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.
Only One Address 888-890 Folsom St.
SAN FRANCISCO CALIF.
53 Years of Satisfactory Service
7CNITH
m
We are prepared to equip practically any make of
car or truck with a Zenith Carburetor and we guaran
tee to satisfy you with its service or return your money.
We couldn't do this if we were not confident of Zen
ith supremacy.
We have Zenith carburetor outfits specially design-
MAXWELL, REO, VELIE, ESSEX, STUDE-
BAKER; OVERLAND, DODGE,
SUPER-SIX, ETC.
COME in and let us give YOU a Demonstration of
Zenith Supremacy.
Acme Motor Co.
Phone 264 . Klamath Tall., Ore.
ggjjgryy'-rsqL