Tip-carts and Trailers

1937

Tip-carts and Trailers

By 1937 local farmers had got to hear that Tom Teagle was  producing tipping carts and trailers to use on his farm. It did not take Tom long to realise that there was a ready market for these simple pieces of equipment and was soon manufacturing them in the farm barn.

MK.1 Potato Planter

1941

MK.1 Potato Planter

During the wartime potato planting season of 1940 a novel potato planting machine was produced which not only planted the seed potatoes but also placed fertilizer around them during the planting operation.  Such was the importance of this machine in wartime Britain, that the War Agricultural Executive.

Committee commandeered the design and component stocks and the machines were manufactured by Dennings of Chard. No compensation for the stocks of components transferred or royalties on sales were ever paid on any production delivered from Chard.

The machine operated on the principle that many automatic potato planters use to this day, in that a chain with cups moving vertically upwards through a hopper full of seed potatoes automatically fills itself. If the cup missed filling itself, then the operator placed a potato in the cup to ensure no misses. 

Steerage Toolbar

1942

Steerage Toolbar

By 1942 other machines had joined the range of machinery produced in a small workshop on the farm, including the world's first Tractor Mounted Steerage Toolbar. 

The Steerage Toolbar, designed to be fully mounted onto a Standard Fordson Tractor, was able to be steered through the rows of plants independent of the tractor. The operator standing on the platform was able to make adjustments for width and row spacing and with the tiller provided could steer the rear wheel, easily guiding the cultivating tines down the rows. Various types of cultivating and flat tines were available for the toolbar, as well as ridging bodies used for banking potatoes.

W.T. Teagle (Machinery) Limited, was incorporated.

1943

W.T. Teagle (Machinery) Limited, was incorporated.

By 1943 the business was such that Tom Teagle together with his father and two brothers, formed a company - W.T.Teagle (Machinery) Limited which continued to trade from the farm at Blackwater. The other directors of the company were full time farmers, therefore the running of the company was left to Tom and Mary. The farm was still his main enterprise at that time, but this did  not stop his design flare and during the next few years Cabbage/Cauliflower Transplanters, Potato Planters, and Loader-Stackers were added to the range.

Logo 1943 - 1969.

Transplanters and Potato Planters

1944

Transplanters and Potato Planters

The Transplanters and Potato Planters were produced as a direct request from the horticultural farmers in the west of Cornwall, to relieve the backbreaking job of planting by hand. Having lost the design of the previous Potato Planter to Dennings, Tom Teagle set about producing a much smaller and manoeuvrable planter to replace it. The important feature of the new planter was that the main chassis was designed to be totally universal. On it could be built either potato planters in early or maincrop configurations, or transplanters for cabbage and broccoli. Interchangeable parts throughout the range allowed the machine to be manufactured more economically than its competitors. The machines found a ready worldwide market, and could be found planting tobacco in Central Africa as well as cabbage in Australia.

Loader Stackers

1948

Loader Stackers

The Loader-Stacker, produced to replace both the hay sweep and hay pole was a machine too far ahead of its time. It was capable of delivering 1/2 ton of hay  to a height of 24' (7 metres) and its design incorporated the first `push off' type of buckrake. The operation of the machine was completely mechanical, with friction rollers and brake pads, operating on a large winch drum, all controlled by one lever. The wire ropes were threaded on pulleys throughout the machine, enabling it to lift the load and operate the push off mechanism. A  full set of options were available for the Loader-Stackers, including dung forks, shovels and dozer blades. Although very few of these machines were manufactured, it was not until tractors were fitted with external hydraulics that the Loader-Stacker machine was superseded by the fore end loader.

Trailed Broadcasters

1950

Trailed Broadcasters

The Mk.1 Trailed Broadcaster was the forerunner of the many thousands of fertiliser broadcasters to be manufactured at the Blackwater factory. The machine, simplicity itself, had its rotor driven from the ground wheels through a round belt around two idler pulleys through 90 degrees to the rotor. The hopper was raised or lowered onto a cone in the centre of the rotor allowing the fertiliser flow to be either closed or regulated to give the required sowing rates.

The 1953 Mk.ll Trailed Broadcaster was completely redesigned to allow the hopper to be stationary while the rotor moved up and down to adjust the fertiliser flow. This modified machine had the added advantage that the belt was situated outside the main frame and was therefore easier to replace. 

About 14,000 of these machines were made with little competition from other manufacturers, until at one Smithfield Show 17 other machines appeared, two of them fitted with Teagle castings, still with Teagle part numbers! The quantities of machinery being sold exceeded the production capacity of the small workshops and several other small Cornish engineering companies sub-contracted to supply components.

Seed Drills

1951

Seed Drills

Continuing the theme of sowing equipment, the factory turned out several versions of seed drills to cater for the varying requirements of their customers. All seed drills were three point linkage mounted and were produced in three, four, five or six row versions, supplied with or without fertiliser boxes. Special efforts were made to design the machines to be easy to clean and simple enough to be maintained by the staff on the farm, a theme which continues throughout the design departments to this day.

