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About The Evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 29, 1921)
HATUIWAY, JANUARY J, 10!. THE EVENING HERALD, KLAMATH FALLS, OREGON PAGE KOimTKKN K II H Ml Sororal roam ago, tho General Mo tors corporation, rccognlilng tho great economic need mulch oilstod for a mechanically depondabto farm tractor, decided to concentrate thotr oxlonslvo manufacturing facllltloa towards tho production of such a machine At first thought, perhaps, It would (teem rather strango that nn organ! cation such as General Motors cor porations, that had already nchlorod n world-wldo reputation with such motor car successes as tho Cadillac, llulck, Oakland, Oldsmobllc, Chevro let, Scrlpps Ilooth and 0. M. C. trucks should turn Us attention to tho production of such n distinctly different typo ot unit as a farm trnc tor. . I ' Hut on second thought, It Is quite obvious that tho samo highly offl clcnt production methods which mado posstblo tho manufacturo ot automo biles In such liugo quantities as to nfford tho public unusual values both In quality and price, could well bo utilized for tho samo purpose. In tho manufacture ot farm machinery. Under tho personal direction of Mr. W. C. Durant, former president ot General Motors corporation, ex periments woro begun to perfect a farm tractor which would, aa near ns any machlno over can, displace tho horso for tho majority of farm tasks and do a groat deal moro work, better, cheaper and quicker. Prom theso efforts, came tbo Sam son tractor, a machlno which was, designed with a full appreciation of farm requirements, and built to do nil tho work It Is supposed to do with dependable efficiency at all times. Knowing that tho efficiency of any farm tractor depends largely upon tho efficiency of tho Implement attached, whether it Is a plow, a disc or a harrow, a. country-wldo inves tigation was made In tho effort to occuro a lino of farm Implements which would measure up with tho samo quality standards as tho now Bamton tractor. For 60 roars, tho Janosvllle Ma chine company of Janesvlllo, Wiscon sin, has beo manufacturing suc cessfully a lino ot farm implements which had an cnvltnblo reputation for ondurlng quality and worth throughout tho country. Tho Jnnosvlllo tractor plow, tho ro suit of over halt n contury ot plow manufacturing oxporlonco, had won prize nttcr prlzo In plowing matches throughout tho country. It was con sldorod ono ot tho most successful plows over Invontod for proper turning ot tho son,. Othor Janesvlllo implements of tho company designed for tilling, plant ing and cultivating had proven equal ly successful. Tho natural soquonco was tho amalgamation ot tho Janesvlllo Ma chlno company with this new tractor division ot tho General Motors cor poration. A location for tho now division Samson Tractor-company was sel ected in Janesvlllo, Wisconsin, in tho heart ot tho great agricultural sec tion ot tho country. A slto finally docldcd upon in sisted ot ISO acres, splendidly situa ted on two main railroads operating between Chicago and tho northwest. Plans woro then consummated for erection of a completely equipped plant embodying avory modern man ufacturing facility. This was only a llttlo over a year ago. Today tho plants ot tho Sam son Tractor company comprise over 230,000 sq. ft. ot floor space The offices, woll lighted and convenient ly arranged, comprlso 34,, 1C0 sq. ft. Additions under way call tor 640, COO sq, ft. Tho foundry is ono ot tho finest, largest and best equipped In this section of tho country, and contains 177,849 sq. ft. Plans nra under way for erection of two nddtlonal foun dries of the samo capacity. Tho power house is of tho most modern construction with every up-to-dato facility. Four water-tube boilers developing 5000 h. p., each automatically fod and stoked, fur nish tho powor for beat, light and air compressing for tho factory. Each boiler uses about 25 tons of coal per day. Tho 2000 cubic feot compress ors and one 4800 compressor supply plenty of air for power and cleaning purposes throughout tho plant. A genorator ot 1000 k.w's furnishes tbo light and power for tho tractor plant. Tho Knmstn Tractor Plant Directly back ot tho general of fices and reached through tho main ontran'je, is tho tractor plant. Even If you'haven't a "tasto" for me chanics, a Journey throught this pjttnt Is certnln to provo cnjoynblo s well as instructive. For hero you wilt witness nn Improsslvo demon stration of tho ottllconcy, skill ana thoroughness of modern manufactur ing. Hero, too, you will boo Just what Ideal working conditions om brnco and nil they contrlbuto to tho comfort nnd woll being of tho om ployoo. As you ontor you wilt notlco stretching down tho ontlro longth ot tho bulfcllng, tho endless chain con voyors upon which tho tractors nro nssombled. At tho right ot thoso convoyors Is n vast battery ot au tomatic machlno. Hero you will boo gear cutting nnd milling machines, llkowlso lathes ot all kinds nnd slios Whtio at tho left aro tho gigantic cutting, bonding, nnd punching ma chines, each ot which plays an all Important part In tho construction ot Samson tractors. In ordor that you may bettor np prcclato tho operations of theso in a chines nnd tho lmportnnro ot their placo In Samson manufacturo, wo wilt first ontllno briefly tho major assemblies of tho Samson Model "M" tractor. First there Is tho motor assembly, which In Its completed stnta furnish es tho powor for tho machlno. Then thero is tho radiator assembly. This Is tho unit which cools tho motor. Furthermore, thoro is tho front axlo and tho steering gcnrassomhllcs as woll as tho transmission which con tains tho rear axlo. All other nssom bllng operations nro mado on tho tractor as It travels down tho end less chain convoyor until It finally emerges, n finished tractor, running on its own powor to tho testing de partment and still lator to tho freight car for shipment. Now boforo wo stop to dissect tho myriad operations which nro colng on beforo us, wo iwllt pass over to tho oxtremo right ot tho building. Through tho open nrca-way wo sco two railway sidings filled with frolght cars. Thoso cars contain the raw materials which aro used In tho manufacturo ot tho tractors wo will shortly seo being assembled. This material is unloaded on tho receiving platform which runs tho ontlro longth ot tho building. From horo It Is loaded on electric trucks nnd trans ported to tho receiving department where It Is carefully chocked, in spected nnd then distributed In tho raw material bins along tho right hand side ot tho factory. Retracing our steps wo first on- counter scores of completely assem bled motors, roady to bo convoyed to tho nssombly lino. Then wo como to tho rndlntor assemblies. Horo tho rough castings for tho tops aro smoothed, drilled and bolted to tho rndlntor coro. Tho completely as sembled unit Is then tested undor wator for leakage. If It passes tho exact careful inspection to which It Is subjoct, It is then convoyed to tho nssombly blocks whoro It Is attach ed to tho waiting motor. Tho machlno nssombly lino now claims our nttontlon. Tho operations which nro going on nro nil n part ot tho assembly of tho front nxlo ot tho tractor. First wo sco, whon fin ished, tho axlo Itself bolng machined, then tho axlo bubs nnd stoorlifg rods. Theso units nro nssomblod Into their rospoctlvo positions nnd nttnehod to tho motor. Tho next section wo pnss on to Is known as tho pulloy nnd gear lino. Hero tho pulloyx nnd bull gears nro machined. Tho smnll gears aro also mado horo. Thero gears aro first tested for hardness, then machined and cut. Ten nutnmntlc machines aro bolng usod In their production. After tho gears nro mnchlnod, they go to tho boat treating depart ment whoro thoy nro honted nnd tempered in tho proper bath to bring out tholr long wearing qualities. Fom thoro thoy nro returned to tho transmission nssombly farther down tho lino. Tho function of tho next battery of machines Is the mnchlnlng of tho axles, splndlo shnfts and, clutches. Over 40 nutomntlc gonr cutters, nnd special lathes aro contained In this section. A fow stops moro brings us to whero tho trasnmlsslon enso Is bo lng machinod. After this oporatlon. It passes to tho nssombly lino whoro, ns It moves along townrd tho motor. It Is assembled Into a complcto unit with Its various gears and Clutch. In this stato it reaches tho assombly chain convoyor. Tho Bystom ot assembly omployod In this plant Is known as tho "pro gresslvo system." Ily this means duplication ot effort Is totnlly nllm Inated. All operations aro timed ,to tho second, nnd follow ono after an