FOREWORD

The tractor of to-day is built in almost as many types and designs as there are tractor makers, and is far from being as standard as the automobile. There are tractors with one driving wheel, with two driving wheels, with three and with four, as well as three arrangements of the crawler principle; there are two-wheelers, three-wheelers and four-wheelers; tractors that are controlled by pedals and levers and tractors that are driven by reins.

Thus if a man who is competent to handle and care for one make is given another make to run, he may be entirely at a loss as to how it works and how it should be handled.

It is the purpose of this book to explain and describe all of the mechanisms that are in common use in tractor construction, to the end that the reader may be able to identify and understand the parts of whatever make he may see or handle.

CONTENTS

PAGE
CHAPTER I
TRACTOR PRINCIPLES

Comparison between tractors and automobiles—What is required for each—Advantage of understanding the mechanism—No standard tractor design—Principal parts of a tractor—Necessity for each

[ 1]
CHAPTER II
ENGINE PRINCIPLES

Power attained from heat—Combustible mixture—Principle of engine operation—Combustion space—Gas engine cycle—Dead strokes—Flywheel—Starting an engine—Inlet stroke—Compression stroke—Importance of compression—Ignition—Advance and retard of ignition—Power stroke—Exhaust stroke—Production of power—Vertical and horizontal engines—Firing order

[ 9]
CHAPTER III
ENGINE PARTS

Base—Bearings—Cylinders—Crankshaft—Piston—Connecting rod—Wrist pin—Piston rings—Valves—Cam—Valve mechanisms—Cooling system

[30]
CHAPTER IV
FUELS AND CARBURETION

Oxygen necessary for combustion—Forming a mixture—Rich and poor mixtures—Carbon—Preignition— Carbureter—Spray nozzle—Evaporation of fuels—Carbureter principles— Extra air inlet—Effect of heat on mixture—Loading—Strangler

[52]
CHAPTER V
CARBURETERS

Carbureter parts—Manifold—Action of carbureter—Float feed—Kerosene and gasoline—Descriptions of carbureters—Pump feed—Use of water in the mixture—Application of heat—Fuel pumps—Air cleaners—Governors

[70]
CHAPTER VI
IGNITION

Principle of ignition—Point of ignition—Preignition—Advance and retard—Parts of ignition system—Magnetism—Induction—Magneto—Action of armature—Armature windings—Circuit breaker—Circuit—Shuttle and inductor armatures—Sparking current—Grounded circuit— Magneto parts—Impulse starter

[102]
CHAPTER VII
BATTERY IGNITION SYSTEMS

Principle of spark coil—Windings—Timer—Atwater-Kent system—Vibrator—Spark plugs

[131]
CHAPTER VIII
TRANSMISSION

Transmission parts—Clutches—Necessity for change speed gear—High and low gear—Types of change speed gears—Necessity for differential—Principle of differential—Drives—Worm

[143]
CHAPTER IX
TRACTOR ARRANGEMENT

Tractor requirements—Tractor types—Engine position—Front axles—Spring supports

[167]
CHAPTER X
LUBRICATION

Importance of lubrication—Effect of oil—Kinds of oil—Effect of temperature on oil—Using the right kind of oil—Burning point—Viscosity—Lubrication charts—Oiling systems—Oil pumps—Mechanical oiler— Oil cup—Grease cup

[175]
CHAPTER XI
TRACTOR OPERATION

Using a new tractor—Breaking in—Daily inspection—Driving—Shifting gears—Driving on hills—Using the engine as a brake—Cold weather conditions—Starting in cold weather—Protection against freezing—Starting a tractor

[201]
CHAPTER XII
ENGINE MAINTENANCE

Fuel system and carbureter—Carbureter adjustment—Dirt in the fuel—Running on kerosene—Care—Magneto and ignition system—Care of magneto—Smoothing platinum points—Adjustment—Timing a magneto—Testing a magneto—Ignition trouble—Compression—Testing for compression leaks—Valve grinding—Valve timing—Carbon—Removing carbon

