A Novel Outfit for Golf Courses.
Page 55
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MirR. FREDERICK W. TAILOR, DI-the principal of Messrs.. Allan Taylor and Co., the Ford service agent, of High Street, Wandsworth, London, S.W., who is well known in golfing circles and who, consequently, is in an excellent position to realize the requirements of golf courses, has recently brought out what is termed the A.T. golf-course tractor. It consists of a standard Ford 1-ton truck specially adapted for the purpose, the adaptation consisting of the fitting of a special gearbox, which provides four forward speeds and enables the vehicle to be driven at from 3 to 25 m.p.h. at normal engine speed, and the provision of an interchangeable pair of 9-in, wide rime, fitted with gripping studs, for the rear road wheels.
,Mr. Taylor claims that the A.T. outfit is much more suitable and economical for golf-course requirements than the ordinary farm or industrial tractor, which is unduly heavy for the we r k, particularly when it is remembered that it is turf and not meadow grass that has to be dealt with. An accompanying illustration shows the machine which has been in use for some time on the course of the Moseley Hurst Golf Club, near Hampton Court, where tests have shown it to be capable of mowing in three days an area of land for which four horses and attendants working five days were formerly required, and, moreover, of carrying out the work at
a financial saving of over per week.
The tractor, which weighs only 16 cwt., is able to pull a seven-unit mower cutting a 16-ft. swath up a stiff gradient, although the maker intends it to pull such a unit only on flat courses or a -five-unit mower on fairly hilly fairways, on a fuel consumption of about ft gallon per hour.
In cases where the vehicle is required for goods-carrying purposes, as well as for towing mowers and rollers, the outfit can be fitted with an ordinary fixed or tipping platform body, the work of replacing the rear-wheel rims with the standard pneumatic-tyred rims occupying but a few minutes.
A further use for, and adaptation of, the tractor is afforded by the AN. pump which has recently been brought out by the same concern. As shown in another of our pictures, this enables the vehicle to be used for forcing water
into the ground after using worm killer, for emptying water-logged bunkers, or for watering greens in dry weather. The attachment, which is mounted on a platform on the near side of the engine, consists of a small rotary pump driven off the engine and capable of delivering seven gallons per minute. Iu line with the pump shaft is a simple form of clutch. operated by a lever on the dash, so that the pump is only brought into motion when actually performing pumping work. The clutch shaft is driven by sprockets and a silent chain off, the radiator fan spindle, the latter. in its turn, being driven off the crankshaft by sprockets and a silent chain, which replace the usual pulleys and fan belt. In cases where no well or other source of water is available, the outfit, when intended for watering as well as haulage purposes, can be fitted with a tank of 250 gallons capacity, which is ample for the purpose.