New Cumberland, Pa.
The Editor’s note: Mr. Losh started to work for the Huber
Company in April 1908 and continued in their service until June
1945 when he went to the American Equipment Company as Huber and is
still with them.
Adam, as he is familiarly known, is a very modest man. He
despises publicity. Hence, we had some persuading before we got him
to write a description of the Teeter Hoard. He is a man of the
highest character. We have heard him make an address comparable to
the best ministers.
The Teeter Board was a stunt used by the Huber Company at Fairs
and other exhibition places for steam traction engines.
The Editor saw Adam operate at the Grangers Picnic in Cumberland
County, Pa. It was the most interesting of all the stunts ever
devised. The Huber was well fitted for this demonstration. If the
engine slid off the planks, and it did sometimes, nothing
happened since the Huber had no interference up to the
axle.
Another interesting stunt the Huber pulled at the Grangers
Picnic was to go into the creek which was some wider than the
engine and the water just about to the axle. We have seen them go
up the creek with the engine wide open and just literally push the
water up the stream for a ways. The Israelites would not have been
able to have crossed the stream on dry land but it was a sight we
shall never forget and never expect to see it repeated.
Other engines might climb the Case incline but no engine ever
followed the Huber in the creek. It should be said there was no
other return flue engine represented in this part of the state.
Having seen this stunt many times we doubt if we would want to
try it with anything but a return flue. Milford, if you try it with
an Advance we shall close our eyes until we hear the crash.
Adam does not seem to explain that when once balanced on the
Teeter Board. To make it teeter you would use the reverse and catch
the engine on the half turn. By swinging the reverse back and forth
you could make it teeter like two kids on a see-saw.
Some of you Huber Pans might practice this stunt some winter and
give us a demonstration at the Reunions. It would be better than
any of the death defying stunts of the Hot Rods.
Here is a little description of the Teeter Board. It consisted
of two 8’x15’x15′, one 10’x16’x,15′ placed
crosswise of the two 8 foot timbers. Then two
18’x6’x12′ white oak planks were laid across the cross
timber. These were tied for width according to the width of the
engine used.
Eight, 12 and 16 hp engines were used. The 12hp was the most
desirable size to operate until the 16 hp round axle, solid
mounting came out in 1912. The solid mounted engine had its
advantages over the spring cushion mounting.
You have asked for some advice as to how to operate on the
Teeter Hoard. Like everything else each operator has his own way of
doing things. So I will tell you how I operated on the Teeter
Board.
First, I got the butterflies out of my tummy. Second, to learn
how to keep my engine from stopping on dead center. Third, to stop
engine on a cushion of steam by use of the throttle, reverse and
cylinder drain cocks. Fourth, when mounting the Hoard to learn to
distribute the weight of the engine on the runway when dropping in
balance. A few inches too far would drop you too hard and you would
skid down the planks or bounce off them entirely. When off it
wasn’t so good.
Another thing in operating was to keep the water in the boiler
at one level as near as possible to enable you to judge your weight
distribution.
The popular question of the spectators was ‘Why the Huber
was the only engine to demonstrate on the Teeter Board?’ Short
wheelbase and equalized weight on wheelbase was the answer.
