cotton - Greenmount Press

Tom Bates of Swan Hill, Victoria, owns this Ferguson TEA 20
with rubberised tracks equipped with grousers for extra grip.
(Photo IMJ)
3, 1927 Kégresse registered his design Patent No. 1627287 with
the United States Patent Office. Accordingly an array of variations
appeared from the design team of other manufacturers, but all
carefully avoiding the Kégresse patents.
Fast forwarding to the 1940s, it is interesting to note that
Harry Ferguson, the great tractor innovator, saw considerable
merit in the friction engagement track principle and approved
several after market designs for fitting to the Ferguson TE20 and
subsequent models.
Several Ferguson tractors thus equipped, performed admirably
in Antarctica. Indeed on January 4, 1958 a TEA20, fitted with
friction engagement tracks, became the first vehicle to be
successfully driven overland to the South Pole!
In more recent times, the giant conglomerates Caterpillar and
A Caterpillar Challenger 55 equipped friction engaged
rubberised tracks. (Photo IMJ)
John Deere introduced a range of agricultural tractors propelled
on rubberised tracks of the friction engagement design! They
claimed that these tractors represented a revolutionary new
approach to track design and each company insisted that the
other was in breach of the other’s patent rites. At considerable
expense a global legal battle was put in motion between the two
giant corporates, including in Australia.
But common sense prevailed when an Australian expert
witness, presented evidence of Kégresse’s patents and the
scores of other subsequent friction engagement designs, which
included those fitted to an Oliver OC4 crawler of the 1950s and
the Ferguson TEA 20. In Australia at least, the matter was settled
quietly and harmoniously ‘out of court’.
■
IAN’s MysTEry TrACTor QUIZ
Question: What on earth is it
Clue: Yes. It is a tractor – and yes it does go! The engine is
below the radiator. And no – they definitely are not Kégresse
style tracks! (Photos IMJ)
Degree of difficulty: Best thing is to simply give up! Go grab
a cold beer.
Answer: See page 64.
A John Deere 8400T fitted with friction engaged rubberised
tracks. (Photo IMJ)
54 — The Australian Cottongrower December 2012–January 2013