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Tractor innovations

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John (C-IL)

09-15-2003 13:39:10




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I'm helping the local TV station do a story on changes in tractors over the last 80 years or so. Here is your chance to pile on for your favorite brand with the innovation that they introduced. Allis Chalmers was first with pnematic tires. Henry Ford and Harry Ferguson combined for the hydraulic TPH in 1937. John Deere raised the bar on operator comfort with the Soundgard cab in the 70's. If you have any web sites for research I'd be glad to hear of them. We are going to shoot some tape Thursday morning, so your help needs to be timely. John

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Ray,IN

09-16-2003 20:17:12




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 Re: Tractor innovations in reply to John (C-IL), 09-15-2003 13:39:10  
This link contains reams of information about Harry Ferguson,inventor. He invented the first 3ph and owned many many other patents on things we take for granted, one of which is the first 4WD car.



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JDknut

09-16-2003 09:57:30




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 Re: Tractor innovations in reply to John (C-IL), 09-15-2003 13:39:10  
Just a few:
These are regular production, not necessarily the first ever
3-point hitch: Ferguson/David Brown 1936 (England)
Diesel tractor: Caterpillar 1931
Diesel wheel tractor: International Harvestor~1934
Rubber-tired tractor: Allis Chalmers
First use of the term "tractor": Hart-Parr (later Oliver)
First Power Take-off:International harvestor circa 1924.
First independent Power take-off: Oliver 1946.
First factory designed integrated enclosed cab: Minneapolis Moline 1939
First factory safety ROPS: Deere 1966
First closed center hydraulics-Deere 1960
First power shift-Ford 1959
first modern integrated safety cab: Case 1969

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KURT (mi)

09-16-2003 08:21:10




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 Re: Tractor innovations in reply to John (C-IL), 09-15-2003 13:39:10  
Three point, roll bar, comfort stuff, power steering, better hydraulics. To name a few.



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Joe Evans

09-16-2003 08:18:35




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 Re: Tractor innovations in reply to John (C-IL), 09-15-2003 13:39:10  
In my opinion, the order of important innovations are:

1939 Ford-Ferguson 9N with 3PH

The Fordson.

Rubber tires.

1924 IHC "Farmall", first universal row-crop tractor.

Cockshutt with live PTO.

1939 IHC's letter series tractors starting with the A. A quantum leap over competitors with respect to comfort and control.

The adoption of diesel engines. Fuel economy skyrocketed.



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First Pneumatic tires

09-16-2003 06:38:37




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 Re: Tractor innovations in reply to John (C-IL), 09-15-2003 13:39:10  
I thought the CO-OP tractors were the first to use pneumatic tires. I've seen ads showing them with rubber from 1935. There is one at the Albany threshing show in minnesota with original tires.



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Indydirtfarmer

09-16-2003 06:57:56




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 Re: Re: Tractor innovations in reply to First Pneumatic tires, 09-16-2003 06:38:37  
First rubber tires where on Allis-Chalmers. Thet would take tractors to fairs, to demonstrate. They had several auto racers of the day, to demonstrate how fast they could travel with the rubber tires. Barney Oldfield drove one over 60 MPH. We had an old WD, when I was growing up, that would scare the daylights out of you at 6 MPH! (No brakes,bad steering)



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First Pneumatic tires

09-16-2003 08:29:44




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 Re: Re: Re: Tractor innovations in reply to Indydirtfarmer, 09-16-2003 06:57:56  
Okay, I have heard about the Allis racers. I had a UC that would do over 30 mph. But I believe the CO-OPs were the first produced with the rubber tires. That's what their ads of the day claim.



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Larry

09-16-2003 06:18:25




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 Re: Tractor innovations in reply to John (C-IL), 09-15-2003 13:39:10  
Wasn't Oliver/HartParr the first to offer electric system with starter and lights?



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Indydirtfarmer

09-16-2003 05:40:56




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 Re: Tractor innovations in reply to John (C-IL), 09-15-2003 13:39:10  
Harry Ferguson's 3 pt. hitch has been the most lasting innovation, without a doubt. The most "change" from anything was Henry Ford's Fordson. It was the catalist for tractors on small farms.(At that time, most farms were small) As far as the change that effects us now, the heated, and air conditioned cab makes our lives much better. All in all, I'd say the biggest single "innovation" was the use of hydraulics. Imagine life without it.

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It was Ferguson-Brown not

09-16-2003 04:29:35




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 Re: Tractor innovations in reply to John (C-IL), 09-15-2003 13:39:10  
Sir David Brown and Harry Ferguson put the first tractor out with a 3 pth. The Ferguson-Brown was released in 1936. The Ford 9N did not come out till 1939.



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paul

09-15-2003 21:30:31




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 Re: Tractor innovations in reply to John (C-IL), 09-15-2003 13:39:10  
I'm not into brands, but some of the major innovations that I would see as a step ahead:

Wide front row crop tractor.

Adding hydraulics.

Live hyd & pto.

3pt hitch.

Articulated 4 wheel drive for shear power.

Mechanical front wheel drive.

Cabs.

Safe (sound & roll-over) cabs.

Switching from gasoline to diesel.

Transmission progress - from the simple 3 speed, to hi/lo options, to hydro, and back to many gears, some power shift, now electronic shift on the go.

Electronics. (I hate it for long-term use of a tractor, but: ) It so greatly advanced shifting, power control, efficiency, and so on. Throw in the global positioning & all the doors that opens for variable rate application & auto steer.....

