubricating oil you use into each cylinder, and crank
the engine until all of the oil has run down into the
crank case. (4) Prime the cylinders with gasoline and
HOW TO TAKE CARE OF TRACTOR 231
put a little lubricating oil in with it so that there
will be enough oil to lubricate the pistons and cylinders
until the lubricating system begins to work, and last
of all (5) fill the transmission case with fresh oil or
grease and you are ready for work again.
The Price of Tractor Economy. — If you will do
all of the above things conscientiously you will add
years to the life of your tractor and dollars to your
bank account for eternal vigilance is the price of tractor
economy.
CHAPTER X
TRACTOR TROUBLES AND HOW TO
FIX THEM
In running a tractor you will run up against two
kinds of trouble, namely, (i) those that are a mere
matter of adjustment, and (2) those that are of a
more serious nature caused by breakage. In this
chapter we will look into the first kind and in the next
chapter we will take care of the second.
The Symptoms of Trouble. — You will know when
an adjustment of some kind is needed by the way
the engine behaves. Now there are three general
symptoms that indicate trouble and these are ( i ) when
the engine knocks, (2) when the engine overheats and
(3) when the engine loses power. In any event when
these symptoms show up stop the tractor at once and
find out what the trouble is.
When the Engine Knocks. — The chief causes that
make an engine knock are (i) having the spark ad-
vanced too far; (2) the fuel mixture is not properly
proportioned; (3) the bearings have too much play;
(4) there is carbon in the cylinders, or (5) there is
a piston slap.
Adjusting the Spark Control. — One of the com-
232
TRACTOR TROUBLES 233
monest causes of knocking is having the spark ad-
vanced too far, by which is meant that you have pushed
the spark control lever so far ahead that the spark
takes place in the cylinders before it ought to and so
fires the fuel charge prematurely. Try pulling the
spark lever back a couple of notches.
Proportioning the Fuel Mixture. — Where knocking
is caused by an improper fuel mixture adjust the air
valve, or change the position of the nozzle of the
carburetor so that the mixture is made leaner, that is,
so that it will use more air and less gas. When the
fuel mixture is right the color of the exhaust will be
clear with a bluish tinge and it will have a sharp sound.
Taking Up the Bearings. — A good tractioneer will
not wait until he hears the engine pounding to find
out it is a loose bearing that is doing it but he will
test the bearings religiously every week. To test a
bearing turn the crankshaft over to a position where
you can put a bar under the rod cap of the connecting
rod and pry it up and down when you can easily tell
if it is loose or not.
The Connecting Rod Bearings. — Between the con-
necting rod and its rod cap there are a number of
shims, see C in Fig. 14, page 39, which are pieces of
metal a little thicker than a sheet of writing paper. If
the bearing is loose unbolt the rod cap, take out one or
more of the shims and bolt the rod cap to the rod
again.
Many engines are fitted with laminated shims and
when you want to tighten up the bearing one or more
234 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
of these can be peeled off. You must take pains not
to get the bearing too tight or you will have to add
one or more shims cut out of writing paper until the
bearing has no play and yet runs easily. Always put
the cap back in its original position, that is without
turning it around, and be mighty careful you do not
get dust or dirt on it.
The Crankshaft Bearings. — You can test the crank-
shaft bearings in the same fashion as the connecting
rod bearings, that is by prying them up and down. In
taking up these bearings do the work on one first and
then on the other. This makes it easier to tell when
the bearings are tight enough. When the bearings
have become so worn that you have to put in new
ones you can get bronze hacked babbited bearings of
the maker of your tractor.
To Remove the Carbon, — When there is too much
lubrication oil used, or it is of too poor a grade, or
where the fuel mixture is too rich, or crude fuel oils
are used, they leave fine particles of carbon behind
in the cylinder and this is very injurious to the walls of
it and frequently causes the engine to knock.
To get the carbon out of the cylinders of an L or
a T head engine remove the valve caps and turn the
crankshaft over until the piston is on its top dead center.
It is now possible to reach the head of the piston where
the carbon chiefly gathers and with scraping tools
made for the purpose you can scrape the carbon loose
and into the exhaust passage. See Fig. pd.
In an engine that has a removable head you will
TRACTOR TROUBLES
235
have to uncouple the valve springs and take it off.
You can then easily reach the piston head and clean
the carbon off of it with the scraping tool as before.
In either case, when you have scraped it out, brush all
CARBON
SCRAPINC
TOOLS
Fig. 96. — Removing the Carbon from a Cylinder
of the loose particles out with exceeding care and then
wash all of the parts off with kerosene.
Remedying the Piston Slap. — Sometimes a connect-
ing rod will get bent a little or the piston rings will
become so worn that there will be a loss of compres-
sion and either of these defects will cause the engine
236 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
to knock. The remedy is to replace the offending rod
or rings with new ones.
Replacing Piston Rings. — To tell which piston is
leaking take off the side cover plates from the crank-
case, put your ear to the opening and have your helper
turn over the crank. If you listen now you can hear
the sound of the escaping gas as the pistons work
against compression and so tell which one it is that
leaks.
,.N^
^l^"
Fig. 97. — Removing Piston Rings
If you find black spots on a ring, or rough spots
on the surface, or on the ends of it, put in a new
one. In putting in a new ring see that it fits in the
groove snug but it must not bind. The ends of the
ring must have a clearance of %4 of an inch where
they come together, after the piston is in the cylinder.
To take a ring off of a piston slip three or four thin
strips of tin, or brass, Y2 an inch wide and 6 inches
long, under the ends of the ring and work them along
until they are at equidistant points between the ends
of the ring as shown in Fig. p/; you. can then push
TRACTOR TROUBLES 237
the ring from the groove it sets in and so take it off.
To put a new ring on a piston sHp the ring over
the strips of metal, push it down until it is over the
groove into which it is to go and then pull out the
strips.
When the Engine Overheats. — There is an even
dozen of sufficient causes that make an engine over-
heat and these are (i) too late a spark; (2) a slip-
ping fan belt; (3) not enough, or too poor grade of
lubricating oil; (4) a lack of water; (5) the water
system is choked up; (6) the water pump impeller
is damaged; (7) a choked up muffler; (8) carbon in
the cylinders ; (9) overload on the engine ; (10) racing
of the engine ; (11) piston rings too large for the
cylinders, and (12) valves that are not timed correctly.
The thing to do to remedy most of the above defects
is obvious but the others need some explanation.
Adjusting the Spark Control. — A frequent cause of
overheating lays in having the spark over retarded,
that is, you have pushed the spark control lever back
so far that the spark takes place after it ought to and
so fires the fuel charge too late. Try pulling the spark
lever ahead a few notches and note the effect on the
engine.
Tightening the Fan Belt. — When a fan belt slips
the fan fails to pull the air through the radiator and
this reduces its heat radiating capacity. This causes
the engine to overheat and if not attended to at once it
is liable to do a lot of damage to the engine. To
tighten a fan belt tighten up the idler, or if the engine
238 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
is a late model screw up the nut on the spring that
increases its tension.
Replacing the Water Impeller, — After long use the
blades of the impeller of the centrifugal pump become
worn and once in a while a blade may break. In either
case put a new impeller in the pump. When you put
the pump back in place see that the stuffing box is
screwed up or it will leak.
<^^^p^
i^eveu
Fig. 98. — Graphic Representation Showing the Extra Horse
Power Needed on Grades
Lightening the Load. — Overloading the tractor
either at the draw-bar or the power take off is a
common and disastrous practice. This is generally
due to the fact that the tractioneer does not give a
thought to the kind or condition of the road he is
travelling over or what the grade may be. Fig. g8
shows graphically the extra horse power it takes to
pull a given load on different grades.
When a tractor pulls a loaded wagon of given weight
on sandy soil it takes about 7 times as much power as
TRACTOR TROUBLES 239
when it pulls the same load on a smooth hard road.
Further, for every i per cent, of grade, it takes as
much additional power to pull it as though you added
to the load i per cent, of the weight of it when the
tractor is hauling it on a level road.
When the Engine Races. — Next to a lack of oil,
racing the engine is the quickest way to destroy it.
By racing is meant running the engine at speeds way
above the normal. Sometimes this is, foolishly, done
intentionally, but once in a while it results from a de-
fective governor.
