The Winnipeg Trials.
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Illustrated Report and Official Results. From our Special Correspondent.
The complete list of entries for this competition, which took place from the tith to 17th ultimo, were given in our issue of the gth of that month (page 454 ante). Not a few minor competitions for light agricultural motors have been held in Great Britain, but it is certain that none have been updn such a large scale as was the one which recently took place at Winnipeg. The interest manifested was beyond all expectations. It was not only farmers and manufacturers from all parts of Canada that were present to witness
the tests, but representatives from all parts of the world. The United States Department of Agriculture was represented in the person of Mr. L. E. Ellis, who came specially from Washington to make a study of the farm motor problem, and, conspicuous amongst other investigators into the problem, was Mr. F. 0. Motile, who had crossed " the pond" on behalf of Messrs. Ransornes, Sims and Jefferies.
The Competing Machines-.
Of the nine motors entered for competition, seven turned up to do battle. All were of the internal-combustion type; steam was evidently out holidayMaking. The following is a list of the motors which took part :—t5h.p. InternatiOoal harvester; 2oh.p. International harvester; 4oh.p. International harvester; 3oh.p. Kinnard-Haines (Minneapolis, Minn.); 35h.p. Transit Thresher Company (Minneapolis, Minn.); 3oh.p. Marshall (Gainsborough, England); and sola.p. Universal Motor Syndicate (Regina, Sask., Canada).
The competition was open to all comers with motors under 14,00olb. in weight, and, as will be gathered from the table which we publish, those taking part were well within the mark.
The 10.p. International harvester was of their usual type of fixed or portable gasoline engine mounted on a truck, with single cylinder 8 by 14 inches. The ignition is by autosparker driven from the flywheel by friction pulley, and the make-andbreak. spark used ; driving wheels, 4 feet 8 inches in diameter by 18 inches on the tread ; speeded to travel at 21
miles per hour with engine running at 300 r.p.m. ; water cooled by circulating pump and radiator. The 20h.p. was similar in design, and fittings used were the same as those of the t5h.p. motor One, the main difference being in the size of cylinder, which is t5 inches ;• this motor is speeded to run at 2i' miles per hour with the crank making 240 r.p.m.
The 4oh.p.International was of new design, having three cylinders placed horizontally, and with the cranks running in enclosed oil casing. The trans
mission is by spur gear from crank to countershaft, and thence by chain to both the road wheels. Two speed gears are fitted, giving travelling speeds of 2i and 4 miles per hour at 350 r.p.m. of the crank. The change gears and reverse are operated by one lever. The road wheels are 4 feet 6 inches by 18 inches, with extension rings to make them 26 inches wide. The Columbia battery and make spark are used for ignition, and the cooling is by watercirculating pump and radiator fixed on a level with the canopy.
The winner of the gold medal, the Kinnard-Haines, has four cylinders each
61 inches in diameter, placed vertically ind longitudinally with the main frame ; the piston-stroke is 7 inches. The transmission from the crankshaft to the first. countershaft is by bevel gear running in an oil bath. The pinion on the end of crankshaft is keyed on, whilst the gears on the countershaft, always in mesh and running loose thereon, are engaged by friction clutches actuated by one lever, thereby giving a forward or backward movement to the road wheels. From the first countershaft, transmission is by spur gearing to a second countershaft, on which is the compensating gear and the two main driving pinions which engage with rings of gear coupled to each of the driving wheels; the road wheels are 7 feet by 18 inches. This motor' is speeded to travel at 2i, miles per hour, with a crank speed of 65o r.p.m. A double Cheblier carburetter is used, and for ignition the Kinco battery and jump spark were employed. Cooling by water and circulating pump.
The Transit Thresher Company's motor has fontcylinders, each 6 inches by 8 inches, which, like the "Kinnard-Haines, are placed vertically and longitudinally with the main frame. A friction clutch is fitted to the crankshaft, and transmission therefrom is by bevel gear. In this case, the gears are keyed to the countershaft, and are put into action by a sliding clutch. The drivers are 8 feet by 18 inches; and the travelling speed, at 5oo revolutions of the engine, is 24 miles per hour. Ignition is by battery and jump spark ; water-cooling by radiator and fan.
The Marshall has two vertical cylin ders, by 7 inches, placed transversely to the main frame. This motor having been already described in "THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR," it is not necessary to go further into detail. It may be mentioned that the wheels had been increased to 14 inches in width, the diameter of 4 feet still being retained.
The " Universal " was the only three-wheeled motor taking part in the competition. This was of the usual Saunderson type, having four cylinders each 6 by 6 inches, the three driven wheels having a diameter of 3 feet 7 inches and a tread of 9 inches. Three change gears were fitted, giving speeds of 2-i,3 and 7 miles per hour at 700 revolutions per minute of the engine.