--->Paul

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Sid

09-15-2003 20:19:29




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 Re: Tractor innovations in reply to John (C-IL), 09-15-2003 13:39:10  
Allis Chalmers with the live pto and also their traction booster system deserves mention. I also think John Deere should be mentioned for their rollamatic or whatever they called their front end design that allowed on front wheel to roll over a rock and the other stay on the ground. I hope you John Deere experts know what I am talking about.



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Dieselrider

09-16-2003 03:29:23




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 Re: Re: Tractor innovations in reply to Sid, 09-15-2003 20:19:29  
I believe Cockshut is credited for the live pto and not Allis Chalmers. They didn't produce a true live pto until after the hundred series, at least in their bigger machines. I think that really hurt them in the business.Just my two cents.



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Dr.EVIL

09-16-2003 07:51:08




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 Re: Re: Re: Tractor innovations in reply to Dieselrider, 09-16-2003 03:29:23  
And Deere didn't invent the Roll-a-Matic frt end either. It was written up in the IH Collector's news letter 2-3 months ago that a Short Line company designed & developed it and showed the idea to IHC on a Model B but they weren't interested. Showed a picture of the tractor. Deere did accept the idea. Can't remember what the name of the company was but they made other aftermarket parts for all brands of equip.

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Chris

09-15-2003 18:08:12




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 Re: Tractor innovations in reply to John (C-IL), 09-15-2003 13:39:10  
John Deere was the first to have a closed center central hydrolic system. It came out on the 3010 and 4010 in 1960. International was the first to have the hydrostatic transmission on the 656 in mid 60's. A ford model B(not auto or tractor manufacturer but another Ford company) was the first tractor tested in the nebraska test in 1920. 2nd was a Big Bull. 3rd and the 1st one to pass was the Waterloo Boy. I think Case had the first wet clutch. I have all the major innovations written down and will try to find them and post them tomorrow night. I just had to do a paper on this about a month ago. Hope I helped and will try to help more tomorrow night.

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Deas Plant.

09-16-2003 03:53:10




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 Re: Re: Tractor innovations in reply to Chris, 09-15-2003 18:08:12  
Hi, Folks. To the best of my knowledge, the Heer Engine Company, in 1909, was the first to produce a 4 wd farm-type tractor. They were followed by an Australian company, Caldwell Vale, who in 1910 produced a 4 wd prime mover type tractor that was intended to be used as rigid-type truck, a prime mover for road trains and an off-road truck/tractor, mainly aimed at the earthmoving industry.

This Caldwell Vale machine also had a form of power steering and a power take-off at the rear of the transmission which was mostly intended to run a winch that could be fitted under the truck body.

While the Caldwell Vale was not specifically a farm-type tractor, I feel it is worthy of mention as the earliest unit I know of with power steering and a power take off. To the best of my knowledge there is only one in existence today, on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

Hope this helps.

You have a wonderful day. Best wishes. Deas Plant.

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RossMN

09-15-2003 17:35:27




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 Re: Tractor innovations in reply to John (C-IL), 09-15-2003 13:39:10  
Ford had the first powershift tranny with the select-o-speed



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Gene davis

09-15-2003 17:27:55




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 Re: Tractor innovations in reply to John (C-IL), 09-15-2003 13:39:10  
Earthmasters were the first with live hydraulics that could be disengaged by simply pushing a snap coupler forward to disengage the pump from the crankshaft pulley when not needed. They also had a lever on the Hydraulic control valve to allow you yo use that valve to control left, right or both cylinders together. Gene Davis



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thurlow

09-15-2003 15:48:41




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 Re: Tractor innovations in reply to John (C-IL), 09-15-2003 13:39:10  
1st crawlers???? Best/Holt????



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Alberta Mike

09-15-2003 15:42:09




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 Re: Tractor innovations in reply to John (C-IL), 09-15-2003 13:39:10  
The 1946 Canadian-made Cockshutt 30 was the first mass produced tractor line with a "live" PTO that was fully enclosed within the drivetrain.



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Jeff

09-15-2003 21:03:03




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 Re: Re: Tractor innovations in reply to Alberta Mike, 09-15-2003 15:42:09  
Really? I thought Oliver had the first Live PTO, I'm not being smart or anything I really did. Thanks for telling that as it is really interesting. How about Oliver's styling that really started the trend towards making tractors look cool! Also wasn't the Super88 the first row crop tractor to be rated at 50 or over HP from the Nebraska tests?



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Alberta Mike

09-16-2003 05:18:42




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 Re: Re: Re: Tractor innovations in reply to Jeff, 09-15-2003 21:03:03  
Up until the Cockshutt 30 was on the drawing boards (and eventually produced), all Cockshutt's were Oliver clones (just painted a different color) .... and probably the belief then that Olivers had the feature too was a result. The Cockshutt 30 was a brand new tractor from the ground up and had no real design features in common with Olivers. A fellow Canadian by the name of Ivan MacRae actually coined the term "live" power takeoff in one of his correspondence letters with an engineer from Wisonsin Axle Company who were also involved with the design and probably the manufacture of the parts. MacRae was the head of the Canadian team that was given the responsibility of coming up with a design that snaked it's way through the transmission and differential to a separate rear PTO clutch, then out the back of the tractor to the PTO. Interesting post with a lot of good ideas given.

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Bob Semrau

09-16-2003 08:54:32




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 Re: Re: Re: Re: Tractor innovations in reply to Alberta Mike, 09-16-2003 05:18:42  
The Hart-Parr 18-36 had the first independent PTO in 1928. Also, Oliver had test tractors already out in the field with independent PTO in 1946 when the Cockshutt came out (Oliver went to production in 1948). That would indicate to me that the Olivers and Cockshutts were being designed at the same time, with the Cockshutt slightly ahead.



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