I was at an agricultural museum the other day looking at a very early
Ferguson tractor engine (1937 I think) and there was an odd component on he
side of the engine I couldn’t identify and it’s causing me sleepless
nights. Okay, not really, but it’s bugging me a bit.

It’s the oblique pot shaped device with the brass “tap handle”. The
spout-like part that is sticking out towards me is blanked off. It’s not a
water pipe connection.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/BYFxuh6ZexRwGotG7

I did wonder if it might be some sort of grease pot (recharged by undoing
the bolt at the top) to lubricate the drive chain/gear for the magneto and
speed governor (on the other side of the engine).

Tim

--
Please don't feed the trolls

Tim+ <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> wrote:
> I was at an agricultural museum the other day looking at a very early
> Ferguson tractor engine (1937 I think) and there was an odd component on he
> side of the engine I couldn’t identify and it’s causing me sleepless
> nights. Okay, not really, but it’s bugging me a bit.
>
> It’s the oblique pot shaped device with the brass “tap handle”. The
> spout-like part that is sticking out towards me is blanked off. It’s not a
> water pipe connection.
>
> https://photos.app.goo.gl/BYFxuh6ZexRwGotG7
>
> I did wonder if it might be some sort of grease pot (recharged by undoing
> the bolt at the top) to lubricate the drive chain/gear for the magneto and
> speed governor (on the other side of the engine).
>
It definitely looks like some sort of greaser, the sort where you give
it 'half a turn, once a day'. I have one (rather bigger, and
vertical) which greases the prop shaft on my little river cruiser.

--
Chris Green
·

On 08/03/2024 10:58, Chris Green wrote:
> It definitely looks like some sort of greaser, the sort where you give
> it 'half a turn, once a day'. I have one (rather bigger, and
> vertical) which greases the prop shaft on my little river cruiser.

The pot diameter seems too large for that, and the tap shaft has a
compression seal around it. Both of which suggest to me - water.

In message
<836105627.731587166.120299.timdownieuk-yahoo.co.youkay@news.individual.n
et>, Tim+ <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> writes
>I was at an agricultural museum the other day looking at a very early
>Ferguson tractor engine (1937 I think) and there was an odd component on he
>side of the engine I couldn’t identify and it’s causing me sleepless
>nights. Okay, not really, but it’s bugging me a bit.
>
>It’s the oblique pot shaped device with the brass “tap handle”. The
>spout-like part that is sticking out towards me is blanked off. It’s not a
>water pipe connection.
>
>https://photos.app.goo.gl/BYFxuh6ZexRwGotG7
>
>I did wonder if it might be some sort of grease pot (recharged by undoing
>the bolt at the top) to lubricate the drive chain/gear for the magneto and
>speed governor (on the other side of the engine).
>
>Tim
>

I've no idea either. Are you happy for me to post this elsewhere where
there are old engine nuts ?

Adrian
--
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replace "diy" with "news" and reverse the domain

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DIY Forum or Google Groups, please be aware this is NOT a forum, and
you are merely using a web portal to a USENET group. Many people block
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For a better method of access, please see:

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On 08/03/2024 13:36, Harry Bloomfield Esq wrote:
> On 08/03/2024 10:58, Chris Green wrote:
>> It definitely looks like some sort of greaser, the sort where you give
>> it 'half a turn, once a day'.  I have one (rather bigger, and
>> vertical) which greases the prop shaft on my little river cruiser.
>
> The pot diameter seems too large for that, and the tap shaft has a
> compression seal around it. Both of which suggest to me - water.

Although it may be being used as a greaser I think it has been
repurposed from its original designed use. The angle and appendages are
also a give away.

Adrian <diy@ku.gro.lioff> wrote:
> In message
> <836105627.731587166.120299.timdownieuk-yahoo.co.youkay@news.individual.n
>> , Tim+ <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> writes
>> I was at an agricultural museum the other day looking at a very early
>> Ferguson tractor engine (1937 I think) and there was an odd component on he
>> side of the engine I couldn’t identify and it’s causing me sleepless
>> nights. Okay, not really, but it’s bugging me a bit.
>>
>> It’s the oblique pot shaped device with the brass “tap handle”. The
>> spout-like part that is sticking out towards me is blanked off. It’s not a
>> water pipe connection.
>>
>> https://photos.app.goo.gl/BYFxuh6ZexRwGotG7
>>
>> I did wonder if it might be some sort of grease pot (recharged by undoing
>> the bolt at the top) to lubricate the drive chain/gear for the magneto and
>> speed governor (on the other side of the engine).
>>
>> Tim
>>
>
> I've no idea either. Are you happy for me to post this elsewhere where
> there are old engine nuts ?
>
> Adrian

Of course. How can I stop you? ;-)

Tim

--
Please don't feed the trolls

Harry Bloomfield Esq <a@harrym1byt.plus.com> wrote:
> On 08/03/2024 10:58, Chris Green wrote:
>> It definitely looks like some sort of greaser, the sort where you give
>> it 'half a turn, once a day'. I have one (rather bigger, and
>> vertical) which greases the prop shaft on my little river cruiser.
>
> The pot diameter seems too large for that, and the tap shaft has a
> compression seal around it.

