TRACTORS AND TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS

 Mechanical device consisting of an engine and power transmission system. The engine
ranges from 3 hp to over 100 hp.

 Equipped with a transmission system that produces high torque on its wheels for pulling
various implements in the farm.

 Equipped with a rotary shaft (power take-off shaft, PTO) that produces rotary power for the
operation of rotary implements.

 Equipped with a hydraulic system for lifting and lowering (during transport) and positioning
(during operation) of various implements in the farm.

 Tractors are classified as two-wheel tractor and four-wheel tractor.

 The first four-wheel tractors were brought to the Philippines during the American occupation
for large-scale sugar cane production.

 The first two-wheel tractors were introduced in the Philippines from Japan in the 1960s for
wetland rice cultivation.

Two-wheel Tractors

 Single-axle machine powered by an engine ranging from 3 hp to 15 hp.

 Used for land preparation, planting, cultivating, harvesting and transport.

 Various implements are attached to this tractor and the operator walks behind to provide
control.

 Two-wheel tractors are classified according to their function:

1. Traction type – provides pulling power through its drawbar (Fig. 1)

 Fitted with pneumatic tires for dry land operation.

 Fitted with steel cage wheels for wet land operation.

 Equipped with a single-bottom moldboard plow or two-bottom disc plow

and comb-tooth harrow for land preparation and a trailer for transport.
 Figure 1. Traction type hand tractor

2. Rotary type – fitted with rotary blades to cut and pulverize the soil (Fig. 2).

 Rotary blades may be attached to a rear axle powered by the tractor pto for
dry land operation.

 Rotary blades may be attached to a front axle similar to a cage wheel for wet
land operation. It comes with a floating device for deep mud conditions.

 Rotary blades may be attached to and powered by the wheel axle itself for
dry land or wet land operation.

Figure 2. Rotary type hand tractor

 3. General-purpose type – fitted with a drawbar for traction work and a power-take-
off (PTO) for rotary work (Fig. 3).

 It comes with a moldboard or disc plow attached to the drawbar.

 It comes with a detachable rotary blade assembly powered by the PTO.

 This tractor is of Japanese design and comes normally with steering clutches
and multiple speed transmission including reverse.

Figure 3. General-purpose type hand tractor

Four-wheel Tractors

 Double-axle machine powered by an engine ranging from 15 hp to over 100 hp.

 Power is delivered as draft at the drawbar, rotary at the PTO and lifting at the hydraulic
system.

 Implements are mounted on the tractor using the hydraulic-controlled three-point hitch
system.
 It is a slow moving vehicle (up to 30 kph) with high torque on the driving wheels.
 It comes with multiple speed transmission including reverse to accommodate various field
speeds.

 The operator is provided with a seat from where the tractor is controlled.

 The tractor is provided with various controls for its operation: throttle lever, clutch pedal,
brake pedals, gear shift lever, steering wheel, hydraulic main control lever (draft and
position control), pto control lever, differential lock pedal and others.

 Classified as either compact or standard type according to the hp rating of the engine (Figs.
4 and 5):

 Compact tractors – tractors with power rating below 32 hp

 Standard light tractors – 32 hp to 49 hp

 Standard light-medium tractors – 50 hp to 69 hp

 Standard medium tractors – 70 hp to 89 hp

 Standard heavy tractors – 90 hp and above.

Transmission Systems

 Second major component of the tractor

 It provides draft power through the wheels, rotary power through the PTO and lifting power
through the hydraulic system.

