Gray (tractor)
| Gray Tractor Manufacturing Co | |
|---|---|
| legal form | Corporation |
| founding | 1914 |
| Seat | Minneapolis , United States |
| management | Joseph W. Gray |
| Branch | Tractor construction |
Gray was a tractor brand from the USA . Between 1914 and 1933, seven different models were offered in the power class between 25 and 40 hp . The specialty of Gray tractors was that instead of rear wheels they initially had a particularly wide track width and later only a single roller for better power transmission and also to protect the soil.
history
Gray tractors have their origins in a development by the New York orchard owner W. Chandler Knapp, who was looking for a useful machine for his own business. In 1908 he built his first tractor (a model with a two-cylinder engine ), which a year later was equipped with the widely spaced rear wheels.
In 1914 a model with a four-cylinder Waukesha engine was developed and the sale to the Gray Tractor Manufacturing Company began to sell the tractors under the name of the company owner Joseph W. Gray. From now on, the rear wheels have been completely replaced by a single roller driven by a chain.
The last model offered was the 22-40 "Canadian Special" , which was offered from 1923 to 1933 (from 1925 as the only model). In 1933 production was stopped because the lack of further development in technology and design had made selling increasingly difficult. The drive concept was also not widely used because the tractors did not have a differential gear and were therefore not agile enough.
Products
Model 13 (15-25) and Model A (20-35)
These tractors with a drive belt power of 15 HP and 20 HP respectively were built from 1916 to 1918 and had a 4-cylinder Waukesha engine powered by kerosene .
Model B (15-25)
This type, only offered in 1916, had a 4-cylinder Waukesha vertical engine and was powered by gasoline . It weighed 2,500 kg and was offered at a list price of USD 1,650 (today's equivalent of USD 39,581).
18-30
From 1917 to 1920, this 18 hp type was offered with a 4-cylinder engine. The carburetor was Bennett's .
18-36
This best-selling type was sold from 1918 to 1921. It had a 4-cylinder Waukesha vertical L-head engine with 7800 cm 3 displacement and a speed of 950 / min. He weighed 2950 kg.
20-36
This model was only offered in 1922 at a price of USD 1,975 (equivalent to USD 30,059 today).
22-40
The last tractor developed with a 4-cylinder Waukesha vertical L-head engine developed 22 hp on the drive belt. It was operated with kerosene, which was processed by a 1½ inch Bennett carburetor. Its tare weight was 3,130 kg and its list price was 2,385 USD (equivalent to 35,661 USD today).
literature
- Jim Glastonbury: Tractors - Technical marvels . Regency House Publishing Limited, 2003, ISBN 3-89736-324-0 .