Why wouldn’t a greaser have a seal? I don’t suppose that in such an early
machine (one of the first Ferguson tractors) they would have made their own
tap fittings. I imagine they would have used an off the shelf plumbing
fitting.

> Both of which suggest to me - water.

But what possible purpose would a water fitting have there?

Tim

--
Please don't feed the trolls

Fredxx wrote:

> Although it may be being used as a greaser I think it has been
> repurposed from its original designed use. The angle and appendages are
> also a give away.

several photos/videos of Ferguson-Brown Model-A seem to show the same
diagonal pot with brass valve, so I don;t think it's a one-off
repurposed item.

Adrian <diy@ku.gro.lioff> wrote:
> In message
> <836105627.731587166.120299.timdownieuk-yahoo.co.youkay@news.individual.n
> et>, Tim+ <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> writes
> >I was at an agricultural museum the other day looking at a very early
> >Ferguson tractor engine (1937 I think) and there was an odd component on he
> >side of the engine I couldn’t identify and it’s causing me sleepless
> >nights. Okay, not really, but it’s bugging me a bit.
> >
> >It’s the oblique pot shaped device with the brass “tap handle”. The
> >spout-like part that is sticking out towards me is blanked off. It’s not a
> >water pipe connection.
> >
> >https://photos.app.goo.gl/BYFxuh6ZexRwGotG7
> >
> >I did wonder if it might be some sort of grease pot (recharged by undoing
> >the bolt at the top) to lubricate the drive chain/gear for the magneto and
> >speed governor (on the other side of the engine).
> >
> >Tim
> >
>
> I've no idea either. Are you happy for me to post this elsewhere where
> there are old engine nuts ?
>
They'll be Whitworth of course......

--
Chris Green
·

In message
<1456885704.731603507.335193.timdownieuk-yahoo.co.youkay@news.individual.
net>, Tim+ <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> writes
>Adrian <diy@ku.gro.lioff> wrote:
>> In message
>> <836105627.731587166.120299.timdownieuk-yahoo.co.youkay@news.individual.n
>>> , Tim+ <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> writes
>>> I was at an agricultural museum the other day looking at a very early
>>> Ferguson tractor engine (1937 I think) and there was an odd component on he
>>> side of the engine I couldn’t identify and it’s causing me sleepless
>>> nights. Okay, not really, but it’s bugging me a bit.
>>>
>>> It’s the oblique pot shaped device with the brass “tap handle”. The
>>> spout-like part that is sticking out towards me is blanked off. It’s not a
>>> water pipe connection.
>>>
>>> https://photos.app.goo.gl/BYFxuh6ZexRwGotG7
>>>
>>> I did wonder if it might be some sort of grease pot (recharged by undoing
>>> the bolt at the top) to lubricate the drive chain/gear for the magneto and
>>> speed governor (on the other side of the engine).
>>>
>>> Tim
>>>
>>
>> I've no idea either. Are you happy for me to post this elsewhere where
>> there are old engine nuts ?
>>
>> Adrian
>
>Of course. How can I stop you? ;-)
>

I've had a suggestion that it might be a self cleaning oil filter, which
is a new one on me.

"You turn the 'tap' to scrape crud off the strainer which you drain out
of the spigot on the bottom. "

Adrian
--
To Reply :
replace "diy" with "news" and reverse the domain

If you are reading this from a web interface eg DIY Banter,
DIY Forum or Google Groups, please be aware this is NOT a forum, and
you are merely using a web portal to a USENET group. Many people block
posters coming from web portals due to perceieved SPAM or inaneness.
For a better method of access, please see:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Usenet

On 08-Mar-24 15:41, Chris Green wrote:
> Adrian <diy@ku.gro.lioff> wrote:
>> In message
>> <836105627.731587166.120299.timdownieuk-yahoo.co.youkay@news.individual.n
>> et>, Tim+ <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> writes
>>> I was at an agricultural museum the other day looking at a very early
>>> Ferguson tractor engine (1937 I think) and there was an odd component on he
>>> side of the engine I couldn’t identify and it’s causing me sleepless
>>> nights. Okay, not really, but it’s bugging me a bit.
>>>
>>> It’s the oblique pot shaped device with the brass “tap handle”. The
>>> spout-like part that is sticking out towards me is blanked off. It’s not a
>>> water pipe connection.
>>>
>>> https://photos.app.goo.gl/BYFxuh6ZexRwGotG7
>>>
>>> I did wonder if it might be some sort of grease pot (recharged by undoing
>>> the bolt at the top) to lubricate the drive chain/gear for the magneto and
>>> speed governor (on the other side of the engine).
>>>
>>> Tim
>>>
>>
>> I've no idea either. Are you happy for me to post this elsewhere where
>> there are old engine nuts ?
>>
> They'll be Whitworth of course......
>
But you'd need a 3/8ths Gripley.