 Common methods of power transmission:

1. Direct coupling (Fig. 6) – load is directly connected to the engine by some kind of
flange device.

 Transmission efficiency is 100%

 Speed of rotation of engine = speed of rotation of load
 Direction of rotation of engine is the same as the load
Figure 4. Compact four-wheel tractor

Figure 5. Standard four-wheel tractor

 Figure 6. Direct coupling

2. Belt and pulleys (Fig. 7) – two pulleys are used and connected to each other by a
belt.

 Transmission efficiency is <100% because of belt slippage

 Clutch action may be obtained by a third pulley or by moving the drive
pulley to loosen the belt
 Speed ratio between engine and load depends on diameter ratio of the two
pulleys:

N1 D2
 Eqn. 1
N2 D1

Figure 7. Belt and pulleys

3. Chain and sprockets (Fig. 8) – Two sprockets are used and connected by a roller
chain.
  Transmission efficiency is practically 100% because of the positive nature of
power transmission
 Direction of rotation of the two sprockets are the same
 Speed ratio between engine and load depends on the number of teeth ratio of
the two sprockets:

N1 T 2
 Eqn. 2
N 2 T1

Figure 8. Chain and sprockets

4. Gears (Fig. 9) – Two gears side-by-side are used.

 Transmission efficiency is practically 100% because of the positive nature of

power transmission
 Direction of rotation of the two gears are opposite each other
 Center-to-center distance between the shafts of the gears is dictated by the
size of the gears.
 Eqn. 2 may be used to get the speed ratio.

Figure 9. Gears
 Two-wheel tractor transmission system (Fig. 10):

Belt
Engine
Gear box

Driven pulley Sprocket

Chain
Axle

Drive wheel

Figure 10. Transmission system of two-wheel tractor

 Four-wheel tractor transmission system (Fig. 11):

Right wheel

Belt pulley
Final
drive
Transmission
gear box
Differential

Engine Clutch Hydraulic

pump Power take-off
shaft

Figure 11. Transmission system of four-wheel tractor

 Sample problem 1:

Determine the forward speed VW of the two-wheel tractor (kph) if the specifications of the
transmission devices are as given below:

TRACTION
1ST REDUCTION 2ND REDUCTION 3RD REDUCTION
WHEELS
N1 = 3,000 rpm N3 = N5 = N7 =
N2 = N4 = 250 rpm N6 = 75 rpm D7 = 50 cm
D1 = 10 cm T3 = T5 = 33 teeth Speed =
D2 = 30 cm T4 = 100 teeth T6 =

Solution:

N1 D2 N D (3,000rpm)(10cm)
  N2  1 1   1,000rpm
N 2 D1 D2 30cm

N 3  N 2  1,000rpm

N 3 T4 NT (250rpm)(100teeth)
  T3  4 4   25teeth
N 4 T3 N3 1000rpm

N 5  N 4  250rpm
N 5 T6 NT (250rpm)(33teeth)
  T6  5 5   110teeth
N 6 T5 N6 75rpm

N 7  N 6  75rpm

1km 60 min
VW   D7 N 7   (0.5m)(75rpm)( )( )  7.07kph
1,000m 1hr

 Sample problem 2:
If it is desired to reduce the forward speed of the two-wheel tractor to 3 kph, what should
be the diameter of D2 if D1 and N1 remain the same?

TRACTION
1ST REDUCTION 2ND REDUCTION 3RD REDUCTION
WHEELS
N1 = 3,000 rpm N3 = N5 = N7 =
N2 N4 = N6 = D7 = 50 cm
D1 = 10 cm T3 =25 teeth T5 = 33 teeth Speed = 3 kph
D2 = T4 = 100 teeth T6 = 110 teeth

Solution:
 3kph 1,000m 1hr
VW   D7 N 7  N 7  ( )( )( )  31.85rpm
 x0.5m 1km 60 min

N 7  N 6  31.85rpm

N 5 T6 NT (110teeth)(31.85rpm)
  N5  6 6   106.17rpm
N 6 T5 T5 33teeth

N 5  N 4  106.17 rpm

N 3 T4 NT (100teeth)(106.17rpm)
  N3  4 4   424.68rpm
N 4 T3 T3 25teeth

N 3  N 2  424.68rpm

N 1 D2 N D (3,000rpm)(10cm)
  D2  1 1   70.64cm
N 2 D1 N2 424.68rpm
 Reading Assignment:

1. PAES 109:2000 Agricultural Machinery – Walking-type Agricultural Tractor –

Specifications. Part 1: Pull type
2. PAES 118:2001 Agricultural Machinery – Four-wheel Tractor - Specifications