Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-10-21
FARM TRACTOR
WORLD RECORD
IS ESTABLISHED
Machine Operates On
continuous Run for
~ Days; Expe r s
Make Check

cOLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE.
JAWS, Calf, Oct. 2O.-A worlds
-acord nonstop official tractor run
NJ completed when Professor VI. q.
-aiser OF the division of agricul-
.1rai engineering Of the college of
asriculture pulled the switch which
ssopped h motor after 40s hours
" grueHing day and night labor al
oiificult farm work.
Inc test was held on the Hastings
Ganch Of the California Packing
corporation near Rio Vista. The
.srieultural engineering division Of
me college of agriculture has been
working for a number Of years on
.acus phases of tractor power, par
lcuiariy those factors affecting the
liability and durability OF farm
tractors.
me official observers OF tho test
were staff members Of the agricul-
lege.
Parts Measured
As a preliminary 10 the actual run
ming test the tractor was taken to
the agricultural engineering labora-
tories on the University Farm at Da-
Wis, was dismantled and exact meas
nrements made of the wrist pins,
piston rings, pistons and crank shaft
bearings. Some Of the parts were
weighed SO that the exact mount
worn off might later be determined.
tine others were measured to thou
sandths of an inch in their more i'm
p.ortant dimensions. The tractor was
then reassembled under the superin-
tendence of a factory service man.
The tractor was serviced for fuel,
and checked for oil and water four
times each day; it was CREASED once
a dya, and every 4s hours il vas
given a complete servicing including
a partial draining of the crankcase.
New oil was added to the crankcase
between these intervals when shown
to be necessary by the gauge.
The disc harrow was CREASED three
times each day. An average of about
10 minutes was required to service
the tractor and harrow, except for
the complete servicing which re-
CURED a somewhat longer time. The
machine was stopped for this period,
but the motor was kept running.
Observers Kept Busy
When not engaged in checking up
on all these things, the observers
and gasoline from the tractor for an
alysis later; made preliminary cal
culations of the results they were
securing, and caught up some of the
sleep they lost in making their night
observations.
During the II days and nights Of
operation the tractor was pulling a
load for 90 per cent OF the time, onk
% hours of the total 40S operating
hours being required for servicing.
Load Varies
The load il was pulling during this
time varied from one requiring be-
tween 10 and IL horsepower, which
was used for the first part of the
run. TO one requiring IS horsepower
during the last seven days.
In travelling the 1880 miles the
equipment disked 1,2s0 acres.
A total of 1.143 IL gallons Of gas
oline was used.
The oil put into the erankcsse
measured los IL quarts, and ~ ~
quarts were drained from the en-
CINE. Probably eight or ten quarts
additional were lost, due to minor
leakage.
The grease required for the track
rollers and bearings amounted TO
24.6 pounds.
The disc harrow required BIB
pounds Of grease during the period
OF the test.
Only one difficulty OF any impor-
lance in the operation of the tractor
was faced during the trial. This
was at the time when an adjustment
of the valve stem clearance at the
push rods became necessary. Til
was remedied with the engine run
ming, however.
Worlds Record
The test Just concluded Is eonsio-
cred q worlds record as no other
test approaching its duration has
been officially noted. Rumors Of
tractors being operated for twelve
and fourteen days By farmers IN the
regular curse Of their work have
come to light but the only other test
conducted under the observation OF
di~sinterested engineers which comes
near this one is n test completed by
= tractor near San Jose last spring,
wherein the tractor was operated 1T
regular field work continuously for
tan DAYS, or a total Of 240 hours.
II is from tests such as this that
engineers determine the weaknesses
and points Of too sever strain and
vear in their products and secure
other data which will effect changes
IN their designs.