50cc. Two Stroke Engine

1953

50cc. Two Stroke Engine

During the early 1950's other major design projects were in progress, probably the most important to the company being the endeavour to speed the laborious task of hedge trimming. By 1953, having been unable to find an engine light enough to fit onto a hand held trimmer, Tom Teagle, with no previous experience in precision engineering, designed and began manufacturing a 50cc two stroke engine. Except for a small transfer line for machining the cylinder casting, all the tooling for this engine was produced in house.
The Teagle 50 cc two stroke engine was of totally novel design - with an overhung crankshaft and the flywheel magneto supported on an outrigger bearing housing. The piston ran in a centrifugally cast iron liner which was shrunk into the aluminium one-piece cylinder/crankcase. There were no gaskets on the cylinder head, as the aluminium cylinder head was pulled down onto the top of the cylinder liner thereby creating a perfect seal. The crankshaft which was supported by two large ball bearings was fabricated, with the crank pin running in a grove in the crankcase cover to provide forced lubrication to the needle bearing big end. The engine was totally supported on rubber mounts to reduce vibration.

Jetcut Hedgetrimmer

1953

Jetcut Hedgetrimmer

The Jetcut proved to be the most popular machine to use the Teagle two stroke engines. On early machines the drive to the reciprocating cutter head was by a roller chain through the tubular framework, whereas the later machines were shaft driven with a bevel gear at the end. This Jetcut was the forerunner of all similar machines available on the market today. Machines were exported to Japan, India, Australia and New Zealand as well as throughout Europe.

Teagle Cycle Motor

1953

Teagle Cycle Motor

The cycle-motor was produced as a clip-on power unit for conventional pedal cycles, with the drive being through a friction  roller onto the rear tyre. Models were offered with 12 volt lighting supply, and with or without blower cooling.

Multi-level Bale Elevators

1954

Multi-level Bale Elevators

Teagle produced the worlds first multi-level bale elevator, designed after Tom Teagle noticed staff throwing bales onto the floor from trailers, only to be handled again onto an elevator to be lifted to the rick.
With the multi-level elevator the lower end of the conveyor could be raised to enable bales to be easily dropped onto the elevator bed by the operator on the trailer. To adjust their heights, the elevators had a spring counterbalanced knee-frame assemblies at the bottom end, and a winch at the delivery end. Bale platforms at the top of the conveyor helped to slide the bales onto the rick.

Mounted Broadcasters

1956

Mounted Broadcasters

In 1956 Teagles were the first company to offer a three point linkage mounted, P.T.O. driven broadcaster. The rotor was driven using the same round belt as used on the trailed machines. A simple clamping bracket held the belt in place while the machine was lowered to the ground for loading, and as the machine was lifted the belt was guided onto the pulley and automatically tensioned. It would not have been possible to mount broadcasters onto tractors without the patented arc control and spreading mechanism  developed by Teagle and the same system with few modifications is still used on the Versatile Broadcasters made to this day. The two models produced at the time were the Lo-Bin Model, designed for easy loading but suitable only for granular fertiliser, and the Hi-Bin Model, designed with the steep sided hopper enabling it to sow virtually any material found on the farm, from powdered phosphates and basic slag, through to granular fertilisers, seeds and grain.

By 1957, through popular demand, the belt drive was dropped and a more conventional P.T.O. drive was fitted to the mounted broadcasters, with open bevel gears driving the spreading rotor.

Equipment using the 50cc. Two-Stroke Engine

1957

Equipment using the 50cc. Two-Stroke Engine

During 1957 a number of machines were developed to increase the market for the two stroke engines. Lawn Mowers and Motor Scythes were produced, the Jetscythe, being available with cutterbar widths from 0.5 to 1.25 metres wide. Another machine produced for the smaller farmer was the Jettiller single wheel horticultural tractor, ideal for rowcrop work, with attachments fitted both front and rear, a photograph shows it splitting potato banks after hand planting potatoes. Another innovation at the time was the Digo, a garden digger and rowcrop cultivator.

Zup and Speediloader Automatic Pick-up Elevators

1958

Zup and Speediloader Automatic Pick-up Elevators

The handling of bales in the field had always been a problem to the farmer. The normal method of towing the elevator around the field behind the trailer involved staff having to carry the bales to the elevator. Again the Teagle design team came up trumps. By designing an elevator to run alongside the trailer and by adding guides to deflect the bales into the conveyor, it was possible to have a system that would automatically pick up the bales and deliver them to the trailer. Two versions of these elevators were produced, the Zup, a complete multilevel elevator in its own right, and the Speediloader a pure automatic pickup elevator.

Spudnick Potato Harvesters

1958

Spudnick Potato Harvesters

As many of Mrs Teagle's family were farmers involved in growing potatoes it was natural that some thought would go into the complexities of harvesting them, and 1957 an 58 saw the first Teagle potato harvester working on farms in the St. Columb area. Several prototypes emerged and by 1958 production Spudnick potato harvesters were operating at the National Potato Harvesting Demonstration at Beverly competing successfully with machines needing more staff and costing more than double the price. Many potato harvesters of varying models, even up to two row unmanned were produced, until production was discontinued in 1973.

Tracut Mounted Hedgetrimmer

1958

Tracut Mounted Hedgetrimmer

In 1957 the Teagle ingenuity was brought to bear on the problem of mounting hedgecutters onto tractors and by 1958 the problems had been cracked. The resultant design, a machine known as  the Tracut was developed. A simple lifting mechanism using the tractor lift arms, did away with the need for any external hydraulics. The early machines were provided with a parallel linkage to the cutter-head, but the angle could only be altered by getting off the tractor and adjusting it with a spanner.

