New Fordson Tractor Having Increased Sphere of Usefulness
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Several New Features Embodied
in a Machine of Greatly Improved Efficiency IN our issue for last week we made a Ibrief reference to a new Fordson tractor. which is known as the Major. This machine, which is capable of pulling a three-furrow or four-furrow plough, according to the conditions obtaining, Incorporates several new features of particular interest.
A development of the.already Widely used Fordson machine, it has been designed for ,a greater degree of versatility, so that it may be adaptable for the numerous jobs on the farm which can be performed more effectively by mechanical power.
Tha increased efficiency of the Fordson. Major is largely due to a spur-gear final drive which provides an increase in drawbar power up to 20 per cent. Designed to meet the requirements of various implements, and to improve stability, the drawbar is of the swing ing type, _
Better adhesion and more ground clearance result -from the use of larger rear wheels, and the driver's task is lightened by the employment of an improved type of single-plate clutch and an independently operated transmission brake, the operating lever of which is conveniently disposed on the right-hand side.
Amongst other features which will be appreciated by farmers who use implements designed for tractor mountbig are the numerous locating pads on the rear-axle housing, the front end and the transmission housing; the cen
trally disposed power take-off on the transmisNn housing to permit of the drive being taken to the implements in the most direct manner, and the provision of a strong .grille to protect the radiator core. .
As a row-crop machine, the Fordson Major has all the improvements as outlined, plus special features needed in a row=crop tractor. Chief of -these are the adjustable front axle and rear wheels to permit the track width to be varied to suit any type of row crop. The actual range is from 48 ins. to 72 ins. in 4-in. steps, The rear wheels are 4i ins, wide, but a 4i-in. rim is available should a 9-in.-wide wheel be found necessary for certain types of
work. • The internal-expanding two-shoetype, independent brakes, operating on the countershaft, are controlled by two adjacent pedals, thus short turns on the headlands are facilitated. When required, however, the brake pedals can be interlocked.
It is of some interest to mention that, duringthe war period alone, no fewer than 130,000 Fordson tractors were produced.