TRACTORS FOR THE LINCOLN TRIALS.
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Main Features of the Wallis junior, G.O., Summerscales and International Junior Models.
ATRACTOR of great merit and incorporating Several unusual features is the Wallis Junior. This machine is of somewhat remarkable construction, as a single U-section boiler-steel frame combines the crankcase, transmission case and frame .:n
one. The top half of the engine, comprising the water jackets, top half of crankcase, cylinders and bearing hangers, to which is bolted the transmission gears, is• dropped into this frame. Divisions in the
frame separate the various compartments, and thus prevent the oil from running away from the engine
portion. In this portion are fitted four oil trays, into which the oil is pumped by a plunger pump operated from the camshaft.
The construction of the engine itself is also unusual, as the cylinders are separate sleeves which are pressed into the main casting forming the top half of the crankcase and the water jackets. The cylinder head, which is removable, contains all the valves. The transmission is of the selective sliding type, giving two forward speeds and a reverse ; it is controlled by a single lever. The low gear gives a speed of 2!„ m.p.h., and the high gear 31 to 4 m.p.h. The differential is contained in a easing, to which are bolted the two intermediate gears, and the final drive is by small spur pinions to two large spur Wheels situated at the inner ends of the driving shafts. A clutch of the dry, expanding shoe type is situated within the engine flywheel, and a belt pulley is fixed to the near side end of the first reduction gearshaft ; the pulley is 18 ins, diameter and runs at 430 r.p.m., being controlled through the main clutch. At the front of the machine is situated a large filmtype radiator, the water circulation being by centrifugal pump. . The machine is a three-wheeler with a single wheel at the front fitted into large bicycle-type forks, and mounted on spiral springs. Steering is by pinion and bevel wheel, which controls a chain surrounding a large diameter grooved wheel mounted above the forks. The arrangement of the engine and gear unit renders it very accessible, and the whole unit may be lifted from the frame with the utitiost despatch. To render examination simple, big-end inspection doors are provided at each side of the frame. They are large enough to allow of the hand being inserted.
Bearings of the Hyatt-roller type are fitted to all transmission .shafts and also to the front and back axles. The front wheel can be fitted with a furrow guide, which renders the machine self-steering.
The chief advantage of the Wallis tractor is that all the working parts are totally enclosed, a point which has unfortunately been inadequately considered in some of the other types.
One of the most interesting tractors to be tested during the Lincolntrials is the G.O. tractor of which the coneessionnaire is Colonel Finch Noyes, Lennox House, Norfolk Street, Strand. It is the only tractor, we believe, with a friction gear incorporated. It is fitted with a 14-28 h.p. Waukesha tractor type foureylindered engine of 4i-in, bore and 5i-in, streke,.running at a speed of 900 r.p.m. The cooling water circulation is by pump, and a radiator of the honeycomb type is provided. The magneto is an Eisemann H.T. The engine is arranged, to run on either paraffin or petrol, and has a Kingston carburetter of the paraffin type.
The change-speed gearing consists of a fibre-faced friction wheel of large diameter driven by the crankshaft and running between two heavy, large-diameter steel discs. To obtain the necessary changes of gearing the friction wheel is moved diametrically across the disc faces, and as the centres of the discs are approached the gear naturally becomes higher.
The friction wheel is moved through'a lever, and this lever is held many of six positions by a spring bolt which locks into slots cut in the quadrants. • The two discs are moved independently by a second lever, one disc giving the forward speeds and the other the reverse, this second lever also provides the necessary pressure between the discs and friction wheel through the medium of a powerful spring ; a ratchet quadrant holds the lever in the position required to obtain the necessary pressure for the forward driving disc.
To obtain the reverse speeds—of which there are naturally as many as of forward—the pressure lever is pulled in the contrary direction, but in this"case it must be held in position, as no ratchet teeth are provided. on this :part of the quadrant.
From the friction discs the drive is taken through external gears to a first motion shaft and thence through two reductions to the spur type live axle gears. The differential gear is on the intermediate shaft. The final drive and the majority of the reduction gears are totally enclosed, a feature to which Other manufacturers would do well to pay more attention.
The chassia has three-point suspension, the front axle being centrally pivoted and provided with a coil spring. The belt pulley is driven direct frorn the friction disc and is situated just in front of the offside rear wheel ' it is designed 'to run at speeds of from 600 to 1,000 r.p.m,
Two enclosed, indepcnden,t brakes act on• the rear wheels, and these assist the machineto turn in a coh-, ' fined-space. The tractor is powerful enough tddraw. four 14-111. ploughs in all ordinary SoilS. Two of its advantages are that it has a ground Clearance of 1S ins., and it has no expose4 gears to get clogged.
