A New Tractor for Farm and Road Use.
Page 67
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WE are now able to give some additional particulars of the somewhat novel form of 'tractor—recently briefly referred to in our columns— which has lately been placed on the market by the Etablissements P. H. Mistral, of 14, rue de Afoscou, Paris, France. The object of the designer of the machine has been to provide an outfit suitable for use either on the road or on the farm, and to this end the rear axle has been provided with two outer rubber-tyred wheels and two rimless wheels or paddles towards the centre. The outer wheels are mounted at the ends of universally jointed driving shafts actuated through the differential, whilst the paddle wheels are independent of the differential.
The whole rear axle is supported so that when the tractor is used an the ordinary roads the outer wheels only are in contact with the ground, whilst when employed for land-tilling work, the propeller shaft and centre of the axle are lowered, bringing the paddles into contact with the land to a depth variable in accordance with its nature, this being shown diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings. The advantages of this are obvious.
So far as the general features of the Mistral tractor are concerned, it need only be stated that it is fitted with a
four-cylindered engine of a bore and stroke of 90 mm. by 140 mm. respectively, which develops 30 h.p. at a speed of ' from 1,000 r.p.m. to 1,200 r.p.m. The transmission is through a singleplate clutch, a gearhox which gives five forward speeds, ranging from 11 m.p.h. to 121 m.p.h., and a reverse, the final drive being by worm gearing.
The machine, which weighs approximately 351 cwt., has a wheelbase of 6ft. 6 ins, and a track of 4 ft. 7 ins. The front wheels are 851 ins, in diameter and the outer rear wheels 391 ins. The tractor has already taken part in several trials and is reported to be giving very satisfactory results in p ractiee.