Auto Patrol grader

[trombeur]

Auto Patrol grader.
on the net I casually read a discussion that dealt with the old auto patrol grader, I don't remember if it was caterpillar Champion or galion, could you give me more information about this historical earthmoving machinery thanks.

 

[Welder Dave]

Your last pic. answers your question.

 

[JPV]

I owned a #9 Autopatrol that was identical to the one in your first picture for a while, I believe it was built in 1932. My understanding is that they were the first motor grader built from the ground up that were self propelled and all controls are powered. They were "knuckle busters", the sliding jaw clutches would hammer on the levers when they got worn and would rap your knuckles. I believe it used the same 4 cylinder gas motor that the Cat Twenty crawler had in it. It was hand crank start, I learned the hard way how to start it properly! It was a really neat machine and worked good but was a lot of work to grade a curvy road with. It gave me a lot of appreciation for the old timers that made their living on them and other then a lot of obvious refinements the basic machine is pretty much like what is built today.

 

[trombeur]

thanks for the precious testimony, I think today's ones trace the roads in a perfect way as altitude tolerance, at least I think. Thank you.