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. 

1942 - Teagle logo

Teagle Machinery became a limited company in 1943, when the first Teagle logo was developed, and was based on an art deco brooch design. The main element of this strong brand identity was in the form of an eagle with angular wings and circular discs to form a badge. This mark was used extensively from 1943 until 1969.

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were manufactured, it was not until tractors were fitted with external hydraulics that the Loader-Stacker machine was superseded by the fore end loader.

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.

1953 - Two stroke 49cc 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.

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.

1958 - 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.

1954 - Factory plans

1962 - Tracut hedgecutter

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.

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.

1969 - Titan trailer

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.

1970 - Teagle logo update

1975 - Dynacut flail hedgecutter

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.

1978 - Toucan forage wagon

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.

1979 - Teagle family

1979 - Spiromix cement mixer

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.

1984 - Lightning 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.

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.

1988 - Tomahawk bale shredders

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. 

1989 - Teagle logo

The eagle was dropped from the logo, and a more modern simpler style Teagle logo was used.

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.

1993 - Celebrating 50 years

The Teagle Directors, taken to commemorate 50 years. From the left, Fred Teagle, Geoff Osborne, Mary Teagle, John Teagle, David Teagle

1996 - Super-ted 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.

1998 - First box bale processors

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.

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.

2006 - Tomahawk dual chop

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.

2009 - Tomahawk 8080

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.

2009 - Robot welders

After using automatic lathes and profiling machines for many years, Robot Welding was introduced. The welder, with its long articulated arm, and the rotating and turning table, can weld large complicated parts. 

2011 - Titan 10 & 12

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.

2014 - Telehawk

The increasing popularity of Telehanders on farms in the UK encouraged a number of farmers to look for more ways to utilise the convenience of a Telehandler and make use of the flexibility that it can offer. One such task was bedding livestock, with which the benefits offered by mechanical bedders such as the Tomahawk has long been associated; saving time, reducing straw requirements, keeping livestock cleaner, as well as overcoming the need to enter the pen.

In 2014 Teagle developed the Telehawk - a self-loading, hydraulically driven bale processor designed for telehandlers and loaders, enabling efficient straw bedding distribution. Featuring a swivel chute for precise placement, adjustable discharge speed, and a high-capacity fan for even spreading of straw up to 13.5 metres. The machine is compatible with round and square bales, ensuring versatility for livestock operations. Its remote-control operation enhances user convenience, making it an ideal solution for farmers seeking efficient, low-labour bedding application.

2017 - Tomahawk C12

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.

2019 - Factory update

The latest aerial view of the factory. The only buildings remaining from the 1950’s plan are the farmhouse and an old cattle shed in the centre of the photo. 

2020 - First electric bale processor

With more farmers and bio-plants wanting electric drive versions of the Tomahawk 505M, this model was developed. When used with a Loading Conveyor the machine will chop several bales automatically. 

2022 - New paint line

2024 - King's Award

The King’s Award for Export was awarded, given to those companies with a consistently increasing export turnover. The award was presented by the King’s representative in Cornwall, the Lord Lieutenant, Colonel Sir Edward Bolitho.

2025 - Tomahawk 6100H

A very recent introduction, this model will go on skid-steers and small loaders to spread straw for bedding. Many weight saving features were added to enable it to be lifted by small loaders.