When racing occurs see that all of the pipe con-
nections of the governor are tight and that none of
the lock nuts have worked loose. Then adjust the
governor until it gives the speed you want. If it won't
make the engine respond you can conclude that there
is something very much the matter with it. Don^t
try to fix it but write, or wire, the maker of your
tractor, or his nearest distributor, when a new one will
be shipped to you and when you get it you can send
the old one back.
Using Piston Rings that Fit. — Where the piston
rings are too large for the cylinders the friction will
be excessive and consequently the wear will be pro-
portionately great and no amount of oil will keep
it down. The only remedy is to get piston rings
that are not too large. The way to put on piston rings
has already been described.
Timing the Valves Correctly. — When the valves are
not timed correctly, that is when they do not open and
240 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
close at the precise instant they should, the fuel is
not only wasted but the engine overheats as well. It
is not likely that the timing of the valves will be
thrown out of adjustment provided the crankshaft, or
the camshaft, or both, have not been disturbed when
putting in new bearings or taking up old ones.
As the inlet and exhaust valves are operated by the
rotation of the camshaft which is geared to the crank-
shaft it is natural that the time of their opening
and closing should be determined in degrees. Since
the flywheel, which is keyed to the crankshaft, is a
circle and there are 360 degrees in a circle, lines are
cut on the flywheel to indicate the position of the crank-
shaft and the time when the valves shall open and
close.
These lines on the flywheel must, of course, coincide
with some fixed line and this is cut on the frame.
Different makers use various marks to indicate when
the inlet and exhaust valves open and close, but as
an illustration let's suppose that the following marks
are used, namely, ( i ) InO which means intake open,
(2) InC, intake closes, (3) Ex O, exhaust opens and
Ex C exhaust closes, as shown in Fig. pp.
Now when the line In on the flywheel coincides
with the line on the frame the crankshaft is in such a
position that you want to set the camshaft so that the
inlet valve is just starting to open on the intake stroke.
Likewise, when the line marked In C on the flywheel
coincides with the line on the frame the intake valve
must start to close; when the line marked Ex O is
TRACTOR TROUBLES
241
even with the fixed line the exhaust valve must just
start to open on the exhaust stroke and, finally, when
the line Ex O is even with the fixed line the exhaust
valve must start to close.
Besides these valve lines there are two other lines
Fig. 99. — Diagram for Timing Valves
that show the dead centers of the crankshaft. As the
crankpins of a four cylinder engine set opposite each
other on the crankshaft two sets of lines and marks
are cut on the flywheel at an angle of 180 degrees
apart. Finally see to it that the right distance is had
242 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
between the valve stem and the push rod or the valves
will not open and close at the instant indicated by the
lines on the flywheel.
When the Engine Loses Power. — When the en-
gine begins to lose power yjou will know that it is due
to one of the following causes, to wit, ( i ) too late a
spark, (2) valves that are not timed right, (3) loss of
compression, (4) too rich a fuel mixture, (5) overheat-
ing of engine, or (6) the exhaust valve springs are
too weak. How to remedy all of the above troubles
has been explained except the last two, though the
first may involve the retiming of the magneto.
Timing the Magneto Correctly. — If the power of
the engine does not pick up when you advance the spark
then see if the magneto needs retiming. To time the
magneto turn the crankshaft over to the point where
both the inlet and the exhaust valves in cylinder No.
J, which is nearest the radiator,^ are closed when the
line on the flywheel and on the frame coincide. Now
remove the covers from the distributor and the inter-
ruptor, which are on the magneto.
Next turn the interruptor box counter clockwise,
that is, so that the top of it moves to the left when
it will be in the retard position. This done turn the
armature shaft around clockwise, with your fingers,
which is its direction of rotation, until the contact
points of the interruptor just begin to open and the
contact arm of the distributor is on the left hand lower
^ This does not apply to horizontal engines or vertical engines
that set horizontally on the frame.
TRACTOR TROUBLES
243
contact, see Fig. 100, and which is connected with the
spark plug of the No. i cylinder.
As the piston is at the top dead center of the No.
I cylinder and the contact points of the interruptor
are just ready to snap apart, which induces the cur-
rent that makes the spark, the magneto is then cor-
3PA/IK PLUGS
m
CONTACT
Fig. 100. — Magneto Timing Diagram Showing How the
Magneto Is Timed
rectly timed so that it will fire the fuel charge in
cylinder No. i, and also the other cylinders in succes-
sion at the right instant.
Now couple the armature shaft with the pump, or
other shaft it is run by, by tightening the nut that
holds the joint together. In doing this be mighty care-
ful that you do not turn the armature one way or the
other the smallest fraction of an inch. If the magneto
is fitted with an impulse starter it must trip just as the
244 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
line mark on the magneto coincides with the indicator
line cut in the frame.
The armature shaft and the pump, or other shaft,
which drives it, are coupled together by a flexible
joint,^ or oldham joint as it is sometimes called. This
joint allows the magneto to be taken off and put back
on easily and quickly. The two shafts when coupled
up, however, must be absolutely in alignment or the
strain on the magneto will make it vibrate and this
will soon wear out the bearings.
Loss of Compression. — This term means that the
compressed fuel mixture, or fuel charge, leaks out of
the cylinder. Loss of compression results, of course,
in loss of power with its attendant waste of fuel.
There are three things that cause loss of compres-
sion and these are (i) the use of a poor grade of
lubricating oil or not enough good oil, (2) piston
rings that leak, and (3) valves that leak. The
remedy for the first case is obvious, it has been de-
scribed for the second, and for the third it is to grind
the valves.
How to Grind the Valves. — If the valves are not
ground when they need it the hot exhaust gases will
pit them and if this continues for any length of time
it will ruin the seats so that it will take a deal of time
and trouble to get the valves to properly seat again.
The exhaust valves will need grinding at least once
a month and the inlet valves once every season.
In L and T head engines it is only necessary to
^This is not a universal joint.
TRACTOR TROUBLES
245
take the valve caps off of the cylinder head to get at
the valves as shown at A in Fig. 10 1, but with a valve-
in-the-head engine the head itself has to be unbolted
and taken off of the cylinder. In either kind un-
couple the valve springs first and then lift the valve
from its seat.
Now make a grinding paste of a little No. 120 emery
Itfr/NC VALVt
/^^tJ S3iD\
K^C-MiAO VALVH QJi/HDiNC B - VALVe tN THE MEAO CftlWlNC
Fig. ioi. — Grinding Valves
and a few drops of lubricating oil and thin it down
with kerosene.^ Rub a little of this paste on the
beveled edges of both the valve head and the seat
and slip a spiral spring over the valve stem to keep
it up except when you press down on it. Put a screw
driver bit in a carpenter's brace and set the blade of
^ Or, better, buy the paste ready made.
246 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
the bit in the slot of the valve head; press the latter
clown on its seat and turn it to and fro, holding it
down just hard enough to keep it in place.
Look at the valve every little while and see that
the paste is evenly distributed over the surface of it.
When the valve and its seat show a bright surface,
wipe both of them off and mark the beveled edge of
the valve head with a soft pencil. Now put the valve
back in its seat and turn it to and fro again; if all of
the pencil marks rub off it shows that the valve sets in
its seat gas tight but if some of the marks remain keep
on grinding the valve until the pencil mark test shows
that it does seat right.
Replacing a Weak Valve Spring. — When a weak
valve spring causes loss of compression put in a new
one. You can test the elasticity of a spring by slip-
ping the blade of a screw driver between the turns
of it while the engine is running. If the engine picks
up it shows that the spring is too weak and that a
new one is needed.
Fixing a Few Other Troubles.— ( i ) Common
brown soap will stop gasoline and kerosene leaks
for the time being. (2) Chewing gum will stop a
water leak, temporarily, if it is not too bad. (3)
A small loss of compression can be stopped until you
get a chance to put in new rings by using more oil
or heavier oil. (4) In driving in a drift-key always
allow a %2 inch clearance on top or you may split the
gear, or wheel, but the key must fit very tight on the
sides.
TRACTOR TROUBLES 247
(5) Never run your tractor when the clutch
slips as the heat developed will injure the surfaces.
