Farm Mechanics: Machinery and Its Use to Save Hand Labor on the Farm.Shearer, Herbert A.
Science
Farm Mechanics: Machinery and Its Use to Save Hand Labor on the Farm.
Shearer, Herbert A.
Agricultural machinery
The cost of farm waterworks depends principally on the amount of power
developed. Small machinery may be had for a few hundred dollars, but
large, powerful machinery is expensive. If the stream is large and
considerable power is going to waste it might pay to put in a larger
plant and sell current to the neighbors for electric lighting and for
power purposes. Standard machinery is manufactured for just such plants.
The question of harnessing a stream on your own land when you control
both banks is a simple business proposition. If anyone else can set up a
plausible plea of riparian rights, flood damage, interstate
complications or interference with navigation, it then becomes a
question of litigation to be decided by some succeeding generation.
STEAM BOILER AND ENGINE
Farm engines usually are of two different types, steam engines and
gasoline or oil engines. Steam stationary engines are used on dairy
farms because steam is the best known means of keeping a dairy clean and
sanitary. The boiler that furnishes power to run the engine also
supplies steam to heat water and steam for sterilizing bottles, cans and
other utensils.
For some unaccountable reason steam engines are more reliable than
gasoline engines. At the same time they require more attention, that is,
the boilers do. Steam engines have been known to perform their tasks
year after year without balking and without repairs or attention of any
kind except to feed steam and oil into the necessary parts, and
occasionally repack the stuffing boxes.
On the other hand, boilers require superintendence to feed them with
both fuel and water. The amount of time varies greatly. If the boiler is
very much larger than the engine, that is, if the boiler is big enough
to furnish steam for two such engines, it will furnish steam for one
engine and only half try. This means that the fireman can raise 40 or 60
pounds of steam and attend to his other work around the dairy or barn.
Where steam boilers are required for heating water and furnishing steam
to scald cans and wash bottles, the boiler should be several horsepower
larger than the engine requirements. There is no objection to this
except that a large boiler costs more than a smaller one, and that more
steam is generated than is actually required to run the engine. The kind
of work required of a boiler and engine must determine the size and
general character of the installation.
Portable boilers and engines are not quite so satisfactory as
stationary, but there are a great many portable outfits that give good
satisfaction, and there is the advantage of moving them to the different
parts of the farm when power is required for certain purposes.
SMALL GASOLINE ENGINES
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