Surprises are always nice, but this particular July day was
especially brightened by the receipt of a large box from far-away
Sweden. The parcel was sent to us by Mr. Ingmar Pettersson,
Kalhagsvagen 60, 26190 Zandskrona, Sweden. Within were a great many
catalogs illustrating the recent and current tractors being built
and/or sold in Sweden. Although the material is written in the
Swedish language, the specifications are easily understood, as are
some of the important features of the various tractors and
machines. Needless to say, the Reflector is entirely delighted to
acquire these materials, and of course they will become part of the
permanent file. Portions of this material will eventually appear in
GEM, probably in comparison to various American products.
One of our Canadian subscribers writes us of his disappointment
with the response of American subscribers to his ‘Wanted’
advertisements.
As we see it, there are two sides to the coin. First of all,
perhaps the ‘wanted’ parts simply aren’t available at
this point from stateside collectors. Then there is the possibility
that someone having the required parts may not be willing to do
business with a Canadian collector. We at GEM hope this is not the
case! Despite occasional differences of opinion, particularly on
the part of political bureaucrats, Canadian and American people
have always enjoyed an excellent relationship, and we hope this
endures! So far as this writer is concerned, some of my best
friends in the engine and tractor hobby are Canadians!
A great many Fairbanks-Morse Type Z engines are equipped with
the American Bosch AB-33 high tension magneto. Now here’s a
unit that seems to have no in between it works great or not at all!
With this in mind, the footnote to this month’s column includes
service and maintenance data on this magneto. On studying it, you
will note that even such a small item as installing the large
return springs must be done in the proper manner for successful
operation.
With shows in progress all over the country, most of our readers
are obviously spending their time attending and/or exhibiting at
same. This is evident by the rather low number of inquiries coming
in this month, but we begin with a letter from:
21/9/1 Ed Thrall, 145 Chamberlain Road, Broad
Brook, CT 06016. Ed sends us photos of a Thrall marine engine of 3
HP size. So far he hasn’t seen or heard of another one. Mr.
Thrall notes that this company apparently built custom-made
railroad cars. Also, the company may still be in business.
21/9/2 Q. We have just purchased a Thieman
tractor built by Thieman Harvester Co., Albert City, Iowa. Would
anyone have information on this company? Jim Rings rud, 3407 Cherry
Lane, #3, Fargo, ND 58102.
A. The Thieman people supplied the complete
tractor frame assembly, less the motor. While the Ford Model A
engine was recommended, the Ford V-8 could be used as well, as
could the 1928 Chevrolet engine or the Dodge Four engine. Steel
wheels were standard equipment, but rubber tires could be supplied
as an option priced at $122.75. The tractor frame itself listed at
$185, with the motor governor adding $15, the combination drawbar
$9, a cultivator at $15, and an air cleaner for $7.00.
Thieman Harvester Co. owed its beginnings to four brothers of
that name back in 1921, at which time ensilage harvesters were the
primary product. Various other implements were added through the
years, including of all things, steel burial vaults.
According to the Thieman family, production of the tractor began
in 1936 and continued until World War Two.
To further answer your question, the Thieman was painted bright
red, but we know of no one making a decal for this model.
21/9/3 Q. Have you considered publishing a book
of names and addresses of collectors through the US and abroad? A
directory of this nature could offer a great deal of possibilities.
Collectors broken down by state, by what they collect, etc. I for
one would be the first to purchase such a directory. L. E.
Stevenson, 5N330 Petersdorf Road, Bartlett, IL 60103.
A. The Reflector thinks it’s a great idea,
so we’ll throw it out to our readers for their response. Beyond
this, the final decision rests somewhat higher on the editorial
ladder.
21/9/4 Q. I recently acquired an Ottawa drag
saw equipped with a limb saw. It uses an air cooled engine with the
following numbers: Ottawa No. 12844, 6 HP, and on a separate tag is
noted Type AEH, No. 581369. Is this a Wisconsin engine? Do you have
any further information on this unit? I cannot find it in American
Gas Engines. Gordon Ware, Box 324, Pownal, VT 05261.
