Landships II

Vilkata · Brigadier

Track Spud Question.

Roger Todd · Legend

They weren't really intended as a way of lowering ground pressure, rather they were to provide enhanced grip with the raised flange (spud) digging into the ground like the studs of a football boot - the extension to the side of the plate is to support the spud. Because lowering ground pressure is not the intention, but enhanced grip is, you don't need every link to carry a spud. Later marks of tank did lower the ground pressure by the simple expedient of making wider tracks.

BTW, why 'spuds'? 'Studs' seems more sensible...

Mark Hansen · Legend

Roger Todd wrote:

BTW, why 'spuds'? 'Studs' seems more sensible...

Spuds as in the small spade or digging tool used to dig potatoes out of the ground. The name was then transferred to the potato, hence "spuds" for potatoes. The tank spuds do look very much like a small spade.

Are you sure you're from Britain, Roger? It takes an Aussie to tell you what a spud is?

Roger Todd · Legend

Mark Hansen wrote:

Are you sure you're from Britain, Roger? It takes an Aussie to tell you what a spud is?

Ooh, cheeky monkey!

Actually, I didn't know that potato spades were called spuds, and that that is why spuds (the potatos) are called spuds - you learn a new thing every day...

As for track spuds, Tritton's patent shows a quite different design (application date, 2 December 1916):

From the patent description:

It is necessary that such vehicles, especially when used under conditions of war, should have to travel over and upon ground which is often very unstable or muddy to a considerable depth, so that they lose traction by the track failing to gain a grip upon the ground. If projecting fins or the like are attached to the plates or links of the endless track it is necessary that they should be of substantial length to secure effective traction, but the longer these are made, so the resistance of the ground increases owing to the effect of the increased leverage, and to overcome this, their foundation or basic attachment to the track plate must be enlarged and strengthened to withstand the strain. As, however, the track plate is comparatively narrow for its length, such enlargement and strengthening is limited by the narrowness of the plate, and it is inadvisable to make it wider.

The object of the present invention is to overcome this difficulty.

The invention consists in a spud plate or mud grip which is suspended from two adjacent track plates and approximately midway between them, whereby the stress on the mud grip caused by the resistance of the ground is distributed over two track plates so that the foundation for the device may be made as strong as desired.

Now, I don't know whether or not any attempt was made to make spuds of this type. However, I would hazard a guess that the reason why the spuds we know and love are wider, and overhang, the main edge of the track links was to give the face of the spud a greater surface area for digging in to the mud while reducing the height of the spud, which is considerably less than in Tritton's patent.

Mark Hansen · Legend

Roger Todd wrote:

Now, I don't know whether or not any attempt was made to make spuds of this type. However, I would hazard a guess that the reason why the spuds we know and love are wider, and overhang, the main edge of the track links was to give the face of the spud a greater surface area for digging in to the mud while reducing the height of the spud, which is considerably less than in Tritton's patent.

I hadn't seen that patent drawing before. Thanks for sharing it Roger.

They look like they may have been more complicated to fit to the tracks as well. With the spuds that were used, all that was needed to attach them was the tightening of two nuts.

My knowledge of spud history (such as it is) is mostly derived from my mother, a former Brummie, with a quick top-up from Wikipedia.

-- Edited by Mark Hansen at 15:11, 2006-08-02

Lou · Corporal

If anyone is interested Panzershop now do varying sets of these. Which I just happen to sell.

All the best,

Lou

www.armour-models.co.uk

Roger Todd · Legend

Mark Hansen wrote:

They look like they may have been more complicated to fit to the tracks as well. With the spuds that were used, all that was needed to attach them was the tightening of two nuts.
My knowledge of spud history (such as it is) is mostly derived from my mother, a former Brummie...

Oh, I fully agree about the complexity of the patent design. It's always worth bearing in mind just how rapidly designs changed at that time, so it's no surprise if Tritton, maybe with input from Wilson and others, refined it to produce something more or less as effective but a damn sight less complex and, thus, more practical!

At a tangent, as for your mother, which part of Brum does she hail from? I was born there and lived there until moving to London nine years ago - next time you chat to her, say "Awright bab!" from me!

Mark Hansen · Legend

Roger Todd wrote:

At a tangent, as for your mother, which part of Brum does she hail from? I was born there and lived there until moving to London nine years ago - next time you chat to her, say "Awright bab!" from me!

I checked her old address. It's in Small Heath. Our family visited there in 1980. I also got to try out the hospital due to an inconveniently timed appendectomy. Sort of messed up the holiday a little.

Phil R · Captain

just to throw a little fat on the fire (and because i don't know the answer), when is a spud a spud? and when is a spud a grouser?

i used to think that the spuds were the wooden lumps that stick up on the track (increasing penetration of the track into soft ground thereby reducing slipping and sliding) but don't stick out the side of the track, and a grouser is the metal plates that extend out the side of the track.