THE SMITHFIELD SHOW.
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Details of the Steam and Internal-combustion Tractor, Road Locomotive, Ploughing Engine, Steam-wagon and Agrimotor Exhibits.
rplilS popular Show is one which attracts attention in all parts of the country, and it is therefore meet that we should deal with the transport and.agrimotor exhibits.
On entering the Show, one's. attention was immediately attracted by the huge showman's locomotive exhibited by Chas. Burrell and Sens, Ltd. This machine has been, built for Mr. Harry Hall, a well-known showman. It has an overtype compound engine, and is equipped with an extension of the plate, over the smoke-box on which a dynamo can be mounted for driving from the flywheel.
In this vehicle the cab is peovided with a powerful bracket, pulleys being fastened at the top and near the bottom. To the lower portion of the cab is connected a long jib held at the required height by eteel ropes. The rope from the winding •drum is carried over the aforementioned pulleys and over a third pulley at the end of the jib, thus transforming the Machine into a most useful crane for lifting the heavy parts of rounabouts, etc.
At the other side of the main entrance was shown a 6-ton Allchin end-tipping wagon with a single screw driven from the engine.
The engine is of the evertype with compound cylinders with D-elide. valves, and the gearing provides three ratios. The -final drive is by. a single roller chain with an enclosed differential contained in the chainwheel.
This wagon is equipped with Ackerman steering through the medium a a screw and nut gear and a bell-crank lever, which actuates a cross-rod passing to. the off-side steering arm.
Close by the entrance to Gilbey Hall to the right was shown a 6 h.p. single-cylinder agricultural traction engine manufactured by Clayton and Shinttlewortk Ltd. This wagon has two gear changes and is equipped with the usual tractionengine steering by a worm-geared barrel and chains.
At the left was to be seen a very fine exhibit staged by John Fowler and Co. (Leeds), Ltd., which included four huge machines.
The largest of these was a 16 n.h.p. ploughing engine with winding drum, for double-engine ploughing. Next to this was a 70 hip. internal-combustion ploughing engine in which the drum is carried in the same position as in the steam type. The engine is a White and Poppe, and it is started by a small Precision two-stroke power unit through a special clutch gear.
Of particular interest to 'municipalities was the special rubber-tyred tractor which can be converted to a road roller. For this purpose a special swivel bracket is provided on the smokebox, and when used as a road roller this is turned to the top and forms the bead bracket for the front roller.
Last, but not least, was the standard general-purpose traction engine Which has been specially designed for threshing work, hauling, etc. This is provided with high-speed governdrs and an enclosed, differential gear.
All these engines, of course, with the exception of the ploughingengine—are fittedwith the. novel Fowler driving ring, which is enclosed in a bath of oil. This permits spring movement without altering the mesh of the driving gears: We must not forget to refer to the very striking working model which extended along the wall at the back of the stand and showed a model of the anti-balanced plough working between two winding engines.
On the stand occupied by J. .and H. 'McLaren, Ltd., was an example of the McLaren patent motor windlass for the doubleengine system of cable ploughing. In this machine the windlass is carried behind the back axle midway between the year wheels. The rope is taken from the drum around a B42 large pulley fitted underneath the machine between the front and rear axles, so that there is no tendency for sideslipt to occur. Although two engines are employed with this System, only one engine is used at a time. The stetionary engine is started tip from the working engine when the limit of travel in the required direction is reached. Gontintung up the right aisle, the next tand of interest to us was that occupied by Richard Garrett and Sons, Ltd. Here we inspected two machines, one the well-known Garrett undertype steam, wagon, the other the Garrett steam tractor. The undertype is a 6-ton vehicle with two changes of gear. It presents certain unusual features, which include a large detachable plate at the front of the boiler, so that access can easily be gamed to the tubes. It also has centre-paint steering, which is attained, by the use of dished wheels. These are, of -course, Ackerman steered, the axle being carried on laminated semi-elliptic springs fitted longitudinally. 'With regard to the cab, the comfort of the driver has been carefully studied. He has ample room, mid, if necessary, he can control the vehicle single-handed.
