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Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Co.
Successor Deutz-Allis
AGCO
Allis-Chalmers Energy
Founded 1840
Headquarters Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA (West Allis, Wisconsin), USA
Industry Manufacturing
Products agriculture machinery tractor, combine harvesters, construction equipment, industrial machinery
Allis-Chalmers D-270 - Perkins - at Astwood Bank 08 - P6150258

Allis-Chalmers D-270 at Astwood Bank vintage show 2008

Allis Chalmers ED40 7158NU

Allis-Chalmers ED40 of 1963, reg no.7158NU at Cromford steam fair 2008

Allis Chalmers B of 1947

A restored Allis-Chalmers petrol/TVO model "B" tractor of 1947 vintage at Bakewell show 2008

Allis Chalmers WF Styled EDD915-Driffield-P8100581

An Allis-Chalmers WF

The Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Co. of Milwaukee, WI, USA was an American manufacturer with diverse interests, perhaps most famous for their bright orange farm tractors. The company eventually divested its manufacturing businesses and today is known as Allis-Chalmers Energy based in Houston, Texas.

History[]

Allis-Chalmers first entered the manufacturing business in the 1840s. While originally incorporated in Delaware, the company soon became a major manufacturer in the Milwaukee area after merging with two other firms. The company's presence in Milwaukee became so large that its plants were once used as a landmark there, and, in particular, its "west" plant lent its 8name to the city of West Allis, Wisconsin. Allis-Chalmers entered into the farm equipment business in 1914 at about the time of the First World War. The company would also play a major part as a manufacturer in the Second World War building pumps for uranium separation as part of the Manhattan Project and building electric motors for U.S. Navy submarines.

The company introduced a number product lines including Agricultural Tractor (West Allis, Wisconsin), Implements (LaPorte, Indiana), Industrial Tractor (Topeka, Kansas), Gleaner Combines (Independence, Missouri), Hydro-turbines (York, Pennsylvania), Process equipment (Valves, Pumps (York, Pennsylvania) Compressors (West Allis, Wisconsin), Electric Motors (Cleveland, Ohio), Crushing and screening equipment (Appleton, Wisconsin), Comminution, Air Purification (Illinois), Coal Gasification (St. Louis, Missouri) and Simplicity Garden Tractors (Port Washington, Wisconsin).

A series of acquisitions were made by the company beginning in 1928 with the acquisition of Monarch Tractor Company. In 1931, the company acquired Advance-Rumely based in LaPorte, Indiana. Buda Engine Co., based in Harvey, Illinois, USA was acquired in 1953. Two years later the company acquired Gleaner Harvester Co., and in 1959 it acquired the French company Vendeuvre. Allis-Chalmers also acquired Simplicity Outdoor Products, which was later sold to its management in 1983.

(Missing section 1960 to 1980s)Please add any info ! In 1952 Allis took over LaPlant Manufactures of Construction plant. The construction division formed a joint venture with Fiat Tractor Company in 1974, creating Fiat-Allis.

The company began to struggle in the 1980s in a climate of rapid economic change. It was forced amid financial struggles to sell its farm equipment division to K-H-D (Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz) AG of Germany in 1985, the owners of Deutz-Fahr, which was renamed Deutz-Allis. Deutz-Allis later was sold to management and became what is now the AGCO Corporation (AGCO), and tractors were sold under the AGCO-Allis name - though later this became just AGCO. What remained of the manufacturing businesses were dispersed in 1998 and the company officially closed its offices in Milwaukee in January 1999 The remaining service businesses became Allis-Chalmers Energy in Houston, Texas.

Agricultural machinery[]

AC 4W-305 4WD

Allis-Chalmers 4W-305 at the 2011 Indiana State Fair

Allis Chalmers type M crawler GDSF

Allis-Chalmers Model M at Great Dorset Steam Fair in the Working area

Allis Chalmers WD45 newby08

Allis-Chalmers WD-45 Tricycle tractor at Newby Hall 2008

Allis Chalmers D17 newby 08

Allis-Chalmers D17 at Newby Hall 2008

Allis Chalmers D272 newby 08

Allis-Chalmers D272 fitted with Perkins P3 diesel engine, built in 1957 at Essindine, Lincs. seen at Newby Hall show 2008

Allis Chalmers crawler type M

Allis-Chalmers Model M crawler tractor at Newby Hall 2008

Allis Chalmers model U -WSL686-P8100523

A Allis-Chalmers Model U at Driffeild show 2008

Allis-Chalmers offered a complete line of agricultural machinery, from tillage and harvesting to tractors.

Generators[]

In 1965 Allis-Chalmers built "Big Allis" or Ravenswood No.3, the biggest generator of its time still operational today.

Tractor models[]

