TRACTOR TRIVIA and other interesting stuff 6/14/2024

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The general-purpose tractor

 

In the early days the tractors that opened the midwestern parries and operated flat-belt driven equipment were too large and cumbersome for lighter jobs such as row-crop work like planting, cultivation and harvesting. This work continued to be done by hand or with horse-drawn implements. Some lightweight motor driven plows and cultivators were developed during the first couple of decades of the twentieth century but they single purpose machines lacking the versatility to do multiple tasks. 

The first commercially successful light-weight petrol-powered general-purpose tractor was built by Dan Albone, a British inventor in 1901. He filed for a patent in 1902 for his tractor design and then formed Ivel Agricultural Motors Limited.

Albone called his machine the Ivel Agricultural Motor, it was light, powerful and compact. It had one front wheel, with a solid rubber tire, and two large rear wheels like a modern tractor. The engine used water cooling, utilizing the thermo-syphon effect which was common to most gasoline engines of that time. It had one forward and one reverse gear. A pulley wheel on the left-hand side allowed it to be used as a stationary engine, driving a wide range of agricultural machinery. The 1903 sale price was £300. His tractor won a medal at the Royal Agricultural Show, in 1903 and 1904. About 500 were built, and many were exported all over the world.

The first two decades of the twentieth century saw a wide variety of tractor configurations. Prices were very high for these pioneering products and many failed to live up to expectations. Also, the small manufacturers were not able to fill orders rapidly and lacked outlets for their tractors. The 1917 introduction of the Fordson tractor was a turning point for the industry. Priced at $ 625 it was affordable, reliable, light weight, and Ford’s reputation and widespread dealer network made it an instant hit with farmers. Since Ford had massive production facilities, they were able to produce enough Fordsons to meet the demand. The post WW1 agricultural depression forced Ford to reduce the price of the Fordson to $ 395 to continue production. By the late 1920s the decision was made to cease tractor production and convert the Fordson production lines to automobiles for the Model-A launch in 1928.

1925 was a true milestone in the farm tractor world. International Harvester introduced the general-purpose tractor, the Farmall. With its high ground clearance, narrow front wheels, and reduced weight it was ideal for cultivating as well as ground preparation and harvesting. In 1930 IH was building over two hundred Farmalls a day despite the great depression. It wasn’t long before competitors, such as Deere, Massey-Harris, and Case introduced a ‘GP’ of their own. By the mid-1930s GPs were the dominant design for farm tractors. The swift mechanization of American farms that occurred during the late 1930s and early 1940s was on its way.