It only takes a few minutes to tighten it up but in
doing the job be sure to expand both sides alike.
And, finally, (6) gears that are correctly designed and
which are well made will not vibrate to any extent
or make any great amount of noise unless they bottom,
that is when they mesh too closely. When this is the
case the peripheral edges of the teeth of one gear will
impinge on the bottom between the teeth of the other
gear. When this action takes place you must give
them more clearance or it will surely wreck the shafts
and bearings. All you need to do to give them clear-
ance is to add shims to the bearings.
CHAPTER XI
TRACTOR REPAIRS AND HOW
TO MAKE THEM
There are two chief ways in which much time is
lost where implements are pulled and machines are
driven by tractors and these are ( i ) when the imple-
ment or machine breaks down and ( 2 ) when the tractor
breaks down. And don't lose sight of the fact that
whenever anything happens which stops the work in
hand you are paying dearly for it.
How to Prevent Breakage. — The thing to do then
is to circumvent all possible delays and the way to
do this is to go over the implement or machine and
the tractor with due care before you couple them to-
gether.
As farm equipment is sent to the various branch
houses packed in the safest and most compact manner
much of it has to be reassembled after its arrival and
this work is often done by men who know more about
the selling end than they do about the working end.
Hence, what I have said above applies particularly to
draw-bar implements and belt machinery.
In going over the outfit you intend using tighten
up all the nuts first and be sure not to skip any. It
248
TRACTOR REPAIRS 249
is worse than useless to put a single nut on a bolt
on a piece of machinery unless you have a lock-washer
under it, and even when a lock-washer or a lock-nut
is used the jamb-nut may work off of the bolt and the
latter drop out.
I have known of instances, and you probably do
too, where a missing bolt shut down the work for an
hour or more, nay worse, where it resulted in the
actual breaking of a part and laid up the whole out-
fit for a week or longer. The best way to make a
bolt stay put is to use a cotter-pin in the end of it,
though this is not always feasible. At any rate,
tighten up every nut before you start out and then you
will be working on a safe margin and can go ahead
with a feeling of security.
How to Repair Broken Parts. — The Tools You
Need. — Should any minor part get bent, or broken,
or lost, you want to be able to repair it, or make a
new one, in the shortest possible time. To this end
you should get the following assortment of tools,
namely, (i) a blacksmith's portable forge with a
lever-operated rotary blower; (2) a 50-pound anvil
with tools; (3) a fairly heavy blacksmith's vise; (4)
a post drill with a chuck that will take twist drills
up to % an inch; (5) a couple of blacksmith's hammers
and a sledge; (6) a pair of long handled tongs and a
pair of pincers; (7) a large monkey wrench and a
Stilson wrench, and, (8) a couple of rasps.
A kit of machinist's tools will also come in handy
and this should include (a) a breast drill with a set
250 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
of twist drills from -1^ to % inch for drilling holes in
out of the way places; (b) a hack-saw with a dozen
blades; (c) a set of taps and dies for cutting screw
threads; (d) a pair of tinner's snips; (e) a set of cold
chisels; (f) a blow torch; (g) a soldering copper,
and finally, (h) a set of wrenches.
The Materials You Need. — A supply of iron bars
and rods of different sizes and an assortment of
various sized nuts and bolts will be about all the ma-
terials you will have to keep on hand.
On Making Emergency Repairs. — When an
ordinary part gets lost, bent, or broken, you can easily
make a new part, or straighten, or repair, the old
part so that it can be used, either temporarily or per-
manently, with the above tools and materials, then
and there. The blacksmith's forge, vise, post-drill
and other tools will give you the means for forging
parts of considerable size provided they do not require
great strength or extreme accuracy.
You will find the machinist's tools useful in fashion-
ing the smaller parts and fitting them in places for
which blacksmith's tools are not adapted. With the
taps and dies you can cut threads in a piece of metal
or on a rod or recut old threads in nuts and on bolts.
With the hack-saw you can not only saw off iron bars
and rods but you can saw off nuts that are rusted
on so tight that you can't start them with either a
wrench or by applying the heat of your blow-torch.
Finally, with the soldering outfit, you can solder leaks
in the radiator, fuel tanks, pipes, etc.
TRACTOR REPAIRS 251.
And, right here, a word of warning, to wit, when
you are going to solder a gasoline can, or tank, it is
not enough to merely empty the fuel out of it, but
you must unscrew the filler plug and let it remain ex-
posed to the air for a few hours. Otherwise, when
you go to solder it another tractioneer will be needed
as well as somebody, like Walt Mason, who can write
an epitaph, for gasoline is tremendously explosive when
mixed with a large volume of air as against gasoline
alone.
Replacing Broken Parts. — All tractors that are
made at the present time are built on the interchange-
able plan; that is, every individual part that is turned
out is of exactly the same size, and, hence, it will fit
any tractor of the type and size turned out by a given
maker.
This being true every tractor maker issues a Price
List of Parts and be sure that you get your copy
when you buy your tractor. This list gives the cor-
rect name, number, cipher word and price and, usually,
a picture of each different part of the tractor, so that
when you want to replace a damaged part you can look
it up and write or wire for it to the makers* nearest
distributor.
In sending by mail for a new part always give the
number of your tractor, which you will usually find
stamped on the end of the crankshaft or the crank-
case of the engine.
In ordering parts by letter you should use the number
given in the repair list, and if there is an alphabetic
,252 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
letter preceding, or following, the number don't fail
to give it also. In writing it's a good scheme to de-
scribe the part as well.
The cipher words given in the list enable you to
order easily, cheaply and with certainty by telegraph.
In this case use the cipher word only, but you want
to be sure to spell it right and then have the tele-
graph operator spell it out loud to you so that he won't
get it wrong. Makers and their distributors ship all
parts that are ordered by telegraph by express unless
you instruct them otherwise.
Once that you have received the part necessary to
make the replacement with it takes but very ordinary
mechanical ability to remove the bent or broken part
and put the new one in its place for it will fit exactly,
or practically so.
Repairing Large Broken Parts. — If some large
and costly part of your tractor breaks, as a cylinder,
a crankshaft, an axle, etc., you can have it welded
when it will be just as good as new, and at a cost
considerably lower than that of a new part.
There are three welding processes in use and these
are (i) the oxyacetylene process, (2) the thermit
process, and (3) the electric process. The two former
processes are generally used for making welds of
broken tractor parts. In the oxyacetylene process
acetylene gas is burned in a jet of oxygen and this
makes an intense welding heat.
In the thermit process aluminum powder is mixed
with ferric oxide, when the compound is called thermit.
TRACTOR REPAIRS 253
When this is ignited it burns at a temperature high
enough to easily melt steel. In the electric process,
an electric current is used to raise the heat of the
part at the juncture to the welding temperature.
If you will write to the companies named below
they will tell you of the shop nearest you which has
an outfit and can make the weld. You ought to write
now so that you won't have to lose the time when you
need the weld made. The Prest-0-Lite Co., 206 Am-
sterdam Ave.; The Goldschmidt Thermit Co., 120
Broadway, and The Thompson Electric Welding Co.,
30 East 42nd St., all of New York City.
On the Removal of Parts. — As the tractors of
different makers are of widely different design there
is no hard and fast rule that can be given for the re-
moval of different parts from them. For this reason
every tractor maker issues an Instruction Book and
you want to be sure to get your copy when you buy
a tractor for it will tell you many things that apply
to their make of tractor only.
The Instruction Book will tell you how to take out
the pistons, the main bevel pinion, the reverse gear,
the belt power shaft, the intermediate gear shaft, the
main drive pinion, the differential, if your tractor has
one, the axle, and a lot of specialized information
concerning the particular kind of equipment that is
used.
To Take Off a Drive Wheel. — As this is an opera-
tion that is often necessary and is common to all
tractors, 3o it this way : Set the jack under the axle
254 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
and jack it up until the wheel is off of the ground.
Then block it up with timbers so that by no possible
chance can the jack give way when you start to pry
off the wheel.
To Take Off and Put On Cylinders.— When you
have to take off or put on a cylinder have enough
helpers so that it can be lifted easily and then do
the job carefully or you will be apt to injure the piston
rings. Further, any false move may result in an acci-
dent that will lay up the tractor for such time as it
takes to get a new cylinder and will cost you all kinds
of money for the replacement, besides the worry
that always goes with such untoward happenings. In
taking off a cylinder have all the compression cocks
open or you are likely to have more help than you
bargained for.
