LifeTrac III/Research Development
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Prototype I
Prototype II
Prototype III
Coming May, 2011.
One possible concept:
Versatility
For us at Factor e Farm, LifeTrac will be the backbone of our agricultural, agroforestry, and land stewardship operations. It will also be used in construction, power generation, and possibly other workshop tools. Interestingly, hybrid hydraulic drive also applies to cars - here's an example [1]. The identical hydraulic design, minus agricultural implement features - can be used with a car - simply by using faster, lower-torque wheel motors.
The basic drive is all hydraulic, and all implements are run hydraulically as well. Three hydraulic motors - PTO motor, high torque motor, and winch motor are used for accessory power applications. These can drive the following devices which we are also building contemporaneously:
- Tilt-blade sawmill
- Rototiller
- Post-hole digger/tree planter
- Mixer
- Winch
- Well-drilling rig (future work)
Other implements that we are preparing are:
- CEB Press
- Backhoe
- Trencher
The unique feature is that the motors can be mounted on the front-end laoder quick-connect plate - which serves, in effect, as an implement attachment mechanism that is much more versatile than a tractor 3 point hitch. All implements may be mounted on the quick-connect
As of 5.24.08, the current working program surrounding LifeTrac is:
Articulated Tractor Design
After examining the function of skid-steering, we decided to add articulated steering with a 2-degree of freedom flexible coupler. The tractor can both bend and rotate around the middle joint. This allows the tractor to minimize impact on the ground when turning. It also allows all 4 wheels to remain on the ground in uneven terrain - where otherwise it is likely that 1 wheel is off the ground often in uneven terrain.