Trials of Agricultural Motors.
Page 3
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
A Competition for the R.A.S.E. Gold Medal Began at Baldock on Tuesday last.
The regulations for the 11..A.S.E. Trials for Agricultural Motors, which were given in our issue of 23rd September last, were obviously framed with a view to testing the capacity of small motors for farm work, and, under the circumstances, builders of large oil tractors, such as Marshall's, of Gainsborough, and Thornyeroft's, of Basingstoke, did not enter machines, because they could not compete, except on most-unfavourable terms. The regulations for one of the tests stipulated that six acres of land should be ploughed with a three-furrow plough, and, as the smallest of Marshall's oil tractors can easily haul ploughs with four or more shares, our readers will readily understand that, taking into account the price of such a machine, its weight in running order, and its superior tractive effort, its maker could not hope to show such an economical rate of fuel consumption as might be expected with a machine that is designed for working with a threefurrow plough. In addition to the ploughing test, the competing machines are expected to perform other farm work, and the competition includes tests for cultivating, harvesting, and the transmission of power to fixed machines, such as chaff cutters, mills, pumps, etc. Three of the seven competing machines are propelled by steam engines; the others have internal-eombustion motors.
The following is a brief outline of the motors which were due at Manor Farm, Bygrave, Baldock, on Monday last, in readiness for the commencement of the trials.
Weather conditions were bad, with heavy rain at intervals, on Tuesday, and the arrangements for the competition were certainly not in a forward state. The Mann tractor made its first cut at 11 o'clock in the forenoon, the McLaren following, and an Ivel taking up work at 11.30. Both the steamers made a good impression upon the large crowd of visitors, which was composed mostly of farmers from all parts of England and Wales; in addition, Canada, Australia, the Argentine, Germany, Belgium and France were represented amongst the interested spectators.
Cyclone.
Only one of the two machines entered by the Cyclone Agricultural Tractor Co., Ltd., of 30, Moorgate Street, London. F..C., was expected at the competition, and this maehine is one of the new models which was exhibited at the Royal Show at Liverpool. Although it may be employed for almost any kind of farm work, either on land or on the road, it is really a self-contained motor mower, and is a development of Sharp's patent agricultural motor, which we described in our issue of 1st August, 1907. Mr. Sharp's road machine had but one speed forward and reverse, and its road wheels were quite small in diameter. The new motor, however, is of a muchmore-st iirdy type, and its road wheels, which are illustrated on page 481, are of respectable size. The engine is stated to develop 20 b.h.p., and its power is transmitted to the rear wheels through a three-speed-forward-rindreverse gearbox of the always-in-mesh type. The reciprocating motion for the cutter bar of the mowing attachment is transmitted by an eccentric rod and from the forward end of one of the gearbox shafts. It had not reached Baldock on Tuesday night.
Ivel.
Ivel Agricultural Motors, Ltd., of 45-16, Poland Street, London, W., is represented by two machines, one of which—its standard type—is fitted with an 18-20 h.p. engine; this is arranged to consume either petrol, paraffin or alcohol. It has but one speed forward and reverse, and its weight in running order is 33i cwt. The second Ivel motor is in most respects identical with the same maker's standard machine, but all its wheels are spring mounted, and magneto ignition is fitted instead of the ordinary high-tension coil and accumulator. McLaren.
.1. and H. MeLaxen, Ltd., of the Midland Engine Wcrks, Leeds, is competing with a spring-mounted, fivetom compound steam motor or tractor. It is 'provided with a superheater, and its makers anticipate veryeconomical running. As we go to press we learn that this machine, on Tuesday, completed its allotted five acres on 275 lbs. of Welsh coal in 5-4. hours.
Mann.
A novel forrn of steam tractor has been sent from the Pepper Road Works, Huns let, Leeds, by Mann's Patent Steam Cart and Wagon Co., Ltd. A machine of this type was shown by its makers at Liverpool, where it attracted the attention of many keen Lancashire and
Cheshire farmers and haulage contractors. The designers have aimed at the production of a machine which will do the least damage to the surface of the ground over which it is travelling, and the pressure per inch width of the tire imposed by the broad rear roller of this machine is probably less than that of other competitors.
Saundersen.
Three motors of as many types were entered on behalf of Messrs. Saunderson and Gifkins, of the Elstow Works, Bedford, which firm's London showrooms is at 68, Victoria Street, S.W. The two larger machines which arrived are designed for road-transport work, as well as for use on the land, and they are provided with three-speed gearboxes giving both forward and reverse speeds of approximately 21, 31„and 6 miles an hour. The larger of these two machines has a 45-50 h.p., two-cylinder engine, whilst the other has a four-cylinder engine developing 25-30 b.h.p.
Wallis and Steevens.
A Wallis compound steam tractor has been submitted for trial by Wallis and Steevens. Ltd., of North Hants Iron Works, Basingstoke. Like all the excellent engines built by Wallis and Steevens, every working part of the valve gear, connecting rods, big ends, cross-heads, etc., is enclosed and run in an oil bath. Both axles are springnionntetl. It is, as a matter of fact, one of this Hampshire maker's standard steam tractors, of which numbers are in use by Pickfords, Ltd., and other large haulage concerns. The engine is governed.