[213]
CHAPTER XIII
LOCATING TROUBLE

Engine will not start—Engine loses power—Engine stops—Engine misses—Engine starts; but stops—Engine overheats—Engine smokes

[245]
CHAPTER XIV
CAUSES OF TROUBLE

Troubles and their causes in tabular form

[259]

INDEX

[261]

ILLUSTRATIONS

FIG. PAGE
1The Gas Engine Cycle[15]
21-cylinder power diagram[21]
32-cylinder power diagram[22]
42-cylinder power diagram, 180 shaft[24]
5H. D. O. power diagram[26]
64-cylinder power diagram[27]
72-cylinder crank shaft[31]
84-cylinder crank shaft[32]
9Half of a plain bearing[32]
10Connecting rod bearings[33]
11Piston complete and in section[34]
12Wrist pin fastenings[36]
13Valve[38]
14Action of cam[39]
15“Twin City” tractor engine[41]
16“Hart-Parr” valve mechanism[43]
17“Hart-Parr” engine[45]
18“Oil-Pull” engine[47]
19Horizontal double opposed engine[49]
20“Monarch” engine[51]
21Principle of carburetor[59]
22Principle of extra air inlet[64]
23“Kingston” carburetor, model L[72]
24“Kingston” carburetor, model E[75]
25“Kingston” carburetor, dual model[77]
26“E-B” carburetor[79]
27“E-B” carburetor, side view[81]
28Pump-fed carburetor[82]
29“Titan” carburetor[84]
30Pump-fed carburetor with two fuel nozzles[85]
31“Hart-Parr” mixture heater[87]
32“Twin City” manifold[88]
33 Fuel pump[90]
34“Avery” fuel connections[92]
35“Oil-Pull” fuel system[93]
36Air washer[95]
37Air strainer[96]
38“E-B” governor[97]
39“Case” governor[98]
40“Hart-Parr” governor[99]
41Vertical governor[101]
42Armature[107]
43Flow of magnetism through armature core[108]
44One complete revolution of the armature[111]
45Connections of Bosch magneto[112]
46“K-W” inductor[115]
47“K-W” inductor in three positions[117]
48“Dixie” inductor[118]
49Three positions of “Dixie” inductor[120]
50“Bosch” circuit breaker[121]
51“K-W” circuit breaker[122]
52“Bosch” magneto in section[126]
53“K-W” magneto in section[129]
54Magnetism in a copper wire[132]
55Magnetism from electricity[133]
56Principle of spark coil[134]
57“Atwater-Kent” ignition system[136]
58Vibrator coil ignition system[139]
59Spark plug[141]
60Internal clutch[144]
61Plate clutch[147]
62Principle of sliding gear[155]
63Principle of jaw clutch change speed gear[157]
64“I. H. C.” chain drive, showing differential [162]
65“Case” rear axle[163]
66“Oil-Pull” rear axle[164]
67Driving worm[165]
68Tractor arrangement[168]
69Tractor arrangement[169]
70“Gray” tractor[171]
71Types of front axles[172]
72Spring support[173]
73“Mogul” oiling diagram[180]
74“Illinois” oiling diagram[183]
75End of “Twin City” connecting rod[185]
76Wrist pin lubrication[186]
77Force feed oiling system of “Gray” engine[187]
78Oil pump[188]
79“E-B” oil pump[189]
80Oil pump with hollow plunger[190]
81Methods of preventing oil leaks[191]
82“Titan” lubricator[192]
83“I. H. C.” method of oiling crank pins[193]
84“Hart-Parr” oiling system[194]
85Oil cup[195]
86Proper use of a grease cup[196]
87“Titan” 10-20 oiling diagram[198]
88“International” oiling diagram[199]
89Grinding valve in engine with fixed head[231]
90Grinding valve in detachable head[233]
91Grinding valve in detachable seat[234]
92Valve seat cutter[235]
93“Holt” valve arrangement[236]
94Valve timing, using marks on flywheel[238]
95Valve timing[239]

TRACTOR PRINCIPLES

CHAPTER I
TRACTOR PRINCIPLES