Regrinding Old Cylinders and Sleeves. — As I
mentioned way over there in the third chapter some
cylinders are formed of (i) solid blocks of iron
bored out, and that the better ones have (2) sleeves
fitted into them, so that they can be removed easily.
In either kind the cylinder walls may become either
(A) scored, that is scratched by the road dust and
carbon particles deposited in the cylinder or by a broken
piston ring, or (B) for the hole to be worn out of
true by the angular pressure of the piston on its down
stroke.
Now there are three ways to true up the hole of
a cylinder and these are (a) by grinding it out, (b)
by reaming it out, and (c) by boring it out. Grinding
TRACTOR REPAIRS 255
is the most successful way for it generates the hole
true with the face of the cylinder, the bore is made
round and the walls straight. The grinding wheel is
not affected by oil, or by the hard or soft spots in the
iron, while reamers and boring tools are affected more
or less by these conditions. The Butler Manufacture
ing Co., of 1120 East Georgia Street, Indianapolis,
Ind., will give you prices on regrinding the cylinders
of your engine.
CHAPTER XII
THE KIND OF TRACTOR YOU WANT
When you have made up your mind to part with
your good money and accept in lieu thereof a tractor
you want to go into the deal with your eyes open.
And just remember it isn't what the salesman says but
what you know that counts.
Now in buying a tractor I may be of some small
service to you, in a silent way, to be sure, but none
the less a potential agent, who oflfers you unprejudiced
advice for I am in the automotive business but not in
the employ of any engine builder or tractor maker,
and hence I stand for the interest of the consumer
only.
The Field to Choose From. — As you have seen
in going over this book there are nearly two hundred
and fifty different makes of tractors and a dozen dif-
ferent sizes for you to choose from and, there's the
rub, for the field is so large that it would take the
average prospective buyer the best part of a winter
to sift the literature relating to all of them, make a
comparison of their merits and demerits and then
select the one that seemed to come the closest to ful-
filling the required specifications.
To save you all of this bother and loss of time I
256
KIND OF TRACTOR YOU WANT 257
have tried to correlate my researches and epitomize
my conclusions concerning tractors in a broad and
understandable way in this final chapter and I hope
that they will (i) enable you to get the best tractor
made for the amount of money you want to spend,
and (2) induce the tractor makers to make even better
tractors than they are making to-day.
Kinds of Tractors. — Structurally, there are only
three kinds of tractors and these are ( i ) real tractors,
(2) makeshift tractors, and (3) homemade tractors.
The only kind of tractors I have explained in this
book are real pedigreed tractors, by which I mean
tractors that are the result of experimental and prac-
tical work from the beginning of the tractor industry
and which are designed by high grade engineers and
built by skilled workmen in up to date factories
equipped with modern machinery.
What I call makeshift tractors are those that are
made out of motor cars, either new or used, either by
reconstructing them or by fitting them with tractor
drive wheels and other tractor parts. Motor cars are
designed for speed and are built altogether too light
for draw-bar and belt work even though they are fitted
with proper reduction gears, nor are they sufficiently
protected against the dust for field work.
Finally, no farmer would attempt to built a tractor
in this enlightened day of precision measurements,
high speed steels and quantity production unless he is
making a strenuous bid for internment in a psy-
chopathic ward.
258 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
What to Pay for a Tractor. — About the first thing
a man wants to know when he gets the idea of buy-
ing a tractor is what one will cost him, for on its
initial cost as well as on its upkeep will depend its value
to him as a power producer for his farm.
From the prices given in this book you will have
observed that various sums are quoted for tractors
having the same horse power and this is due to dif-
ferences in (i) the design and construction of them;
(2) the materials used in them; (3) the shop methods
employed in making them, and (4) the way in which
they are sold.
Your chief concern, though, is in the design and
construction of the tractor itself and the materials used
in it for these are the big things. So, whatever you
do, don*,t buy a tractor because it is cheap, for it
stands to reason that a low-priced tractor can't be
built as well, or of as good materials, as one that costs
more money and the best is none too good for you.
Still, as a matter of farm economy, you don't want to
cut into your working capital too heavily.
Hence, you must estimate (a) the amount of work
the tractor will do in a year ; (b) the value of the work
it will do; (c) the value of the horses it will take the
place of; (d) the value of the men's work it will do
in their place, and (e) the additional profits which you
believe will accrue to you by using it. These figures
will then give you a rough idea of the amount you
ought to spend for a tractor.
As to actual prices, $1,000 is enough to pay for
KIND OF TRACTOR YOU WANT 259
a good 2-plow tractor; $1,400 for a 3-plow tractor,
and $2,000 for a 4-plow tractor, while the plows that
go with them sell for about $150, $200 and $260, ac-
cording to the number of bottoms they have.
Getting a Tractor of the Right Size. — In the
chapters over toward the front I explained all about
the size of the tractor you need for farms of different
acreages and which I based on the number of plows the
various tractors are recommended to pull and the belt
horse power they are rated to develop.
Now, right here, I want to emphasize the importance
of getting the right size tractor for your farm. If
you buy one that does not develop enough power to
do the draw-bar or belt work required of it, you will
either have (i) to sell it and buy a new one; (2)
trade it in for a larger one, or (3) hire a more power-
ful one to do the work, and you will find any of these
transactions a losing deal.
Contrariwise, if you buy a tractor that develops
more power than you need you cannot handle it to
as good an advantage and, what is more to the point,
its cost of operation and maintenance will be increased.
A tractor of the right size is the only one you can af-
ford to buy if you are farming for profit.
The Five Prime Factors. — Knowing now the
price you want to pay and the size of the tractor you
need the next thing to consider is the general con-
struction of the tractors you intend to choose from.
There are five prime factors in the makeup of a good
tractor and these are whether (i) it is built on the
26o FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
interchangeable plan, (2) it is of substantial construc-
tion, (3) its parts are made of the best kind of steel,
properly treated, (4) it is fitted with ball and roller
bearings, and (5) if all of the working parts are en-
tirely enclosed. If you can buy a tractor that includes
all of these good features, by all means do so and
you will get the full value of your purchase price.
The Interchangeable Plan. — As far as I know all
tractors are built on the interchangeable parts plan,
that is, every like part of a given type and size of a
maker's tractor will fit any other tractor of like type
and size made by the same maker. If there are any
tractors on the market that are not built on the inter-
changeable plan my advice to you is to keep away
from them.
Substantial Construction. — While you do not
want a tractor that is too heavy you certainly do not
want one that is built too light. You don't have to be
a mechanical engineer to tell by looking at a tractor
whether its general construction is heavy enough for
field work and don't buy one if, in your opinion, it
is not built strong enough to stand up under the work.
The Kind of Steels Used.— To hold together
under the wear and tear a tractor is subjected to the
frame should be made of steel and if it is of the built
up type be sure it is hot riveted. Don't buy a tractor
with a cast iron frame. The front axle should be
made of drop forged steel and the rear axle of chrome-
nickel steel, though high-grade, open-hearth steel is gen-
erally used for these parts.
KIND OF TRACTOR YOU WANT 261
The shafts of the transmission system should be of
chrome-nickel, or manganese steel, while the gears of
the transmission should be of chrome-nickel steel, heat
treated and not case hardened. Crucible steel is largely
used for making cheap gears. Don't buy a tractor
with cast gears and, whatever kind you get, be sure
the gears are machined.
Don't let any salesman tell you that steels of any
other kind than those I have cited as best, are " just
as good " for he either doesn't know or else he is try-
ing to put one over on you.
Ball and Roller Bearings. — Every bearing in the
transmission system, the front and rear wheels and the
fan, should have either ball or roller bearings. Ball
bearings are the best where there is no great load upon
them for they run with less friction, but roller bear-
ings are the best where the load upon them is heavy
for while there is a little more friction they stand up
better. In any event, see to it that the axles and
every shaft has a ball or roller bearing and I wouldn't
take a tractor with plain bearings.
