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John Froelich, Clayton County, Iowa, 1892
Photographer unknown, photo from wikipedia
Today’s modern tractors were not developed by any one person, but John Froelich is credited as the first to pair a gas-powered engine with his threshing machine. He had been using a steam-powered thresher, but it presented a major fire risk as just one errant spark could set an entire field ablaze.
Once gas replaced steam, various refinements followed. American and British inventors improved engine performance, introduced numerous attachments, all the while “downsizing” the machine. Froelich formed The Waterloo Gasoline Traction Engine Company, later sold to the John Deere Company though Froelich had long since sold his stake.
John Froelich’s Tractor from 1892
Tractors got their name in 1907 when the Hart-Parr Company coined the term to shorten the then common “Gasoline Traction Engine” sobriquet
The key development in the tractor’s evolution came when Henry Ford introduced his mass-produced version, the Fordson, in 1917. Ford’s smaller and more affordable machine was produced here as well as in Europe and Russia. By 1923 it was by far the leader in U.S. tractor sales.
Over the years, the basic tractor has been embellished by many other additions including the general switch to diesel engines beginning in the 1960s. There are dozens, if not hundreds of implements that can be attached to a tractor today and it is used in many non-farm chores. The smaller versions have been put to work mowing lawns and in various other yard and landscaping tasks.
Modern farm tractors come with enclosed, air-conditioned cabins, computers tied to GPS systems, quality sound systems, windshield wipers, cell phone charging slots and defrosters.
21st Century Truck Console
What’s coming next? How about self-driving or “drone” machines, controlled by an operator with a tablet and an app! Thus, in just over 133 years, the tractor has advanced from gas to diesel power and from being a machine dangerous to operate to becoming self-driven. Many predict they will soon be electric powered as tractor advances seem to quickly follow developments of its automotive cousin.
Coming itch’a - Three of Today’s Tractors
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