LAUSON ENGINES AND TRACTORS

Alpha Engines catalog C 8-13: By 1914 the John Lauson Manufacturing Company was producing engines for the DeLaval Dairy Supply Company. Engines sold by DeLaval were sold under the Alpha trade name. Nearly all of the Alpha engines sold are actually Lauson engines. This particular catalog carries a 1913 copyright date; the catalog number may be a print date, which would make this a 1914 catalog. The following models are listed:

This catalog introduces kerosene burning versions of the various engine models. The kerosene versions feature a different cylinder head having a throttling governor carburetor mounted above the cylinder head. On the hit and miss versions the mixer is mounted (as with previous models) beneath the cylinder head. Water injection, a heated air intake and a gasoline starting circuit were also features of the kerosene versions. The throttling governor engines were available with extra-heavy flywheels, intended for electric generator driver service. The gas and gasoline fueled versions continued to use the 1908 patent mixer.

All of the models shown in catalog C 8-13 feature separate castings for the cylinder, engine frame and (when used) sub-base. The frame and crank guards are the round cast front construction described previously. All models continued to use the enclosed cambox; some illustrations in this catalog show the Sumpter magneto mounted on an adapter plate above the cambox, while others illustrate a new cambox top with a cast-in magneto mounting surface.

The connecting rod used on the 2,3 and 4.5 HP models is of drop forged steel I-beam construction; the crankshaft is also drop forged steel. On the 6 HP and larger models the crankshaft and round connecting rod continue to be turned from a forged steel billet.

All models were offered in portable, semi-portable and stationary versions. Plain cylinder portable models were furnished with a screen cooler and all plain cylinder models of 8 HP and higher were supplied with a water circulating pump.