All Enclosed Mechanism. — Of as much, or more,
importance than the above enumerated factors is this
last one of having all the working parts enclosed. If
I was in the market to-day for a tractor I wouldn't,
under any circumstances, buy one in which any of the
working parts from the engine to the final drive were
exposed.
It's the dust and the dirt that grinds the life out
of the bearings of a tractor and the better the mechan-
262 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
ism is enclosed, all other factors being equal, the
fewer stops you will have to make, the lower will be
your repair costs and the longer your tractor will
last.
The Wheel vs. the Crawler. — There is not a great
deal of choice between these two types of tractors ex-
cept where soil conditions make the crawler preferable.
In the wheel type, however, there is less friction.
The Wheel Tractor. — Nearly all wheel tractors are
made with four wheels and, therefore, we must assume,
that the majority of engineers who design tractors,
believe that the four wheel type with the three-point
suspension is better adapted for tractor work than
the three wheel tractor, just as four wheels have long
ago been considered more serviceable for all kinds of
horse-drawn and motor vehicles.
While a single drivewheel makes a differential un-
necessary, a pair of drive wheels is more efficient since
they have a larger surface area and hence they make
better contact with the soil. In some tractors a drum
is used which does away with the differential and at
the same time it offers as much or more contact sur-
face than a pair of wheels.
Large drive wheels are better than small ones for
they not only provide a larger contact area, and, hence,
have more traction resistance than wheels of smaller
diameter, but they make the tractor ride over rough
ground easier. The latter is also true regarding a
long wheel-base of a tractor, namely, it will travel
KIND OF TRACTOR YOU WANT 263
over rough ground with less jarring motion than one
with a short wheel-base.
The Crawler Tractor, — Of course, you know how
the tanks in France made their way through mud, went
through sand, moved over rough roads and crawled
over trenches where any kind of a wheel vehicle could
not have gone. Well, the crawler type of tractor was
the model used upon which the tank was designed.
The jointed tracks of the crawler tractors go over
the uneven ground by traveling over a smooth steel
roadway of its own making.
The crawler type of tractor has many times the
number of square inches of surface contact with the
ground possessed by the wheel tractor and, hence,
where the latter tends to pack the soil, by virtue of
the weight of the tractor resting on this small sur-
face area, the weight of the crawler is distributed over
a large surface area in about the proportion of about
40 to 90 pounds per square inch in the wheel tractor
as against about 6 pounds per square inch in the
crawler. In other words if your farm is soft, rough
or hilly a crawler tractor will serve you better than
a wheel tractor.
The Differences in Engines. — The Number of
Cylinders. — A four cylinder engine is better than a
two cylinder engine because in the former the power
stroke takes place twice during every revolution of the
crankshaft, whereas, in the latter the power stroke takes
place only once in every revolution. For tractors I
264 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
do not consider a six or an eight cylinder engine any
better than one with only four cylinders except where
more power is needed.
The Horizontal versus the Vertical Engine. — There
is no reason why a horizontal engine is not just as
good as a vertical engine for tractors except that it is,
perhaps, a little harder to lubricate. The fact re-
mains, however, that all motor cars and motor trucks
are powered with vertical engines and nearly all tractors
are similarly equipped; that this, then, will be the
standard practice in the course of time there is very
little doubt.
Solid Cylinders versus Sleeve Cylinders. — The
scheme of using a removable sleeve in the cylinder is
what I should call a great improvement in engine
building and both horizontal and vertical engines are
built with them. The ease with which a sleeve can be
removed, reground, and replaced, or a new one put
in and its low cost, makes it worthy of your considera-
tion.
L, T and Valve-in-the-Head Engines. — Where L
and T head engines are used the heads are seldom re-
movable and you can get at the valves to regrind them
with very little trouble. But the consensus of engin-
eering opinion is that the valve-in-the-head type is
more efficient because there are no side pockets or
valve chambers and. consequently, the full force of the
explosions act directly on the piston head instead of
part of it being dissipated in these out of the way
places.
KIND OF TRACTOR YOU WANT 265
Position of the Engine on the Tractor. — In some
tractors the engine sets with its crankshaft parallel
with the length of the frame and in others it sets hori-
zontally. When in this latter position it eliminates the
bevel gears that are necessary to turn the power at
right angles. While the former method reduces the
numbet of gears necessary and uses spur-gears only,
bevel gears are just as efficient as power producers
and there is no objection to their use.
Splash and Force Feed Lubrication. — An engine
that has a splash or a circulating force feed system of
lubrication will give you very satisfactory service
but one that is fitted with an individual pump posi-
tive oil feed is better and it also adds to the cost of
the tractor. I consider the latter a necessary adjunct
to every large tractor.
Radiators and the Water Cooling Systems. —
Radiators should by all means be made of copper
and for tractor engines I prefer the tubular type,
also the pump circulating system rather than the
thermo-syphon system, and fan cooling instead of using
the exhaust of the engine for this purpose.
The Matter of Fuels. — Various makes of tractor
engines of the same rated horse power use different
amounts of fuel per horse power but as the difference
is practically a negligible quantity, you don't need to
pay any attention to it.
Gasoline is the better fuel for tractor engines as it
vaporizes easier, is less apt to produce carbon, makes
the engine run smoother and is not as likely to give
266 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
trouble as kerosene. Kerosene, on the other hand,
only costs about half as much as gasoline and it is a
very satisfactory fuel when used in engines that are
built to run on it.
When water is injected with the kerosene into the
cylinders it helps to convert the fuel into gas and to
remove the carbon, but these good features are counter-
balanced by the water leaving a lime deposit in the
cylinders and it has, besides, a very bad effect on the
pistons and cylinder walls.
Don't buy a tractor unless the carburetor is pro-
vided with an air cleaner. Nearly all tractor makers
use the dry air cleaner in preference to the water air
cleaner because the former is smaller and is less trouble-
some.
The Ignition System You Want. — When you buy
a tractor be sure the engine is equipped with the
magneto ignition system, and by all means get one that
has an impulse starter. A magneto system requires
practically no care, whereas with a storage battery and
circuit breaker system you are up against the proposi-
tion of keeping it on your mind even when you are
asleep.
Engine Governors. — While centrifugal governors
are the most widely used the newer kinds are all right,
too. Don't invest in a tractor without a governor
and don't take one where the governor is exposed to
the dust.
The Power Take Off. — Some tractors are made
with the power take off pulley mounted in front, or in
KIND OF TRACTOR YOU WANT 267
the rear on a shaft that runs parallel with the length
of the frame. The trouble with this kind of a power
take off is that it is so all-fired hard to get the tractor
pulley in alignment with the machine pulley and then
to take up the slack in the belt for you can't back into
it. Where the pulley is on the side of the tractor
backing into the belt is an easy matter.
Accept the Transmission System. — When you can
satisfy yourself on all of the foregoing recommenda-
tions I have made accept whatever kind of a clutch,
transmission, differential and final drive the tractor may
have for you can depend on it the makers have put in
the best transmission system they could according to
their light.
It is a good plan to get a tractor with a transmis-
sion that has two or more speeds forward for this will
enable you to change the speed of your tractor within
certain limits without changing the adjustment of the
governor. Whether there is a differential doesn't
matter, but the matter of the final drive is important
and as to the kind to be used there is wide difference of
opinion, though personally I like the worm-gear drive
the best.
The Steering Gear and Brakes. — A steering gear
with a worm and nut movement and a knuckle axle
is by all odds the easiest to handle. Every tractor
should have two brakes, one on the transmission shaft,
to keep it from spinning, and the other an emergency
brake, and don't take a tractor unless it is so equipped.
The Firms Back of the Tractors. — As a last word
268 FARM AND GARDEN TRACTORS
you want to give due consideration to whether the
maker of the tractor which you are thinking of buy-
ing (the tractor I mean) is going to be in the busi-
ness the next year, or will be like dozens of other
tractor manufacturers i.e., cash in his chips prematurely.
Your sole interest in his longevity lays in the fact
that if he makes his exeunt through the little green
door of bankruptcy you will probably not be able to
get replacements at all. Further, the larger and older
a concern is the more distributors it is likely to have,
which means that there will be one within easy reach
of you, and, finally, the latter will always have on
hand a full stock of replacement parts.
