Year and place: 1854-1932, Eskilstuna

Johan Theofron Munktell was born in 1805, a son of an ‘assistant vicar’. At 17 he was hired by a man skilled in mechanics and metallurgy. Four years later he was employed by the Royal mint workshop, assigned to exchange their old machines. During the following years he developed other mechanical tools both for his employer and others. In 1830 the first issue of the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet was printed in a printing press made by Munktell.

In the early 1830s Munktell was asked to establish a mechanical workshop in Eskilstuna, to produce tools for among others the production of rifles. At 27 Munktell opened Eskilstuna Mekaniska Verkstad. The workshop grew, and in the late 1830s new factories were built.

The construction of useful machines went on. In 1853 Swedens first steam locomotive Förstlingen ('the First One') was delivered to Norbergs Gruvjärnväg, who used it for transports in the mining business.

The year after, Munktell manufactured Swedens first steam locomobile, for use 'off the rails'. The locomobiles were steam engines on wheels, to be pulled by horses. They became popular in the farming industry, especially from 1859 when Munktell released a mobile threshing-machine. And the company grew. In 1879 the company was transformed into Munktells Mekaniska Verkstads AB. Johan Theofron Munktell was still active until his death at the age of 82.

Cruce oil
Production of Munktells crude oil engines began in 1905, in smaller scale parallell to production of steam engines. Among others Munktells constructed Swedens first steam roller in 1906. They tested crude oil engines with the intake in the side of the cylinder, but abandoned that idea and went on producing engines with the intake in the cylinders top.

In 1913 the first Munktells tractor was out on the market, after tests with a large plow bought in the U.S.A. and Munktells selfpropelled locomobile plowing on various kinds of soil. It’s easy to say that the Munktells “30-40 hk” (hp) tractor was large, very large. Some facts: 2-stroke 2-cylinder 14-litre 30 hp (maximum 40 hp) engine, top speed (on ‘road’) 4,4 km/h, weight 8,3 metric tonnes, rear wheels 2,1 metres high, and a water cooling system with 380 litres of water. Yes, 380 litres. When used in wintertime, when there was risk for the water freezing over the night, there was some work to do to empty the system at the end of the day and refilling it the next morning. The engine could be used with various kinds of fuels. Normally it took some 10 minutes with a blow lamp to get the engine warm enough to start. But, the tractor with one (standing) driver was estimated to do the same work as 8 men and 16 horses.

To sell the tractors Munktells used arguments like mechanization to meet the increased costs of labour, rationalization, capacity to cultivate the soil at the right time, et cetera. In 1913-1915 31 of these tractors were delivered, among others to Denmark, Germany and Russia. Luckily number 5 found the way back to the factory area, where I saw it in the Munktells museum.

Munktells second tractor model “18-20 hk” (1916) and “20-24 hk” (1917-1920) was smaller. Its weight was just 4,2 metric tonnes, and the cooling system only needed 130 litres of water. Still the opening to pour the water in was placed rather high, demanding some strong human muscles. An engine test in 1920 showed that the use of crude oil gave a little higher effecgt than of kerosene. 8 tractors were built of the first size and 320 of the following size.

Changes around 1920
The company continued its growth, and the number of employees around 1918 exceeded 1.000. Among others engines for marine use were marketed, partly with the help of the companys ship. One of them was a 30 hp 2-stroke 1-cylinder 22,5 liter engine.

After WWI businesses were poor. Some years with bad weather resulted in poor harvests, and exports decreased. One of the positive news was Munktells cooperation with NOHAB who got an order from the Soviet Union of 1.000 railway locomotives.

In the early 1920s the company went bankrupt, as one ‘event’ during a time with activities with and from various interested parties (among others NOHAB). Eventually Handlesbanken became the owner ov the company. In 1927 the board decided to take back the company name Munktells Mekaniska Verkstads AB.

The last Munktells steam locomobiles and steam rollers were produced in 1921. Over the years more than 6.500 of them had been made. The development and production of locomobiles with crude oil engines went on. The 12 hp engine used in one motorlocomobile, tested in 1923, had an intake that gave the mix of fuel and air a rotating movement to blend in a better way.

More modern
In 1921 the next tractor model was introduced, the “Type 22 hk” (22 hp). This was a tractor of more modern construction, with the engine and transmission and rear axle unit as the central part instead of a frame. The idea came from the U.S.A. and the Fordson tractors. The 2-stroke 2-cylinder 7,24-litre 22 hp (maximum 26 hp) engine ran with 700 rpm regardless of on idle or when used working. It took just a couple of minutes to get it warm enough to start. To clean the air used for the engine, the air passed a cylinder with small rings that were sticky of oil. A news on this model was that the actual ‘start’ of the engine was aided by compressed air from an ‘air tank’ that was ‘filled’ while the engine was running. (When the engine was running, air was compressed into a ‘tank’, and held there until the engine should be started the next time.)

During 1921-1934 more than 1.500 units of “Type 22 hk” were produced. In 1923 it was awarded the Kings honorary prize at the Lantbruksmötet in Göteborg. The “Type 22 hk” was also used in the first road scraper made in Sweden in 1924.

A ‘big brother’ was born in 1927, the “Type 30 hk”. The reason was a demand on the export market, where farms often were larger than in Sweden, for more powerful tractors. Argentina was one interesting market. Of this model almost 450 were made 1927-1935.

As extra equipment for both type 30 and later type 22 were a special power outtake for a tool used in farming, electric lights and compact rubber wheels. The type 30 unit was also used in Munktells second model of road scraper, and also in some other functions.

More changes
During the years of the depression around 1930 it was tough also for Munktells. To increase the turnover, the competitor AB Avancemotor was acquired. The founder of that company had begun production of tractors already in 1912.

Munktells produced harvesters too. As I understand, they also produced tracked tractors, excavators and probably more machines.

A greater change came in 1932 when the companies Munktells and J & CG Bolinders Mekaniska Verkstads AB became AB Bolinder-Munktell (BM). (In 1950 that company was purchased from the bank Handelsbanken - by AB Volvo.)

Photos:
locomobiles
tractors
scrapers
rollers
various

2007-03-19. www.konditori100.se. Text/pictures: Arne Granfoss ©. Prod: AG Informice