Don’t Just Give Me the Fish, for When You Leave I Will Starve to Death. But Teach Me To Fish and When You Leave I Will Continue To Eat.
Lebanon, Indiana … A big smile can be seen on the face of Ari Tello, an employee of L. T. Rich Manufacturing Company in Lebanon, Indiana, as she demonstrates one of the two new V-Tractor prototypes that are ready to go to Malawi in the next 40-foot trailer currently being prepared for shipment.
The V-Tractor is a concept piece of equipment to aid in agriculture for villages and plot style farming for developing countries. Developed by L.T. Rich Products of Lebanon, Indiana with the help of Richard Stephens of the Malawi Project, the tractor utilizes simplicity and reliability.
Powered by a Hatz diesel, the tractor utilizes a unique three wheel drive hydrostatic transmission utilizing two independent pumps and three wheel motors.
The tractor also has an 11 gpm auxiliary hydraulic pump to power attachments. The current tractor can power a 30 gpm water pump, 10 kw generator set, and cement mixer. A wide variety of attachments can be developed for additional applications. In field repairs can be made easily with a small tool kit. A simple forward reverse pedal engages the tractor with no gear changes or clutching.
These tractors have been a number of years in design and creation and they have been prepared especially for village needs on African small plot farms.
SPECIFICATIONS:
* Engine: 22 hp Hatz twin cylinder air cooled
* Transmission: Hydro gear BPD 21-16-11 gpm gear
* Weight: 2052 lbs
* Width: 72”
* Length: 91”
* Ground speed: 6.7 mph forward, 4 mph reverse.
* Cultivator:
* 4 row shovel. 30” row centers. 1 to 4” shovels
* 2 row chisel. 30” row centers.
* Water System:
* Water capacity: 70 gallons
* Pump capacity: 30 gpm (can fill tank from any water source or use as remote pumping system)
* Planter:
* Yetter ground drive planter. Two or four row.
* Generator:
* 7.5 kw or 10 kw output @ 1800 rpm. 50 htz. Hydraulic drive.
For additional information about this revolutionary creation go to: www.vtractor.com
Below Tom Rich, the inventor of the V-Tractor gives information to Shola Ajiboye of the Indianapolis African Center about the capabilities of this revolutionary tractor, and the inventor tests its capability in shake down trials before the units are shipped.