These are vital elements in keeping your tractor
going day after day, week in and week out and it is
only when you can use it continuously and with cer-
tainty that you can make a success of farming with it
APPENDIX I
How to Find the Horse Power of a Tractor En-
gine. — The way to find the horse power of an internal
combustion engine of any kind whether it has vertical or
horizontal cyhnders and no matter what kind of fuel it
uses is easily done by using the following formulae :
For a Four Stroke Cycle Engine.
D^XN
H. P. =
2.5
where H. P. is the horse power of the engine and is
what you want to find,
D^ is the diameter of the bore of the cyHnder
and this you square,
N is the number of cylinders, and 2.5 is a con-
stant.
For a Two Stroke Cycle Engine.
D^x N
H. P. =
1-5
The symbols in this formula represent the same quan-
tities as those given for the four stroke cycle engine.
269
APPENDIX II
How to Find the Belt Horse Power of a Tractor
Engine. — The following formula for figuring the belt
horse power of a tractor engine has been adopted by the
Society of Automotive Engineers.
D2 X L X A X N
Belt H.P. =
14.000
where Belt H. P. is the tractor engine belt horse power
and is what you want to find,
D^ is the diameter of the engine cylinder
squared,
L is the length of the stroke in inches,
A is the revolutions per minute of the
engine,
N is the number of cylinders, and 14,000
is a constant.
This formula will give the belt horse power of the
engine very closely but to find out the belt horse power
accurately you must use a dynamometer. (See page 3.)
270
!
CO
8
Ci:^
•M
r:)
td
H
CA
<
^
p^
o
H
t-H
(d
>
O
C^
X
1^
1— «
t^
Q
1^
o
2
2
W
w
Ph
H
C/5
(v!
Plh
(d
O
<
•^
K
Pi
<
!3
pq
1
^
Q
cd
Q
M
H
en 3
4) O
;888
I v5 in tN
8^5
tN o^ "^r o^^ p(»
8888vS^8R82^
lOO O «^tNfOO^tN.iofO>-<^
1<\0" lO "^ CO CO fO of of of M
ts. Tl- lOC» CO
voio-^cocococ^ C< C< P*
O O O O O
o m lo Tf CO
OQ0OOQ0O""-00
CMOirOC^OmrttNCOi-i
vo m t^ f t-T M* M
8 8 8c2 CO Q
in^ o tn 01 O '
Tt CO CO of oT oT
I O o in in
I CO ooooo
ivo in CO o<
8 inc» »> 8 ^ l^ "^ i>
O
tC O in i-^ "^ ^ <^^
to CO of of
o S o
o 04 in
o aoo
CO 01 0«
ninOinOino»nQino
OO^mtNO^J^ntNOOiio
h; M h4 i-I oi oi oi oi CO CO CO
271
INDEX
Acetylene gas lighting, 96
Advance-Rumley Thresher Co., 182
Air Cleaners, 66, 266
Air cooled engines, 52
Air pressure fuel feed system, 61
Allis-Chalmers Mfg. Co., 156
Andrews friction drive clutch, 107
Andrews Tractor Co., 173
Andrews 12-25 tractor, 173-175
Anti-freezing solution, 224
Armature magneto, 80
Assemblies, front axle, 123
Atlantic Machine and Mfg. Co., 140
Aultman-Taylor Machinery Co., 184
Aultman-Taylor tractors, 184, 185
Austin Co., Inc., F. C., 171
Austin 15-30 tractor, 171, 172
Automatic air valve, 6^
Automatic guide steering controls,
132
Automotive line steering gear con-
trol, 129
Auto-tiller garden tractor, 150—152
Avery Company, 186
Avery spur gear transmission, 110
Avery tractors, 186, 187
Axle assemblies, 123
Axles, 21, 260
Babbitt bearings, 30, 38
Ball bearings, 30, 261
Ball and socket suspension, 20
Bates Machine and Traction Co., 187
Bates Steel Mule, 187-189
Battery, dry cell, 70
storage, 70
Battery system, electric ignition, 68
circuit breaker, 69, 75
distributor, 72
ignition coil, 72
interruptor, 71
spark coil, 72
timer, 72
Bean Spray Pump Co., 165
Bean track pull 6-10 tractor, 165-
Bearings, 29, 30
Babbitt, 38
bronze, 38
bull, 261
connecting rod, 233
crankshaft, 234
plain, s6i
Bearings — continued
roller, 261
shims for, 247
taking up the, 233
Beeman garden tractor, 143-148
Beeman Garden Tractor Co., 143
Belt fan drive, 59
Belt H. P. of a tractor, 3
applications of, 205, 211
how to find, 270
table of, 7
Belt and pulley, 214
how to find speed of a, 95, 215,
217
putting on fan, 225
to tighten fan, 237
Bendix starter drive, 89
Bennett dry air cleaner, 67
Best Gas Engine Traction Co., C. L.,
190
Bevel gear transmission, 110
Big farm tractors, 182, 204
Bolt, fastening a, 249
Borg and Beck clutch, 102
Bosch high tension magneto, 85
Brakes, 136, 267
emergency, 137
pulley, 95
transmission, 136
Broken parts, 248
how to repair, 249, 252
replacing, 251
welding, 252
Bull gear, 120
pinion, 120
Butler Mfg. Co., 255
Butterfly valve, 64
Buying a tractor, 256
Carbon, to remove, 234
Carburetors, 40
air cleaner for, 266
Holley oil for, 66
making of, 6i
operation of, 63
throttle for, 64
use of, 59, 61
with vaporizer, 65
Care of luel system, 225
Care of ignition system, 227
Care of tractors, 218, 220, 228, 229
Case hardened gears, 36
273
274
INDEX
Case Threshing Machine Co., J. I.,
191
Case tractors, 191, 192
Caterpillar tractor, 24, 195, 196
members of, 27, 195
views of, 34, 35
Cellular radiator, 54
Centrifugal governor, gi
Chain drive, 119
Chain fan drive, 59
Christensen gas starter, 90
Change-gears, 107
Circuit breaker and condenser, 70
Circuit breaker system, 69, 266
care of the, 227
operation of, 75
Circulating lubricating system, 47
Circulating pumps, 57
Cleaning your tractor, 228
Clearance of tractors, 8
Cletrac crawler track, 28
Cletrac 12—20 tractor, 167-169
Cleveland Tractor Company, 167
Clutches, 98-107
dog, 1 1 7
tightening of, 247
Clutch steering gear for crawlers,
Commercial hitches, 208
Compression, loss of, 244, 246
Compensating gears, 114
Compression stroke, 43
Compression wheels, 25
Condenser and circuit breaker, 70.
71
Cone clutches, 102
Connecting rod bearings, 233
shims, 233
Control, spark, 2^2, 237
Control line steering gear, 129
Controls, automatic link steering,
132
Cooling engine, 224
fan, 58, 225
oil, 225
systems, 52. 5S» 265
water, 224
Corn busker and shredder, 212
Corn sheller, 213
Cotta multiple ,aisk clutch, 102
Counter transmission shafts, 113
Crankshaft engine, 37
bearings, 234
Crawler E.F.T. 6-12, 158
Crawler tractors, 263
length and area of face of, 10
members of, 27
operation of, 2j
shoes of, 28
steering of, 133
vs. wheel tractors, 262
Cultitractor 2F-15, 160, 161
Cultivators, hitches for, 207
Cylinders, 37
number of, 263
putting on, 253
regrinding old, 253
sleeves of, 253
solid vs. sleeve, 264
taking off, 253
Dead axle, 23
Differential dog clutches, 117
Differentials, 113
locking, 117
operation of, 114
pinions of, 115
use of, 113
Djgging in of tractor, 27
Disk clutches, 100
Distributor for battery system, 92
Draft of a tractor, 166
Draw bar, 21
applications, 205
height of, 8
horse power, 4, 7, 209
loadings, 209
ratings, 210
tests, 4
Draw bar pull at various speeds, 371
how to figure, 210
in pounds, 6
rating of, 4
tables of, 7, 271
Drift key, driving in, 346
Drive, the final, 118
Drive axle, 23
Drive wheel, 8
grips 27
to take off a, 253
Driving members, weight on, 10
Dog clutches. 117
Double wheel, knuckle control, 127
swivelled axle control, 126
Drum traction members, 27
Dry air cleaners, 67
Dry cell battery, 70
Dry plate clutch, 100
Dynamometer for finding belt H.P.,
270
E.B., 12-20 model AA tractor, 175-
^ „ *77
E.B., tractors, 194* I9S
Economy, 258
farm, 258
in price of tractor, 231
E.F.T. , 6-12 crawler tractor, 158,
160
Edison and the horse, 139
Eiseman impulse starter, 86
Elder fields Mechanics Co., 148
Electric governor, 92
Electric ignition system, 68
Electric starter, 27
Electric tractor lighting, 97
Electric welding, 252
INDEX
275
Emergency brake, 137
Emergency repairs, 250
Emerson-Brautingham Co., 175, 194
Enclosed mechanism, 261
Endless tracks traction members, 27
Engine, carburetor of, 62
cooling of, 52, 224
complete tractor, 96
connecting rod of, 37
crankshaft of, 37
cylinders of 37, 263
dynamometer, 270
exhaust valves of, 38
feeding with fuel, 59
finding belt H.P. of, 269, 270
fuel feed system of, 60
governors, 91, 266
ignition system, see Electric igni-
tion systems.
