UNIT III TRACTORS AND POWER TRAILERS

Classification of tractors – Main components of tractor. Front end loaders, factors

affecting efficiency of output of tractors- Working attachment of tractors – Auxiliary
equipment – Trailers and body tipping mechanism - plowing - paddy plantation
machine, harvesting machines. Sugarcane harvesting, power trailers.

Tractor is a self-propelled power unit having wheels or tracks for operating

agricultural implements and machines including trailers. Tractor engine is used as a
prime mover for active tools and stationary farm machinery through power take-off
shaft (PTO) or belt pulley.

CLASSIFICATION OF TRACTORS
Tractors can be classified into three classes on the
basis of structural-design:
 Wheel tractor: Tractors, having three of
four pneumatic wheels are called wheel
tractors. Four wheel tractors are most
popular everywhere.
 Crawler tractor: This is also called track
type tractor or chain type tractor. In such
tractors, there is endless chain or track in
place of pneumatic wheels.
 Walking tractor (Power tiller): Power
tiller is a walking type tractor. This tractor is
usually fitted with two wheels only. The
 direction of travel and its
controls for field operation is
performed by the operator,
walking behind the tractor.

On the basis of purpose, wheeled tractor is classified into three groups:

 General purpose tractor: It is used for major farm operations; such as
ploughing, harrowing, sowing, harvesting and transporting work. Such
tractors have (i) low ground clearance (ii) increased engine power (iii) good
adhesion and (iv) wide tires.
 Row crop tractor: It is used for crop cultivation. Such tractor is provided
with replaceable driving wheels of different tread widths. It has high ground
clearance to save damage of crops. Wide wheel track can be adjusted to suit
inter row distance.
 Special purpose tractor: It is used for definite jobs like cotton fields, marshy
land, hillsides, garden etc. Special designs are there for special purpose
tractor.

TRACTOR COMPONENTS
A tractor is made of following main components:
(1) I. C. engine,
(2) Clutch
(3) Transmission gears
(4) Differential unit
(5) Final drive
(6) Rear wheels
(7) Front wheels
(8) Steering mechanism
(9) Hydraulic control and hitch system
(10) Brakes
(11) Power take-off unit
(12) Tractor pulley and
(13) Control panel.
Every tractor is fitted with an I. C. engine, the engine may be carburetor type
or diesel type but nowadays almost all the tractors are diesel tractors.
TRACTOR STABILITY
Center of Gravity:
Compared to an automobile, the center of gravity is higher on a tractor because the
tractor needs to be higher in order to complete operations over crops and rough
terrain.
 Whenever mounted equipment is raised, the center of gravity is also raised,
decreasing tractor stability.
 Any changes in weight from an attachment—such as a front-end loader, bale
fork, and so on—or load can shift the center of gravity toward the weight.
 Implements that are side mounted shift the center of gravity toward the
attachment
Centrifugal Force:
Centrifugal force is the outward force of objects moving in a circular path. In regards
to a tractor, centrifugal force is the force that is trying to roll the tractor over when
it is making a turn. As the radius of the turn decreases (in a sharp turn) the centrifugal
force increases.
Rear-Axle Torque:
Rear-axle torque is the transfer of energy between the engine and the rear axle of a
two-wheel drive tractor. When the clutch is engaged on this type of tractor, it results
in a twisting force, or torque, which should rotate the tires and move the tractor
forward or backward.
Drawbar Leverage:
Drawbar leverage is another stability factor in a rear overturn incident. When a two-
wheel drive tractor is pulling a load, there is a backward and downward pull that
causes the rear tires to become a pivot point. An “angle of pull” is created between
the ground’s surface and the attachment point on the tractor that acts as a force to tip
the tractor rearward.