Main article: List of Allis-Chalmers tractors
  • Allis-Chalmers Model 10-18 of 1914 was a Gasoline tractor.(approx 2,700 were made and sold between 1914–21), some being exported to France and sold as the Globe tractor.
  • Allis-Chalmers 6-12 developed in 1915 but not released till 1918. Sold ~1500 between 1918 and 1926.[1]
  • Allis-Chalmers Model 18-30 of 1919 was a 4 cylinder in-line engined model. selling 16,000 over 7 years.
  • Allis-Chalmers Model 20-35 1922-1930 re designated from the 18-30 rating following good Nebraska tractor tests results. 4-Cylinder Gasoline engine. (14,000 built)[2]
  • Allis-Chalmers Model 25-40 1930- (A bored out 20-35), became the Allis-Chalmers Model E - replaced by the model A
  • Allis-Chalmers Model A - 1936
  • United, introduced 1929, renamed to the Model U. First tractor with optional low pressure pneumatic tyres.
  • Allis-Chalmers Model B - a small tractor in the 20 hp class popular in the United Kingdom, introduced in 1937. Around 125,000 produced.
  • Allis-Chalmers Model WC manufactured from 1933 to 1948 was a 28 horse power tractor, and had the highest production volume of all the tractors Allis Chalmers produced
  • Allis-Chalmers Model C - two-row cousin of the Model B, introduced in 1940.
  • Allis-Chalmers Model G - an unusual cultivation tractor. Rear mounted engine gave excellent view of delicate seeding and cultivation work.
  • Allis-Chalmers Model WD - early models were made to pull a two bottom plough and had a straight gear shift, while later models had more power and could pull a three bottom plough (and also saw the implementation of a constant mesh transmission with the crooked gear shift lever). This design was improved upon to make the WD-45
  • Allis-Chalmers Model WD-45. - perhaps the most significant tractor developed by Allis-Chalmers. This is the first model with a diesel engine and power steering available as options. Introduced in 1953. (image to side > )
  • Allis-Chalmers D Series - New generation with remodeled, more stylish features and most famous for the introduction of the Power Director 2-range hand clutch
    • Allis-Chalmers Model D17 ( Image to side > )
    • Allis-Chalmers Model D270 Some fitted with Perkins engines.
    • Allis-Chalmers Model D272 1957-60 UK built with 30 hp Petrol,26 hp TVO, or Diesel Perkins P3-1 engines,
  • Allis-Chalmers IB
  • Hundred Series - Very square sheet metal with many modifications, but mechanically influenced by the D series tractors.
  • Allis-Chalmers 7000 Series - Entirely new generation of large tractors - first series with fully integrated factory cabs
  • Allis-Chalmers 8000 Series - Most modern generation of AC tractors - produced up until 1985. Based heavily on 7000 series.
  • Allis-Chalmers 6000 Series - Mid-size tractors. A 6070 was the last ever AC tractor off the line in 1985.
  • Allis-Chalmers 5000 Series - Small size tractors (max 50 HP)
  • Articulated Tractors - 4WD - Several generations, each one designed to match the smaller series tractors during the same time frame. (7000 series, 8000 series, etc.)
  • Garden tractor series built by Simplicity Manufacturing Company

In 1959, a team led by Harry Ihrig built a 15 kW fuel cell tractor for Allis-Chalmers which was demonstrated across the US at state fairs. This system used potassium hydroxide as the electrolyte and compressed hydrogen and oxygen as the reactants. The original AC fuel cell tractor is currently on display at the Smithsonian Institute.

A line of 6 different sized Crawler tractors was obtained when they took over "Monarch" tractors;

Harvesting Machinery[]

Main article: List of Allis-Chalmers harvesters

Roto Baler - forerunner of today's round balers. The first model introduced in 1949. In the 1950s Allis Chalmers made a new Roto Baler called #10 Roto Baler. In this model the operator did not have to stop the tractor to allow machine to tie bale. It was equipped with an upper conveyor that would feed the hay back into the windrow. The #10 Roto baler was also equipped with a fast tie clutch. It allowed the bale to be tied in as little as 3 seconds. Later models were nicknamed white tops when the factory started painting the top canopy white. These were manufactured from 1949 to 1974.

Implements[]

Allis-Chalmers was a full-line manufacturer. They made implements such as manure spreaders, plows, tillage equipment, drills and planters, forage harvesters and wagons, etc...

Tractor Parts[]

AGCO is now the parts manufacturer for everything one would need to fix up their older Allis-Chalmers tractors, including water pumps to oil filters, and even rebuild kits and tractor manuals. Many after-market suppliers offer parts for the older models.

UK Tractor Preservation machines[]

A large number were on display at the Yorkshire Vintage Society show at Newby Hall Show 2008, (some phots are shown above). The Allis Chalmers Owners club had a display of material relating to the Marque.

[[Template:{{{name}}}|v]]  [[Template talk:{{{name}}}|d]]  [{{fullurl:Template:{{{name}}}|action=edit}} e]
Allis-Chalmers "Preserved Machine listing"
Make + Model Build Date Reg No.
(if known)
Serial No. Engine Type Owner Photo Were seen/Featured Other info
Allis-Chalmers UC 1937 - ? A. Simpson (Zak) Allis-Chalmers UC 1937 at Bath - DSC01665 edited Displayed at the Bath and Southwest Tractor show in 2009 believed to be only the 4 in UK retained in original as found condition
Image needed LHB
Image needed LHB
Please add any tractor with known reg or serial no. with Photo if possible.
Create a page (link) for an individual tractor by linking the reg or serial number using [[Tractor make-model-reg no.|reg number]] or [[Tractor make-model-serial no.|serial number]] in the relavent column. Then once saved click the red link to start the new page and add info on that tractor.


Construction Equipment[]

Main article: Allis-Chalmers Construction Equipment


Military Machinery[]

  • M4 Tractor – an artillery tractor manufactured from 1943.
  • Ontos - a light anti-tank vehicle, 297 units produced from 1955 to 1957.

See also[]

References[]

  1. Old Tractor Magazine, No. 68, page 6
  2. Old Tractor Magazine, no. 68 page 9

Further reading[]

  • "Plow Peddler". A memoir by a man who worked for Allis-Chalmers company for over 30 years as a sales representative and sales manager. Buescher, Walter M. 1991 publisher by Glenbridge Publishing, Ltd Macomb, Illinois, USA ISBN 978-0944435182

External links[]


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Smallwikipedialogo This page uses some content from Wikipedia. The original article was at List of Allis-Chalmers tractors. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki, the text of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons by Attribution License and/or GNU Free Documentation License. Please check page history for when the original article was copied to Wikia


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