inlet valve of, 58
internal combustion, i
knocking of, 232
loss of power, 242
lubrication of, 47, 221, 265
multicylinder, the, 44 *
operation of, 37
over-heating, 237
piston of, 37
position of, 265
power take oft, 94
racing, 239
single cylinder, the, 42
starters, 86
timing gears of, 38
torque of, 46
troubles and how to fix them.
Chap. X
Engines, differences in, 263
horizontal vs. vertical, 264
solid vs. sleeve cylinder, 264
Ensilage cutter, 213
Estimating traction economy, 2^8
Ejchaust and inlet valves, timing
of, 44
Exhaust stroke, 44
Exhaust valve, 38
Expanding band clutch, 103
Expanding shoe clutch, 104
External bull gear drive, 119
Face of crawlers, 10
Face of drive and non-drive wheels,
8
Fan belt, putting on, 225
tightening, 237
Fan cooling, 58, 225
Farm economy, 258
Farm tractors, 2
for average farms, 164
for big farms, 182, 204
for small farms, 2
Farmer's self guide, 132
Feed grinder, 214
Final drives, 118, 119
Firms back of the tractors, 267
Five wheel tractor, 25
Fire point, 227
Fixing tractor troubles, 232, 246
Flash test, 221
Flexible joint, 244
Floating governor, 92
Flyball governor, 91
Force feed lubricating system, 48,
26s
Ford and Son, Inc. Henry, 169
Fordson T2-22 tractor, 169-170
lubricating the, 222
Formula for draw bar pull, 210
for belt H.P. of a tractor engine,
269, 270
for belt or pulley speed, 215, 217
for size of pulley, 216
Frame of a tractor, 17
Frames, cast iron, 260
Friction, 29—30
Friction drive clutch, 107
Friction wheel transmission, 107
Front axle assemblies, 123
Front suspension, 20
Fuel charge, 41, 42
Fuel, amount used, 265
gasoline, 225, 265
feeding engine with, 59, 60
kerosene, 266
mixtures, 41, 65, 66, 233
oils, 227
systems, care of, 225
Garden tractors, 2, 139, 140
Auto Tiller, 150
Beeman, 143-148
Merry Garden Auto Cultivator,
140, 143
tools for, 145
Universal, 1-4, 9
Gas and air starter, 90
Gas lighting for tractors, 96
Gasoline, 225, 265
leaks, 246
specific gravity of, 225
tanks, soldering on, 250
testing, 225
Gear, steering, 122, 267
Gear oil pump, 50
Gears, 31
bottoming, 247
cast, 36
change, 107
compensating, 114
fan drive, 59
machined, 261
ratio of transmission, il
timing, 38
transmission, 107
Gearset, 107
transmission, 108
General purpose 6-12 tractor, 156-
158
276
INDEX
Governors, centrifugal, 91
electric, 92
engine, 266
floating, 92
flyball, 91
operating of, 91
Guide steering controls, 132
Grades, graphic representation of,
238
Grain thresher, 211
Graveyard for tractors, 182
Gravity fuel feed system, 60
Grinding of valves, 244
Guiding paste, how to make, 245
Grounding of ignition system, 74
Grounded induction magnetos, 78
Harrows, hitches for, 206
Harvesting machines, hitches for,
208
Hay baling press 212
Heat treatment for gears, 36
High tension magneto, 83
diagram of wiring, 85
Hiring a tractioneer, 219
Hitches, commercial, 208
for listers, cultivators and wagons,
207
for mowers and harvesters, 206
for plows and harrows, 208
home-made, 209
need for, 205
Holley oil carburetor, 66
Holt Mfg. Co., 24, 195
Home made tractors, 257
Horizontal vs. vertical engines, 264
Horse as a motor, 139
Horse power defined, 3
how to find, 269, 270
of tractor belt, 3
of tractor draw bar, 4, 7, 209
see also Draw bar
unit of, 3
Ignition coil for battery system, 72
for inductor magneto, 77
Ignition system, care of, 227
grounding of, 74
choice 01, 266
Impeller of pump, 58
replacing water, 238
Implements, garden tractor, 145
Impulse starter, 86, 266
on magneto, 243
Indiana 5-10 tractor, 153, 154
Indiana Silo Co., 154
Individual Lubricating pump, 51
Inductor magneto, low tension, 77,
79
Inductors of magnetos, 77
Inlet and exhaust valves, timing of,
44
Inlet valve of engine, 38
Instruction book, tractor, 253
Interchangeable parts, 260
Internal bull gear drive, 120
Internal combustion engine, 1
See also Engine
Intermediate transmission shafts,
H3
International Harvester Co., 197
International 15-30 tractor, 197, 198
Interrupter, battery system, 71
Kerosene, 266
Kerosene leaks, 246
Knocking of engine, 232
Knuckle and axle assembly, 124
L.A. Auto Tractor Company, 162
Leader crawler mechanism, 29
L head engines, 264
Lighting tractor, 96
Line steering gear control, 129, 130
Line of travel, 26
Little Bear 4-8 tractor, 162, 163
Listers, hitches for, 207
Live axle, 23
Load, lightening the, 238
Locking differential, 117
Low tension armature magrneto, 80,
82
Low tension inductor magneto, 77
diagram of, 83
Lubrication chart, 223
of tractor engine, 47, 205, 220,
221
of transmission system, 221
Lugs on drive wheels, 26
Man as a motor, 139
Manifold, the, 46
Machined gears, 36
Machines, pulleys and belts for,
214
Makeshift tractors, 257
Magneto, care of, 227
correct timing of, 242
diagrams of inductor system, 80,
83
high tension inductor, 83
ignition coil for inductor, 76, 77,
. 79.
Ignition system, 266
impulse starter, 86, 243
low tension inductor, 77, 80, 82
Mechanism, enclosed, 261
Mechanism of a tractor, 37
Merry Garden tractor, 140, 143
Minneapolis Steel and Machinery
Co., 198
Monarch floating governor, 92
Mowers, hitches for, 208
Muffler, the, 46
Multicylinder engine, 44
Multiple disk clutch, 102
Nature and man, 139
INDEX
277
Non-drive axle, 22
Non-drive wheels, 8
Normal draw bar horse power, plows
for, 209
Normal draw bar pull in pounds, 6.
7
Oil cooling, 52, 225
Oiling, see Lubrication
Oil-pull tractors, 183, 184
Oil pumps, 50
Oils, Henry Ford, 227
lean mixture, 65
Oldham joint, 244
One plow tractors, 8
Overheating of engine, 237
Oxyacetylene welding, 252
Pads for drive wheels, 2S
Parts of a tractor, 16, 37
price list of, 251
repairing, 249, 252
replacing broken, 251
welding, 252 ^ , .