The requirement to manufacture tooling for the large pressed `V' belt pulleys for the tractor mounted hedgetrimmers gave the toolmaking department many headaches, but the experience gained in the effort put them in good stead for making all manner of large pulleys in the following years.

126cc Four-Stroke Engine

1958

126cc Four-Stroke Engine

Designed at a time when it was difficult to obtain good quality lightweight engines, the Teagle 4 stroke 126cc engine was probably the only engine in its class to be fitted with only one plain bearing throughout - the small end bearing. All other bearings were either ball or needle rollers. The exhaust and inlet ports were close together with the inlet port being very long, long enough to be a vaporiser to enable the engine to run on Tractor Vaporising Oil (T.V.O. a form of paraffin used in tractors of the time) The engine was governed, had oil pump lubrication, and had a unique half speed reduction output which could be taken from the end of its massive camshaft. The design was developed, tooled and manufactured in less than eight months, and was produced for a period of only five years. Its over-engineered design and limited production runs made it an uncompetitive engine to produce and manufacture was discontinued immediately cheaper engines were available from the USA.

Tipmix Cement Mixer

1959

Tipmix Cement Mixer

The concept of a cement mixer that could be mounted onto a tractor created quite a headache for the designers. Eventually a machine using the principle of driving the drum from a roller mounted on the P.T.O. was developed,  This was the Tipmix mixer. The early machines were driven through a rubber tyre fitted on the drum. Experience showed that the tyres did not last well, so they were replaced by a cast gear. The mixer was tipped from the tractor seat, using the lifting action of the hydraulic arms.

Versatile Broadcaster

1961

Versatile Broadcaster

It has always been an aim for the Teagle designers to produce machinery that could be economically exported in the recently introduced containers. The design of the Versatile was a breakthrough at the time, as it was possible to pack 200 of these machines into a 40' container without having to use any tools to strip them down. The tapered hoppers were retained in the machine by spring clips, and could be therefore be removed and stacked one inside the other. The frames without the hoppers were triangular and could be stacked across the container in rows of 8, double decked. Although the machine was inexpensive to buy, no short cuts were taken with the design. The totally enclosed bevel gearbox contained hardened machine cut gears, and several of the components which were in contact with fertiliser were made of high grade stainless steel. In all, the machine was what the farmer of the time required, and its sales reflected this.

Mid and Rear Mounted Silver Bullet Tracut Hedgetrimmers

1962

Mid and Rear Mounted Silver Bullet Tracut Hedgetrimmers

The Silver Bullet Tracut, produced from 1962 in both rear and mid mounted versions, was fitted with a 'fingertip angling' to the head. The greatest market for the Tracut was in Central France where after several years of demonstrating, the sales suddenly took off and the factory found itself having to make at least 60 machines a week for this one export market alone.

AT1 Tedder

1962

AT1 Tedder

Most of the hay tedders on farms in the late 1950's were adaptations of machines that were once horse driven, but several versions of the up and over tedders came onto the market at that time. All these machines were of a  trailed design, so it was decided to design and produce a fully mounted version to compete with them. The AT1 tedder, a single row machine was the first version produced but this was soon followed by 2 and 3 row machines.

Potato Diggers, Harvesters and Haulm Pulverisers

1962

Potato Diggers, Harvesters and Haulm Pulverisers

At the time the first potato harvesters were being produced, a small quantity of single and double row potato diggers were being made at the Blackwater factory. With the increased factory space at the new factory at Camborne, facilities were available to enable Single and Two Row Potato Diggers, and later the Model 5/120 Potato Harvesters and Scimitar Haulm Pulverisers to be produced in quantity. The machines were fitted with newly designed gearboxes, and were made light and manoeuvrable to enable them to be used on smaller tractors. Novel features of the Potato Diggers included driving sprockets which could be reversed when they became worn, and front rollers and agitator sprockets which were sealed against dirt and the shares and stone traps were made from stainless steel.

Trailer Spreaders

1963

Trailer Spreaders

With the idea of producing a Dung Spreader that could be used as a trailer throughout the year a small range of 2.5 and 4 ton Trailer Spreaders were designed. With experience of these types of machines over a period of years, the machines worked well. Originally made with wooden bodies, later machines produced in the 1970s were all steel.

Spread-A-Box

1963

Spread-A-Box

The Spread-A-Box was a novel innovation for the small user, a transport box which could also be used as a dung spreader.

B & S Jettiller, Jetscythe and Super Jetcut

1964

B & S Jettiller, Jetscythe and Super Jetcut

The Jetscythe and the Jettiller with the Briggs and Stratton engine were the last of the range of small horticultural machinery made by Teagles. It was obvious that the way forward for the company was to produce larger machines for which their production facilities were more suited. The last two models of the lighter Super Jetcut with totally enclosed gearboxes, were either fitted with a 32cc J.A.P. engine or supplied into France as an attachment to be fitted to the Stihl Chainsaw.