DESIGN CONSIDERATION
Tractors can be generally classified by number of axles or wheels, with main
categories of two-wheel tractors (single-axle tractors) and four-wheel tractors (two-
axle tractors); more axles are possible but uncommon. Among four-wheel tractors
(two-axle tractors), most are two-wheel drive (usually at the rear); but many are two-
wheel drive with front wheel assist, four-wheel drive (often with articulated
steering), or track tractors (with steel or rubber tracks).
The classic farm tractor is a simple open vehicle, with two very large driving
wheels on an axle below and slightly behind a single seat (the seat and steering wheel
consequently are in the center), and the engine in front of the driver, with two
steerable wheels below the engine compartment. This basic design has remained
unchanged for a number of years, but enclosed cabs are fitted on almost all modern
models, for reasons of operator safety and comfort. In some localities with heavy or
wet soils, notably in the Central Valley of California, the "Caterpillar" or "crawler"
type of tracked tractor became popular in the 1930s, due to superior traction and
flotation. These were usually maneuvered through the use of turning brake pedals
and separate track clutches operated by levers rather than a steering wheel.
Four-wheel drive tractors began to appear in the 1960s. Some four-wheel
drive tractors have the standard "two large, two small" configuration typical of
smaller tractors, while some have four large, powered wheels. The larger tractors are
typically an articulated, center-hinged design steered by hydraulic cylinders that
move the forward power unit while the trailing unit is not steered separately.
In the early 21st century, articulated or nonarticulated, steerable multitrack
tractors have largely supplanted the Caterpillar type for farm use. Larger types of
modern farm tractors include articulated four-wheel or eight-wheel drive units with
one or two power units which are hinged in the middle and steered by hydraulic
clutches or pumps. A relatively recent development is the replacement of wheels or
steel crawler-type tracks with flexible, steel-reinforced rubber tracks, usually
powered by hydrostatic or completely hydraulic driving mechanisms. The
configuration of these tractors bears little resemblance to the classic farm tractor
design.
TRANSMISSION
Most older farm tractors use a manual transmission with several gear ratios,
typically three to six, sometimes multiplied into two or three ranges. This
arrangement provides a set of discrete ratios that, combined with the varying of the
throttle, allow final-drive speeds from less than one up to about 25 miles per hour
(40 km/h), with the lower speeds used for working the land and the highest speed
used on the road.
Slow, controllable speeds are necessary for most of the operations performed
with a tractor. They help give the farmer a larger degree of control in certain
situations, such as field work. However, when travelling on public roads, the slow
operating speeds can cause problems, such as long queues or tailbacks, which can
delay or annoy motorists in cars and trucks. These motorists are responsible for being
duly careful around farm tractors and sharing the road with them, but many shirk
this responsibility, so various ways to minimize the interaction or minimize the
speed differential are employed where feasible. Some countries (for example the
Netherlands) employ a road sign on some roads that means "no farm tractors". Some
modern tractors, such as the JCB Fastrac, are now capable of much higher road
speeds of around 50 mph (80 km/h).
Older tractors usually have unsynchronized transmission designs, which often
require the operator stop the tractor to shift between gears. This mode of use is
inherently unsuited to some of the work tractors do, and has been circumvented in
various ways over the years. For existing unsynchronized tractors, the methods of
circumvention are double clutching or power-shifting, both of which require the
operator to rely on skill to speed-match the gears while shifting, and are undesirable
from a risk-mitigation standpoint because of what can go wrong if the operator
makes a mistake –transmission damage is possible, and loss of vehicle control can
occur if the tractor is towing a heavy load either uphill or downhill –something that
tractors often do. Therefore, operator's manuals for most of these tractors state one
must always stop the tractor before shifting, and they do not even mention the
alternatives. As already said, that mode of use is inherently unsuited to some of the
work tractors do, so better options were pursued for newer tractor designs.
In these, unsynchronized transmission designs were replaced with
synchronization or with continuously variable transmissions (CVTs). Either a
synchronized manual transmission with enough available gear ratios (often achieved
with dual ranges, high and low) or a CVT allow the engine speed to be matched to
the desired final-drive speed, while keeping engine speed within the appropriate
speed (as measured in rotations per minute or rpm) range for power generation (the
working range) (whereas throttling back to achieve the desired final-drive speed is a
trade-off that leaves the working range). The problems, solutions, and developments
described here also describe the history of transmission evolution in semi-trailer
trucks. The biggest difference is fleet turnover; whereas most of the old road tractors
have long since been scrapped, many of the old farm tractors are still in use.
Therefore, old transmission design and operation is primarily just of historical
interest in trucking, whereas in farming it still often affects daily life.

FARM /AUXILLARY EQUIPMENTS

 Seeders: There are several different types of seeders used to spread seeds into
the ground. The types of seeders used will depend on the type of soil, type of
plant and land area.
  Threshers: There are several different types of threshers as these machines
are classified based on how the crop is fed through the machine. A feeding
type in which only a part of the crop is fed into the machine allows for the
straw to remain intact but has a low throughput.
 Irrigation: There are several different machines that can be used for irrigation
on the farm. Sprayers, pumps and tubing are used.
 Tractors: Tractors are used for towing, drawing and pulling heavy objects
and other pieces of farm machinery, such as tillers.
Comparison of advantages of crawler tractor over wheeled tractor
Advantages of crawler tractor Advantages of wheeled tractor
 More tractive force  Can travel at high speeds during
 Can operate on muddy or loose soil operation and also from one job to
 Absence of tires, it can operate on another
rocky conditions with ease  Ease in operation, the operator feels
 Can easily travel on rough terrains less fatigue
where maintenance of road is  Can travel on paved roads without
difficult damaging them
 More impact and powerful and can  Can travel long distance at its own
handle difficult jobs power.
 More suitable when work is spread
over long area
 Operation & maintenance costs are
lesser
 Less initial cost
PADDY PLANTATION MACHINE AND HARVESTING MACHINE

The Paddy
Plantation is a
specialized transplanter
fitted to transplant
paddy seedlings onto
paddy field. The
machine can save
considerable time and
labor which makes it
popular among the
farmers.