The Haulage Test.
The actual trials commenced on Monday, the t3th July, by the drawing of lots to fix the order in which the various motors should run in the different tests, and resulted as shown on the table. Then came the emptying of all tanks, and the measuring in of gasoline and water, which operations took up considerable time, so that it was not until past one o'clock that the first motor got away in the haulage test. Owing to the delay in getting a start, the duration of this test was reduced from three to two hours, and with what ultimate effect upon the results one can only surmise. The course, as measured by the staff of the City Engineer, was 2,999 feet in length, running within the boundary fence of the exhibition grounds. It was anything but a billiard table, being for the most part upon the ordinary prairie sod, in which many hills and holes were encountered; it was, however, not upon this portion of the course that the limit as to the load the motors could haul was to be decided, but by a short length of sandy gravel, which had to be traversed twice in each round.
The 2oh.p. International was the first to start, with a load of 18,040 lb., consisting of two wagon-loads of gravel, but it was compelled, on arrival at the gravel, to reduce to one wagon, making the triad hauled for the. remainder of the run 9,150 lb. In the 121 minutes, II rounds were made, and the gasoline consumption amounted to 6.87 gallons, whilst 28 gallons of water were used.
The Transit was the second to essay the run, starting away with three wagons, or a load of 30,030 lb., but it waS, on arrival at the gravel, compelled to cut off one wagon, thus reducing the load to 18,040 lb. Accidents will happen in the best-regulated families, and it was not long before this motor was seen charging, the fence, due to a broken steerage chain. Considerable time was lost, thus accounting for the small number of rounds made, though, during the last laps, a fine exhibition of speed on the rough ground was given.
The next to test its hauling capacity was the ish.p. International, which started, and completed, a very fine run of to rounds, without stoppage, in 128 minutes, with a load of 9,150 lb., on a consumption of 3.93 gallons of gasoline; this, considering the nature of the course, was a very good showing. The water used for the run was 16 gallons.
With the completion of this test, the trials finished for the day.
In perfect weather, the haulage tests
were continued on Tuesday, the t4th July, when the Kinnard-Haines was the first to take the field, with the same wagons that had been hauled by the Transit, or a load of 18,040 lb. No chances were taken, but a steady pace kept up from start to finish. The nine rounds were made in exactly two hours, with a consumption of 9.43 gallons of gasoline. A feature in the run was the comparatively small amount of water used—six gallons.
The Marshall next got away, taking a load of 9,790 lb., with which a very fine run of ii rounds was made in I21 minutes. The consumption of gasoline was a surprise to all, and especially to the maker's representatives, being quite double what was expected. The water used was also very high, but, judging from the temperature at the finish of the run, the cause of loss must have been other than that of evaporation. A notable feature in the run was the use made of the change-speed gears, the fast being used whenever the nature of the ground permitted, whilst, on coming to the gravel, the slow speed was thrown in.
Next came " the flyer," as termed by many on account of its speedy movements : this was the 4oh.p., International, three-cylinder engine. But for a stoppage of q minute, occasioned by a hot bearing, this motor would have outstripped all others in the number of rounds made. As it was, ii rounds were covered, in too minutes actual running time, with a load of 9,15o lb., on a consumption of 6.68 gallons of gasoline. This motor was, hoWever, most extravagant with water, using no less than 32 gallons out of the 44 supplied.
The last, and least as far as its own weight is concerned, to tackle the haulage test was the "Universal," hauling a load of 9,54o lb., but, before completing one round, it met with a breakage which unfortunately caused its withdrawal from the competition, much to the disappointment of many who were anxious to note the efficiency of the three-wheel drive. The Ploughing Competition.
The haulage tests now completed, it was proposed to commence the ploughing competition early on the Wednesday morning, but this was made impossible owing to a downpour of rain which lasted throughout the day. On the Thursday, though the rain had ceased, the ground was in such a soft condition that it was doubtful if a start could be made. After examination of the land on which the ploughing contest was to take place, and this proving satisfactory, the command was given " to the field." Little, however, was it expected that a test was to be forced upon them which was not included in the programme, viz., a test in the negotiation of gumbo mud. With the exception of the 15h.p. International and the Marshall, the machines, one after the other, became " ditched " from want of steerage capacity on the soft and greasy surface of the gumbo road. Being light, they were not long hors de combat, and regaining the centre of the road proceeded cautiously to the field, the last arriving about noon. The fuel tanks of the judges requiring replenishment, an armistice was granted for one hour. In the meantime, thousands Of spectators had arrived on the field, and all were anxiously awaiting the start.