Thermoblast Crop Drying Fans

1965

Thermoblast Crop Drying Fans

An idea crossed Tom Teagle's mind, that if a crop of  damp baled hay was stacked and it heated up, why couldn't the heat be used in drying the rick without using any exterior heat. After several years of experimenting, a high pressure fan was developed which would  force air at high volume through solid ricks of stacked bales. A system was developed in which a fan would be used to blow the crop with cold air for very short periods, and the rest of the time the rick be left to warm up. By carefully monitoring the rick temperature and blowing the rick through with cold air it was possible to produce barn dried hay at a fraction of the cost of other methods. The marketing problem was to convince the customer it worked. Without the assistance of the Ministry of Agriculture advisers who frowned on the idea, it was difficult, but as usual the best salesman for a novel system is a satisfied customer, and over a period of time there were many of these unpaid salesmen dotted throughout the country.

Universal Tipmix

1966

Universal Tipmix

The early Tipmix cement mixers required special attachment fittings to match the tractor on which it was being used. This inevitably created problems for the stockists, so in 1966 a Universal Tipmix was produced and from then on sales took off dramatically. A conventional P.T.O. Shaft transmitted the drive to the roller drive, and the machine was tipped manually. Export versions of the Universal Tipmix were produced which could be easily knocked down and packed for bulk transport, and up to 60 machines could be packed into 40' containers and 70 on 40' flat lorries. Probably the largest single market for the Tipmix was the Republic of Ireland where it is estimated there were at least 12,000 machines.

Matchless Mower

1967

Matchless Mower

The increase of horsepower on newer tractors encouraged  manufacturers to think of using rotary mowers to cut silage and hay, but most of these machines were designed for operating directly behind the tractor with the inherent problem of the tractor wheels running on the crop. The Teagle design staff, with their dislike of complicated linkages and gearboxes, designed a belt driven totally offset 6' cut rotary mower that would fold  for transport. The machine turned out to be too large for most 1966 farmers whose tedding machines were only compatible with conventional 5' mowers, so the market demanded a 5' mower, the Matchless. Produced in a matter of days using bits and pieces of the crop drying fans, several Matchless mowers were operating around Cornwall by the late summer of 1967. The largest single order ever placed for Matchless mowers arrived from Australia in 1967 after a one day demonstration in Victoria, 250 machines were sold! The machines proved virtually indestructible and many is the tale told by Matchless users of how their mower had demolished harrows or other implements lost in the grass, without any damage to the mower.

Dominant Tedders

1967

Dominant Tedders

To complement the mowers, a rotary tedding machine was produced, as usual, belt driven, in models for one, two and four rows. Following problems with other makes of tedders shedding tines which in turn damaged balers and forage harvesters, designs with spring tines were discounted and solid steel tines mounted in rubber bushes were used. Although the machine worked well it was not very popular outside the South West and its production was discontinued  in the 1970s.

275, 360 and 720 Side Spreaders

1968

275, 360 and 720 Side Spreaders

The Side Spreaders were developed to compete with other versions of side spreading ding spreaders. The novel feature of the Teagle machines enabled the machine to deliver an even density spread throughout the load, by using a 'dozer blade' in the drum to draw the load into the rotor. One of the novel uses of the machine was to feed clamp silage to cattle.

Titan Tandem Axle Trailers

1969

Titan Tandem Axle Trailers

For several years up to 1969 Teagles were making small trailer spreaders of three and four ton capacity. These trailer spreaders with moving floors and spreading rotors, had wooden bodies, but it was generally decided there were huge economies in making them from steel pressings. The purchase of three 200 ton pressbrakes to bend the panels enabled the design of a trailer spreader of  7 ton capacity to be considered. With the complexities of the drive to the rotors holding back the development of the trailer spreader, caution was thrown to the wind and a set of panels were pressed for a 7 ton tipping  trailer. As most of the silage being carried in the late 1960's was in small capacity 4 ton trailers, the arrival on the market of a 7 ton high capacity silage trailer caused quite a stir. The Titan 7 trailer filled a long awaited need of  the large dairy farmers and silage contractors in the South West and sold in large quantities. It is estimated that there are over 4,000 Titan trailers in the counties of Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset. The Titan 7 ton trailer totally changed the farmers concept of Teagles - no longer could they be accused of producing light duty machinery. The Titan 7 ton Trailer Spreader had to wait until the following year to be launched.

Company Name Change and new Logo

1970

Company Name Change and new Logo

In 1970 W. T. Teagle (Machinery) Limited became Teagle Machinery Limited and a new logo was introduced incorporating an image of the globe denoting a global business.

Titan Trailer Spreaders

1970

Titan Trailer Spreaders

The Titan 7 ton tandem axle trailer spreaders were some of the largest machines available in the country at that time. The high capacity spreader rotors gave a fantastic output and accurate spread pattern with low horsepower.

Plastic Hoppers on Fertiliser Spreaders

1971

Plastic Hoppers on Fertiliser Spreaders

Over the years many small alterations were made to the Versatile Broadcasters, but in 1971, Teagles had found a plastic material that they considered suitable for hoppers. The material, a polyethylene, was flexible, could be moulded economically, was light, would not rot or rust and was reasonably resistant to UV light damage. This hopper material was immediately used on the Versatile and 1200 broadcasters and later became a standard feature on all Broadcasters produced by Teagles.

Titan 10 Tipping Trailer

1972

Titan 10 Tipping Trailer

1972 saw the Titan range increase to the 10 ton version.

Titan Dump Trailers

1974

Titan Dump Trailers

To extend the range of the trailers produced, a new range of Dump Trailers were produced. These solidly built trailers proved ideal for heavy earth moving on industrial sites.

