What does this lever do? 1953 Ferguson

[vintagefred]

Just bought a 1953 Ferguson TO30. Can't figure out what this long lever does attached to transmission next to pto control lever. Previous owner had it for 10 years and never used it.

 

[TomSeller]

Just bought a 1953 Ferguson TO30. Can't figure out what this long lever does attached to transmission next to pto control lever. Previous owner had it for 10 years and never used it.

Ferguson and Ford we working together in this years I believe?

pto gizmo - Harry Ferguson

TO30 with a hand clutch on the PTO - Harry Ferguson

7th post down says:
Note the extra long lever coming out of the left side pto shifter cover on this 8N.
This is the extremely rare Sherman live pto conversion for the 8N. The lever operates
a manual clutch pack between the transmission and the rear end pinion gear. This allowed
the tractor operator to start up normally with the pto engaged and then use the long lever
to disengage the tractor drive and stop the tractor without stopping the pto. If you use the
lever for stopping and starting and left the regular foot clutch alone you had a "live" pto.

 

[KiotiKowboy]

I believe that lever activates either the Time Travel Assistance System or the Interstellar Wormhole Drive. Just pull it and let us know

 

[TomSeller]

I believe that lever activates either the Time Travel Assistance System or the Interstellar Wormhole Drive. Just pull it and let us know

Or the warp speed lever?

 

[Tor Arne]

You might be the happy owner of a tractor With a creeper gear box

 

[RayIN]

Ferguson and Ford we working together in this years I believe?

pto gizmo - Harry Ferguson

TO30 with a hand clutch on the PTO - Harry Ferguson

7th post down says:
Note the extra long lever coming out of the left side pto shifter cover on this 8N.
This is the extremely rare Sherman live pto conversion for the 8N. The lever operates
a manual clutch pack between the transmission and the rear end pinion gear. This allowed
the tractor operator to start up normally with the pto engaged and then use the long lever
to disengage the tractor drive and stop the tractor without stopping the pto. If you use the
lever for stopping and starting and left the regular foot clutch alone you had a "live" pto.

Believe it or not I owned a 1953 Harry Ferguson TO30 with that PTO hand clutch. It was really handy bush-hogging into fence corners, didn't need to put tranny in neutral to bush hog in fence corners.
Regrettably I had a lapse in judgement and sold the tractor to a man who stopped and watched me mowing where it was too tight to cut for hay. Dad bought it new from the HF dealer in Ellettsville Indiana That dealers name was Harry Stephens.
I used to have a lot of pictures on the tractor but a computer crash wiped them from my world.
I was amazed at how small the clutch was for that final drive disconnect.
I remember driving that tractor when bringing in hay, I was 12 at the time.
p.s. It also had the original factory front bumper, although I'd had to straighten it a few times. If dad could run over a tree he would bush-hog it off.
That resulted in me replacing 3 PTO shafts before dad passed away.

 

[fishheadbob]

A different guess. I think that lever might be a PTO speed selector lever. Some Fergusons and Masseys had a PTO that was 540 and also had a ground drive speed which was much slower. No idea why.