The steam tractor is sp-eciallv adapted fot. threshing and other belt work. At the same time, it is mounted on springs and so can be used for continuous roadwork. It is interesting to Dote that loads of 30 tons can easily be handled by this machine.
-Two exhibitsof considerable .interest to our"readers were shown by Wallis and Steevene, Ltd. One of these was a powerful general-purpose traction engine. Although this is of the single-cylinder type, it is provided with a special expansion gear which gives no fixed point of cut-Off. The speed of the engine is not regulated by the valve closing the inlet, but actually by varying the gut-off itself, and the full steam pressure enters the cylinder -without restraint and is merely cut off at the required position of the stroke, thus effecting great economy. Two gears are provided, thus rendering it -partichlarly suitable for roadwork, this being assisted by the fact that the machine is spring-monnted both at the back and front, The second exhibit was a standard 6-ten rubber-tyred trailer for general duty with steam wagons or tractors. Only one machine was shown by Fodens, Ltd. This was a fine example of their latest type 6-termer, which embodies' many improvements over the previous model. These include a larger boiler, more powerful engine, Ackerman-steered front wheels, and a very much improved cab which provides the maximum of comfort for the driver and his mate.
The front axle is tubular and the boiler is supported on a
powerful laminated cross-spring of great length. Special stops prevent the machine from rocking unduly. The gearing provides three' speeds, and the _final drive is by single roller chain to an enclosed differential in the -chain wheel.
There is a powerful band brake acting on a drum on the rear axle, and internal-expanding shoe brakes in the rearwheel,-drums.
The exhibit which occupied the stand of. Marshall, 'Sons and Co., Ltd., was. the 6 h_.p. traction engine with water lifter and winding drum. This machine is of the single
cylinder type, fitted with a governor, and is specially built fnr threshing and other duties of a similar nature. A winding drum is provided inside the near-side wheel.
Steering is by worm gearing and chains. An important feature in connection with the latter is the use of spring buffers.
Two examples of the Case agrimotor were shown by the 3. I. Case Threshing Maohine Co., on being a 15-27 h.p. and the other a 12-20 h.p. model. In each case the engine is situated across the frame, and is of the four-cylinder type with overhead valves operated by long tappets and rocker aims. Straight-gear drive is provided to the rear wheels through a two-speed gearbox, a two-plate dry clutch being utilized between the engine and gearbox. The same clutch is employed for bringing into use a large belt pulley.
These machines are strongly constructed, and have threebearing crankshafts with pressure-fed lubrication.
The onlyengine shown by W. Tasker and Sons, Ltd., was their famous Little Giant steam tractor. An important feature in this tractor is that instead of carrying the rear-wheel bearings in the horn plates they are carried on brackets extending from the horn plates' whilst the single-driving chain is connected to a chainwheel between the bearings.
A long laminated spring is ueed at each side just above . the bearing, so that the overhang is reduced to the minimum. The gearing provides three changes, and the compound engine has a special arrangement for double high pressure. The machine shown was equipped with solid rubber tyres. W. Foster and Co., Ltd,, showed a 5-ton compound steam tractor fitted with winding drum at the inside of the off-side rear wheel, a long length of steel wire rope, and the usual water lifter and hose. It also has a feed pump as well as an injector. It is rendered particularly suitable for roadwork by the fact that it is spring-mounted at both ends. A patented feature of the back springing is that the laminated springs are carried on brackets outside the horn plates and above the water level this arrangemegit prevents side rocking and reduces risk of breakage.
The machine shown had two front tanks as well as*a tank at the rear, so that it can run20 miles beiere more water is required.
The trailer shown was one built for the British Government. This type of trailer has five buckets, each of 25 cubic yards capacity. These are carried on cerise-channels which are drilled to accommodate projections on other curved channels carried on the containers, which are securely held in position by chains connected to a Special locking device on each side. This device is absolutely secure and consists of a swivel-plug arrangement, in which the swivelling handle is also locked, thus giving double security.