Dynacut Flail Hedgetrimmer

1975

Dynacut Flail Hedgetrimmer

The first models of Dynacut, the 300 and 400, were designed on the same principle as the Tracut hedgecutters. They met with reasonable success, but were difficult to mount onto the tractor, so two new models were soon produced to improve on them. The new Dynacuts, the Mkll and Series A. were two machines which sold well in their respective markets. The Mk ll was exported in large quantities to France, while the Series A was more suitable for the home market. Very soon, to complement this range of hedgetrimmers, hydraulic drive models were introduced, firstly the well known S, SX, SB, and SBX, and later the very successful Dynacut Model K with the parallel linkage boom.

Ranger Elevator and Tumbleloader and Trailer

1977

Ranger Elevator and Tumbleloader and Trailer

The Tumble Loader was a direct descendant of the previous automatic pick-up elevators. The only added difference was the specially designed high sided trailer that would hold the bales loosely and gently tip them out at the rick. The trailer was fitted with a hitch which would automatically connect and disconnect the elevator which remained in the field while the load was being tipped. A long reach oscillating elevator - the Ranger - was then used to deliver the bales to the top of the rick. This elevator was unusual in that it was controlled from the top conveyor, and could be swivelled around its centre axis by the operator, to bring the bales to where the rick builders were working.

Toucan Precision Chop Forage Wagon

1978

Toucan Precision Chop Forage Wagon

In 1978 Teagles started looking at the design of a machine to compete with the Continental Loader Wagons being sold in large quantities throughout Britain. The Loader wagon's major problem, as well as being fragile and suitable for only one operation, was that the crop was delivered to the silage clamp totally unchopped.

Originally built on the Triumph 6 ton tipping trailer the prototype was fitted with an old and very much modified Tarrup harvester. It was obvious to the designers that the trend was toward precision chop silage, so the search was on to find a suitable chopping mechanism that was short enough and of suitable design to mount on the front of a trailer. There appeared only one contender, the JF 110, and so started our association with the JF company.

In contrast with the imported Loader Wagons, the Toucan was a precision chop forage wagon of substantial construction that could be converted at the end of the silage season into a conventional tipping trailer. The harvester unit was carried on a sub chassis which could be easily removed from the trailer in a matter of minutes. When in operation, the harvester unit followed the contours of the ground on its own wheels, with about three quarters of its weight transferred onto the tractor drawbar. This, together with its effective hydraulic braking system enabled the Toucan to be used on slopes that would not be safe for conventional harvester units. When in the late 1980's the JF 110 harvester became no longer available, a Teagle designed harvester unit was fitted.

Spiromix

1979

Spiromix

The special feature of the Spiromix cement mixer was that instead of tipping as with conventional mixers, a reverse mechanism was built into the drive and the mixture was augered out of the drum similar to a ready-mix lorry. This design left no restriction on size - only what the tractor could carry, and larger models were soon produced to increase the range.

Hydrax Log Splitter

1980

Hydrax Log Splitter

The devastation of the Dutch Elm disease on the countryside prompted the design of the Hydrax Log Splitter in 1980. Using a ram from a Dynacut and some odds and ends from the `scrap bin', the prototype Hydrax took no longer than a day to produce and hundreds were sold.

AT Broadcasters

1983

AT Broadcasters

The AT22 and the AT44 Broadcasters were developed from the Elite Broadcasters, but by now fitted with a single hopper feeding the two rotors. With the use of large bag fertiliser, the capacities of half a ton and one ton fitted well into these categories, and for the farmer with the larger tractor, the hopper extensions gave even more carrying capacity. The both rotors covered the full width of the spread, and by driving so as to overlap the sowing patterns, evenness of spread was ensured, even when working up to 12 metre bouts.

The AT18 was developed as a economical single rotor machine, incorporating the same sowing technology as the larger twin spindle machines.

Trojan Dual Spreaders

1983

Trojan Dual Spreaders

When in 1983, the Cornish firm of Crompton and Warden ceased trading, Teagles were offered their Dual Dung/Slurry Spreader, and a machine was tested to assess its potential. It was decided that a batch of these spreaders should be manufactured and were marketed under the name of Trojan. It seemed that farmers frowned upon the principle of a machine that would do more than one operation and so after the one production batch the machine was dropped in favour of the standard form of sidespreader.

Lightning Small Bale Shredder

1984

Lightning Small Bale Shredder

At a time when straw was becoming expensive, ministry advisers began explaining that if straw was chopped finely, only about one third as much would be needed to bed down the same number of stock. The Lightning straw shredder filled that very need, but as well as being able to chop root crops and potatoes, the shredder was also used for many other duties as diverse as chopping paper, plastics and materials for composting. In excess of 90 chopping blades were used on the Lightning shredder, giving a very short chop length on straw.

Topper 8

1984

Topper 8

The Mk 2,  8' Topper replaced the earlier model,  being  fabricated as a monocoque body. As well as being easier to manufacture, it was more convenient for the driver to operate and service. The Mk 2 Toppers are of a more conventional design than the earlier machines, and are fitted with a gearbox and belt drive and are fitted with spring steel swinging blades and have a sliding headstock to adjust the offset behind the tractor. The later 6' and 10' models were designed on very much the same theme.

