First Things

Between the years 1892 and 1928, the Olin Gas Engine Manufacturing Company, 10-16 Lock Street, Buffalo, employed a minimum of twenty people, utilizing 15,000 square feet. By 1911, Titusville Iron Company was turning out scores of Olin engines monthly while J. W. Ruger Manufacturing Company began phasing out of the heavy engine production. The Olin Gas Engine Manufacturing Company decided to diversify its operation by soliciting general high class machine work and perforating of metals.

Meanwhile, Fred C. Olin's inventive capabilities assumed another direction. Henry Ford's market share of automobiles was booming by sales of his Model 'T.' Thousands of small time farmers could not justify the cost of the automobile just for pleasure purposes. About 1910, Olin created a special conversion kit that could convert any car, particularly the Model 'T,' into a tractor capable of pulling a plow, harrow, etc. Known as the 'Olin Auto Tractor Attachment,' it consisted of two standard size iron wheels for the front and two large 54 inch iron cleared rims or wheels for the rear. Speed was reduced roughly by 10 to 1 with drawbar pull of 800 pounds. (This brings back memories of the doodle-bug that became popular during World War Two.)

Patent No. 1,366,413 was granted to Olin in 1921 for a unique tractor design that resembled a competitor's tractor called 'Bates Steel Mule.'

Fred C. Olin died July 17, 1934, at age 73. His dream company was dissolved and the manufacturing site sold just before his death. He may have had other noteworthy inventions or products to his credit.

Now, back to my brother, Donald E. Olin of Harpursville, New York, and his 6 HP Olin gasoline engine that was made in Buffalo. Don had finally found the necessary parts and paraphernalia necessary for a start up. So, on a sunny Sunday afternoon Don and his son Mike, my son-in-law Fred Underwood Jr., and I rolled the engine to a level spot outside the barn where we combined our limited knowledge of a 'one lunger engine' to insure a safe and correct start up. The reservoir was filled with water, crankcase filled with oil, governor assembly and shaft oiled, ignition system hooked up from battery, to magneto, to spark plug (spark was good), and finally attaching the propane gas tank that fed through the pressure gauge, through the regulator to the carburetor.

We were ready to fire it up! Fred was our youngest and strongest; consequently, he was elected to turn the flywheel, which proved to require more than a couple of turns. At first we were only able to get one or two pops before realizing that the governor ball assembly was not freely sliding on the shaft. After sanding the paint from the shaft, freeing the governor and tightening the return springs, the engine still refused to start. Fred tapped the carburetor with a wrench, apparently breaking the diaphragm loose, allowing for gas flow because the engine suddenly came to life. With minor adjustments to the timing and gas flow, Fred was able to get that everlasting slow idle of a 'pop' dying out to the next 'pop.' A beautiful sound to our ears from our own family invention!