New Holland Machine Company
Encyclopedia
The New Holland Machine Company was founded in 1895, when a young man by the name of Abram Zimmerman purchased a horse barn
in New Holland, Pennsylvania
and established a blacksmith
shop.
Zimmerman was the third of seven children born to the Martin W. and Anna (Martin) Zimmerman. The Zimmermans were a very conservative Mennonite
family. Abram Zimmerman was a mechanical genius who brought his talents to bear in the new blacksmith business as he began repairing and making farm machinery for the local farmers.
as part of his new business. The Otto was a single-cylinder dual fly-wheel stationary engine
which was manufactured in Philadelphia. After a short while of selling the Otto, Abe Zimmerman switched to selling another single-cylinder dual-flywheel stationary engine called the Columbus. Retailing these engines added income to the Zimmerman blacksmith shop. By 1896, the Zimmerman blacksmith was employing three employees. However, Zimmerman's innovative nature soon had developed a "better idea".
engine.
and take on some new investors. Accordingly, Zimmerman raised $50,000 by selling 500 shares in the new company to his neighbors. Thus in 1903, the New Holland Machine Company was born.
Zimmerman was selected chief executive of the new company. With this new capital, the company acquired a brick factory on Franklin Street in the city of New Holland and hired on 40 employees to mass produce the new stationary engine.
(hp) models of the New Holland stationary engine were mass-produced by the New Holland Company. These five models started with the little 1½ hp engine and ranged upwards to a 16 hp model. The most popular seller among the line of stationary engines offered by New Holland was the 5 hp model. By 1911, sales of the 5 hp model New Holland stationary engine were up more than 253% over sales of the same engine in 1904.
Later, after incorporation, the New Holland Machine Company sold these feed grinders with the option of being mounted on a wooden or steel truck and also with the option of having one of the four larger New Holland engines (4 hp through the 16 hp models) mounted on the truck together with the feed grinder. In this way the feed grinder and engine would form a single unit which could easily be moved around the farm.
in 1947, to form Sperry-New Holland. For the subsequent history see New Holland Ag
.
Barn
A barn is an agricultural building used for storage and as a covered workplace. It may sometimes be used to house livestock or to store farming vehicles and equipment...
in New Holland, Pennsylvania
New Holland, Pennsylvania
New Holland is a borough in Lancaster County in Pennsylvania, USA. The population was 5,092 at the 2000 census. New Holland was settled in 1728 by John Michael and John Phillip Ranc . Before it became known as New Holland, it had been called Hog Swamp, Earltown and New Design...
and established a blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
shop.
Zimmerman was the third of seven children born to the Martin W. and Anna (Martin) Zimmerman. The Zimmermans were a very conservative Mennonite
Mennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
family. Abram Zimmerman was a mechanical genius who brought his talents to bear in the new blacksmith business as he began repairing and making farm machinery for the local farmers.
Otto and Columbus engines
Abram Zimmerman began retailing the German Otto four-cycle engineOtto engine
-Otto Engine Types:There are three types of internal combustion engines designed by German inventors Nikolaus August Otto and his partner Eugen Langen. They are the 1862 compression engine, which failed, the 1864 atmospheric engine, and the engine known today as the "Gasoline Engine", the Otto...
as part of his new business. The Otto was a single-cylinder dual fly-wheel stationary engine
Stationary engine
A stationary engine is an engine whose framework does not move. It is normally used not to propel a vehicle but to drive a piece of immobile equipment such as a pump or power tool. They may be powered by steam; or oil-burning or internal combustion engines....
which was manufactured in Philadelphia. After a short while of selling the Otto, Abe Zimmerman switched to selling another single-cylinder dual-flywheel stationary engine called the Columbus. Retailing these engines added income to the Zimmerman blacksmith shop. By 1896, the Zimmerman blacksmith was employing three employees. However, Zimmerman's innovative nature soon had developed a "better idea".
"Freeze proof" engine
Zimmerman thought that he could build and manufactured his own stationary engine which would be lighter in weight and would be easier to repair and operate. By 1900, he had designed his own stationary engine and built prototypes of the engine.Water cooling
Like most stationary engines of the time, Zimmerman's new engine was water-cooled - a jacket around the cylinder was filled with water to keep the engine cool while the engine was in use. Generally, the water evaporated as the engine was operated and more water had to be added to the water jacket of the typical engine throughout the day.Risk of freezing
In the wintertime, the water jacket had to be drained of water when the farmer was through working with the engine. If not drained, the water would freeze in the water jacket, the ice would expand when freezing and this expansion would crack the cast ironCast iron
Cast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...
engine.
Zimmerman's solution
One of the innovations incorporated into Zimmerman's new engine was the fact that the water jacket was shaped like a bowl and was larger at the top than at the bottom. If water were left in the bowl-shaped water jacket of this new engine during a cold winter's night, the ice could expand harmlessly upwards and outwards without cracking the castings of the cylinder or engine. Thus, because of this bowl-shaped water jacket, Zimmerman's new engine was "freeze proof."Incorporation
With prototypes of his new engine completed, Zimmerman, now wished to manufacture and sell his new engine. To do this he needed to incorporateIncorporation (business)
Incorporation is the forming of a new corporation . The corporation may be a business, a non-profit organisation, sports club, or a government of a new city or town...
and take on some new investors. Accordingly, Zimmerman raised $50,000 by selling 500 shares in the new company to his neighbors. Thus in 1903, the New Holland Machine Company was born.
Zimmerman was selected chief executive of the new company. With this new capital, the company acquired a brick factory on Franklin Street in the city of New Holland and hired on 40 employees to mass produce the new stationary engine.
Engine range
Eventually, five different horsepowerHorsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
(hp) models of the New Holland stationary engine were mass-produced by the New Holland Company. These five models started with the little 1½ hp engine and ranged upwards to a 16 hp model. The most popular seller among the line of stationary engines offered by New Holland was the 5 hp model. By 1911, sales of the 5 hp model New Holland stationary engine were up more than 253% over sales of the same engine in 1904.
Expansion
Success attended the company from the very beginning. In its first annual report dated March 29, 1904, the company was able to report profits of $1,859.40 following its very first year of incorporation. Success in selling the stationary engines, led the New Holland Machine Company to expand into the manufacture of other farm machine products.Feed grinder
As early as November 1899, even before the company had been incorporated, Abe Zimmerman's blacksmith shop had been advertising a feed grinder of his own design. This "feed and cob mill" had a capacity of 10 to 30 bushels of feed per hour and was being offered to the farming public for $15.00.Later, after incorporation, the New Holland Machine Company sold these feed grinders with the option of being mounted on a wooden or steel truck and also with the option of having one of the four larger New Holland engines (4 hp through the 16 hp models) mounted on the truck together with the feed grinder. In this way the feed grinder and engine would form a single unit which could easily be moved around the farm.
Rock crusher and wood saw
Following incorporation, other machines had been added to the line of New Holland machinery. In 1912, the company began manufacturing its own rock crusher and, by 1914, the New Holland Machine Company had also added a wood saw to its line of farm machinery. By 1911, the company had 150 employees. By 1927, the number of employees at the company had risen to 225.Sale to Sperry
The New Holland Machine Company was purchased by the Sperry CorporationSperry Corporation
Sperry Corporation was a major American equipment and electronics company whose existence spanned more than seven decades of the twentieth century...
in 1947, to form Sperry-New Holland. For the subsequent history see New Holland Ag
New Holland Ag
New Holland is a full range manufacturer of agricultural machinery. New Holland agricultural products include tractors, combine harvesters, balers, haying tools, equipment used in lawn, grounds and turf care, grape harvesters....
.