Tornado Sidespreaders

1985

Tornado Sidespreaders

The Tornado was originally produced in two models with capacities of 5.5 and 7 cubic yards. The first Tornado's were manufactured with tanks supported with a separate chassis, a design which was later modified to a neater and stronger monocoque tank and drawbar assembly. The bearings that support the rotor are positioned away from the slurry and the front chain guard is constructed as a substantial support to the front plate.

Spiromix Hydraulic Drive Mixer

1986

Spiromix Hydraulic Drive Mixer

The Spiromix 200 is a hydraulically driven mixer where the drum was unloaded by reversing the flow of oil to the motor. A later version was designed to be fitted onto the forks of telescopic handlers and fork lift trucks - where unloading height was no problem!

Prototype Big Round Bale Shredder

1987

Prototype Big Round Bale Shredder

Many years of painstaking design went into the development of the Tomahawk Big Bale Straw Shredders. This picture shows the earliest prototype, a design with a vertical drum which was eventually discarded for the now familiar sloping drum of the current Tomahawks. 

Sloping Drum Round Bale Shredders

1987

Sloping Drum Round Bale Shredders

The original prototypes of the sloping drum round bale shredders were produced and models were first shown at the Smithfield Show.

4' Tomahawk & 5' Tomahawk Round Bale Straw Shredder

1988

4' Tomahawk & 5' Tomahawk Round Bale Straw Shredder

In 1988 the full range of Teagle baled straw shredders were called 'Tomahawk', a name that has been synonymous with quality bedding and feeding machinery ever since. The early models produced with drums to take 5' bales were a breakthrough in evenness of chop and manoeuvrability around the farmyard. The Teagle machine was lighter and the centre of gravity of the bale was closer to the tractor than its competitors, enabling the machine to be used on smaller tractors. 

Tomahawk 400 & 500 Baled Straw Shredders

1989

Tomahawk 400 & 500 Baled Straw Shredders

Options were soon being made available to make the machine more universal. Chutes to deliver straw high, low, round corners, through tubes, or into rows on the ground were produced, as well as extended drums for all the differing size bales, all to meet the requirements the Tomahawk customers needed.

Tomahawk 4000 & 5000 Silage Feeders

1991

Tomahawk 4000 & 5000 Silage Feeders

With the increasing use of big bale silage, stock farmers were looking for a machine which would break apart and chop silage bales finely. Cattle would not eat enough long silage, and would waste it at the manger, sheep would not eat it, and the whole operation of feeding big bale silage in enclosed areas was a drudge. It again needed a new look at the problem, it was obvious that a rotor designed to chop dry straw would clog up when faced with a soggy material like silage - so new rotors and housings were developed and over a long period of testing, a silage shredder was perfected. This machine has opened up new markets  throughout the world, and Tomahawk Bedder Feeders will now be found operating in every continent in the world.

XT Broadcasters

1991

XT Broadcasters

The XT range of Broadcasters cover all farming needs, from low acreage mixed farms to high acreage arable. The highly accurate spreading systems incorporating stainless steel rotors and shutter systems give superb results. The Twin rotor broadcasters, with equal spread on both sides, use a double overlap system to maintain its accuracy. Tilt mechanisms are fitted as standard to assist when spreading headlands. The pressed steel construction give a massive strength to weight ratio and makes the machine easy to clean. Hydraulic shutters, extension hoppers and hopper covers are available to suit customers requirements.

Tomahawk 700 Box type Shredder

1992

Tomahawk 700 Box type Shredder

With the advent of the big rectangular balers, there was a need for machinery to bed straw from these bales. 1992 saw the beginning of a programme of research and development which produced a number of prototypes which improved year on year, until in 1999 the first machines were being put into production.

Tomahawk 404, 505, 4040, and 5050 Bedders and Feeders

1993

Tomahawk 404, 505, 4040, and 5050 Bedders and Feeders

The new models of Tomahawk were produced following a large investment in production machinery which enabled the machines to be modified to be more robust and easier to manufacture.

Tomahawk 606 and 6060 Feeders and Bedders

1994

Tomahawk 606 and 6060 Feeders and Bedders

With some foreign balers being able to produce 6' bales, a range of much larger machines were introduced to supply the needs of the export market. In this year the Tomahawk Feeders and Bedders won the coveted Silver Medal at the Royal Show.

Tomahawk 508 and 5080 Feeders and Bedders

1994

Tomahawk 508 and 5080 Feeders and Bedders

While the company was developing a suitable box type machine to handle large rectangular bales, it was decided to manufacture a trailed 5' machine with an 8'extended drum which would temporarily fill the gap in the range. The machine worked well and was accepted on the home market and was even exported in small numbers.

Topper 510

1995

Topper 510

The Topper 510 is a 6' cut single rotor topper, well built,  budget priced machine which is semi offset with a gearbox drive to the rotor. In the following years  4' & 5' machines were produced to complete the range.

Super-ted 160 & 220 Swath Conditioners

1996

Super-ted 160 & 220 Swath Conditioners

These machines are high speed swath conditioners, designed to aerate crops of silage, hay or straw. The drying rate is greatly increased, nutrient loss is reduced and extremely even swaths are set up for the next operations. The Super-ted is a well built machine, designed for a high output, single pass operation.

TD50 Broadcaster

1996

TD50 Broadcaster

To extend the range of Broadcasters, the TD50 was produced to provide the company with a machine with at least 2 tonnes capacity. A new gearbox and arc control spreading system was designed and the machine was well accepted.

