military oddity, anybody have insight?

I have a device manufactured by WICO of Springfield Mass. It appears to be a single cylinder diesel powered jackhammer / tamper. It was, I believe, manufactured for the U.S. Army. I would appreciate any info.

Thanks.

Respectfully,

sam

[RHudson]

i recently saw a diesel jack hammer in sportsmansguide.com . sorry, thats all the information i know.

[Dick Welty]

When I was a very young man in the late 50's I worked for my father as an apprentice brick layer/tender/laborer. I saw several of these on construction sites used as tampers.
The operators would prime the piston and lift up on the cylinder and when the weight of the handle-cylinder-mixer-mag upper section would compress the fuel charge they would squeeze the handle which would trip the mag, firing the charge driving the piston down. The piston was directly connected to the tamper foot. The firing of the cylinder would not only force the foot down tamping the earth but would raise the the cylinder drawing in the next charge and cocking the mag. Once this process was started as long as the handle was squeezed the machine would continue to fire and hop around tamping. The operator could let off of the triger and pull off individule hops if he wanted. It seemed that the compression would hold for quite a while if the operator had to manuver the machine in between hops. The direction could be controlled by moving the handle in the direction the operator wanted it to go.
It worked like a Pogo Stick. I believe they could change the bottom into a Jack hammer foot if they wanted. It seems that they called them a Barko. Maybe the Wico name came from the mag. I do recall being warned that many inexperienced operators had their feet crushed when they got out of control. They were quite heavy. I recall one time at the end of the day when a very small black laborer walked two of them, at a regular walking pace, back to the tool shack running one with each hand. I wouldn't have touched one with a ten foot pole. I don't think I would be afraid to operate one today as I have have had more experience with heavy equipment since then but I'm not sure OSHA would approve. Dick

[Keith Smigle]

Hello All~

The tampers / compactors that I have experience with were called "Wacker Packer" With a little two cycle engine and are still used in construction today. (I am a construction inspector so I see this stuff all the time) When I was in the Navy (Seabees / Construction Battalion) I was stationed at the foot of Mt. Fuji at a Marine training facility. We were building a concrete wash facility for the equipment used there. A fellow electrician, who was as sharp as a bowling ball, was told to run the Wacker Packer because it was the only thing he did good. So he filled the gas tank and fired it up and commenced to start packing a footing, but there was one problem. He didn't put the gas cap back on and when it started jumping around like a jack hammer, gas went every where and caught the whole thing on fire. It was quite a site!

~Keith in Delaware, oHIo

[ListerDiesel]

In the UK, we had a couple of people/companies that made rammers. There are also pile driving machines that are held over a piece of piling and the machine fires regularly and hammers the piling into the ground.

Rammers were made by Pegson and Warsop in the UK, both used very similar construction with a single cylinder, exhaust ports around the side of the cylinder and a top reed inlet valve plus a mechanically operated valve in the top of the cylinder that stopped blowback past the reed valve when the beastie fired. An Amal diaphragm carburettor was fitted and a gravity fed fuel tank.

Firing the rammer involved pumping it up and down a couple of times against the internal spring, then grasping the firing lever which triggered the Wico A magnetor (BT-H on earlier machines) and also closed the mechanical valve in the top to protect the reed valve.

They could be fired while in the air as well!

I spent a year with Warsop Power Tools Ltd testing and building rammers and puimps in the early 1960's, and probably saw a hundred or so machines out of the factory into the test area behind which was an old orchard.

There are a couple or more of these in preservation in the UK, but I have no information on the larger pile driving machines.

Peter

[Patrick McNallen]

I remember seeing a pile-driver back about 1969 on a highway construction job. The thing was huge, and had a big iron cylinder hung on a kind of derrick. It was obviously an internal combustion-powered outfit. They were driving big I-beams straight into the ground to form a retaining wall. I have never seen anything like it before or since.

[J.B. Castagnos]

Do a search on Barco Jack Hammer. There's a story about a guy that bought one at a local show, started it up in the motel room that night, caused quite a stir.

