Re: PTO Generators

[Tom Harais <tjhemh@domain.elided>]

Hey Howard, et. al:

I worked at a Glass Containers plant right here in Antioch during
summers when I was in college. Because low level, smart alec college kid
laborers like me were known to run the Chrysler slant 6 powered
forklifts off the pavement in back where a forklift with small, hard
rubber tires does not belong and gets stuck, our punishment was having
to drive the old "mule" built in the late thirties.

On this particular forklift, there was a flathead 4 gas engine. But, the
gas engine drove a generator in front of it and the electricity from
that generator was what powered the forklift. Wheels, lift everything.
No hydraulics.

The thing was killer to drive. First off, it was twice as long as a
modern (mid 70's forklift) with a ridiculously long wheelbase. Second,
instead of riding on top and steering it like a car, you rode in back,
like a chariot and the steering was backwards; that is, the steering was
like a boat. When you wanted to go left, you turned the steering wheel
in the direction to go right.

Damn near killed myself and a few other folks with that raspy thing! To
say nothing of it's noxious fumes. All our modern forklifts were powered
with propane for use inside the warehouse.

Tom H.