Tomahawk Straw Mills

1997

Tomahawk Straw Mills

In 1997 the first models of the Straw Mill version of the round bale shredders were marketed. These machines enable the farmer to produce a very fine chopped straw to enable it to be used as cattle feed. Chop lengths can be selected by changing the sieves and straw milled as short as 20mm is possible.

Telescopic Big Bag Lifter

1997

Telescopic Big Bag Lifter

The Big Bag Lifter enabled filling of mounted broadcasters to be made a one man job. 

Tomahawk 808MF Box Type Bedder

1998

Tomahawk 808MF Box Type Bedder

1998 saw the introduction of the first Teagle box type Bedders. These machines were complete with twin cross beaters, driven by a 90° gearbox mounted on the side panel. They were only available with either a right hand delivery chute, or a swivel chute.

Topper 8 Offset Pasture Topper

1999

Topper 8 Offset Pasture Topper

The first Offset Toppers were in production by 1999, gearbox drive with overlapping blades and a hydraulic breakaway. They had the great advantage that they left no wheel marks, and it swivelled hydraulically for transport.

Tomahawk 8080TC Twin Chute Bedder

1999

Tomahawk 8080TC Twin Chute Bedder

The need of a bedder that would deliver on both sides was resolved by the introduction of the Twin Chute Model. The selection of the chute could be controlled from the tractor seat.

Tomahawk 9090 Feeder Bedder

2000

Tomahawk 9090 Feeder Bedder

A larger capacity machine the, Tomahawk 9090, with all the features of its smaller cousin was available for customers with a need of a machine with larger capacity.

Top-line S60 Fertiliser Broadcaster

2001

Top-line S60 Fertiliser Broadcaster

This machine was introduced following a series of improvements on the previous TD50. The machine was fitted with stainless steel hoppers to increase its resistance to fertilisers.

Le Boulch Spreaders Introduced

2001

Le Boulch Spreaders Introduced

To seek a range of Rear Discharge Spreaders, the company imported Le Boulch machines. After some extensive development and modification, they proved a successful range, and many spreaders were sold.

Tomahawk 808S Mounted Bedder

2002

Tomahawk 808S Mounted Bedder

The early version of the Mounted Box Type Tomahawk had the crossbeater hydraulically driven. The machine was more manoeuvrable than the trailed machines, and eventually the cross beater was fitted with the more positive gearbox drive.

Berti Flails Imported

2002

Berti Flails Imported

To increase our impact on the grass topping market the company imported the range of Berti Flail Mowers. These machine have made a huge impact on our penetration of the market.

Topper 9

2003

Topper 9

The Topper 9 filled the gap in the range of Pasture, being the widest machine that could be transported by road in the working position. The machine also has the great advantage that it can be used either front or rear mounted.

XT24 & XT48 Broadcasters with Modified Hoppers

2004

XT24 & XT48 Broadcasters with Modified Hoppers

To increase the carrying capacity of the XT range of broadcasters, a new range of hoppers were designed. They completely changed the overall shape of the machines and were easier to clean and check inside from the tractor seat.

Dynamo Finishing Mowers

2004

Dynamo Finishing Mowers

The Dynamo Finishing mowers took the company into the amenity market. The machines were available in cutting widths from 1.2metres up to 2.5 metres.

Tomahawk Dual Chop Feeder Bedders and SC chutes

2006

Tomahawk Dual Chop Feeder Bedders and SC chutes

The Dual Chop was an important breakthrough - a machine that would deliver both finely chopped straw or full length straw, just by the flick of the switch in the tractor cab.

The SC Chutes enabled the operator to bed or feed on either side of the machine with only the one universal outlet.

EF120 Engine Drive Flail Mower

2007

EF120 Engine Drive Flail Mower

To extend the range of amenity equipment the EF120 Engine Drive Flail was introduced. The heavy duty machine can be pulled behind Quad Bikes or similar and are ideal for clearing rough grass and small bushes, conditions too difficult for the Finishing Mowers.

T505ME Electric Drive Drum Tomahawks

2008

T505ME Electric Drive Drum Tomahawks

This model of Tomahawk was designed for industrial applications, and included power sensors to vary the speed of the drum as the load on the rotor changed.

Introduction of Tulip Equipment

2009

Introduction of Tulip Equipment

The introduction of the Tulip range of equipment gave the company the opportunity to get into the arable market with their cultivation and drilling equipment, as well as the renowned Centreliner Fertiliser Distributor.

Tomahawk 8080WB Wide Body Feeder Bedders

2009

Tomahawk 8080WB Wide Body Feeder Bedders

As balers were increasing in size, foreign customers required wider capacity Tomahawks, so a model with a wider body was designed. This model had the added advantage that the extra width gave increased output on the slightly smaller bale.

Tomahawk 1010 Feeder Bedders

2010

Tomahawk 1010 Feeder Bedders

Even larger machines than the Tomahawk 9090 are required, so a completely new design was produced - a very large capacity Feeder Bedder with the availability of weigh cell technology. The export market of North America take most of the production with a slightly smaller quantity sold in Europe and the rest of the world.

