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AGRIMOTOR NOTES.

13th April 1920, Page 22
13th April 1920
Page 22
Page 23
Page 22, 13th April 1920 — AGRIMOTOR NOTES.
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Care of the Farm Tractor.

IT HAS OFTEN been said that farmers do not pay sufficient regard to making provision for the preservation of farm nia,chinery. I am afraid

that in many cases this is a true charge. . I am glad, however, to notice that, since the introduetion of the farm tractor and since machinery has increased so much in price, they :have paid more attention to. this matter than they did formerly. At the same time, there is_room for a great deal of improvement in this direction, and particularly in regard to the agricultural tractor. The success of the tractor depends largely on two particrula.rs : first, capacity for doing rapid work, and, second, the ability to do that work cheaply when the cost is com pared with that of horse labour. .

It often occurs,to one as being rather curious that the very people who are so very considerate in regard to horse flesh, seem to think, when it comes to a question of machinery, because it is made of iron and steel, that rough usage and exposure to the weather have no effect,. I have seen a mowing machine left out in the fields for six months after its work has been,finished, and I have seen tractors left uncovered in the field for a fortnight or three weeks on end. Surely, oneovould say no man inihis senses would allow such a thing, yetsit is, in too many cases, a fact; but, besides subjecting thesmaehine to rough treatment by rushingkit over rough ground at top speed 'and by, allowin,g it to stand in the fields exposed to the,weather, there are many other ways in which the tractor is unfairly treated. I have, before nowsee.n a tractor hitched to a, load and started. off with full open throttle, the result being an, -*increase in the moment of power before thesload.is engaged. Then, there is the question of . overloading. Before buying a. tractor, a farmer ought to be able to decide what power he will require in,the., appliance, and if, after he has got it, he findszthat,it is not powerful enough, it would pay him muchibetter to:dispose of the machine and buy a, stronger one, than to attempt putting.it to a task of which it is not the equal. It does not pay to overload a tractor, any more than it does to overload a, horse. Three ploughs behind a, two-furrow power tractor, will cover only a little more.'.ground, as a rule, than will two ploughs,. becausethe tractor will usually travel a little

slower, the larger number of shares n pull, partly because the motor is overloaded and does not maintain its proper speed, iand partly, because the drive wheels will slip more with a load heavier than the machine was designed to,pull. AB a result, delays on account of small holes or slight grades, will be more. common, as will also mechanical difficulties.

Lubrication is another impoitant point in connection with the upkeep and economic working of the farm tractor. Probably, in this Matter the farmer has, more than with anything else, trouble in .connection with the operating of the machine. He not only, frequently, fails to provide sufficient lubrication, but he uses lubricants of an inferior grade, both of which do considerable damage to the internal working of the machine, and, therefore, tend to bring the life of his machine to an untimely end.

I am. writing now for farmer readers and our engineering friends, who realize thoroughly the importance of lubrication, will forgive me for the one or two elementary points in connection with the subject that I may enter upon. The designers of an engine always endeavour to furnish a suitable means of lubricating every working or movable part. Friction losses are wasteful, therefore every part is suited for its particular require, merits. Pistons, rings, arid valves are subjected to high heat resulting from the explosions; which take place in the combustion chamber, while the main bearings, crank pins, and shaft bearings are subjected to continuous grinding friction—then there: are still other parts which get only minor actions.

All reputable tractors are provided with adequate means for the lubrication of these groups; and, in some cases, the oil acts as a cooling medium. Parts under heating and pressure such as the piston, rings, main bearings, and crank pia should receive it with the greatest certainty and regularity, and parts requiring less certainty can be fed by gravity oilers or grease cups, and the minor wants by careful use of on oilcan. All persons with the smallest knowledge of engineering know that the idea in lubrication is to maintain a constant oil. film between the working parts, an oil or grease roller or baIl bearing, the oil globules being the balls or rollers. If the parts float

oil, they cannot touch each other, and wear is inapossible, and, when this matter is carefully and 14a.failingly attended to, it will mean a great deal in the life of the tractor, and, therefore, a considerable saving in the working costs of the farm. Moreover, not only is, it necessary that this matter of lubrication Should be attended to constantly, but the best lubricating oil only should be used. The best only is good • enough, and inferior stuff is always the more expensive in the end. On bearings, where the pressure is too great for thin oil, hard oils should be used, and also in places where only a small amount of oil

is required. • Even in regard to grease, when the cups are filled, it should be forced in so that it will come into eontact with the bearings, and this matter should be lcifiked to oceasionally. It is not sufficientanerely to put the grease in the cup ;it must be connected With the bearing. The grease can should never be allowed to sand in the open where it can become dusty ; the grit or dust carried into the bearings of the machine often causes excessive wear, and, therefore, early depreciation. All oilers and oil holes should receive proper attention.

With wages so high and other expenses equally so, the greatest economy must be practised if the fanner is to hold his awn under present conditions, the function of the tractor being to enable the farmer to keep down his costs. Hence, the machine itself hula obviously receive that attention which". will make it work down to the lowest possible penny.

Having considered briefly the matter of lubrication, I would just like to remind farmers that a tractor, when not working, •should always he kept under cover. The effects of rust as a. result of exposure to the weather do damage which is not often apparent at the time, but which will, sooner or later, have its detrimental effect;

I am glad to see that Austin's have brought out a canopy and cover specially designed for their farm tractor, and which will protect it from any weather when it is Standing in the open. The fuel question is an everlasting one, because not only is the price of paraffin continually rising, but the consumption of different makes of tractor, and even of the same tractor, varies so much at different times that this must be a matter for attention by manufacturers in the future. The tractor pulling a three-furrow plough ought, really, to be able to work on an amount of paraffin not exceeding three gallons per acre. I should say that there is still room here for souse improvement in vaporization, and I am glad to see that the wonderful little tractor the Glasgow is being fitted with a special .vaporizer to which I would like to draw the attention of readers.

After very careful tests, the tractor has now been fitted with an extremely satisfactory paraffin vaporizer giving the low consumption on medium

quality land of gallons per acre. The extra cost involved is very slight, and, as it renders the tractor eminently suitable for work on petrol or paraffin as desired, it should strongly recommend itself to those farmers who are concerned in keeping their working costs down to the lowest minimum. The vaporizer which iS being used on the Glasgow is the Collins'

It is Made in such a way that the mixture passes through a nest of tubes, the outside of those tubes being heated by gas from the eihaust manifold. IL is possible to remove this nest of tubes without dismantling the induction 'system, and to

clean it with a brush. ' AGRIMOT.

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Organisations: US Federal Reserve
Locations: Austin, Glasgow

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