Rumely Oil Pull Tractor, 20-40

Rumely Oil Pull Tractor, 20-40

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Description
In 1923, John Ploesch purchased this Rumely Oil Pull tractor for $4,000 from an Advance-Rumely dealer in Woodbine, Illinois. He arranged with neighbors to thresh their crops, organizing what was called a threshing ring that lasted until 1948. The Rumely Oil Pull was belted to the threshing machine that separated the grain. Threshing became a major social event for farmers, laborers, and their families.
The Rumely Oil Pull was the first tractor to use an oil cooling system, which kept the engine at a steady temperature no matter how heavy the tractor's load. The cooling system allowed hotter cylinders and easier ignition. The Oil Pull starts on gas but runs on kerosene, making it much lighter and easier to maneuver than its steam-driven predecessors. This Rumely Oil Pull weighs seven tons.
Rumely engineers also made space for an extra person in the tractor's cab, gave the operator a clear view in every direction, and placed all the mechanisms--gear shift, clutch, foot brake, steering wheel, carburetor, and more--in easy reach. These new design elements helped the Rumely Oil Pull to surpass most old kerosene tractors, and many of these features were further refined in gasoline-powered machines.
Because of their hot-riveted steel frame construction, Rumely Oil Pulls lasted through years of harvests. Some were still in use as late as the 1960s.
Object Name
tractor, rumely oil-pull, model g, 20-40hp
date made
1923
maker
Advance Rumely Company
assembler
Miller, Ronald E.
place made
United States: Indiana, LaPorte
United States: Illinois, Geneseo
Physical Description
cast iron (overall material)
steel (overall material)
wood (overall material)
green (overall color)
red (overall color)
yellow (overall color)
white (overall color)
Measurements
average spatial: 108 in x 89 in x 175 in; 274.32 cm x 226.06 cm x 444.5 cm
ID Number
1988.0372.01
catalog number
1988.0372.01
accession number
1988.0372
Credit Line
Gift of Wayman Cobine
See more items in
Work and Industry: Agriculture
Agriculture
Data Source
National Museum of American History
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Comments

My granddad of Trumbull, NE had a Rumley 20-40 and always spoke very highly of it - bragged on it actually. He was a great believer in the old saying "Go big or stay home". When he signed up for the draft during WW I he insisted on signing up for Heavy Artillery. He said he wanted to do as much damage as he possibility could. I heard him say he would liked to have had a 30-60 but one wasn't available. After the Rumley he got an IHC 22-36 which he said had "more power", and was more maneuverable. He put a name on everything. The IHC was Old Barney. The Rumley was Old Barnum and Bailey - a name for each cylinder. He was the Tim Allen of his day. I remember his last two horses. Also big. They were half Percheron and half Clidesdale.

Bob Dangler

Tue, 2020-09-01 09:00

What shade of green where the machines?

Sid Meyers

Thu, 2018-02-08 16:21

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