20601 Old State Road, Haubstadt, Indiana 47639
Every now and then while at an antique machinery show a
spectator will ask, ‘What were these engines used for?’
Then it is necessary to explain to them that their use was
primarily in areas where there was no electricity available and
there was a need for a power supply.
Shown here are uses that two show exhibitors have for their gas
engines. Picture #1 is of a 1917 1? HP model E Economy engine
running a peanut roaster. This unique outfit was shown by Buck
Anthony of Brookville, Pennsylvania.
Picture # 2 shows a 1923 l ? HP model FW Hercules engine belted
to a heavy duty water pump. This unit was displayed by William
Shields of Rochester Mills, Pennsylvania.
In Canada Hercules ‘look alike’ engines were produced by
the Plessisville Foundry at Plessisville, Quebec, from 1919 to
1946. Pictures # 3 and # 4 are two views of engine number 4185, a 7
HP. It was sold under the Forano brand. Forano was a farm equipment
distributor. This particular engine was built in 1946, the last
year of production, and only nine more were produced after this one
before production ceased forever.
Compared to the Hercules-built engines, this engine has two
unique features. In picture # 3, the exhaust outlet on the head is
shown horizontal rather than out the bottom, thus requiring a
different head pattern. The other feature shown in picture # 4 is
the speed control lever that is attached to the side of the
cylinder casting. This arrangement permitted a more gradual change
in the speed setting than the three notch quadrant used on the
USA-produced engines.