A. The ‘AEH’ certainly indicates to us
that the engine is indeed a Wisconsin, and you are right about NOT
finding it in American Gas Engines. Our files have nothing on this
unit, so we cannot provide color information.
21/9/5 Q. I have a Minneapolis-Moline tractor
with engine number 550652F, Model KEF. The transmission is stamped
UT-100C, KE151F. With these numbers can you tell me when it was
built? Hugh E. Mead, Box 105, Palco, KS 67655.
A. Although the ‘UT’ on the
transmission case seems to indicate a UT model tractor, the engine
number certainly does not correspond with the data we have. We
suspect that the serial number stamped somewhere on the frame will
be required for an accurate date.
21/9/6 Herb Wessel, Fairmount Farms, 2200
Fairmount Road, Hampstead, MD 21074 sends along a rather detailed
listing of J.I. Case tractor serial numbers to be found following
this column.
21/9/7 Q. Can you supply the paint color for an
Arco (Hercules Model S) engine, 2 HP, s/n 302115. Also looking for
a replacement decal. Chuck Heckroth, 3506 Ackerman Road,
Unionville, MI 48767.
A. The Reflector once owned an Arco it had
original paint and a rather attractive decal. We would guess the
color to be comparable to Ditzler 3048 Med. Wedgewood Blue (1981
Ford Truck). We don’t know of anyone making a decal for the
Arco engine.
21/9/8 Q. Can you give me the color scheme for
an International 1 HP engine of about 1920 vintage? Also do you
know of a source for the nameplate measuring about 4×5 inches in
size? Howard N. Robb, D.O., 128 South Main St., Oakland City, IN
47660.
A. Per the last GEM, your engine should be a
Type M, and as such would use DuPont 7498D green. This engine had
no striping. By writing to any of several regular parts advertisers
in GEM, you should have little trouble in securing either a new or
a used nameplate.
21/9/9 Q. Where might I find a Webster Magneto
Master Manual? Glenn Patterson, 601 Oakwood Drive, Clinton, MS
39056.
A. Finding this manual seems to be virtually
impossible the best we could muster was a rather poor photocopy of
major portions. Since there are many questions in this regard,
perhaps it would be a good idea to consolidate the part number data
for the many different bracket assemblies into a condensed format
that would enable virtually anyone to identify the engine on which
a specific bracket was used.
21/9/10 Q. We have what we thought to be an
Associated engine, but it is somewhat different than anything we
can find in American Gas Engines. It is about 2 HP, uses a Webster
magneto, and has the number BH41 on the head, B34 on the hopper,
and B22 on the engine base. John & Albert Levora, 62660 CR 380,
Bangor, MI 49013.
A. Our Associated parts books show that their
engines used alpha rather than numeric designations for their
parts, so that would seem to throw the Associated out as a
contender. Checking other parts books at random didn’t give a
clue either. When you can, kindly forward a photo, and from this
maybe an identification can be secured.
21/9/11 Q. I would like to see a discussion in
your column of proper techniques for painting a restored tractor or
stationary engine. From my observations it appears that a quality
restoration job is very much dependent upon the quality of the
paint job. Questions that come to mind when considering the paint
job are as follows:
1) How should the surfaces be prepared?
2) Should the primer coat be brushed on or sprayed on?
3) Should the final coats of paint be sprayed on only?
4) Should sheet metal surfaces be treated any different than other
metal parts? Daniel A. Bowers, 1663 Maplewood, LaVerne, CA
91750.
A. Now folks, ye olde Reflector does his own
painting, but that does not the Reflector a painter make! Most of
what we know about it has come the hard and sometimes expensive way
of trial and error. Since we believe this would be a most
interesting and informative subject, perhaps some of you people who
know something about painting will be kind enough to share some of
your information with us. One important thing we have learned when
using acrylic enamels is to follow the label very closely,
especially where safety is concerned. With a can of this material
before us, we see numerous cautions including one that says:
‘Contains aliphatic polyisocyanate. . . do not breathe spray
mist or vapors!’ These and other cautions should be rigorously
adhered to, lest you subject yourself to permanent injury! Beyond
that, we invite those with expertise in painting methods to drop us
a line.