How Rice Planter Works

The rice planter is
mainly comprised of three
parts, the motor and the
running gear and the
transplanter device. The
transplanter includes the seedling tray, the seeding tray shifter, plural pickup forks.
The seeding tray is like a shed roof where mat type rice nursery is set. When the rice
transplanter is brought in the field, the seedlings were fed on the seedling trays. Then
the tray shifts seedlings like a carriage of typewriters as pickup forks get seedlings
from the tray and put into the ground. The pickup folks act like human figures by
taking seedlings from the tray and pushing them into the field.
Unique Features of Paddy Transplanter
 Equipped with new type seedling guard board, which can ensure the seedlings
planted upright, orderly.
 Stainless steel seedling tray is much more durable.
 Adjustable seat and steering gear box make the machine operate more
comfortable and easier.
 Configured engine makes the machine performable and with low noise.
Optional seedling rows.
 Hydraulic over ride system can move the floating board upward, left up and
right up.
 Low noise designed transplanting arms can help driver to judge transplanting
condition timely.

Why Use Paddy Planter?

 Efficiency. The paddy planter can transplant more than 0.2-hectare field per
hour.
 Time saving and labor saving. The rice transplanter machine can transplant
the seedling quickly and with less than two people.
 Flexible. The machine is with compact structure and small volume can
operate in the field easily.

Precaution While using Paddy plantation machine

 Have a comprehensive inspection before using the rice planter machine.
Check all the parts of the machine and if there is any abnormal part, adjust it
or replace it.
  During operation, the user should pay attention to the working state of the
machine.
 If anything, wrong, check out the reasons and adjust it. And after working 4-
6 hours, oil the rotating parts according to requirement and carefully avoid the
collision of paddy transplanter when walking on land.
After finishing the work, you should scrub and clean the rice transplanter and
check whether the parts have been damaged.

PADDY HARVESTING MACHINE

The invention of the reaper harvester is to cut down the wheat and lay flat in
the field. The machine is a kind of
man-holding & self-propelled
harvesting machine. Also, it can be
matched with the walking tractor
which is widely applicable to
harvesting crop, especially for the
harvest of muddy land. We have 5
models: AMS-60, AMS-80, AMS-
100, AMS-120, AMS-150 of reapers/swathers with different cutting width of
60cm,80cm, 100cm, 120cm, 150cm and different engines. So choose different types
according to your sowing width.

This small harvester is mainly used for harvesting/cutting paddy, wheat, weed
which is very convenient for farming. In addition, the machine is equipped with the
tires with wider diameter, so it can be widely applicable in the plain, mountain, hilly
areas, upland, sloping field, patch etc., that is it could be not only suitable for the
harvesting on the big, middle and small fields, but also suitable on the area with
inconvenient traffic

It has the following advantages of high efficiency, low breakage, running light
and no vibration, no blocking grass, earth leakage fast, simple structure, long service
life.

SUGARCANE HARVESTER

A sugarcane harvester is a large

piece of agricultural machinery used to
harvest and partially process sugarcane.
The machine, originally developed in the
1920s, remains similar in function and
design to the combine harvester.
Essentially a storage vessel on a truck
with a mechanical extension, the machine cuts the stalks at the base, strips the leaves
off, and then cuts the cane into segments. These are then deposited into either the
on-board container, or a separate vehicle traveling alongside. Waste material is then
ejected back onto the field, where it acts as fertilizer

Sugarcane harvester usually is self-propel sugarcane harvester or connected

with tractors. It has functions of picking up fallen sugarcane, cutting and paving the
stalk. Sugarcane harvester can adapt to different land forms.
Features of Sugarcane Harvester

 It can reap and pave sugarcanes neatly in various nature state such as fallen

sugarcanes.
 Use advanced hydraulic control systems so that the machine can be adjusted

according to different field conditions.

 With small size, light weight which makes the machine more flexible on the

field.
 The knife can cut deep into 20-30mm soil layer, so the damaged rate is lower.

 With low oil consumption. The oil consumption of this machine is less than

0.15kg per hour.