MECHANISED FARMING.

Shannon News, 4 October 1929, Page 3

MECHANISED FARMING.

LATEST TYPE OF TRACTOR. The application'of lhe motor to agriculture is making rapid strides and ' in this connection one of the latest tractors designed has come to this district. This was landed at the Levin „ railway station yesterday by Mr J. C. Milnes. the local Ford dealer, and is **' one’of a first shipment of twelve to the Dominion of the new improved Fordson tractors.. The. machine has been ordered for the; Boys’ Training' Farm at Weraroa, where- it was deliv-v ered yesterday. - There are several outstanding improvements. in the tractor engine. Quick starting, more power and better cool- . ing are features which promise to make it more popular than ever as an agricultural’ and industrial power-unit. An increase in the size of the cylinder bore, a high compression head and improvements along the . fuel induction system, have resulted in a 50 per cent, increase in horse-power, using gasoline . in the liew tractor as compared with - ■ kerosene in the old, raising it to 32 brake-power at 1000 R.P.M., the recommended engine speed. The new tractor A will use eirher gasoline of kerosene.. In either case special fuel systems have been designed. Thus in' gasoline there will be no loss of power due to the use of ‘he kerosene fuel, system. The optional use of- -a low or high eompmsion head will be continued. Correct mixture of. air and, fuel at all speeds is provided in the gasoline system by a newly developed carburettor, and a new hot-spot manifold insures-propei vaporisation of the gases before they enter the combustion chamber of the engine. • Smoother operation -and greater fuel economy have been obtained through these changes. > The cooling system has been imptove-1 by-the installation of a centrifugal pump. Tljis pump is located inside the connection between the cylinder head and the. top of the radiator. It oper- , ates on the same shaft with the fan, the shaft being driven by a “V” belt from a pulley on the crankshaft. Another improvement has been introduced in the ignition system. The flywheel magneto has been replaced by high tension magneto, mounted at the front of the engine and drivenX by a spiral gear meshing with the? camshaft gear. The magneto , : is equipped with an impulse coupling to give a hot spark at cranking' speed, thus insuring quick starting of the engine, even in the coldest weather. The ignition switch has been built into the magneto, operating with, the spark " control lever. When it is in the fully retarded position it automatically closes the ignition system. It may be advanced to any desired position in starting tho engine, as the impulse coupling used when cranking automatically retards the spark and thus eliminates any danger of the engine kicking back. Tho air cleaner lias been enlarged- to give more satisfactory operation. The water compartment capacity has been increased from a 7-quart to a 17-quart capacity which makes re-filling much less frequent. The air supply is drawn through water which removes all dust, thus reducing wear on cylinder walls. The axle is of the semi floating type, with worm gearing aud roller bearings. The tractor bears evidence of the usual Ford ingenuity-of (design and efficiency and it can be .put to any use desired. • /