Cats, Cat Tracks and Backtracking
The idea of a belt of traction treads goes way back in the history of mechanical movement. In the 1770's there were experiments with a system dubbed the "endless railway." Inventors and manufacturers all over the world helped to shape the design process. Mainly what people were trying to do, is avoid getting stuck in soft ground conditions like mud, tundra, snow and farmland. The linked tracks that that form a continuous belt, offers a larger footprint to the ground This larger footprint delivers less ground pressure, allowing the machine/contraption/invention to "float" on the soft surface. The Caterpillar Tractor company did not invent steel tracks, or even the machine that rolls on steel tracks. The Caterpillar company formed to take over the assets of the struggling Holt Manufacturing Company...and went on to create a legend. The standard steel tracked, diesel engine, push blade...and sometimes a winch machine is called a "cat" Like Xerox, ...