The Ford 9N (Ford/Ferguson) at its official launch on 29th June, 1939, with Harry Ferguson at the wheel, demonstrating the tractor. The launch was organised by the Ferguson-Sherman Corporation, and held at Henry Ford’s Fair Lane estate, near Detroit, USA. A number of the new tractors were on display, together with various Ferguson-Sherman implements. It was an enormous marketing exercise with, in excess of, 500 newspaper reporters being amongst the invited guests.
The joint venture company, Ferguson–Sherman Incorporated, was set up in December, 1925, and Ferguson and his family, and Williams, remained in the USA for about twelve months, until the venture was fully operational.
Ferguson’s decision to adopt a hydraulically operated system, and market a range of tillage implements, necessitated a new simple hitching mechanism. The Belfast (1916) and Duplex Hitch Ferguson/Ford (1924) plough hitching mechanisms were part of the plough, with both hitches ingeniously transferring weight to the drive wheels and preventing the tractors from tipping backwards. This image is the ‘new’ three point linkage mechanism (version 2) attached to the Fordson Model F, incorporating the modifications made to the Ferguson System, late in 1928.
From 1923, Ferguson, with the Ford plough design problems behind him, was concerned that British farmers still displayed a reluctance to accept mechanisation.
His inventive mind focussed on developing a farming ‘system’ that would off
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