The ploughs were all of the same make, being supplied by the Cocksbutt Plough Company, Limited, of Brantford, Canada, and all who saw them cutting the gumbo, and turning it over in faultless style, were high in their praiseThe rain which had fallen on the Wednesday had completely changed the condition of the land -from. th.at in which it was found the previous Saturday, when some tests Were made with the dynamometer, and when the draught per 4-inch furrow was registered as high as goolb.; whereas, on the day of the competition, it fell to between 600 and 7oolb. per furrow. It had been arranged for a three-hour test, but, owing to the loss of time through rain, etc., the duration was curtailed. to two hours.
The 2oh.p. International was again the first to make a start, hauling a three-furrow gang, and pulling it with ease, and there is no doubt it would have had no difficulty in pulling four furrows, There were some four furrows on the ground, hut, these having 12inch bottoms, some of the competitors objected, so that none but 4-inch ploughs could be used. As it was,
this motor covered over one acre per hour, with a consumption of three gallons of gasoline.
The i5h.p. International next made its debut upon the gumbo sod, coupled to a three-furrow gang, and again made a very line run, covering 1.79 acres in 121 minutes, and coming out on top with a consumption of 2.3 gallons per acre. This little engine was much admired, and ran through the rest in fine style, and without stoppage.
Next came " the giant "—the 8-footwheeled Transit Thresher Company's tractor—pulling two three-furrow gangs, and with its original steering device ran some very straight furrows. It is doubtful, however, if time was not lost in manipulating this device at the ends, and especially seeing that the length of the furrows was short, and consequently the turnings many. Nevertheless, practically three acres were covered in 118 minutes, with a consumption of 2.7 gallons per acre.
The Marshall next hitched on to a three-furrow plough and, like the 2oh.p. International, would have made a better showing with a four-furrow one had it been available. Something, however, must have gone wrong with the internal organs, for it never made an approach to what it did at a preliminary test a week previous to the competition, when it pulled six 12-inch ploughs through gumbo, and with the greatest of CaEif, at a depth of 5 inches. For this test, kerosine was employed, whereas, in the haulage, gasoline was the fuel used by this motor.
The " flyer "—Hit, 4oh.p. International—was next to face the music, with five 14-inch furrows, and it puffed away in great style, ploughing 2.84 acres in the allotted time of two hours, or at the rate of one acre in 42 minutes, with a consumption of :2.50 gallons of gasoline, thus taking third place in acreage and consumption.
The last to make the acquaintance of the gumbo sod was the KinnardHaines. This motor started from the headland with the same two threefurrow gangs as had been pulled by the Transit, travelling with the greatest of ease, and splendidly handled by one man. With the exception of one momentary stOppage, 3.24 acres were covered in 121 minutes, or at the rate of 16.2 acres per io-hour day, thus placing this engine first in acreage, and second in fuel, with a consumption of 2.5 gallons per acre.
This concluded the ploughing tests.
Friday morning, the 17th July, was devoted to the examination by the judges of the working parts, manipulation, etc. The disking and harrowing had to be abandoned, owing to loss of time. By noon, all motors were again in the Fair Ground, and the first light agricultural motor competition to be held on the American Continent was thus brought to a successful conclusion.
The Awards.
After a long and arduous week, the judges, Messrs. William Cross (of the C.P.R.) and A. R. Greig (of the Manitoba Agricultural College) conunenoed summing up., and by Saturday morning they were able to announce the verdict as follows : 1st prize (gold medal)—The Kinnard-llaines Company of Minneapolis (Minn.).
2nd prize (silver medal)—The International Harvester Company of America, for its 1511.p. machine.
3rd prize (bronze medal)—Marshall Sons and Company, Limited, of Gainsborough.
The winner wore an air of " what else could you expect," while the others took their medicine like men should do, and congratulated one another. To discuss the results at any length would be to fill a book. Suffice it, however, to say that many lessons were learnt, by all who watched the tests carefully. Makers have gone away with their pocket-books full of useful information, much of which will doubtless be used in connection with motors to be built in the future. Many changes in design will take place, and we shall, should another battle take place next year, not only have a greater number of motors taking part, but we shall sec a vast change in the general outlines, and considerable variation in the details.
It augurs Well for the light agricultural motor, when one considers that out of the seven motors taking part six of them should complete the programme without any but trivial mishaps. It is also pleasing to note that not one of the ignition systems gave the slightest trouble. It was disappointing that none of the steam men turned up, for a comparison of the work accomplished would have been most useful. Judging from the various conversations the writer had with many of the steam-traction makers, they mean to be in at next year's fight.
A. BURNESS GREIG.