1919 FAGEOL TRACTOR.

In 1915, California farmer Rush Hamilton patented a tractor on which the engine sat between the two front drive wheels and the operator rode a sulky at the rear. The Hamilton tractor cost $1,085 ($23,658 today) and had a pressed steel frame, a 4-cylinder engine, enclosed drive gears running in oil, and was advertised as pulling as much as a 4-horse team.

The Hamilton’s unusual drive wheels consisted of a steel center of about 3 feet in diameter, around which were a series of long steel blades or teeth, which could be covered with a smooth steel band for road use. Called a “walking tractor,” it was claimed that the teeth on the tractor’s front wheels enabled it to walk right over any kind of ground and that it could go almost anywhere.
The Fageol brothers acquired the rights to build Hamilton’s machine. It was the first product of the new factory, and the first Fageol farm tractor. An unknown number of these machines were built, although it seems only one rusty hulk has survived, indicating not many were sold.

In about 1918, a 4-wheeled tractor of more or less standard layout began to roll out of the Fageol works. Each large rear wheel consisted of two thick, cast steel plates, into which were cut sharp, pointed teeth. The two wheel plates were mounted on the drive axle so the teeth were staggered. The radiator and hood, except for the row of louvers down the top center, were conventional, as were the steel front wheels. A Lycoming 4-cylinder, 3-1/2- by 5-inch engine drove a transmission with one forward and one reverse gear. There was no clutch and no differential, just a foot-operated internal expanding clutch in each rear wheel hub. Steering was accomplished by a tiller and, because of the lack of a differential, the clutch on the inside wheel had to be depressed when turning or both wheels would drive straight ahead.

The tractor cost a whopping $1,525 ($22,241 today) and weighed 3,600 pounds, a lot of weight to be teetering on those sharp points. Fageol claimed that because of the wedging action on the soil between adjacent tapered wheel teeth, the drive wheels would walk over and wouldn’t sink into even deep sandy soil. One can only imagine what they did in mud.
Without a clutch, it was a challenge to get the Fageol into gear. The operator’s manual said: “To start the tractor moving with the motor running, take the operator’s seat. Place both hands on gearshift lever bar. Press both clutch pedals down as far as they will go, then to go into forward gear, push right hand forward and pull with left. Do this with a quick motion to avoid rasping gears. Allow the clutches to come up evenly and tractor should get away in a straight line.”

Like the tiller steer and those back wheels have me humming Neil Diamond song Starry starry night

Well dun Grumpy

How old were U wen these were invented
Di Du serve u're apprenticeship on m :lol:
LOL ☻
cya
§

Macadamised roads ????


I must be pretty thick as I never heard of this before en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macadam

But Google saved me again lol

The stuff we learn

Paul

We learnt all about Mr Macadam and his roads in school in the days when English geography and history took precedence over Australian. In the UK you will still see reference to Macadamised roads, car parks etc both written and in conversation. Used mostly for any bitumen type surface not just his old tar-bound crushed rock system.

Lang

That's why we call bitumen roads Tarmac.

Like Lang I learnt it in Primary School in the 50's. I must be old?

I'm sure we were taught this in the 70's, too.

Jarrod.