Fordson Snowmobile 1929 Concept Reel 

I agree with you that was super cool thanks for sharing. I wonder how come the screw technology is not used in today's application?

+mr “delites” ok Pretty good explanation as to why in this thread. www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2oosuc/why_a_screwpropelled_vehicle_was_never_used_for/

It's a good concept, but the caterpillar tread can do nearly everything it does and was already in production. And 'pillars can operate on non-snowy terrain as well. Really the only innovation involved in this snow thingee is the corkscrew treads, which take advantage of the same large surface area a tracked vehicle would have to provide forward momentum in a different way. But different is not superior. Still, interesting concept. I'd wonder if it could be tried on the water. With that surface area on the motivating pontoons or whatever they are, the adjustments to turn that into an amphibious vehicle would be relatively modest. And if the friction on the corkscrew motivators is modest For that matter since the thing isn't designed to dig in and push off like a 'pillar or a tire, it might actually have lower friction in normal terrain than I'm thinking should, at least to the point that maybe with a bit of work it could function on unpaved roads. The extra complexity compared to the simplicity of wheels or treads is always going to be a nontrivial problem though. And braking in any kind of hurry without putting severe strain on the blade rollers could be a serious engineering problem.

hagamapama Braking does not put strain on the blades like you'd think. Yes, a machine like this offers floatation on water and it floats much better in deep mud and snow that any tracked vehicle could ever attempt. Dozers don't get around as good as you think. I've had dozers stuck in deep snow where it packs on the underbelly and I've also had dozers stuck in mud only a foot deep. The Fordson Snow Machine does everything well and some things excellent. With some more engineering they could have been the next big thing in farming and excavation.

No terrain on Earth is bad enough to justify putting these into production.

@@jakubukleja5383 the soviets disagreed ZVM-2901

The wheel must slide against the road to move. In my opinion, this is not practical for dry road because of too much energy wasted for friction.

At least ColinFurze did something cool with it :D

Fred Fungus that is not the only one. I know someone else who has one. No name because I am still trying to buy it.

Thank you Henry Ford for your contribution to the Nazi movement during WWll .. well done .. bravo sir ! .. do your own research

I saw one of these at an antique tractor show in Portland indiana a few years ago. It is cool to see.

My guess is that there simply wasn't enough extra efficiency to be gained with this contraption over caterpillar treads when you can use 'pillars when there's no snow on the ground.

Stock, You Tube-friendly, copyright-free music. You can search for it on the video editor page.

Please instruct how to do that..or just let us know who the artist is. I love this track, too.

Dave Edwards I just did.

Where is the video editor page tab located? Thanks.

I'm looking for the original full 10 minute version that had 3 musical pieces (this one being the first) that were each equally unique and catchy.

They are making screwdrive vehicles again in Russia.

Definitely not

+Aslo Aso Same here - been trying to find out what music this is a couple of years now but so far no luck :>\

Tracks are much more controllable. This thing would slip away down a slippery slope in a second.

what if the blades were made of recycled tires instead of steel?

I'm looking for the original full 10 minute version that had 3 musical pieces (this one being the first) that were each equally unique and catchy.

It's the original 1926 track.

what does God have to do with the video?

If I remember correctly, old timers saying, this application was great for travel in these conditions, but couldn't pull no great amounts of weight with a aluminum tube setup like this. The rubber tire just became mainstream and was alot more versatile, although couldn't compare to ice snow mud traction as a screw.

Kostelnick Yeah because the horse didn't give up and get stuck in 10 foot deep snow and die because someone had enough sense to smack him on the ass and make it think there was a predator after it motivating it to not die.That horse has it soooooo bad...

+Adam Deskins Just have a think about what you said.

@@adamdeskins6565 longest single sentence I've ever seen

Coz it was cold.

+marcelstjean He is smacking, not beating it.

He beat the hell out of that horse for getting bogged down in the snow he steered it into.

Haha, eh, oookey.

corpsetime This invention By the Ford company was way ahead of its time the music theme goes perfectly with this rare archive film. You have Nooooooooooo Taste in MOOOOOOOOSIC :)