--
Sam Plusnet

On 08/03/2024 21:23, Adrian wrote:
> In message
> <1456885704.731603507.335193.timdownieuk-yahoo.co.youkay@news.individual.
> net>, Tim+ <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> writes
>> Adrian <diy@ku.gro.lioff> wrote:
>>> In message
>>> <836105627.731587166.120299.timdownieuk-yahoo.co.youkay@news.individual.n
>>>
>>>> , Tim+ <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> writes
>>>> I was at an agricultural museum the other day looking at a very early
>>>> Ferguson tractor engine (1937 I think) and there was an odd
>>>> component on he
>>>> side of the engine I couldn’t identify and it’s causing me sleepless
>>>> nights.  Okay, not really, but it’s bugging me a bit.
>>>>
>>>> It’s the oblique pot shaped device with the brass “tap handle”.  The
>>>> spout-like part that is sticking out towards me is blanked off. It’s
>>>> not a
>>>> water pipe connection.
>>>>
>>>> https://photos.app.goo.gl/BYFxuh6ZexRwGotG7
>>>>
>>>> I did wonder if it might be some sort of grease pot (recharged by
>>>> undoing
>>>> the bolt at the top) to lubricate the drive chain/gear for the
>>>> magneto and
>>>> speed governor (on the other side of the engine).
>>>>
>>>> Tim
>>>>
>>>
>>> I've no idea either.  Are you happy for me to post this elsewhere where
>>> there are old engine nuts ?
>>>
>>> Adrian
>>
>> Of course.  How can I stop you? ;-)
>>
>
> I've had a suggestion that it might be a self cleaning oil filter, which
> is a new one on me.
>
> "You turn the 'tap' to scrape crud off the strainer which you drain out
> of the spigot on the bottom. "
>

That was my first thought. It looks the right shape & size for an oil
filter.

--
Regards
wasbit

On 08/03/2024 10:46, Tim+ wrote:
> I was at an agricultural museum the other day looking at a very early
> Ferguson tractor engine (1937 I think) and there was an odd component on he
> side of the engine I couldn’t identify and it’s causing me sleepless
> nights. Okay, not really, but it’s bugging me a bit.
>
> It’s the oblique pot shaped device with the brass “tap handle”. The
> spout-like part that is sticking out towards me is blanked off. It’s not a
> water pipe connection.
>
> https://photos.app.goo.gl/BYFxuh6ZexRwGotG7
>
> I did wonder if it might be some sort of grease pot (recharged by undoing
> the bolt at the top) to lubricate the drive chain/gear for the magneto and
> speed governor (on the other side of the engine).
>
> Tim
>

It must be an OEM part because the same thing can just be
seen on this website

https://www.ferguson-museum.co.uk/ferguson_brown.htm

wasbit <wasbit@nowhere.com> wrote:
> On 08/03/2024 21:23, Adrian wrote:
>> In message
>> <1456885704.731603507.335193.timdownieuk-yahoo.co.youkay@news.individual.
>>> , Tim+ <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> writes
>>> Adrian <diy@ku.gro.lioff> wrote:
>>>> In message
>>>> <836105627.731587166.120299.timdownieuk-yahoo.co.youkay@news.individual.n
>>>>
>>>>> , Tim+ <timdownieuk@yahoo.co.youkay> writes
>>>>> I was at an agricultural museum the other day looking at a very early
>>>>> Ferguson tractor engine (1937 I think) and there was an odd
>>>>> component on he
>>>>> side of the engine I couldn’t identify and it’s causing me sleepless
>>>>> nights.  Okay, not really, but it’s bugging me a bit.
>>>>>
>>>>> It’s the oblique pot shaped device with the brass “tap handle”.  The
>>>>> spout-like part that is sticking out towards me is blanked off. It’s
>>>>> not a
>>>>> water pipe connection.
>>>>>
>>>>> https://photos.app.goo.gl/BYFxuh6ZexRwGotG7
>>>>>
>>>>> I did wonder if it might be some sort of grease pot (recharged by
>>>>> undoing
>>>>> the bolt at the top) to lubricate the drive chain/gear for the
>>>>> magneto and
>>>>> speed governor (on the other side of the engine).
>>>>>
>>>>> Tim
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I've no idea either.  Are you happy for me to post this elsewhere where
>>>> there are old engine nuts ?
>>>>
>>>> Adrian
>>>
>>> Of course.  How can I stop you? ;-)
>>>
>>
>> I've had a suggestion that it might be a self cleaning oil filter, which
>> is a new one on me.
>>
>> "You turn the 'tap' to scrape crud off the strainer which you drain out
>> of the spigot on the bottom. "
>>
>
> That was my first thought. It looks the right shape & size for an oil
> filter.
>

The positioning of the spigot would certainly fit with it being used to
drain crud into a jug or similar. Just not sure how effective any sort of
self cleaning filter would be at cleaning the oil though.

Tim

--
Please don't feed the trolls

On 08/03/2024 15:16, Tim+ wrote:
> But what possible purpose would a water fitting have there?

Coolant drain valve - A strange arrangement though.