Titan 10 & Titan 12 Rear Discharge Spreaders

2011

Titan 10 & Titan 12 Rear Discharge Spreaders

Because of difficulties in dealing with the Le Boulch company, Teagles could not be without a Rear Discharge Spreader. Using the experience gained with the other machines, a new range of spreaders was produced - more robust - easier to maintain and with a much better spreading mechanism. Extra production facilities have been invested in, as the machines pushed the company's capacity to the limit. Further machines have been added to the range, the Titan 6, Titan 8 and Titan 9.

Re Launch of Tomahawk Range with new models T8100 & T8150s and Wide Body Machines T8500 & T8550s

2012

Re Launch of Tomahawk Range with new models T8100 & T8150s and Wide Body Machines T8500 & T8550s

After producing the Tomahawk Feeder Bedders for thirty years there was a need for change. The machines were extensively redesigned and modern decals applied, with the machines being launched ready for the 2012/13 season.

Large Capacity Drum Tomahawk 505XL and 505XLM Mill

2012

Large Capacity Drum Tomahawk 505XL and 505XLM Mill

For a while the Drum Tomahawks have been fitted with drum extensions as an accessory, but from 2012, a new model with a 2.5 metre long drum and extra drum support was introduced. This machine is able to chop or mill the largest straw bales produced.

Launch of Telehawk Straw Spreader

2014

Launch of Telehawk Straw Spreader

With the increasing popularity of telescopic handlers on farms in the UK and Europe, Teagle launched the Telehawk straw spreader, designed to bed livestock using round or rectangular bales.

Tomahawk 9500 - High Performance

2015

Tomahawk 9500 - High Performance

In response to demand for an update to its popular Tomahawk 9090 Feeder Bedder, Teagle Machinery launched the new Tomahawk 9500 model for the 2015/16 season. Capacity has been increased from 6m3 to a cavernous 8m3, however, an overall length of only 5.2 metres ensures that this compact machine has excellent manoeuvrability around farm buildings. 

In yet another “first”, Teagle have fitted Bluetooth wireless technology to the 9500 to provide convenient communication between operator and machine. Extensive field testing, and use in the “Telehawk” telehandler mounted straw spreader, has highlighted the benefits of a compact in-cab control panel and simple 12V supply to the machine.

Flail Mower range extended with the introduction of the X-Pro

2016

Flail Mower range extended with the introduction of the X-Pro

The Heavy Duty X-Pro tops out the range of front and rear mounted machines, with its target market the professional user looking for a robust, high performance machine operating in a wide variation of applications, for example land reclamation and highway maintenance. X-Pro has been designed for optimum manoeuvrability with its compact double skin chassis incorporating wear resistant Domex for durability and longevity. 

Titan 15 and 17

2016

Titan 15 and 17

At the end of 2016 two new models were released to extend the range of Titan Rear Discharge Muck Spreaders. The Titan 15 and 17, top off the current range and extend the load capacities of Teagle Muckspreaders to just over 20m2. These extra-large capacity models are specifically designed for heavy-use operators. They incorporate high speed Commercial Axles with 406 x140 brakes and a dual Air and Hydraulic combination braking system as part of their standard specification. A wide variety of hitch and tyre options ensures not only the specific demands of large scale operators are fulfilled, but critical compliance to European homologation standards are also addressed within the design.

In addition to this impressive specification, Teagle has “raised the bar” in the design of the Titan 15 and 17 through a series of updates to improve service intervals and durability. These enhancements will also be rolled back into smaller models in the range. Continuous Improvement is the mantra of this family owned, British manufacturer who employs 10% of its workforce of 150 in Research and Development.

Weigh Cell technology has been fully integrated into the large capacity Titan models with options including GPS communication and the latest variable rate application technology.

Technology injection for Centerliner

2017

Technology injection for Centerliner

For the 2017 season, the top end of the Centerliner range has been extended to incorporate a new series of electronic control models with capacities extended to 3,650 litres.  The new SXe and SXi models will adopt the popular and straightforward set-up procedures established over many years and apply the fertiliser through the reliable quadruple overlap system. 

SXe Models:
The New SXe models have been equipped with the Easytronic control system for regulation and monitoring dependent upon tractor speed.  The speed is taken to the Centerliner direct from the tractor speed sensor or alternatively via a Centerliner Wheel Sensor Kit or GPS system.  

SXi Models:
Topping off the range, the new SXi Models are also equipped with the Easytronic control system.  In addition, two weigh cells are integrated into the chassis to provide automatic calibration and weighed application rate according to tractor speed.

Tomahawk C12 High Capacity Bale Processor

2017

Tomahawk C12 High Capacity Bale Processor

The Tomahawk C12 ‘Calibrator’ has been designed for large scale farms and contractors working with a number of clients who need to achieve consistently short ‘calibrated’ material for their business.

Capable of processing materials with a moisture content up to 20% at up to 11 tons/hr. The principal applications are straw processing for homogenous incorporation into TMR rations. Complimentary applications are also found in bedding livestock and the biomass/biogas sectors.

The C12 ‘Calibrator’ incorporates an automatic power loading system controlled from the loading handler, utilising the latest Bluetooth® technology found on all Tomahawk models, the automatic system prevents overloading the tractor whilst optimising output.

To comply with international regulations, the C12 has been designed to meet forthcoming braking legislation and is homologated to run at 40km/hr, with a pneumatic/hydraulic braking combination as standard.

1937
2018

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