The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-07-06
EMERALD AND COMMERCIAL
Canton Monitor Traction Engine and
SEeepstake Thresher.


alton, and to which was hitched span Of
Mexican mules, more for ornament
and guiding than for drawing the immense
load. II attracted universal attention, and a
reporter of the HERALD being anxious to
learn something of the machine and the
enterprise Of the parties who had conceived
this novel appendage to Fourth OF July
street procession, sought ont Mr.. Ralph
Church, the general agent OF this engine
and thresher, and from him learned that
this was the first engine of this kind ever
introduced in the state.
"Could you give me description of the
engine, Mr.. Church," asked the reporter.
"For some time past" said Mr.. Church,
1--WE have devoted considerable attention
to the construction and development of a
traction attachment for the Monitor engine
We built a number of these engines during
the past summer, though we we're able to
supply only a fraction of the orders received
The demand for such engines, already large
seems to be on he increase; and this is not
surprising, considering the economy which
the owner Of such machine is able to prac-
tice, for it seems every way probable that for
threshing, and the multitude Of farming
operations requiring power, the Canton Mon
itor traction engine is the most valuable
helper that has yet put in an appearance
The sizes of traction engines that we fur
nish are ten, twelve and sixteen horse power
From three to five miles per hour can be
made, with or without horses, as when the
latter are used it is only TO guide the course
of the engine and the tank has sufficient
water and fuel capacity for from three to six
miles run. The engine can be reversed, so as
TO run backward or forward, and will turn in
as short space as city hack. The great
advantage OF this traction attachment
is that hills, sandy roads, mud,
plowed fields, and similar causes of
trouble in using engines, need no longer be
regarded as obstacles. Also, owing to our
springs, the Monitor Is moved over rough
and frozen ground with comparative ease.
And best of all, there being such depth of
water over the crown sheet, the latter is in
no danger of being uncovered going up and
down hill.
We shall greatly increase our production
of Traction Engines this year, adding few
improvements that have been suggested by
trial, though by the quite universal opinion
of those who have used lit, our Traction Mon
itor left little to be desired. The power o.
tllt tDElilt is lGtlD lut DI-Wuttl
shaft to the counter-shaft by means Of pow
erful sprocket chain. The sprocket gear has
some evident advantages. The wheels cannot,
from the nature of the case, get out of re-
pair as bevel gears are liable to do. fla link
breaks it is easily replaced. The little slack
in the chain gives great assistance in starting
up and backing. By our customers, who are
generally familiar with road engines, the
chain is preferred.
The movements of the large sprocket
wheel are transmitted to the traction wheels
through an intermediate"
"What other points of interest are there in
connection with the engine
"The compromising gear is one OF them.
The character of this gear needs little ex-
PLANTATION: 1t is sometimes called Jack in
the Box owing TO the difficulty in seeing
through it at first sight, though It's in tact
entirely simple and mechanical. This most
valuable improvement, which we regard AS
an indispensibihty, was first used by the Can
ton Monitor. Its advantages may be ex-
planned as follows:
The two bevel pinions on opposite side,
of the large sprocket wheel have their axis in
line--a single line equal in length to the
greatest diameter Of the sprocket wheel, and
al right angles with its axis. The sprocket
wheel Ievolves Independently. The left
bevel wheel and spur pinion are in one piece
and revolve independently on the counter
shaft while the right beyel wheel is keyed
fast to the cQunter-shaft. Therefore when
the engine is being driven forward in a
straight line the bevel wheels and pinions do
not reyolve; but when the course Of the en-
CINE is detected from q straight line, as in
turning, the pinions revolve imparting TO the
traction wheel which moves the fastest the
full force of the engine without reference to
the slower motion of the other wheel.
The advantage of this arrangement is ap-
parent. The engine looses none of its trac.
tile power in turning and one wheel may
stand stationary whilethe force of the engine
drives the other around il in a circle or at any
required angle. Thus the convenience of the
Monitor in handling and setting, a feature
that has given such satisfaction to farmers. is
equally preserved upon our Traction En- |
CINE.
The counter-shaft is held to its place by |
two set-screws one seated against each Of the |
two standards in the rear of the engine. To |
unscrew these two screws and raise the |
counter shaft up sufficiently to disengage the |
pipions at each end is the work of a few mo-
ment. By this change the Traction Engine |
is converted into Monitor Portable, requir-
ing horses to novel it.
The driver has control Of the steam power as
the throttle valve is within easy reach of his
seat. Thus he can stop and start, and shut
off and let on steam at pleasure.
The weight of the engine and boiler rests
upon the traction wheels. The latter have
wide tires, and are provided with traction
cleats, laid on diagonally so as not to increase
the jar to the machine, but which add mate
rally to their tractile power.
The Monitor is the only engine
mounted on springs, which are a very great
advantage.
A wooden cross.bar behind admits of the
easy attachment Of the tank, wagon, thresher
or whatever may be required to be drawn
from place to place.
While our traction engines are made self
and are furnished and successfully |
used without any tongue, we generally fur
nish tongue to guide by. An engine with
out team is liable TO scare horses, therefore
Il is more satisfactory, and cheaper in the
long run, to steer with horses than by our
steering attachment.
But while we advise the use of team to
precede the engine, we nevertheless feel
,ssured that the traction Monitor is the most
profitable machine to buy, for it enables its
owner 10 dispense with the teams TO haul the
tender and thresher The advantages to be
Ieriyed from the traction attachment are very
,reat in proportion to its cost to the pur.
,baser. The convenience of having ma
,hine that will propel itself is sufficiently
vident.