Editing Continuous track (section)

=== Heathcote's Steam Plough ===
[[File:HeathcotesSteamPlough.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|Heathcote Steam Plough as demonstrated in 1837]]

Patented in 1832 by [[John Heathcoat]] (also Heathcote), M.P. for [[Tiverton (UK Parliament constituency)|Tiverton]], the Heathcote steam plough was demonstrated in 1837 and press coverage fortunately provided a [[woodcut]] of the unusual tracked vehicle.<ref>{{cite news |title=Heathcote's Steam Plough |newspaper=Chelmsford Chronicle |location=US |date=29 December 1837 |page=4}}</ref> The continuous tracks were made of {{cvt|7|foot|cm|round=5|order=flip}} sections of wood bolted to continuous iron bands which were driven by "drums" at each end. A strong chassis provided the bearings for the drums, and carried the steam engine, fuel and winch. The chassis was supported on "numerous small wheels or rollers" which ran upon the lower iron bands, which "thus form a perfectly portable and smooth road for the platform".

The drums were {{cvt|9|or|10|foot|cm|round=5|order=flip}} in diameter, {{cvt|26|foot|cm|round=5|order=flip}} apart. The tracks were each {{cvt|7|foot|cm|round=5|order=flip}} wide with a {{cvt|7|foot|cm|round=5|order=flip}} gap in-between giving an overall width of {{cvt|21|feet|cm|round=5|order=flip}}. The twin-cylinder steam engine could be used either to drive the plough winch or to drive the vehicle along, at a speed of up to {{cvt|5|feet/minute|cm/minute|round=5|order=flip}}. Although the machine weighed 30 tons complete with 6 tons of fuel, its ground pressure was only {{cvt|178|lb/sqft|0|order=flip}}, considerably less than a man. 

The successful demonstration was carried out on 20 April 1837, at [[Red Moss, Greater Manchester|Red Moss]] at [[Bolton-le-Moors]]. The steam plough was lost when it sank into a swamp by accident and was then abandoned, because the inventor did not have the funds to continue development.<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_AM38RNF_F4C&q=Cayley+Caterpillar+Track&pg=PA15 |title = Classic Caterpillar Crawlers| year=2001 | publisher=MotorBooks International |isbn = 9781610605793}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QP8pAQAAIAAJ&q=1832+Heathcote+Caterpillar+Track |title = Steam on the Farm: A History of Agricultural Steam Engines 1800 to 1950|isbn = 9781847970527|last1 = Brown|first1 = Jonathan|year = 2008| publisher=Crowood Press }}</ref>