, It is also designed to be self-siteering in the furrow, and its centre of gravity has been kept low to prevent danger of overturning when ploughing on a hillside. The drawbar pull is 2,250 lb., which should be ample for all work required on thefarm. The weight of the G.O. is just under 2 fial S.K.V. ball bearings are provided for the_ transmission shafts as well as for the friction discs. The price of this tractor is not. definitely settled but included in the price will be spare parts to the valtie of £20, and the machine cannot be bought without these ,spares.
A steam-driven tractor which has been entirely designed for agricultural work, and -which is of comparatively low weight, though capable of pulling a four-furrow plough in heavy ground, is; the Surninerseales steam-driven farm tractor. . This machine, was brought out towards the..end of 1918, and is of British construction throughout. It differs greatly in many respects from, standard steam tract9r design. It is built up with a channelsteel frame, and provided with an upright, side-fired boiler.
The engine is a V-type single-acting four-cylinder with mushroom-type inlet valves and exhaust ports at the bottoms of the cylinders -which are opened by the pistons,This construction prevents the inlet valves being cooled by the steam, as is the
i case n the ordinary -engine. The engine is situated just behind the.. front wheel. It runs at about :300 r.p.re., and a reduction gear of 3 to 1 is -provided from the crankshaft to the secondary shaft, on which is the driv ing sprocket: •
The final drive is by singleochain to the rear axle, on which is situated a strongly constructed differentinl. . No reverse gear is provided, as the engine itself can be reversed by sliding the camshaft, a simple method
which dispenses with eccentrics and link motion gear.. The machine is a three-wheeler, the front wheel being ,supported on spiral springs at each side, and the rear wheels being provided with springs of the laminated type. The steering is by worm and worm wheel and circa-.
• la• . rack.. belt &Mr* pulle37-is situated at the end of the erankiliaft, and when it is required to use this the,driving sProCket cart be released through .a cluta. The ;engine develops 25 b.h.p., and is capable of undertaking every type of farm wOrk where power is. required. The bailer works., at a, pressure of 200 lb., and Ts fitted With a superheater. The coal corisumption.,,paracre-while ploughing is proved to have averaged 41-5p-i7oximately 60 lb. Thedriver stands beside the boiler at one side of
. • the tractor and takes the'neceSsary coal or coke from a bui*erssituated on the top -of the water tank over the 'rear -1 The '1.VVecls are Well sprung and the tractor is quite suitable . for road 'work ; for field work it has been found that a four-furrow plough can be drawn without any indication of the soil being "packed."
Points which attract particular attention in this tractor are the extreme simplicity. of all the working parts, the way in Which all the wearing parts are enclosed, and the -absence of keys, as splined shafts are used instead:; of the latter wherever posSible throughout the Machine
. The international Junior, as its name implies, is one of the products of the International Harvester Co., of Gt. Britain, Ltd. It has only just made its appearance in England, but has been in use for some time in the States. In appearance it looks something like a Renault car, as it has the well-known Renault features Of sloping bonnetand radiator behind the engine.
The International Junior has a four-cylinder overhead-valve engine of 4 ins. bore and 5 ins, stroke, the normal speed being 1,000 r.p.m., and the R.A.C. rating 25.6 h.p. . A notable feature in the engine construction is that the cylinders have renewable sleeves: The engine is on three-point suspension and is designed to run on paraffin, .
The gearbox provides three speeds forward and a reverse, the forward speeds being 1/, 21 and 4 m.p.h. The whole of the transmission is enclosed within a dustproof case and runs in oil.'
The drive from the engine is taken through bevel gearing to' a priniary cross shaft, and thence to a secondary shaft Which incorporates the differential. The final drive is by .ehain to each rear wheel. The machine is spring-mounted both at the front and rear; and the front axle is centrally. pivoted. Steering gear of the Ackermann type is emploked.
The paraffin tank, which has a capacity of over nine gallons, is situated just behind the radiator. A petrol tank holding 11 gallons is also provided. A belt pulley of 121 ins, diameter is situated on the offside of the machine.
Owing to the situation of the radiator the engine, governor, etc., are very accessible. The International Junior is, of course, designed for lighter work than the other International nitrite's, but it can pull with ease a two-furrow plough in difficult land.
Much care has been taken in the design of this tractor to make it a sturdy, reliable and easily operated machine in which replacements can readily be made, so that it will appeal ;strongly to the farmer of moderate-means.
To enable various types of agricultural implements to be. drawn, the drawbar has a wide range of ad: justments, both up and down and sideways, and special equipments ftre provided, if required, for , particular cIasse% of work.
The wheelbase is 85 ins., while the total length is 132 ins. and the total width 61 ins. The rear wheels have a diameter of 40 ins, and the front wheels Of 32 ins. The shipping weight .complete is ap.proxiniately 3,600 lb,
A good point in the construction is that. the driVer is well protected from the drivinK chains and wheels.