21/9/12 Q. What is the year of an International
Type LA, s/n LABR22611, 3-5HP? Would like also to know the year of
a New-Way CH engine, s/n CT0784C. Thomas Milke, 3759 Huntley Road,
Lot #37, Marion, NY 14505.
A. Your IH engine was built in 1941. No serial
number lists are known to exist for the New Way engines.
21/9/13 Q. Can you supply the year built for
the following:
Fairbanks-Morse s/n 112478
Fairbanks-Morse s/n 85192
Waterloo Boy s/n 201210
Waterloo Boy s/n 156657
Mike Nebosis, RR 2, New York Mills, MN 56567.
A. FBM 112478, late 1911 or early 1912; FBM
85192 does not match up to our list. No numbers are known to exist
for the Waterloo Boy line.
READERS WRITE
Inertia & Pendulum Governors
On this subject, Mr. Frank J. Burris, 1102 Box Canyon Road,
Fallbrook, CA 92028 forwards a detailed analysis of this unique
governing system:
‘The subject of this little yarn is timely, for I shall
dwell on the principle of the ‘Inertia Governor.’ This
mechanical contrivance is not to be found on gas engines but is
rather a further refinement for certain types of stationary steam
engines as employed those many years ago. Sometimes the speed
governing device of this type is referred to as ‘pendulum’
governor; however, this is rather inaccurate since a pendulum
governor for use on steam engines is described as simply one in
which the centrifugal weights are suspended only from the top and
therefore are subject to a pendulum action as they swing out and in
according to the speed at which they are rotated. For portable and
traction engines, while this type was utilized on early engines, it
was not so stable as the suspension from both top and bottom as
practiced in the Pickering design; for this latter feature
counteracted any vertical up and down ‘jogging’ while in
movement, since the ‘swing-out of the upper arm was
counteracted by the swing-in’ of the lower suspending arm.
Pendulum is exemplified in Jud-son and Corliss.
‘But back to the inertial governor, which again was not
suited to portable or traction use, since it was intended to
correct for the first minute variation in speed while mounted on a
solid foundation, as you will perceive as we go further into it.
But it should be pointed out here that the inertial portion of the
governing action is actually supplemented by a centrifugal action.
The former is quicker to sense the slightest change in a steady
rotation (and this is a very limited recovery action) while the
centrifugal portion comes in to give an over-all pickup to initial
speed. There are therefore two separate actions combined in this
ingenious type of speed control. Its most desirable use would be in
preserving synchronization between two or more stationary steam
engines when separately connected to alternating current
generators, etc.
‘Accompanying is a sketch of one design of a so-called
inertia governor. From it you may see that the counterbalanced or
spring-loaded governing weight is so suspended that it can react to
a concentric relative force about the flywheel shaft, as well as
change its radius of action with speed as does a centrifugal
governor. The inertial portion of control arises since a mass which
is being rotated (or even driven in a straight line) at its own
constant speed tends to resist any change in that speed.
‘Another thing to keep in mind when considering this type of
governor is that it is designed for a variable cutoff (variable
valve-travel) type of engine; and therefore would be unsuitable for
a gas engine, especially those of the single cylinder design,
wherein the rotational speed is continually variable, especially
with hit-and-miss control. The inertial portion of the governor is
very quick acting; while the centrifugal portion may comparatively
‘take its time.’ According to available encyclopedic
material, it appears that such governors have never been applied to
throttle-governed steam engines.
Description of Inertial Governor Components and Actions
1. a-stationary steam engine crankshaft.
2. b-valve drive eccentric pivoted to governor disk support
at ‘1’.
3. c-governor support disk keyed to crankshaft.
4. d-eccentric advance/retard control arm.
5. e-governor lever swiveled to control link ‘d’
and oscillating link ‘P.
6. f-oscillating link pivoted to ‘c’ at lower end.
(Note: there are only two pivot bearings on ‘c’ shown in
double circles.)
7. g-governor weight shown in retarded position due to both the
shifted-ahead position of c’ and centripetal force due to
momentary slowdown of flywheel under increased load.