Percentage of weight on driving
members, 10
Pedigreed tractors, 257
Pierce flyball governor, 91
Piston of the engine, 37
leaking, 235
rings, 37. 235, 239
slap, 23s
Pivoted draw bar, 21
Pivoted fork assembly, 123
Plain bearings, 30
Planetary gear transmission, 108,
1 10
Platform springs, 24
Plowing farms of all sizes, 5
capacity of tractors, 5
speed of tractors, 4
Plows, hitches for, 206
Plows recommended, 209
Plunger oil pump, 50
Post tractor, 21, 22
Power plant of a tractor, 29
Power stroke, 43
Power take off, 94
rating of, 4
Power, loss of, 242
unit of, 3
Position of engine in tractor, 265
Positive feed lubricating system, 49
Prest-0-Lile Co., 253
Price list of parts, 251
Price of tractors, 14, 258
of tractor economy, 231
Proportioning the fuel mixture, 233
Pull in pounds, normal draw bar, 6
Pulley brake, 95
Pulley clutch, 05
Pulleys and belts, 214-216
Pump circulating systems, 55, 57
Pump impeller, 58
Pumps, oil, see Oil Pumps
Radiators, 54, 265
cooling fan of, 58
Range of tractor speed, 11
Rating, of draw bar pull, 4
of power take off, 4
Ratio of turning valves, 44
Ratio of transmission gears, 11
Regrinding old cylinders, 253
Remy electric governor, 92
Remy inductor magneto, 79
Repairing of broken parts, 248-250,
252
Replacing broken parts, 251
water impeller, 238
weak valve spring, 246
Rigid draw bar, 21
Rigid suspension, 21
Ring Gear, differential, 115
Riveting by power, 17
Rotors of magnetos, 77
Rolling friction, 30
Roller bearings, 30, 261
Running the tractor, 218
Self guides on tractors, 132
Shims for bearings, 247
for connecting rods, 233
laminated, 233
Shafts, counter and intermediate,
113
Silphon regulator, 57
Silo oil ensilage cutter, 213
Single disk clutches, 100
Single wheel, pivoted fork control,
127
Sleeves, cylinder, 30
Sliding friction, 30
Sliding gear transmission, 108, 109
Small farms, tractors for, 153
Society of Automotive Engineers,
4, 95, 17s, 210, 270
Soldering a gasoline tank, 250
Spark coil, battery system, 72
Spark control, how to adjust, 232,
237
Spark plug, 73
cleaning of, 227
gapping of, 227
icific
Specific gravity of gasoline, 225
Speed, belt, 95, 215, 217
pulley, 215
tractor, 4, i i
indicator, 215
Spider differential, 117
Splash lubricating system, 47, 265
Springs, suspension, 20, 23
mounting of, 24
replacing valve, 246
Spur-gear transmission, no
Standard draw bar rating, 4
Starter, electric, 88
gas and air, 90
Stearns tractor engine, 96
Steel, varieties of, 260, 261
278
INDEX
Steering control, 122, 125
double wheel, 126, 127
single wheel, 127
of wheel tractors, 122
Steering gear, 122, 124, 267
line, 129
varieties of, 127
Storage battery, 70
care of, 227
Stub axle, 23
Suction stroke, 42
Suspension, defined, 17
experiments, 17
front, 20
springs, 23
swivel, 21
three point, 17
wheels, 25
Swivel suspension, 21
Swivelled axle assembly, 123
Swivelled draw bar, 21
Symptoms of engine troubles, 232
Table of belt tractors, 7
Table of draw bar H.P. of .tractors, 7
Table of draw bar pull at various
rates of speed, 271
Table of normal draw bar pull in
pounds, 7
Taking up the bearings, 233
Tests, draw bar, 4
T head engines, 264
Thermit Co. of America, 253
Thermit welding, 252
Thermo-syphon system, 55
Thompson Electric Welding Co., 253
Thresher, grain, 211
Three plow tractors, 171, 177
Three point suspensions, 17
Throttle of carburetor, 64
Tide Water Oil Co., 221
Timing, battery system, 72
gears, 38
magneto, 242
valves, 44, 239, 241
Tools, garden tractor, 145
for repairing, 249
Torque, crankshaft, 46
Townsend Tractor Co., E.F., 158
Traction defined, i
Traction members, 2, 24
crawler, 27
drum, 27
size of, 8
Tracklayer traction members, 27
Tracklayer tractors. 189-191
Track-shoes on drive wheels, 26
Tractioneer, hiring a, 219
Tractometer Company, 4
Tractor, Andrews, 12-25, J 73
Aultman-Taylor, 184
Austin, 15-30, 171
Auto-tiller, 150
Avery, 186
Bates Steel Mule, 187
Beeman garden, 143
belt horsepower of, 3, 96, 269,
belt speed of, 95
care of, 218, 228
Case, iqi
Caterpillar, 195
choice of, 153, 164, 182, 204,
259
clearance of, 8
Cultitractor 2F-I5, no
draft of, 166
draw bar H.P. of, 4,
draw bar pull of, 210
E.B.. 194
economy, 231
E.F.T. 6-12 Crawler, 158
engine, 96
five prime factors of, 259
Fordson 12-22, 169
for plowing, 5
frame of, 17
garden, 140
gears of, 31, 32
general purpose, 6-12, 156
horse power of, 269, 270
Indiana 5-10, 1 53
instruction book, 253
International, 197
lighting, 96
line of travel, 26
Little Bear 4-^, 162
mechanism of, 16, 37, 2(>^
Merry Garden Auto Cultivator,
140
oiling the, 220
oil-pull of, 183
one plow, 1^3
operation of, 218
power plant of, 29
power take off of, 94
price of, 14, 258
pulleys and belts of, 214
rating of, 3
repairs, 232, 246, 248
self guides for, 132
size of, 7, 259
speed, 3, 4
starters 86, 87
steam, 2
steering of, 122, 133
three plow, 171, 177
tracklayer, 189
Twin City, 198
two plow, 165, 177
types of, 2, 36, 139, 177. 204. 250
Universal 1-4.9, 148
walking, 139
weight of, 4
wheelbase of, 9
wheels, 25
wheel vs. crawler, 262
Yuba ball tread, 200
Traction members, 2, 8, 24, 2j
INDEX
279
Transmission brake, 136
change gear, 108
clutches, 99
friction wheel, 107
gears, 11, 107, 108, no
gearset, 108
shafts, 113
Transmission system, 98, 267
lubrication of, 221
Truck tractors, 136
Turning radius, 12
Tubular radiator, 54
Twin City tractor, 17, 32, 33, 199,
200
Two plow tractors, 165, 177
Types of tractors, 36
Unit horse power, 3
United Tractors Co., 160
Universal 1-4.9 Tractor, 148, 150
Universal joint, 125
Vacuum fuel feed system, 60
Vacuum Oil Co., 221
Valves, automatic air, 64
carburetor, 64
engine, 38
grinding of, 244
replacing springs of, 246
timing of, 44, 239
Valve-in-the-head engine, 264
Vaporizer for carburetor, 65
Vaporizing fuel mixture, 66
Venturi tube, 61
Walking tractor, 139
Water air cleaners, 68
Water cooling, 52, 224, 225, 265
Water impeller, 238
Water injection, 266
Water leaks, 246
Wagons, hitches for, 207
Weight on driving members, 10
Weight of tractors, 4
Welding broken parts, 252
Wheelbase of tractors, 9
Wheel vs. crawler tractors, 262
Wheels, tractor, 25, 26
Wheel traction members, 24
Wheels of a Post tractor, 21
Wheel tractors, 122, 262
Willis tractor frame, 17
Wilson five-wheel tractor, 25
Wiring diagram of electric starter
systems, 90
World Harvester Corporation, 151
Worm drive, 120
Worm gear, 120
Wrist pm of the engine, 37
Yuba ball tread tractors, 200-202
^Yuba Manufacturing Company, 200
FEB 10 '82
RETURN TO the circulation desk of any
University of California Library
or to the
NORTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY
BIdg. 400, Richmond Field Station
University of California
Richmond, CA 94804-4698
ALL BOOKS MAY BE RECALLED AFTER 7 DAYS
• 2-month loans may be renewed by calling
(510)642-6753
• 1-year loans may be recharged by bringing
books to NRLF
• Renewals and recharges may be made 4
days prior to due date.
DUE AS STAMPED BELOW
JAN 2 6 2001
12,000(11/95)
J '
c
c
a
c
PHYSICAL
;CIENCE$
LIBRARY
SCIENCES 445208 -r. 9 «^^
LIBRARY I ^ A «; O
C6
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY
i ':