The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-06-10
GASOLINE ENGINES
ON THE MODERN FARM.
Some Practical and Helpful Details in
Operating This Aid to Farming.

Some Practical and Helpful Details in
Operating This Aid to Farming.
By Styles Howard, Assistant Profess
sor Machine Shop. Clemson College.
Of the various poWer-producing
machines in use on the farm, prob
ably the most used and the most
adaptable to all sorts of conditions is
the single-cylinder gasoline engine Of
the four-stroke cycle type. This ma
chine is made in two forms, vertical
and horizontal, and with either air or
water-cooled cylinder.
While machines of different makers
var as to detail, they all have the
same essential parts; namely, cylin-
der with inlet and exhaust valves,
piston, connecting rod, crank shaft,
crank shaft bearings with supports,
fly wheels, exhaust valve opener, gov
ernor, ignition apparatus, carburetor,
cooling apparatus n oiling system.
These engines may be purchased in
sizes from one-half horse power up
ward.
Unlike the steam engine, with
whose pulling powers we are familiar,
the gasoline engine will not carry
much overload; hence it is advisable
to buy a machine large enough to do
the maximum work required Of it
without overlooking. If the engine Is
to be used for pumping only, small
special pumping machines that give
excellent service may be bought at q
reasonable price. If the farmer owns
but n engine, it is probably advisa-
BILE in all cases to procure a larger
machine than the small sizes, a ma
chine that will drive the wood saw.
the corn shelter, the feed grinder,
and so on. These machines give a
relatively high efficiency at light
loads, n it is, therefore, not OBJ
jectional to run them light.
The farmer, for a small outlay Of
money, can provide a room in which
he can set his engine and such ma
chimes as he desires to run with 1t,
and his wood saw may occupy an open
shed at the side of the room. A rod
Of cold-rolled steel, mounted in hang
ers attached to the overhead wood
work, makes an excellent line shaft
at low cost. This shaft should run
lengthwise the full length of the room
to provide for as many machines as
the room will hold. The feed grinder,
corn shelter, etc., may be put together
In a part OF the room separated from
the balance of the room by a parti-
ton, n beyond this partition may be
installed the washing machine, the
cream separator, the churn, the cleo
trio plant, etc. These machines are
driven by the line shaft by means of
belts.
In a limited space it is not possible
to discuss the many uses to which a
gasoline engine may be put on the
farm, but the writer wishes to i'm
press OF the farmer the fact that it
is we'll worth the farmers time to
acquaint himself with the possibili-
ties of the gasoline engine with refer
ence to his own particular case. Man
~ufacturers and dealers are ready to
supply full and free information. on
request.
A great many people are under the
impression that the gasoline engine is
a very unreliable and dangerous thing.
This impression is due to
the fact that the machine is not un-
derstood by these people. AS a mat
ter of fact, the gasoline engine is one
of the simplest of prime movers, and
if kept in good order and in proper
adjustment, it Is a most dependable
source of power. When the farmer
forms the habit of rubbing down his
engine frequently and looking it over
for loose nuts and slipped adjust
ments, at the same time looking care
fully to the quality Of ~lubricating oil
he uses, he will find that he possesses
a safe, economical, and very satisfac-
tory power.