Tractor with two pto shafts

[550Doug]

I was watching a video on "Vintage potato farming in Ireland" and just after the 28 minute mark they show a Ford tractor that has been adapted with two ptos, one driving the belts and chains of the potato harvester, and the other pto driving the gearbox on the harvester. It looks like the ptos are operating at different speeds, but I don't know how that would be done.
Do any modern tractors offer this ability?

This is the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNpeCgzn22w

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

International Harvester had dual PTO shafts on its tractors for decades, the standard 540 RPM and standard 1000 RPM.

Never seen them both used simultaneously like that before, though.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Now after viewing the video, the narrator explained exactly what's going on.

The owner of the tractor has adapted it. The top shaft is specially geared for driving the wheels of the harvester to provide extra traction, while the bottom shaft is the standard PTO.

 

[DavidP,South Wales]

My immediate thought was IH. Don’t think that they can be driven
together though.....might be wrong. Interesting thought what else
could benefit from a double shaft drive? Can’t really think of anything.
One for a machine operation and one for it’s wheels or tracks might
be of some benefit but it brings in a whole load of variables with
ratios etc.
DavidP,South Wales

 

[495man]

(quoted from post at 15:19:23 11/27/20) International Harvester had dual PTO shafts on its tractors for decades, the standard 540 RPM and standard 1000 RPM.

Never seen them both used simultaneously like that before, though.

Agreed, many IH tractors of all sizes had both shafts.

Was mainly a 60s-70s era thing from what models had it.

Ground speed PTO was ideal for powered trailers etc. With powered wheels on a live/IPTO you'd have to remember to shut off the PTO when you pushed the clutch in.

 

[Adirondack case guy]

I agree; The CASE-IH 7220 Magnum that I am plowing with has 2 shafts at the rear. 540
and 1000rpm.--------------------Loren

 

[Case Nutty 1660]

Bro, if you look closer you will see the tin work of what I am thinking is the drive for the top shaft goiung to the left side and forward, I would place a bet its a ground drive pto, so the shaft speed start/stops and changes speed with the wheel power train, that would make the powered wheels on the towed unit stay in time with the tractor at all engine speeds and gear selected??

 

[john in la]

That is most likely a modification similar to the Elenco 4 wheel drive conversion used on the Ford hundred series tractors.
The differance is rather than the PTO shaft going to the front axle of the tractor it goes to the axle of the trailer.

 

[Tom OConnor]

For many years tractors in Ireland have had two power shafts and I will try to post a picture of a bog buggy that requires two PTOs. One drives the
mechanical part of the machine and the other drives the tracks.

 

[caterpillar guy]

Both shafts spin when pto is engaged on those IH tractors with the dual pto's.

 

[Hdonly]

My IH 523 has two pto shafts.