[Kevin Beitz]

There was one on TV last night...diesel jack hammer...
Building a bridge.... Driving 300 foot 8 foot dia. pipes into the ground... One million lbs per smack... The people running it had to use double ear protection...

[Junkologist]

I have a Barco rammer/tamper and it's always a big hit at the shows. People look at it and see the spark plug, but can never figure out what it is. Then I start jumping it around and they stare with their mouths open. It's kind of amazing to see a 250lb piece of cast iron hopping across the ground 13" in the air!

Mike

[Keith Smigle]

[John Drabik]

Ayup, I watched one a couple months ago. Not just hand operated "jumping jack" compactor but a crane carried diesel powered driver. I always thought there was only steam and pneumatic pile drivers till I saw this unit in action. It was driving 60 foot pills to refusal. Impressive power and noise.

[Dave R]

I have a friend who has one of these things. A big hit at shows but very dangerous. Were used in the 40's era on railroads for track construction a lot. They were supposed to save a lot of labor especially during the war when able workers were in short supply.They were manufactured by a company called Barco. Until you see one of these on operation you wont believe thay anybody actually sold such a beast. Or that anybody would actualy run one.

[Al Wait]

I had a Barco once. It came free with a 3HP Sandwich that I bought. I gave it to John Rex, who actually made it run. An evil invention. Al Wait

[Andre Blanchard]

You can still get one if you want.
Diesel Hammer

But they do not make these any more.
Gas Powered Pogo Stick

And then there is this guy.
Gasoline-Powered Jumping Shoes

__________
Andre' B.

[Boomologist]

Hi,
Just joined. Nice group.
In response to everyone who posted about the Barco Jackhammer, I do own one that does run. I restored it a few years back. When I got it it was being used in a cemetery to tamp grave sites. Its the smaller version. A little bigger than a regular jackhammer.
It came with the tamper, chisel bit and a spade bit. It also came with the original, and in very good condition, owners manual and operators manual complete with parts section, trouble shooting and maintenance sections.

It's a very interesting machine. So simple. One piston, one cylinder. No rod, crank, flywheel or cam. A carb that's no more than a very crude metering device and an ignition system consisting of a model "T" coil, spark plug and points that run on the side of the piston.

If I can help anyone with their Barco just email at: Boomologist@gothotrocks.com

Is there a Barco collectors group anywhere?

Thanks,
Ron

[ronm]

Ah, the Diesel pile driver...my first year in high school (1964), they were building a new addition to the school, & for some diabolical reason, started driving pilings about the time school started. That rhythmic pound is still imprinted on my brain. You could hear it all over the campus. They drove piling until about Christmas vacation, as I remember. the original school building was put up on swampy ground & tried to sink a few years after it was built, so they weren't about to let that happen again. I thought it was steam-powered at first, but then noticed the big puff of Diesel smoke every time it fired.
Ron in CO...

[ELIDAS]

Originally Posted by J.B. Castagnos

Do a search on Barco Jack Hammer. There's a story about a guy that bought one at a local show, started it up in the motel room that night, caused quite a stir.

I restored mine at the car dealership I work at. After shop hours I decided to give it a "trial" run. Concrete floor-nice big empty garage. I did not know what to expect. Light right off. I've never seen the sales staff move so fast!

[Boomologist]

On my Barco the spark plug top is very close to your hand when holding the grip. More than once I have seen stars when my finger got too close.

[redneck51031]

i have a barco pegson rammer and the serial # BR3138 and i trying to find the history of it what is it wort

[Boomologist]

A few people have been asking about information concerning the Barco Jackhammer. In searching the net I don't find much about them.
I have scanned the manuals and parts list for mine and have them posted at:
http://www.gothotrocks.com/barco/barco/barco.htm
Feel free to copy what you need.
If someone has manuals for other model's I would be interested in posting them also.
Anyone know the history of the Barco and/or the company? I see where there is a company called Barco that is still in production making "striking" tools (hammers, ect). Could this be the same company?
Thanks,
Ron