Another Light Agrimotor.—The Morse.
Page 7
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
An exhibit at the Royal Show of considerable interest to agricultural readers, and which arrived at Manchester too late for us to include it in our standto-stand 'report of the Show, was the Morse light farm
tractor. This machine, which is a medium-weight type, possesses several unusual features, some of them representing new departures in tractor design. It therefore deserves that we should devote a, little extra space to its descriptioia.
It is a four-wheeled machine with a four-cylinder engine placed under a bonnet and behind a radiator in automobile style. It is in the transmission that the exceptional features are to be found. The engine power for forward motion is first of all -taken by a large friction disc. This disc is carried on a countershaft across the frame and bears on a wheel keyed to the engine shaft. A similar friction disc facing that one for forward drive and bearing, when in use, on the opposite of the :same wheel on the engine shaft, allows of motion in a, reverse direction. By moving the wheel on the engine shaft across the face of either friction disc, a variety of speeds are afforded, the extremes being 11 and 3i miles per hour -with the engine running at the normal speed of 1200 revolutions per minute. From the friction-disc shaft, the transmission is by two sets of spur gears on a differential shaft, the final drive being from pinions, one to each half of the differential gear, driving spur gears attached to the axle sleeves. The actual weight of the tractor is carried by a central dead axle surrounded by the driving sleeves. In construction, therefore, the rear axle corresponds to a full-floating live axle.
Although the gears are not contained in an automobile type of gearbox or casing, they are neverthe less carefully protected from the ingress of dust or moisture. The usual arrangements are made for the attachment of various cultivating and other agricultural implements, and a belt pulley is carried by the second countershaft.
The machine is neat in appearance and on account of its light weight (slightly over a ton) it would appear to be particularly suitable for work on land liable to pack when traversed by heavy vehicles. The following are the principal features as embodied in its specification : The four-cylinder engine is of 3ins. by 51 ins, bore and stroke respectively, capable of delivering 20 h.p. at 1200 revolutions per minute. It is fitted with high-tension magneto ignition ; it can be run on paraffin as a fuel. It is offered as being suitable for pulling three plioughs in normal circumstances. The rear wheels are 3 ft. 10 ins, diameter and 10 ins. wide ; the front wheels 2 ft. 6 ins. by 5 ins. The overall width is 4 ft. 8 ins., and the total length l0 ft. Fairbanks, Morse and Co., Ltd.,. of 87, Southwark Street, S.E., is offering this machine at £215.