other with machlno-llko precision Hero nolther careless nor half-heart ed workmanship can oxlst. And In placo of "rulo of thumb" mothods certain and systematoc opera tions facllltato production, mako pos sible uniform accuracy, hour nftor hour, day nftor day, and safeguard In every stop of every operation all tho material which goes into tho making of Bnmson products. Now that wo have witnessed tho various operations which liavo to do with tho nxHombly of tho major units such nn tho motor, tho radi ator, tho nxlo and tho transmission, wo will dovota our nttontlon to tho chain convoyors. Tho motor which wo passed on our way back from tho receiving platform Is beforo us on tho con voyor. Attached to It Is tho radi ator which wo loft still submerged in water, undergoing tho lonkugo tost. Tho axlo, tho various units of which wo saw machined nnd fitted into placo, Is now nn Integral part ot tho assembly beforo us. Tho transmission, which wo watched be ing constructed, has also boon at tached. What but a fow moments boforo soomed to us mmdcscrlpt assortments of meaningless guars, shafts nnd clutches, aro now recog nizable units. Tholr relationship Is easy to discern. From now on, all thp operations wo will witness will bo confined to tho ussemhled unit us It passes along on tho, conveyor by tho varl out aHsnmbly stations. (This con voyor travels about two foot por minute, making' Its ontlro longth In two hours.) Waiting men, each ono skilled In his particular work, care fully adjust their unit Into placo. As you watch theso assemblies you will bo Impressed at nnco with tho smooth, unlet accuracy with which each man goes nbout his work Thero Is tho absence of tho usual confusion nnd delay. Hero tnoti work together with deflnlto tasks and responsibilities which thoy know nnd rocngnlzn. Starting down tho convoyor wo first como to a group of men who nro attaching the forwnrd gas tank supports. Others nro busily on gaged nddlng tho spark and control levers, also tho spark plugs, Next wu sco tho soat and then tho gear shift lover put into placo. Thon tho brake lover, tho pulley, tho brenthor tube, tho rear fuel tank support and nntl-squrak strips aro attached. Whon thosr bavo linen mmln n Hurt of tho assembly boforo us, they aro followed by tho steering column, stcorlng gear and top fonder arms, After that, tho fuel tank strips, oil cups on tho steering near, spnrk and throttlo control rods, switch wlro and buttons aro added. Thon como tho stepping board and tho gas tank and choko wires. Tho fendors Is tho next operation nnd completes tho nssombly. Tho tractor then contlnuos on Us Journey along tho convoyor Into tho painting department, whoro two automatically operated nlr brushes aro usod (6 carefully Bpray tho trac tor with n mnnotii, woll laid con ot paint. From horo tho tractor moves Into tho undoritroiind ovens, whoro It remains for ttiroo-qunrtors ot nil hour under high tomperaturo to In Mtiro a thorough baking of tho paint ed surfaces. Thon tho chain con veyor brings tho tractor to tho floor lovel ngnln, whoro tho final assem bling Is dono. In tho meantime, tho front and rear wheels hava boon automatic ally sprayed with paint and carried on nn ovorhend conveyor along tho dryer nnd aro roady for attaching to the tractor ns It comes out of tho dryer pit. Tho electric, connections and gas fittings nro then attached. Tho (Continued to Page 15) HYATT gTIflKSN NEW DEPARTURE TO bo certain of getting genuine Timkcn, Hyatt and New Departure Bcar inrrs for rcnairs or replace ments go to tho address below. Tho Bearings Service Com pany acta as tho service de partment of tho manufactur ers of theso three bearings. ACME MOTOR CO. Authorized' Distributor KIjAMATIC PALLS JmMk. Banish SPRING Trouble 'by USING NONE OTHER THAN Belt's Guaranteed Springs CARRIED IN STOCK BY ACME MOTOR CO. Klamath Falls Oregon Sole Distributers In This District The "Betts Guaranteed" Spring is known for its high quality throughout the entire length and breadth of the Pacific states while patrons from distant Flori da will have no other than the "Betts Guaranteed" automobile spring and pay more in express charges than is necessary to purchase the best spring from eastern factories. THE ORIGINAL AND ONLY BEITS SPRING COMPANY, Inc. 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