David Hansen wrote on 23-11-2017 about a band around the wheel : "Yes, In the late 80's I was sales manager and partner at Tracker Ind. Aloha Or. We had perfected the design of a track system to put on the back of a Yamaha, Honda or Kawasaki 4 wheeler. For deep snow we had a set of skis for the front. We had designed the skis around an aluminum extrusion and added UHMW plastic insert. Our demonstrator was a hopped up Yamaha Warrior that would do 70 mph with the tracks and skis. Then, both Yamaha and Honda came out with 4wd!
What to do? I went out to the shop and built a short circular track that was slightly smaller than the tire and inflated it within the tire guides. I had been thinking of it for sometimes and I had the attention of the partners and it worked like a charm. We were in negotiations with Toyomenka Ltd (Suzuki, Casio. etc) who ended up killing the company with unfulfilled promises and financial expertise. In the 90's I got salary and expenses from the military to build a set for the Hum Vee, but it had to be within the existing dimensions (width) Dennis Wend, Director at TACOM/NAC thought they could be like tire chains and put them on when needed. The Army was getting stuck in the snow at Kosovo and they were looking for a quick fix. We tested in Michigan snow that had collected to 4 feet deep. I told them it would not work and it didn't! The tracked tire has been a complete success but it is expensive and is still a round wheel that digs a hole it cannot crawl out of. I have it covered in my old patent so its still "prior art". The company I was working with on the Jeep got a new controller (financial manager) and he killed the deal.. "need to concentrate on profit producing products". Our world is being plagued by CFO's who do not know how to build ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE.
I am trying to convince John Deere and Kubota of the value of my tracks attached to their tractor. I believe that a 30 hp tractor with hydro-static trans and my tracks on back makes the best Remote Autonomous System because like the quad copter it has immediate response to forward/reverse/left/right/angle up/down.
Corporate Management has closed all avenues for new ideas because they are expensive both for time, money and talent.
If a person wants to buy a 30 hp, 4wd tractor with hydrostatic trans, it's available from JD, MF, NH, Kubota, Kioti and Yanmar. With my track system on it there is only one source. Corporate managers, who were never in sales, do not get it! Look at the tests being conducted at Ft Bliss Tx. with the SMET program. Bunch of junk. They are going to release an RFP in 2018 and they will probably go for the side by side wheeler. A toy that looks good on the recruitment videos.
If you go to a tractor dealer here, they also have chain saws, weed eaters, snow blowers, candy bars, snacks and a hot dog wagon in the parking lot. Because they can't make a profit selling tractors!
Thank you David for your documentation.
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