Small winch tractor

A Zimbabwian designer has been testing a two-wheeled winch tractor on small farms for the last few years, with encouraging results. Small farmers in tropical regions with distinct dry and rainy seasons often experience great difficulty in field preparation. During the dry season, animal-powered tillage is usually not possible, as the animals become weak due to the shortage of green fodder and deep ploughing in dry soil usually needs a heavy tractor, which is too expensive. A small tractor incorporating a winch and anchor permits a light- weight machine to exert a high pull which can be used for deep ploughing during the dry season. Two people are required to operate a winch tractor, a driver and a plough controller. The plough is attached to the end of the winch chain which is wrapped around the winch drum on the traction unit. As the tractor driver propels his machine forward the winch chain unwinds from the drum and the plough remains at rest. When the chain is unwound from its drum the driver disengages the power from the wheels and engages it to the winch drum. The tension in the chain digs the tractor anchor into the ground and then, as the chain re winds onto its winch drum the plough is controlled by its operator as it is pulled up to the anchored tractor unit The two processes of driving the traction unit forward and then pulling the plough up to the anchored traction unit are repeated across the length of the field, until the machine is turned at the ends of the field. The area ploughed in a day is similar to when using animals and the fuel consumed is similar to that used when ploughed with a medium-sized tractor. The deep ploughing obtained from using the winch tractor permits the crop to be planted at the start of the rainy season and also encourages soil moisture conservation and plant root establishment. For more details, contact: Barry Loades Rumba Kutumba 8 Link Road Mount Pleasant Harare ZIMBABWEA Zimbabwian designer has been testing a two-wheeled winch tractor on small farms for the last few years, with encouraging results. Small farmers in tropical regions with distinct dry and rainy seasons often experience great difficulty in field..