Linn tractor

Linn was a native of Maine and in his quest for a better machine to travel rural roads with his dog and pony show equipment gave up on a six-wheel-drive design by 1907 to have Alvin Lombard, of Waterville, build a machine using the tracks off a Lombard Steam Log Hauler, and underslung gasoline engine and wheels on front.

It was equipped with a ship-style cabin with living quarters and able to pull a string of wagons behind as well as supply electric lights for his circus.

Since neither inventor had patented the overall concept, just the track system, there was no copyright infringement to prevent Linn from continuing to build his version of the tractors.

[1] By 1916 Linn had developed an even smaller, more stable gasoline-powered half-track with an improved flexible traction system, independent of each other, with a central triangle-shaped rocker using two tear-dropped runner blocks suspended by axles, then surrounded by an independent roller chain to disperse the load through these rollers, patented in 1918.

This machine was built in a cab-over configuration, front wheel drive, and a hydraulically lowered dual-wheeled tag-axle that would push the tracks up off the ground.