FOR FARM
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INDUSTRIAL DUTY
A New Track-laying Machine Capable of Rapid Ploughing or Haulage Work Over Indifferent Surfaces.
FINE of the best-know-n makes of 1.../tractor employing endless tracks in prace of wheels is the Caterpillar. It is produced by the Caterpillar Tractor Co., of San Leandro, California, Stlecessor to the maker of the famous Holt machines. The British concessionnaire is Tractor Traders, Ltd., Thornyeroft House, Smith Street, London, S.W.1.
Machines varying from 10 h. to 60 h.p. are now produced ill the Cater pillar factory. It was found in the past that a model of slightly greater power than the "Ten " was required for certain classes of work; therefore, the model here described, namely, the " Fifteen," has been introduced in the U.S.A. and in this country and is already in daily service.
Spring Stabilizers for the Tracks.
The engine gearbox and transmission casings are bolted together, to form a . unit, which is the basis of the machine,. no separate frame being employed. This assembly is supported by means of a horizontal, inverted semi-elliptic spring at the front, resting upon the
bogie carriages. At the rear a dead axle passes through bearings on the bogie frames and is anchored to brackets on the transmission ease. Angle-members run from the dead axle to the track bogies to ensure their lateral location. The spring to iVhich we have referred is shackled at both ends and -there is a shorter one below it, which acts as an oscillation control. These springs stabilize the bogies when the task of 'surmounting an object causes the front of the tractor to rise quickly and the front ends of the tracks are not otherwisesupported.
A four-cylindered engine is used for the "Fifteen," this having a bore and stroke of 31 ins. and 5 ins, respectively.
B22 The valves are mounted side by side on the oil side, as are the inlet and exhaust manifolds, together with a controllable hot-spot; the last-named item is illustrated on the next page. The upper half of the crankcase and cylinder block are integral, having a detachable head and sump. The front end of the crankcase is closed in by the detachable timing case, which carries on brackets the radiator, with its wire-mesh screen and vertical protector bars. On the nearside of the engine are the oil tiller and breather, Ensign carburetter and the Pomona air cleaner.
Power is taken by the flywheel clutch to the gearbox, which provides three speeds forward and one reverse and has a central ball change. From the driven shaft projecting from the rear of the gearbox, power is taken through bevel geans and spur pinions to the driving sprockets of the tracks. Multi-disc clutches for steering purposes are interposed in this transmission train. When the driver declutches either track—by means of a hand lever—and, at the same time, applies the appropriate brake pedal, that track is held stationary whilst the other takes all the drive. One brake pedal can be locked by a ratchet when the machine is _left oa a gradient.
Sliding members at the front ends of the bogie frames carry the bearings for the idler wheels. These wheels are free to move longitudinally under the control of track-recoil springs, there being one on each side of the bogie frame. Through these springs, which are of the coil type, pass the radius rods which are used for track-tensioning purposes.
When the machine is supplied with plain tracks the price is. £400, but when the universal type of track, which has detachable grousers, is fitted, the cost is £435. In each case an engineer is supplied, free of charge in the London area, for instructing the operator's driver, whilst his expenses only are charged when his work is situated outside the Metropolitan district.
A reference to a few of the leading dimensions will be interesting :Length, 8 ft. 8 ins.; width, 4 ft. 04 ins.; height, 4 ft. 10 ins.; track, 3 ft. 4 ins.; ground clearance, 10 ins. ; weight, 2 tons 20 lb. in standard form without auxiliary equipment The drawbar h.p. is 15; the belt hp. 20, and at the governed engine speed of 1,250 r.p.m. the tractor speed is 2 m.p.h. in first gear, 2.6 'm.p.h. in second, 3.6 m.p.h. in top gear and 2 m.p.h. in reverse. The machine can turn in its own length.
Suitable Equipment an Appliances.
Tractor Traders, Ltd., is marketing several types of attachment, such as one-man-controlled scrapers, dumping trailers and combined harvesting machinery for use in conjunction with the Caterpillar " Fifteen" and other models in this range. With a combined harvester having a 12-n. cut a farmer can reap and thresh 31 acres of corn per hour with this latest tractor,