The Raymer enterprise., 1918-05-02

Track ayers are used In plantation work in Cuba.
ue rhinppihes' Java. Hawaii South Africa and
so oh throughout the world There are almosf
one hundred OF them at work In Hawaii taken
there from California where the tractor iourishes
i"ey are hauling logging trains In Maine, Mon.
'ana, wisconsin. Minnesota and Canada az efa.
cenuy as they are transporting supplies in the
mining regions Of the West. On the dusty roads
Oh the Panamint range. where the steep grades
wear down the spirit Of the strongest mule teams
ana "here water stations few and far be.
tween, track layers are as valuable for freiRhtinp
as they are In the heat and whirllng sand clouds
OF the Mojave Desert.
There are at the present time about fifteen
firms engaged In making tractors with the end.
less belt type Of drive. There are between eight
and ten thousand tractors Of this type of all dlf.
ferent makes now In use In the world.
Factories are now speeding the construction of
these track-laying tractors for the use of the
United States In the field artillery marine corps,
signal corps and other branches Of the service
! Armored track layers are used In hauling SUD-
plies over ground that motortrucks cannot travel
on. Today manufacturers Of track layers find the
war orders tax their facilities to such an extent
that they are not able to keep up with the COM
mercal demand.
The advance of the tank over the earth sug-
70
operation Is simple The track layer lays its
track down In front Of the frame. rolls over 1t,
picks it up again and repeats the process.
The track consists Of broadgeared belt or
endless chain of fiat steel links which Is put In
motion by large chan-supporting wheels which
fit into the inside of the belt by gears It thus
resembles a belt stretched around the front and
wheels Of an automobile and presenting a
fiat surface on the ground.
The outside of the belt Is comprised Of broad
links known track plates which are rldged to
prevent their slipping. The inside Of the belt
contains the twin tracks upon which rest the
rollers that support the weight Of the tractor.
Nine out Of ten persons who watch tractor
demonstration for the first time get the impress
~ that the track itself is moving upon the
&3nnd. The Illusion Is created by the fact that
the top of the belt Is observed to be going for
ward. But the forward motion Of that part Of
the belt is taken up by the forward motion Of
the car. II the car is raised from the ground and
the motor set in motion the belt will be seen re-
volving around the supporting chain wheels. In
this case the tank is absolutely at rest.
There are two belts, one on either side Of the
car When the car goes straight ahead both belts
revolye at even speed. But the right and left
hand tracks may be operated Independently
Through the operation Of clutches that corre-
spond to those In an automobile one track may
be brought to a standstill while the other track
continues to move at normal speed. The tank
with all its power applied on one side will make
sharp turn. II the right hand track is moving and
the left is still the tank will turn to the left.
The weight of the tank Is distributed along the
whole length Of the track. In the crumbling new
" reclaimed land Of the San Joaquin delta. Call
fornia track layers travel on soil that will not
support the weight Of man. much less horse.
They will pass over cracks in the crumbling earth
that horse could full into, dragging harrows
over the uneven ground until all crevices are