8. h-inertial centering leaf springs anchored at heavy ends to
‘c’.
9. i-centrifugal loading spring anchored at heavy end to
‘c’.
10. j-direction of engine rotation of flywheel with
‘g’ tending to override the momentary slowdown from
position ‘g-1’ to ‘g’. Note: this slowdown also
causes ‘g’ to recede from its high speed position of
‘g-2’ to lesser radius ‘g’.
11. k-swing motion of eccentric about pivot point ‘1’.
Note: due to the combined governor weight from both ‘g-1’
and ‘g-2’ the combination lever ‘d’ has caused
‘b’ to assume a position of MAXIMUM THROW thus increasing
the amount of steam to be admitted directly to the cylinder from
the fully-charged steam chest. In a throttle-governed engine, a
simple centrifugal type governor would simply be more sluggish in
action, taking several revolutions of the fly wheel to allow steam
pressure buildup in the chest before admittance to the cylinder.
Since a simple throttle governor causes reduction (and thus
cooling) of the steam coming into the chest, this results in a loss
of power availability from the steam itself and is therefore
uneconomical to that extent. This is disadvantageous for traction
and other engines which utilize fixed eccentric action and depend
wholly upon changing steam supply pressure for control of speed. It
is much better to ‘hook her up’ and keep higher steam
pressure in the chest. This is more fully evident in the study of
indicator diagrams, where efficiency becomes measured as a function
of the difference between steam pressures at admittance and
release.
‘The contribution of inertial action in conjunction with
centrifugal action (and the former cannot be utilized alone since
at ‘steady-state’ no governing action would accrue at any
of a terrific range of rotational speeds) is that the inertial
effect comes into play the exact instant that the flywheel is
slowed down even by a degree or so in even less than one
revolution. A centrifugal governor would not be so sensitive and
would require several revolutions of the fly wheel to come into
full effect and then there would be more take up in buildup of
steam in the chest.’
Laying up an Engine for Winter Edwin H. Bredemeier, RR
1, Steinauer, NE 68441 offers several suggestions:
‘The ever present problem of an engine seizing is with all
collectors. When storing the engine I wait until it cools and then
take out the spark plugs and pour in cup of common engine oil and
turn it over a few times. Then take oily rags and plug the exhaust
and every month or so turn the motor over turn, no more, as the
rings tend to scrape the oil film off the cylinder wall. By turning
turn, it alternates the valve position. To loosen a seized piston I
have used heat and cold. I put a bar across the bottom of the motor
and drop a chain to the connecting rod, and two more chains back to
the crankcase. Put a jack in to get some pressure. Put ice cubes on
the piston, and then pour hot water in the jacket, and usually the
piston will come out. Sometimes the rings are seized to the
cylinder wall, and in this case removing the piston assembly can be
very difficult.
21/5/32Onan generator Mark L. Rembis,
2190 Buford-Bardwell Road, Mt. Orab, OH 45154 replies that the unit
in question is an Onan. Mr. Rembis also comments that Onan
Corporation was recently sold with Cummins Engine Company acquiring
61%, and a British engineering firm buying the remainder.
20/2/46G-O tractor Back in the
March-April 1985 issue, a reader inquired about the G-O tractor.
Well, Berdell Huber, 10540 Shifferly, Bluffton, OH 45817 sends
along a newspaper clipping of his G-O tractor. At least one of
these still exists! The G-O was built by General Ordnance Co. at
Cedar Rapids, Iowa about ten minutes away from the Reflector’s
home. Because of its proximity, a good deal of research was done
several years ago, culminating in an article and illustration
within Encyclopedia of American Farm Tractors. Unfortunately, Mr.
Huber’s newspaper photo was too dark to reproduce again.
21/7/32Fuel Jet for FBM engine
Several readers went to the work of dismantling the fixed jet
carburetor used on the Fairbanks-Morse ‘dishpan flywheel’
engine. The result is that the jet appears to have a diameter of
about .026′, or a #71 drill. This figure came from a completely
original engine that is in excellent operating condition.