TRACTOR TRIVIA and other interesting stuff 1/11/2024

[953 nut 51,929]

Samsom iron horse

 

In the early days of agricultural mechanization some people didn’t embrace the notion of controlling a tractor with a steering wheel. Many of the horse-drawn implements the farmers owned required an operator riding on it to set the depth or perform other functions. If only a tractor could be driven like a horse, by reins! The Samson Tractor answered the call. It could be operated somewhat like a horse. though it didn’t respond to voice commands like “WHOA!”  when the end of a row was reached. The farmer controlled it via reins and could attach his horse-driven plows and implements.

Weighing 1,900 pounds the Samson Iron Horse was powered by a 171 cubic inch displacement 26 HP 4-cylinder GM engine. The tractor was controlled by lever actuated belt tighteners, although leather reins could be attached to these levers to permit operation from a trailed implement like a plow. There was no differential but steering could be controlled with the two levers (or reins) somewhat like today’s tracked bulldozers.

The Samson’s advertisements portrayed its horse-like qualities: “Driven with lines by one or two hands with perfect ease. Release and it goes forward; pull back and it backs up; pull to right and it goes to right; pull to left and it goes to left.” Each heavy canvas belts drove a shaft that powered the final drive on both sides of the machine. The drive system was geared to the closely spaced drive wheels, which provided four-wheel-drive.

The Samson Tractor Company, was a division of General Motors Corporation, the brainchild of William Crapo Durant. Billy Durant, as he was known, was a colorful product promoter who made and lost several fortunes in the early days of the automobile business. In 1918, Durant was the chairman of GM, and a majority stock holder. He was determined to battle Henry Ford and his successful Fordson tractor for dominance over the agricultural equipment industry.

Initial advertisements priced it at $630, but when it went on sale in 1919, it carried a $450 price tag. Samson quickly flooded the market with its new product. Several hundred Iron Horses were sold, but unfortunately for Samson, all but six were returned to the builders. It was riddled with mechanical problems, and could easily tip over."

To compete with the far-more affordable Fordson at $625 ($7,600 today). GM engineers designed a new tractor, the Samson Model M – patterned after the Fordson. The Samson M weighed about 600 pounds more than the Fordson and outperformed it in Nebraska tests. The Samson M, at $650, cost a little more than the Fordson, but fenders, platform and belt pulley were included. These features were extra on a Fordson. It was a good machine and, at first, reasonably priced at $650. But that proved unprofitable. So, a rise to $840 followed, thus ending all plans to outsell the Fordson. In 1923, General Motors closed the unprofitable Samson division, transferring the Janesville assembly plant to Chevrolet division. Chevrolet and GMC trucks and SUVs continued to be built at that plant until December 2008, when GM closed the 89-year-old plant as part of its restructuring.

[ri702bill 7,374]

Interesting - That open chain drives would not fly today.... not sure how they drove the front wheels though....

[8ntruck 6,416]

Looks like there is some sort of gear system.  Maybe the chain driven wheel in the middle drives a pinion to engage the large gear looking things on the wheels.

[953 nut 51,929]

48 minutes ago, 8ntruck said:

Looks like there is some sort of gear system.  Maybe the chain driven wheel in the middle drives a pinion to engage the large gear looking things on the wheels.

That is the way I understand the drive system. Each chain drive shaft was controlled by tightening the belt that went to that shaft, if no tension was applied to either lever both shafts would turn moving the tractor forward (no deadman safety). The speed reduction chain drive would turn a speed reduction gear driving both wheels on that sider. I wish there were some drive system diagrams but didn't find any on the internet.