The only exhibit on the stand of Ransomes, Sims and Jetferies, Ltd., of particular interest to our readers was t-he Ransome trailer. This is a fine example of modern design, with Tolled channel frartiqand, a fore-carriage with. special bolster plates, which relieve the perch belt of all shearing stresses. • Powerful contracting brakes lined with Ferodo and c-ompeesated, are provided, for the rear wheele. They can be operated either from the side of the trailer or from the towing vehicle.
A special feature is the provision of oilless bushes to all springs and shackles.
Amongst the most interesting of the agricultural implements were the Simar Rototillers. These Machines are of a special typemaking use of spring tines. They are made in several sizes, from the smallest, suitable for the market gal. dener, to a large type, -which is a now model built for fitting behind the Fordson or International Junior tractors.
Use is made of the ordinary pulleys fitted on the tractors to drive a. second pulley on the 'attachment, as it will be remembered by our readers that in the Sigler cultivator the spring tines are carried on a rotating drum. The smaller machines are, of course, self-contained, and are driven by small -petrol motors Aveling and Porter;:' Ltd., had three machines on show, of
which the biggest was a 7 n.h.p. tfaction engine with e single-cylinder engine fitted with'. piston valves. Gear changet
are provided for fast and slow speeds. . • Thera wa.s also shown a G.N,11: 5-ton spring-mounted trac tor, also with two changes of gear and a small winding drum. The third vehicle was a heavy-type tractor on rubber tyres with a compound engine, this also having piston-valve gear.
A four-wheeled paraffin tractor was exhibited by Peter Brotherhood, Ltd. This machine has a four-cylindered engine set longitudinally in a rolled-eteel channel frame.
A special feature of the engine is that it is provided with slipper pistons which relieve the cylinders proper from all side pressure. The piston trunk is extended and enlarged at its bottom, where it enters a special casting inserted into the mouth of the cylinder. A further benefit of this arrangement is that any paraffin passing the cylinders is caught before it leaves the cylinder and is returned to the carburetter.
In the Gilbey Hall the British Hart ,.Parr Co. staged an example of the Hart Parr 20 h.p. tractor. It is an interesting type, ofmachine with a slow-speed .single-cylinclered engine driving through a contracting band clutch to a gearbox giving two speeds forward and a reverse, the final drive being by spurs meshing with internal-gear rings.
The fuel employed is paraffin, and there is a special shunt carburetter which provides for the use of pre-heated mixture when running with no load and „cool mixture when under load.
A Fordson tractor fitted with the Eagle patent two-wheel tractor-trailer was shown by the Eagle Engineering Co., Ltd. The outfit includes a special hand brake, -with a lever at the right of .tbe driver, operating on 16.in. drums on the tractor wheels. There.-is also a pedal brake on _the transmission. s The connection between tractor and trailer is through ,a spring drawbar, and a special castor wheel is provided so that, when dieconnected.from the tractor, the trailer may be drawn in the reverse direction by a horse between shafts.
An example of the new International Junior tractor was iseown by the International Harvester Co:, of Great Britain, Ltd. This machine has a four-cylindered engine with overhead calves Operated through long tappet rods. The lubrication is by gear pump to troughs. The cylinders have renewable liners and detachable heads.
An unusual feature is the provision of ball bearings for thecrankshaft, these being guaranteed for the life of the tractor.
There is a belt pulley separately driven from the engine which can be brought 'into action by a sliding dog clutc.h.
• The only petrol motor vehicle which we found in the Show was a Ford carrying a dual-purpose combination body -made by Duple Bodies and Motors, Ltd. The model exhibited was shown as a van, which could be converted in. a few minutes to a five-seater touring car, a lorry with or without skated extensions for carrying live stock,-or a two-seater touring car.
The combination from van to two-seater is priced at £170, from van to touring Car at £155, from lorry to two-seater£160, and froni lorry to touring car, £150. .Tle'S -complete outfit required 'to make the four convevsions costs £205.